"A Sprig Of Acacia."

' A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

IT is with extreme regret we have to chronicle the death of Bro . Col . Gerard Noel Money , C . B ., the Provincial Grand Master and Superintendent of Surrey , which occurred on Monday afternoon , at his Club iu Whitehall Gardens . Colonel Money was a man who never allowed anything to hinder him

discharging what he deemed to be his duty , and one of his last acts in the Masonic world amply proves this , for although he had been suffering for some time past from the illness which culminated in his death , he was present at the Convocation of Grand Chapter last week , and then fulfilled the duties of Second

Principal . After this he became rapidly worse , and died on the following Monday , probably as much regretted among Freemasons as any Brother who has risen to dignity in our midst . Colonel Money assumed command of the Surrey Lodges and Chapters in 1891 , and despite the record left by his predecessor , has done

much for that division of Freemasonry to place him in the front rank among its rulers . But he has not by any means confined his work to his own Province , he having ably performed his share in the general supervision of the Craft and Arch . Truly may it be said of him he will be missed , and difficult will it be

to till the void created by his death . He was a County Councillor of Surrey and a J . P . He served in the Burmese war of 1853-4 , and in the Indian Mutiny . He was at the siege and capture at Delhi , commanding an escalading party at the assault of the

Cashmere Bastion . He was also at the actions of Narwool , where his horse was killed , Gungerie , Puttialu , Myerpoorie , and at the assault and capture of Lucknow , and subsequent operations in Oude . He served in the North-west Frontier of India

Campaign , 1863 . In the Jowaki Expedition of 1877 he commanded the 3 rd Sikh Infantry at the attack on Janin . In fche Afghan War 1879-80 he was present at fche defence of the Shutar Garden , and took part in the winter operations around Cabul , the defence of Sherpur , the march from Cabul for the relief of

Candahar , and the subsequent operations , for which he was twice thanked by the Governor-General of India , and received a medal with two clasps and bronze star . Col . Money was also one of Her Majesty ' s Corps of Gentlemen at arms at the time of his death .

BBO . John Lewis , a leading tradesman of Carmarthen , somewhat suddenly succumbed to a severe attack of pueumonia . The deceased was a J . P . for the borough , an ex-mayor , and an

alderman of the town council . He had filled the W . M . chair of the Sfc . Peter ' s Lodge of Freemasons , and identified himself with every movement that had for its object the good of the inhabitants of the district .

Who Should Be Masons?

WHO SHOULD BE MASONS ?

AMONG the firsfc things taught in the Lodge is the admonition to the newly-made Entered Apprentice , when he is told : " If in the circle of your acquaintance you find a person desirous of being initiated into Freemasonry , be particularly careful not to recommend him unless you are convinced that he will conform to all our rules and regulations , thafc the honour , glory and

reputation of the Institution may be fully established , and the world at large convinced of its good effects . " This is a proper warning at the right time . The new Mason is often zealous and enthusiastic . The light he has received , if properly displayed , has filled him with delight , and he is anxious thafc others should

enjoy the same mysterious influence . Step by step he is led to regard the Institution as one deserving the approbation and support of all good men , and if he appreciates the beauties and the purity of the lessons he will see that there are certain internal qualifications every Mason should possess . His zeal , and his

desire thafc his friends and companions should be with him in the Lodge , might lead him to hide grave defects and conclude that the lessons would work reformation , and he might be led into the error of proposing a friend whose life and habits would not be in harmony with the teachings of the Fraternity . Hence the warning .

We are often led fco wonder how some who are members of

the i raternity ever gain admission . They do not seem to possess any of the qualifications fchafc should recommend a man to Masonry . They are men , but have little more than the physical qualifications . They are not impressed by the ceremonies as they should be , they do not regard the lessons taught , make light

of religion , and also falsify their professed belief in God , for they fairly scoff afc Diety . That holy name which they were taught to mention only in reverence , they are continually taking in vain , and almost every other word they utter is fouled with profanity .

They do not regard the lessons of temperance , and we are led to doubt if such men possess fortitude sufficient to protect the Fraternity from a revelation of those sacred mysteries with which they have been instructed . Such men , to say the least of it , are too careless to make good Masons .

Who Should Be Masons?

A Mason should be well qualified mentally . He is to study certain important lessons that are to mark his consequence among men . He must have a mind able to grasp them , and an inclination to understand and practise them . The mere learning

by note of certain catechetical lectures is nofc sufficient . He should be able to understand the true meaning of each and every symbol and be able to apply it to his life , ennobling , beautifying , and stengfchening him for the duties he owes fco himself and his fellow-man .

A Mason should be morally as perfect as he can be in this imperfect , temptation filled world . Of that his own heart must be the judge . Outward morality is good , but internal morality is the one great qualification necessary . No man can live in this world without doing wrong . If he shuts himself in a cloister ,

and surrounds his life with only religious books , thafc act of seclusion is in itself wrong . Bufc when a man errs , he owes it to God and his fellows to confess it and turn from it . And such a man will find his heart in the right place if his head goes wrong . A Mason should be well qualified physically . One of the

oldest of charges was that an Apprentice or a Fellow should be perfect in all his members . He should be able-bodied and competent to earn his living . The Ancient Charges set forth the whole matter of who should be Masons so clearly that we give it in full here :

" All preferment among Masons is grounded upon real Worth and personal Merit only ; so that the Lords may be well served , the Brethren not put to Shame , nor the Royal Craft despised : Therefore no Master or Warden is chosen by Seniority , bufc for his Merit . It is impossible to describe these things in writing ,

and every Brother must attend in his Place and learn them in a way peculiar to this Fraternity : Only candidates may know , that no Master should take an Apprentice , unless he has sufficient Imployment for him , and unless he be a perfect Youth , having no Maim or Defect ; in his Body , that may render him uncapable

of learning the Art of serving his Master ' s Lord and of being made a Brother , and then a Fellow Graft in due time , even after he has served such a term of Years as the Custom of the Country directs ; and thafc he should be descended of honest Parents ;

that so , when otherwise qualified , he may arrive to the Honour of being the Warden , and then the Master of the Lodge , the Grand Warden , and at length the Grand Master of all Lodges , according to his merit . "

We are sometimes led to advise those seeking membership in the Fraternity to keep oufc of ifc because they cannot afford it . A man has no right to join any society at the expense of his own or his family ' s comfort . Masonry is not an asylum or school of correction , intended to reform men ; it seeks only to make

reformed men better ; neither is ifc an institution of benevolence , where the man goes to receive certain monetary benefits or better a crippled condition , though it takes care of its own when

misfortune overtakes them . He should be able to support himself and family and to lay aside something for a rainy day , before he joins a Masonic Lodge . Good men only should be Masons . — " New York Dispatch , "

Masonry And Business.

MASONRY AND BUSINESS .

IT is said that water and oil will not mix without some other element to bring fche two together . It has alao been remarked that Masonry was one thing and business another ,

and the two will not mix . While ifc is undoubtedly true that Masonry and business are not synonymous terms , yet it is equally certain there is no antagonism between the two , and the one ought to help fche other .

A man joins the Masonic fraternity , if he has the right conception of it , not for any pecuniary benefit he expects to receive , but for the good it will do him in his daily life , and his business is a part of his daily life . He looks upon the institution , if he gives the matter any consideration at all , as one that extends over the whole world . A Brotherhood where all are

bound by some mysterious principle or impulse , and each is friend to the other . An institution regarded as ancient and honourable . A society of sociability . An association banded together to work acts of charifcy and help those who are needy . Looking at it from these points he regards it as the company

in which he may be able to fulfill fco some extent his duty to his fellow-men . He petitions for admission and is met at the very beginning with a declaration which he is required to make , that he seeks to join this ancient and honourable society of his own free will , and that he is not actuated by any selfish or mercenary

motives . This declaration is not in every case true , as may be seen in instances of men who seek by un-Masonic means to use the fraternity to further their own selfish ends . But the

institution is made up of men of pure motives , for those who try to use it for mercenary purpose are an exception and are few . Masonry as before stated is intended to help a man in his every day life , and business is a part of that life . We have a