Comments On " Facts And Fictions."

Day , and in 1723 Andirson thoughtlessly inserted into his Constitutions about the observance of patron saints' clays . Bro . Sadler , however , informs us that in 1725 there were already affiliated iu a Lodge a considerable number of Jewish Masons , and it is certain that in 1732 , 1735 , 1736 , and in 1738 Jewish brethren served as Stewards in the

Grand Lodge . It is possible therefore , that some Israelites protested against the observance of Saints' Days . But be that as it may , Anderson must have known that in 1716 the London Lodges did not meet on St . Johns' Day , * and to show that

ho did not regard a Saint ' s Day as important to Masonry , he says in his 1738 Constitutions that of late the Grand Lodge did not meet on St . John ' s Day ; but that " the good of Ihe Graft is more to be regarded than days . " So much for the St . John ' s Day in England .

Now , it cannot be denied that in America the Masonic ritual was also tinkered again and again , and that ridiculous legends and sectarian allusions wero manufactured for it . But for all that our luminaries pretend that everything in

their ritual is ancient , and more especially so tho sectarian allusions therein . Our Grand Lodge leaders , who are awfully pious , believe in tho doctrines taught by the old saints , that "it was a virtue to deceive and lie in order to

benefit the Church . " Hence , conscience never troubles them when they promise a Jew , on the word and honour of a gentleman and Mason , what they never intend to fulfil . And hence they inverted the " golden rule " by doing unto

others what they would not havo others do unto them ; and in spite of the loud professions of " Masonic brotherly love , " it is manifest that our Grand Lodge leaders are still imbued with tho old malicious contempt against Jews .

And I find by experience that our Christian clerical Masons are as little troubled with conscience , honour , or Masonic consistency as the generality of our politicians are .

And as ninety-nine per cent , of our Grand Lodge representatives are ignorant of Masonic history , they of course believe in the assertions of our luminaries that " the Saints

John were eminent Masons , " and that every sectarian word in our ritual is an ancient and irremovable landmark . England also had its fanatical luminaries , but the leading members of the Grand Lodge of England were , however ,

always more honourable and consistent than the majority of the leaders of American Grand Lodges . Even the Ancients never found fault with their opponents about not

keeping Saints Days . This is evident from the fact of there having been no opposition to tho removal of the names of tho Saints John from the ritual and the Constitutions by tho United Grand Lodge of England in 1814 .

Looking , therefore , upon the question from every standpoint , I am satisfied that , no material difference existed either in the ritual or laws of the respective parties to have justified . Dermottin styling his organization as " Ancients , "

or the other as " Moderns . " BOSTON , U . S ., 9 th October 1888 . ( To be continued . )

True Courtesy.

TRUE COURTESY .

rPRUE courtesy means vastly more than compliance with ¦ * - the rules of polite behaviour , and must not be defined as consisting in mere smoothness of tongue or freedom from a rough and ill-bred manner . For a genuine courtesy

there must be a foundation of love laid in the heart . Agreeable words and address are signs of the polished gentleman , but it is possible for the best sort of courtesy to exist where these tokens are wanting . Let kindness and

good will have a controlling power over the life , and naturally there will be an expression of these tendencies in ways that mark a true courtesy , though perhaps it may not rank as such in some of the technical definitions that

are given . A modern writer , dealing with this subject in a way of careful discrimination , says : "Many a man who is the

True Courtesy.

very soul of chivalry and heart of courtesy is but a poorhand at a compliment and a sad forgetter of what society demands of him ; while many a one who can sweetly assume all the attitudes prescribed by a vain world may be

nothing but a graceful shadow , a selfish egotist , as devoid of true courtesy as the elegant statue is devoid of life , as smooth as a correct machine , but as heartless . There is many a man who shines but poorly in a ball-room—who ,

to tell the truth , is always in a state of half rebellion against the world's vanity , —who seems brusque of speech and uncourtly in deportment , who would bo brilliant and great in any act of courtesy that required a true man ' s

courage or generosity or tenderness . The tongue may not be tuned to the insipid platitudes that men agree to call polite ; but it may have a rare pathos in it when a poor man is to be helped , when a wretched woman is to be

comforted , when a little child is to be consoled . Rank is something , and education is something ; but they do not make men and women courteous . For fine gentlemen

have often hard hearts and do heartless things , and are proud and selfish and cruel , and great ladies are often vain and pitiless and scornful ; and so , with all their polished

manners , there is no courtesy with these—nay , the very gypsies in their tent in the lane may have more real courtesy . Even as Tennyson has put it in his own wise way : —

From you blue heavens above ns bent , The grand old gardener and his wife Smilo at the claim of long descent . Howe'er ifc be , it seems to me "Ti ' s only noble to be good . Kind hearts are more than coronets , And simple faith than Norman blood .

Courtesy ! It is much spoken of but it is a grace that is but little understood . It is to politeness what health is to beauty . The bloom on the cheeks of the little child tell of health within . And so politeness—true politeness , the gold of good manners , and not the mere lacquer that society is content with , the politeness of gentle consideration for others , of a manly or womanly nature that is simply true to its own beautiful aspirations and leadings—tells of genuine courtesy within . " Freemasonry approves this kind of courtesy and specially

commends the culture by which it is produced . It seeks to educate the heart , to the end that there may be an awakening of kindly feeling toward others , so producing a graceful and gracious demeanour , a form and manner of expression that shall be respectful , tender and gentle , and so charged with a spirit to attract and bless . The writer

from whom wo have quoted declares that at least three things enter into all true courtesy , —reverence , tenderness and generosity , —and these , we know , are qualities recommended to the novitiate at every point in his Masonic career . In his illustrations the author makes allusion to

the Knights m the famous days of chivalry who were moved with a great reverence . "The tales of the old crusaders are all so glorious because we feel , all through , the charm of their knightly respect and veneration for all

beautiful and worthy things . How gentle they were to women , how intolerant of meanness and cowardice , how jealous of their honour and careful of their knightly word ! It seems to me , indeed , that in this we have the true

interpretation of the romantic chivalry of those knightly times : that in those days men were emerging from barbarism , from holding human life too cheap , from the degradation of woman as the slave of man , from the rule

of brute force , and coming to the realisation of a great reverence for man and for all that became a man , —for honour , beauty , justice , loyalty , and truth ; and the charm of their courtesy was the charm of their knightly reverence for all these things .

They reverenced their conscience as their king j Their glory was redressing human wrongs ; They spake no slander , —no , nor listened to it .

If men would be truly courteous , they must respect one another , and see the good in one another , and hold sacred the mind and will and life of another even as their own . "

With such reverence and respectful regard for others must be joined the tender feeling mentioned at the outset , —a genuine kind heartedness—and then true courtesy will

most likely appear . It is the sympathetic , pitiful men and women in a community , who will speak and act in a courteous manner—dealing thus with their inferiors and even the most abject classes with whom they are brought

in contact . The fulness of true courtesy will not appear