Grand Lodge And The New Rules.

this office from choice , but there are others who fill it because it is the only means they have of obtaining a livelihood . It was moved that a serving brother seeking admission to a Lodge must have ceased holding his office for two years before he would become eligible . He was to

be put in quarantine in order that the taint of his former poverty should be purged from him . We always thought that Masonry knew no distinction between rich and poor , and that even a serving brother did not part with his right of equality when he put on the Tyler's collar . No

doubt the mover of the amendment had other and different reasons for the course he took ; we hope and believe he had no unkind or ungenerous motive , that he did not see the full effect of his proposal . Whatever causes actuated him , the effect could not have been otherwise than painful

and unjust . Fortunately Grand Lodge negatived the amendment , and so prevented a great wrong from being done . This is not the time to lessen the bonds of charity ; rather should they be strengthened . ' Money subscrip tions

are valuable aids ; they accomplish much ; but the nobler test of Freemasonry is that which springs from the higher motives , which loves the Craft for the grand lessons it teaches , not the least of whioh is Brotherly Love .

" Too Late!"

" TOO LATE !"

A TRUE STORY OF THB FIFTH POINT OF FELLOWSHIP .

" T > RBTHREN , you are too late , too late ! " The JD earnest tones of the speaker , in which a calm despair seemed blended with resignation to an inevitable doom , sounded like the notes of a funeral dirge to the little circle who had , by appointment , assembled to discuss the matter under consideration , the emphatic answer to

which seemed to banish all hope of success in the effort which was being put forward by those to whom this ominous declaration was made . The speaker was a man who had barely reached that period which -we term the prime of life , a young man of fine intellect , thoroughly

educated , stnnding in the front rank of his profession , happily wedded , and blest with interesting and loving children ; there seemed really nothing lacking to complete his happiness . He had for many years been a Mason , and his heart and purse were always open to the needy brother ,

yet scarcely less so to all who possessed a legitimate claim upon his sympathy and charity . A prince of good fellows , he was naturally fond of lively , sociable associations , and , like too many others of his temperament and disposition , was fond of his glass only because of the social pleasures

"with which it was connected . Thus for a few years he drifted along in the channel of social and convivial indulgence , occasionally " making an evening of it , " but never becoming absolutely drunk , and nearly always ready to attend promptly to his business duties . Some of his older

and more discreet friends would shake their heads ominously when speaking of his habits , but as he was a man of a very proud , sensitive nature , they feared to wound his feelings by admonishing him , and so he drifted gradually into regular channels of dissipation , which in time began to show its inroads on his health and constitution .

At length it became evident that unless something were done promptly to arrest his career he must succumb to the relentless foe by which he was enchained , and accordingly several of his Masonic brethren awoke to a realisation of what had for years been a sacred duty , and jointly

addressed him a note , couched in the most fraternal language , calling his attention to his bibulous habits , admonishing him of the danger in which he stood , and entreating him to curtail and if possible to abandon the pernicious habit before it became too late . He responded

by inviting us to meet him on the following evening at his office , and , hoping that we had been successful in our effort , we all were there promptly at the time named , when after speaking of having received our note , he addressed to us the ominous words above written , " Too late . " We

endeavoured to reason and remonstrate against this decided opinion , when he smiled sadly , and said , " Brethren , pardon me ; there are only two of you who have any

right to expostulate with me . It may be and doubtless has been your duty for several years past , but had yon not better remove the motes from your own eyes before offering your advice and aid as to drawing the beam from

" Too Late!"

mine ? Understand me , that I desire not to give offence , that I appreciate your kindness , and hence speak plainly , and beg of each of you to accept and profit by the advice whioh you havo tendered me ; for , even should you never reach my unfortunato position , you may nevertheless be

the means of aiding other men to do so , by the force of your example . You are occasional tipplers , social drinkers , and thus by frequenting drinking saloons give respectability and tone to them , and by your example attract others to those places , who may in tnrn become

drunkards . Some of you I have seen drunk . You cannot say as much of mo . But , fortunately for you , you had not a strong appetite for drink , and hence could , as you boast , drink or let it alone . But some men cannot do that . Many , who never dream but that they are perfectly

able to control themselves , find out their error only when it is too late . You , Brother A , are Worshipful Master of our Lodge . I have often heard you , in your earnest manner , explain the five points of fellowship , and enjoin the practice of all those virtues therein taught , especially the

fifth , and yet up to this time you have witnessed my gradual but certain approach to the maelstrom of strong drink , often quaffing a social glass with me , without addressing me one word of admonition or fraternal counsel . Take this whole matter home to yourself ; yes , to

yourselves , all of you , and hereafter if you see a brother who needs fraternal counsel , admonition , or , if necessary , discipline , try to do your duty . Mark well , I do not complain , do not charge you with being even passively , by non-action , the authors of my unfortunate condition . I

will not say that had you done your duty in time it would have averted my certain doom , nor can I say that it would not have prevented it ; I leave that all to yourselves , and ask you in the name of your duties as Masons , by that

fraternal regard which you are now shewing toward me , to first place yourselves in a position where you are justified in reproving others , and then , when necessary , to do your duty fearlessly , as Masons should do .

" My race is nearly run . For me there is no halting , no looking back , no escape . Before the violets bloom you will be called to deposit the acacia in a drunkard ' s grave ,

and now , brethren , I thank you each and all , and were there any possibility that I could do what you have requested , I would make the attempt , but , it cannot be done ; it is now too late . "

His sad apprehensions were realised , and while yet tbe snow lay upon the cold earth , we bore him to his final resting place . What was the result of his advice to us ? you ask . Two of those to whom it was addressed—at least I can answer for one of them — drew the motes

from their e > es , and have never since felt constrained to remain silent when a word of fraternal admonition ¦ was needed at their hands . How well we as Masons perform all the duties enjoined by the fifth point of fellowship will , probably , not be a

legitimate subject for boasting . We are too prone to mentally shift upon others the performance of those duties which rest equally upon all , and to place those responsibilities upon the officers of the Lodge , which may and should be performed by any and each of the brethren .

Of course , as in all things , " circumstances alter cases , but no true Mason will ever resent a word of warning or admonition , given in a fraternal manner , by even the youngest or humblest member of the Lodge . And , iu view of the inroads which intemperance is making in our

membership , intemperance , the enemy which injures Masonry tenfold more than all the Cynosurists and Blanchardites , is it not time that the Craft , and especially those on whom its government devolves , should make the first point of entrance in practice what it is in theory . While I do not

expect that Masonry will ever require total abstinence at tho hands of its membership , I still hope that it may do its duty , as clearly defined in its ritual on the first point of entrance , and if this is done we shall never be compelled to hear the despairing words , " Too LATE . "—Voice of Masonry .

HOILOWAT ' S OiJmiHNi XKD Puis . —Nofable Facts . —Summer heats augment the annoyances of skin diseases and encourage the development of febrile disorders , wherefore they should , as they may , be removed by these detergent ancl purifying preparations . In stomach complaints , liver aff ctions , pains ancl spasms of the bowels , Holloway ' s ungueni , well rubbed over the affected

part , immediately gives the greatest ease , prevents congestion and inflammation , checks the threatening diarrhaa and averts incipient cholera . The poorer inhabitants of large cit-es will find these remedie 3 to be their best friend when any pestilence rages , or when , from unknown causes , eruptions , boils , abscesses , or ulcerations , betoken the presence of taints or impurities within the system and call for instant and effective curative medicines ,