What Is Higher?

the roof . Destroy the foundation and the whole structure falls . The varied thoughts of men respecting life , and the different shades of belief have led to the creation of many degrees in Masonry in the hope to make a more lasting impression for good . To the extent that these new ceremonies make plain and forceful the lessons of symbolic Masonry , they are desirable and useful .

They only make the Master Mason ' s degree the sublimest of them all , and lead a man to regard his Lodge affiliation with the fcenderest affection . These degrees of the York Eite and the Scottish Eite are higher only in number , nofc in importance . They only lift up the Lodge to the highest possible degree . — " New York Dispatch . "

Non-Sectarianism.

NON-SECTARIANISM .

MASONEY at the present day exhibits a great liberality of sentiment in religious matters . Holding the great essential doctrines of revealed religion , in which " all men agree " who believe in God and His word , it permits its individual members to entertain their own peculiar opinions in matters not essential . So they are good and true , or men of honour and

honesty , Masonry asks nofc whether fchey are Jews or Gentiles ; the followers of Calvin or Arminius , of George Fox or Eoger Williams ; high churchmen , low churchmen or dissenters ; whether they have been baptised or circumsised , or neither . They may worship God in Jerusalem or Jericho ; in Geneva , or Oxford , or Moorestield ; in the Cathedral or in the forest—so

they sincerely worship God . The question is not how they discharge this duty , but whether they discharge it at all . So they are good men and true men , men of honour and integrity , men who believe in God and obey His moral law , Masonry will not ask as to the particular creed , or sect , or party , fchey cling to . This is one of the most beautiful and valuable features of

Masonry . Ifc contemplates a universal Brotherhood , meeting , uniting on a plane of action far above parby , the petfcy and changing creeds which enter into the religious opinions of the world . It regards all men as children of one common parent ; subject to the same supreme moral law ; inheriting a common destiny , having an equal interest in the future . Uniting upon

these broad and comprehensive principles , it brings all together before the altar of a supreme Divinity , where they may mingle their vows , their prayers and their charities , without discord or dissenfcion . How often is the high church Episcopalian , the Presbyterian , the Jew and the Quaker , seen mingling in fraternal

harmony in our Lodges ? Brethren travelling on the same level and sharing the same hope ; bending side by side before Him who looks at the heart and nofc at the creed , and who will ultimately " try our work , " not by the theory on which it has been formed , but by its completeness of finish and adaptation to a Temple " not made with hands . "

This feature in Masonry exhibits not alone its beauty , but the wisdom of its organization ; and fche incomparable strength of its union . It does not permit the discussion of creeds , either political or religious , within its peculiar circle . The great theme of discussion is—love to God and love to man , " faith in God , hope in immortality , and charity to all mankind . "— " Masonic Eeview . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do' not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good , faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

DE MOETUIS NIL NISI BONUM

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , —I observe in this day ' s CHRONICLE that in the United States Miss Lillian Pike has found it necessary to protest , even at this late stage , against the slanders published by priests and others against her deceased father's good name . I have no expressions strong enough to deprecate the wilful causing of pain to a fellow creature ; fortunately it is so certain of punishment here , that even hardened villains have hesitated to

burden their conscience with so hellish a sin . I sympathise with Miss Pike ; she may be assured , however , that there has never been any doubt in the mind of anyone who knew Albert Pike , that the notorious " Diana Vaughan allegations " were false . They were too glaring monstrosities for any right-minded man to believe , Mason or not . Many of my Masonic friends in the United Kingdom had , in connection with the highest degrees , closer relations with Albert Pike than I could ever

have bad . Throughout my Masonic career I have preferred to remain what I call a constitutional Mason ; nevertheless , while of opinion " that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more , viz ., those of the Entered Apprentice , the Fellow Craft , and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of the Holy Eoyal Arch" ( Book of Constitutions p . 16 . ) I know too many good men and true connected with those so-called higher degrees , to havo a word to say against others taking them if they choose to do so . because I have no doubt as to their moral basis . I never saw the late

Correspondence.

Bro . Pike , and , like scores of eminent Masons abroad , have had to judge of his character by his deeds , writings and utterances . From these _ I am convinced he was a good man , and I have moreover not the least hesitation in expressing my opinion that some day he will be acknowledged to have been the greatest Masonic " thinker " of his time . In his defence let me give a few of his expressions that occur to me at the moment : —

( 1 . ) " None suffer for ever , nor for nought , nor without purpose . It is the ordinance of God ' s wisdom , and of his infinite love to procure us infinite happiness and glory . " ( 2 . ) * ' There are hard lessons in the school of God ' s providence . . from patience is to come perfection , from the cloud of darkness the lightning is to flash that shall open the way to eternity . "

( 3 ) "If from prosperity we have learned moderation , temperance , candour , modesty , gratitude to God and generosity to men , then we are entitled to be honoured and rewarded . If we have learned selfishness and self-indulgence , wrong-doing and vice , to forget and overlook our less fortunate Brother and to scoff at the providence of God , then we are

unworthy and dishonoured , though we have been nursed in affluence or taken our degrees from the lineage of a hundred descents ; as truly so in the eye of heaven and all right-thinking men as though we lay , victims of beggary and disease , in the hospital , hy the hedge , or on the dunghill . The most ordinary human equity looks not at the school , hut at the scholar ; and the equity of heaven will not look beneath that mark . "

( 4 . ) " Every man should choose to have God for his master rather than man . " ( 5 . ) " If your Masonry is a nullity , how can you exercise any influence on others ? Continually you praise each other and utter elaborate eulogies upon the Order . Everywhere you assume that you are what you should be , and nowhere do you look upon yourself as you are . Is it true that all our

actions are so many acts of homage to virtue ? Explore the recesses of your hearts ; let us examine ourselves with an impartial eye , and make answer to our own questioning . Can we bear to ourselves the consoling testimony that we always rigidly perform our duties—that we even " half " perform them ? " Space will not allow of further quotations , but let the vilifiers and desecrators of the tomb reconcile these with their allegations if they can . Albert Pike was a man on whose memory the tongue of slander could

not long remain , and now that it has been openly acknowledged by the author that the infamous Diana " and all her works " were a gigantic hoax on the Boman Catholic Church , Miss Pike will do well and wisely by ceasing to distress herself ; she can confidently rest satisfied that in every corner of the earth Masons will sympathise with her , while the disgraceful disclosures have but heightened in honest men ' s minds the character they were meant to destroy .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , J . BAMSDEN BILBY . llth September 1897 .

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