Masonic Seceders.

many matters which hitherto he had taken somewhat for granted . If this should be the case is it likely a man could forget the lessons he had been taught in Freemasonry ? Is it not rather certain that much of Avhat had been impressed upon his memory by our symbolic teaching would stand him in good stead , even though he was no longer a Freemason in name . It is on this principle— as well as on the one we have already mentioned—that it may be truly said to be impossible for a man to wholly disassociate himself with the Craft , and thus it is that we may regard the fact of there being such a state as imaginary secession from Freemasonry , a withdrawal in name only . It must not be considered , however , that we deny

the possibility of there being a real secession , an actual withdrawal from the Craft ; but we believe such instances to be exceptionally rare , at least in regard to permanency . Men have been known to give up Freemasonry , severing every tie likely to

draw them to the Craft , and for years have remained outside its doors ; they have even gone so far as to take an active part in abusing it , and persecuting its members , and after all this have come back to its fold , and have proved themselves in every way worthy of being again welcomed in its midst . It may be very difficult to understand such actions , but do we not continually hear of the most peculiar freaks in the most unexpected quarters . A loving son or a devoted husband suddenly disappears , no one can even guess at the cause which has led him away , and in the

absence of any tangible explanation foul play is suspected . Years afterwards the wanderer suddenly reappears , and may truthfully be as unable to account for his departure as were his friends . We may dismiss such actions as sudden attacks of madness , and perhaps that is really the proper explanation . If so . we mav account for sudden secessions from

Free-. . m- ^ masonry on the same ground , and indeed this seems to be the only basis on which we can explain some of the radical changes which take place in our midst . Failing all this we may reasonably look around and seek for the cause by discovering in what way the seeeder has been disappointed . This disappointment

need not necessarily be wholly associated with Freemasonry ; a man may be disappointed in various walks of life and may give up Freemasonry together with other associations of more ausjneious days . Business may not have been particularly bright ; and this has led to his being disappointed at not receiving some tangible help from his brother Masons , although , as we have frequently urged , a man has only himself to thank if Freemasonry has not proved so profitable a business investment as he anticipated . He ought

not to have expected any business help from Freemasonry—then he would not have been disappointed at not receiving it ; while , on the other hand , if he anticipated a mercantile return for his investment he would , in all probability , soon have occasion to lament its non-realisation . Freemasonry is of no use as a factor in business , and those members of the Craft who attempt to use it for such purposes had better prepare themselves for an early and rude awakening from their mistaken ideas , for such an

awakening will assuredly come some day . There is one point in association with the disappointed seeeder from Freemasonry which may be considered for a moment . His former enthusiasm is turned to hatred , and nothing seems to be bad enough for him to say of that which but a very short time before was the summit of all perfection in his eyes . If men who thus turn receive no sympathy from their fellows is it to be wondered at ? Is it likely all will regard their particular grievance in the same light , or is it possible for all to feel as they do on any particular subject ? They only injure their cause by the violence they display , and are laughed at by those who would be the first to render assistance if they were approached in a different spirit . They threaten

Masonic Seceders.

to secede , and if they do not actually say that Freemasonry would stop if such an event happened , they really believe that their withdrawal would cause a sensation throughout the Craft . To all such we may say that no greater mistake Avas ever made ; they might die or secede one night , and the next "morning

their place in Freemasonry and in the world at large would be filled up , without any apparent effort , or the least interference with the usual routine of every-day life . There are few men Avhose secession from

Freemasonry , or sudden departure from any other walk of life would create even a flutter of excitement , and most certainly that few are not to be found among those who would secede from disappointment or other equally trivial cause .

Must Be Lived.

MUST BE LIVED .

An Extract from the Address of Bro . George S . Hcdhnarh , Most Worshpfid Grand Master , to the Grand Lodge of Florida , Vith January 1 S 88 . 11 HEKE is in the latent tendencies of human nature a sort of antagonism of moral forces , perpetually

operating in the empire of mans intellectual and spiritual being—so as to evolve from the elements of his character either a very hi gh state of social culture , or a very low condition of enlightened intercourse with his fellow

men . The emphasis of this antagonism lies between two divergent points j one is an innate predisposition of the mind toward the cultivation of a genuine philanthropy—a

broad , humanitarian impulse of kindness and sympathy for his race ; the other a perverted sentiment of selfishnessuncharitable n ess and suspicion towards his fellow creatures , which often has a tendency to undermine and stifle the

better impulses of his nature . Some years of patient reflection have gone far to convince mo that humanity is not tho abandoned , heartless and unfeeling mass of selfishness that a superficial view of the subject might at

first indicate . It is not so much an innate feeling of misanthropy or antagonism toward his fellow beings that prompts a man to seem hard and cold , and often cruel to others , as a feeling of suspicion and mistrust engendered by

his observations and cspcr . enoc of hnrann nature , of tho insincerity and treachery of others toward himself . Unkindness and animosity , in other words , are not so much

the outgrowth of a malicious and evil instinct in our nature as of a morbid sentiment springing from our own perverted conceptions of human character . It is a fundamental law of our nature that onr strongest social

affinities arc dependent upon mutual sympathy and mutual confidence . The Divine admonition that we aro to love our enemies

and to do good to those who have clone evil to us , is so noble and God-like that it almost transcends human conception , much more human practice . But we can comprehend the natural attraction which draws us toward those who

manifest sentiments of kindness and confidence towards us . It is not in man to hate his fellow man without a cause or to wrong him without a motive . On the contrary , much of the happiness of life grows out of the exercise of his benevolent affections ,

both in the giving and receiving of the tokens of human kindness . The principle is , that in proportion to the good I do to others it will be repaid to me , at least in the gratitude and appreciation of my fellow man ; aud that to

the extent tbe opposite sentiment prevails there will arise in my heart a feeling of indifference and hardness towards those with whom we are brought in contact . Love begets

love ; sympathy begets sympathy ; kindness begets kindness ; and through the whole empire of man ' s moral affections this great law of mutual will and reci procal fellowship holds universal sway and dominion .

In the perpetuation of these truths and the development of these princip les Masonry finds the centre and b-isis ot its operations . Taking for granted all the good that is in man , all the noble impulses toward his fellow

man , it seeks to call into exercise these hig her sentiments of his nature by assigning them a sphere of iiction in harmony with his existing social relations . It assumes that men were made to love , and not to hate one another ;