Gentlemen.

will be ruled by a constant spirit of gentleness—his manners will reflect the native goodness of his heart . He may stand for the " original gentleman , " who , if courtesy and

good breeding were unknown , would havo invented them . One of the indirect benefits of Freemasonry , in its applied ministries , is to train its disciples in gentleness and develop in their characters an increased consideration for each other

and for all men . It educates them to bo gentlemen in the higher sense , to be broad-minded , courteous , just , in all the relations of society and common life . A well instructed Mason cannot possibly bo a boor , showing only a regard for himself and careless of the feelings of those about him .

He cannot be mean , narrow , offensive , always saying and doing disagreeable things , and so making himself generally uncomfortable to all with whom he comes in contact . On

the contrary he will bo amiable and pleasant—not quick to take offence , cherishing no resentments , generous and magnanimous , ready to interpret everything for the besta true gentlemen as he is a genuine Craftsman . —Freemason ' s Bepository

Masons Of Circumstances.

MASONS OF CIRCUMSTANCES .

fT ^ HIS name appropriate those rotating , but no wise _ L essential , to the order . They are made by steam , as it wore ; for instance , an individual may havo resided in the vicinity of a Lodge for years , havo been perfectly aware of its meetings , and acquainted with some of the members ;

ho has never taken any interest in tho Order , or expressed any desire to know anything about it . All at Dnce he takes a notion to become a Mason from having heard of the treatment of Brother Masons among strangers in a strange land , and he concludes to apply ; his character is

above reproach , and on that account there is no opposition . He states he is about to leave home and he cannot take the degrees unless they are given to him in a lump . Perhaps he is rather prominent among the citizens of tbe place , and the members of the Fraternity

are anxious that he should connect himself with them , and in their anxiety to have him associate himself with them do not stop to inquiro tho particular motive which has induced him to apply , and they persuade the Master of their Lodge to apply for a dispensation to give them to

him without waiting for the constitutional time . Now because this candidate is of good character and standing in the community , it is no reason why in his case a dispensation should be given , for Lodges at any time are not supposed to admit any but those of good moral character ,

yet great stress is laid upon the fact when a dispensation is asked for , and the main question , whether the principles of the Order are likely to be disseminated and diffused by this candidate is entirely lost sight of . He is therefore rushed through , by steam , as it were , and cannot appreciate

tho lessons aud surroundings as one can who has made the journey by the old-fashioned stage coach conveyance , where the jolting and unevenness of the road calls his attention to the surrounding objects , and so impresses his mind that on the arrival at the end of his journey , he has a vivid

conception and recollection of all the circumstances attending it , and can easily relate the adventures which accompanied it , the beautiful scenes through which he passed , and the impressions made upon his mind . Not so with the one who has had steam to aid him : he cares not

for the beauty of the scenery through which he speeds , his only desire is to reach the end of his journey as speedil y as possible , and when completed he can only recollect the beginning and the end , viz .: that he set out in the dark

and arrived in the dark , and the intervening light left no impression of surrounding objects upon his mind , and it is difficult for him to convince those who have travelled the route by the slow stage coach conveyance , that he has made the same journey .

. He travels from home and among strangers , personally to him , but brethren who are only desirous to know that he is entitled to a seat among them , and a committee is appointed to ascertain the fact , and , perhaps , after detainin g

this committee for an hour from the Lodge business , he is unable to show them that he has received the degrees in a regular manner , or hut rather that in a regular constituted Lodge he has received them in an irregular manner . The

Masons Of Circumstances.

circumstances under which he received his degrees are not related perhaps to the committee , and the Lodge from which he hails is supposed to have very incompetent officers , or not very choice in their selection of material for their work ,

and thus tho Lodge from which he hails , whether blameable or not , must stand accused in the minds of those who examined him . He cannot satisfy them of his being a regular made Mason , and consequently he cannot be admitted . These kind of Masons I demonstrate Masons of

circumstances—no ornament oi honour to the institution , and they do not seek it for an interest they take in it , but for the interest they expect it will take in them . Theso Masons should append to their Masonic signature M . C . — that thoy may be known and distinguished . —Masonic Bevieiv

Grace After Masonry.

GRACE AFTER MASONRY .

WE are all familiar with grace before meat , but it may be that few of us are acquainted with graco after Masonry . Yet why should we be ? Charles Lamb , in one of his graceful essays , says : I own that I am disposed to say grace upon twenty other occasions in the course of the day besides my dinner . I

want a form for setting out upon a pleasant walk , for a moonlight ramble , for a friendly meeting , for a solved problem . Why have we none for books , those spiritual

repasts—a grace before Milton , a grace before Shakespeare —a devotional exercise proper to be said before reading the Faerie Queen ? And then he hints about the duty of giving grace after certain enjoyments .

The initiate in Freemasonry cannot be expected to render grace before his initiation , since he then is largely in the dark concerning the Craft . Of course ho has a general idea of what Freemasonry is , but only as to its leading principles , which are not unknown to the public ,

or such of the public as care to become acquainted with the printed Proceedings of Grand Lodges , printed Constitutions of the Craft , and the like ; but as to Freemasonry in itg esotery and entirety , he is densely ignorant and takes it upon trust . It is a secrot society , and must ever remain so —hence grace before Masonry is not to be expected .

But grace after Masonry—is there anything unnatural in it ? On the contrary , it is the most natural thing in the Masonic world ; it should follow initiation as inevitable as effect follows cause .

Grace does follow initiation—in form ; the candidate returns thanks , or say he is ready to do so , but grace should follow initiation in fact . The form of returning thanks should never be a bare form , but should always be realised in fact . Form iu

Masonry that does not indicate substance is un-Masonic . A symbol that does not teach a lesson is not a Masonic symbol . That Worshipful Master errs who permits a candidate to approach him before he has personally or by proxy returned thanks for the honour of initiation or advancement conferred upon him .

Thanks in Freemasonry , however , are words and something more ; they ate acts—which Bpeak louder than words . There should be grace after Masonry , graceful

acts , which interpret and voice the thoughts of the mind and the emotions of the heart . We should show that we comprehend and appreciate the mystery of Freemasonry by doing something in evidence of the fact .

What shall the Freemason do to prove his appreciation of the Craft ? The first , easiest and most natural method of exhibiting such appreciation is by a punctual and regular attendance at the Lodge , and an interested participation in its

business and work . Let us contribute all that we can to promote the highest prosperity of the Fraternity which has done so much to broaden , deepen and heighten our views of life , our knowledge of the mystery of Freemasonry , our

acquaintance with the members of a Fraternity who are exactly in touch with each other , who study the same lessons of life and truth , and have the same hope with reference to the great beyond .

But shall our grace after Masonry find expression only in this formal performance of duty ? What we have hinted above is rightfully expected of every initiate . I *