The Abbey Lodge. No. 2030.

saored memories j this hall in which we are met , uniting such skill and beanty in design , adorned with thesceue 3 of other days so exqnisitelv and panoramically grouped around ns—the honoured and historio ' name borne by the first Master of this Lodsre , associated as it is not only with tho dignity and prosperity , but with tho religions progress and bountiful Charities of Westminster ; a name munificently and elo .

quently illustrated by the noble Lady ( the Baroness Bnrdett-Contts ) who has so gracefully addressed us to-day ; and last , though not least , the ancient as well as modern landmarks of our Order , which mark the Masonic history of this city , all supply us with a chain of auguries , by which , as by so many golden links , the glorious Past is bound to the happy Present , and point , as I trust in God may

prove to be the case , to a prosperous Future for the Abbey Lodge . As our Masonio forefathers worked for us , so let us work for onrsolves , as well as for those who shall succeed us when we have fallen asleep , and who shall rejoice in this Lodge , so happily situated in every way , as in a model home of English Masonry . A home—a sacred homewhere our holy rites may be duly performed in tho solemn repose of a

holy place , set apart for suoh high purposes ; n home whioh shall be a type for the Lodges of England , and whioh , while in no way preventing the happy social intercourse that I trust may ever mark our festive gatherings in their proper place , shall Recure a sacred enclosure for those most solemn and beautiful ceremonies which have regard to that Grand Master on high , whom Jacob adored at Bethel ,

and Solomon worshipped on the hill of Sion . And as in the material , so in the moral and intellectual world , we hope to do our part in onr generation . It has been well observed by an eminent writer , that " subject to certain cycles of partial revolu tion , every generation of men is a labourer for that whioh succeeds it , and makes an addition to that great snm total of achieved results

whioh may , in commercial phrase , be called the capital of tho race . " Every generation of men , as they traverse the vale of life , are bound to accumulate new treasures for the race , and thus leave the world ( as far as they are concerned at least ) richer than they found it . Of the mental portion of this treasure , no Btnall part is stored . The Greeks , perhaps , had the

largest ideas upon the training of man , and produced samples of our race with gifts unsurpassed . But the nature of man , such as they knew it , was scarcely at all developed ; nay , it was maimed in its supreme capacity , in its relations to the Great Architect of the Universe , and the Father of Spirits . Hence , as in the visions of the Prophet , so upon the roll of history , the imposing fabrics of

ancient civilisation have never endured . Greece has bequeathed to us her ever-living tongue , and the undying labours of her intellect . Eome made ready for a later age the germs of polity and law ; but the bright collection of endowments which goes to form civilisation , having no root in itself , could not weather the storms of time and change . But there is a community that has weathered

all those storms . Taking its riso in the earliest ages , founded on tho purest principles of piety and virtue , it has pursued an onward course from age to age , a three-thousand years' tale not yet full told . But there was light along all its course ; a light to those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death , guiding their feet into the way of peace , and pointing tho pathway to a happier land .

Yes , Brethren , Freemasonry can boast , not only a most remote origin , but a most glorious career ; like a golden thread in some texture of beauty , it has run through the varying fabric of human thought , aud , like the great river of Egypt , it has wonnd its devions way through many a land , overflowing and fertilising tho nations in its course ; meeting with various forms of religions belief and civil government , it has allied itself to all in proportion ns each

system was disciplined by order , practised in virtue , awl founded on truth . Breaking through the fetters of mere hnman systems , it has ever boldly proclaimed those great cardinal truths which cherish virtue and point to Heaven . Salted with perpetual life , it has passed throngh the terrors of heathen darkness , medieval corruption , and modern Atheism . It ha 3 kindled , trne freedom of thought .

That freedom of mind which no vulgar dominion , Can turn from the path a pure conscience approves ; Which , with hope in the heart and no chain on the pinion , Holds upward its course to the light that it loves . " Hence it is that Freemasonry has had to encounter many foimidable foes , hence especially has our Order been denounced by

superstition and been persecuted by intolerance ; but , like the granite promontory , it stands unmoved among the wild ravings of fanaticism—which surge around it , only to be hurled back into their native foam . Unhappy is he who in his morose bigoted selfsufficiency can see nothing but evil in the history of humanity ; and who overlooks all those conceptions of truth and of good—nil

those kind aud beautiful affections which God has interwoven with onr frame , and which throw almost a divine glory over tho most clouded featnres of the history of our kind ; or who beholds only in that varied and wonderful history the traces of n . mined being , And to pray , as 'its noblest consummation , that all its future pages may exhibit the aspiring faculties of human genius , bound down under

one narrow system of contracted thought , and the natural flow of human affections creeping ou in one dull and artificial channpl ! Nor does the blood of tho natural man freeze in the veins when the sublime principles of faith are impressed upon the soul , bnt continues to flow as before through their multiplied windings ; neither is it meant that these principles of a higher character , should impose one rush of genuine affection—one legitimate eniuloyment of onr intellectual

powers—or even one innocent piny of ' fancy—bnt that they slioulcl guide them all to rbjlit ends and gnaid them with the shield of their own peculiar sanctity . Freemasonry rejoices in those principles , it addresses itself to every description ' of men , and hides the poor under the shadow of itn wings from the ills and injuries of life , tt is eqnally suited to the north , the south , tho ra = t , the west—all are interested in its beautiful lessous of brotherl y love and all treasure its contemplations of immortal life .

The Abbey Lodge. No. 2030.

Ours is indeed a glorious fabric ! founded in strength , ordered by wisdom , and adorned with beanty ! For , say , Brethren , what institution can have a firmer foundation than the volume of G ^ V * sacred lata ? And why is this so , independent of its own claim ? Because it sanctions all that experience tenches ns respecting I ho natural powers of the mind . It leads us up in grateful thoughts

to Him who bestowed the principles of life at tho first , and wto continues to impart them throngh successive generations . It enhances its value by asserting and proving its immortality . It renders the man useful to society by cherishing tho lovo of goolness and encouraging hatred to vice , by unveiling tho future destination of tho spirit to eternal happiness as the reward of pietv ,

or to eternal misery as tho just judgment of sin , and thus affords a more powerful guard of virtue , and barrier against vico than all the laws society could impose . He then that is an enemy to sacred truth is an enemy to Mm'elf . He is extinguishing , so far as he can , the light which is sent to gnide him home and to absorb tho feebler rays of reason and of nature , and he is refusing

the only enp of consolation which is a true antidote to the b ' tter . ness of sorrow . But he is a enemy to mankind for he is robbin ' society of the cement whioh holds it together , of the source of its intelligence , its happiness , its glory . And he who is the enemy of the Man is the enemy of God ; for He is the Parent as well as tho Architect of the Universe . He stamped human nature with HU

image , and He loves it still . Yes , brethren ; the Sacred volume 11 onr foundation stone , which , while it records a thousand blessings for the present , points ont to every wandering child of Adam " the path of life . " And if Truth lies at tho foundation , Wisdom has raised tho superstructure of our house . No one of thoughtful mind and who has studied Freemasonry to any extent can havo

failed to " observe the connection of our whole system as well as the relative dependence of its soveral parts ; " the great object * brought ont in the varions implements of art , the lessons taught by our traditional histories , tho significance of every ornament . tfmt adorns onr Lodges , all these are striking emblems of blessed verities —outer things mutely symbolising the highest duties of social li e ,

and the deepest truths connected with onr inner life . Nevor can wo witness a brother raised to the degree of a Master Mason wiihont feeling a divine call to a higher life ; without at least beingdeeply moved by the solemnities of a ceremony which for impressivones ^ and instruction is second to none in this lowor world . And is not our house not only strongly founded and wisely built ,

bnt beautifully adorned ? Are not pnrity of thought , integrity of life , benignity of manner , and , above all , sweet charity , the beautiful garments with which a true Mason is invested f . Oh , how lovely is Charity ! it constitutes the highest dignity of human nature ; it elevates and refines our feelings — it calms the storms of passion—it causes men to look with kindness on each other , and to

view no one as a stranger whose joys wo can heighten , whose wants we can supply , or whose sorrows we can soothe . No distinction of rank will affect its operation ; it will consider no objeot as beneath its notice that can bo benefited by its exortions , and no task to bo mean by which it dan promote human happiness . Where would be the boasted dignity of reason if employod only to promote narrow ,

selfish views ? Where the glory of that knowledge which never of itself "advised or comforted another ? Awl where the honour of Uuvfc power which nevor promoted indigent merit or wiped a tear from the monrner ' s eyo ? A fiend may possess a higher degree of rcison , more knowledge and more power than the wisest and best of men ; destitute of charity , he is the moro to be dreaded , not revered .

Who would esteem the man of rank whose haughty selfish spirir , conld never smile on modest worth ? Of what avail is wealt '» imprisoned in the rusty coffers of the miser or wantonly squander ! away in the dissipation of tho prodigal ? Who would value oninfluence if never employed in promoting the prosperity of 01 her- ' ? If such "ift = " are mado subservient to personal advantage , thev o Iv

show that wo want the sp rit . and inclination to enjoy that giva ' es - of all luxuries the luxury of dnieg good . And do not tho tenets i . f our venerable Order ever point in this direction ? Are n-, f our glorious Charitic .-i practical illustrations of these truths ? Yes ! Brethren , to bind np the broken hearted , to extricate the willing worker from misfortune ' s * grasp , to rescue the helpless an 1 Hie

orphan from the prospect of want or ruin , to comfort the wiil . iw : n affliction's honr , and to afford a peaceful home to the ag d an-1 deserving , in the evening of their days ; these are objects vr rfhy of the regard of every Mason who values the delight of bio sing others , the respect due to himself , the honour of the Cra t anl , above all , the approbation of God . And , as the child is father to the

man , let us as Masons give special diligence to foster education in its highest sense , and while storing tho mind and exercising the intellect , ever remember as men , as Englishmen , or as Masons , that there are weapons and an armour still more necessary for tho In'tie of life , and that it is not so much in what wo have , as in what v . c aro , that onr true greatness consists .

Lot ns educate the child , that when in future clays he feels himself alone among the crowd , when he is for a moment disheartened by that difficulty which is the rude and rocking cradle of all excellence , when " he is conscious of tho pinch of poverty and selfdenial , he shonld bo conscious too that , a sleepless eye is watching him from above ; that his honest efforts aro assisted ; that his

prayers are heard ; that all things are working together for his good . Ts not this the lifo of faith , or hope , of duty , which light up for ns the cheerless world , wv \ transfigure * alt that \ vc enccnuter ( whatever be its outer form ) with lines brought down from heaven and finally leads us throug h the valley of dark shadow "to slrno ns the stars for ever and ever . "

If thus , brethren , we hold to the great principles oE our Order , " adding to our faith virttio , to virtue knowledge , to knowledge temperance , to temperance brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity ; " then shall we hand down something in onr ge le . ration to bless and enrich our Craft , our country , and our kbd . Systems may change , customs may vary ; nay , empires may riso