What Is Freemasonry?

WHAT IS FREEMASONRY ?

jl Lecture , delivered by Bro . J . Steane P . M . Unity and Prudence Lodge , Geelong , at the usual monthly meeting of the Victoria Lodge , No . S 3 , Hawthorne , Melbourne , ou the 24-th January 1 S 00 .

LITTLE more than a century had passed away since the white man first set foot on Australian soil . Tho Ang lo-Saxon race had taken firm root , and were fast spreading to the north , south , east , and west of this great island continent . They had laid the foundation of an

emp ire mightier than that over which the eagles of Rome so proudly floated . They had transplanted hither the arts of civilisation—the means of culture , and all those institutions so fondly cherished in the land of their forefathers . There a thousand agencies were at work to satisfy the

cravings of man ' s higher and nobler nature . So , too , here —not only were his material wants more easily met , but facilities were continually increasing for satisfying the requirements of his mental and spiritual being . Amongst these might be classed the nobler order to which they

belonged . In most centres of population they found not only the school and church , but also side by side with them the Masonic hall . As the school had ever been recognised as a necessity to supply the young with a training which would fit them to play well their part in the great battle of

life , and as the church—its spire pointing heavenwardssnpplied the place where those professing a like creed might meet and worship their Maker in common ; so , too , the Masonic Hall furnished the neutral ground where men of all classes , creeds , and politics might clasp hands in

brotherhood , might profit by the lessons of their beautiful Ritual , and might relieve the wants of suffering humanity . Masonry he took to be one of the most wonderful organisations in the world . Some time ago he remembered meeting a very apt illustration of it . In the " Arabian Nights "

they were told of a fairy tent , which a young prince brought hidden in a walnut shell to his father . Placed in the council chamber , it encanopied the king and his ministers . Taken into the courtyard , all tho household stood beneath its shade . Brought into the midst of tho great

plain outside the city , it spread its mjghty awning all around it till it gave shelter to a host . It had infinite flexibility , infinite expansiveness , and infinite power of development . So it was with Masonry . Although it sent out no missionaries ; paid for no recruits ; urged no one to

seek admission ; yet had it covered Europe with its shadow . Some of its most splendid temples adorned the cities of the New World . It was said to be no stranger to the swarthy Africans who inhabited the mysterious interior of that dark continent . The Arab Dervish wandering over the

burning sands of the desert claimed acquaintance with its tenets . It had been adopted by the Fire-worshipper of Persia , the Parseo of India , the Mongolian of China . It was still spreading in the world ; its vitality was as vigorous as ever . The question had often been asked .

" What is Freemasonry ? " Many and diverse had been the answers to the same . For his part , he took it to be of momentous import , of something holy . If not , then it was an absurdity—nothing at all . Because no middle view could be taken . It was nothing to tho vulgar , the

ignorant , the depraved ; it was much to the educated , the polite , tbe virtuous . It would ever remain a stranger to the selfish , tho vicious , the false , as will colour to the blind and music to the deaf ; Doetrypaint ngand sculpture to

, , the brutes , But to the man who loved his fellows ; who , seeing the burdens the } bore , the ev ' . is they endured , did his share to banish the same from the oarfcb , to such an one Masonry -was dear aud sacred . Their ritual told them it

was a peculiar system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated b y symbols . They knew also that it was a Wide-spread organisation , embracing men of all tongues , greeds , and politics ; of all social ranks and conditions ; Riding them in one mighty brotherhoodwith the closest

, ot all ties , brotherly love , relief , and truth . Trumpet-° agued , it never ceased to urge every true sou to tho "Oties of self-improvement—sclf-culturo . It bade him , J"rough Nature ' s works , seek to know Nature ' s God : to

UVH ° ' lmn < 1 a ' ikc in fclie fafcnomIess occau as in the S ittcring dewdrop ; in tho boundless vault of heaven , with 3 ten thousand times tea thousand worlds , as in the ^ qmsitcly-tiuted floweret that opened its tiny petals to the lu - Hia works woro to bo found in the mountain peak ,

What Is Freemasonry?

in tho deep valley , in the burning plain , in the sombre forest . The golden sunset , the soft fleecy cloud , the calm blue lake , the foamiug torrent , the song of birds , the hum of insects—all spoke of Him . Thus , then , Masonry enjoined evory member to study the great world of Nature .

Nor was the Mason to be less active in the moral world . It bade Li : n succour tho widow and orphan in distress , relievo the wants of the poor , and lighten the sufferings of the sick and the sorrowful . It told him day by day to hold communion with his Maker , and so prepare him for that

time when he must cross the deep and silent river , enter into the spirit world , and join the Grand Lodge above . Hence , Masonry dealt with the whole duties of man" to God , his neighbour , and to himself . " Faith in God , hope in salvation , charity to all men "—such was the

Mason ' s creed . Interfering not one jot or tittle with a brother ' s religious opinions , which was alike accepted by the Christian , the Jew , the Parsee , the Mohametan , or the Confucian . It was so wide , so comprehensive , that it could be readily adopted by all who believed in the

existence of the Great Architect of the Universe , and to those who did not so believe they justly refuse admission to their ranks . Thus , then , Masonry was universal in its scope and design . It bound together all Masons—nay , all men—in the sacred bonds of brotherhood , peace , and

goodwill . It sought to calm man ' s angry passions , and strengthen true friendship . It bound up the broken hearted , provided a peaceful shelter for the aged as they neared the sun-set of life ; cheered and comforted the widow in the darkest hour of human grief . It bade its

followers be good citizens and loyal subjects . It encouraged every movement whose object was tho good of mankind . It taught the grand lesson of toleration . It swept away bigotry as an unclean thing from the face of the earth . Be a man ' s opinions what they might , it taught

him to respect and deal tenderly with those of his neighbour . They might tell him ( the lecturer ) that that was an ideal standard to set before them , and not the Masonry of every-day life . They might point him to the life and actions of a certain brother , and exclaim , " There is your

Masonry . " Quite true ; and his answer was : " Show me a professing church without hypocrites , and then—and then only—shall I be ablo to point you to a Lodge of perfect Masons . " No , so long as human nature remained what it was , black sheep must be found in every section of

the commuuity . A 3 well might they judge tho precious stone from the rejected fragments that lay on the lapidist's table , as judge Masonry from the conduct of that brother who was a Mason only in name . To do so was to take a very narrow , very contracted view of the matter ; but ho

had endeavoured to sot their noble order before you from a loftier standpoint . Again , he repeated emphatically , Masonry sought to attain high and noble objects ; to

inculcate just and lofty precepts . The lecturer then gave a comprehensive and lucid exposition of various points connected with ordinary Lodge work . —Melbourne Evening Standard .

Tho annual dinner of the " Old Masonians " will take place at Anderton ' s Hotol , Fleet Streot , E . C , on Thursday next , the 8 th instant .

All who were at Grand Lodgo on Wednesday must regret that Bro . Sir Albert Woods was prevented from being present , through illness . During the last 39 years Sir Albert Woods has been in attendance on all but ono previous occasion of the Grand Festival meetings .

Aa an appropriate feature in the lifo picture of Africa , vvliicli will be il lustra ted in tho Area section of the forthcoming French Exhibition , at Earl'a Court , Englishmen will have au opportunity of seeing tho groat aonsalion of Paris , viz .: —Lions driven by thoif proprietor , in a liouian chariot .

Saturday , tho lOib . inat ., has been appointed for tho private view of tho Summer Exhibition ( tho Twenty-first ) of tho lUih Century Art Society , at tho Coiuluit-siroct Ualloiies , and the Exhibition will open to the public ou Monday , tho 12 ih iust .