Freemasonry Is Religious.

and performance of tho duties wo owe to God and our fellow-men arise from and are foruded on a principle of obedience to the Divine will . Whence else , or from what other will , could they have arisen ? It is the voice of the

Grand Architect of the Universe , symbolised to us in every ceremony of om * ritual and from every portion of the furniture of our Lodge , that speaks to tho true Mason , commanding him to fear God and to love tho Brethren . It is idle

to say that tho Mason does good simply in obedience to tho statutes of the Craft . These very statutes owe their sanction to the Masonic idea of tho nature and perfection of

God , which idea has como down to us from tho earliest history of tho Institution ancl the promulgation of which idea was tho very object and design of its origin . But it must be confessed that the fourth definition does

not appear to be strictly applicable to Masonry . It has no pretension to assume a place among the religions of the world , as a sectarian " system of faith and worship , " in the sense in which we distinguish Christianity from

Judaism , or Judaism from Mohammedism . In this meaning of tho word we do not aud cannot speak of the Masonic religion , nor say of a man that he is not a Christian , bufc a Mason . Hero it is that the opponents of

Freemasonry have assumed mistaken ground , in confounding the idea of a religions institution with that of the Christian religion as a peculiar form of worship , and in supposing , because Masonry teaches religious truth , that it is offered as a substitute for Christian truth and Christian

obligation . Its warmest ancl most enlightened f-iends have never advanced or supported such a claim . Freemasonry is not Christianity , nor a substitute for it . It is not intended to supersede it , nor any other . form of worship

or system of faith . It does not meddle with sectarian creeds or doctrines , but teaches fundamental religious truth—not enough to do away with the necessity of the Christian scheme of salvation—but more than enough to

show , to demonstrate , that it is in every philosophical sense of the word , a religious institution , and one , too , in which the true Christian Mason will find , if he earnestly seek for them , abundant types and shadows of Irs own exalted cud divinely inspired faith .

The tendency of all pure Masorry is towprd religion . If it make any progress , it is to that holy etfcl . Look at its ancient Landmarks—its sublime ceremonies—its

profound symbols and allegories—all inculcat ng religious doctrine , commanding laligious observance , and religious truth ; and who can deny that it is s ?* i err ' nently religious institution ?

_ But , besides , Masonry ' - * in a " its forms thoroughly tinctured with a true devotional spirit . Wc open ancl closo our Lodges with prayer ; wc invoke the blessing of the Most High upon PU out * labours ; wc demand of our

neophytes a profession of trusting belief -n the existence and the superin ten ding caro of God ; and wc teach them to bow with humility and reverence at His awful name , wtr ' e His holy law is widely opened npon our altars . Fret

masonry is thus identified with religion , and although a man may be eminently religious without be *'* ig a Mason , it is impossible thafc a Mason can I j " true and trusty " unless he is a respector of re' <' gion , and an obsciver of religious principle .

But then the religion of Masonry is not soctailan . It admits men of every creed within its hospitable bosom , rejecting none and approving none for his peculiar faith . It is not Judaism , though there is nothing in ifc to offend a

Jew ; it is not Christianity , but there is nothing in it repugnant to the faith of a Christian . Ita religion is that , general one of nature and primitive revelation— handed down to us from some r icient and patriarchal priesthood

, in which oil men may agree , and in which no men can differ . Ifc inculcates the practice of virtue , but it supplies no scheme of redemption for sin . Ifc points its disci ples to the path of righteousness , but it dess not claim to be " the

way , the truth and the life . " In so far , therefore , it cannot become a substitute for Christianity , but its tendency is thitherward ; and as a handmaid of religion it may , ancl often does , act as the porch that - ' u . ' .-oduces its vo ' ries

into the temple of Divine truth . Masonry , then , is a religions institution , and on this ground mainly , if not alone , shov 'd the religious Mason defend it . —Keystone .

Ar00601

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , in London and Country , by Bro . G . A . HUTTON , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made

Pilgrims' Day.

PILGRIMS' DAY .

rg ^ HE following spirited address was delivered by Grand A Master Endicott , at the celebration , at Plymouth , Boston , U . S . A ., in memory of the Pilgrim Fathers , held on Thursday , the 1 st August : — Wo havo mot horo on an occasion that enlists onr deepest interest . For about 15 years the people of the United States have been

celebrating at intervals the centennial days of American independence . In April 1875 , was commemorated nt Concord the firing of tho shot " heard round the world , " and last April the Hat seemed completed by the universal remembrance of the 100 th anniversary of "Washington ' s inauguration as President of the United State . " * . Let snch days aa

theso stand as a pledge that wo are not forgetful of the efforts onr fathers made to establish homes , nor are we indifferent to the privileges they won for us . To-day onr thoughts go back for two oenln : ips and n half , and dwell on fcho time when a little band of men and women lauded on this shore , and knew uot that they wei o bring .

ing wiili them the destinies of a great nation . In all history where can one look for suoh another picture as this , of tho little vessel ploughing its way across unknown seat * , freighted with tho hopes and (' oars cf men to whom principle was dearer than life itself , and lauding thorn at hat on a bleak coast iu cold nnd storm . They came

impelled by the same spirit that over throngh the history of the world has made for righteousness aud freedom . Touched with the strength of a common purpose , they braved danger ancl scorned hardship . The endurance in those bravo hearts has stirred endurance in many who came after them , for never was privation nobly borne or difficulty

surmounted that it did not leave added strength for future trial . Thirty years ago was laid with appropriate ceremonial tho cornerstone of this monument . It might have been an unwelcome word to the enthusiasm of that clay , if one had said that the call for its dedication would not go forth for 30 years ; but most fitting ifc is that this

monument to the memory of men who lived and died for freedom should now be dedicated in a free country ; men who have themselves known the struggle that gave the gift of freedom which was their own birthright to a captive race may indeed bless the completion of a monument like this . Thirty years ago men wero alarmed , distracted

with shadows of approaching conflict . Two or three years later Massachusetts was making history , not commemorating it , but to-day we may well gather to repeat the story of its founders . It is uot necessary thafc I should dwell here on the interest of Freemasonry in all that concerns the life of tbe community or the welfare of humanity .

The principles thafc emulated the Pilgrims are , indeed , the guiding stars of our Order , and it was with joyful readiness thafc we accepted the honour of sharing in this service thafc crowns the completed work . It has been sometimes fancied that Masonry was perhaps too ready fco remember fche past alone and to defend its right of existence on

tho grounds of its antiquity . We have far deeper reasons thau that for our participation in this ceremony to-day . If Masonry were content to rest on its past alone , its days would indeed be quickly numbered . It fails not in interest for tho active , earnest life of today . It turns with grateful affection indeed to tho noblo men and

noble deeds of generations past , but would win from tho new inspiration to act biavcly in tho lifo of to-day and to press on hopefully t > all that lies before . Thus it is our hopo that this monument may servo a double purpose . First , let it keep alive iu the hearts of later generations the memory of all thafc our present prosperity haa cost ,

that our ease has been bought with the struggles nnd privations of many , and that faith and undaunted heroism have entered into tlio very foundations of our institutions . Let it stand to tench that reverence for the past which is a part of every true nature . Only by building on the past can wo lift ourselves to higher level :-. Let thin

monument stand also as a promise for the future ; lot it c-juoh young men that to rightfully reverence the past , they must live for the foiuie , as did those men whoso memory wo honour to-day , Piosperity has its perils no less than adversity . It i .-t sometimes easier to be bravo in the face of hardship than to ho

true in the midst of luxury . How many a man has kept himself honest and hard-working in comparative poverty , who has proved himself unequal to the temptations of sudden wealth . Lot thia monument say to him who would honour the Pilgrim that ho can rightfully do so only by practising the Pilgrim ' s virtues . If suoh a

retrospect as thia day affords ua signifies any ctoop truth , it nvans that the ideal is moro than the actual . The ideal of right that waa in the hearts of the Pilgrims was stronger than the actual privations that surrounded them . The power of an idoa drew them from comfort , taught them to endure with fortitude and to work with will .

Thin thought of right , this ideal in their hearts , sustained them as eomrido brined comrade in the little bnrying ground yonder , and it continued with them as they turned back to thoir hard toil , and thoir fr-iqueut encounters with the Indian . What convincing testimony to the value of an idea does suoh a movement as this present . ' May ifc

stand fcbiongh fche years to recall the early days of our country to the minds of all who behold it , and to baar witness to thit surpassing power in the human heait whioh reckons pain and suffering of littlo account , whon it . ' i pressing forward to tho accomplishment of Divine ends .

Dublin Masonic Orphan Schools.

DUBLIN MASONIC ORPHAN SCHOOLS .

rTlHE secretary of Lodge 683 , Anahil'True Bines , Hillsborough , lias JL received £ 1 ( 3 16 s 3 d from Hro . W . Tenucnt Henry , O . K ., . ! . ! ' ., lato secretary of Hillsborough Presbyterian Church , being tlm amount of collection in thafc clu ** . * ch on tho occasion of a Masonic festival , and subscriptions before aud since received towards found ui" two ollicial

governorships for th ; a Lulge iu connection with tho Masonic * Orphan fc ' chools in Dublin . The Lodge also beg : ' to return their very beat thanks to Hro . the Rev . Chas . Donaldson and V . W . Bro . Tenn' -ut Henry , for their valuable services ou that occaai-, .