Reflections On The Present Condition Of Masonry In Teutonic And Latin Countries.

the guardians of the various religions denominations , to be distributed among their poor . In Saxony , seventeen thousand and six dollars was collected in one year , for the education of poor children of every creed , and on one

occasion Avhen a famine Avas anticipated in Saxony , the Dresden , Leipzig and Sachenfeld lodges opened a subscription for the relief of the needy , when upwards of tAvo thousand poor families Avere relievedAVIIOin all probabilitymust

, , , have perished through want . Such institutions are being continually formed throughout Germany , Denmark , Sweden and Holland .

Post Prandial Speeches.

POST PRANDIAL SPEECHES .

Some time back a friend of mine observed Avith reference to our Aveekly Masonic reports , that they mostly contain nothing but the account of good dinners and bad speeches . I resented the imputation warmly on behalf of

my assailed Fraternity , and said , Avhat I believe is true , that as a general rule very few after dinner speeches are good for much , and that therefore Ave Avere not at any rate worse than our neighboursnayfurtherthat I consider our

, , , Masonic speeches considerably aboA r e the average of others reported else-Avhere , in those innumerable festive gatherings which delight the heart and the digestion of Britons .

But when I am speaking , as it Avere , both confidingly and conscientiously to my Masonic " Clientele " to-day , Avhen like the parson AVIIO Avas asked Avliy he pounded the cushion so vehementl y , and who replied because "I feel so

happy to think that my arguments are unanswerable by my congregation , " I have the privilege of speaking , and you my kind readers of listening , I feel bound to admit , that , I think Ave may all of us much impiwe this "staple

commodity " of our Masonic literature and that there is some little room for complaint by an " outsider , " who endeavours to judge of Freemasonry by

the printed reports of our "feast of reason and flow of soul . " Take for instance one of these usual and flowery reports Ave see so habitually in the columns of our excellent hebdomadal contemporary " The Freemason , "

published " auspice et impensis G . Kenning . " Wo shall see that it is the report of the Lodge of Geniality , 1690 , ( do not look for it in the Masonic Calendar ) , of Avhich our excellent and esteemed brother , C . W . P . Tomkinson is the W . M .

We have a short account of the work of the lodge generally condensed into a few telling sentences , such as " Henry Dixon being duly admitted saAV the light of Freemasonry ; " or , " the lodge being opened in the second degree , Bro .

Thomas Carter Avas passed to the degree of FelloAV Craft ; " or , " the lodge beingopened in the third degree Bro . Arthur Godby was raised to the sublime degree of a M . M . ; " and then observe what follows in a clear " trenchant" style . " After the transaction of the usual

business the lodge being closed doAAm to the first degree , it adjourned to a ' recherche' banquet Avhich does great credit to the stewards and the caterer . " And then succeeds a long account of the orations .

The loyal and Masonic toasts having been drunk , the W . M . calls on Bro . Stokes to propose a toast . Now there always is hi each lodge one brother who is , or is supposed to be by his friends and by himself the orator of the

lodge . The French have an officer called an " Orateur , " and it might be a question Avhether Ave might not institute such a valuable adjunct to our present Masonic officialism , and if as time rolls on " sisters" are admitted Avithin the

bosom of our meetings , and as the French so neatly say " Les loges androgynes" get the upper hand , Avho can predict or estimate the effect a female orator might have upon the nerves ^ soft-hearted elderly , or highly sensitive and sympathetic younger brethren ? )^ should probably then be in the predicament of Paddy AVIIO said , " Och ! *