Masonic Homes.

There is no pecuniary contract made by any Masonic bo ^ ly to retain to a Brother either the money paid by him to it , or any other money . Ho can claim no sick benefit , nor can bis family claim a financial benefit , nor anything kindred to life insurance . The obligation to pay

is only on his part—he must pay an initiation fee , and thereafter annual dues , or , it may be , a life membership fee—although it is coming to bo recognised more and

more that unless the life membership fee is fixed at a good round sum and required to be forthwith permanently invested , it is far better to have our annual dues , and no life membership fee .

But while it is true that ft Freemason can exact nothing from his Lodge , Chapter , Council or Commandery in any evont , no sooner does he find himself in distress , and his Brethren become cognizant of the fact , than they

voluntarily hasten to his aid , and do all for bis relief that their funds will warrant . This exhibits the voluntary character of the Craft . Contracting to do nothing , it is willing to do everything in its power . This ia Freemasonry , this is Masonic charity .

Masonic charity is dispensed in various ways , such as monied gifts or personal service , or employed aid , or in providing a permanent home for those whose lot in life is snob , that owing to age , often infirmities , and the lack of pecuniary means , they require to be continuously

ministered to by loving hearts and hands . Who can render such aid better than a Brother , or rather an entire family of Brethren , such as are encircled by the Mystic Tie in the Masonic Fraternity ? They have the hearts and hands , the means and the liberality , to establish in every

jurisdiction of the land a Masonic Home , for the permanent care and relief of distressed worthy Brethren . They are establishing such Homos , almost everywhere , thereby proving that while Freemasonry binds itself by no hard

legal contract to pecuniarily benefit its members , it is always ready to aid them by every means in the power , when in distress , and with the most beneficent appliances known to modern civilisation .

In one respect a Masonic Home differs from ever } ' other so-called Home established by any other organisation . This is owing to the fact that this is the instrumentality of , and presided over by , the Masonic Fraternity . It differs from other Homes as Freemasonry differs from

other societies . The law of brotherhood prevails in such a Home . It does not patronise its inmates . It does not , in any manner , intimate to them that they are charity benoficiaries . It does not control them by cast-iron rules , mado by strangers -who are not in sympathy with them .

It acknowledges , in the fullest and fairest sense , that they are Brethren beloved , worthy of the kindest treatment , and to have their closing years ministered to by those who are connected with them by the strongest of mystic ties . In

one word , it strives to enable them to realise that tbey are in truth at home , in their own home , among their own Brethren , there to remain until they depart to their long home , in the Lodge above . The charity shown in a Masonic Home is that genuine article , brotherly love .

These facts being admitted , how eager should the Masonic Fraternity everywhere be to firmly establish and liberally support a Masonic Home . It is the right thing to do for our Brethren and for ourselves . In these revolving years of financial stress and change , of devastations

by fire and flood , and accidents by sea and land , who can assuredly say , my Btatus is fixed , my fortune will never be swept away , my family will never cease to surrouud and care for me . 0 ! the wrecks which disease and death and misfoitune cast upon the shores of time ! In such a season what a blessed haven is a Masonic Home ! How its

strong arms , and gontlo hands , and fraternal voice , and sufficient means , uphold and comfort and cheer the unfortunate , the bereaved , the forsaken , the sorely distressed Freemason ! Brethren , contribute generously to the support of your

Masonic Homes . It is blessed to receive thoir ministrations , but it is more blessed to enable them to bo a shield to the fallen , a friend to the heavy laden . Every dollar

which you contribute to them will superabundantly return to you in the blessing of the Grand Architect . He it was who inspired the building of Masonic Homes , and He will prosper them and you to the end .

Pennsylvania has a Masonic Home which is richly worthy of the support of the Lodges and other Masonic bodies , and of the gifts of Craftsmen throughout this jurisdiction . It ia for the Craft of the entire state . No pent-op

Masonic Homes.

U tica contracts its powers . Brethren from all parts of the jurisdiction may find an abundant entrance into it , as far as its means will permit . They have already found its ability to aid meritorious Craftsmen is only limited by the

gifts of the Craft . We trust that these will be increasingly liberal , so that in deeds of Masonic charity as in deeds of patriotism , Pennsylvania may always be looked up to as the koystono of tho arch . —Keystone .

An Entire New Discovery By Col. Thomas Picton.

AN ENTIRE NEW DISCOVERY BY COL . THOMAS PICTON .

BY BRO . JACOB NORTON .

fllHE question as to the whereabouts and whenabouts JL Bro . Col . Thomas Picton lived was proved conclusively by a brother in the Boston Temple , who showed me a New York Sunday Paper with an article in it by Bro . Picton , but as my friend was not inspired with an ovorexalted opinion about the value of Bro . Picton ' s artiole , I did

not read it . Two or three other Masonic publications havo also repeated , with some variations , what Bro . Picton discovered in the English publication , viz .: Notes and Queries . Bro . J . G . Barkor , of New York , however , not only confirms the fact ( in his Masonic Chronicle ) that Bro . Thomas

Picton , of New York , discovered in the Notes and Queries that Lord Bacon ' s " Atlantis " suggested the formation of our Masonic fraternity ; that Hiram Abiff meant Charles 1 st ; and the Widow ' s Son meant Charles 2 nd , & c . ; but he says some things ( whether copied from Picton ' s

writings or not , I know not ) about English and foreign philosophers who were Rosierucians , such as Ludd , Ashmole , Mayer , Nauade , and others ; and has no doubt that tho Rosicrucians were an organised fraternity established in La Haye , in Holland , and also in Paris as early as the

year 1623 . That Nauade caused to be printed his " Veritable History of the Brethren of the Rose Croix , " who , according to Bro . Picton , were the original Freemasons with a new title , viz .: " The Confraternity of St . John , or Freemasons . "

Now , Prince Charles , or Charles 2 nd , " did not tako refuge in France " ( says Bro . Barker , or Picton , I know not which ) " but assumed his residence in Holland , where , if he were not already a Freemason , he was made one , in a Lodge at Amsterdam , in existence for many years , under tho title of ' The Valley of Peace . ' "

" Since being first aunonnciated ( says Bro . Barker ) , Bro . Picton ' s theory has been substantiated by some remarkable and startling historical discoveries , showing that speculative Masonry had an organised existence prior to tho formation of the Grand Lodge of 1717 . "

[ And , if true , even before Bacon was born . ] " In prosecution of his researches , Bro . Picton has discovered a manuscript , in French , of the minutes of a Lodge afc La Haye kept in Hollandish [ rather strange ! a French MS . kept in Hollandish ] of its proceedings from date of its constitution , 29 th January 1637 ,

during its entire year , terminating with an account of its celebration of St . John tho Evengelist . This Lodge of La Haye , moreover , is declared to be a continuation of a still older Lodge at Amsterdam , a list of whose members existed , extending from 1519 to 1601 , when it was lapsed into slumber by reason of troubles and war . "

And now , dear reader , prepare yourself for a great surprise , and keep cool while reading what follows . Saith Bro . Barker : — " But , moro singular still . The ancient Lodge worked four degrees—Apprentice , Companion , Master , and Master Eleot , into

which degree it appears His Highness Frederick Henry , Stadtholder of tho Netherlands , had been initiated previous to 1637 . Learning of this fact , and of his desire to revive the Confraternity of St . John , or Freemasons , James of Van Wassauaor , Lord Opdam , Louis of Nassau , and the Lord Beverweede , summoned to La Haye four

other brothers , Masters Elect , dwelling in Amsterdam , ancieut members of the Lodge 'Valley of Peace ( Vreedendal ) , formerly existing in that City , requesting them to bring with them the furniture [ and who knows whether tho word 'furniture' did not even then refer to tho Bible , Square , and Compass ?] papers and

documents bolonging to the old Lodge . The brothers came , delivered tho papers , received their value for the articles , and then united with their invitors in holding a Chapter , 29 th January 1637 , at 4 o ' clock p . m ., at which they unanimously elected H . H . Prince Frederick of Nassau to be Grand Master and Supreme Master Elect . "

Then the minutes go on to state : — " Of all which His Highness having been informed , he immediately came to the Chapter , and there received homage from all the brothers . " Then His HigJvness , conjoinUy with a \\ the B . B ., declared they constituted here at La Haye this present Lodge , and immediately bap-