Masons Whom We Have Met.

from lip to lip . Out of the frost and fche fog , away from tho counter and tho desk " , they flock into the snugly warm and cosil y lighted rooms , whore " friends in jolliest friendship meet , " and whore becoming mirth reigns supreme . Old acquaintanceships are renewed and strengthened , and new ones formed , nnder tho broad smiles of our typical

Mason , whose generosity is unbounded , and knows no discrimination amongst classes , provided they will use , and not abuse , his gifts . In the presence of this illustrious Yisitor tbo work nnd labour of our aoonsfomod Lodges cease , as we are summoned bv bis fiat to attend the levees

in which thero aro no secrets or mysteries to be observed , and in which neither sex nor ago is regarded as a cowan or intruder . All aro welcome within the portals when this most cosmopolitan of all Masons is amongst us ; his ritual is in the carol and song ; and his ceremonies are performed

under hanging festoons of evergreens and garlands of flowers . Nor does our Worshi pfnl Brother confine his muniflconce to tho rich or eompnrativ ly well-to-do . He knows as well as we do tbat although there are ramrod

under the banner of tho human brotherhood mon of nffluenco and distinction , ifc cannot , bo concealed that there arc ' others who from unforeseen eircninstances of calamity and j misfortune aro reduced to the lowest denths of poverty and j

distress . To such ho whispers tho samo accents of com-, fort and good cheer , and bids them , afc any rate while ho is ! fulfilling his mission of twice blessed Charity and Mercy , , to in a ko new resolves and to formulate hotter and nobler :

aspirations . He steals to tho bedside of the sick and afflicted , and into his ear thoy may pour forth their sorrows , with confidence thafc he will assuage their distresses and ; ameliorate their wants . His exhortaiions to those who ! aro disciples of his Craft is to practice that virtue which is

tho distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heartto banish ail thoughts and sentiments of unkindh ' ness , and to put into full and genuine operation the principles of Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . Ho would have us all , according to our substance , contribute just now to the

necessities of those who aro placed in less fortunate circumstances than ourselves , aud Heaven knows how grenf their number in these days of universal depression and hard

l struggle tor 11 lo . . 1 . Ins year , more ( ban any preceding onem the present cenfury in tin ' s eonntrv , tho bitter cry is < : oinfs r >^ of difficulty in making boih cads meet ; of trade being at a j standstill , and of work hoine folli scarce and rmremnnera

five . But tlio charge delivered lo us by our Brother is to strain every nerve to reek and to find those who aro in straitened cireumstrnmos , aod who deserve our sympathy and succour ; and we are bun to believe there aro none more ready to listen to such an exordium than those who

aro I lie truest do-ei ples of . our Ancient and Honourable Institution . Velvet is asked to rod end its beneficence and ' benevoler . ee to iags ; aiiimnce lo yOsx tlio purse-strings to ) relievo the " old poor at onr gates ; " cheerfulness and con- j fcentment to bend in kindness and lnr <> 'e-hcartedness to those <

who have been overtaken with misfortune . And then , i whilst our illustrious guest fills the cup of happiness toj children , warms tho impulses of youth and manhood , audi smooths the declining pathway of old age , ho is alike ; the benefactor of the poor , tho halt . , and tho lame , who !

equally look out for his fraternal grip at this season of the year . Let it be recollected , therefore , as wo think of tbo ' toothsome geese , turkeys , prime joints , erstwhile decorated !

on the butchers' board , the holl y , the mistletoe , and tho parcels and hampers which are now flying about in all directions , by road and rail , there are some " to whom the

Christmas dinner is the only inxury in iho annual round , and that it is only then brought to their door by tho lavish hand of the Brother who is new in our midst . His presence stimulates ns to h b thoso who cannot otherwise provide tbo " creature ' com ' to ; b ; " necessary to make Christmas " merry ; " aud wo are snvo there will be hearty response to Ins exhorhkioa lo do so . Now , as in

the olden times , thero will o ! ' ee a -o bo found . " -rnmblmv - aud cynics who growl at fclie n ^ vom .- of Yub ' -Hdo as bid the shadow cast bo'b'c it of ! r . ' - - ' ' .------ ' -u '' s bill- ; . •. ¦ . ¦ - . vd" » e ' * * ' ¦ ¦ ¦ - i > . * ¦ i i i - j t / j tho ' -ills which llesh is he ; a l A' by Ma ; i ' vi :, f in . a ei

carousing that mark iho ' * m : a rv " we .-k : ami who rai- av army of objections a gains- Ohri . -i - mas boxes or ; v-osouls . To all thoso grumblers Kino- oaristmns—rubicui . il ¦ ¦ '

visage , and m ' s honoured grey hair , crowned whli hoik . - . being , like "King Coie , a marry old .--. onl , " ---oau aimo ; to laugh , for ho goes on hi ; v ay rejoicing . All fcho shafts thafc are levelled at him have ml lon ' harmlessly , for there is no greater truth than that it is a poor heart that never re-

Masons Whom We Have Met.

joices , and as Hie round of life prohibits such rejoicing every day , even with fche rich , such an opportunity is not likely to be let slip . Coming primarily as a holy day , Christmas merges info a holiday , and as a festival

uniting both it has como to be observed as a merry , joyous season . Church bells peal forth on the morning att- the tidings of great joy , uniting tho hearts of all Christendom ; and the only reverse of the picture is

when wo find those appealing to us who are not warmly clad , who have no comfortable fireside or well lardered kitchen whence proceed those odours of preparation which sp'ak well for that Christmas dinner to come by and bye ,

nnd around which table there shall be a family reunion . Once more lot us ask , in the language of our universal Brother , when the mind shall be carried to those homes where fuel is scarce , food not much moro plentiful , and

clothing but ill-adapted for tho inclement weather , and say if what wonld be welcomed as a good old fashioned Christmas might not , in such a case , mean filling to the brim the cups of misery . Charity , no doubt , has been

kindly at work , ns of yore , so that none shall pine—if ifc be avoidable and the case deserving—in misery and want afc the time of a festival whose chief characteristic is feasting and joy .

Our venerable Brother comes to ns this year not in his traditional robes of snow , diamonded with frosted crystals ; still he is an ever welcome guest . We will not spnrn him because his beard drips with rain and his skirts are

bedraggled iu tlie mud , ancl though we can hardly see his genial face for the fogs thafc come between . No ; we will rather heap up the Christmas tire , to " warm his good old nose , " and draw the curtains close to keep oufc the wind

j and the drizzle , so that our hearts may realise once more j the joys of Christmastide , such as we recollect in years i gone by—we dare hardly Hay how many . In the midst of i fche " good cheer" which accompanies this great festival ' .-i L < - * j

we are inclined to toss away our politics—to advise Lord Salisbury to shake hands with tbe " Grand Old Man ; " to brinish all recollections of the general election till the political snow-balling again begins within the walls of

St . Stephen ' s . A fig for politics , say we , when the Christmas turkey and the plum pudding are engaging cookey ' s mast serious consideration . In spite of troubles in tho Hasfc , und tho dillness of trade , our national pros .

parity is undiminished , and our finances are rich enough to furnish Christina" -, wants , dainties , and luxuries for all . Onr Visiting lb-other who is tlie subject of this sketch bids every man , woman and child who mav read these lines to

welcome his stay amongst them as a merry one—merry foi the happiness it , brings to us id I—merry for its roast beef , its p lum puddings , its mince p ie .--, its snapdragons , and its goner . "l and universal jollimaifclon . If ho bad his way , ifc

wonld bo thafc every bod y . should bo happy during tlie time he remains with us , whether they will or no . He would have no gout or toothache at this season—v . o wry faces , no miserabios—but all should be jolly and happy for once in their lives . He would that tho four-leaved shamrock

should bo theirs . He would have every " brute of a husband " go on his knees this day , and beg bis suffering wife ' s forgiveness for all the unkind words he has - woken to her . He would havo every maid servant in the

kingdom confess to her mistress on Christmas Day as to the candles and tho coffee she had wickedly purloined , nnd then mado tlie caso worse by laying ifc on the torn cat . Society , to whom he with ourselves wishes so much happiness on Christmas-Day , is said by those who profess

j to ho oesfc informed on tho subject to bo composed mainl y 1 of fools ; and some . straight up-and-down men may ask if wo wish tho fool ,- ; of society to bo happy . Most decidedly

ohvc ao , fuchiding those fussy old follows who would e , begrudge a pa :: per an cxlra pint of beer to wash down his " i- work / ionso Ohriaims ; dinner . Wo call this a festive i season , and truly it v * . so . The garments of happisess and •*' cheerfulness aro worn by ail . Sumo may woo-, forsooth , an iindcr-iorkbi of ' -o . ro and sorrow—bnfc those aro not ow , ! a '

' ito few ; tbey form the la .. •res sod Mier . " of soaksy---the : a-any are ever happy a ! Oark : aa .: ¦¦ ¦ < isaa Our Brother •r . ould have joyous hkarky aud / I iwaay muglifer in every lioioe , and vr-mid mossm : >\ v any numb-.- ; -of distributions

' '•" uniaskmi . ' boTes and ovoabig parties . Lei ; tho vr-its of oar good Hi-oiker -I Imul-do u-: Io form ' . resolution that

•¦ mad nover bo broke : ; . Wi ¦¦ ¦ A , Mm man -vhoso every day of . oi ; is a day oi Cart-hira ; happiness , whoso in miory is not ! crowded with phantoms of error ami wrosye , but whose 1 every thought is clad with safisf . Oiou . Tho road to