Consecration Of The Martyn Lodge, No. 1983.

thinking men and women , overlook tho growing concentration of wealth in a few hands , the ever-widening gulf between poor and rich , and the existence of desperate men who arc planning to end all this by a terrible and crushing blow . Now it surely most ho for the welfare of the whole community that there should exist as an antidote to tho poison of this Godless Socialism a Christian Socialism ; a

body whoso members are taught on their initiation into it that it is thoir bounden duty to observe obedienco to tho laws , and especially to remember the allegiance dno to their sovereign ancl their native land ; a body whose head is tho futnro sovereign of these realms , and in whose meetings princo and peer mingle with every grade of our middle class , as brothers , united by the holy bond of love , relief , and

truth . You know that there are mighty mountains whioh have slowly been compacted through countless ages of various layers of materials , once loose or liquid , and theao layors , by pressuro or otherwise , have become solidly united . But through them all run vast veins of granite or basalt , and when , after perhaps hundreds or thousands of years , tho hidden forces beneath tho earth's crust

convulse the mountain , though it may be shaken and tremble , tho great veins resist the shock , and the mountain stands . So in the different strata of onr social system wo have agencies that will strengthen the mass , if it shall please God that the shock come ; our charitable institutions ; our priests working in tho midst of the poorest and most degraded ; our Sisters of Mercy ever in their mission of love ;

and I trust that not the lca ? t among these veins of strength will be the Brotherhood of Masonry . Thirdly , I have to emphasize this declaration of onr mutual interest by a practical appeal , the resnlt of which will , I trust , prove that the foundation of a Lodge in Southwold is for the benefit of all . I ask your aid for tho Local Dispensary . To my brother Masons on such an occasion I need not say much . I need only re'nind them of

one peculiar moment in their Masonio life when they were bidden to seize every opportunity of practising tho virtue of the Charity they professed to admire . To you , my friends , I will only qnoto one sentence you hear in our Communion Service , " Blessed bo the man that provideth for the sick and needy : the Lord shall deliver him in tho time of trouble . " Let us all show that we realise the truth that " we are members one of another . "

And now , my brethren , I turn more especially to you . Wo have this day woven a new thread into the tissue of our Masonic life . Those who are about to enter Masonry will weave a new thread into the tissue of their lives . Let me speak a few earnest words , not as one standing in a higher conrt of the Temple to those in the lower courts , but as one who feels that he has been granted a great

privilege , the privilege to say , in virtue of his office , those words which at another time might bo deemed intrusive or unreasonable . These threads that make up the tissue of our live 3 cannot be separated . Our business life , our professional life , r . nr home life , onr Masonio life , are all inextricably connected . The Christian who goes to church on Sunday , and then throws off every thonght of Christian

duty daring the weekj the Mason who looks on his Lndgo merely as a place of social enjoyment , without a care for the lessons of selfrestraint , of truth , of charity , ancl love , that ho is tanghfc within it , both these are men of words . Wo have a right to stand at the vestibule and proclaim that all within the Temple is beautiful and holy ; but if those that issue from the porch are hideous and

unholy , the world will not believe . And , brethren , the world watches . If we profess to sympathise with human joys and human sorrows , lot not our professions be all words . Bomomber that tho words of a true and brave man have the value of deeds , bnfc that if wo are not true and brave , onr deeds and words havo the same value ; that is , they have no value at all .

I was speaking strongly somo weeks ago abonfc what appeared to mo to be an unjust and unkind thing dono for tho sake of gain , and I said , it was unchristian- I was mob with tho words , "Christianity has got nothing to do with business ! " I thonght of an old anecdote of a prince-bi ' 3 hop of the Middle Ages , whan great ecclesiastics were great feudal lords . Ho was a great swearer . One day a dependent ,

ventured to expostulate with him . lie answered , that he did not swear as a priest , bnt as a princo . " Then , " said the servant , " when God judges the prince , what will become of ( he priest ? " My brethren , if we separate from onr home , our business , and our pleasure , th < i great moral and religious principles wo have been taught , shall we separate them when we stand before the Throne ?

Among these great principles is one that embraces many duties It is enjoined upon 113 in our earliest charge . " Let Temperance chasten you . " A much abnsed word this . It is used in meanings it cannot havo , and in the abuse is both widened and narrowed . ' Temperance is not abstinence ; temperantia , temperance , and its allied word , moderation , is self-restraint .

It is keeping within limits . God has given us two natures . The lower nature has its needs , and to their gratification ITo has attached pleasure , thnt they may not bo neglected . But I hey may not be indulged till they become masters . Tho serial chat , the cheering glass , th e pleasant mirth , the enlivening song , arc all good things that tho Great Ruler has given ns freely to enjoy . Bnt let tho

wholesome enjoyment of food become gluttony , tho lawful use of wino become drunkenness , mirth become licence , and the limits are passed . Temperance is gone . But Tempcranco has to do with more than thip . We must restrain ourselves in our pnrsnifc of gain , in onr anxiety fur success , in the judgments wo pass on others , in tho opinion wo form of ourselves .

It implies onr trying to know God ' s will , onr struggling to carry it out to tho boit of our ability , onr striving to livo honestly , conscientiously , and thoroughly the life , and do its work , that God has pnt each ono of us into tho world to accomplish . Tin ' s , and nothing short of fhi ? , is Temperance . Is this easy ? No , brethren ;

if we honestly try it , wo know it , ia not . Hut there is One who will help us . " Ono there F , al'ovn nil olhev ? , best , deserves the name of friend . " IIo who honied ( . ho nobleman's son nv . d the ruler ' s daughter , and in whom tho poor and tho outcast , found a helper , IIo who lived the one perfect life set before U 3 on earth , Uo will help U 3 ,

Consecration Of The Martyn Lodge, No. 1983.

Jesus of Nazareth . In whom "there is neither Greek nor Jew , circumcision nor iincircumcision , Barbarian , Scythian , bond nor free bnt Christ is all , and in nil . Pnt on , therefore , as tho elect of God , holy and beloved , bowels of mercies , kindness , humbleness of mind , mecknoss , long-suffering : forbearing ono another , and forgivin" ono

another , if any man havo a quarrel against any : oven as Christ forgave yon , so also do yo . And abovo all these things put on Charity , which is tho bond of perfectness . And lot tho peace of God rule in your hearts , to the which also yo are called in one body : ancl bo yo thankful . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . BRO . CLABON'S MOTION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Permit me to reply to Bro . Mason ' s letter in your issuo of the 16 th ultimo . Tho worthy brother has , I feel assured quite unintentionally , misrepresented what I did say in Grand Lodge on tbe 6 th inst . in the debate on Bro . Clabon ' s motion .

I am reported to havo said—1 . "The Provincial brethren at the present timo contribute to the Fund of Benevolence about as much as the Metropolitan brethren . " What I really said was that , "Individually , tho brethren in the Provincos contributed only half as much to tho Fund of Benevolence as those of the London District •" and this , I maintain , cannot be

disputed . 2 . " Tho country brethren who were relieved represent two-thirds of the amount of that nnmber . " What I did say was that " of late the grants which came before Grand Lodge for confirmation repre sented in number two-thirds of country oases to one-third of Metropolitan ; " and this cannot be denied .

3 . " I was adverse to bo mulcted in a larger sum than the Provincial brethren . " What I said was , that " I , for one , had no objection to pay six shillings per annum to havo tho double privilege which Provincial brethren enjoy , bnt was adverse to be mulcted in fifty per cent , moro than I already paid without corresponding advantage ;" and this I still assert .

In each of the abovo propositions I seek to show that " equal measures " are not sconred to Freemasons in England and Wales individnally . On tho 1 st January 1882 , there were on the Register of the Grand Lodge 1000 Conntry Lodges , 312 London Lodges , 495 District Lodges , and 129 "Military and non-stationary Lodges , there or thereabout . I take no nroonnt nf the nnmber of new Lo'lge 3 created

in ( he year 1882 though if I had present timo for tho computation I bp ! i vo my argument would be strengthened . Now , I deal only with 'he fivo former sections of Lodges , Conntry a'id Metropolitan , and will lake Bro . Mason's figures us the basis of an arithmetical test as to the correctness of my statement , as applied ( o the General Fund of Benevolence , from which each has like privileges .

Rrr > Mason snv =, in respect of contributions London provides £ 2 , 537 , iind Provincin ! Lodges £ l , S 9 I . " Therefore , each Provincial Lodge ( taking its mem' < rs , whether few or many , collectively ) subscribes less than . Co per annum , as against ; 65 5 s per annum from each Metropolitan Lodge ; ( hat i 3 to say , tho former contributes a littlemorethan half asmneh as tho latter . And if I could ascertain tho

number of individual Freemasons in tho Provincial aud London Lodges respectively , I feel ns-mred that this proportion of contributions would sfill further favour my propositions , for the avcrago number of members of London Lodges is , to the best of my knowledge and belief , far in excess of those of Provincial Lodges . Hence a larger proportionate contribution comes from London than from the country .

As to tho disposal of the Fund , a large portion is distributed in small grants which do not require the confirmation of the Grand Lodge , and of which we havo no pnblished record ; but in respect of the larger grants submitted to the Grand Lodge , let us take tho agenda paper of tho last Quarterly Communication as a fair specimen . On that occasion grants io the amount of £ 1 , 050 wcro recommended

and approved . Of this sum seven grants of £ o 0 each , equal to £ 350 , wero to London cases , ancl eleven , viz , three of £ 100 each , and eight of £ 50 each , equal to £ 700 , to Provincial . Therefore , as to the number , the latter represented nearly two-thirds of the whole of the cases , and , as to amounts granted , twice as much as to the former .

Bro . Mason says , "It is well known that every Mason in England and Wales contributes one shilling per quarter to Benevolence . " Granted , but not to the G > ncral Fund of Benevolence to which every Mason has an equal right to apply . To quote onr worthy brother again , " Tn London the whole is paid over , bnt in the Provinces ( . ho Constitutions allow the brethren to send half to London , and half to

their Provincial Grand lodges . " Tbo italics are mine . Well , thereby tho Provincial brethren Becnre a second source of relief ( usually mado uso of before apply ing to tho General Fund ) denied to those Metropolitan brethren who individually subscribe twice as much to tho hitter ns they do ; and I therefore say , looking to tho fact that tho General Fund " must he kept , up , and its present accumulation left

undisturbed , every Freemason in England and Wales should subscribe cqnally thereto , ancl if any have the benefits attached to a second organisation for charitable purposes they should provide the necessary additional contributions entirely irrespective of the Supremo Fund of Benevolence .

In my i urn I must apologise for tho length of this letter , but , for what I hope may bo considered a requisite explanation , condensation of these remarks would havo been ineffectual . Yours truly and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . Ciaphatn , 19 th December 18 S 2 .