The Present Position Of Freemasonry.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF FREEMASONRY .

No . II . I PERHAPS one of the greatest " factors , " though not the only one , in the " revival" so to say of English Freemasonry , since the time that Lord Zetland first took the helm ofthe good ship " The Craft , " has been the happy

and striking advance of sestbeticism amongst ns , in respect specially of our Lodge ceremonial and onr Lodge assemblies : Time was ^ how well some of us can remember the day , when our Masonic work was of the roughest , and our

Lodge ornamentation of the poorest . We often seemed content then to meet any where and any how . Too often the Lodge was wont to assemble in some little room , barely removed from the noise of the bar or the sounds and sights of a " public . " We appeared to consider that

it was waste of time , thought , and money to attend either to the dignity of our Lodge work , or the proprieties and even the decorum of a properly arranged Lodge room . Many a worthy man , in consequence as we well know , has been kept out of Freemasonry by the associations which' then prevailed , and the

general valuation of Freemasons and Freemasonry which was then-current in society . Many a mind abounding in intellectual aspirations and rich in archaeological lore has been debarred from the " light of Masonry , " simply on account of the knowledge and assurance that he could neither , in the arrangements or habits of the Lodge , in the general

appreciation of its customary 'tendencies and proclivities , find anything congenial to his tastes , or in harmony with his sympathies . Too often , and far too often , did the meeting degenerate into a mere " symposium , " without

good taste , order , or moderation . Now , happily , all is changed . We do not habitually congregate in rooms garnished with nothing but the accompaniments of a public room in a house of entertainment , but when we enter

a Lodge room to-day , we behold for the most part on every side of us , mystic tokens and befitting furniture , the many emblems , always needful and often artistic , . both of ffisthetic taste and Masonic symbolism .

Our Lodges are now duly arranged and carefully orna merited . The old vulgarity of common and unmeaning accessories has vanished ^ arid with that befitting solemnity and

seriousness which . our ceremonies ever deserve and demand , our ancient rites are duly celebrated , and . our timehonoured principles' are effectively proclaimed ^ surrounded hy many suitable and graceful illustrations and

witnesses ,,, whether of our archaic mysteries , or our wellguarded ?• Aporreta . " There is always something improving , elevating , and pathetic even , in our Masonic ritual , honestly set forth and

carefull y enunciated . There is nothing hollow , unmean - ing , unrealistic about it , in any measure , in any way . Everything from first to last is characterised by the happily prevailing and predominant utterances of sensibility and

'ruth , of morality and common sense . At times even the old words we have heard so often , and which are so familiar to us , seem invested for us all with peculiar light , grace and eloquence . Certainly , no

wuer teaching can be inculcated , no better didactic exhorta"ons can be delivered . If ever they fail in the ideas they jtoggest , or the moral they convey , it is because the ears of e a * ditOry are not attuned to their harmonies , or their

The Present Position Of Freemasonry.

minds are unfitted for the reception of their appropriate application . On this head we owe a great debt of gratitude to our older brethren . They have handed down to us , with ocrupulous fidelity , the legends , the traditions , the ritual they received from others . If there be slight local

differences in verbiage and colouring ; if variations exist in particular Lodges or Provincial circles ; if some special minutiae are clung to with affectionate reverence here and

there , they all practically tend to the same end , and proclaim the same truths . Indeed these very divergencies rather point to the essential truth of Masonic tradition , than would be the case if we had , as is sometimes proposed , a dull and leaden uniformity .

We cannot too much commend the wisdom and forbearance of Grand Lodge , which has never insisted on stereotyped uniformity , knowing well what evils would inevitably follow from any such commonplace identity of oral utterances , and how speedily it would react perniciously on all Masonic instruction , and eventually assuredly sap the vitality and reality of Masonic life and work amongst us ! Masonic Halls—the outcome of this revived taste for

Masonic care , decency , and ceremonial—have been a great help and blessing to English and Anglo-Saxon Freemasonry , and are destined , we fancy , to play a still more prominent part in the Masonry of the future . For not only are they very acceptable to Masonic minds generally , but they seem best to represent the peculiar needs and claims of Masonry ,

on the interest of the thoughtful , and the sympathies of the cultured . They point to other necessities and further

consequences , which we feel sure , as time runs on , will be more and more appreciated and sanctioned by an intelligent and educated Fraternity . Of course , there are difficulties attendant on such a change ; but none which zeal and forethought cannot overcome . In all cases where they have hitherto been tried nnder favourable circumstances , they

have succeeded , and tend largely to the comfort and edification of the Brotherhood . Where they have failed , there have been failures , such failure has mostly arisen from secondary causes , often deeply regrettable , often very provoking , because a little common sense and energy might have prevented them . Masonic Halls have too often been the " outcome " of well-meaning enthusiasm , bnt of limited experience , and- those who initiated them had hardly

counted the cost , or realized what they meant to do , and above all what they entailed on the Lodge and themselves . Still * let us rejoice on the progress that has been made , and yet is making , on a matter certainly of no little delicacy

and difficulty , and let us hope , as we may rest assured , that the future will undoubtedly nphold and validate the selfimposed sacrifices , the praiseworthy labours to this good end of our Brother Masons , both of the present and of the past .

Human Brotherhood.

HUMAN BROTHERHOOD .

CHILDREN of one family , I wish to speak to you to-day of a subject that is the highest that can be considered by men—that of the Universal Human Brotherhood . This human brotherhood is not the opinion of man .

It is a reality ; it is a truth . It bears the impress of its own authority . This idea of the love of man for man as