Brotherly Love.

bear « grievous burden of wbich wo know nofc ; and therefore ifc becomes us to be ever ready and willing to do what we may toward making the highway of life light and cheerful . Let us not be over-anxious when the air may be filled with some vague and indefinite rumour derogatory to

tho character and standing of a brother , to exclaim , " I told you so ! But rather let us be ready and willing to wait and repeat any reasonable explanation or extenuating circumstances that may be offered in bis behalf , aud in this manner furnish to the world at large the best evidence of

the sincerity of our profession and teachings on this subject , and through them show forth , until He comes , the fascinating beauties of the " Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man . " Ever bear in mind that Masonry is a reality , founded on a system of morals , underlaid with

a beautiful and far-reaching philosophy ; and that it is nofc by any means a " sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal . " Brotherly love , relief , and truth , a trio of lofty and comprehensive expressions that Avill live and shine as jewels in the vocabulary of Masonry , and constitute tbo guiding

star to the actions of all true and sincere Masons , and from the practice of which will be reflected a halo of glory among men when all of the ignorant scoffers and enemies thereof and hypocritical pretenders have mouldered into mother dust , ancl the places they occupy , and have

occupied , shall have passed into utter forgetfulness . — Qrand Master J . D . Gamble

Difference Of Opinion.

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION .

ALL men do not think alike , and it is fortunate for the world that they do nofc . It is by the friction of differences of opinion that the great problems of life are elucidated . If all minds ran in the same groove , if all thought was in the same channel , the monotony of life would be unbearable ; and if by chance that channel should

bo evil the world would be worse than any conception of Dante or any description ever given of hell . Ifc is the difference of opinion that leads to success in anything , because ifc stimulates effort , research , and determination fco assert our own ideas .

No man has a right to thrust his opinion offensively upon another or the world ; nor has he a right to withhold his opinion if it be for the good of his fellows . Many an

improvement has been bronght about in society , in govern . ment , in science , in mechanics , in everything , by a proper and persistent presentation of opinion . Columbus differed from most of his fellow men when he asserted his belief

thafc there was another side to the world of his day . His perseverance in presenting it won him immortal fame . In Masonry there are differences of opinion on many points of policy of origin , and meaning of symbols . Much that has been found out respecting the past of our

Fraternity , has been learned because men differed regarding the establishment of tbe Craffc . Pennsylvania is of fche opinion that American Freemasonry was cradled within , her honoured borders , and Massachusetts differs—the result , a careful investigation that has bronght to light much of interest and importance .

The Master of a Lodge is an autocrat , if he will be ; bufc no Master , with the good of his Lodge at heart , will assert his opinion in direct and offensive opposition to that of his brethren . He is a servant king , and as such should rule . He is king , because his right to govern is supreme . He

is servant , because his brethren have , by the exercise of their united opinion , placed him in that position of absolute power . There are times when one ' s opinion should be exercised and enforced if contrary to that of others , whether Master , Secretary , or Lodge . No one should

permit a substitution of his opinion of right . When thafc is done the man sinks his manhood beneath cowardice . Better stand alone and be right , than go with the multitude to

do wrong . Thus it is the duty of a Mason , in Lodge or elsewhere in the Fraternity , to oppose all cliquism , and tricky political schemes to accomplish personal aims of ambitions bufc undeserving men .

There has been a great deal said and written about " peace and harmony , " but peace and harmony begotten of wrongful opinions will soon become a stagnant pool , poisonous and destructive . Ifc needs the stirring up of

differences of opinion—the clash of swords . Thus , if a Lodge permits one man to ran it in fche interests of his own schemes , ifc will soon be owned by that one man , aud after a while there will be but one man in ifc . There must be

Difference Of Opinion.

peace and harmony that comes from brotherly love and a desire to benefit the Lodge , the Fraternity , and the world . Thus counselling together , comparing opinions , will be

secured that union of effort and sympathy in feelin" that will produce the fruit of brotherl y love , relief , and truth . — New York Dispatch .

A Curious Cipher Inscription.

A CURIOUS CIPHER INSCRIPTION .

MANY who have visited tho ohnrohyarrl atUpholland have been puzzled by the inscription on the stone placed npon the grave of Joshna Wood . The stone , whioh is a very heavy one , has in the left-hand top corner the Masonic emblem of the compass and square , in the right-hand top corner the plummet , the lower corners having mallet and plum-bob , and trowel and sword . Between the emblems at the top is the rayed eye ; beneath this the cipher inscription : — i

n iz _ r in IZI i . i ii u iz u n IZI i- iz r zi

SACKED TO THE MEMORY OF JOSHUA WOOD , WHO DIED NOVEMBER IX . MDCCCXI . IV . AGED LXVlII . YEARS .

No attempt has beon made to decipher the first part of tbe inscrip . tion , the explanation usually given being that these characters made ap of two , three , or four sides of a square had something to do with Masonry . Recently , however , tbe Vicar of Upholland was showing a visitor round the ohnrch and churchyard after service , and it was suggested to the former that the inscription was a cipher one , and

that probably the key might be found in the fairly well-known basis for cipher writing i aoription . Usually the formed by two parallel cipher key is formed by straight limes crossing I choosing some word two similar ones at right inch as CHARITY , in angles , as here shown . whioh no letter is re .

It will at once be seen ' r ~ peated , and beginning that here every form ia I at one corner , placing to be found in the in . I one letter in eaoh space , then following on with the rest of the alphabet in order . As there are nine spaces , the letter will go three times round—less one space . The first letter in eaoh space will thus be represented by the line

forming the space ; tbe second by tbe same lines , bat with the addition of a point ; the third the same , bat with two dots . On trial no word seemed to fit , so an attempt was made to read tho inscription without a key , a task whioh was not found to be very difficult . Beginning with the two shortest lines , a gnoss was made nt TO THE

Then the first letter was ( allowing tbe guess to becorreot ) n . Only one dot was at first apparent iu tho second letter , and , strange to aay , thorn should be but ono , a mistake having boon made probably by tbo stone-cutter . Ho this lottor was jndged to be o ; tho sixth mnst bo E . Now , tho last word was guessed at LOUD ; then the third letter was L . This came to

not K TO THE LORD . So tbo rait was supplied , and HOLINESS 1

u THE LORD stood revealed . Now , looking back to our key aud inserting the lettera of tho inscription , wo have

T L D EN 6 ..H I 11

Suoiug thivt i ) and E follow iu tho second line , t and o wore supplied to connect with II and i in tho bottom line . Tho other letters now fall into thoir place ' s , and the key as completed is—AJSBKTCLU

DMVENWPOX G P YH QZJlK — No ono seems to know who this Joshna wood was . —G . F . W . — Wirjan Observer .

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