Thoughts Upon Freemasonry.

The organisation called the United Grand Lodge of England ( the mother Lodge of the world ) is modern—but the principles she inculcates are as old as the hills . There is very little written history of the Order—one or two references to operative Freemasons , but very little that can be proved , as the

modern sceptics require things to be proved . However , those who are in the Order , those who love and respect it , those who know all its beauties , are quite ready to hear and believe its beautiful traditions , to look back upon ages of noble work performed by those who preceded them in this their beloved society .

Again , the question sometimes comes , " But are all Masons good and true ? " To this there is but one answer , that every man who has any good in him will be better , much better , for being made a member of this society . Great care is taken in the admission of members ; every candidate for its mysteries should

be ready to court the strictest enquiry into his character and position in life ; no unqualified person should become a Mason . I am convinced , too , that if by covering some glaring defect any person should become a member of the Order who ought not , he would soon find that he was not in his right place , and would consequently cease membership of the Lodge .

When , however , asked " What good Masonry is ? as sometimes one must be , I would suggest that no answer should be given . The light of a century has beaten unusually strongly upon the present organisation . At a time when charitable acts are more and more advertised , when benevolence provides so

much " copy " for the crowd of newspapers that are published ; when no light is hidden under a bushel ; when , in the rush of life , every word as well as act is criticised ; and when the imagination pictures things that are undreamed of , it is unwise for those who know what good and noble acts are , and can be done in the quiet of our Order , to disclose them .

Possibly , however , without reference to our three noble Institutions , we may point out that in this society good men and true can meet each other , and spend some hours together , without making reference to the politics that divide , the schisms that distract , the dogmas that oppress , and all the petty annoyances of life . Little difficulties can be removed , friendships cemented , and noble acts approved , without the slightest fear of a

misunderstanding arising , or any bitter feeling being engendered . Once I was asked "Why tho Eoman Catholic Church attacked Freemasonry ? " This is to me a greater mystery than any that I have yet met with in lifo . I think that there may be some reason for the ace , but seeing how roundly they abuse the Order , I am inclined to believe that theirs is " no case , " and that they know it C . W .

On and from Wednesday , the 10 th inst ., the Crusaders Lodge of Instruction , No . 1677 , will meet at 8 . 30 prompt each week at Bro . W . H . Drury ' s , The St . John ' s Gate Tavern , St . John Square , Clerkenwell , a removal which we hope will prove

beneficial . Bro . G . Weeden P . M . is the Preceptor of the Lodge , at which the ceremony of Installation was on Wednesday rehearsed by Bro . James Speller P . M . P . Z . P . P . G . D . Essex , he regularly inducting Bro . A . Ball into the chair .

We may remind our readers of the special Cinderella dance ( fancy or evening dress ) , arranged for the 26 th inst ., at the King ' s Hall of the Holborn Eestaurant , in aid of the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution , As already announced in our columns a

dispensation has been granted for the wearing of Craft and Arch clothing . Tickets ( 2 s 6 d each ) may be had of Bro . H , Kemp , 7 Thavies Inn , Holborn , or of any of the large number of Stewards who are working hard to ensure the success of the gathering .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Further particulars as to place of meeting of the undermentioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( published by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

2596 Bishopagate , Gt . Eastern Hotel Monday . 43 St . Paul , Birmingham

4 Rl . Sum . Ho . & I'ness , F . M . H . 26 Castle Harmony , Savoy Hotel 28 Old King Arms , F . H . 133 Unity , Ship and Turtle 222 St . Andrew , Albion 706 Florence Nightingale , W'lw ' cli .

S 02 Burgoyne , Anderton ' s 905 De Grey and Ripon , F . M . H . 1540 Chaucer , Southwark 1632 Stuart , Camberwell 1744 Royal Savoy , Criterion 1828 Shepherd ' s Bush , S ' pherd ' s B ' sh 1910 Shadwell Gierke , M'kmasons ' -h .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

48 Industry , Gateshead 491 Royal Sussex , Jersey 827 St . John , Dewsbury 1008 Roy . St . Edmund's , Bury St . E . 1325 Stanley . Liverpool 1477 Sir Watkin , Mold

1748 Castlemartm , Pembroke 1752 Ogmore , Bridgend 1991 Agricola , York 2042 Apollo , Liverpool 2068 Portsmouth Temperance , L'dp't . 2257 Powell , Bristol 2363 Minnehaha Minstrel , M'chester ,

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

2373 Hardwick , Chesterfield 2429 Research , Leicester 2547 Llangattock , Cardiff 2582 Lewisham , Smethwick

Tuesday . 14 Tuscan , Freemasons' -hall 46 Old Union , Ship and Turtle 145 Prudent Brethren , F . M . H . 165 Hon . & . Gen'sity , Inns of Co . Ho . 186 Industry , Freemasons ' -hall 205 Israel , Cannon Street Hotel 259 Prince of Wales , Metropole 1158 Southern Star , Southwark 1348 Ebury , Criterion 14 ZL 1 Tmr n ^ T « U ««—11 jrj uauiuu well

„ .-r-. JLVJT , 2108 Empire , Criterion 2424 St . Stephen , Lewisham 253 Tyrian , Derby 293 King Friends , Nantwich 378 Loyal Welsh , Pembroke Dock 386 Unity , Wareham 448 St . James , Halifax 506 Mundy Grove , Shipley Gate

564 Stability , Stourbridge 943 Sincerity , Norwich 954 St . Aubyn , Devonport 1052 Callander , Manchester 1390 Whitwell , Millon 1536 United Military , Plumstead 1566 Ellington , Maidenhead

1609 Liverpool Dramatic , Liverpool 1675 Ancient Briton , Liverpool 1678 Medway , Tonbridge 1834 Duke of Connaught , Landport 2025 St . George , Plymouth 2154 Joshua Nunn , Halstead 2328 Albert Victor , York

2404 Lord Charles Beresford , Ch't ' m . 2405 Ionic , St . Helen ' s Wednesday . Board of Benevolence F . M . H . 5 . 2 Antiquity , Freemasons ' -hall 201 Jordan

, Freemasons ' -hall 212 Euphrates , Holborn Restaurant 753 Prince Fred . Will ' m ., Frascati 754 High Cross , Tottenham 1056 Victoria , Guildhall Tavern 1360 Royal Arthur , Wimbledon 1589 St . Dunstan , Anderton's 1718 Centurion , Inns of Court Hotel

1719 Evening Star , Freemasons ' -hall 1818 Clapham , Criterion 2332 Borough of Gn ' wich , E . G'wich 2395 Avondale , Brixton 2416 Hiram , Freemasons ' -hall 2455 St . Martin , Charing Cross 2562 Papyrus , Criterion

32 St . Geo . Harmony , Liverpool 82 Foundation , Cheltenham 117 Salopian of Charity , Shrewsbury 220 Harmony , Garston 250 Minerva , Hull 257 Phoenix , Portsmouth . 290 Huddersfield , Huddersfield 724 Derby , Liverpool

750 Friendship , Cleckheaton 785 Twelve Brothers , Southampton 887 Leigh , Birmingham 1039 St . John , Lichfield 1343 Saint John , Grays 1403 West Lancashire , Ormskirk 1529 Duke of Cornwall , St . Columb 1633 Avon , Manchester 1723 St . George , Bolton

1734 Trinity , Rayleigh 1756 Kirkdale , Liverpool 1760 Leopold , Scarborough 1809 Fidelis , Guernsey 1868 Unity , Oldham 1967 Beacon Court , New Brompton 2019 Crook , Crook 2149 Gordon , Hanley

2216 Egerton , Swinton 2259 St . Nicholas , Thome 2320 St . Martin , Castleton 2357 Barry , Cadoxton 2385 Godson , Oldbury 2435 Wineslai , Winslow 2444 Noel , Kingston-on-Thames 2448 Bradstow , Broadstairs

Thursday . General Committee Girls School , Freemasons' Hall , at 5 . 22 Neptune , Guildhall Tavern 34 Mount Moriah , Freemasons ' -hall 65 Prosperity , Guildhall Tavern

66 Grenadiers , Freemasons ' -hall 99 Shakespear , Albion 507 United Pilgrims , Southwark 766 William Preston , Cannon-st . H . 861 Finsbury . Great Eastern Hotel 871 Royal Oak , Deptford

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

1421 Langthorne , Ilford 1524 Duke of Connaught , Anderton ' s 1608 Kilburn , Regent Street 1658 Skelmersdale , Camberwell 1816 Victoria Park , London Tavern 1974 St . Mary Abbott . Kensinston J . ^ * , -J . TXCHJ xxuuuuvj xv-eiisiiigL-uu

2192 Highbury , Highbury 2264 Chough , Cannon Street Hotel 2432 Sir W . Raleigh , Inns of C ' rt Ho 39 St . John Baptist , Exeter 51 Angel , Colchester 78 Imperial George , Middleton 111 Restoration , Darlington 129 Union , Kendal 132 Unity , Ringwood 202 Friendshm . Dfiirnnnnr ' -.

215 Commerce , Haslingden 346 United Brethren , Blackburn 348 St . John , Bolton 403 Hertford , Hertford 475 Bed . St . John Bap ., Luton 590 La Gesaree , Jersey 594 Downshire , Liverpool 636 De Ogle , Morpeth 707 St . MaryBridport

, 772 Pilgrim , Glastonbury 787 Beaureper , Belper 807 Cabbell , Norwich 809 United Good F ' ship ., Wisbech 904 Phoenix , Rotherham 935 Harmony , Salford 966 St . Edward , Leek

971 Trafalgar , Batley 998 Welchpool , Welehpool 1032 Townley Parker , Chorley 1097 St . Michael , Tenbury 1151 St . Andrew , Tywardreath 1163 Emulation , Birmingham 1166 Clarendon , Hyde

1313 Fermor , Southport 1322 Waverley , Ashton-under-Lyne 1345 Victoria , Eccles 1392 Egerton , Bury 1404 Saint Vincent , Bristol 1418 Fraternity , Stockton-on-Tees 1437 Liberty of Havering , Romford 1501 Wycombe , High Wycombe 1505 Emulation , Liverpool 1514 Thornhill , Huddersfield 1519 Albert Edward , Clayt ' n-le-Moors 1578 Merlin , Pontypridd 1626 Hotspur , Newcastle-on-Tyne 1630 St . Michael , Coventry 1702 Sub-UrbanGreat St ' anmore

, 1705 Prince of Wales , Gosport 1817 St . Andrew , Shoeburyness 1884 Chine , Shanklin , Isle of Wight 1957 Grove , Hazel Grove 1971 Ald ' shot , Army & Navy , A ' shot . 2017 Duke of Portland , Nottingham 2101 Bramston Beach , Godalming

2131 Brc-wnlow , Ellesmere 2195 Military Jubilee , Dover 2214 Josiah Wedgewood , Etruria 2215 Anfield , Anfield 2263 St . Leonards , Sheffield 2269 Peace , Wigan 2335 Cycling and Athletic , Liverpool 2375 Hilbre , Hoylake

2387 Manchester Dramatic , M ' chester 2418 Hedworth , South Shields 2462 Clarence , West Hartlepool 2463 Bootte-Wilbraham , Knotty Ash 2474 Hatherton , Walsall Friday . Council Boys School , Freemasons ' ¦ Hall , at i .

60 Peace and Harmony , F . H . 197 Jerusalem , Freemasons ' -hall 569 Fitz-Roy , Head Qrs . H . A . C . 1591 Studholme , Cafe Royal 2000 Earl of Mornington , Cafe R ' y'l . 2312 London Irish Rifles , F . M . H . 602 North York , Middlesbrough 810

Craven , Skipton 1303 Pelham , Lewes 1385 Gladsmuir , Barnet 1391 Commercial , Leicester 1435 Annesley , Nottingham 1712 St . John , Newcastle-on-Tyne 1822 St . Quintin , Cowbridge 2371 Felix , Felixstowe 2415 Tristram , Shildou

2431 Kingsley , Northampton Saturday . 1297 West Kent , Crystal Palace 1584 Loyalty and Charity , Frascati 1679 Henry Mu £ * ' * eride * e . Anderton ' s

1706 Orpheus , Holborn Restaurant 2472 Walthamstow , Walthamstow 1462 Wharncliffe , Penistone 1531 Chislehurst , Chislehurst 1579 St . James , Enfield 1777 Royal Hanover , Twickenham