The Masonic "Poet's Corner."

The Masonic "Poet's Corner . "

{ tingmac and { selected . ) IN WHITE AREAY .

poem , composed and respectfully inscribed to M . W . THOMAS CLARK , Grand Master of Masons , and read before the assembled Grand Lodge of MANITOBA at Winnipeg , February S , 1888 ,

BY ROB . MORRIS , LL . D ., Of La Grange , Ky ., Masonic Poet Laureate . What air these which are arrayed , in white robes , and . whenci come they . '•'—REV . vii . 13 . What are these , in white array ,

Gathered round yon Book of God ? While the pictured walls display Emblems , ancient and adored : Whence are these , whoso practised skill

Waits upon the MASTER ' hand , Prompt to do the MASTER ' S will And obedient to command ? What are these , in aprons white ?

Whence are these , thus met to-night ?

These , from many a land and clime , These , from many a home , have met : Age , and youth , and middle time . Mingle here in concord sweet : In one solemn , holy vow .

They are bound for others' good ; Heart and hand are woven now In the world-wide BROTHERHOOD .

Age on age has come and gone Since this white-robed band was born . MASONS these ! their Fathers built On Moriah ' s Mount , their Fane ; There , in prayer devout , they knelt ,

And JEHOVAH spoke again : These have learned their Fathers' FAITH , These enjoy their Fathers' HOPE , And in CHARITY , till death They will build their Temple up . By the Level , Plumb , and Square ,

All their Ashlars fashioned are ! In how many an honored tomb , Sleep Freemasons such as these ! Plants immortal o ' er them bloom , Teaching greatest mysteries : Waiting , waiting , till the WORD

Calls them from their lowly rest , And th' omnipotence of GOD

Draws them to their FATHER ' S breast . Happy they , so sure to be Joined in bright eternity ! So , the coming years will sweep Us , who congregate to-night : Low in mother earth to sleep

And await the Eastern light : Craftsmen , let us then be true , True to every sacred vow , Quick to plan and prompt to do , As our Master's will we know . Doubtless Ho will give reward , Ample wages will afford .

Under date of 22 nd March . 1888 , our deeply lamented mend and Brother , Rob . Morris forwarded to us . in a letter full of encouragement and good wishes , a proof sliji of the above exquisite poem , which , if not the very last , is almost certainly one of the verylatest of his admirable Masonic productions . " In AVhite Array " has now , in connection with his recent decease ( July 31 st ) , an even

greater interest to ourselves than it would have had under other circumstances ; and we believe that many of our readers will share our feelings of deep regret for the loss of this excellent Freemason . In accordance with his permission , which in its expression was almost in the nature of a request , we shall carry

out the promise contained in our first number , and week by week select from his "Poetiy of Freemasonry" one of his brilliant compositions . As our own words would inevitably fail in any attempt to record the Masonic life of our departed friend , we subjoin the following from the pages of the 7 \' ew York Dispatch : —

THE LATE BRO . ROBERT MORRIS . Death , which comes but once , yet comes to all , has made fearful havoc in our ranks during the past year , and has taught us again and again , if we heed the lesson , what shadows we pursue . Many of our sir knights have fallen by the wayside , weary with the march of life . Life is too short , there is too little of it , to have its days or even its hours wasted in doing cist ; than rendering to our fellows

all the good we can while journeying through this earthly pilgrimage . Bro . Morris was born in Oxford . Miss .. Aug . 31 st , 1818 , and died on Tuesday , the 31 st tilt ., at his home at La Grange . Ky ., from paralysis . Bro . Morris received a good school education , and devoted much

The Masonic "Poet's Corner."

of his early life to duties as a teacher . He was initiated into Freemasonry in 1842 . The system and purposes of the Institution so pleased him that he devoted the balance of his life to work as a writer and lecturer to the Order . He was a read }' , graceful , and fluent writer and speaker . He established several magazines , the most successful of which is the " Voice of Masonry " now published in

Chicago . He was the author of many works on Masonry and of more than 300 poems on Freemasonry and kindred subjects , some of which arc of high merit , the most popular with the Fraternity being " The Level and Square . " In 185 S- !) lie was ( . rand Master of Masons in Kentucky , and received the Degree of Doctor of Laws in the University of Kentucky in 1800 . In 1807 he was delegated by the

Grand Lodge of Canada to establish a Masonic lodge in Jerusalem , which was notably successful , and again in 1884 he visited the Holy Land to explore the origin and . foundation of the Craft . On his return to America he published his "Travels in the Holy Land , " a remarkably interesting work , of which many thousands of copies were sold . In 1885 he was crowned "PoetLaureate of Freemasonry "

in the Grand Lodge Room of the Masonic Hall . New York City , by Grand Master William A . Brodie , assisted by the Grand and Past Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge , in the presence of a large assemblage of the Fraternity from various parts of the country . Bro . Morris has contributed an almost endless mass of writings to Masonic literature . During the past two years he devoted

himself almost entirely to preparing an annotated edition on the life and poems of Robert Burns , if whom he was a great admirer . For this purpose he visited the birthplace of Burns several times , and collected numerous works on his life and writings . His work in this direction was comprehensive , and at the time of his death was unfinished . His wife and five children survive him

" Who fell like autumn fruit that mellowed long , Even wondered at because lie dropped no sooner . "

High Twelve

HIGH TWELVE

" Cease labour and go to refreshment . "

The . i jlorloiiH sun has attained its meridian , lustre in Ihe South , and declares the hour of liiijli ticelce . The Junior Wardens' column , assumes the . perpendicular , to continue in , that position onlii lehilst labour is suspeiuleil for the purposes of refreshment , and to lie lowered at all other times The . plumh rule rests ai / ainst the routjh mid , imperfect material to await the return of the workmen to their several tasks .

Bro . LORD HERSCHELL , in a very genial speech delivered by him on the occasion of the Installation of Bro . SIR JOHN SOMERS VINE , W . M . of the Savage Club Lodge ( No . 2190 ) a few months since , remarked that " Dinner is one of the most excellent institutions which Savages have handed down to modern times , but after-dinner speeches are perhaps one of the worst products of a mischevious civilization . " We are somewhat disposed to agree with him , but

not entirely so . Without some amount of talking after dinner the Junior Warden would have in charge frequently a very dull company indeed . The stereotyped style of post-prandial speechifying is certainly to be condemned : but much pleasure and instruction can be , and often is , derived from the terse and epigrammatic elocution of many of our talented brethren , particularly when called upon as Visitors .

THE ALBERT LODGE . — -NO . 854—Bro . J . D . Bamford , W . M . — held its annual summer outing on the 15 th instant , the members enjoying a most delightful trip in bright and cheerful weather . Leaving O ldham soon after eight by train they reached 'Worksop before eleven and there breakfasted . Thence they drove to the Bakeries .

passing through Clumber Park , the seat of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle , and Thoresby Park , the residence of Earl Manvers , to Sherwood Forest . After luncheon the drive was continued to Welbeck Abbey , and at Worksop , on the return journey , dinner was served . The Brethren separated at Oldham after a very pleasaiiu re-union , greatly gratified with the proceedings of the day .

THE DUKE OP EDINBURGH—No . 1182—Bro . J . D . Galloway . W . M ., held its annual outing on the Kith instant , visiting Rudyard . for high festival , and spending a very enjoyable day in boating , races , and other sports . The "Picnic'' of the FREDERICK WEST LODGE—No . 2222 . — Bro . R . T . Elsam . \ V . __ L . on the 21 st instant , when the members

and friends , with their wives , sisters , cousins and aunts , went tripping up the river from Kingston , was an extremely successful affair . The entire arrangements made for the comfort of the Brethren and their guests reflected the greatest credit upon the organisers of the festivity . Where so many enthusiastic Brethren

afforded zealous service it would lie invidious to particularise , it is sttllicient for us to say that a spirit of kindly interest in the comfort and enjoyment of each and all of the pleasure-seeking party made the day a notable one in the annals of the Lodge , and we sincerely wish them many happy returns of their outing .

'" How many lodges did you say your husband belonged to . '" she suddenly asked . " Fifteen . " "Mercy on me . ' But think of a man being out fifteen nights a week ! I am really glad that I ' m a widow ! "