Masonry's Work.

any attempt to embody tho religious sentiment m its fullest development . If , however , it is not the sun shining in the perfect d » y of mnn's religious life , we may at least romp-ire its ii . flneiw to that of the refulgent moon which

throws no other light over the earth than that which is first derived from tho sun itself , and then reflected in glory and beauty over the scene of human life . Freemasonry rt fleets many of the choicest rays of the Sun of

Righteousness , and throws a gentle light over the night of man s sorrow ? . So whilo onr beloved Order does not seek to cover the whole ground of man's religious obligation , it is careful so far as it dees go to say and to do nothing that

shall he out of harmony with tho deepest need .- ) and the highest aspirations of the human soul . The truo Mason bows in reverence whenever he hears the name of God . The atheist must look outside of this Society for congenial companionship .

There is nothing which of right belongs to Masonry which interferes in the slightest degree with the attainment of a perfect Christian character . On the contrary , a faithful observance of the obligations which Masons

assume , the application of the symbolical teaching of the ritual , and tho manifestation in social life of the spirit which pervades the Lodge-room , will strengthen and increase those elements of character which it is the province of the church to carry to their perfection .

There comes a time in tho lifo of every man when he needs that which money cannot buy . Sickness lays him low , sorrow throws its pall over his life , his plans fail , all

things press heavily upon him—he needs a friend . Our Institution tries to do its share in lifting the weight of sorrow from human hearts . From thousands of those who have felt the touch of its beneficent hand the sonsr of

its praise ascends to heaven . While this is not in its essential features a society for mutual benefit in a monetary sense , there is developed among its members that spirit of helpfulness which allows

no member selfishly to enjoy the abundance with which he has been blessed so long as a brother , or the widow or orphan of a brother , is in need of that which he cau supply to make life comfortable . Masonic charity is free aud full .

Freemasonry is often spoken of as an Order . It is one among many institutions which have sought to bring order into human life . No Society established among men has

been more successful in giving men a calm and orderly view of life . Through ignorance and wilfulness the life of man is full of disorder and confusion , it is often without satisfaction either to himself or to society .

Masonry tries to bring order into man s life by teaching him that he is a part of a great order of creation . It points him again and again to the order which is manifested throughout the realm of nature , by which the stars move

in their orbits , and all processes of growth go on . This order it teaches him to imitate within the sphere of his own life . Geometry and architecture are used as illustrations of the order of moral and spiritual life which

man should seek to have established within his own being . Through the maintenance of rank and station , with a due respect for authority within its own borders , and through the practice of brotherly love and relief , among

those who are linked in its mystic cham , Masonry seeks to lead men to the truth—it guides men into the presence of God with some power to see the true meaning of life . —Voice of Masonry .

Systematic Support For The Charities.

SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT FOR THE CHARITIES .

"TT ^ LSEWHERE we announce the receipt of subscriptions JLA amounting to close on £ 13 , 200 , as the outcome of this year ' s Anniversary Festival on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and a splendid result it must be acknowledged to be ; far different to what was

needed a few years back to produce a successful Festival , and far different to what the most sanguine Craftsman of the last generation would have dared to expect could ever be received on behalf of one of the Masonic Institutions .

Yet we have now come to look upon such an immense sum as absolutely necessary , year after year , not for the entire work of Masonic benevolence , but for each of the three Central Charities of the Order , while there are many around us who go so far as to say that the totals are yet

Systematic Support For The Charities.

capable of considerable extension . We shall not hero discuss the possibilities of increasing the scope of Masonic Benevolence , all we hope is that the future may produce

sums sufficient to meet the many calls made on the Order by members who , through unforeseen calamity or misfortune , are reduced to the necessity of asking help from their fellows . What wo now intend to discuss is one of

the means by which the splendid results of to-day aro achieved , and tho channel by which a fair continuance may be looked for in years to come . This we find in the

" systematic" subscribing which is now so popular throughout the country , and which is rapidly extending year by year .

As we have just said , fcho Festivals of tbe present time are widely different to what they were a few years back . Now we must get well up in tho thousands before we can describe a result as anything like a success ; then as many

hundreds were received with equal gratification , and were regarded with equal pride as is shown to-day over tho larger amounts . We need not go back so very far either to reach this state of affairs . There are many brethren

around us who can remember a total of thirteen hundred pounds , received at the Anniversary Festival of one of tho Masonic Charities , as being regarded as a grand success , and yet , in face of this there are manv others who will tell

us that the present generation of Masons had little , if anything , to do with securing for the Institutions the proud and exalted position they now occupy . They can hardly believe that thirty or thirty-fivo years ago there was such

a wide difference as that we here mention , bufc such is the case , and ifc is nofc too much to say that the men who raised the Masonic Institutions to their present grandeur are still among us , and have nofc yet ceased their efforts in the good cause .

Wo need nofc go back nearly so far as the thirty years just spoken of to find the commencement of the " Systematic " support that ia now enjoyed by the Masonic Charities . A far shorter period will take us to the time

when the Provinces lacked the regular organisations they nearly all enjoy afc the present time , and , as the most casual observer must know , we shall , by tracing the origin of these organisations , get far towards the root of the

system which now produces such splendid results , and which , should ifc by any chance cease , would at once affect the Institutions , even if ifc did nofc seriously cripple their working . But there is little fear of a cessation in the work

of systematic support , for on all sides we fiud evidence that the idea is most popular , that continued effort is being made to extend it , and make it even more beneficial than ifc is at present .

Only during the present week have we had evidence of this healthy feeling in Masonic Charity affairs . At tho annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk , held on Wednesday , the eighth annual report of the Provincial

Charity Committeo was presented , and so satisfactory a report it has seldom been our fortune to listen to . Here , in a Province which has seriously felt the effects of the agricultural depression which has played such , havoc during

the past few years , we hear of nothing but satisfactoryeven more than satisfactory—progress in the promotion ol Masonic benevolence . Not oue of the Lodges but was able to report to the Provincial Grand Master a number

of votes held by the Lodge or its members for one , two , or all three of the Masonic Charities , and in nearly every case there was reference to good work done during the pasfc few months on behalf of the Funds referred to . The

total amount subscribed during the present year by the brethren of Suffolk exceeds £ 1050 , and this was not contributed by one or two brethren or Lodges , but , it seemed to us , by the Craftsmen of the entire district . Ifc would

be wrong to accredit all this to the Provincial Charity organisation , but there is no question that a large amount of the support recently sent up from Suffolk is to be

accounted for in such a way , and Suffolk is no exception to tbe rule which holds throughout the country—which , in this respectas divided up into a number of centres , all of whom seem to vie ono with thc other as to who shall do the

most for the good cause . Fortunately this systematic working is firmly established , and is likely nofc only to continue , but be considerably augmented year by year , so that

we may safely say that much of the future of the Masonic Institutions depends on the systematic system of subscribing which now exists , and which , as we have already said , is the growth of the lasfc few years , and the work of the present members of the Order .