A Word In Season

the following : — " God wasted mud when be made a man so mcnn as to tell tlio Posfmastor to return his paper marked ' refused' wlipn bo owed two or three years'

subscription . " Tin ' s they quota from Burdette . " Lodges have wasted timo in trying to mako such men Masons . Their Masonry is not even skin deep . " Our Canadian contemporary , tbe Craftsman , says : —

Now that The Crajtxvwii ha a entered upon another volume , we have a few words to Hay to a t «>« r hr > tliren . Look at tho label on the cover of your magazine . It is not therefor ornament ; it mean 3 business , and you know it . Look at it carefully , nud find out how much you are in arrears . Ifyonoannot figaro out the amount to your

satisfaction we will help you , even to the extent of sending yon a multiplication table . When you have calculated the amount , go right down into the pocket where you keep your wealth , aud send us what is ours by right . Be a man , Brother , and pay up . Stop your foolishness , and don't take what you object to pay for .

May ive also give a reminder ? But ours must bo , for our own choice , in a milder form , We would draw attention to the fact that we have started a new volume . 'It is in the power of our present subscribers to bo energetic in the welfare of tbe Craft , and bring to tho notice of their

fellow members , wherever they go , tho importance of becoming supporters , not only as subscribers , but iu furnishing items of information likely to interest Masons , for " whore Masons read and study , is where Freemasonry is understood and prospers . "

"For The First Time."

" FOR THE FIRST TIME . "

IN the profane world it is usually a matter for congratulation when a novel and useful appliance is utilised for the first time . Tho first railroad , tbe first steam engine , tho first telegraph , tho first electric motor , elicited tbe

plaudits of all intelligent men . The world will sacrifice almost anything to minister to progress . Forgetting the things which are behind , it presses forward to those which are before . It sacrificed tho American Indian in order to

enlarge tbe boundaries of civilisation , and it continues to sacrifice him to-day . The barbarous tribes of Central Africa are in like manner doomed to destruction . Civilisation is a juggernaut which crushes whatever stands in its way .

Polite society is commonly regarded as a manifestation of civilisation , and all of its usages have at one time or other been adopted " for the first time . " No moral

principle is thought to be involved , and so it clothes itself , and clothes itself upon , with usage after usage , until the laws of polite society form a code by themselves , which require diligent study in order to their mastery .

Freemasonry stands upon a different basis from either national or sooial government , or civilisation . From the beginning it has assumed at most but two forms , and

perhaps these two co-existed at tbe origin of tho Craft . Operative and speculative describe the whole of Masonry and botb operative and speculative Freemasons employed the same symbols and tho same clothing .

The Masonic Constellation of St . Louis , in its December

issue , says : — Missouri Lodge , No . 1 , A . F . and A . M . held a called Communication on Thursday evening , 30 th October , for the purpose of conferring the third degree , which was very largely attended , a number of Brethren

boing unable to gain admission to the Lodge room as not evon standing room was available . For tho first time in the history of Masonry in this jurisdiction , the degree was conferred in fnll costume .

So "for the first time , " tho Master Mason ' s degree was conferred in full costume !" Whenever anything is now done " for the first time " in Freemasonry , any one is justifiable in inquiring , Is it lawful ? And the authoritative answer ia certain to be No . '

We may not , in this nineteenth century , begin any usage in the Craft " for the first time . " Hundreds and thousands of years have determined what may and what may not be done . Freemasonry is not an undiscovered country , into which a new people may enter to crowd out the old : into

which a new civilisation may be introduced to replace one that is alleged to he effete ; into which novel ceremonies and usages may be foisted , to replace the ancient usages , customs and Landmarks

. Whatever is new in Masonry is more ^ than questionable—it is evidently unlawful . The true Freemason does not inquire in the Craft for what is new , but for what is old—the old principles , the old

"For The First Time."

traditions , the old usages , the old Landmarks . If any usage is new , he knows it to be not permissible . But let us quote further from the Masonic Constellation concerning this " full costume , " which was used in Missouri Lodge , No . 1 , on the 30 th of October last , " for the lirst time . "

The Worshipful Master ' s robo being of extra fine purple silk v el vet , with elaborate trimmings of gold bullion fringe and gold braid , Crown gold plated , with interior oap of purple silk richly jewelled . Soeptro gold plate ' . The Senior Warden's robe ia of i > xtra fine scarlet silk velvet , richly trimmed with gold bullion fringe .

Head-dress richly jewelled tiara front crown . The Junior Warden ' s robe is of blue silk velvet , trimmed with gilt laco and braids , with gold plated bead-dress . Tbo Seuior Deacon ' s robo of purplo velvet , trimmed with heavy satin s \ n > l gilt laces , with turban of purplo merino and yellow satin . Tho Junior Deacon's iobo is the same

style ns that of tho Senior Deacon , but of blue volvet . The robesof the Stewards are of riuo quality blue merino , trimmed with silver lace . Caps of blue merino , with silver trimmings . The Craftsmen of blue sateen , with Oriental folded Turban ; and the three special Craftsman wore robes of brown sateen , with Turbans similar to the other Craftsmen .

If King Solomon could enter a Lodge where hia Masonic successor and officers wore clothed as described above , he would raise his hands in Masonic horror . The idea of clothing a Master of a Lodge as a King ! All meet upon a level m the Lodge . Royal and all other

dignities are laid aside for the time boing . Freemasonry has its own clothing . Tho Lambskin apron is more ancient than the Golden Fleeco or Roman Eagle , more honourable than the Star and Garter—yea , than kingly robes of royal

purple , and "bullion t ' ringo" and " gold braid" and a " gold plated crown . " Alas ! for the littleness of thought that would so belittle tho Masonic successor and representative of King Solomon as a Master of the Craft !

The "lull costume" of a Worshipful Master is his official collar , jewel aud Apron , worn over a suit of black . To mako a King of him is to uncrown him as a Master of Masons . It is absurd , ridiculous , puerile , un-Masonie . It is related of our Brother Dom Pedro , late Emperor of

Brazil , that on visiting a Masonic Lodge once , he sent in as a part of his name his royal title . The Worshipful Master ordered the card containing his name to be returned to him for correction . Dom Pedro sent it in a second time in tho same way , and it was a second timo retnrned . He then

sent it in the third time without his royal title—plain Dom Pedro , and he was at once admitted . Upon his entry , the Worshipful Master addressing him , said , " Here , Brother Dom Pedro , royal titles aro unrecognised and unknown

for we all meet upon the level in a Masonic Lodge . " Dom Pedro , in reply , said : " I thank you , Worshipful Master , for the lesson you have taught me to-night—one which I shall never forget , since it corrects an error which I shall never repeat . "

Just as Kings or Emperors cannot enter a Masonic Lodge in their royal capacity , so they do not , or should not , find a King enthroned there , in tho person of the Worshipful Master . The Worshipful Master is not a King , but a Master of Masons .

We never saw the Third degree conferred " in costume " but once , when visiting in another jurisdiction , and we never desire to see it again . In all earnestness we say , banish from Freemasonry whatever tends to make it a mere show . Any Masonic work correctly ,

intelligently and impressively performed will command a large audience of faithful earnest Master Masons and seekers after light . It needs not a "jewelled tiara , " or " gilt laces" or a "turban of purple merino , " or " robes of brown satteen " to mark a Freemason . In

such clothing a Freemason is disguised . It is unsuitable unmeaning , unauthorised by any usage except the moat recent , and that only in certain jurisdictions . Our mother Grand Lodge of England knows nothing about thia costuming of Masonic Officers in royal robes . We received

our first Lodges , and with them our Masonic principles , from her , and when we depart from her usages we depart from Freemasonry itself . The fact that " costumes " have , in the few jurisdictions which admit them , been only of late used " for the first time , " condemns them beyond appeal as unlawful and un-Masonic . —Keystone .

The Installation Meeting of the Royal Kent Lodge of Antiquity , No . 20 , was held at the Sun Hotel , Chatham , on Wednesday evening last . Bro . W . G . Wiggins waa installed W . M . for the ensuing year . We hope to be able to supply a full report next week .