Moral Uses Of Freemasonry.

of his brother , between whom and himself there had been long continued and bitter opposition of feeling . The Master noticed the effects of his words and changed his tone , portraying the kindly influences of brotherly love , telling how far it softened the calamities of earth and plucked the sting from death itself . He

dwelt upon the new obligations the initiate had assumed , ancl reminded him that the place where he then was should be considered sacred to fraternal sympathies— -a place in which every pledge was given to cultivate purest affections , to quench at once the overflowing of love and forgiveness , all heart burnings of

enmity , and to wash away the long scenes of rancour and bitterness which so much degrade the soul . The brother who had sat retired , as he heard sentence after sentence of the eloquent charge , had moved by timid steps nearer to the altar , and watched with earnest feeling the effect of such words on his

brother's mind ; at last their eyes met , and volumes were spoken in the glance 1 Oh , what a moment for the two men who have drunk the stream of life from one maternal bosom ; they looked

once more and then rushed into each others arms . "Brother , forgive me , " broke from the hearts of both in half-suffocated and almost inarticulate words . They were reconciled . What a triumph for Freemasonry !

. The incident thus related shows how the principles and precepts of the Masonic system may have prevailing force when the conditions are favourable , and where there is a wise and judicious teacher to apply the lessons of that system . The moral uses

of Freemasonry are many , affecting character on all sides , ancl most potential for good when there is a faithful application of the truths taught and illustrated to the conduct of life . Wisdom and grace are requisite for such an enforcement . —Freemasons ' Repository .

Masonic Toleration.

MASONIC TOLERATION .

[ An extract from a speech made by Bro . Charles Levi Woodbury at the annual "Grand Feast" of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , December 27 , 1887 . ] There is a great deal of sacred truth lying at the foundation of Freemasonry , which pervades every bone , every sinew , and

every . blood-vessel of its constitution and its organisation . It expresses itself in the words of the Masonic regulation , which all men are required to adhere to , and that truth is , Toleration ! Here each of us holds his own religion ; here each of us tolerates the religion of his brethren . We come together not to propagate

our own creeds , but to meet those who are our equals , and to make each other feel that there are good moral qualities , and high virtues , and things worthy to be remembered and respected among all men and all creeds . To my mind , sir , away back in that far past , 160 years ago—I do not know but more , for I am

not to be bounded and limited by any of these common periods of time in my belief of the antiquity of the breadth of spiritual character of Freemasonry—but away back , as far as we know it in our English history , the element which gave vitality to Masonry , the element which created brotherhood among its

members , the element which gave force and impetus , and sent it forward as the great pioneer of liberty throughout all the world , to raise the oppressed , to break the bonds and proclaim the brotherhood of man , aye , the quality of the races , was that same clause that we should tolerate the religion which our brothers

professed ; and that , while we claim the individual ancl independent right to hold our own creed , we should give our brother the equal right to hold his creed and worship his God in the same purity and with the same independence that we claimed for ourselves . We started there , and that spirit spread through the

world ; and whenever you will point to me the religious persecution during the history of the Masonic organisation—and there have been many such—I will show you that it was born of bigotry and intolerance . The Church led in the persecution , ancl it was liberty and independence and religious toleration that resisted .

I remember the time , since I have been a Mason , when there was hardly a country in Europe where Masonry was not under the ban , where it was not oppressed , where it was not attacked ; and yet now , throughout the whole broad expanse from Siberia to the Atlantic , from the Atlantic to the North Pole , and from

the North Pole to the Pacific , Masonry is an honoured Institution . You can hardly imagine how in those dark days—those days of feudal mediasvalism—Masonry alone held up the candle of liberty to the oppressed of all races and all nations . From the Church and State down to the lowest bigot or mercenary in

rank , all combined to put out the light , but the light would not be put out ; and , though the blood of our brothers has been shed in every country in Europe , yet the blood of our brothers has been the blood of martyrs , which was the seed of the

Masonic church—aye , and the seed of the church of liberty throughout all the world . There has not been a step of progress for the last 200 years that the light of Freemasonry has not shone in front , leading the way and pointing to the equality

Masonic Toleration.

of man and to the elevation of the human race . The day has come when things are changed completely , and now kings , dukes and lords , side by side with the humble artisan , seek our altars and our shrines , desire to put on the apron of the workman , to be classed with us , and , with Fellow-Crafts and Masters , to work in the regeneration of the millions . —Sydney Freemason .

The Ritualism Of Freemasonry.

THE RITUALISM OF FREEMASONRY .

To the Masonic student the ritualism of Freemasonry is always an interesting and attractive theme . Much of it is of an esoteric nature , and not permitted to be written , but is communicated onl y by oral instruction . Hence it is that the great bod y of Masons acquire only a partial knowledge of it ; as a general

rule , only so much is deemed essential to prove themselves Masons among strange brethren . And even this little smattering , which they receive at their initiation is often soon forgotten in the whirl of business , where the mind is constantly occupied in , to many , the more important concern of making a living .

The perfect ritualist in Masonry is an anomaly among his brethren . He is generally regarded by them as a very " bright Mason , " and to that extent is entitled to that honourable distinction . He becomes a useful member of his lodge , and finds much more real enjoyment in Masonry than falls to those incompetent to take part in the work .

The origin of the ritualism of Freemasonry , how it came down to us of the present day through succeeding ages and generations , what changes have been made in it at different times and by whom , and what it now is , or should be , are all interesting subjects to reading and thinking Masons . They are

subjects upon which there exists a great diversity of opinions at the present time among the best informed Masons , who have made such investigations as they could in that direction . We believe , however , that all agree upon one point : That the first systematic arrangement of lectures for the first three Degrees was made b y

William Preston , of England , about the year 1772 . Mackey says that these lectures were adopted by the Grand Lodge of England , and used until 1813 , when , for the sake of securing uniformity , the new and inferior system of Dr . Hemming was adopted . But he adds , " the Prestonian lectures and ritual are still used by many lodges in England . "

As to which system of lectures and ritual was used upon the introduction of Masonry into this country we have no definite information , ; butintheyear 1797 , Bro . Thomas Smith Webb published the first edition of his Freemason ' s Monitor ; or Illustrations of Masonry , and formulated a new system of lectures , which came

into general use in the United States , and have . thus continued until the present time . A form of ritual for opening and closing lodges and conferring the first three Degrees , adapted to these Webb lectures , has been attempted by many would-be lecturers ancl instructors in Masonry since the days of Webb . While

claiming to be pupils of Webb , or to have received the work , at least , second-hand from him , no two of these ritual makers have agreed in all things . In the main they are very nearly alike , and only differ in such matters as are generally regarded as nonessential . The Doctrine of Masonry is held by all to be the

same . " It is , " says Mackey , " the body which is unchangeable , remaining always ancl everywhere the same . The ritual is but the outer garment which covers this body , which is subject to continual variations . It is right and desirable that the ritual should be made perfect and everywhere alike . But if this is

impossible , as it is , this at least will console us , that while the ceremonies or ritual have varied at different periods , and still vary in different countries , the science and philosophy , the symbolism ancl the religion of Freemasonry continue and will continue to be the same wherever true Masonry is practised . "

The strongest and most systematic effort to produce unilormity in the ritual of Masonry was made by Bro . Rob Mornsbeginning about the year 1 S 5 8 . Having secured true cop ies ol all the Webb lectures and made himself familiar with the won * *

as promulgated by co-workers of Webb , he devised an ingenious plan for disseminating them among lodges , and with a corps 0 assistants he devoted several years in an effort to secure their approval ancl adoption in several Grand Jurisdictions . In this- was only partially successful , as his methods for disseminatin g

the work created a strong opposition to it in some localities , -a " were severely condemned by many old Masons as being in vio < ' tion of Masonic obligations ancl laws established for the g ° vern ' ment of the Craft . Another opposition arose from the fact tiw it was an apparently well-devised money-making scheme , ; ^ which its author was deriving an immense revenue out

Masonry . But the work itself was almost everywhere v ; favourably received , and it grew in favour as it was found to a more complete ancl instructive system of work and lecy than any then in use . The means were afforded to mak e it uni . in alllodges , andtheresultisthatnearlyabsolute uniformityot ^