Disenchanted.

DISENCHANTED .

BROTHER Hiram Lately is a backslider . A backslider ! Has Masonry backsliders ? The fraternity

which was born when time was young , and still lives in these latter days ; Avhich Presidents and Kings are proud to be members of ; which is founded on that rock , the Holy Bible ; can such a fraternity as this havo backsliders ?

Let us see . Brother Lately is one of a class all more or less different , and yet all more or less alike . Many roads lead to the backsliders' Hades , and spacious roads they are , too . Brothel * Lately travelled one of these roads . He

signed the usual petition—how honestly we should not like to say . Could he have been seeking Light ? Had he no mercenary motives ? Were his eyes turned aside from the

flesh pots r Let his history answer . The Craft , believing his statements , finding his public record all apparently clear aud clean , unable fco discover the secret inteut and

purpose of his heart , made him a Mason—that is , gave him the name and clothing of a Mason . It is nofc in the power even of the Craft to make a Mason out of improper material . A man must be made a Mason in his heart

before he can be made a Mason indeed . After all , the power of a W . M . in strictness is limited to declaring the Masonry of one who appears fit for initiation and membership . He may commission initiates as Masons , ancl give

them prima facie evidence of connection with the Fraternity , but before any great lapse of time , observing brethren who are true to their obligations will discriminate between the genuine and the conterfeit Brother , and cast the latter ( in his mind , at least ) over among the rubbish .

Brother Lately , to all appearances , enjoyed Masonry greatly , for a time . Certain aspects of the Craffc were to him simply delightful . How he did enjoy the festive board ! Was he ever known to miss a Lodge supper to

which ^ he was freely invited ? Did he not visit every Masonic body that had a set-out at its close ? And then , how close was his communion with hia brethren . Brother Lately was of a jovial frame of mind . Not blessed with

an abundance of this world ' s goods , and not fancying hard work , he never borrowed trouble , though he would borrow money . What a delusion and a snare Masonic lending is . ' We had almost said never lend . Give as freely as you can ,

but lend almost never . Many cross over the bridge to visit the money lender , but once returned they never cross again . Brother Lately ate ancl borrowed , and borrovved and ate . The time Avas sure to come when he could do neither , at

others' expense . Forgiven his dues for a time , at length that ceased to be a virtue in the eyes of his brethren , and he was cut off from the Craft . Now you behold a DISENCHANTED Brother .

Brother Anthony Rusher ' s case was dissimilar . He came into Masonry with enthusiasm . He , for a time at least , honestly performed all of his duties . But , singularly enough , his brethren occasionally would disagree with him .

They took outrageous views on certain Masonic subjects . While he held the sober , sensible view , all of his companions differed with him , ancl voted against him . What could ensue , when this occurred repeatedly , but disgust , and how

does disgust usually end but iu neglect of the Craf fc ? Bro . Rusher , once active in Lodge , Chapter , and Commandery , resigned from all his bodies , and is now the next thing to a profane . Here you behold another DISENCHANTED Brother .

Brother Ephraim Oflicor ' s experience was different from that of both of his companions in misery . He was one of those active , earnest , ambitious , office-seeking brethren , who when they arc in office are apparently models of propriety ,

but not having much depth of feeling , or much , if any , grasp of principle , they endure only tor a time . But while he shone , lie shone , and when his sun set it went out in the blackness of darkness . He wore all the honoursand when

, these were attained he became , firsfc hike-warm , and then entirely neglectful . Brother Officer is a life member of his Lodge , but he is never seen within it , and if he were to

send m bis name , probably none besides the Secretary would recognise it . Ephraim is joined to his idols , i > rrijax-CIIANTED—let him alone .

Brother Luke Legion is—almost everywhere . Ho belongs to tho numerous company of the non-affiliates . His reason for retirement is — well , we will nofc

attempt to give ifc . His name is Legion , and tho reasons arc legion , now one , then another , The insincere and Lielfiah are all disenchanted after thoy huyo been no long-

Disenchanted.

time in Masonry . They are possessed—we will nofc say with what . Milton , in Paradise Lost , says : " Proserpine gathering flowers—Herself a fairer flower—by gloomy Dis Waa gathered . "

It ninsfc be this " gloomy Dis " ( old Pluto ) who disenchants certain Freemasons—all that company composed of Brother Lately , Brother Rusher , Brother Officer , Brother Legion , et id omne gemis . They never were Masons at

heart , ancl while they were clothed with the Lambskin , and wrote their names in the book of the elect , they had no proper place there , and soon discovering ifc went to their own place . Let the disenchantment go on . Those rightly

subject to it are not really of us . But let not the number of those subject to it be increased . Discover , if possible , whether every applicant for the honour of Masonry is honest ancl of good report ; scrutinize his motives , and

save him the trouble , and the Fraternity the disrepute , of practically severing the tie which binds him tons . At first enchanted by false views , when true views disenchant , the

Mason is wrecked , and the man may be wrecked also . All the company of the disaffected , the non-affiliated , the suspended and expelled are most effectually DISENCHANTED . —Keystone .

The Candidate.

THE CANDIDATE .

AT fche present day , when so much has been said and written concerning Freemasonry , to become a member of the great Fraternity is a matter of no inconsiderable moment ; yefc there is a touch of sadness in fche thought that out of the large number continually joining our ranks , so

many are satisfied by merely coming into possession of tho esoteric or secret portion of the ritual , without an endeavour , or even apparent desire , to penetrate further-and discover the symbolism ancl true meaning that lies beneath the surface .

We see tho candidate upon the threshold of onr mystic temple , of his own free will , seeking admission to a society that has laboured for centuries in promoting the welfare of his fellow men . There he stands , a man , free born , in

total darkness , concerning fche trials he is to undergo , as weak and helpless as a babe , wholly dependent upon thafc Supreme Being in whom he expresses his belief . He

enters into a new world , and receives a knowledge of all the virtues thafc expand the heart and dignify fche soul . He discovers that the aim of Masonry is to introduce him fco new views of life and its duties .

In due time he takes upon himself new duties and increased obligations , and by directing his attention to the wonders of nature and art he is taup-ht that man is nofc fco

devote himself solely to physical labour . The cultivation of the mind and intellect , with which he has been endowed by his Creator , is impressed upon him , that he may be able to occupy with honour his proper station in societv .

At length he attains the summit of sublime knowledge ; he learns that man is born to die , and that beyond the grave there is hope of a blessed immortality . He has now

passed through our solemn ceremonies and obtained possession of all the ritualistic secrets of the Craft . He has been instructed in all the details of that universal

language by which he is enabled to converse wifch his brethren in every nation under the sun . He may to-day express his wonder ancl surprise that so much is contained in so small a compass ; to-morrow ifc is forgotten .

What a theme for contemplation has been opened up before him . The ceremonies of initiation are but ripples upon the surface . Beneath lie the hidden mysteries , ancl to understand them requires deep and serious study .

Volumes have been written upon these hidden things , yefc it is a lamentable fact that k \ v care to peruse them , or even give them a momentary thought . Ifc is a doty fche candidate owes to himself fco investigate fcho ceremonies

through which he has passed , ancl not content himself with the meagre explanation as given within the fcyled precincts of the Lodge . Unless he does this Masonry will

soon lose its charm for him , and a few years hence he will wonder what such ancl such a brother , more zealous than himself , can find in Masonry to cause him to take so deep au interest in it . —Loomis' Masonic Journal .

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