The Blue Lodge.

Blue is the colour of the sapphire . Tho costliness of the iewel betokens the spirit of sacrifice involved in our mystery . All good things cost . The civilization which we enjoy is the fruit of toil and tears . " Every good book , " says John Milton , " * is the distilled life-blood of some master

spirit . " The September harvesting means an April seeding and a long summer's tilling . Old Dr . Johnson once gaid that if a book of his had been issued for a week without being attacked by the critics , it could not be worth the printing . All things of worlh invite criticism .

Opposition is oftentimes ' a standard of value . The path of ministry is always marked by self-denial and suffering . Antagonism sometimes measures benefits . Every step of invention , every advance of truth has cost a battle . The helpful life is no summer holiday but a holy sacrifice to be

offered upon the stern altars of duty . The way of ministry is oft-times fco be trodden with bleeding brow and aching feet . Its crowns are thorny . Its cup is oft-times bitter and its cross heavy to bear , bufc its spirit is fche jewel whioh bespeaks man ' s true nobility . Thafc was a splendid

exhibition of self sacrifice noted in our daily papers where a hundred Knights in the Chicago Commandery displayed a true chivalry by yielding their flesh to the surgeon's knife in behalf of a stricken brother . They received their accolade of truest Knighthood from the lancet . No jewels of their Order can ever adorn them with the tokens of

genuine nobility like that scar of sacrifice . The name of your Lodge carries with it much interesting suggestion . You are to be congratulated on having the title Oriental , inscribed upon your portal [ Oriental Lodge , No . 242 , Michigan ] , Max MuIIer says , " We all come

from the East ourselves , and all which we possess that is worth the having came from the East too . " The state-•menfcseems astonishing at first sight . We think of fche Orient aa a place from which we receive rugs , quaint in design ,

curious in texture and rich in colour ; porcelains of lovely form and rare device ; aromatic spices , strange , delicious fruits and costly perfumes ; bnt the slightest thought reminds us that the scholar's statement is true . Columbus

sailed to the discovery of America from the regions of the East . In the Middle Ages when a new civilisation and a new literature came streaming over the Alps , it followed the track of the rising sun , bearing from Greece her treasures of thought and from Rome her trophies of power

and enriching all the Europe of the West . The East is the land of mighty buildings , the mountain-like Pyramids and the rock hewn temple , the graceful mosque and the grotesque pagoda . The Orient was the home of Moses , schooled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians , and of

Solomon , the princely pupil in a higher school than that of earth . In the lonely Eastern desert stood the Tabernacle , and like a cordon of giant sentinels rose the frowning crags of the Sinaitic Mountains . Throned upon fcho Eastern hills was reared the splendid Temple , upon

whoso superb beauty the stars of the Assyrian sky looked lovingly down . The East is the gateway of the day . Through the golden portals of the Orient , the sun enters upon bis triumphal march , and pours his splendid presence on the waiting world , shining upon continent and ocean ,

upon metropolis and wilderness , on arctic snows and tropic sands , upon the palace and hovel , crowning mightiest mountain wifch his radiance and nurturing fche lowliest plant with his graceful benediction , tireless in his strength , shining on through uncounted ages with no whit

of his force abated , mysterious in his power , the mighty furnace of his strength fed , we know not how . As such a munificent source of blessing must the illustrious title .

Oriental , stamp the Lodge to which it properly may belong . When , as I am informed , your Master takes his seat in the East , it would seem to me a patent hint that his should be a snnlike nature , diffusing a wide and ceaseless benediction ,

ana that bis retinue of brother Oflicers , like a glittering constellation of starry orbs , should ever diffuse through the sphere of the Lodge in which they shine influence that should illustrate and extend the principles that underlie your august organisation . —American Tyler .

To Be, Or Not To Be.

TO BE , OR NOT TO BE .

] yr W BRO . G . COPPIN P . G . M . V . C ., afc the last Ti ^•arterl y Commu : Qi cation of the United Grand Miageot Victoria , raised a question on a point of procedure which , in the interests of South Australian brethren , it

To Be, Or Not To Be.

would be well to havo constitutionally settled once for all . In supporting the nomination of M . W . Bro . Sir W . J . Clarke , Bart ., for re-election as Grand Master for tho ensuing year , Bro . Coppin is reported as saying : — " Tho principal object which he had in rising -was to express the

hope thafc at fche re-election of the Grand Master he would be installed in accordance with the Book of Constitutions . It had been held in opposition to his views last year that it was enough to proclaim the Grand Master after his reelection . It was considered that at his election he had to

be installed , but that after that proclamation was sufficient . This was quite opposed to the Book of Constitutions . Tho argument was that in England that course was adopted . But the reason in that case was apparent . Ifc was wellknown fchat H . R . H . the Prince of Wales very seldom

attended the Grand Lodge . If he did not attend regularly to be installed they would lose him as their Grand Master , and they therefore broke the laws No matter whether it was a re-election or a first election , fche position of Grand Master , in his opinion , should be installed

He thought this a very important question for Graud Lodge to take into its serious consideration , because tbe Grand Lodge was the model by whioh the private Lodges worked . He had seen cases where the Master was simply placed in tho chair and proclaimed . This was wrong , for

the law was more stringent in the case of the Master of a private Lodge than in the case of the Grand Master . Ho thought that a committee should be appointed to fix a rule for the installation of fche Grand Master , and the private Lodges would follow that example . " Although we are not

at one with the M . W . Brother m his argument ! favouring this step , his opinion—coming as it does from so old and experienced a Craftsman—is entitled to great respect and consideration . The English , and probably most of our Colonial Constitutions , clearly enough state that the election and installation of the Grand Master shall take

place annually , but no reference is made to a re-election , and it is an event not provided for in equally specific terms . Still , reasoning from analagous cases , ifc is to be supposed thafc in the case of one continuing in the office the original forms and obligations would still hold good ,

and need nofc be repeated . The Governor of a Province , if his term ia extended , is nofc required to tako a fresh oath of allegiance , neither is it the case with the Mayor of a municipality , under like conditions ; and in no other administrative instance shall we find snch a proceeding

imperative . So with a Grand Master of Masons , or the Master of a private Masonic Lodge , the one obligation and the one act of installation holds good for an extended tenure of office , should cover the whole and be deemed sufficient . Bro . Coppin will doubtless urge that this is a

mere expression of opinion with no authoritative basis , and is only calculated to uphold an infraction of the Constitutions . Well , no , onr remarks are not so intended , bufc if our difference of opinion will have fche effect throughout these several jurisdictions of directing attention to what is

conspicuously an oversight in fche framing of fche law appertaining thereto , and lead to an explicit and definite ruling thereon , he ( Bro . Coppin ) will nofc have raised his voice in vain or animadverted to no purpose . Speaking for ourselves , we trust that this will be regarded as one of

those necessary amendments of our Constitution to be speedily submitted to Grand Lodge for decision . Whichever way it may go , we , and all concerned , will thenceforth cheerfully obey the supreme will . Nothing conduces more effectually to satisfactory and pacific working in the Craft

than to have laws clearly defined , leaving nothing to the caprice of the brethren , or in any way debatable . Let nothing mar the good understanding that should prevail , or defeat the object through ambiguity of expression , omissions , or rules capable of misconstruction or evasion . — South Australian Freemason .

Freemasons thronghonfc Cheshire and Lancashire will hear with re grefc of the death of their esteemed Bro . John Parry Piatt . He waa one of Liverpool's oldest bnsiness men , having been bora in Castlestreet in 1817 , and carried on business there for about 50 years . In Masonry , he waa perhaps the oldest ia Cheshire , and he gave much

time to etablishing the Cheshire Educational Institution , which owes its existence to his patient , untiring exertions . He took an active interest in the Masonic Charities . His simple life , kindly disposition and readiness to help the orphan , widow , and friendless commended him to fche esteem of all who knew him ,