The Masonic " Poet's Corner."

The Masonic " Poet's Corner . "

{ Original and Selected . ") HAIL , FREEMASONRY !

By BRO . JOHN FAWCETT SKEMON , P . M ., P . Z . Tune— " Hey , John Barleycorn ! " ( by the late Bro . J . B . Geoghegan , St . John's Lodge . No . 221 ) . Freemasonry , of all the arts , is fairest , first , and best ; Old as the hills , its glory fills North , South , and East and West .

Whoe ' er obtain its honours , with its privileges , find Its sterling worth o ' er all the earth for men of ev'ry kind . Chorus—Hail , Freemasonry ! Grand old Masonry ! In thy " charge " is the world at large , Freemasonry !

All scientific is its base—all learning it invites—All beautiful its ritual—all solemn are its rites . Truth lies within its crystal well ; its charity all bless'd , In streams o ' erflows to succour those whom fortune hath distress'd . Chorus—Hail , Freemasonry ! & c .

For mortal man whose vessel frail is toss'd on life ' s rough main , Our glorious Craft will aid to waft it safe in port again . She leads the Brethren safely on through life to death ' s dark door , Nor turns her head until they tread the Mason ' s golden shore . Chorus—Hail , Freemasonry ! & c .

The Craft , all hail ! in glowing strains as ever poet sung , Honour and fame to Masons came while yet the world was young . Ye rising Brethren , full of zeal , bestir yourselves to raise Our standard high , 'neath ev'ry sky , as in the ancient days . Chorus—Hail , Freemasonry ! & c . Written for the MASONIC STAR , may be reproduced " with credit . "

OURS IS THE LIFE TO PURSUE . By BEO . JOHN FAWCETT SKEI / TON , P . M ., P . Z . Tune— "II Segreto" ( Donizetti ) .

Come , let us be happy together , Affectionate Masons all round ; Assisting and cheering each other , Where in lodge or in life we are found . Let us look to our glorious symbols , And practice what they but suggest ; Our jewels keep bright on our bosoms till death .

For the life of a Mason s the best ; His life is the best , His life is the best . Then here's to the Craft , and God bless it ! May ev'ry Freemason be true ; The world , then , were fore'd to confess it , That ours is the life to pursue .

Chorus—Then here's to the Craft , & o .

How ancient the Craft that we treasure ! Our service , how beautiful through ! Our music , how grand in its measure ! Our precepts , how noble and true ! Then let us be proud of our Order , The oldest , the fairest , the best ; The grandest of all ever founded on earth :

By Heaven supported and blest ; Supported and blest , Supported and blest . Then here ' s to the Craft , and God bless it ! May ev ' ry Freemason be true ; The world , then , were fore'd to confess it , That ours is the life to pursue .

Chorus—Then here's to the Craft , & c .

May " the Architect Great that ' s above us , Guard us and Freemasonry , too ; Enlighten , encourage , and love us , And strengthen our Order anew ! It bids us adore Him—our Maker—The Light of the Lodge-Room above !

And , here , to our Brethren , and neighbours , and all To act with truth , friendship , and love ! Truth , friendship , and love , Truth , friendship , and love . Then here ' s to the Craft , and God bless it !

May ev ' ry Freemason be true ; The world , then , were fore'd to confess it , That ours is the life to pursue . Chorus—Then here's to the Craft , ko . Written for the MASONIC STAR , may he reproduced " with credit . "

THE HORNSEY CHAPTER OV IMPROVEMENT—No . 800 . —A Convocation was held at the Porchester Hotel , Cleveland Square , Paddington , W .. on Friday , 10 th April , A . L . 5889 . E . Child , P . Z . " 38 , M . E . Z . ; W ! C . Williams , J . 733 , H . ; W . H . Chalfont , N . 975 , J . ; H . E . Dehane , P . Z . 890 , S . E . ; G . March , P . S . 733 , N . ; J . T . Miekelburgh , P . Z ., 834 , Treas ., P . S . ; J . R . Allman , 890 ; J . Cruttenden , 779 ; J . Smith , P . S . 890 . The Chapter was declared open for the

purpose of improvement . The minutes of the last Convocation were read and confirmed . The ceremony of Exaltation was rehearsed , Companion Allman being candidate . After good wishes , the Chapter was closed . An interesting discussion took place as to whether it should be a Chapter of Improvement or of Instruction . The S . E . was requested to endeavour to obtain an opinion from companions , authorities in such matters , if possible .

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

We heard at a Lodge of Instruction , an evening or two ago , a congratulation offered by one of the brethren to a W . M . elect on his approaching Installation , in a somewhat neat paraphrase . Tho chair of K . S . was described as a place " where Preceptors cease from troubling , and the Master takes his rest . " Not so bad ! but we are not quite sure that in every instance the paraphrase would hold good in connection with Paradise .

The Voice of Masonry very fairly complains of the insertion in oiir columns ( March 7 th and llth ) of two selections from its pages without credit , and on enquiry we find that the inadvertence of one of our staff has justified the complaint , although in one instance the name of the author was stated , and it was thought to have appeared elsewhere . We are entirely against re-production

unaccompanied by acknowledgment , and have directed greater care to be taken in future in this respect . Our contemporary asks for an amende honorable . Will this suffice ? And will other journals kindly note that we share the feelings which our contemporary has expressed ! We find much of our own in other papers without credit . "

•_ £ tfc ? fc $ & gp Our attention has been called to an error in our report of the consecration of the London Scottish Rifles , Lodge No . 2310 , on the 2 nd inst ., and we gladly take the first opportunity to correct it . It appears that the South Middlesex Lodge , No . 858 , takes precedence

of the Macdonald Lodge , No . 1210 ' , in the roll of lodges connected with , or attached to , the Volunteer Corps of the Metropolis . The South Middlesex was consecrated in 18 ( 51 , the first W . M . being the late Bro . Lord Ranelagh , K . C . B ., the chief of the battalion , and on its roll are many notable men both in masonic and volunteering circles . The Macdonald was not constituted until 18 ( 58 .

We are obliged to the W . M . of No . 858 for correcting us in this matter , there being personal reasons why the mistake might be misunderstood . AVe know upon what excellent terms the South Middlesex and First Surrey Corps have ever been , and the same may be said as to the respective Lodges : indeed , if we do not make another mistake , the Lodges have represented their respective

regiments in more than one shooting competition . We saw lately at the Macdonald Lodge a massive and magnificent Setting Maul , elaborately mounted in silver , and bearing the devices of four regiments , of which we know the South Middlesex and the Macdonald were two , and we believe the London Rifle Brigade and the

Queen's Westminster were the others . This Maul was the handsome gift of W . Bro . Major Lambert , is of great value , and was given as a challenge prize to be shot for annually by members of the four Lodges , the winning Lodge holding the trophy , but allowing it to form part of the table decorations on the occasions of the several Installation Meetings of the

non-winners-The Eva . is responsible for the following : — " It may not be generally known to professional Freemasons that Herr Unthan , the marvellous performer who was born without arms , is one of the Craft . At the Paragon , last Saturday -week , Bros . Barwick and

Eaton put him to the test , and not only did he prove himself a proficient Craftsman , but he also gave all the . grips accurately with his right foot . It would interest and surprise a Masonic brother to see Bro . Unthan give the signs , which he does satisfactorily and clearly , in a manner that is . of course , entirely his own . "

The foregoing is in direct disagreement with the practice in America of refusing admission to the Order to such as are unfortunately defective by want or loss of limb . From the Voice of Masonry ( March , 1889 ) we learn that only recently an order was issued by the Grand Master of the State of Illinois calling attention of the Lodges to " an unquestioned landmark in Masonry—that is , which

one prohibits the making of any man a Mason whose ' maim or defect in his body renders him incapable of conforming literally to what the several degrees respectively require of him , ' and surely no one will claim that the loss of a leg or arm ( hand or foot ) , though replaced with one of wood or any other material , permits such persons ' conforming literally to what the several degrees require of him / ' "

The late W . Bro . Dr . Rob . Morris , of Kentucky , must have have had this " Landmark " in mind when he wrote in his beautiful poem , Masons' Vows , " and build the mystic walls of those in body perfect , " < fcc . But since when has this Landmark , if it be sucli , been neglected under the English Constitution . ' There may be very much to be said against as well as for the principle laid down ; and it would be interesting to learn the views of some of our intelligent readers on this subject .

Governors and Subscribers to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution are again reminded that the election of candidates will take place on Friday next , the 17 th inst . A careful observance of the instructions for voting , and early polling , will greatly lighten the labours of the Scrutineers , in whose interests we have shown the necessity for such attention .

Brethren who may not have disposed of their proxies for R . M . B . I . election on Friday , and are in doubt how to use them , will probably bear in mind the cases we have referred to—Bro . Dodson , case No . 25 , and Bro . Knill , case No . 38 , and fill up their voting papers accordingly . We have to acknowledge the receipt of several proxies on their behalf , and thank the donors for the same .