Literalism's Demand.

assurance as to " whether or not Solomon was a Freemason "—a Speculative Freemason as now known—and as to " whether there is or is not any tangible evidence of his ever having been inside of a lodge as a member — a lodge as now erected . He demands tangible evidence , —real , substantial , rer : eptible to the touch , tactile , palpable evidence , —and he will receive nothing allegorical , symbolical , or traditional . Testing them by the same

process he would have to reject the Lord ' s parables . This magazine showed that , " in principle and in act , " in erecting the Temple at Jerusalem , " Solomon was a Mason , and the Institution ' s most distinguished head , " but the brother in question ignores that and talks of "barren tradition , devoid of substance , and fit only for a collection of old wives' fables . " prom his " tangible " standpoint he scoffs at the numbers

of the workmen as impossible " in the little territory of Palestine , " and calls the account of them " a palpable absurdity . " He forgets that the time and the occasion demanded the extraordinary labour , and that the demand was met by Solomon and the Hirams . He further forgets that Freemasonry accepts and utilises nothing of Solomon ' s doing outside of his work in erecting and dedicating the Temple at Jerusalem .

This magazine was careful to say that " all the true religion of the world , preceding Solomon , culminated in him and in the temple to the one true and living God that he erected at Jerusalem , " and yet the brother writes as if no such affirmation had been made , and says : " Solomon added nothing to the purity of religion , nothing to the conception of the true God , nothing to the practice of true morals , nothing to Masonry except that part so

intimately connected with operative Masonry as to be , in fact , hardly distinguishable from it . " The Tabernacle idea was before Solomon , and he transformed it into the Temple idea , which has ever since prevailed . He demonstrated that Jehovah alone is God , and worthy of the greatest devotion , service and offering that man can bestow . And , having done all that was possible in the perfection of material and skill , in erecting the Temple ,

he exemplified the dedication and consecration service as it never was rendered before or since . All this being true , it is useless to say that " Solomon added nothing to the purity of religion , nothing to the conception of the true God , " and futile to declare that if he was not literally a Freemason as the Craft is now known , he was a Masonic nobody . Literalism ' s

demand tint he be tangibly proven a modern Freemason , or that all Freemasonry says of him be deemed a Solomonic myth , is far too exacting , and not justified by any known law of evidence . It is enough to prove that , in principle and act in erecting the Temple , he was a Freemason . — Voice of Masonry .

Physically Perfect.

PHYSICALLY PERFECT .

Mackey , in his " Symbolism of Freemasonry , " says that the ceremonies are not the substance , they are but the outer garment which covers and perhaps adorns it . Take from Masonry these externals and you still have remaining its philosophy and science . They have always continued the same , while the ceremonies have varied in different ages and still vary in different countries . The definition of Freemasonry as " a science of morality veiled

in allegory , and illustrated by symbols , " contains this exact principle , that Freemasonry is a science , a philosophy , a system of doctrines which is taught in a manner peculiar to itself , by allegories and symbols . This constitutes its internal character , while its ceremonies are external additions , which do not affect its substance . He also reminds us that in studying the

origin and purpose of Freemasonry , we are to enquire into its philosophy , its internal character , and not its ceremonies which have from time to time been foisted upon it , nor yet , we would add , upon its regulations and practices which from time to time have been changed and which differ in the various countries and jurisdictions .

The morality of Masonry constitutes its philosophy . It has for its basic idea , its firm foundation , a belief in , and an acceptance of , an All-wise , loving Father , and of a life beyond this vale of tears , while its philosophy , is the science of things divine as well as human , recognising the fact that the divine must be , and has been , accepted by all it * votaries in some form

and under such name as is to them best understood , and avoiding matters of faith and subjects of theological controversy . It leaves to each that liberty of conscience which is his right and due . Upon the human side , its precepts and teachings are of the highest type , and imperative stress is laid upon the conduct in this life , teaching us how to live if we would be true to ourselves and our neighbours .

Not only does it seek to uplift the individual himself in all the qualifications of manhood , but , in the most forcible manner , it impresses upon him those duties which he owe ? to others ; that in the eye of God all men are alike his children , all subject to the same wise laws , fellow-travellers to the great beyond ; te-nperance , fortitude , prudence , and justice are the chief virtues by which individual life must be regulated , and that brotherly love ,

relief , and truth should be the governing principles of a Mason in his relations to others . While other institutions teach these same principles and precepts , yet none of them present them to the mind and heart so forcibly as does Freemasonry . It has a way and manner peculiarly its own . Allegorical figures and symbols are made of use as mind pictures , by which it would more

indelibly impress upon its votaries its true philosophy and science . By many it is claimed that Masonry in its incipiency was purely operative , that the growth of the speculative was gradual and for years slow , until in time it became a governing force , and the operative , as such , became a thing of the past . From a careful study of its earliest records , we find that while Masons were largely , if not wholly , composed of operative workmen , yet lhat the social , moral and , to some extent , religious duties of life were

incu ' catcd . Like the guilds of the Middle Ages and the various unions and lab mr organisations of to-day , they were workmen banded together for mutual benefit . Such association naturally led to the cultivation of the h g ' ler duties of life . The innate selfishness of human nature required to be hi 11 in check , and their individual energies made to subserve to the interests ol all . 'J'he regulations adopted for the accomplishment of such results constituted the speculative portion of early Freemasonry , and laid the foundation for that of to-day .

Masonry , as we now have it , is not forgetful of its ori gin , nor does it discard its early teachings . Its working tools are made use of as symbols , while many of its most important laws and edicts are based upon the

Physically Perfect.

regulations and practices of the operative workmen , and many applicable to the " philosophy and science of Masonry . " In some of the recent discussions upon the subject of physical qualification , some writers who favour a literal construction of the regula'im ' upon this subject according to the Dermott constitution go so far as to make regulations though purely as symbols , claiming that the " without blemish "

clause was even more ancient than operative Masonry , and was adoptei by them not for their government as workmen , but as a confirmation of pod ' s will in relation to some of his unfortunate children , as expressed in the Levitical Law ; that to them and to us it is a most profound symbolic teaching that none but the physically perfect are acceptable to the Almighty or can be allowed to dedicate and devote their lives to His se'vice , a duty

required of every Freemason . They would imply that an upright , honest , and strictly worthy man of sound mind and memory can be of no service to the Great I Am , and for such Masonry finds no place . We have more exalted ideas _ of Him whom we worship as our Father , and , we think , a better and more rational conception of what Freemasonry is and of its objects and purposes . The regulations

upon this subject we believe have been adopted for the government of the Craft purely as operatives . The Ancient Charges , compiled by Dr . Anderson from " records of Lodges not only in England , Ireland , and Scotland , but from beyond the sea , " differ from the later revision by Dermott . It clearly recognises this idea when it says : " No Master should take an apprentice unless he has sufficient employment for him , and unless he is a

perfect youth , having no main or defect in his body that may render rum incapable of learning the art , " etc . In other words , he must be capable of learning his trade or profession , and of doing his Master ' s work . True , these regulations were compiled for , and adopted by , the Grand Lodge of England , but they were taken from records the most ancient and when operative was largely , if not wholly , in the ascendency . We do not believe

that it was ever intended by the Grand Lodge , or by any association of Masons preceding it , as a symbol , or that in any manner it refers to God ' s government . We can but believe that His care is over all the children of His creation ; that He is no respecter of persons , and that the services of the apostle , Paul , notwithstanding his " infirmity , " whatever it might have been , were as acceptable to Him as were those of the perfect man , Hiram

Abif . The " without blemish" regulation applied only to those who might be accepted as apprentices . Having served his full term as such and being proficient in the art , he was not debarred from advancement to higher grades of workmanship or of being accepted as an overseer over others less skilled , even though he may have been so unfortunate as to have lost

an eye or a finger , while serving his Master , in learning his trade . In such instances the symbol of the physically perfect man is ignored , and those qualities of mind , of brain and heart which constitute the upright and perfect man , must take its place . They are to our mind the important requisite , and if symbol it be , constitute the one most important . —Masonic Tidings .

Masonic Dress.

MASONIC DRESS .

Masonry regards no man for its outward show or personal appearance . The proper qualifications for admission to the Fraternity are a perfect body , sound mind , and pure heart . It is not the purple raiment , nor the fine feathers ; the jewels or costly diamonds , with which man decks his perfect body , but it is the raiment of morality , the ornament of virtue , and jewels of Charity in all their broadest sense , which fit a man for membership in the

great fraternity of Freemasons . Much has been said and written , and is being said and written to-day about the proper clothing for a Mason , in lodge , on the street , at funerals , and on public occasions where it is proper for Masons to be known as such . A good deal of what is written is not worthy of notice , but there is an undue importance given to the matter of dress that would lead some to think that the " dress made the man , " and without a certain cut of coat , or colour oi

necktie , the man could not be regarded as a Mason . We would not say one word against a careful regard for dress on all occasions . A man should be neat and cleanly at all times , and in these modern days , when great lakes are brought into cities and water can be had everywhere , by simply turning a faucet , there is no excuse for dirt . A man

who is so careless , or slovenly , as to fail to perform the ablutions necessary to keeping a clean face and body , has " wheels , " and is , therefore , not a proper man to be made a Mason . " Cleanliness is next to Godliness , " and the pure-hearted man , ( he fellow-loving man , will be careful to keep his outward man clean .

Every Mason should appear at the lodge and everywhere clean , and he is not properly prepared if he is not so . Our brethren a hundred years ago regulated such matters in their by-laws , as the following clause from those of Carlow Lodge , 1795 , will show :

" Each member shall appear perfectly clean and in his best clothes under a penalty of 4 d . " But some of our friends regard it as of paramount importance that a Mason should appear at his lodge clothed in decent black , or at least dark clothes . When they walk in procession each one should have on a " Prince Albert coat , a tall silk hat . Datent leather shoes ( Dointed toes , we suppose ) , and a

black necktie . It is not s ' ated whether it should be a " four-in-hand' tie , an " Oxford bow , or a black scarf , but it must be black , whether black is " becoming" to the brother's " style of beauty , " or not . Others seem to think that every Mason ought to appear at lodge in full evening dress . " Clawhammer" coat , " silver buckles on his shoes , " white kids upon n > s hands , and a perfection pink in his buttonhole , and a white necktie . * , man who went to the feast without his wedding garment on felt out . 0 place and auite uncomfortable . And so a man who coes to his lodge wi ' "

out the prescribed " swallowtail " ought to feel uncomfortable , and if in j Tyler has been properly coached , the atmosphere of the ante-room *' become so rigid that the man will seek some other place , where t " " swallowtail" does not make the man . ,, AH this is pleasantry , for we do think a man ought to have regard his personal appearance at all times and especially when he S } ° t ~ i Masonic lodge . It looks much better , every one must admit , to see all ct