Poetry.

That voice now is hushed Which then guided my way The form I then pressed Is now mingling with clay ; But the tones of my child Still sound in my ear " I am calling , you , father !

0 , can you not hear The voice of your darling , As you toss on life ' s sea ? For on a bright shore I am waiting for thee !" I remember that voice . In many a lone hour ,

It speaks to my heart With fresh beauty and power , And still echoes far out Over life's troubled wave , And sounds from the loved lips That lie in the grave" Come this way , my father ! 0 , steer straight for me !

Here safely in Heaven I am waiting for thee !" The author thus explains the origin of the song : — " The little song ' Come this way , my Father , ' was written by me during a season of great affliction—occasioned by the loss of my chicling little Frank ( the hero of the story ) . The scene of the occurrence was Boothbay , a little harbour about fifteen miles east of Hath .

" During a short visit to tho sea-shore of our State , some two years since , with a party of friends , it was proposed one bright afternoon , that we should make up a party and go down the ¦ harbour on a fishing excursion . " We accordingly started , and after sailing about three miles , a , young lady of the company declined going further , and requested ns to land her on one of the small islands iu the harbour , where she proposed to stay until our return . Mlittle boythen about

y , four years old , preferred remaining with her . Accordingly we left them ancl proceeded some six miles further . We remained out much longer than we intended , and as night approached a thick fog set iu from the sea , entirely enshrouding us . Without compass , and not knowing the right direction to steer , we groped our way along for some hours , until we discovered the breaking of the surf on the rocks of one of the islands , but

were at a loss to know which one of them . I stood up in the stern of the boat , where I had been steering , and shouted with all my strength . I listened a moment , and beard through the thick fog- and above the breaking of the surf , the sweet voice of my hoy calling , " Come this way , Father!—steer straight for me—I ' m here , waiting for you ! " We steered by that sound , and soon my little boy leaped to my arms with joysaying"I

, , knew you would hear me , father !"—and nestled to sleep on my bosom . The child and the maiden are both sleeping now . They died in two short weeks after the period I refer to , with hardly an interval of time between their deaths . Now , when tossed upon tho rough sea of life , without compass or guide , enveloped in fog and surrounded with rocks , I seem to hear the sound of that cherub voice calling from the bright shore , ' Come this way ,

Father !—steer straight for mc ! ' When oppressed with sadness , I take my way to our cjuiet cemetery , still , as I stand by on little mound , the same musical voice echoes from thence , 'Come this way , Father!—I ' m waiting for thee !'"

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . THE "MORAL ASPECT" AND "EMPTY PROFESSIONS " OF MASONRY . TO THE XDITOtt Ol ? TnK lntKliMXSOXs' 1 IA . GA . 7 . I * E AND MASONIC imtl-. OR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . — "Catholicus" and "The good Bishops '" objections to Masonry , seem to be founded cither upon a profound ignorance or gross misconception

of the principles of the system they assail . It may bo that the " right reverend " gentleman and his admiring " Catholicus , " judge of Freemasonry bythe actions of those of the Craft with Vhom thcj have ha ' d the misfortune to come into contact . There arc usually unworthy mom-

Correspondence.

bers in every associated body of men ; and the church furnishes no exception to this rule . Were christainty judged of by the same standard , by the lives of many of its professors , and publicity given to the conclusions arrived at by scoffers of the faith , the "good bishop " would seldom be at the arena of contention , as we are in all charity , and knowing nothing to the contrary , bound

to take it for granted that he is one whose christain ardour and courage would be sure , under these circumstances , to inspire him to arise and do battle for the Lord . The bishop ' s auguments arc secondhand , aud have , through the Freemasons' Magazine and other Masonic publications , been long ago disposed of , and my only object in addressing you at presentis to put on record another of

, the many illustrations of our " Society" being something more than a " convivial club . " Some months ago a footsore wayfarer entered the town of Ayr , pennyless and without a friend to whom he could make his necessities known ; and having in his endeavours to obtain a p ittance wherewith to relieve his wants , met with the scowl of those of his fellow-creatures whom he

addressed ; as a last resource , and most reluctantly , for the subject of this notice was no mendicant , was the resolution taken to make himself known as a high grade Mason . So entering a- tradesman ' s place of business , the poor man threw a sign known only to Knig ht Templars . Most opportunely the act met with au instant recognition , and further inquiry led to his discovering himself by

documentary and other evidence to be a Royal Arch Companion and a Knight Templar , made under the English Constitution . Help was at hand ; the man had his wants administered to , and retired to rest his wearied limbs upon the couch prepared for him I 13 ' tho hospitality of strangers . Next morning , the desire to preserve his personal cleanliness , led him to put on a shirt which being hurriedly washed , and only partially dried , brought on rheumatic fever .

and for three weeks was this " weary pilgrim" prostrated on a bed of sickness . But during all that period was he kindly succoured by ancl waited upon at the expense of the Sir Knights , to whom in his extremity he had appealed for aid , ancl on his recovery was presented with a sum of money sufficient to carry him a considerable way on his jonrnoy into England . There surely was

something more than "empty professions" on the part of those Masons ; and it will tend to give further beauty to their gracefully christian act , when it is mentioned t-hnfc as Sir Knights they hail from what we in Scotland call an Earl y Grand Encampment , and which is not recognised by the Grand Conclave . They may not , in our eyeshave the outward adornment of Knihts

, g Templars , but assuredly the incident just related redounds to their praise and marks them out as brethren possessed of true knightly bearing and active christian chai-ity , and well entitled to the right hand of fellowshi p of every brother , lie he Craftsman , Royal Arch Companion , or Knight Templar . And should this meet the eye of any of the brethren to whom the poor wanderer

was so much indebted , they may derive some pleasure from knowing that their conduct in the case referred to has gone far iu disabusing the prejudiced minds of " Conclave" men as to their disqualification for receiving the honours of Masonic Knighthood , and in removing the hindrances to that uuion and co-operation which ought to characterise Masons of every degree , more

especially of Knights Templars . As the poor traveller referred to above bowed his head to receive the attentions bestowed upon him in his hour of distress , he did not , although a Conclave man , want to inquire as to what constitutions or to what body of Templars his benefactors belonged ; neither did it tend to the withholding of tho needed aid that they knew the object of their charity to

be a member of another than the body to which they themselves belonged . I am , yours fraternally , D . MURRAY LYON , Ayrc June 21 , 18 G 2 . Prior of Ayr Triorg .