The Entered Apprentice's Apron And Masonic Lecturing.

THE ENTERED APPRENTICE'S APRON AND MASONIC LECTURING .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MAY 27 , I 860 .

The following lecture was delivered on the Sth . of July , 1861 , by Bro . Francis Davidson , P . Prov . G . Sword Bearer of New South Wales , P . M . and Secretary of the Australian Lodge of Harmony ( No . 556 , late No . . 814 ) . Sydney , New South "W ales ; and Ave regard it as no slight compliment to the FKEEJUSONS' MAGAZINE that a lecture

delivered at so great a distance from England should be first entrusted for publication to its columns : — Worshipful Master , Worshipful Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren , —I purpose to conclude

our proceedings this evening with a few remarks on the Entered Apprentice ' s Apron , more commonly known as the badge of innocence and the bond of friendship . It is only of late years , and in this colony , in this lodge aloneI believethat the system of

, , Masonic lecturing has been attempted to be introduced as part aud parcel of the regular work of the lodge ; and we have modestly contented ourselves Avith our authorised lectures on the

tracing board and the sectional Avorkings . But Avhy stop there ? A Masonic lodge should be a school of instruction . It certainly was so in ancient days ; and even our first catechism teaches us that Ave come here " to seek a master , and from him to gain instruction "—the

Worshipful Master , the Past Masters , and the Wardens ( under the Worshipful Master ' s directions ) having , undoubtedly , full authority to give instruction to all properly seeking it . Nearly forty-five years ago , viz ; ., on the 1 st of December , 1819 , a law passed the United Grand

Lodge of England—indeed , it emanated from , and was originated by , the Most Worshipful the Grand Master himself—Avhich authorised " every Master of a lodge to deliver lectures in a language suited to the character of the lodge over which he presides , provided that the established landmarks be not removed . "" *

The system of public lecturing , or of oral instruction , has very much increased of late years , and is justly , and very naturally , popular both in the old and the now countries of the world , principally , perhaps , because it is—if I may suggest a phraseand so term it—a system of

briefcon-, , cise reasoning and to quote the Avords of an old author , f Avhich I cordially endorse , " He who will not reason is a bigot ; lie who cannot , is a fool ; he AVIIO dares not , is a slave . " Wo profess to be free men and free agents . Wc thank God that He

has " endowed us with the faculty of speech , and , above all , bestowed upon us that noble instinct called reason . " Let us use that reason , exercise that speech , and avail ourselves of the liberality of the Grand Lodge at home , and constitute each I lodge a mutual instruction society for the promulthe

gation of Masonic knowledge— dissemination of lore gained by the researches of ourselves and ' ancient brethren under the guidance and sanction of our venerated , ancient , honourable , and scientific Institution . What AVOUIC ! more readily conduce to the acquisition , of such knowledge than

the more general establishment of lodge lectures and lodge libraries ? Is it not , Ave may ask ourselves , a duty incumbent on us as Masons—as members of the Masonic fraternity—to employ such means as are at our disposal—the gifts wherewith Grod hath blessed us—to enlighten ourselves and brethren on subjects connected with

the principles aud origin of our noble Order ? A system of lodge lectures would enable brethren gifted Avith talents ancl capabilities to exercise those talents and their , perhaps , dormant mental faculties , as AVOII for their own welfare as the instruction and improvement of the human race ,

more particularly their brethren in Masonry . And tho frequent delivery of such lectures would have a tendenc }* not only to improve the mind mentally , morally , aud scientifically , but to develops the mental powers , the intellectual capabilities , of many brethren AVIIO would otherwise have been

dull or incapable . Dr . Oliver states that " It has long been his opinion that the most beneficial results would ensue to the science of Freemasonry , Avere the Masters of lodges to devote some portion of their time to the delivery of explanatory lectures on subjects of general interest connected with the institution . Such a

practice might be the means of elucidating many points on which our customary lectures leave us entirely in the dark . " * Freemasonry , as Ave all knoAv or ought to know , is an art or science , founded on allegory and illustrated by symbols , a perfect knowledge of Avhich

can only be attained by time , patience , and assiduity , certainly not by intuition , nor by a merely superficial acquaintance Avith its ordinary or extraordinary rites and ceremonies . The intelligent , Avell-informed Mason has of necessity exercised much patient studydiligent research , persevering

, application , and untiring industry in the pursuit . There can be no doubt that Freemasonry embraces many subjects to which our attention may be usefully ' and lawfully directed . It is the enduring channel through Avhich some of the earliest traditions of sacred history have been preserved and

transmitted . It contains , the key whei-eAvith to solve or elucidate many dark aud obscure passages in the A'olume of the very Sacred Lav ** . It lias not " an . ornament , badge , sign , jewel , or clecora-