A Few Of Our Opinions.

cover any of its treasures , and just so there are hundreds of men who have passed through the degress who never beheld any of the beauties of Freemasonry . Wherever they abound "nobody cares < to join the Lodge . ' " GRAND LODGE v . GRAND ORIENTS AND SUPREME COUNCILS . —We cannot blow hot and cold on this subject . We cannot to-day hold

that only regular Lodge and Grand Lodge government is correct , and to-morrow admit that Grand Orient and Supreme Council organisations are equally valid . As with one in days gone by , so with ns now , it must be all tbe one way or all the other , and " all the other " it shall never be , with our consent . We are unqualifiedly in favour of Fnvemasonry , and opposed to autocraoy . We are invincibly allied to true blue Ancient Craft Masonry , and unalterably opposed to its

antipode . We believe a Master Mason is a FREEMAN , possessing the indefeasible right to exercise his free-will and accord as to how and by whom he will be governed , and hence cannot admit that a body , owing its origin to a self-constituted and imperial power , is a Lodge of 7 ? s . vBmaions . Maine may like such bodies , and desire their amalgamation with real Blue Lodges , but Illinois says NAY , and is prepared to fight it out on that line , no matter how long the battle may last .

A D ISTINCTION WITH A DIFFERENCE . —The true position is for Ancient Craft Masonry to stand on its own foundation and be jndged by its own merits . It haa real worth and dignity , and should disdain all " entangling alliances , " all subservience to Orders and hautes grades , and all perversions of its principles , aims and purposes . It has the only Masonic burial service , and it should defend it against

all encroachments and abuses . If a Mason prefers to be buried by the Templars , let it be so , and call the service by its right name , to wit Templar . In such case , let Master Masons , who are not Templars , honour the occasion by attendance as citizens only . What we mean by these affirmations is , that there are lines between Ancient Craft Masonry , and Knight Templarism , and the

hautes grades , which , officially , cannot be crossed , however friendly the individuals composing each may be . We are a Knight Templar , and a 32 degree in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite , and as friendly to both as we can be , under the circumstances , but we do not believe in uniting them officially with Ancient Craft Masonry , as they need no such bolstering , but can and shonld exist independently , courting

and receiving favours solely upon their own inherent virtues . To the autocraoy of the hautes grades we always have objected , and intend to object . We believe in FREE government , and on that basis , if on no other , must oppose all official connection of them with Syra . bolic Masonry . They are entirely dissimilar , have no affinity for each other , and cannot be amalgamated nor blended .

REIMBURSEMENT . —Unless consent is first obtained , a Lodge has no right to expend money for another , and demand reimbursement . If the assistance rendered is not intended as an out and out charity , im . mediate application for consent to tbe expense should be made , and

only so much as is authorised shonld be bestowed . Now , the telegraphic and postal facilities are suoh that there really is no excuse for extending relief in behalf of another Lodge before obtaining its authority so to do , and if such precaution is neglected , then no reimbnrsement should be expected or allowed .

INTERDICTION . —Interdiction of Fraternal intercourse remedies no wrong , and is of itself a great crime , because by mere ipse dixit it deprives thousands of innocent brethren of sacred rights and privileges . Indeed , these Grand Lodge quarrels have been the worst

curse the Masonic Institution has ever suffered from . They have done it far greater injury than all the anti-Masonic attaoks that have been made upon it , because to the world , they are incontrovertible proofs that our much-boasted cement of brotherly love and unity is only a sham .

GRAND LODGE QUARRELS . —If that " noble emulation of who can best work and best agree " had ever been faithfully adhered to none of the shameful and disgraceful Grand Lodge quarrels which have so deeply defaced the American Masonic escutcheon ever would have existed , but , instead , UNITY would have prevailed , and the Masonic banners , unstained , proudly would have floated from thousands of

points where now they are never seen , and tens of thousands of the Fraternity who have died non-affiliate never would have dimitted . Nay more , if Grand Lodges had never set the example of deliberately violating Masonic obligations , and trespassing upon every Masonic right and privilege , not one-half of tbe un-Masonic conduct that has

been recorded ever wonld have occurred . In brief , if Masonic principle , instead of ambition and passion , had constantly prevailed in the formation of Grand Lodges , to-day Freemasonry would have been the arbiter of the world , and without a foe , instead of being distracted with dissensions within and endangered by assaults from . without . From this time onward let us have peace and harmony with all .

SOVEREIGNTY AND UNIVERSALITY . —In one sense each Grand Lodge 13 soverei gn , but in a higher and nobler sense it is but a link in the chain of Fraternity , or but an integrant part of a great brotherhood , and hence while wo guard well the local , we shonld never lose sight ° f the universal .

MOLASSES VS . VINEGAR . —As a bait for catching flics , molasses is * n article far superior to vinegar , and as a mean of perpetuating * reemasonry , and establishing Grand Lodges , tho cement of brotherly ove is superior to coercion , sequestration , interdiction , and decrees of e xpulsion .

EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION . —The American dogma of exclusive urand Lodge jurisdiction i 3 good after sovereignty is legally obtained , at can have no force prior to that event . And all the snarls nave come from aplying it hastily and un-Masonically . Now , we

Propose the true romedy , which is , first unity of all the Lodges n crested , and then exclusive jurisdiction , or , in other words , first ] " anim % in forming the Grand Lodge , and then the sovereignty as S thereafter as the Grand Lodge maintains its independence . » e propose this , because , by it we have a definite Masonic rule

A Few Of Our Opinions.

for the formation of Grand Lodges ; by it unanimity is a prerequisite , and , unity prevailing , no snarl can exist ; by it concurrent jurisdiction is sustained , and all rights are preserved and protected up to the moment that the Graud Lodgo comes into existence , and by it , then , territorial jurisdiction comes into being , and the

sovereignty , so warmly advooated by so many of our distinguished brethren , is acquired . Wo advocate this , becanso thus all occasions for discord and CDnfnsion , and for edicts of non-intercourse and nourecognition , are avorted , and because thus FREEMASONRY will rise to and prosper on the plain which it is eminently fitted to and ever should occupy .

FREEMASONRY means a great deal , and we ought to study it thoroughly and exemplify it fully . It means TRUE FREEDOM of soul , of mind , of heart , of will , of body , as proclaimed in the First Grant Light—the Holly Bible . It adopts fully tho Golden Rule , and gives no man a divine right to think , or to aot , for his brother , without his assent . It studies ever the real rights of man , and permits no

thought of coercion or sequestration save as a penalty for actual crime , and hence can nover sanction any assumption method of forming a Grand Lodge , and can only approvo tho unity rule . That is the true Masonic rule , and by it let us all firmly stand . UNDER AGE . —Freemasonry is under no necessity of nccommo . dating itself to the caprice of individuals . It is not honoured by the

accession of even an etnperov , much loss a person UNDER AOE , or any one who waits until ho is ready for a voyago and then applies for its dignities . Bettor far nover make snch persons Masons than to degrade the Institution so low as to make it subservient to their convenience and caprices , for they never will appreciate the honour conferred .

TRUE BLUE . —We hold that officially we cannot recognize anything as Blue Lodgo Masonry which does hot derivo its authority from a regular Grand Lodge , and which does not conform to the Constitutions and Landmarks of Ancient Craft Masonry . We firmly believe in tho government of the Fraternity by a represen . tative authority , which all Master Masons have an equal voice in

establishing and sustaining , and are decidely opposed to all assumed government , whether it be by Grand Orients or Supreme Councils " Practically , " or rather' officially , " this does confine Masonry to English speaking countries , " and it ought to , as principle is dearer than mere association , and also as Lodge and Grand Lodge

government is by free-will and accord , while Grand Orient and Supreme Council rule is self-imposed and arbitrary , and subversive of freedom . Indeed the two are as opposite as the antipodes , and cannot , with any degree of consistency whatever , be officially conjoined .

PHYSICAL DEFECTS . —Where and when will these anomalies cease ? Now it is the loss of a left hand that does not debar a candidate for tbe degrees , who is otherwise well qualified ; to-morrow it will be the loss of an eye ; next day it will be the loss of a foot , and soon the

point will be reached where no physical defect will be an obstacle in the w " ay of Mason-making . Well , if principle is nothing , and mere membership is everything , then perhaps this degrading process might as well go nntil Freemasonry becomes as common as dirt and as cheap as pinchbeck jewelry .

The Late President Garfield.

THE LATE PRESIDENT GARFIELD .

Legation of the United States , London , 10 th February 1882 . Frederick Binckes , Esq ., Grand Secretary , & c , & c , & c . 8 A Red Lion-square , W . C .

DEAR SIR , —Referring to my letter of tho 2 nd ultimo , I have to say that I communicated to the Department of State at Washington the vote of condolence on the part of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England ,

on occasion of the death of President Garfield , and that I have just received from Mr . Frelinghuysen , the Secretary of State , a despatch dated on the 27 th ultimo , in which he states that , having transmitted to Mrs . Garfield a copy of

the vote , he desires me to convey to the Grand Lodge an expression of her deep appreciation of its touching message of sympathy to herself and her family . I have the honour to be , Sir , Your obedient servant , ( Signed ) J . R . LOWELL .

In . future the West Smithfield Lodgo of Instruction , will meet at the Champion Hotel , Aldersgate-street , E . G ., where , to suit tho convenience of many brethren , the Lodge will be opened at eight o ' clock , instead of seven as heretofore .

The Fifteen Sections will bo worked at the Wellington Lodge of Instruction , No . 548 , at tho White Swan Hotel , High-street , Deptford , on Monday , the 20 th instant . Bro . David Rose P . M . will preside . Lodge will be opened at 7 p . m .