The Master Of A Lodgehis Duties.

Bay , why do you suffer suoh persons to disgrace your Society r why do you not rather expel them ? Simply because we cannot set up an inquisition to punish men because they want common sense or common prudence , or because we cannot get them to adopt our views of propriety . But though the world often unjustly imputes to Masonry the faults of individual Masons , for that very reason let

each Master , each true Mason , be vigilant . Let each sweep before his own door , the street will soon bo clean . Excess in even allowable things is transgression . " No deviation , " says tho excellent Bishop Hall , " is the silken thread running through the pearl chain of all virtues . " We have said the brethren must , in all lawful things , obey their

Master . He , on his part , should have no object bnt the advantage , welfare and comfort of his brethren . He should be careful to preserve uniformity , and to hand down unaltered to onr successors what wo have ourselves received . Masonry is universal , —it knows no limit of country , or language , or time ; therefore , its essential points must be strictly observed ; if not , it will lose its universality ,

and , to the same extent , its utility . Ceremonies must indeed change from time to time , and from country to country , but the essentials of the institution—its universal language and reciprocal obligations —must be carefully preserved from all addition or diminution ; we must adhere to tho form in which we have learned them ; we have no right to change even the antiquated phraseology to please the

fastidiousness of modern taste . It was well said , " you may polish an old coin , to make it more legible ; but if you go on polishing it , it will soon be a coin na longer . " And the Master should take care that every newly-admitted or newly-raised brother shall be fully instructed in all the essentials of the degree he has received—that he shall know to whom and to what he is bound . He has come to seek

the light of knowledge , and it is his right to receive it , full and pure , from him whose duty it is to impart it—the Master in the chair . But it is not by learned researches —by groping in the darkness of tho past—that we can best serve the institution , and do good in our own generation . It matters little to ns whether the rites of Masonry can be traced to patriarchal times ; to the exploded mysteries

of heathenism ; to the Jewish temple builders ; or , as some suppose , merely to the artificers whose labours covered Europe during the middle ages with such wonderful monuments of skill and perseverance . It is with the morality of the Society , not with its literary curiosities , but with the utility of it , that we have essentially to do . It professes to be founded on the two sublime and simple precepts ,

" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart , and thy neighbour as thyself . " Masonry may be older , or nower—we know not , and shall probably never know when it originated , or how ; but those were the rules prescribed by the All-wise and All-merciful for the rational creatures of His hands , before the foundations of tho world were

laid . Throughout all tho globe we inhabit—throughout the vast immensity of creation , obedience to these commands , universal as tho presence of Him who has ordained them , constitutes the moral happiness of rational beings . Living Faith , and Active Benevolence , are the real foundations of Freemasonry . Masters of Lodges , keep that fact in tho view of

your brethren , your words and style may bo rude and unpolished , but if your hearts bo in them they will awaken admiration and sympathy . It is generally supposed , by those who do not object to Masonry as a positive evil , that it is at least a harmless charitable association ; but , in truth , the real spirit of Masonry is not confined to the relief of a brother ' s physical wants , or the preservation of a brother ' s life

in peril—of which we have all heard many interesting instances . Such occasions seldom occur ; but every day affords opportunity to promote onr brother ' s temporal good by lawful and honourable means ; to help him , by enabling him to help himself ; to extend onr sympathy to his troubles , aud our charity to his failings and imperfections ; to make peace between friends ; to warn one of his danger , another of his errors—to be patient , tolerant , and forgiving toward all .

And it is because Masonry brings into exercise qualities of which all acknowledge the excellence , that it has its vitality , universality , and importance . A bitter enemy of Masonry , through the public press , asked , "Who has sanctioned this combination , that it thus be permitted to spread over the world , and act as it liketh , at all seasons and in all places ? It may exist in the Government , or the

seat of justice , in the jury-box , iu the legislature , m the army , in the navy , and even among onr own dependents ; it may plot or cabal against ns , or for us ; we are powerless in its meshes ; they may , in spite of ns , plot together against us ? How insignificant is the power of the confessional when compared to this . " It is pleasant to think that , so far as regards the diffusion of our

Society , this anxious alarmist is perfectly right . The meshes , as he calls them , of Masonry do , in truth , envelop tho world . From St . Petei'sburgh to Tasmania , from Hong Kong to London , from Peru and La Plata to California and Canada , they include men of all estates and conditions ; and whether you go to ask a favour from a prince , or to get a horse shod by the blacksmith , yon may find a " Brother of tho Mystic Tie " in him you seek . So mote it ever be !

Yet , wo do not see , and we do not believe , that any ono is a whit the worse for Masonic plots and cabals—plans for infernal machines have never , that wo know of , been submitted to the Board of General Purposes . But this Fraternity , powerful as it is , is so only for good . It is powerless for evil . Direct it to a good end , then every true Mason will lend his aid ; the arms of the Society will stretch over the globe to assist you , and the " meshes " of tho net work

will" Feel in each thread and lire along the line . " But try to turn it to evil—the strong chain of Brotherhood drops short—it ceases to enfold the evil-doer , while it re-unites more firmly than ever around the rest . Other associatious have died away in thousands , in all ages , because their ends were evil , and their pur-

The Master Of A Lodgehis Duties.

poses narrow . Bnt Masonry , though cursed and denounced , ridiculed , reviled aud persecuted , and , alas ! too often perverted , abused , degraded , and prostituted , is still founded on Truth and the immutable laws of the Sovereign Architect of the Universe ; and , therefore , it is the bond of a great and powerful association , spread over the whole habitable world , honoured and protected by Princes

and Statesmen ; and what is of greater importance to us , cultivated and cherished by a multitude of wise and pious , consciencious and honourable men—the approbation of a single one of whom outstrips the discredit of a whole prisonful of drunkards , swindlers and impostors .

We take part in Masonry because we have experimentally found it to do good , and because we think that if it fails to do so the fault is in ourselves , not in it . And therefore , in turning its capabilities for good to account , and checking its tendencies to evil , we are all accountable to the Creator for the use we may make of this , as of every other opportunity afforded ns to serve onr fellowmen .

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

' One Hundred Years Old" at the Olympic—Kecent Announcements . IT happens , occasionally , that an aotor fails , in the ordinary course of his profession , to attain that position to which he considers himself entitled , and attempts , by means of special performances , or other extraordinary means , to bring himself prominently before the public . This course has been adopted , to some extent , by

Mr . Odell , who has won a certain amount of public favour in eccentric comedy and burlesque , but who , apparently , believes himself possessed of greater ability and higher art than those which he has hitherto had opportunities of exhibiting . On Saturday last , Mr . Odell gave a morning performance at tho OLYMPIC , at which was

produced an adaptation of " Le Centenaire , " a play by MM . Dennery and Pigou , successfully brought out in Paris a short time ago . The Paris correspondents of our daily papers havo made all London familiar with the plot of the piece , and it is therefore unnecessary that we should recapitulate it , but we must remind our readers

that the success of the piece was chiefly owing to the admirable acting of M . Lafont in the title role . It is this part which Mr . Odell attempted on Saturday , a part differing widely from any which he has played before : it wonld be as unjust as unkind to institute any comparison between the performance of M . Lafout and that of Mr .

Odell , but , judging Mr . Odell ' s impersonation on its own merit simply , we must pronounce it to have been a failure . In make-np and appearance the actor was perfect ; his picture of extreme old age was admirable ; but when we looked for the expression of an active mind imprisoned in an infirm body , for tho

evidence of that love for his grand-daughter conflicting with a stern regard for the honour of his house , which is the leading characteristic of Le Centenaire , we were obliged to own ourselves disappointed . Mr . Odell is deficient in both pathos and power , as might have been expected by any one who had watched his career . The only other

character we need notice is that of Camillo , played by Miss Louise Willes , a lady new to London , whoso grace and intelligence givo promise of a bright future . We should deeply regret to damp the laudable ambition of any actor , and especially of one like Mr . Odell , with really good stuff in him , but we must express our conviction that at present ho is overtasking his powers , and flying at too high

game . On Monday next Mr . and Mrs . Billington will appear at the Globe in a piece written expressly for them , called " Hough and Ready . " " Self , " a now drama by Messrs . Oxenford and Horace Wigan , will

speedily be produced at the Mirror . Mr . Hare will shortly close his first season at the Court , and will then make a provincial tour . The theatre will be re-opened in September , with " A Nino Days' Wonder . "

The Surrey Masonic Hall.

THE SURREY MASONIC HALL .

ON Wednesday , 14 th July , the new Masonic Hall for tho South of London was formally dedicated to Freemasonry , by the Most Worshipful Lord Skelmersdale , Deputy Grand Master of England and Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire . Tho Hall is situated in the Camberwell New Road , close to tho Camberwell Station of the London , Chatham aud Dover Railway . It is built in the classic style

from the designs of Bro . E . Clark ( Pain and Clark , Buckingham Street ) , by Mr . John Oliver , of Coldharbour Lane . The new building is fitted with every convenience for the assembling of Lodges , and for the wants of the brethren . In addition to a large Lodgo Room and Banqueting Room , there is an extensive Public Hall , which may be

secured for public entertainments . Lord Skelmersdale was supported by a large company of Freemasons , both from London and the Province of Surrey . At the conclusion of the ceremony of dedication

of the Hall , Lord Skelmersdale consecrated the Surrey Masonic Hall Lodge , and Bro . Robert Wentworth Little , Secretary of tho Girls ' School , installed Bro . M . S . Lnrlham as its first Worshipful Master . The brethren afterwards partook of an excellent banquet .

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