Masonry's Consummation.

every Officer and member endeavour to impress upon the candidate the lesson of the degree—that he hath a name which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it , and that the stone set at naught by the builders has indeed become the chief stone of the corner .

Some one has related a beautiful tradition , which- states that the site of King Solomon ' s Temple was originally owned by two brothers—one being married and the other single—and that after harvest the elder brother said : " My younger brother is unable to bear the burden and heat of the day ; therefore , I will take of my shocks and without his knowledge place them over among his

shocks . " The younger brother being actuated by similar thoughts of love and Brotherly relief , said unto himself ; " My brother has a family . I have none . I desire to contribute to their support ; therefore , I will take of my shocks , and without his knowledge , place them over among his shocks . " This occurred several nights in succession , and great was the surprise of the brothers upon the succeeding mornings to find that their shocks had not diminished .

They resolved to watch and solve the mystery . They did so , and upon the succeeding night the two brothers met half way , each with his arms laden with the golden sheaves . And it was upon this spot , hallowed by such association , the temple of King Solomon was erected—that temple , so spacious , so magnificent , the wonder and admiration of the world . And it is only upon ground hallowed by such associations , the best and purest impulses of the human heart , that any enduring structure can be erected .

The Temple of King Solomon has long since been destroyed , but Freemasonry , which exemplifies the location of the temple , and transmits the legend of its building , has defied the ravages of time , withstood the persecutions of ignorance , bigotry and intolerance , and to-day stands in its beauty like a Corinthian column in a desert of ruin , without a rival in point of numbers and stability of organisation .

Freemasonry , whose foundations are laid deep in the God given principles of brotherly love , relief and truth , whose empire is the world , whose canopy is the blue vault and the star-decked heavens , will live as long as a flower shall bloom , as long as men love virtue , as long " as the cloud shadows shall rest upon the

mountains and the rivers roll to the sea . ' Yes , Love , the sweetest messenger of Peace , Joy and Happiness , would girdle the world as with a zone of light—would pervade all hearts , and is the sweet halo of joyful , happy life . It conquers all and survives all . Then why do violence to this great law of Nature and Nature ' s God ?— " Voice of Masonry . "

Masonic Ambition.

MASONIC AMBITION .

THERE is nothing so pleasing to the venerable Masters in Masonry as that ambition in the young which tends to assist the advancement of the Fraternity and expand the genius of the Craft . The flowers of evening are gathering about the hoary locks of those beloved sires , and they look upon aspiring young with more than a fraternal interest and gratification . As

the valley they are descending grows deeper , and the paths they tread are becoming greener , they look back on the light of the past and behold with rapture their young friends pressing after them in the Temple . Their mantles are about falling , and a score would lift them reverently and with honour ere they touch the ground . Their jewels are still blazing , but the hand trembles

as it reaches them , and many a vigorous , hearty grasp is put forth to steady , and , if need be , to becomingly assume them . The various paraphernalia of office must descend to other shoulders , and if youth preserves its spotless integrity with the same care that age has guarded its sacred instalments , then the Craft will do itself infinite credit in the future , and reflect a blazing spendour on the past .

Ambition in any station of life , in any condition of circumstances or education , when untrammelled -by insatiate greed , is always a noble element of the mind . Without it the world would not have moved one degree beyond the barbaric ages , and all the conveniences of civilisation would be still the secret of another sphere . Without it advancement would never lift its eye to heaven , but rank obscurity would fetter the

incoming multitude . Helpless , mild , unchristian and deformed , humanity would have abruptly terminated in savage dens by violence and bloodshed , where now the peaceful strains of saintlike music accompany the departing soul into a future life . How may we then thank the " Allseeing One" for His great beneficence in implanting in our bosoms a desire of prominence ?

If other men m the ordinary channels of life ai-e impregnated with the aspiring element , and if it is necessary to the success of the world that man in general should be inoculated with ambition , how much more necessary is it for the Craft to possess the elevating motives of a soaring mind ? In works of benevolence we should be known by all , while words of comfort should drop from our lips which should lecencile the fevered patient to his

Masonic Ambition.

lot , even as the flowers cast at the feet of the weary , sun-bronzed soldier remind him of home and love and peace . It we were as ambitious to do . good to others as we are to benefit ourselves , how many more weak hearts would flutter up to bright Hope and ask a boon of Fortune ; how many eyes would shine forth with the assurance of Faith in the future which now only dimly reflect the sad despair of the present .

How important , then , is it to keep ourselves awake and fully alive to passing events in the existing , active , state of the world . We may be humble , but if we are ambitious and watch closely for an opportunity , our turn will come when we may cast off the shackles of ignoble origin , and leap into the company of the distinguished : when we can exchange ideas with noted statesmen , sip a genial bowl of wine with the celebrated artist , or have thought wrestles with a famous Grand Master .

If we be not ambitious , then a thousand opportunities may come and pass and no reckoning be made of them . Our plummet then seeks only to measure the depth of the brooklet , when we should be sounding the restless sea ; our axe aims only at the sapling of learning when we should be hewing at the great poplar in search of secret truth . Without ambition we are mere instruments without the ability to expand or soar ; the tools of

others , fit only to serve at the footstool on which greatness steps in its mighty effort to reach the highest round of the ladder . We may be strong , but we only lift our neighbour up ; our voices may be sweet , but we only sing another into fame ; our brain is active only at a friend ' s bidding . Living thus , we fill but a line in the world's record , when our history should occupy a page ; we are one of the leaves of the forest , when we should be the stately trunk itself .

Let us all , therefore , take on some aspiration in the Brotherhood . Let us have an aim , and that a high one . In seeking to reach the opposite shore of light we may arrive at the island midway in the stream ; in aiming at the eagle we may hit the hawk , and in striving for the office of " Worshipful" we may at least reach the Warden ' s chair . —** Keystone . "

The Responsibility Of A Freemason.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A FREEMASON .

EYE BY Mason is obligated to be a good citizen . This obligation can only be fulfilled by an earnest activity in everything that vitally concerns the welfare of the individual as represented in good government . It is well for us now and again to stop our boasting and , roused from our selfish complacency , remember how much our civil and religious liberties have cost in

treasure and blood . Freemasonry owes it to itself and to humanity to put a stop to the glaring sins that invite the certain forfeiture of that heritage . The work of sin has ever been to destroy law , order , harmony . Lawlessness and sin are identical , and mean bondage . Freemasonry has become rich and powerful and vain . . " Pride goeth before a fall , " we are told . It is true , because the

proud man becomes giddy at his height and is no longer safe , in his moral vision . So with the Institution . Marching under the banner of the only true God , in the blazing light of His Word , yet it proclaims a gospel so vague and uncertain that its novitiates stumble in doubt and uncertainty into the dark ditch of infidelity , and are led willing captives of a corrupt imagination . The work

of reformation must begin at Jerusalem , and that , too , at once . The message which the old Scotch woman gave to Dr . Norman Macleod , when he came to his first parish , must be heard and obeyed . The wise old woman told him to " Gang o ' er the fundamentals . " The great fundamentals must be emphasised again and again , until every doubting heart shall be inspired with

the divine certainties of Freemasonry . The " Tyler " still confesses to a feeling of intense abhorrence at a plea for the destruetian of Christianity and the rejection of that religion by the Masons of to-day , in order to have a religion " in which all men can agree , " whatever that may mean . If that religion , in order to be universal , is forced to tolerate blasphemy , drunkenness , lewdness , Sabbath

desecration and all manner of unholy living , then it is the worship of Satan , and not the religion of Eden , the Tabernacle and Temple . It was Jesus Christ and not some infidel philosopher who planted the parable of the " Good Samaritan " in the heart of the race , and first gave to the world , speaking as never man spake , the thrilling gospel of the " Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man . "

The religion of Jesus Christ alone was instituted to restore law , order , harmony ; in short , to give back that liberty that went down amid the ruins of the Fall , and left man , had the Spirit of God never reached him , an object slave forever . Civil liberty is its gift ; and is , as well as spiritual liberty , a thing divine . So within the points of the compasses and underneath the exposed

ends is found " The Way , the Truth , and the Life . " In Lodge , Chapter and Council the great lesson to be learned is that Christ was the centre and germ of life in the preceding dispensations ; that He was the object of faith of the patriarchs as they stood by the altar and the bleeding sacrifice . That to Him the faith breathed through the services of the tabernacle and temple looked