The Responsibility Of A Freemason.

forward ; that He was the substance of which the law had a shadow ; that He was the object that prophets foretold ; that in Him both were united and fulfilled . The first duty of a Mason is to God , next to his neighbour , then to himself . Controversy ends with this statement . Then what higher love could the creature manifest for his Creator

than his acceptance of the Son of whom it is declared : " For God so loved the world than He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life . " Do Masons point to John the Evangelist as a patron saint ? Then hear his message from the Father : " He that believeth not God hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son . "

To fail in the performance of the first duty as a Mason is to fail in the duties that follow , and come to the end of life a miserable bankrupt . Freemasonry must ever be Sthe bulwark against which absoluteism shall come to grief : it must be the fostering parent

of free speech and free thought throughout the world . It was Christian Freemasonry that planned and gave the Declaration of American Independence , and it has ever been both the fulcrum and lever in upholding the liberties guaranteed to the people by that Declaration . It ought also to be the first to extend its hand

wherever there is death and want and sorrow . Having been poor and blind and naked , every Mason ought to know how to sympathise with the afflicted ones of this sin-cursed world . When he forgets this lesson he is mean , sordid , selfish , devilish . No matter how he may clothe himself he can have no lot or part in the inheritance of the faithful .

While politics should never be discussed in a Masouic Lodge , it is demanded of every Mason that he carry his Masonry—its truths and principles—into politics , as well as into business and society , for the reason that every Mason is sent into the world with a mission from Almighty God A' Ye have not chosen me , but

I have chosen you , and ordained you , that ye should go and bring forth fruit , and that your fruit should remain . " His ambassadorship is unmistakable and absolute . There may be differences of opinion as to the ways to be chosen for the speedy accomplishment of that mission , but there can be no question as to the

objective point ; the glory of God in that righteousness which exalteth a nation . It is now generally conceded that to be a Mason is to possess a passport to the confidence of the suffrages of the people . Even the greatest foe to the Institution recognises this fact in the selection of her political labourers ; but she makes

decoy ducks of them , by first taking them up upon a high mountain and getting them to fall down and worship her , for the glory of the kingdoms of power shown them . This recognition of the principles of honour and integrity in the disciples of Freemasonry is laudable , and the Institution must safeguard her

honour when such disciples become betrayers—making compromises with the powers of darkness—by cutting them off for ever . Their leprosy is contagious and Masonry cannot afford to cover up the diseased body with her sacred garments . In the recent elections have been seen Brother pitted against Brotherbut you would never have known of the relationship if conduct

had' alone been left to impart the knowledge . Deceit , trickery , slander , and , if hatred in the heart be murder , then murder can be added to the crimes perpetrated in the shadow of the Five Points of Fellowship . Now , Masonry cannot be blind to these crimes without becoming a hiss and a byword to all people , and instead of a temple filled with the beauty of holiness of the Lord , a sepulchre filled with all rottenness .

The faithful performance of the first two duties incumbent upon every Mason guarantees to him and his children the wisest protection of all interests in this world and the world to come . A Mason ' s day of twenty-four hours is divided into three

equal parts , whereby are found eight hours for the service of God and a distressed worthy Brother ; eight for his usual avocation , and eight for refreshment and sleep . What a useless parade to talk of these things within the walls of the Lodge if they are never carried out in the life ?— " American Tyler . "

LIFE-BOAT SERVICES IN 1898 .

NOTWITHSTANDING that the past year , taken as a whole , was a : remarkably fine one from a Life-Boat point of view , there was at times , during the few fitful gales which were experienced , plenty of work for the Life-Boats and their crews to do . The heaviest gales of the year occurred on the 24 th to 28 th March , the 16 th to 22 nd October , and the 22 nd to 24 th November . In the first case thirty-six Life-Boats of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution were launched on service , resulting in the saving of ninety lives , and the landing of five other persons from vessels in

dangerous positions ; m the second case twenty-eight Life-Boats were launched , resulting in the saving of thirty lives ana the safe landing of nine other persons from vessels in peril ; and in the third case thero were twenty . six launches , resulting in the saving of sixty-nine lives . In the March gale several of the Life-Boats out on service were unable to return to their stations , and were compelled to put in elsewhere until the weather had moderated . During the month of August there were no less than , thirtyseven Life-Boats launched OR service , by which means thirty-four lives were

The Responsibility Of A Freemason.

saved . This number of launohes was altogether abnormal , having regard to the time of year . The long list of gallant services rendered by the Life-Boats of the Institution during the year included the rescue of 682 lives , besides much valuable property , twenty-two vessels having been saved from total or partial loss . In addition , tha Life-Boats landed 137 persons , soma of whom had taken refuge on light vessels , and others coming ashore as a precautionary measure , their vessels being in danger in stormy weather .

Great assistance was also given in many oases to fishing boats returning from the fleets or fishing grounds , but unable to make a harbour without help from a Life-Boat , owing to the badness of the weather . During the year the Life-Boats were launched 357 times on service , besides which the crews were assembled on seventy-six other occasions , when it was thought that their services might probably he required . Rewards were also granted by the

Institution for the saving of seventy-four lives by shore-boats or other means during the year , bringing up the total number of lives for the saving of which the Society granted rewards in 1898 to 756 ,. and to 41 , 233 since 1824 . The cost of maintaining the Institution ' s fleet of 294 Life-Boats in thorough efficiency is increasingly heavy , and the amount received in annual subscriptions and accruing from assured income is insufficient for the purpose . Further financial help is therefore much needed by the Institution .

CRITERION THEATRE . —From grave to gay is the order at this theatre , and thus the tears evoked by the tragic " Jest , " are easily assuaged by the roars of laughter aroused by Messrs . Alfred Maltby and Frank Lindo ' s farcical comedy " My ' Soldier' Boy . " The piece had already achieved a favourable reception upon its production at the Fulham Theatre last year , but the cast of characters having been revised by the addition of more experienced artistes its success was assured at once . A great deal has to be

accepted in " farcical comedy , " and it requires a lively imagination to clothe the " Boy " with a semblance of possibility , but taking the piece as it comes there is an immense amount of fun in it . Mr . Maltby himself sustains one of those characters which fit his peculiar humour exactly , though the burden of work falls upon Mr . Weedon Grossmith as Mortimer Mendle , who is indefatigable and as amusing as ever . Miss Ellis Jeffreys as Mrs . Mendle ,

who previous to her marriage has had a successful breach of promise action and is anxious to conceal the fact from her husband , is also excellent , and Messrs . Ivan Watson , Roper Spyers and B . A . George , together with handsome Miss Jenny McNulty all give assistance in making the farce hum . The farce is preceded by a pathetic little curtain raiser entitled " Nicolette , " by Mr . Edward Ferris and Arthur Stewart , in which the first named sustains the principal personage . It was also well received .

We congratulate our neighbour , Bro . J . Hamilton Craig , proprietor of the Hadley Hotel , New Barnet , on his promotion to the chair of Junior "Warden of his Mother Lodge—the famous Joppa , No . 188—and hope he may in due course rise to the dignity of Master therein .

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