Gleanings.

GLEANINGS .

Symbolic Masonry , geuuiuo Masonry , ia strictly cosmopolitan , uniting- in ouo common brotherhood men of every country , eect , ami op inion s it recognizes no creed or distinctive form of religion , save only a belief in the Snpremo Architect of the Universe , and Royal Arch Masonry is bat an elaboration of this thyme . It id the

commentary upon , or tho moro full elucidation of tho ideas for which Symbolic Masonry furnishes tho text . Being founded upon tho same principles , Royal Arch Masonry , was by tho old English Constitutions , recognized us a part of Ancient Craft Masonry . It alone , of all tho so-called higher degrees , can justly claim tho title of Masonic .

Certainly , an organization which requires its votaries to subscribe to any religious creed or dogma , or to be supporters aud defenders of any particular belief , cannot claim to bo Masonic , no matter what other qualifications they may require of their initiates . Their

ie-ichiugs in other respects may be grand and subhmo , and their cere monies impressive , yet ignoring the ono distinctive feature of Freo masonry , they should not bo looked upon as au integral portion of it —M . L , Youngs , of Winconsin .

A Kicii LODGE . —St . Andrews Lodge , Boston , Mass ., limits its membership to twenty-six , and has property valued at two hundred thousand dollars . A NEW MA . SO _ . _ [ . vei .-- IN ITALY . —Mil-Hi , Italy , has a no . v Masonic journal , tlumanitas , tho first number of which was printed 15 th August .

STRICT LAWS . —Among tho standing orders and regulations of the Graud Lodgo of Maryland we find thab the Grand Secretary advertises the meetings of the Grand Lodge in the public newspapers , * that every brother elected or appointed to office in the Grand Lodge is furnished with a certificate to that effect , over Grand Lodge seal ;

that the Grand Lecturer , for each visit to a consistent Lodgo , is allowed the sum of 25 dollars thafc the Graud Secretary is required to issne tho Proceedings in printed form inside of sixty days from date of closing of tbe session ; that 110 brother can be installed Master of a Lodge until he produces evidence from tho Graud

Lecturer that ho is qualified to confer the threo degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry ; that Lodges are forbidden to apply to tho General Assembly of the State for charters ; thafc no Lodge is permitted to

solicit aid from foreign jurisdictions without permission from the Grand Master ; that no ( private ) Masonic information can bo furnished to tho public press , except such as may be authorized by the Grand Master or Grand Lodge . —Masonic Home Journal .

Is MASONRY EXCLUSIVE ?—Upon this question there may be a diversity of opinion . It is right that a father should guard carefull y his own household . In this respect ho should bo strictly exclusive , for the reason thafc the members fcheveiu are nearer to him than all others , and tho samo rule holds good with societies , associations ,

clans , communities , or whatever tho formation may be . A man must givo his own kindred tho preference . When a body of men are joined together by ties of the strongest nature ; when these men worship at a shrine thafc is as extensive as tho world itself , aud whoso motto is universality ; wo think thafc , after taking all things into

consideration , such a body should bo exclusive , When ifc comes to national affairs , matters of business , or anything outside of ,-i fraternal nature then Masonry should bo non-exclusive , for every man should meet one another , in all his dealings aa a man . And when a brother violates the laws of a country , or thoso of society , then the fact of his

being a Mason should not shield him from receiving tho penalties that the violations inflict . Prom our conception of Masonry wo should prefer our own as far as it is consistent . Wo should act judiciously

and discreetl y , and the mere fact that a man is not a Mason should not deter us from bestowing toward him the good feeling , kindness , aud all the blessings of life that a good man has the ri ght to expoc _ and enjoy . —Freemason ' s Journal .

NEW YORK GRAM . LODGE LII -KAHY . Tho Bblirphiln , be ho Masou or profane , will find mnch to interest him in tho Girand Lodgo Library . Three volumes iu Latin , printed in lf > 04 in Spain , and

written by a monk , aro explanations of tho book of Ezokzel and Commentaries . A copy of the Holy Bible printed in London iu 1613 , ° Qly thirty years after the art of printing was discovered , ancl another dated 1733 , ate unique aud curious .

MASONRY IN SOUTH AI ' UICA . —A movement , commenced in 1881 , has proved to be cm fait accompli in the constitution of a District Grand Lodge , English Constitution , for Natal Free State , Griqualand West , a ' ud Transvaal , in South Africa . There arc few towns where Masourv

Nourishes as healthfully as it does in Cape Town . Masonic building " - U 1 that section compare well with some of the handsomest skuefcur .-. ui other countries . Tho Grand Lodge has instituted a Masonic board of Education , which is in its fourth your , and oafc 0 ; a trans _ ry of £ -. 00 spent £ 200 for education .- —Hebrew Leader .

-un . MASON ' S Ant . —Forms of tbe ritual and tho e . _ t--r <_ al .. of the i ' -t'oi . salon do not fill tho requirement . of Masonic life . V . 0 must - « o ,- hi gher than all our symbols for the true import of onr Masonic , '" -ligation . Wo must search thu motives . Thoy must , bo laid iroon the

conscience , and bo measured by tho highest sense of duty . Any candidate for these honour ? , r . s tueso . _ -r __ - .. ' altar .- - , should first desiro to bo a better man , Better innately . iJoit-er in ¦ j . -ury hi <; b and l ^ y resolution . _ Bettor in every i-.: ! .:. tio ; ehi ; o to the brethren oi ' 1 f

, " '_ wl'J'Fr" "I .-, ft-. ; . , ... orr .. . .... -,, ' rv-i o a ., r ,--. Th ,,. ' f '• ., » .....-,. _ _ . „ i ' b , tc * Batter in every rum as a p : \ rfc ot fcno moral structure to " •>' . _ you belong , and of v . hie ' -, you fonn ., part . Bou \ rl __ , _ > _ .- ! i * _ ii' ¦ Utoi y i ; ll ., £ Vll / cfc ; . . . . cj ^ bty , y / Q , ^ , J ] * _ ,-, } - . lKl ia ¦ 'otiuer . e . s of one , or pained and injured !>/ iho fulieres of omh " M , lll ! . o , J . /

' . Bio Jon . —At tha la ; ., session of the Grand Ledge of . ' / . _ . hin > . ohl- ' ' ' '* - ' - '' . ? . he following was adopt . d : — ' ¦ Tlit-i ; . ho ' Grand Ma . toi IY . "" i ' G _ rav _ d . Secretary , v . 'i . U three ofcrn . i' 3 to be named bv the " ^ faster ... au early date , shai . .: on :. tit _' , 0 . > - . puA ! Commie . ^

Gleanings.

to investigate the manner in which tho various jurisdictions in Amorici havo treated tho question of rituals and work , and report to this Grand Lodge at its next session such matter- ; relating to the usage . ; and mean- , adopted by such other Grand Lodges to settle the

voxel qu- 's : ion of uniformity of work , together with a brief history ( 30 far a _ proper to be written ) of tho work iu general use by tho jurisdictions ou the Pacific coast , aud moro eastern jurisdictions , together with such othor information and recommendations as the Committee may find proper to submit upon tho subject .

Tho General Giand Chapter of Royal zU'ch Masons of tho ITuibed States held its twenty-sixth triennial convocation at Washington on _ 7 th September . Germany has 372 Lodges , with an aggregate membership of -13 , 306 .

There aro eight Graud Lodges , situated as tollovvs : threo in Berlin , one in Hamburg , one at Bayruuth , one afc Leipsic , ono at Fraukforfc , and another at Darmstadt . These form a confederation named ' ' Deutcho Grosslogeubtiud . " L ist year those Grand Lodges spent over 50 , 000 francs in charity .

New Mexico has 13 Lodges and 553 members , with a gain of 67 over the previous year . There were 70 initiations . Manitoba has 31 Lodges aud 1 , 350 members , with a gain of 113 over fcho previous year . Tho initiations woro 138 . Tho total number of Lodges in Michigan is 354 . Total active membership , for 1885 , as per returns , 27 , 015 .

NETHERLANDS . —Tho Lodgo " La Bain Aimeo , in Amsterdam , hold a festival ou tho occasion of its 150 th anniversary . 750 dollars woro vote ! for two charitable institutions . A richly-carved gavel , inlaid with gold , waa presented to the Worshipfnl Master . Amongst tho

many charitable institutions that have originated in this Lodge are " The Institution for Saving tho Life of the Shipwrecked , " " Institntion for tho Blind , " Industrial Schools , aud Savings Banks . —Freemasons' Journal .

The Masonic Seal of Er . vin of Stoinbach ( A . D . 1275 ) is mentioned by Bro . Clavel as being the oldest arrangement of the compasses , square , and the letter G , extant . —Freemasonry in Europe . The Grand Master of the operatives as early as the fifth centnry

was an officer clearly recognized by royal rescript , entitled to precedence at court , when properly arrayed with his gilded staff of office . In his title of Mastership is to be found nearly fche equivalent used in addressing that functionary iu modern times—Magisterium * * * S ' pectabilem , —Mediwval Builders .

The besfc test of all true Freemasonry is , what does ifc do foxcharity ? flow does it manifest brotherly love , and sympathy , and relief ? I believe in no profession of Freemasonry which does not evidence tho reality of its belief and of its principles by these evident tokens of sincerity , of having " counted the cost" of Masonic momborship . —Defence of Free masonry .

MIDDLE-A GE G RAND LODC . ES . —Thirteen years after the completion of the Strassburg Minster turret , Jacob Dotzingcr , as Master of Masons employed ou the Cathedral , in fcho year 1152 , ' succeeded in uniting the existing Lodges in Germany in a general or Graud 'Bod y , and . ntho year 1-io'J , at Ilogeusburg , tho statutes and general

regulations of the stouo-CQCters or Masons were reduced to writing . In this constitution tho authority of four Grand Lodges is recognized , viz . Strassburg , Cologne , Vienna , and Zurich , nuclei * whoso several jurisdictions various subordinate Lodges wero recognized . Twentytwo Lodges wove dependent ou fcho Grand Lodge of Strassburg , and

wero dispersed through Swabia , Hesse , Bavaria , Frauconia , Westphalia Thuriugia , the provincial territories bordering upon the Moselle , and ay far as Italy . The Grand Lodge of Cologne exercised jurisdiction over cities along the It hine . •¦ - ¦¦ * Among all the Grand

Lodges of this age , that of Strassburg war . pre-eminent , aud was reco g nized as having supreme authority over all Masonic bodies in the einpii'O . Moreover , the Master Builder , then at work on tho Minster at Strassburg , was declared the Graud Master of tho Frater . uity in Germany . —Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry .

According to the Liteat statistics iu North America tha number of members of ' tho dilluroiifc Orders of Masonry , from Blue Lodge to Commandery , ia as follows : — Master Masons , 591 , 461 ; lloyal Arch Masons , 140 , 060 ; Knight . Tempiara , 70 , 154 . FORMS —Some one has said : " Of what use aro forms , seeing that ,

afc tim .- fchey ave empty ? Ol tho samo use as barrels , which , afc time :- ; aro empty too . " In Masonry there are many forms , and all ate e ' mpfcy unless the real , essential , underlying principles of brotherly love , relief , aud truth fill them . Tho barrel , if allowed to remain e . u ,.. y , becomes dry , and iu time will fall to pieces . The

. " onus ; . - ed io ... monies of the radons degrees m Masonry , it allowed to remain emp ty shows , wili dry up and fall to pieces . There is too ! ttl" of the moaning of the ceremonies under _ tood by fcho great mass

if ch . ' F-afc- . - 'uit / . ib / oey deyr - , from tho iirs . . 0 the lust , L _ : _ . some bc'iutifn i su .. ' 1-. ' . f iessem , : . ud , as in England , every road lead , to Loudon so iu M ' -.-sonry o . 'o- 'y i ' oriu should lead to the grout cjutral ¦ - ¦ u- 'lis ; . ' Faith , ilooc , rui-d Charily . Of what use are the forms if

1 h . / (]¦ - , not a . ti . v / ' -erne chough , to tlio maid that will bj lasting ? j ¦ : ' .,. t U j v . j . /[ i \ i :. - .: is . s T . cau brin . ; to i - . _ . v ir . j ;__ a lesson in virtue ; . ... i , , -, ... | . -r . - •' . -- ' : ¦ ¦ ;_ . s v ill bo thu imot ' ossion made , t . id tlio moro : ' . ...... :.,. ... . ¦ ' :.. b ' i .- > ; _ ., - ¦ he ' . rs the word . ! ot wisdom , the eeo sees

j : i , . b : '_; : tt _ . . 5 bib ,- -, ' j : :. ; 'i ; d in form aud cjrenvjnv - , :. __ . ! tin . , ibjliug is J l * ado " to " . -j-. .. i ' . - - / t > - ' t : u- ' : » e" 0 ; e oi ' the ! o . . ; r :. ~ . " : / ' . ib DLpa ' . ch . \ - | i . ., , ! p .. -..- ¦ ,. - ¦;¦ _ ¦ .- ' ¦ ¦ - ¦ * -. i , - : _ . ! ; . _ , iii . bleek's CaiU " jh , i . . - >¦) ' . fjrd , - > :..: _ becu

i -nebs tho occasion of r .-. o uuvjilmg ot si .- ;> _ iur ,. d ,, isdu ,, ej . c ^ 'oucea b .. " -.. r ,: .., - ' . ¦ , ; ¦ b- 'b-. n . 's . _; .- - _ , o . f'tudio , ;•'•_ ' ¦ " !! " L -n ' . rdo di

; y ber-lV' o-. eb _' . A-b " o . e : - '' o of : ho ¦ 'L . v i S-rm .-r . " eb-. eo t ' - .-m th 3 i-. - : ¦ ¦ . _!__! . ^ j-jieu- : > i ti . : r-jc ' . 'i . i of v / iiidov . s , gif-i from - / .. djui eieeubei'S ¦ , of thy C ; ij ; igL'e ' . . ' . v- ' ; n .