Masonic Service By The Bishop Of Bathurst.

there . The text would present a familiar p icture to members of the Brotherhood , who would remember the story of their greater master Hiram Abiff , who . was met at one of the entrances of the Temple , and died by the hand of an assassin , ra'her than reveal the secrets with which he was entrusted , thus carrying out the spirit of the text " Faithful unto death . " Students of history would also remember the case of an ancient bishop who was placed

in a mighty amphitheatre in the presence of a pro-consul , looking upon thc aged Christian , urged him to recant , but he replied that he served his Lord for 86 years , and ' -ad not been forsaken , and he would not deny his Master now . A second time he was exhorted to recant , and a second time refused ; he was placed in the midst of the great amphitheatre , the fire was kindled around him , but the llames were slow in burning , when the

executioner thrust his body through with his sword . He proved " Faithful unto death . " This text applied to members of the Brotherhood , who were bound to be " Faithful unto death ; " first in maintaining and keeping t ^ eir secrets and signs , for they possessed them in order thatthey may distinguish each other . These were only known to themselves , but their principles were known to the world . In the preserving of their signs and secrets they were

enjoined to be " Faithful unto death . " They were also bound to preserve their great principles , the first of which was brotherl y lovz , and they were not merely to confine it to those belonging to the body , but , as the gospel of Christianity was a wide and noble one , so by the gospel of Masonry they were bound to extend their love and brotherly feeling to those outside the Brotherhood . They should not , therefore , be narrow-minded nor restricted

in their views , but as wide as the world , for a man was not to be selfish and endeavour to keep all the good things of this world to himself , but to be broad and sympathetic in his feelings ; and do what he could for those around him , hence relief was enforced . Next , a Mason was bound to be true . Truth should actuate everyone—to be true to ourselves and to others , speaking the truth in our words , and manifesting it in our actions . There

are certain virtues that are enjoined on Masons , temperance , fortitude , justice , all these must be actively carried out ; in all they did they must act on the square , and carry out the five points of fellowship . ' They must also be faithful in maintaining their doctrine . There was one great doctrine tbat must always permeate the members of the society , viz ., belief in one true and living God . If he surmised correctly , Masonry ori ginated with this

idea—not in the mysteries of India and Persia , but for preserving a knowledge of the living and true God , and as such it was carried out to the present day . There were some who did not understand their principles , and because they spoke of the Great Geometric ! m , orGieat Architect of the Universe , said these terms did not refer to the true and living God . It was easy to giv a clear answer to such objectors as these . In every lodge there was the

Word of God , kept open while the business was being transacted ; that book was not closed until thc transactions of the meeting concluded . Every Mason was taught in the lodge to endeavour to practise the principles in the Bible in his life , weave them into his life , and regulate his actions in accordance with its teaching . Therefore , it was perfectly clear that though Masonry did not profess Christianity for it embraces a vast

number ot people who do not honour the name of Christ as we do—yet it held firmly the belief in th ** one living and true God . It was , therefore , of the greatest advantage that it should extend itself far and wide in this country ; wherever lodges are planted there every Mason was bound b y his own actions to be faithful to the living and true God . In these days , when there are men who would do away , in the regulation of the affairs of the

univer-e , with a Supreme Being , surely an Order which maintains intact this great and important truth , although it went no further , and which taught the brethren the principles of brotherly love , relief , and truth ; and also temperance , unity , and justice ought to be a great advantage in the community in which it operated . To those who were members of the Christian brotherhood the text had a still further application . They as

Christians—and he presumed the majority present were such—recognised that the text teaches that they also must be " faithful unto death" in maintaining these doctrines . And what are these ? They carried us infinitely , beyond a belief in the Supreme God ; they carried us to the foot of the cross . The better undeistood these great principles , the better our lives would become ; and men would be enabled unflinchingly to engage

against their manifold foes , the devil , the world , and the flesh . Again , it was their duty as Christians to spread a knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ . Masonry , on the other hand , was an er . clusive body , according to its laws and regulations . It was against the laws of the Order to persuade anyone to become a member ; hc must do so of his own free will and natural inclination . It was the duty of Christians , on the other

hand , to endeavour to extend the blessings they received to others , and those that once acquired a living Christianity , would not be content without endeavouring to make others happy in receiving it also . They should also be careful to make their lives accord wilh their professions . Members were bound to observe this -to set a pure example , be upright men , and pure in their morals . There were persons who condemned the great body

of Masons , because there were some members who had been a discredit to it ; and some had repudiated the very name of Christianity , because that some , baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ , had done what was contrary to their Christian professions . It was unfair to * condemn Masonry because that some of its members werc not a credit to it , just as much as it was unfair to condemn Christianity because some

who professed it did not act rightly . Therefore , as Masons , let us remember to make our light so shine before men , that we may glory our Father which is in Heaven . Our text reminds us that we must he loyal people . If there was any body that was loyal to the Oueen or Supreme Power , it was the Masons ; and of the body of 40 , 000 brethren " 1 Australasia , scarcely a disloyal onc would be found amongst them .

' 'reemasonry was not a political society ; it did not recognise anything ° f that kind in the lodges , but it taught them to be obedient to the powers that be , thus agreeing with the teachings of St . Paul , to be in subjection to those in authority . As Christians , also , they werc to be loyal to the Divine fewer , and render personal obedience to the King of King- , and the Lord of Lords . Whether as Masonsor members of the greater Christian

brother-, hood , we are bound to appear before that great judgment seat , and be jud ged by Him that looked not on the outward appearance , but on the heart , and decided whether or not wc have proved failiitul unto death , faithful to our great Redeemer , and to our Father who reigns above , and who is ever ¦ mxious to draw the erring children of this world to his home mi high . The

term " Fait ful unto death " did not imply to be faithful only to the end of I ' fc ; it included something more , faithful unto the endurance of death , fhere was a striking example of this in the well-known incident of the " s 'reat Sir Richard Grenville attacked by the Spanish Armada . Still further , there was a Christian Bishop , who laboured amongst the savages of sonic

Masonic Service By The Bishop Of Bathurst.

of the South Seas , but they did not understand that he brought them words of peace . He finally went to one island , where he was treacherously clubbed by the very men to whom he brought the message of peace . There was something in his death that struck his murderers as strange , and they placed him in a canoe , crossed his armson his breast , and hedied "Faithful unto theendurance of death . " And this was the case with the priest who went to a leper island .

He knew he was taking his life in his hands in going amongst those afflicted with this loathsome and horrible disease . Though we might differ from " the priest in some essentials , yet we admired his faithfulness in preaching to the outcast lepers , and he died " Faithful unto the endurance of death . " They , again , had heard of the story of General Gordon , who went with his lile in his hand , and carried the honour ot England with him . But England

herself failed to rescue him , and he could well remember the thrill that went through the kingdom when news reached them again and again respecting the gallant General . At last it was announced that he died as an Englishman , as all Englishmen ought to do , "Faithful unto the endurance of death . " Then there was lhe gallant Admiral they had read of recently , declining to leave his sinking ship ,. and finally went down with her , the last seen of him

being the waving of a telescope . Therefore , whatever Order we belonged to , let us each remember that we are bound to be faithful to the endurance of death . Let us be careful not to . make Masonry our religion ; it does not profess to be a religion of itself , yet a man that carried it out must be a loyal citizen . But we wanted something more complete , something that was good for this life and for that hereafter . If we added to Masonry ,

Christianity and a belief in the one living and true God , and to his son , Jes-is Christ , we should not fear to go up the winding staircase and tread the tesselated pavement . Then when our lodge belovv has been closed at last , the Great Master would welcome us to a lodge above that never would be closed- into the Great Temple of the living God , not made with hands , eternal in the heavens .

Masonry's Mission.

MASONRY'S MISSION .

What is the mission of Masonry—of what benefit has it been to the world 7 Has it not outgrown its usefulness , and ought it not to be relegated with the things of the past ' . ' are queries which sometimes arise in the minds of the uninitiated , the mere casual observers who look only upon in ; : surface and from such observations base their reductions . Thoughts like these are not confined to the uninitiated . There are some , no doubt , among those

who have passed through our ceremonies and are enrolled with us whose views are equally superficial . " From the careless and unworkmanlike manner in which the degrees are conferred at the time of their admission , or it may be from the fact that they were incapable of looking beyondthc mere ceremonial , they failed to appreciate their true spirit and intent ; the lessons each was intended to convey were lost upon them . To such the

steady growth and prosperity of the Institution is a source of surprise , nor can they account for the fact that in all ages it has numbered among its most devoted members , and is still adding to its ranks , those who stand foremost in all thc relations of life . Tothe true Mason , he that has looked beyond the mere material and grasps the spirit aid interior mea ling of our -ymbols , that is but a natural sequence . To such it is no surprise . or source

of wonderment . Masonry appeals not alone to the moral sentiments and faculties of mankind , but equa . ly to the intellectual . The mind pictures , piesented in t e form of symbols ,. are a constant source of study and reflection , developing new b-autics and adding to the lessons of life new and clearer ideas of duty the more they are investigated . To the student of Masonry no such queries as we have alluded 10 are ever suggested . Its

mission and the good that has heretofore resulted therefrom , is t > him no mystery , nor is he faithless as to its future . The same causes which gave it being , still to a great extent exist . Although humanity has been in a constant stale of progression and cultivation , still the instincts and dispositions yet remiin inherent within them .

Selfishness , with its train of attendant evils , though modified in form and manifestation , still exists . And so long as it does , Masonry has a work and a mission . Human brotherhood being its starting point , its every precept tends to cultivate within us a spirit of equality and good will , thc very reverse of selfishness . It would unite all in relations the most fr-iternal . It breaks down the barriers o > caste and

extends this brotherhood sentiment among men of divergent views , pursuits and races ; it enlarges human sympathy and strives to mitigate the wants and the woes of suffering humanity ; it would pour the balm of consolation into the heart of the sorrowful , dry the tear of the orphan , and hush the widow ' s wail . By following the te . ichings of Masonry character is ennobled . It introduces man into a wider society than his native selfishness would prompt him to seek , associating him with the good and true of all sects and races in the most fraternal relations ; those whose every effort is

to upbuild character in this life , and whose every aim is to promote a spirit of benevolence , kindness , and toleration among its votaries . -Masonry will never be numbered among the Institutions of the past . It still has its work to do . Its mission , though daily being more and better understood and appreciated , has not been accomplished . Nor will it be until mankind shall have arrived at that state of perfection which ' we' may vainly hope for in this earthly existence and can only anticipate in the long vistas of the here-, after .

Of Masonry the poet truly says : lt is like the ladder of Jacob ' s dream , Its foot on earth , its height above the skies , Diffused in its virtues , boundless in its power ; 'Tis public health and universal care , Of heavenly manna , ' tis a second feast ,

A nation's food , and all to every taste . It is the sweet sympathy , The silver link , the silken tie That heart to heart , and mind to mind In body and in soul can bind . Such views of Masonry show the estimation in which il is held by the

more learned and intellectual of mankind , and should be an incentive to us all to more and more study the true spirit of our symbols , and serve to enlarge our own conceptions of their beauties . Give us broader views of its mission , and of its capabilities for good , and thereby stimulate to look beyond the more social in its character , and to so live that when called lo

leave thc earthly lodge there can in truth be inscribed upon our tomb thc words of onc who said : Be this alone my epitaph When life has closed its span , Beneath this stone a Brother sleeps Who loved his fellow man . —Masonic Advocate .