The Spirit Of Masonry.

that we may see God . If wo read history we learn that church work has been largely associated with blood . One time—about the third century—the monks burned a synagogue , and they were compelled to rebuild it . The priests ,

too , were held responsible for the fertility of the earth . This shows how strong the ancients believed in the efficacy of prayer . Near Licopolis , about the time above named , there dwelt a hermit called Holy John , who built a rude

hut on the top of a large mountain . He prayed five days , and received visitors on Saturday and Sunday , when he opened a small window . During fifty years he never ate cooked food . Even the Emperor of Rome would send

officers to consult hira . Such a person to-day would be styled a crank , and yet fifteen hundred years ago many thousands of people would make long journeys to consult

with a hermit who might be able to tell them how to find God . John the Baptist was the forerunner of the new religion , and up to the time of Constantino , A . D . 325 , about one-twentieth of the people were Christians .

The work still goes on , and while the earth is not yet Christianized by any means , with the aid of the great invention of printing , the probability is that ere another century rolls around , the Christian religion will

predominate over this planet . Liberality is the spirit of the age . In America a man can think as he pleases , and the time is fast approaching when freedom of speech will prevail everywhere .

Contrast our day with A . D . 324 , in which , at Rome , two thousand persons were put to death for being Christians . Contrast also our time with that event where a Gothic king compelled ninety thousand Jews to be baptised . This

searching the scriptures makes a good government . That we are prospering is an undisputable fact . One time , a whole nation of one hundred and twenty thousand persons disappeared , and twenty years later not a person could be seen . War and turmoil were the cause .

One of the great Masonic writers informs us that , at the revolution in 1688 , only seven Lodges were in existence in England , and of them there were but two that held their

meetings regularly , and these were chiefly Operative . This declension of the Order may be attributed to the low scale of morality which distinguished the latter end of the seventeenth century .

And how , indeed , could Freemasonry , pure and spotless as it is , remarks a great writer , continue to flourish at a time when the literature and morals of this country were

in a state of semi-lethargy , and a taste for reading or the pursuits of science and philosophy had scarcely begun to manifest itself amongst the middle classes of society ?

A modern writer says , " Though the reign of Queen Anne has been generally termed the Augustan age of literature in this country , owing to the co-existence of a few celebrated writers , it is astonishing how little , during the

greatest part of that period , was the information of the higher and middle classes of society . To the character of the gentleman neither education nor letters were thought

necessary , and any display of learning , however superficial , was among the fashionable circles deemed rudeness and pedantry .

Such was the condition of society just before the revival of 1717 .

The writings of Addison and Steele , who lived about 1712 , had much to do to counteract this depraved state of morality . The historian states , " These writings have set all our wits and men of letters upon a new way of thinking , of which they had but little notion before . "

We contrast the spirit of Masonry of to-day with that of the period of the Revival , and we readily see what progress has been made through the agency of the Great Li ght upon our Altars . In those times ( 1717 ) the public saw nothing

of Freemasonry but its annual processions on the day of the grand feast . It was considered merely as a variety of the club system , which then prevailed amongst all ranks

and descriptions of people ; and as these institutions were of a convivial nature , Freemasonry was reduced , in public opinion , to the same level . The practice of the Lodges was principally of a social and companiable nature .

Sometimes the Master found leisure and inclination to deliver a charge , or a portion of the lectures , and such entries as the following are frequent in the minute books of

that period : " The Master delivered an elegant charge , or a portion of Martin Clare's lectures , as the case might be , and the evening was spent in singing and decent merriment . " The usual penalty for a breach of the bye-laws

was " a pottle of wine , to be consumed on the spot j" and

The Spirit Of Masonry.

it was not an uncommon occurrence to expend the whole fee on a night of initiation on a supper and wine . A fine contrast of what the spirit of Masonry is accomplishing may be seen in the fact of the recent pageant at

St . Louis , and the age of 1113 A . D ., as described by Addison in his " History of Knights Templar : " " Nine knights renounced the world and its pleasures , and in the Holy Church of the Resurrection , in the presence of

Arnulph , Patriarch of Jerusalem , they embraced vows of perpetual obedience and purity , after the manner of monks . They elected as their first Master that true knight Hugh do Payens , and united themselves in the two most popular qualities of the age—devotion and valour . "

The great progress of the age , the different ways of thinking , and the universality of the liberal arts and sciences , all prevail to so great an extent that we are apt to forget the elegant system of morality of Masonry , and

look upon it as a delusion . We can practise Masonry today with the same sincerity that did the three Grand Masters in the days of Solomon King of Israel . We have just as much need of such an institution , and there is ample

opportunity on our part for the same display of zeal and earnestness as shown in the history of the three eminent Craftsmen just named . Even in our daily avocations we can apply the lessons of the working tools , all of which will add materially to make us honoured citizens .

The Bible is the gift of God to man . Ifc is the consummation of wisdom , goodness and truth . Many other books are good , but none so good as this . All other books may be dispensed with , but this is absolutely necessary to our

happiness here and our salvation hereafter . Oliver gives us this explanation of the three Great Lights of Masonry . " The book before us contains rules for preserving healtb by the exercise of temperance and chastity ; for procuring

blessings , by the practice of Fidelity , Industry and Zeal ; for securing a good reputation , by integrity and a faithful discharge of every trust ; and for inheriting the promises

by the exercise of Faith , the encouragement of Hope , and the practice of Charity , " or the universal love of God and Man .

Upon , the first Great Light , we find two others—the Square and Compasses , which are varied in their position in every degree , to mark the gradual progress of knowledge , and the former is opened at different passages appropriate

to each ; for the Bible being considered the rule of a Mason ' s faith , the Square and Compasses , when united , have the same tendency with respect to his practice . " If we

read the lessons of the emblems as explained by the great writers , we are surprised to find out how much useful information is contained in each one .

The writer is of the opinion that the Masonic system of morality is a broad one , and that the request of Zophar to search the scriptures is the first duty of a Brother . The fact that over half a million of men are enrolled in the

membership of this Fraternity , the large number of charitable institutions , as well as the elegant temples that are being erected all over the world , are satisfactory evidences that by searching the Scriptures a good work has been wrought through the instrumentality of Masonry .

All this is embraced in the spirit of Masonry , viz ., to improve the condition of mankind , not only to benefit those who may be engaged in the good work , but to make its excellent influences felt in all channels of society .

In answer to the interrogatories of the text , we give the words of the " Great Light" as recorded in Romans : " And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit , because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God .

" And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God , to them who are the called according to his purpose . " The above passages fully explain the spirit of Masonry . —Freemason ' s Journal .

No Room For Servility Or Venality.

NO ROOM FOR SERVILITY OR VENALITY .

EVERT one will admit that Masonic Lodges , and all other societies organised for good purposes , should be turning their attention to counteracting fche flood of vice , profligacy and disorder which is now undermining the public morals throughout the country . It is no

question of politics or form of religion , but of common