Religion In Masonry.

slime , is made an offence against Masonry . Tho man who rejects a belief in God cannot enter the guarded inner door of our sacred Templo ! On beuded knee must the novice acknowledge his God , or go no further . If all this be religious surely there is religion in Freemasonry . If to

deposit aud preserve on her every altar , as the greatest , grandest and best of her three great lights , the Sacred Word of God , the only revelation of Himself t *> man , and if to use constantly and persistently in her most solemn ceremonies aud teachings this same Holy Book of God is

religious , then there is religion in Masonry ! If friendship aud devotion to every noble virtue that elevates human nature , and enmity to every vice that degrades it , is religious , then is there religion in Masonry . If to require of every votary at her shrine a life of obedience to every

moral and social law ordained of God and upheld by His Church is religions , then , truly , there is in Freemasonry religion of a high order ! If there is in all this world a more ardent support and aid to tho truest and best fruit of

the highest religion , supreme love to God and pure brotherhood to man , than is found in the tenets of Freemasonry , I know not where to make any search to find it . I hail Freemasonry , not as the enemy , but as the hand-maiden of pure and undefiled religion !

And this tribute from the heart of a religionist to Masonry is all in proof of the truths and principles enunciated , and in no sense does it do violence to my views as a churchman , as a Christian man , or as a Gospel preacher . To be a Mason does not destroy my identity as

a believer in a peculiar typo of religion . Masonry is not tho enemy , but the friend of my religion ; and my religion is not the enemy , but the friend of Masonry : neither conflicts with the other , and yet neither offensively obtrudes itself upon the other . Marvellous mystery ! The two blend

and harmonise into the sublimest friendship ; and thus much may be said of Masonry , and any other revealed religion that acknowledges God over all . I believe in God the Father Almighty , in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son , our Lord . And out of my type of this faith I get that

from which devils , angels or mon cannot drag me by argument , reason , theory , or dogma , that is , the conscious , inward heart experience that I am a child of God , born again , regenerated , whereby my very inmost being is changed , and my tastes , appetites , desires and affections are

placed upon spiritual things , Godward ancl heavenward And Masonry nowhere and at no time attempts to interfere ¦ with my brother and does not feel as I feel or believe as I believe . Masonry truly and grandly gives to each of her votaries the supreme authority of his own conscience in his worship of God , only demanding of him faith in God .

Nor does this high tribute to Freemasonry dampen my ardour or quench my zeal for the religion of God and the Bible , as found in the Church . There are men and Masons

who would place Masonry ahead of the Church of God , Their number grows less , and this is merely as it should be . Away with such narrowness among Masons ! The fact that this idea exists in the minds of some is not the

fault of this great brotherhood . That some men say Masonry is good enough religion—good enough churchis not to be charged to Masonry and its teachings . Onr Fraternity does not aspire to fill the want of the world as found in the Church of God ; nor does she endeavour to

exalt herself above the church . This fault , found in some members of the Fraternity ; comes of a misguided judgment , and in many cases acts only as a subterfuge to those who resist the self-crucifying exactions of a pure and God-given religion .

Masonry has her mission in the world , aud grand and glorious it is in making stronger the ties of the Brotherhood of man ; and Masonry will live for ever , because she lives for others ; yet Masonry will never take the place of , or a position a-headof , the Church of God . As the supreme

friend to every phase of humanity , as the noblest organisation for human association and sympathy , as tbe source of every joy we possess and every blessing we pursue ; as guardian of every human habitation ancl the sacred bulwark of the virtne and peace of every family under its influence :

as the foundation of the highest civilisation and the cornerstone of all that is best and greatest in government and society , and as God ' s grandest and most munificent gift to man , with all that may be said against it , with all that it

has that is visibly weak and halting , the Church of God , where His Spirit dwells and His laws are published , stands pre-eminently at the head of every other interest , human or d * "i « e i

Religion In Masonry.

The dclngo is long past—* * * "But still o ' er earth the flood Of sin reigns paramount . Still God provides

An ark of health for those who walk with God ; Hva power secures it , and Hia wisdom guides . Faith clings obedient to that loved abode , And o'er the waves the life fraught vessel rides . "

That ark is the Church of God—the ark of safety and refuge for every sonl of man ! Indeed , let me say , and let it be promulgated in Masonic hearts and homos , that through the Church of God all our blessings flow ; and

that throngh it , by it , and out of it , are wo indebted to God , the Great Architect of the Universe , for the gift of Masonry- —a perfected brotherhood . From tho breath of the Church of God came the breath of Masonry—there sho drew her first breach . If Masonic tradition is to be

believed , it was at the erection of the first great temple of God that Masonry was born ; and out of the Church came forth all the noble teachings that havo found lodgment in Masonio hearts , Lodges , love , and tradition . And from tho Church to-day , of every faith and order , does Masonry

get its brightest jewels , its ablest advocates , and its most faithful membership . The man who is the best religionist will everywhere and in every time make the best Mason . Thon , the God of the Church is the Supreme Grand Master of the Supreme Grand Lodge above—founder of Masonry

in His Church . Let us , then , as Free and Accepted Masons , come with gratitude in our hearts , and praise on our lips , to do homage to this great God of us all , joining , heart and soul , with all His true worshippers of every tongue and clime . —Voice of Masonry .

How Do You Know Yourself To Be A Mason?

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF TO BE A MASON ?

1 VTO , you need not give the stereotyped reply to this ini-i terrogation , my brother . What is wanted is the knowledge , by you possessed , that you are a Mason . By your clue guard and sign you have proved that you have taken certain degrees in Masonry , but still that does not

constitute you a Mason in the moral acceptanco of the term . You have also intimated that you had your first Masonic preparationin thecentreof moral thought and mental activity , and as the process of that preparation must have

involved a large amount of reflection , consideration , and resolution , you can certainly give us the result of mental activity in which you found yourself first prepared to be a Mason .

Ton also state that since the knowledge was first clearly imparted to you , that you were a Mason in heart , some ten years have elapsed . In that time you have had abundant opportunity to prove , to your own full satisfaction , that

you are a Mason , and for the benefit of the Craffc we would like you to tell us how you know such to be the case . Since you have been " brought to light , " the precepts of Masonry must have wrought some moral change in your character , either for good or bad , for better or worse .

The philosophy of Masonry has no inertia whatever in its teachings . It is either positive or negative . It has either affected you for good or bad and you can certainly note the mental and moral change of what you once were , and what you now are , as a Mason . There are clear tests

by which this analysis can bo successfully wrought out , and the true result obtained . Will you take an introspective view of your moral nature and then honestly tell us if you are really and truly a Mason ? If you are none the better for uniting with the institution of Masonry then you have foolishly squandered both time and money .

Masonry—like all powerful moral or physical forcescan be a good or bad instrumentality , just as the possessor chooses . If you are naturally good ( relatively speaking ) Masonry will help you to be still better . If on the contrary you are vicious , immoral , a blasphemer , regardless of truth ,

or licentious in disposition , the tenets of Masonry would never do you a particle of good , even though the three angels who visited Abraham were the Master , Senior and

Jnnior Wardens of the Lodge you belong to . To you , in that case , Masonry has proved a two-fold evil , first to yourself , subjectively , and next to the reputation of the fraternity , through you , objectively . Have you been a benefit to the Order ? There will bo no conceit or egotism in your replying in tha affirmative . The skilled workman knows when his work is properly