Not Found Wanting.

rights , thafc among these are life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness . " Yet ifc was simply for the first time the practical application to civil government of the doctrine long taught by the grand fundamental principles of Masonry—the fatherhood of God , and tho brotherhood of

man . When in this free land for the first timo class distinctions and all titles of nobility were abolished , what was it but the practical application to civil government of what

Masons had already long been taught—to meet upon the level—to regard no man merely for his worldly wealth or honours , and that it is the internal and not the external qualifications by which men must be judged .

When ifc severed all connection between Church and State , and left every man free to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience , ifc was but putting in actual practice in civil government , the beautiful Masonic

doctrine of toleration . And so tracing this harmonious resemblance , it is no matter of surprise to us that fifty-two out of the fifty-five signers of tbe Declaration of Independence were Masonsthafc the first President of the Republic—the immortal

Washington—the very largest figure in all merely human history to-day—had knocked at the door of Masonry , entered in due and ancient form , knelt as an Entered Apprentice

before its sacred altar , and humbly sought Masonic light . Neither are we surprised to learn that in no other country in the world has Freemasonry found so congenial a home , and flourished with such vigour as in these United States .

Bufc in this nineteenth century nations aud institutions alike are borne on by the spirit of the age , and must be able to adapt themselves to the ever changing

requirements of the day , or they must lapse into decay . And even when tried by this present and practical test , here in this greatest and most progressive of modern nations , this grand , old institution of ours is not found wanting .

To enable them properly to share in the gains and comforts of advancing civilization , tbe intelligent labouring masses of the United States , through their powerful organizations , are even now demanding legal recognition of

eight hours as constituting a day ' s labour . And in view of the changed condition of things—of the fact that our improved machinery is now said to represent fifty times as much labour as that of all the men in the country— the

demand should be universally admitted to be a just one . Bufc generations before the Knights of Labour were ever heard of , the Entered Apprentice , when presented with the twenty-four inch gauge , was instructed by the Worshipful

Master that " it being divided into twenty-four equal parts , is emblematical of the twenty-four hours of the day , which we are taught to divide into three equal parts , whereby

are found eight hours for the service of God and a distressed worthy brother , eight for our usual vocations , and eight for refreshment and sleep . "

It is to-day the belief of many wise and patriotic citizens that the one great reform necessary to make our political system harmonize iu actual practice with the glorious theory on which it was founded , is to first get rid

of the inherent evils of elections , by entirely doing away ¦ with what is known as the caucus system of nominating officers , and then to surround the immediate act of voting with such safeguards as will make ifc free as possible from

selfish solicitations and corrupt influences . But when this most desirable reform shall be actually accomplished , it also will only be the practical application to the civil government of tho same simple and perfect system which

for centuries has prevailed in the internal government of Masonry , and under which its highest and most honourable offices are so satisfactorily filled . For ifc may with perfect

truth be said of Masonry that its methods of advancement are the cleanest and purest , that here , if anywhere on earth , the office seeks the man , and that we possess in the practical workings of this Institntion the very highest form of an intellectual democracy known even to-day amonc

men . And while thus commenting on their harmonious relations in the present and the past , we mighfc pursue the thought still farther and ask , what seem likely to be the

attitude and relationship of Masonry to the future of the Republic . And if we judge that future by the light of startling events in the recent past , it seems evident that the most imminent of the Nation ' s threatened perils is the

danger of violence and disturbance arising out of social discontent . With all jnsfc complaints , all lawful efforts to remedy existing wrongs , Masonry—which up even from

Not Found Wanting.

the Dark Ages has wisely and bravely carried the banner of human progress—true to its fundamental principles , is bound to sympathise . Bufc men imbued with the true spirit of Masonry , who have Jived in and breathed its atmosphere of peace , who havo been taught by ifc " to

conform with cheerfulness to the government under whi- h they live , " cannot be other than law abiding citizens . And of its half million members , admitted to be far above tbo average in character and intelligence , whose wide-spread ' n ^

influence for good is felt in every portion of this broad land , not one we hope and believe will ever bo found among those who seek to remedy real or imaginary social wrongs by a reckless resort to the lurid torch and the deith-dealing

bomb of the anarchist . As in the past , the Institution of Masonry has ever been found too liberal for the extreme aristocrat and the narrow-minded bigot—so may we confidently rely that ifc will now be found too conservative fop the fanatical followers of the red flag .

It has been said of King Solomon ' s Temple , that when completed , every part thereof fitted with such exact nicety thafc ifc resembled more tho handiwork of the Supreme Architect of the Universe than of human hands .

And of this glorious spiritual temple of Speculative Masonry , in which every true Mason is a living stoneas we see its wonderful adaptability to these so changed ways of modern times—how it seems to have anticipated

and foreshadowed all tho progressive needs of the race , in the long struggle from barbarism to tho highest and most enlightened civilisation—we can but reverently believe ,

that before entering upon the groat and important undertaking they had in view , its wise founders , long since gone to their reward—must nob only have invoked , but obtained , the aid and blessing of Deity . —Voice of Masonry .

The quarterly meeting of the Board of Masters , and the monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Robert Groy P . G . D . President occupied his chair , supported by Bro . C . A . Cottebrune P . G . P . and Bro . Walter Hopekirk G . P . Vice Presidents . Bros . Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke

Grand Secretary , A . A . Pendlebury Assistant Grand Secretary , W . Dodd , Neville Green , and W . H . Leo represented Grand Secretary ' s Office . There was also present a numerous body of brethren . To the Board of Installed Masters

was presented fche agenda paper for Grand Lodge of O'fch March , which was agreed to . The Board of Benevolence afterwards confirmed recommendations to the Grand Master , at the January meeting , to the amount of £ 390 . On fcho

new list were 38 cases , qualified by Lodges in the London district , and Torquay , Birkenhead , Battle , Hull , Shrewsbury , Millom , Crediton , Berwick , Darlington , Plymouth , Amlwch , Malta , Liverpool , Enfield ,

Demerara , Newchurch , and Birmingham . In the course of the sitting one petition was withdrawn , two were nofc entertained , and five were dismissed . The remainder were relieved with a total sum of £ 825 . This

was composed of one recommendation to Grand Lodge for £ 100 , one for £ 75 , and one for £ 50 ; five recommendations to the Grand Master for £ 40 each , and six for £ 30 each . Seven grants were made of £ 20 each , one for £ 15 , six for

£ 10 , and one for £ 5 . The President said he regretted that in the case of several country petitions the cerfcificat 3 S of the Provincial Grand Secretaries really gave no information about the cases which they certified , much to the

detriment of the applicants . Some of the Provincial Grand Secretaries' certificates are models of what is required , so that the Board is able to gauge the exact worth of the case and mete oufc adequate assistance ; but others are so scanty thafc the Board is left almost in entire ignorance of the circumstances of the petitioners . The President hoped

thafc in future all recommending Provincial Grand Secretaries would supply the fullest information in their power .

A special Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales is called for Monday next , at the Holborn Restaurant , to consider a motion by Most

Worshipful Bro . the Rev . Canon Portal , M . A ., Past Grand Master , President of the General Board , " That the Board be authorised to take a lease of forty-nine years of Bacon ' s Hotel , Great Queen-street , and to adapt the same

for the purposes of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons . "