Masonic Sermon.

insisting on its own rights , it remembers others , too , who have their rights , and while firm in its own opinions , it does mt forget that others , too , have their opinions . It controls temper , preserves dignity , is always courteous , and has a tender hand for a brother ' s failings . ( 5 ) It is unselfish , for " she seoketh not her own . " She thinks of her neighbour ' s welfare , is found relieving

the needy , healing the wounds of sad , sore hearts , planting the flowers of charity and good-will along the desolate roads , sowing smiles on the lips of childhood , aud brightness on the wrinkled features of age , and her knock is heai-d wherever poverty breaks a hard crust , and sickness makes its wretched bed . ( 6 ) She is innocence and confidence , for " she thinketh no evil . " Finding

some things hard to explain , she puts the best possible construction on human conduct , and is never carried away by an idle story , whim or fancy . ( 7 ) She is reality , " for she rejoices in the truth . " She loves truth and lives it . She will love it and live it though she has no bread to eat and no water to drink . Martyr-like , chained to the stako , the faggots piled about ber , and the cruel ,

curling flames gnawing her quivering flesh , she will still do the right , rejoice in the truth , and with both hands cling to the throne of the Eternal God . This is love , and this is the great principle of Masonry , for we are banded together for the sake of love , of truth , of liberty , equality , fraternity ; for the sake of manhood , womanhood and childhood ; for the sake of all that sweetens and

ennobles life and makes for the good of our race . Brethren , have I correctly voiced the principles of Free and Accepted Masonry ? And now , Brethren , I demand that on your part there shall be an enlifement of these things . Brother , " to thine own self be true , and it must follow as the night the day , thou canst not

then be false to any man . " Brothers , be true to your pledges , true to the principles of our Order as is the needle to the pole . Do hot forget that it has taken 3 , 000 years to build Masonry . We are inheritors of the ages and debtors to all the past . As Masons there rests upon us the compulsion of love .

" Then foot to foot , and knee to knee , True Brothers we should ever be , With hand to back , and breast to breast , Bach striving still to do his best , fWe'll whisper words of hope and cheer , With cheek to cheek or mouth to ear . "

A word or two and I am done . Brethren , I dare not say that Masonry , good as it is , is all you need for living and dying . If I so said , the principles of our Order would brand me as a timeserver and a blatant liar . Brothers , we need a Saviour as well as a splendid code of morals : forgiveness for past sins as well as high and noble aims for days to come ; love to God and faith in

the living Jesus Christ , as well as love to our fellows and truth as the guiding star of our life . In Masonry we have nothing to take the place of those N . T . Covenants , Baptism and the Lord ' s Supper . Have you forgotten them ? Oh , Brethren , living or dying , we want Christ—we want Christ Jesus . He is Master of a Holy Guild and proffers to all candidates for admission therein

the noblest oath and holiest obligation a man can take . It is my holy privilege to bring candidates to the Master to be sworn upon the Book . Let me propound the oath ; I urge you to take it . " Thou shalt love the Lord thy Go ! with all thy heart , mind , soul and strength . " That is the first section . Oh , tell me , does not every consideration of gratitude , of goodness , of righteousness ,

of true self-respect and peace commend it ? Brethren , bending beneath the Cross and Crown of Christ , I charge you to take this vow . And this shall be the password you shall hear , "Acknowledge Him in all thy ways and he shall direct thy steps . " Then , as loyal and true Masons enlife the second section of the oath , " Love thy neighbour as thyself . " And in the name

of God whom we serve I promise you that at the gates of the Eternal City , your honost , manly , brotherly , Godly course completed , the angels will stand and listen to your passwords , with their hands on the crystal bar to lift it . Speak out , members of the Master ' s Holy Guild \ " I acknowledge God in all my ways and hither he directs my steps , " " I have done unto others as I would that thev should do to me . " " I have believed and served

Christ . " Listen ! Hearken ! The answering password comes from within : " Admit him , " and God himself shall say , " Well done , good and faithful servant , enter into the joy of thy Lord . "" American Tyler . "

Capitular Freemasonry.

CAPITULAR FREEMASONRY .

IT is somewhat difficult to understand why Royal Arch Freemasonry is not more popular , not alone in this colony , but generally . It is true there are many degrees and orders in Freemasonry , e . ich with their peculiar rites and specific

significance , and varied support . But the large majority have no intimate association with what is generally known as "Blue" or Craft Freemasonry . Many , as for instance the Rose Croix , Knights Templar and others , cannot be universal , owing to the

Capitular Freemasonry.

tenets and teachings requiring a dogmatical belief , in distinct opposition to the inculcated principles of Craft Freemasonry . But with Royal Arch Freemasonry this is entirely different . The Grand Lodge of England and many other Grand jurisdictions , specifically recognise , in addition to the three Craft degrees , the Mark and Holy Royal Arch . In Scotland and Ireland and the

United States , where Royal Arch Chapters also work the Mark and Excellent , these degrees are fully recognised by the Grand Lodges , because they are intimately connected and associated with the first three degrees . Indeed , the Grand Lodge of Scotland at the present time authorises the Mark Degree to be worked as an adjunct of the F . C . Degree , while all fully appreciate

the fact that the Royal Arch Degree is to all intents and purposes the cope stone and crowning point of Craft Freemasonry . It is of course quite impossible to attempt to explain here why this is so , but the intelligent Master Mason will readily understand that while the instructions he received carried him up to a certain point , it still left him to a certain extent in darkness , and gave much scope for his imaginative powers . We have no hesitation

in affirming as a principle that every thinking Master Mason who desires to continue his research and evolve a complete Masonic history from a somewhat broken and disconnected tradition , should enter the ranks of Capitular Freemasonry , where he will find ample compensation for an additional expenditure of time or money , in the sublime teaching and elucidation of a mystery which really constitutes the Royal Arch Degree , the completion aud crowning of the fabric of Freemasonry .

The first three degrees unquestionably contain the material for much solid reflection and investigation , but the closer the analysis , the greater the void that is left , which can only be supplied by the Royal Arch Degrees . Unfortunately a mistake is not unfrequently made in the supposition that when the portals of the hig her degrees are opened the doors of Craft

Masonry may be closed , or in other words , the Capitular Companion sometimes holds that on his accession to the dignity of a R A . Mason , his work as a Craftsman is completed . Such mistakes are to be deplored as indicating an excess of vanity rather than an increase of knowledge . The scientific research of the whole six degrees must be pursued together and sequentially ,

or they will fail . One might as well expect a boy to pursue his studies in orthography while in utter ignorance of the alphabet . It was certainly never intended that the higher degrees of Capitular Freemasonry should have the effect of depleting the ranks of Craft Masonry . Hence the Grand Chapter of New Zealand has taken a step somewhat in advance of its contemporary bodies , by enacting as a qualification for admission to the Royal

Arch , contributing membership in a Craft Lodge . A more close study of the whole question wiil open up a vista of possibilities not hitherto contemplated by many eager Master Masons . We commend it as well worthy of attention , aud the right step towards making a periodical advance in Masonic knowledge . — " New Zealand Craftsman . "

There is no greater pleasure in Freemasonry than to visit a Lodge in which you are heartily received and welcomed . You then experience Masonry in action ; not precept , but practice .

You realise that the Craft does not consist of isolated Lodges , but composes one great Fraternity . We are all one . Lodge lines are swept away . Even jurisdictions are forgotten . The universal brotherhood is everything . — " Keystone . "

Past Grand Master John M . Carter , of Maryland , in an address some time ago before the Masonic Veterans' Association of the United States , uttered many sensible words , among which we include these : " Tho real enemies of Freemasonry now are

the tendencies to dissension within the ranks of the Institution . They may be classed under three heads : the multiplication of degrees , the introduction of Masonic politics , aud the application of Masonic law .

UNDEB the general title of " The New Century Library , " Messrs . Thomas Nelson and Sons are about to issue pocket editions of standard novels , printed on their " Royal" India paper . The issue will begin with monthly volumes of Charles Dickens' novels , and the works of Thackeray , Scott , & c , will follow in due course . The books will be printed in long primer type , the size commonly used in library editions of standard fiction ;

but instead of tho familiar bulky volumes , complete novels published in the " New Century Library" will measure only 4 J by 6 J inches , and will be only half an inch thick . This great reduction in size is only rendered possible by the use of Messrs . Nelson ' s " Royal" India Paper . The issue of this Library is an entirely new departure , and the small India volumes will be welcomed alike for pocket and library use .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

J . SMITHEBS . —We are not at all surprised at youx doubts , but you v ? UL see they are unfounded .