Another Harmless Shaft Against Freemasonry.

ments based upon assertions so malevolent or so glaringly false . The writer starts off by saying that , not content with utilising the Executive Committee of the Institute as a species of " Star Chamber , " tho members of the Ring

havo adapted the organisation of Freemasonry to their purpose . A palpable impossibility to lead off with , as every Mason will immediately see . " The Gas Ring , " he continues , " not satisfied with the position it had established

as a professional oligarchy , was struck with the happy idea of creating an inner sanctuary in the shape of a Masonic Lodge . " The notion that a warrant could be obtained for the constitution of a Lodge , the ostensible object of which

was to further any private interests , is so utterly absurd that it is not worthy of a moment's thought . But , continues the writer of the article , with a profundity of wisdom assumed , that he evidently does not possess ,

" Here they could do as they chose , without let or hindrance , for any one likely to be obnoxious could be excluded by the ballot , which takes place on the proposal to admit a new member to a Lodge . " Now , the sage who could put together such arrant rubbish as this must be of

easy journalistic virtue indeed or he would not have been cajoled by an anonymous correspondent into such folly . Evidently he is not a Mason , or he would know that business and private affairs are left unreservedly at the

threshold of the Lodge-room when brethren meet for the transaction of their " labour , " and never , under any pretence whatever , should a commercial question be whispered in the Lodge-room or even at tbe banquet . To insinuate ,

therefore , that the Evening Star Lodge , No . 1719 , was established for , and is utilised as a trade association , is about the most laughable hoax that was ever palmed off upon a verdant scribbler for the newspaper . •There would

have been less room for surprise had this tissue of misrepresentations appeared in the columns of some obscure local print , but to find them in the Financial Neivs , which has some pretensions to solidity and respectability , is simply

marvellous . " Trading on Masonry " has been denounced times without number in our Lodges , and by the representative organs of the Craft ; and the man who is discovered , either overtly or openly , utilising his connection

with the Order for the purposes of self-aggrandisement is scouted by every good and true Mason as unworthy of the position he fills . To pile up a sweeping ancl unblushing indictment against a whole Lodge , of violating their

solemn obligation , and their avowal to have been prompted to join the Order "from no mercenary or other unworthy motive , " is nothing more nor less than a piece of consummate impudence and ignorance . Now , this

cowardly attempt to cast a slur upon the Fraternity all hinges upon a letter signed " P . M ., " who , by-thebye , has not the honesty to give his name or the number of his Lodge , and if there has been any " prostitution

of Freemasonry , " the fault lies with this renegade , who , evidently from interested motives , takes this sidelong means of gratifying his spleen . He professes to be a

Freemason of several years' standing , and , as a text for his spitefully intended but unimportant expose of the Evening Star Lodge , he furnishes the Editor with information which should be held Masonicallv sacred . He describes

the foundation of the Evening Star Lodge , and , culling from a " circular " issued by that body , gives one of its regulations , as follows— "Members of this Lodgo are to be directors , auditors , secretaries , engineers , managers of

gas works , gas analysts , contractors for gas works , or contractors for the supply of gas material . " Now , much as we may , and do , object to class Lodges , there is nothing un-Masonic in such a rule : but the

serious point arises when this " worthy" Past Master burlB a foul slander against a body of brethren of perverting the principles to which they have given their allegiance , and " prostituting Freemasonry " by

constituting their Lodge a trade organisation . Such a suggestion would be beneath . contempt were it not that many non-Masonic readers might be impressed with the belief that there was some shadow of foundation for tho baseless and

utterly untruthful fabrication . Masons reading such balderdash would immediately see through the subterfuge , and dismiss it with the silent contempt that it deserves . " P . M . " is "at a loss to understand how the supreme

authorities came to sanction such a regulation , if they have done so . " A Freemason of several years' standing would know that such could not be the case , for warrants are granted on purely Masonic lines alone , and any tinge of private or trade interest in the petition would be fatal to

Another Harmless Shaft Against Freemasonry.

its acceptance . After gathering from the statements of " P . M . " that the " circular" alluded to is frequently sent to country Freemasons as an inducement to them to join the Evening Star Lodge " ring "( save the

mark !) the editor prints , in tabular form , the names of tho members of the Eveniug Star Lodge , with their profession and Masonic rank , and observes that although the alleged appeal to country Freemasons has been

often made , yet there are" only half-a-dozen members outside the circle of Metropolitan influence , within which the Ring is supreme , " Surely this is nob to be wondered at if the Lodge wero " advertised " as a trade organisation ; country

Masons or any others would never degrade themselves or disgrace the Craft by catching at such a bait , even if it were presented to them . If there were a particle of truth in P . M . ' s assertion , the wonder would be that the

number of country members was not much greater . We need not follow that part of the subject further ; it is too ridiculous for comment . Tho concluding sentence of the writer of the article is intensely funny , when he says—¦

"Those who know the Evening : Star Lodge well , can corroborate this tale of the manner in which the ring has collared a Masonic organisation to assist it in its endeavours to dictate to the gas industry of the country . "

We venture to say that anybody who knows the Lodge would indignantly contradict the falsehood , and all Masons will spurn the miserable malice of the correspondent who has furnished material for the concoction of such a heap of

drivelling nonsense as that contained in the journal from which we quote . It is quite clear that the writer knows nothing of the Evening Star Lodge , and " P . M . " must be

equally ignorant of it , otherwise he would not have made such a foolish error , and of which , we hope ancl trust , he is by this time heartily ashamed .

Masonic Benevolence.

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE .

PROBAB LY the present time is as opportune as any future day is likely to be for considering a little further the subject of Masonic benevolence , and the propriety of casting aside the old and tested Masonic principles and modes concerning charity and relief .

This subject includes , among other things , the effects of those principles , as well as of the violation of them , upon the future character of the Institution ; and the expediency of seeking to make up by novel and incongruous additions

to the Masonic structure , for the want of spirit and life in the benevolent operations of the Fraternity . It also includes the question whether Masonry is a Brotherhood or a mere association ; whether or not we have all made a

mistake in becoming Masons , and whether or not some of our Brethren have in fact discovered something better than Masonry , and that , too , after having apparently failed in discovering what Masonry itself was and is designed to be .

This is a proper time to consider these things further , because it is now evident that the few suggestions made to the Craft through the Voice of Masonry , concerning adding certain mutual benefit

associations to the Lodge , have met with the usual fate of efforts to stay the progress of innovation and transformation , by being honestly or wilfully misunderstood .

Whenever any dangerous innovation has become seated , it is impossible to speak or write concerning the principles which must be set aside in order to make room for it without some persons for one reason or another

immediately becoming displeased . They fear that their own opinion or conduct is about to be subjected to censure or unfriendly comment , and this is enough for them to approhend , without waiting to examine the real question to be considered , or its importance .

From this and similar causes it has happened in almost every instance that an innovation or abuse , however ruinous in its ultimate results , having been introduced into any secular institution , church , society , governmeut or

fraternity , has been maintained there against all objections and warnings urged by those who clung to the orio-inal design . The real evils threatening to follow , and sure to come , were put out of sight by the dust-clouds of

misinterpretation and false issues raised by the advocates of the abuse . They avoided considering or answering the presentations of the evils in the end , and fortified themselves at once against all comers , with a barricade of special and specious counter-pleading to divert attention to supposed ,