War.

If this help do not prove valuable in a pecuniary sense—for the purses of our brethren and the treasury of our Lodges have many calls upon them for the aid of the poor brethren and strangers in distress—it will testify , at least , our good will ,

according to our means , to co-operate in the great work of charity , which is cosmopolitan , which knows no enemies , and which is ready to succour the unfortunate , -without distinction of country or creed , or the differences which may exist between them .

Notes On American Freemasonry.

NOTES ON AMERICAN FREEMASONRY .

( Continued from page 484 . ) NOETH CAROLINA . M . W . Bro . R . W . Best , Grand Master ,

delivered the annual address . From it Ave present the folloAving extracts : — " Brethren , Ave should never let our political opinions control our thoughts , much less our actions , when we enter the lodge , and any man that does so is not worthy the uame of Mason .

During the late Avar too many of us lot our zeal and sympathy get the upper hand of our judgment , and in looking over the returns of the Subordinate Lodges for those years , one would almost conclude that the ' black balls ' in the lodges had

been thrown away , or at least they were too seldom brought into requisition ; the result of which we are now reaping , for it gives me sorrow to say it , yet it is nevertheless true , that a very large per centage of those came into the order for mercenary

and selfish motives , and since those motives have been accomplished , they are but drones in the great hive of Masonry . "

There is too much shallow indulgence and mock charity in some of our lodges ; there are innumerable parasites climbing in and through the Temple bent on plunder aud eager for destruction . " " Masonry is not elevated by numbers . Ten good and true Masons iu a lodge are worth more to the institution than a hundred such as I have

mentioned , and if the " black balls" were brought more into use it Avould result in good . If the Subordinate Lodges were to receive no new members during the next year , but devote the whole of the time to purging their lodges of unworthy and offending members and of the

straightening of their finances , I venture the assertion that Masonry would be in greater repute than ever before . " The Committee to whom were referred certain resolutions introduced at the last communication

of this Grand Lodge by Prov . G . M . Bro . W . G . Hill , adverse to the use of a key or cipher to Masonic Work and Ritual , and proceedings relating thereto , submitted their report : —¦ " They state that they have Avritten to the Grand Lodges of the

several States , and received replies from Maine , Massachusetts , Connecticut , Rhode Island , New York , New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Delaware , Maryland , Georgia , Tennessee , Michigan , Missouri , Illinois , Texas , Kansas , Nebraska , Nevada , Colorada , and

Iowa , also from the District of Columbia and the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England , and that all of them , with a slight exception of Rhode Island , express a decided opposition to written Masonry of any kind , and regard it as a

dangerous innovation on the ancient principles of the Order , in violation of its solemn obligation , and having a tendency to destroy and obliterate the peculiar features Avhich have always characterised it , and tended to its preservation to the

present time . In no one of these jurisdictions is a key of the work , either letter or cipher , tolerated it is deprecated by the high officers in all , and in many has been the subject of stringent resolutions . These keys are found in the possession of

some members , but generally in a very secret way , and the very secrecy of their use is strong evidence of the great doubt entertained by them of the propriety of the practice . "

The Committee reported the following resolutions , which Avere unanimously adopted : " Resolved , That the making or using of the letter or cipher to the true Masonic work and mysteries , is unauthorized by the ancient customs of

the Order , is contrary to its principles and teachings , and cannot therefore be sanctioned by the Grand Lodge . "

"Resolved , That the true Masonic mysteries should be taught aud handed down by oral teaching alone , as has been done from remote ages , and that any departure from this principle is fraught Avith danger to the institution . "

Number of lodges , 297 ; under dispensation , 6 ; total membership , 11 , 184 .