Fidelity To The Old Standard.

worthy are evading the scrutiny of the Examining Committee and of the ballot , if the immoral are finding an entrance , and those exercising unwholesome , not to say degrading , occupations , are being added to our number ,

then we are not loving the brethren as we should . We are introducing to their company the unworthy , and these same unworthy ones may come to rule over us .

Freemasonry can only be wounded in the house of its friends . The man who is of good report , whose vocation is an hon . curable one , whose life is an example of the triumph of

Light over Darkness , will strengthen the Fraternity ,

lengthen its years , and add to its honour , while he who is the reverse will stain its escutcheon , and may imperil its very existence .

Give us always the old standards—in Masonic principles , in Masonic usages , and in Masons . The old Standard Bearers of the Craft , who Were they ? Glance over their

names in all of our jurisdictions . Men of unsullied character ; men of renown in achievement in State , Church , the professions , and mercantile life ; men whom their

fellowcitizens were proud to honour with stations of official trust ; men whose word was never broken , whom even the forked tongue of slander never dared approach . Such men must remain standard in Freemasonry , if its future is to equal its past .

As the Craft in Pennsylvania is about to enter upon a new century of its independent existence , it is becoming that it should maturely consider these facts . A century hence will find us—where ? On the same high plane of

action , with the banner of Love waving over the Craft , with the old emblems of Faith in God and in the Immortality of the Soul still blazing with the light of life ? Or shall the Fraternity be stranded on the shores of time ?

Forbid it , Grand Architect of the Universe ! Forbid it , every brother linked with us in fraternal bonds ! Forbid it , Examining Committees ! Forbid it , every one who may deposit a black ball ! Forbid , it , every one who may cast a ballot ! The eternal years belong to the Craft , if it be true

to itself . And then the finite shall be merged into the infinite , the Lodge below close for ever , and the Lodge above open for the endless ages of eternity . Fidelity to the old standard is what the Craft demands from every candidate who has been brought to Light , and on that old standard are emblazoned the emblems of the eternal gospel of Love . —Keystone .

Definition Of Masonry.

DEFINITION OF MASONRY .

TWO hundred years ago the Westminster Assembly met to define the doctrines of the Church , and the youngest member of Assembly was appointed to answer the question , " What is God ? " The answer given and adopted was , " God is a Spirit , infinite , eternal , and unchangable in His being , wisdom , power , holiness , justice , goodness , and truth . " Now , one would think , that this was a fair and full definition of God ; and yet there is no mention of mercy here , and that , too , as wonderful as if a man were to paint the human countenance and leave out the eyes—as if a man were to explain the solar system and

leave out the sun—as if a man were to describe the waters of the world and leave out the ocean ! God in His nature is a God of mercy , and the most precious part of Revelation is , that to man He ia " God , who is rich in mercy " ( Eph . ii 4 ) . Perhaps , says one , tha Assembly thought that as white light is produced by all the rays of the rainbow , all their varied colours combined , so it needed all the attributes of God to express that God in His very nature is a God of mercy . Whatever may be thonght of this definition , or answer to this question , " What is God ? " there is nd misunderstanding the definitions and explanations which are afterwards given of mercy by the assembly of divines . Bnt what we here , in this example , draw attention to is

this , thafc we are enabled fco see how difficult it is for a general statement to become a complete definition of anything . It is difficult to define by a general statement what a plant is , as distinguished from an animal ; there is a border-land ¦ where some seem to partake of both natures . It is difficult to define by a general statement what a man is—his body as related to the material creation around , and his spirit as related to the spiritual world above . One of the most exalted talents the philosopher can possess is to be able to give clear , distinct , and concise definitions . The historian Macaulay mentions a very grave instance of the want of a clear and . distinct definition , where we would least of all expect to find it , namely , in the " Toleration Act , " which

Definition Of Masonry.

ranks amongst our great statutes , all of which are epochs in our constitutional history . " To a jurist , this Act , " he says , " is a chaos of absurdities and contradictions . " All the philosophers tell us how difficult it is for them to define

a discovery when they have made it . Faraday had , therefore , always to apply to a Greek scholar to give him some compound word that would distinguish , if it could not

define , his discovery—telegraph , biology , telephone , are compound words , to distinguish , not to define ; they are general statements . Now , that which is the case with regard to the general

statements of other things is also the case with regard to the general statements of Masonry . Very grave errors have arisen from not considering that a general expression in Masonry is made , as is made everywhere else , more for brevity than explicitness , and so it has become necessary , time after time , to explain what Masonry really professes to be in its settled beliefs , and in its practical working . — Rev . B . Wilson , of New South Wales .

What Is Required.

WHAT IS REQUIRED .

COMPANION Thomas J . Wilder , of Dakota , comment , ing on the staying of a candidate on the Past Master ' s degree , because " the first joint of his left fore , finger was off , " says , " We know of but one rule to govern in all such cases . Can the brother conform to all the requirements of the degrees ? If so , enough . Physical qualification has long been a bone of contention among Masons . How often have we seen them reject men who possessed every mental and moral qualification which the most conservative could ask for , because of some slight blemish to the hand , eye , or foot , while some half-fledged counterjumper , without a single mental qualification , and hardly sense enough to part his hair , or , if he had , parted it in the middle , and was of no more use to the Fraternity than a duck ' s wings are to an angel , was received with open arms , made a Mason , if such could be , and after donning a big square and compass , exhibited himself to fche world as a representative of an Institution which should be in the hands of mew , and not under the control of simpletons . Ours is an organisation which does not need numbers ; there are too many now of some kinds we have . We want men ; men with souls as well as bodies ; men of

brains , education , and ability , in whose hands fche Institution will be what it now is , and we trust always will

be , the grandest and best in the world for the purpose for which it was designed . Then , once for all , let ns settle this question as before intimated , by receiving among our numbers such men only as are possessed of manhood , education and ability , with such physical qualifications as will enable them properly to conform to our rules and regulations . "

A Masonic Alphabet.

A MASONIC ALPHABET .

v . —EARNESTNESS . Go , watch the hardy miner at his toil , Which drags earth ' s treasures to the light of day ; How carefully he moves the valued soil , And deftly washes all the dross away .

His mmd engrossed , he takes no outer note , But eager , watches , fearful lest by stealth Some minute particle away may float , And so diminish something of his wealth .

But we have treasures richer far than gold , Which in our Noble Order hidden lie ; Awaiting but fche searching to unfold Their beauties to tho willing seeker ' s eye . Be earnest , then , to grasp their priceless worth

And guard them from the touch of false alloy . Be earnest for , and claim the Newer Birth In God-made Temples deck'd with Bliss and Joy .

VI . — -FIDELITY . The Knights of old , though fierce and bold , And rude in life and aim ; Bore hearts of steel , and firmly leal To keep their knightly fame .

On cross and book , their vows they took , And watched their vigils throngh ; Then donned their arms , for war's alarms , To prove their fealty true , Let Masons then , enlightened men ,

By Wisdom s searching Light , Keep watch and ward their vows to guard And hold their objects bright . Let head and heart perform their part ,

Let hand and tongue attend , To hold them new , and keep us true And faithful to the end . ¦ Freemason ' s Journal . WM . H . ORB , Grand Bard .