"Friends, Can You Keep Prom Smiling?"

ment of the obligations of religion which devolve on you as members of tho most ancient Craft tho world is cognizant of . Ever sinco the establishment of the religion of Jesus Christ , at all events over since roligion and Masonry wero brought in contact with each other , our Craft has proved her faithful hnndmaid . Tho catacombs at Rome would not have proved the welcome refuge that they did to

Apostolic converts had not thoso who designed and built thorn made known the secrets of tho wondrons galleries and modes of ingress and exit to those persecuted brethren . Then it was that tho primal Order of Masters Masons , struck with the fnlfilment of our own traditions in the doctrines of Christianity , grafted upon their ancient stock those higher degrees to which somo of us have the honour to

belong . [ Query . —Is it an honour to belong to the high degrees , wherein snch ridiculous nonsense is taught and believed ?] Then it was that the most excellent Order of the Rose Croix , an Order beautiful alike in its allegorical teaching and its impressive ritual ; then it was that the Knight Templars banded themselves in holy brotherhood , to rescue from its pagan usurper tho Holy City and tho Holy

Sepulchre within its circuit ; then it was that the United Order is said [ where is it said ?] , under St . John ' s successor in the See of Ephesns , to have established tho periodical worship of all tho membors of the Chapter that could bo gathered together . "But , brethren , I am not led to theso remarks with any view of establishing our antiquity , or even of dwelling with pardonable satis .

faction upon it . We go back still fnrther in the mist of ages past to trace the foundation of the Craft . Ten centuries beforo the Christian era , Masonry was a powerful combination of the most artistic , as well as the most skilful and scientific men of all nations , who , with Hiram of Tyre as their architect , and King Solomon as their Grand Master , erected the most marvellous building the world has over , or ever can ,

bear upon its bosom . Yes , and thirteen long centuries before even this period , when the Tower of Babel fell into ruins , and the builders thereof ceased , in terrified confusion , to wield either compass or design , or trowel to erect ; those who remained with a glimpso of the true religion in their hearts formed thomselves into a Society , & c . & c .

" But , it is my most solemn obligation so to blend Christianity with Masonry as to make you realise that , though thero are thousands of good Christians outside of onr Craft , thero can be no perfect Mason among us who is not only a professing Christian , but a faithful Christian also . It is with this end in view , that no Lodge is completo without its Chaplain .... Make Masonry tho Apostle of

Christianity , " & c . It seems that tho Rev . Orator was reminded that King Solomon vjas never baptized , so ho added the following note : — " It has been suggested to mo that the tendency of the above address is to show that all Masons outside Of the Christian Chnrch must necessarily bo untrue to the traditions of the Craft . But I had

no such intention , believing Masonry to have been established centuries beforo the Christian era , I am quite prepared to admit it may have a perfect existence apart from Christianity , bnt it must be understood I was speaking not to Masons at large , but to Lodges of Christian Masons , " & c . In other words , the Rev . Brother said what he did not mean , and meant what he did not say , in order to tickle their

sectarian prejudices . The erroneous notions of . Rev . Bro . Ritchie about Masonic history and Masonic aims , as displayed in the above address , is mainly due , in the first place , to the legends retained in our Craft ritual , and to the persistence of the Grand Lodge of England in printing annually in her Calendar , the host of pre-1717 Grand Musters , and "

Remarkable Occurrences in Masonry . " Second , the high degrees have further befogged the poor Rev . Brother ' s intellect . And third , it must be attributed to the natural credulity peculiar to our clerical brethren , coupled with their zeal for Christianising Masonry . As a rule , onr clerical brethren bplieve in the legends of every degree , and in every word that Dr . Oliver has written in his " Antiquities of

Masonry . " Of course there are exceptions to this rule , as well as to all other rules . But yet , as a rule , our clerical brethren generally make very foolish Masonic orations , and the above oration by Bro . Ritchie is a fair specimen of clerical Masonic oratory . Bnt the question with me is , whether it may not be possible to devise somo method for enlightening our benighted brethren at Maritzbnrg ?

I first thought of proposing the establishment of a Masonic missionary or tract society . But knowing that Masonic organisations for that purpose would prove abortive if not sanctioned by the Grand Lodge , and knowing that majorities in Grand Lodges are generally opposed to schemes for Masonic enlightenment , I had to givo that project up . But yet something must be done in that direction , I

will therefore propose the following scheme : — Bro . Ritchie , in hia address , stated , " Three years , brethren , havo passed since , with much diffidence , and some fear of failure , it was proposed to institute this special service . There was then but one Lodge in this city where three are now established , each of which is numerically superior to tho one of three years ago . " It is evident

that the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE is unknown in the Maritzbnrg region , wherever that may be , for I cannot find " Maritzbnrg" in any book in my possession . I will therefore respectfully suggest to Rro . Bforgati , the publisher of this paper , to ascertain at the Grand Secretary ' s Office the names of the Officers and Past Officers of the three Maritzbnrg Lodges , and send to each of them a different number of the

i JiEEHASOiVs CHRONICLE in which Masooic historical qnestions are discussed . A printed slip , containing the names of thoso to whom the papers are sent , might bo inserted in each copy , with a request to circulate it among the brethren at largo for perusal . This would be an act of charity in the first place , for I can really see no difference between the charity of teaching tho young and of enlightening the

old . And , secondly , remember the Biblical adage , " Cast thy bread upon the waters , for thon shalt , find it after many days , " which may without irreverence bo applied to commercial success , viz ., advertise j'our wares , and in timo yon will be rewarded for your ontlay . And surely there can be no cheaper way of advertising the FREE - MASON ' CHRONICLE than by the method above indicated , My sug .

"Friends, Can You Keep Prom Smiling?"

gostion therefore recommends a kind of charity that will truly prove a blessing to receiver as well as to the giver . To tho Rev . Bro . Ritchie send the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE of 25 th September , and call his special attention to the second column of page 214 , containing the excellent editorial Review of a French book on the nigh Degrees . I know indeed that its perusal will no more

wean him from his Masonic errors than the rev . editor of La Semaine de Grenoble could bo weaned from believing iu the Father Jandel story . But supposing even that onr credulous rov . brother should continue to stick by his errors , it may at least dotor hint from repeating the folly of publishing similar orations in Masonio papers . Respectfully and fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON Boston , U . S ., 12 th October 1880 .

Obituary.

Obituary .

THE LATE BROTHER WILLIAM SMALLEY .

IT is with feelings of deep regret that wo havo this week to rocord tho melancholy fact that another worthy member of the Craft has been taken from us by the unrelenting hand of death , leaving a void not only amongst tho body of Freomasons to which ho belonged , bnt in other institutions with which his name has been long and honourably associated , while his memory will ever be loved and revered . Onr Brother William Smalley , the esteemed Secretary of

the Licensed Victuallers' School , during the whole of a long life carried out in practice a useful , honourable , and benevolent career , and was the foromost promoter of any action which might tend to the advantage and happiness of his fellow creatures . In tho homes of tho widow and the fatherless children his name was a " household word , " and his munificent donations in tho cause of charity havo

built up for him a lasting monument which will never decay , and the namo of " Smalley" will be cherished and honoured in those onduring records of his goodness which will never fade , bnt be preserved gratefully in tho heart until time shall be no more . His association with the trade with which he was mainly and most ini . mediatoly connected began with his birth , and ended only with his

death ; and with him it may truly bo said that he was never weary of well doing , but made it tho entire and guiding principle of his life . One or two instances of his munificence need only be cited to show how practicall y ho carried that into effect , for to him it was a real labour of love . In 1863 he made the splendid donation of 1 , 000 guineas to the Licensed Victuallers' School , in which he himself

received his education , and was instrumental in supplementing that gift with £ 1 , 300 more , which he handed over at the samo time , as ladies' subscriptions in recognition of the noble example he had set on that occasion . Subsequently to that he presented a further donation of 1 , 000 guineas to the Licensed Victuallers' Asylum , but in doing this he even eclipsed his former princely gift by supplementing his own

with no less a sum than £ 5 , 000 . These are only a few , however , of the many acts of benevolence which flowed from his generous heart , for in numerous instances ho " did good by stealth , " and his nnostentations manners and general habits made richer the gifts than ever their money value , and hundreds who now receive a solace in their homes have good reason to bless his name . Our deceased brother

was initiated in the Domatic Lodge , No . 177 , during the Mastership of Bro . Henry Thompson , in 1864 , he being proposed by Bro . James Brett P . G . Purs , and P . M ., and seconded by our late Bro . William Carpenter P . M ., whose literary fame , as the author of " Carpenter ' s Letters , " and as editor of the Sunday Times , the True Sun , and other papers , is well known . We have the assurance of Bro . Thompson

that no one whom it was his privilege to introduce into Freemasonry during that year ever paid a greater amount of attention to the ceremony of his initiation , was more thoroughly impressed with the importance of the step he had taken , or more earnestly endeavoured to carry out , not only in the Lodge , but in his every day life , those noble principles upon which our Order is founded . In consequence

of his numerous duties , and the increasing calls upon his time and attention , he was often nnable to be in his place in the Lodge , but it is almost needless to say that the tenets inculcated in his mind at his initiation were never forgotten , and he was a subscribing member to his Lodge up to tho hour of his death , which took place on the 5 th

inst ., at the offices of the Morning Advertiser , in the seventy-first year of his age . He lost his wife about three years ago , and leaves an only daughter , who appears to inherit all the good qualities which endeared her father to all who had the honour of his acquaintance . His loss is one that will never be forgotten .

Bro. Thomas Rands.

BRO . THOMAS RANDS .

It is witn very sincere regret that wo announce the death , on Saturday last , the Gth instant , after a brief , but very acute , illness of live days , of Bro . Thomas Rands ( formerly of Ealing , and of Acton ) , of tho Royal Alfred Lodge , No . 780 , at the early age of forty-three , Bro . Rands , by his many kindly and excellent qualities , had endeared himself to a numerous circle of friends . In his famil y he was

greatly beloved ; as a brother , be was most genial indeed . Few men were more popular than he was in tho Lodge which included him among its members . He was bnried at Brompton Cemetery on Wednesday , where , in addition to the members of deceased ' s family , there were present to pay the last tribute of respect to his memory

the following Officers of his Lodge—namely , Bros . Blasby W . M ., Costelow S . W ., Roo P . M ., and Gunner S . D . Theso , at the fitting moment , reverently dropped their sprigs of acacia on tho coffin of onr deceased brother . We beg to offer to the family and friends of onr late Bro , Rands the expression of onr sincere sympathy with them at this moment of their great affliction .