Masonry And Its Use.

for what is best in religion to prove its strength just ns it affords a similar opportunity to social and political theories to assort their power . Now , brethren of the mystic tie , if auy of you think that Masonry ha ;; not shown a due appreciation of its uses ,

I fully agree with yon . its ancient honour , its honourabh antiquity , will avail little to future generations or to our own , unless we 'Masons of to-day live lives that arc honourable—being conspicuous in our commnnitics as men just and true , men of sterling integrity , men upright in all

relationships of lite , faithful in onr families , true to oui neighbours , loyal to the State . Tho beneficenco of Masonry passes from ideal io actual only when wo open

our purses to meet the need of a worthy brother , ins widow , or his children . A charity , learned by practice in tho narrower bouuds of Masonry , will surely spread abroad . Virtue is c . i utap-ious as well as vice .

Tho religious character of our Fraternity needs larger practical illustration . Profanity is a violation of Masonic pledges . Ho whose language is debased with oaths in common speech is a disgrace to Masonry . So , too , no one can applaud the views of an infidel without in tho very act

repudiating Masonry . It wero well if our Lodges imitated the good custom of somo English Lodges , which donate to churchos , altars or pnlpits , and then go to kneel at the altars , to be instructed from the pulpits . Nothing is more iu harmony with the spirit of Masoury than such gifts .

They ought to be common among the needy churches of our young State . Tho Lodgo that placed in each church in its town , that would receive tho gift , some token of its interest , would surely cxperionco tho truth of that divine Baying , " It is more blessed to give than to receive . "

It is not unfitting to suggest , also , that Masons who are members of churches ought to be conspicuous for their devotion to tho work of the church , since he is no true Mason who is not a bettor man in all his relations because

of his being a Mason . This fellowship among a cosmopolitiau membership of conservative radicals is a thing to bo maintained , as all good things , only at a cost of time , thought and effort . Yet the fraternity is worth to us and to the community

far more than it costs . Masonry needs no defence . It does need larger illustration of its true character and use . Lot us , brother Masons , seek to illustrate in our lives its worthy teachings ; thou wo may leave to those not Masons , and to tho coming time , to pronounce on its ntility . —Voice of Masonry .

Freemasonry At Bilbao.

FREEMASONRY AT BILBAO .

alilK British niombers of tho ancient Craft at Bilbao , feeling tho want of fraternal fellowship with each other , havo lately affiliated Lhoniaolvea to ono of tho Spanish Lodges in tho place . This Lodge , whioh its designated Esperanza VII ., No . 235 , wa ^ , up to a abort timo ago , located in Portugalette , aud was at a very low ebb , but thanks to tho energetic exertions of Bro . " . J . A . Morliy , U . E . D .

Woof , and ouo or two others it has been entirely resuscitated , and placed ou a new footing altogether . With tho consent of the Graud National Orient of Spain , under the auspice 3 of whom it is now working , the Lodge has been translated from Portugalette to Desierto , a more central position , and liberty has also bsen given

to work in either English or Spanish , as circumstances necessitate . Tho largo augmentation to the British population caused by the new workB of Messrs . Martinez llivas-Palmer haa also added oonaidi-rably to the membership , and enabled the Lodgo to refit and furnish its rooms in a handsome manner . The opening took place on 2 nd iricf .,

and the principal bnsinoHS was tho installation of tho Officers for Ltit ; ensuing yoar . This ceremony wns performed by Bro . Wilson P . M ., ycnaral manager AstilliTOH del Xervior-.. The names of the OthVors arc as follow . —Bros . Morley W . M McArdlo D . M ., Middleton S . W ., Smart J . W ., Woof Secretary ffnbbick fi . F . T ., fiindsny S . D ., CotuinM

J . D ., Caldwell D . C ., MoMurcbif ; Chaplain , Maiuml 8 oiiz : v I . C ., Brongh Steward , Parkos Tyler . Amongst those ]> :- '' 3 ont wan Bros . i ' aDto . jer M . W . G . M ., Vrom t . hv . Ctrand Ovisnt . o \ : « Vin ; , n , , i (> i ' ' . 3 pana , Grono K . W . P . G . M ., from tho Provi-iCi ' al Grai . d L ' -d . -r , l ' rvt-r , King , Kobsou , McA ! i * i : ; e , Baker , Pir ! : i : \ i :- < jv , n , Craig , McMillan ,

Kirkland . Taylor , fJn : c : ' , Christie , Giuai ; i , C . ichrane , Capt . ii ' el ! ; i , . McNeil , Purd ' io , Bap , Sri- I io-.:. . \ : L * . . ' . !' , :: ( . 1 : 0 installation the l-ol-c adjourned to the FOMII ULI iu'jri'O , Las Arenas , where a bauqa'it ury . i pi-sparod for tho aii-mber . nnrl th-iir frifnd : ! . Wlun the oinih v . ri . j removed Bro . Wilson took tho chair , ana the evening wan spent i ; aong and sentiment .

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Freemasonry And Politics.

FREEMASONRY AND POLITICS .

' YVilh " Star baa been hoaxed by some one signing himself '' P . M . " 1 . with regard to the recent Provinoial Grand Lodge of Somerset . This correspondent declares that the Lodges of Bath have become purely political , that telegrams of Conservative interest were read at the meeting , and that renegades , presumably from the Liberal party , wero rowarded with office , aud therenpou is based a gibe at the society which claims to forward tho knowledge of nature and soienoe

aud to work for the benefit of humanity . Freemasonry being a secret society is peculiarly at tho mercy of attacks made in this spirit , because ita members cannot explain its proceedings fully to the outside world , while its asaailauts are under no kind of restraint . They , in fact , attack men whose mouths are praotically sealed Under these circumstances the less that is published in the news .

papers with regard to its proceeding :- - , the better in our judgment . If the appointment of its Officers is to be scrutinised in this way there will be no alternative but to withhold them also , as ia done , in fact , in the Province of Bristol . Criticism of tho lists on political grounds is , wo submit , as unwarrantable as to charge members of the trout Opposition Benoh with disloyalty to their principles , because

they moet thoso who aro their opponents in the House of Commons at social gatherings in London , or even invito them to their own dinner tables . Masonic Lodges enjoy a logal right to meet in seoret , whioh they would deservedly forfeit if they became party organisations , but whatovor may be said against them it is impossible to establish such a charge as this . The accusations made in relation

to tho Bath meeting are a tisane of fables from beginning to end . The Bath Lodges by no means destrve the stigma cast npon them , bat beyond that they only form a small proportion of tbe Province of Somersot , and the appointments made wore not their selection in any form or shape . The offices wore bestowed by Lord Dungarvan , upon the advice of a gentleman who lives at Bridgwater .

Lord Dungarvan is presumably a Liberal , his father , the Lord Lieutenant of tho County , being certainly a supporter of Mr . Gladstone , aud to-day Lord Carrington is to be installed in a similar office , which ho certainly could not hold if none but Tories need apply . If any telegrams wero read on Thursday , at Bath they would simply bo apologies for absence from prominent Masons , and if these

gentlemen happen in political life to be Tories , the faot no more gives a political tone to the proceedings than wonld similar messages from the same gentlemen read at a wedding or a civic dinner or a missionary mooting . Tbe appointments made were based npon strictly Masonic services , and followed rules whioh every one present fully understood . That honour thus oame to one gentleman whom

The Star would clasa as a renegade may be trne , bnt he had earned it by his work in the Craft , and there was also upon the list at least one ardent Liberal . But as the appointments are not made upon political grounds it would be futile to analyse the list in this fashion . The charge of partisanship published in " The Star" is , wo think , sufficiently answered . Touching the final gibe of this very

doubtful P . M ., wo may point ont that nearly £ 9 , 000 was obtained last Tuesday by voluntary effort for the support of the Jtoyal Masonio School for Girls . The sum for the Boys' School will be very much larger , aud the contributions to tho Benevolent Institution will have to bo added baf ' ore the total contributions of tbe Order during tho

ye : r to its national Charities can be ascertained ; and these are quite apart from all that is done locally throughout the kingdom . — The Bristol Mercury . [ " P . M . " did not hoax the Star , because the Star did not adopt his opinions or his fact ? . Oar Bristol contemporary at least should know this . ]—The Star .

St. John's Hospital.

ST . JOHN'S HOSPITAL .

' I ilIE 2 / ih Annual Meeting of the governors of St . John s Hospital J- for diueuses of tho skin , Leicester Square , W . C . was hold on Saturday , 30 th May , at the VVentminster Palace Hotel , nndor the presidency of Lord Alfred Churchill . The report , whioh was adopted , iitatod that the income of the past year had been £ 2069 ; an increase of £ 922 over that of the previous year . The number of beds bad

been doubled—now being 32 . The nnmbor of applicants admitted during tho year was 4813 ( 170 in and 1667 out patients ) as against ¦ 1345 ( 99 in and 4216 out patients ) in 1889 . In consequence of the hoary expenditure the Hospital had had to meet during the past year , the Board had been unable to appreciably reduce the old debts of the Institution , whioh still amount to £ 804 .

The opponents of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand havo lately circulated a story to the effect that the executive of the Grand Lodge , despairing of their obtaining recognition from England , Ireland , and Scotland , had mado overtures to the District and Provincial Grand Lodges for a settlement , on tho basis that tho New Zealand Grand Lodgo was to accept the position of a fourth and

jniiior constitution . Tho Otricera of the Grand Lodge resident in Anekland simply laughed at tho fabrication as being too puorilo to i squire denial ; bnt as the story continued enrreut , with variouu jmbuih' shmenU . -mthority to deny it was askod for , and the reply from Christohuroh ia most emphatic and conclusive . There never waa the slightes , t foundation for the statement : aud uuder no

cir-. ¦ unistancco would tha Grand Lodge accept a position inferior to tho supreme authorities of Eugland , Ireland , aud Scotland in thoir respective home jurisdictions . Tho District and Provincial Lodges ¦ , iow existing may be tolerated , but must aud will always be kept in the- r-ubirdiuatf * position they occupy in relation to the Grand Lodgo <¦( Now Z- 'alan . i , which claims and exercises supreme authority iu the colony .

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j i-U ' iiEHfiUi properly carried out and personally attended :: ! ondon ami Country , by Bro . G . A . IIUTTON" , 17 Nowcastlo i ijfc . 'uot , Strand . W . C Monuments oracted . Valuations mado .