What Freemasonry Is.

ing sheet of oblivion . How are we planning and building for fchafc life ? Our craffc teaches care and vigilance . As Freemasons , knowing the nse of the plumb and level and square , let us subdue our unholy passions and avoid the

corruption of selfish practices , so that we may present to fche Great Judge of the quick and the dead a pure , upright life , so given to love of God and our brother that we may receive the white stone with our new name written upon it .

Life eternal ! 0 , to what an existence does Freemasonry call attention ! I seem to see the winter of death passing into fche spring-time of heaven . The pilgrims are coming home . Without seam , or wrinkle , or any such thing , they

come up from the earthly tabernacle to the celestial Lodge . There are shining faces so bright thafc an archangel mighfc light his torch by them . The working tools are laid aside . The battle wifch sin and care is over . They gather there

before the throne in one wide sweeping arch that fascinates fche eyes of admiring angles . But lo ! the arch is

incomplete , and as the angels begin to murmur , the Master Carpenter of Nazareth sits on his throne , and in marvellous beauty the royal arch of an eternal brotherhood is complete . And the trees of life clap their hands , and the

crystal sea shimmers in the brightness of the Kings presence , and voices like the music of many waters take up the song : Holy ! holy ! 0 , King brother , thou art worthy to receive honour and glory . —Masonic Ghronicle .

Masonic Faith And Works.

MASONIC FAITH AND WORKS .

EREMASONRT has enjoyed the signal advantage which has been the making of the American peoplevarious nations have united to give it form and direction , to inspire its faith , and to mould its works . As the American nation is a mosaic of the English , the German ,

the Spanish and the French , who have blended into tbe modern American , so tbe Fraternity of Freemasons is a result of the combination of the Turanian , Semitic , Celtic and Aryan races , and retains the noblest features of them

all . Masonic tradition , corroborated by tho authority of the First Great Light in Masonry , establishes in large part this assertion . King Hiram and King Solomon , Phoenicia

and Palestine , Tyre and Jerusalem , were united in promoting the development of the noblest , most cosmopolitan and enduring fraternity known among men—that of the

Freemasons . The Architectural ability of our forefathers in the Craft

was derived from the Turanian race . King Hiram belonged fco that people , and in Egypt we find the most wonderful remains evidencing the race ' s scientific mind and deft handicraft . They were unsurpassed as architects , and from

a period so remote as 3500 years B . C ., in Egypfc , when the oldest and the finest of tho Pyramids and Temples of Egypt were erected , down to 1500 A , D ., in tho Middle Ages , in

Europe , this skill was never lost , but always exemplified by a continuous succession of Freemasons , members of the related mystic fraternities of all the ages included between these remote dates .

Matched with the architectural ability of the Turanian race , Freemasonry possesses the religious faculty of tbe Semitic race . This race , in its purity , has always maintained its belief in the unity of God , a God underived from man ,

self-existent , and the creator of all things in heaven and earth—the Grand Architect of the Universe , the one only living and true God . Linked with this just estimate of the Deity , was tbe practice of a pure morality . In these we

find the second characteristic of Freemasonry—faith in tho All-Father , and the practice of morality—our Craffc having been defined to be " a beautiful system of morality , veiled in allegory , and illustrated by symbols . "

Through intermingling with the Ayran race , our Craft fortified itself in its intellectual and moral features . They , too , worshipped one ineffable , incorporeal God . They were symbologists , as we are , and they never sunk the thing

signified in the sign . The Sun and Moon , tbe Stars and Earth , were to them the visible manifestations of His power and glory . But the Aryans had not the artistic sense ; they loved not architecture , and the decline of that noblest of arts

in Europe , m the Middle Ages , and with it the Craft of the mediajval Freemasons , was tbe result of the spread and influence of the Aryan race . They were patrons of the useful , as opposed to the fine arts . Bufc the influence of the Celtic race saved the Masonic Fraternity from possible extinction . The Celts are gifted with both enthusiasm and artistic

Masonic Faith And Works.

taste . They have preserved architecture in modern Europe . The English Colts have been the revivers of tho Masonic Fraternity , and to them we owe all ofthe glory of American Masonry , since we are descended from the Grand Lodgo of England .

This brief racial history of Freemasonry furnishes us with the key to what wore once , but are now no longer , the secrets of its faith and works .

The faith of Freemasonry is tbe purest known fco man ; and it ia so simple that any people having a decided bias towards the truth may readily accept it . It is not dogmatic , nor sectarian . It is for all nations , all religions . It is for all

who think , all who feel , all who are worthy . Ifc is for yesterday , to-day , and to-morrow . It was , and is , and is to be . Nature and revelation—emanations from the same All-Father , are together its Corner-stone . The Sun is our ever-present emblem of the Deity—the type of that Masonic Light which ifc is our privilege to disseminate .

Lightbearers we are , and Light-giving is our mission . And all of our moral light radiates from the First Greafc Light in Masonry—the Holy Bible , God ' s inestimable gift to man . The works of Freemasonry are suggested by the name we confer upon every initiate— "Brother "—the origin *!

Sanscrit word from which ifc is derived signifying " he who carries , or assists . " Freemasons assist each other , they have human sympathy , which they display first towards those united by the Mystic Tie , and next to mankind

whenever in sore distress . The benevolence of Freemasonry is an Aryan benevolence , which Charles Morris justly says " is loftier in its grade and far less contracted in its outreach than that of any other race of mankind . " This race is

destined to go on conquering and to conquer , and Freemasonry goes on with it—unless it should degenerate into lip-service , or be lost in a cloud of degrees . To-day , however , Masonic faith and works are enlightening the world of initiates . —Keystone .

Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

HUMBER LODGE , No . 57 . ripHE 62 nd anniversary of laying the foundation . stone of this JL Lodge was celebrated on Tuesday , the 7 th inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Osborne-street , Hnll . The Lodge having been dnly opened , the chief items of bosioess were present itions to tho Immediate Past Master , Bro . John Clark , and to Bro , A . King . Bro . VV . Tesseyman P . M ., iu m > ku < - » th « presentation to Bro . Clark ,

which consisted of a handsome gold Pa < t Master's jewel , said he waa snre that the manner in which Bro . Clark had conducted the duties of the Lodge during his year of office bad given satisfaction to all

tbe brethren . Having mentioned that a presentation would also be made to Mrs . Clark , by the brethren , he said tho gift was made most freely , and from the hearts of tho brethren . The jewel bore the following inscription : —

" Presented to Bro . J . Clark , by the members of the Hnmber Lodge , No . 57 , ns a mark of their high esteem and appreciation for the zeal and ability displayed by him as their Worshipful Master , 1888 . " Bro . Clark , in acknowledging the gift , appi'opriately thankel tha brethren , observing that be had done his duty to the best of hia

ability , and if he had pleased them he was satisfied . Bro . E . Corn ' s P . M . presented Bro . A . K ng with an illuminated address of thanks , engrossed on vellum , for the able manner in whioh he had carried ont the dnties of Hon . Secretary of the Lodge for five years . Bro . Corris gave a review of Bro . King ' s work during the seventeen years In

had been a Mason , aud i xpressed the high appreciation in which he was held by the brethn-i * . Bro . King , in responding , said he lookel npon the testimonial as a welcome gift , not ou account of its intrinsic value , bnt as showing the depth of " heir affection , because he believed it was given with the be- < fc wishes nod with the knnliitst feeling

of brotherly love . He shon'd look npon it a * a most valaabU recognition of tbe little services he had been able to r- nder tho Lodge , and he felt that the compliment , wns far greater than U-u » e services deserved . Subsequently a banquet wa * heli in the

banqueting hall . During the evening songs and recitations were given by Bros . E . Corn ' s , T . Isles , Wilkinson , J . Sherwood , Mills , Hawley , Bristow , and others . Bro . J . H . Stringer presided at tho pianoforte , and Bro . J . Thyec officiated aa Acting Director of Ceremonies .

TYNWALD LODGE , No . 1242 . ON Wednesday , the 8 th inst ., the Provincial Grand Master and hia Officers paid an official visit to this Lodge , which met in its own room at the Masonic Hall , Douglas , Isle of Man , Bro . A . W . Brearey W . M . presiding . The Provincial Officers were received in customary manner by fche brethren . The Provincial Grand Maste * ,

tddressing the brethren , congratulated all members of the Craft in the Island npon the honour recently conferred upon the Province by his being as-ked to preside at the Grand Lodge in England—a mark of favonr which had been generally appreciated . He also OJUgrhtalated the Craft in the Islo of Man on their exertions ia aid of