A Word To The Wise.

and honourable society , ancl I trust in no unworthy spirit . If so , / counsel you to proceed no further . If , hoAvever , you are actuated by a feeling of increasing your personal knoAvledge , ancl j'our usefulness to your felkyw creatures , work unceasingly .

Seek instruction from those only qualified ; if in doubt on any point go at once to them , they will ever be ready ancl willing to assist you ancl explain your difficulties ; be not afraid to go to them , it is their duty—the duty that they love , being duly skilled they

can give you all information , being actuated by the love and genuine feelings of our Order , they will deli ght in instructing you to the utmost of their ability ; they ivill teach you the duty you owe to God , your neig hbour , ' and yourself ; they will strengthen your Faith , encourage your Hope , and lead you in the practice of Charity to develope the beauties of your

inner man . Remember you are not to be Masons in name ; you must be Masons in deed . You must show to the world at large Avhat are the princi ples that guide a Mason ' s life , that all may knoAV that to you ( as a Mason ) the burdened heart

may pour forth its sorrows ! the distressed niay prefer their plea for relief ! that your heart is guided by justice ! ancl your hand extended by Benevolence ! Our Order is not political or local , it is cosmopolitan ; you must due observance

pay to the laws of your native land , or the country Avhere for the time you may be residing , and carefully avoid all plots aud conspiracies against the established Governments , ancl good order . In fact , you must

be a good man , a peaceful citizen , a good nei ghbour , a good friend to all Brethren Avherever they may be , Avho may read my poor words . I Avould say be earnest for bight ; seek to do your duty in your respective spheres , " ancl may He AA'ho for so

many years , in so many climes , under so many persecutions , has Avatched over and protected us , continue to watch over and guard you in all His ways . " & o long as you faithfull y discharge your duties as true Masons long will

, so your breator protect you . If you fall aAvay trom your duties His band will be averted , should this occur from fault on our side we shall nobly deserve our punishment , the edifice raised long ago , that has been buildu * -g for centuries , will crumble iu the dust .

A Word To The Wise.

But I hope for better things ; rather , shall I say , " that our glorions building shall become still grander , more magnificent , and as ages and ages pass aAvay it may become the prototype of that glorions Temple made Avithout bands , unseen in the heavens . "

Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION .

Letter V . Paris , March 19 th , 1790 . Wednesday , after much fluctuation in the public opinions , the proposition made by the City of Paris for the sale of the ecclesiastical property passed the Assembly .

But the general proposition only , and not the particular terms on which the lands are to be granted to the capital , is decided . The fifty millions proposed to be allowed as a premium for the patriotism of the city of Paris , ancl the prime on the assignments , Avill both be struck out of the articles .

If this plan can be carried into execution , ancl speedily , the neAV constitution is fixed , and however it may gall the shoulders of the bearers , must be supported for some time . AVhen I wrote to you last Aveek the first impressionAA'hich Avas that ol hope and

, admiration of the proposals , abated . In a clay or tAVO all the consequences which I then drew began to make their Avay into the public opinion , and the dangerous ambition of the capital , which by this plan established its power on the

general interests , by thus becoming the bank of the nation , alarmed all parties Avithout the Avails . ' Within the Assembly , the very stability and preponderance it gave the municipalities , which consolidated their empire over their felloAi ' -citizens , and

consequently the power of the Assembly Avas the very reason Avhich made it pass . The plan yet requires to be more particularly developed before all its operations and consequences cau be foreseen . In order to appease the clamours and

alarms of the other cities , they are to be allowed to purchase ancl g ive assignments for such portions of the ecclesiastical property as they think fit on the same terms as the capital . But will the assignments of Nancy have course in Paris , or will those of Arras be received at Marseilles ?