An Ancient Chaege.*

revive ancl spread abroad these maxims , drawn from the nature of man , is one of the ends of our establishment . We unite men of every description , wherever dispersed over the face of the earth , by the great principle of genuine philanthropy . Thus our interests are identified with those of all mortals ; hence the remote antiquity , boundless extent , and unceasing duration of our institution . Masonry instructs us in our duty to the Supreme Architect of the Universe , to our neighbours and ourselves . To God

by never mentioning His name but with that reverence and awe clue from the creature to the Creator ; by esteeming Him our cluef good ; by imploring His aid in all our undertakings , and making His sacred word the rule and guide of our conduct . To our neighbour , by ever considering him as entitled to partake with ourselves of every blessing winch Providence has bestowed on us , ancl by doing unto him on every occasion as we woidd wish him under similar circumstances to do unto us . To ourselves , by not

abusing the bounties of Providence , impairing our facidties by irregularity , or debasing the dignity of our nature by intemperance . It teaches us to be good subjects of the Rite , true to our sovereign and just to our country . To pay due obedience to lawful authority , ancl to maintain on every occasion the real interest of the community . To consult the public good , undeterred by the fear of power , ancl uninfluenced by private advantage . It teaches us Truth , Peace , ancl Concord . It bids us open our ears to the cry of the unfortunate , ancl extend our hand to them with the cup of consolation . It

annihilates all parties , conciliates all private opinions , and renders those who by their Almighty Father were made one blood , to be also of one heart and one mind . It shows us we are all upon a level , ancl that merit is the only distinction . It orders us to live within the Compass ancl always to act upon the Square . It forbids intemperance , but encourages rational mirth and innocent pleasure . It makes us brethren firmly bound together by an indissoluble tie—the love of our God ancl the love of our species . ' Pure morality is the second disposition required in our SocietyLet a man ' s religion

. pr the mode thereof be what it may , we do not exclude him from the benefits and advantages of our Order ,. provided he believes in the Almighty Architect of Heaven ancl Earth , and practises the sacred duties of morality . We are directed to expand our hearts with the most generous sentiments , to root out bigotry and to stop the cruel hand of persecution . We are to unite with the virtuous of every persuasion in the firm and pleasing bond of fraternal love . It is our dutfreelto extend to all the

y y benefits which we derive from society , to make them the participators of every good which we possess , to view their errors with compassion , ancl by the purity of our own byes to demonstrate to them the superior faith which we possess . How lovely is an institution fraught with sentiments like these ! How congenial of every liberal and benevolent mind ! How agreeable must it be to Him who is seated on a throne of mercy ; to that God who is no respecter of persons .

We have secrets amongst us , my Brother , some few of which have been communicated to you . These form a language , sometimes mute ancl sometimes eloquent , to be communicated at a distance and by which we know a Brother , let his country or his language be what it will . We can boast of what never has happened to any other Society . Our lodges have been established from the earliest ages , and are spread over the whole civilized world , -yet amongst such innumerable multitudes no Brother has yet betrayed our secrets . Dispositions the most volatilethe most indiscreet ancl the least

, trained up to secrecy , learn this great science as soon as they enter amongst us , so great an empire over the mind has the idea of brotherly union . This inviolable secrecy powerfully tends to link together the subjects and citizens of different states , ancl to facilitate and render mutual between them the communication of benefits . "We have

many instances of this in the annals of our Order . Brethren travelling over distant countries have been often relieved from distress and raised from penury ancl want . The horrors of captivity have been softened , the gloom of the dungeon- ' has been dissipated , and thousands have been thus restored to life and liberty . May you , my Brother , if ever reduced to similar distress , find affectionate brethren where others might only meet unfeeling strangers , or unrelenting enemies . If any of us shoidd ever fail in the performance of those solemn promises which connect us together as