Prayers In Our Lodges.

PRAYERS IN OUR LODGES .

HAVING been consulted by the Chaplains of some of our subordinate Lodges , in reference to their official duties , we take this opportunity of saying a few words in answer to the question , " Does the Institution of Freemasonry ever require or expect from any of her

members the sacrifice of their religious convictions ? " To this question we answer , without hesitation , No ! never . As you all understand , every candidate for our mysteries , having professed his faith in God , is assured

that nothing will be required of him incompatible with any duty he owes to his family , to his country , or to his Maker . Yet , notwithstanding this , we fear that there is more or less misapprehension in relation to this

subject—somo holding the view , thafc ^ because a candidate is only required to profess a belief in God , therefore our religious services and work should never rise above an elementary belief in Deity . This is a great mistake , and

entirely at variance with tbe past history of onr Order , and of all her teachings and practice . While Freemasonry is not a religion , it is a profoundly religious Institution , having in all ages , according to our traditions , from the

clays of King Solomon , our traditional founder , down to the present honr , Avalked close beside the Immemorial Church of God . Thus , as tho Handmaid of True Religion , she has become vitalised with Divine Truth , and in her teachings

has ever followed her Heavenl y Guide . The foundationstone , as we were all taught upon first entering the Lodge , is Faith in a personal God , who hears and answers prayer ; and all our Ritual , Symbolism , and Work , is intended to

conduct the candidate b y reason , by science , and by revelation as far as a human institution may , np "the World ' s great altar steps that lead from darkness np to God . "

While we do not forget tbat by the exercise of Brotherly Love " Freemasonry unites men of every country , sect and opinion , " yet we also remember , that guided by this same principle of Brotherly Love , she never represses and fetters

the soul , nor seals the lips of any of her loyal sons m their aspirations aud devotions to God their Maker . On the contrary Freemasonry impresses upon the neophyte , at

every step , that great fact that he was created for the worship ancl g lory of God ; and not as " some would say , if they dared , that God exists for the sake of man . "

Hence governed by these princip les , but bound in tbe practice of them by the Rule of Charity : —whenever a Jewish brother , as he stands at our altars waiting for the promised Messiah , offers his prayers to the God of Abraham ,

the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob , the Christian brother recognises the Ancient Faith of the chosen people of God . In like spirit , the devout Israelite joins with those who on bended knee offer their devotions to the Great

Jehovah throuo-h the merits of the Lion of tho Tribe of Judah , Jesus Christ our Lord . Again , although the reli g ious convictions of some of our brothers have not brought them within the fellowship or communion of either

of these organisations , yet these brothers profess the belief that from the youngest Apprentice to the Master who presides in the East , it is the duty of all to bow in lowly and adoring worship before that God in whom they have put their trust .

My brothers , let ns nrge upon you to guard this foundation principle of Freemasonry ; for it is only in the exercise of tbe Spirit of Charity that we can hope for the

perpetuation of our Order in a Christian laud . If that sad clay should ever come—which God forbid—when all reference to the Christian rolip-ion is eliminated from onr

Work and Ritual , ancl Christian prayers are no longer allowed in our Lodges , then genuine Freemasonry will disappear from among the Institutions of every Christian

country ; or if perchance it remain for a time , it will only be as a dead and putrefying body , alike offensive in tlie sight of God and man . —G . M . Lyman Klapp .

Hoi . r , owAs : 's Piw . s . —It is rtiilicult to determine what is the moro trying to health , intense cold or excessive heat , though everybody knows that ' sudden transitions from the one to the other teem with disease , which may in most iii ! -tauc ( s he st . ii . vert oil' by nn curly resort to these purifying , regulating , and strengthening Pills . This well-known and highly-esteemed medicine affords

a sale and eni-y remedy for almost , every cmsti utionnl wrong which climates , changes , or dietetic errors can engender , and effectually removes any weakness self-indulgent habits may have induced . In all conditions of the system bordering on disease indicated by apathy , listlessncss , and . restlessness , Holioway ' s Pills will prove especially ' serviceable in begett * lg a vivacity appreciated by both tiouud aud dick ,

Prayers In Our Lodges.

The Masonic enthusiast who boasted he made a rule of attending at least one hundred celebrations during the year would find no difficulty in gratifying his wish daring the next few weeks . This day ( Saturday ) the Provincial

C . . and Chapter of Middlesex meets at Harrow . On Tuesday next Brighton offers the attraction of the visit of the M . W . the Grand Master , who will instal his brother the Duke of Connaught in the chair as Provincial Grand Master of

Sussex . Ou Saturday , the 26 th instant , the prizes will be distributed to the scholars at the Boys' Institution , at Wood Green . On Monday , the 28 th instant , the enthusiast may visit Aylesbury , to attend the Provincial Grand Lodge

of Berks and Bucks , or he may join the Mark Master Masons of the Province of Middlesex and Surrey , at Red Lion Square . On Wednesday , the 30 th instant , away to Brighton again , there to celebrate the Festival of " Our

Boys . " The following day H . R . H . the Prince of Wales is to be installed Grand Mark Master Mason , the ceremony to take place at the Freemasons' Tavern . On 7 th July a

choice can be made—Surrey or Kent—both these Provinces having selected that day for holding their annual meetings . Further particulars will be found in our advertising columns .

The Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ( Bro . J . E . Le Feuvre ) has been presented , by the members of his mother lodge ( Royal Gloucester , Southampton ) , with a Grand Deacon ' s jewel , as a mark of their gratification on his appointment to office in the Grand Lodge of England .

Bro . George Gardner , W . M . 2012 , will be installed W . M . of the Chiswick Mark Lodge , 357 , at the Star and Garter Hotel , Kew Bridge , to-day ( Saturday ) , the 19 th inst .

The ceremony of installation will be rehearsed at the Fidelity Lodge of Instruction , No . 3 , held at Bro . Silvester ' s , the Alfred Tavern , Roman Road , Barnsbury , on Wednesday , the 23 rd inst ,, at 8 p . m . Bro . L . Solomon , P . M . 1732 , will act as Installing Master , and Bro . W . J . Ferguson , P . M . 177 , & c . ( Preceptor ) , as Director of Ceremonies .

The Domatic Lodge , No . 177 , will celebrate its summer festival on Friday , 2 nd July . Kempton Park , Sunbury , has been selected for these festivities , ancl it is anticipated there will bo a large and influential gathering to support the Worshi pful Master in this the one hundredth year of the Lodge ' s existence .

Bro . Spiegel P . M . has accepted an invitation from the Ranelagh Lodge , to deliver his lecture on " Tho Origin of Freemasonry , " on Friday next , the 25 th instant , at the Seven Bells , Queen-street , Hammersmith .

Here Ave are clannish . The Frenchman hates the German ; the Irishman plots against the English ; the Yankee suspects tbe Briton ; mountain chains limit our sympathies ; rivers determine our antagonism ,

and imaginary lines sunder us . There nations , kindreds , peoples and tongues dwell together in happiest fellowship . Here caste rules us . Patrician cannot mix with Plebeian ; the one cries with sneering contempt "

common people ! " the other mutters " privileged classes !" There , the prince and the peasant , the capitalist and the bodsman , the merchant ancl the menial , meet in fellowship Here , sectarian feelings alienate ; the Jew and the Gentile

still stand apart ; the Catholic and the Protestant are but resting on their arms ; the Episcopalian gives over the Dissenter to uncoveuanted mercies ; the Calvinist hedges himself in with the five points , and the Baptist dwells in castellated isolation surrounded bv a moat whoso waters

no drawbridge ever spans ; there , heaven ' s charity has fused those diverse masses into a divine kinship , and behold how beautiful the unity in which they dwell ! Such is tlie spirit of Masonry . It was born in the heart of

Gocl . Like the Pentecostal fire , it fuses Parthians and Modes , dwellers in Mesopotamia , Cretes and Ai'abians , Jews and Gentiles , unto unity . Oh that it might burn more

uercel y until the antagonism of race , the hatreds of creed , and the rivalries of business shall disappear , and the pure gold of brotherly love remain . —Bro . B . K . Smith .

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