Is Masonry Religion ?

fatherless in their affliction and keep yourselves unspotted from the world . " Masonry gives it as an imperative dnty to have a care foi tho widow and orphan , defend thorn from harm and want

It teaches us " to regard the whole human species as one family .... created by ono Almighty Parent , " ancl whom wo are " to aid , orotecfc and support . " Wo are to soofcho the

unhappy , to sympathize with their misfortunes , and to restore peace , " & c . "To bo good and true is tho first lesson wo aro taught in Masonry . " Those are hut the faint outlines of the reh ' o-ions ( cachinL ' . s

in Masonry . Is it not , then , religion ? If it is not , it is not anything . It is not intended to take the place of the church—ifc cannot—to Christian or Jew . A man who faithfully lives up to

Masonic teachings—worships God ; devotes time to His service and to relieve distress ; loves his fellow—will not fail to bo a church member . A case of the contrary cannot be shown . But , nevertheless , Masonry is religion . —Masonic Borne Journal .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must hear the name ancl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of r / ood faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected comnmnications .

THE GRAND TREASUBEBSHIP . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . SIR AND BROTHER , —The time is near afc hand when Grand Lodge will once moro have to elect a Treasurer . Considering the event is so close tho controversial air is remarkably still ; scarcely a sign is made . This lull may precede a storm , or it may indicate indifference

a condition that leads to stagnation ancl death . Whatever ifc portends , the dnty of all is made clear , who desire to vindicate a principle that has been solemnly ratified . Theso must take caro that coldness and selfishness and the Pharisaical pride of the few do not kill tbe spirit while observing the letter ; nor that wbat shonld bo a

high hononr should become the sport and monopoly of blatant and vulgar agitators . When the late esteemed and worthy brother Colonel Creaton was relieved of tho office of Treasurer , and the honour of succeeding him was conferred npon Bro . Allcroft , most brethren believed that the

principle of animal election had been established , and henceforth the only collar the Grand Lodge had to bestow would become the object of the ambition of men of commanding influence in the Craft . Ifc is difficult to determine the precise character of this condition . No hard and fast line can be drawn , but no doubt a brother worthy of

the suffrages of Grand Lodge should give proof of earnestness by service ; he shonld be well versed in the ceremonies ancl courtesies of the Craft , •his character should bo charitable according to his means , and shonld be above reproach , and ho should have leisure , to figure aa an adjunct , if nob as an

ovnament , afc all gatherings where his office should be represented . Thero is little merit in being P . M . of several Lodges . The breast may be covered with jewels , and yet ono but scantily adorned with such ornaments may be by far the worthier brother . It is not the number of members brought into the Fraternity thafc constitutes

a brothers claim to honour , but the prudence aud wisdom thafc guides bim in the selection of suitable candidates . Ifc is the quiet worker , the generous member , who gives unobtrusively , who believes in and acts upon the principle thafc if a brother applies to him , or if he knows of a brother who needs help , that ifc is his bounden duty

to render ifc to the utmost of his power . lie is not to act the Lovite , bnfc the good Samaritan ; not to render lip service , bnfc the read y uplifting hand . How many aro there now regarded with hononr who never think of Freemasonry outside of the Lodge or tho banquet room , who pass a poor brother iu the street as if ho were onl y

worthy of being known when surrounded by emblems of tho Order ? Personal worth to many is a matter of less moment than personal "Wealth , and he who has . the longest parse , the closest connection with fashionable life , and assumes airs thafc are supposed to characterise the aristocracy—but do not really—theso are the men who

crave hononrs to the neglect of the more deserving . Ifc ia the first duty therefore of the electorate to see that the broad lines of justice are observed in their choice of a Grand Treasurer . They should discountenance the clap-trap arts of the demagogue , and eqnally repel the extravagant pretensions of the favoured few who had formed

themselves into a charmed circle , the entrance to which is only to be gained by a talisman , pretty and fascinating no donbt , but not necessarily pure and strong . Eetnrning to tho thought mentioned in the early portion of this letter , it must be borne in mind that the principle of tho annual election of Grand Treasurer waa clearly established by the

apnointment of Brother Allcroft , that principle was confirmed when his successor , Brother Horace Brooks Marshal ! , was elected . Thero is danger , however , to this principle threatened , on two sides . There is reason to infer thafc when Brother Creaton was superseded the belief prevailed that the office of Grand Treasurer would be kept in bands of the clique who were parties to the appointment of Brother Allcroft . These would-be dictators did not take into account tho

Correspondence.

voting power of t V v-prrsontativis in Grand Iiorlw , and if they did , thoy wero under t 1 •> iinp-essimi thafc they would le a ' oleio c .- . ntrol it . Raving failed in thafc direction , it now appears that ; anolln / method is to be adopt * d . Ostracism >' s the weapon now in use . Any i'"f > emoted without the brand of this self-constituted hotly is virtually

sent to Coventry . Ho must bo tolerated , for tho sake ot propriety , bti ' , ho is not welcomed or accept ; "d ns an equal , where it is po .-i .-nhlo to act otherwise . This course , it is stated , has already b .: on put into operation , with tho rosnlfc that the contents for tho appointment of Grand Treasurer have become embittered . The offices has lost some

of its dignity iu consequence , and possibly it is hoped by some thafc it will sink so low that it will not bo worth contending for , or thafc the appointment may como back into their autocratic hands . Now , the duty of tho members of Grand Lodgo is clear . They should first secure a candidate who fulfils all tho requisite conditions ,

in a broad and liberal sonso ; elect him , and then protect him from indignity . No select body of men , nnder any protenco of privacy , can withstand the honest and determined expression of the mass of tho brethren . It , will not do for a narrow clique to say— " Wo havo aright to choose the friends with whom we shall dine when wo pay for what

we havo ourselves ; wo will not bo fettered in tho choice of company wo shall keep . As citizens , no ono will deny them this ri ^ ht ; as Freemasons , thoy stand on a totally different footing . Thoy aro bound , for instance , to rocogniso the popular vote , and , what is of more importance , thoy must yield allegiance to the teachings of the

Craft , which forbid tho pride of offije and proclaim alond tho doctrine of equality . There ia a moral obligation which none can shirk with impunity , and although it may ba difficult to punish , offenders holding high office , ifc is possible to utter a protest that shall not be altogether in vain . Afc any rate , tho elect of tlio majority , be ho who

ho may , must be saved from indignity , must bo nononrcd throughout ; his term of office as well as at tho timo of election , and if it is seen that the brethren aro in earnest , opposition to their views will soon cease . There mnst , however , bo prudence on the part of tho

electors . They must ; choose candidates worthy of support . If they do not do this , " tho oflico will fade , and become the prey of mere demagogues , or lapse into the sinecure of a small clique , who valno money moro than brains , who count social privilege before hones , worth , and who admire equality only when ifc exists merel y in name . Yours fraternally , W ATCHMAN .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

PORCHBSTER LODGE , No . 27 . AT tho banquet which followed the installation of Worshipfnl Master of this Lodge , at Newbury , on Friday evening , 13 th instant , Bro . Margrett , Past Grand Deacon of England , referred in feeling terms to onr brethren and countrymen engaged in the Soudan , and proposed tlio health of tho Past Senior Grand Warden , General Lord Wolseley , and the bravo Masons engaged with htm in Egypt . The toast was drnnk with the utmost enthusiasm , and with full Masonic hononrs .

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

WILL 1 ! E WORKED By the Members of the King Harold Lodgo of Instruction , No . 1327 afc tho Four Swans , Waltham Cross , Herts , on Saturday , 7 th March . Bro . John Robinson W . M ., Eeilly 8 . W ., Lewis J . W . First

Lecture—Bros . Bicklo , Searle , Middlohnrsfc , Ileilly , Davis , Lewis , and Sproafc . Second Lecture—Bros . Rogers , No . yes , Gilbert , Robinson , and Fisher , Third Lectnro—Bros . Ilanchett , Wyatt , and Efcherington . Brethren to appear in Masonic clothing . A banquet will take placo at eight p . m . Tickets 3 s . Bro . A . H . Ilanchett , Secretary .

We are requested to announce that tlie meetings of the Sir Hugh Myddelton Lodgo of Instrnction , No . 1602 , will in future be held at the White Horse , Liverpool-road , corner of Theberton-street , every Thursday evening , at

eight o ' clock . At the meeting on Thursday evening next , the 26 th instant , Bro . J . Weston , P . M . 1602 , J . W . 1897 , will rehearse the ceremony of installation , when a numerous attendance of the brethren is expected .

The Obigwell Lodge of Instruction , which meets every Friday evening , at 7 . 30 , has removed to the Loughton Pnblic Hall , Station-road , Loughton .

TTor . Low . iY s PILLS . —Tho Hour ot Danger . — D ' sease commonly como ? , on with slight , symptoms , which , if-neglected , increase in severity , find thus become dangerous—n , condition which be ! rays the grossest remissnes- '—when these rills , taken in accordance with their accoinpanyiag directions , would not only have checked , hut conquered the incipient disorder . Patients dail y forward details of the most , remarkable and instructive caso ^ in which timely

attention to Holioway ' s advice has undoubtedly saved them from severe illness . These Pills act primarily on tho digestive organs , which they stimulate when slow and imperfect , and secondly , upon the blood , which is thoroughly purified by them , whence is derived tho general tone they impart , and their power of subjugating hypochondriacism , dyspepsia , and nervous com . plaints .