Cursory Remarks On Freemasonry .— No. Vi.

the door ) the noise of drunken men disturbs the brethren in their secret rites , and sounds from beloAV stairs blends with the prayers offered up , when we are engaged in that which is sacred and solemn . And then , Avhen our glorious ritual is finished , ( too often cut short , as

though it was a bore to the brethren , ) smoking and drinking , and songs Avhich are certainly not Masonic , will engage these unworthy members

until" The Avee small hour aycnt the tAval , " or even until a more unseasonable hour . This is not acting according to the teachings of the Craft ; and , as Hamlet says to the players , — " O , reform it altogether !"

Without AA'ishing to substitute Ereemasonry for Eeligion , AA'hose handmaid she is , Ave may be alloAved to remind our Brethren , that our Lodges are neA'er opened or closed Avithout thanksgiving and prayer ; that no degree is conferred Avithout invoking the blessing of our HeaA'enly Eather ; that the volume of the Sacred LaAv

is eA er open in our Lodges , and that all our candidates are solemnly obligated thereon ; and that , therefore , our meetings are quite out of p lace in any tavern , however , respectably conducted . Certainly , where Ave cannot raise Masonic Halls at present , it Avere much better to

rent private rooms , or obtain the use of town-halls or school-houses , whichever might be come-at-able . " But hoAv are ice to raise a Masonic Hall ? " some ivill ask . " Our Members , " they will say , " are not very wealthy men , like the Brethren at , and

really couldn't afford to g ive much . " Our answer is , make the best use you can of your Lodge Eunds ; don't eat or drink anything at their expense . If , unfortunatel y , you are not able to Avork your OAATI ceremonies , pay reasonable expenses to some good working Mason in your vicinage to visit your Lodge regularly , and don't be

ashamed to learn from him : and get to do your own work as soon as you can , and try to make yours a model Lodge . By doing this , you Avill shame those unworth y Members of the Order Ai-ho make a sort of free-and-easy clubs of their Lodges , into folloAving your example . If a true Mason , in decent circumstances , visits you , he

Avill always be Avilling to bear his OAATI expenses , rather than be a burden to the Lodge ; and if a poor brother in distress calls upon you , you can all the better afford to offer him that relief AA'hich ought never to be either refused or given churlishly to a worthy brother . But do not eat or drink excepting at your private expense ,

practise economy in all things , and your Lodge Eunds in a few years will enable you to erect a neat and substantial Masonic Hall , which will be of great use to

you m many Avays . In the first j > lace , the possession of Masonic Halls Avill obviate the annoyance of not having proper places for our secret and solemn assemblies . In the second , Masonic Halls will be the means of bringing into membershi p -with us a great number of worth y clergymen and other educated gentlemen , Avho Avill not join us Avhilst our meetings are held in taverns . In the third

place , only keep the Masonic Hall itself clear from tavern practices ( a thing , we are informed , not always done , ) and we will soon get rid of those unworthy members Avho join us merely , as they say , " for the sake of a little social company , as they like a quiet glass and a good song !!! " As Macbeth asks , —

" Can such things be , And overcome us like a summer ' s cloud , AVittiout our special ivonder ?" One would think that the pledge demanded of every candidate for our mysteries , before he is alloAved to be

initiated , Avould prevent any man Avho had once answered in the affirmative , being so totally lost to shame as to declare frankly that no higher motive actuated him in joining our ancient Craft , than that Avhich prompts the tradesman to smoke his cigar of a night in some bar

parlour ! But , alas ! having , unfortunately , for Masonry , too many of those worthless members stickin g like barnacles to the Craft , and keeping better men from entering our portals , our best p lan , of getting rid of them Aiill be to remove our meetings from taverns , aud make our Lodges the highest of till schools of instruction . As

itis , Lodge Avarrants and furniture are occasionally purchased by a landlord to draw company to his house , just in the same manner as a billiard-table . The Book of Constitutions very properly prohibits this practice , but the laAv is evaded "b y a feiv of the publican ' s friends making the purchase for him . We hope the day is

notfar distant when Grand Lodge Avill refuse to allow any more Lodges to be opened at public houses , andAvill prohibit the removal of Lodges to hotels , hoAveA'er respectable they may be . This seems to be the

firstgreat step to be taken in that direction . The removal of our Lodges from taverns Aiill not be accomplished without much opposition , for , as STEBNB observes in one of his sermons , " HOAV difficult you will find it to convince a miserly heart that anything is good which is not profitable ; or a libertine one , that anything

is bad Avhich is pleasant . " But the miserly heart and the libertine one are alike sadly out of their latitude in Ereemasonry ; and AA ' e feel certain that the majority of our Brethren need only to be convinced of the injury done to our beloved Craft by the tavern influence , to induce them to rent p rivate premises for their Lod ge

meetings until they clearly see the Avay to building masonic halls . In the meantime , let those Brothers AA'IIO see IIOAV Ereemasonry suffers from its association Avith the public-house , calmly but energetically aid in bringing other Brethren to the light in this matter ; in other words , instead of making motions prematurely for the

removal of their Lodges before the Brethren are prepared for such a step , let them industriously and prudently labour to create , amongst all the Masons with Avhom they come in contact , such a healthy tone of opinion as must inevitably cause a removal of all Masonic

Lodges from taverns , and materially help in placing our ancient art still hig her in the estimation of mankind . Brethren who for half a centiuy , pei'haps , have regularl y