Antient And Primitive Masonry. Tables Of The Law Of The Freemasons.

ANTIENT AND PRIMITIVE MASONRY . TABLES OF THE LAW OF THE FREEMASONS .

{ Literally translated from the French of Brother JACQUES ETIENNE MAECONIS , Paris , 1862 . ) ( Continued from page 371 . ) BENEFICENCE .

Created in the image of God , who spreads happiness over all men , approach this infinite model by a constant will ; throw incessantly over thy kind all the happiness in thy power , for all Avhich the spirit can conceive of good is the patrimony of the Mason . All beings which suffer have sacred rights upon thee ; Avifchdraw not from the piercing cry of misery which solicits thee , anticipate

and reassure tho timid unfortunate ; poison not , by the ostentation of thy gifts , the sources of that living water Avhere tho unfortunate ought to quench their thirst ; seek not the price of thy beneficence in vain applause , but in the tranquil suffrages of thy conscience ; let that sordid passion , avarice , never soil thy character , and let thy heart ever raise itself above the cold and arid calculations which

it suggests ; let thy beneficence be active , ingenious , bnt always enlightened by a prudent Avisdom . Let thy good-will extend to all nature , even the noxious insect has a right to live , crush it nofc without reason ; be nofc cruel to animals , but , on the contrary , compassionate their sufferings , fear not ridicule in defending them against stupid brutality .

DUTIES TOWARDS THE NEIGHBOUR . Be thou affable and officions towards all the world , edify by example , love thy neighbour , contribute to the happiness of others , permit not envy to rise for a single moment in thy bosom . Bo thou tolerant , for it is not jnst to seek to impose thy opinion npon men endowed like thyself with the faculty of reason .

I ardon thy enemy , avenge thyself , bnt by benefits ; this generous sacrifice will procure thee the most pure pleasures , and thou wilt become the living image of the Divinity , who pardons with celestial good-will the offences of men , and pours down mercies npon them in spite of their ingratitude ; remember that forgiveness is the most beautiful triumph over instinct . Mason ! forget injuries , but never benefits .

Love , friendship , fraternity for all men , respect for all women , veneration for the aged , filial piety for fathers and mothers , tenderness for brothers and sisters , good will and gaiety for children , generosity for the unfortunate , and for the Avidow and orphan , in a Avord , humanity for thy kind , behold the culte which men OAVO to human nature .

MORAIi PERFECTION OF SELF . In devoting thyself to others forget not that Avhich thou owest to thyself ; endeavour by a firm and constant will to attain the moral perfection of thy Being ; have bnt a single aim in this life ; to acquire science by virtue , and virtue by science . Neglect not then to satisfy the wants of thy immortal soul ; descend often into thy inner

self to sound tho most secret folds of thy heart ; to itnow thyself is the grand pivot of Masonic precepts ; thy soul is the rough ashlar , tho brute stone , which it is necessary to chip ; offer to divinity tho homage of thy regulated affections and vanquish the passions . Let tho sublime idea of the omnipotence of God fortify ancl sustain thee ; Avatch and pray ; renew each morning the VOAV to improve in

virtue , and when in tho evening thy self-satisfied heart recalls to thee a good action , a victory obtained over thyself , repose thou then in peace in tho bosom of providence . Let chaste and severe morals be thy inseparable companions , that thy soul may bo pure , upright and true . Let modest y be thy law ; pride is a most dangerous enemy , for it

confines man in an illusory confidence in his own strength ; consider not the boundary whence thou hast come , or thy course Avill be relaxed , but where thy journey has to terminate . Tho short duration of thy existence leaves thee hardly a hope of attaining the goal ; strip aAvay self love , a comparison Avith thoso who are behind thee is dangerous aliment , but submit to the goad of a virtuous emulation , and study

the most accomplished models . The road to virtue is as easy as that of vice , it suffices to enter therein , the march will bo easy if , in good hour , thou submit to temperance , without which there is no Avisdom ; temperance is a universal medicine , both to the physical and moral being ; be sober , frugal , ancl moderate , and thou wilt thus overcome tho evils of thy body and spirit .

DUTIES TOWARDS THE BRETHREN . From tho immense crowd of beings with which this universe is peopled thou hast chosen , by a freo vow , tho Masons for thy brethren . Never , then , forget that all Masons , of Avhatcver country , religion , or condition they may be , in presenting tho right hand in symbol of free fraternity , havo sacred rights upon thy assistance and thy amity .

Faithful to tho vow of nature . Avhich is equality , the Mason establishes again iu his temples the original rights of the human family ; they never sacrifice this principle to popular prejudice , and the sacred level assimilates all states . Respect , in civil society , the distinctions established or tolerated by Providence ; but enter not our temples unless escorted by tho virtues .

Blush not m public for an obscure hut honest man , whom in the Lodge thou hast acknowled ged as a brother , else tho Order , in its turn , will blush for thee , aud send thee back with thy pride to exhibit thyself npon the profane theatre of tho world . If thy brother is in danger fly to his assistance , and fear not to

expose thy life for him : if he is in want cast upon him of thy treasure , and rejoice in being able to make such good employment of them ; thou hast vowed to exercise benevolence towards men in general , but above all to tho brethren who imploro thee . It is in vuiu that thou wilt say to thy kind ; there exists a Supreme God , if

Antient And Primitive Masonry. Tables Of The Law Of The Freemasons.

thou are nofc thyself a friend and brother to thy species ; ifc is in vain thou wilt say to tho poor and the orphan : thou hasfc a father in heaven , if thou art ; nofc a father to them . If thy heart , ulcerated by real or imaginary offences , nourishes some secret enmity against ; one of thy brothers , dissipate instantly

the rising cloud , call some disinterested arbiter to thy aid , claim his fraternal mediation ; but never pass the threshold of the Masonic temple without having disposed of all hatred and desire of vengeance . Thou wilt invoke the Eternal in vain to dwell in our Lodges , unless they are purified by the virtues of the brethren and sanctified by their concord .

DUTIES TO FRIENDSHIP . If a friend is necessary to thee , choose him in good hour , for life is short ; let him be the most worthy of thy acquaintances , ho will bo thy mentor . God guard thee from his descent to the role of complaisance , for he will then become the accomplice of thy passions , and be far from aiding thee to vanquish them . A true friend is a treasure , thrice happy he who obtains it . Be slow to tie the knots of

friendship , but ; still sloAver to sever them . The friendship of men is the true treasure of wisdom ; one cannofc attach too much merit to the love of it . Those Avho love mankind ought to servo them , to be useful to them , to tell them tho truth . To servo mankind it ia necessary to love good , to bo useful to them ifc is necessary to will and to execute . Truth is the knowledge of

good , to teach truth and to do good to mankind is to imitate tho works of God . 01 divine friendship , celestial light , supreme felicity , union of human souls ! come to form all hearts , come to purify , vivify them , animate them with the same sentiments of love , of fraternity , of

benevolence , that the sweet bond may unite all men as ono family of brothers and friends . May love and friendship live in all sonls , ' warm all hearts , and animate all spirits ; and soon all men will give themselves to the virtues which elevate and perfect humanity .

DUTIES TOAVARDS THE ORDER . In exchange for thy admission into tho Order thou hasfc abandoned a part of thy natural liberty ; accomplish then strictly tho now moral obligations required of thee ; conform thyself to our Statutes and particular rules , and respect those whom public confidence havo constituted the guardians of the law and the interpreters of the general

vow . Thou wilt be a bad brother if thou shouldest misunderstand the subordination necessary in all society , and it Avill bo obliged to exclude thee from its bosom . Purify thy heart , sow in the world the word of life , instruct the ignorant , and relieve thoso who suffer ; teach to mankind—thy brothers , hatred of vice and bad passions , tho lovo of all tho

virtues . Thy principal duty is to attack and destroy ignorance , misery , depravity amongst men , and bring the reign of God upon earth . March , with the torch of reason , in search of virtue ; its object is the elevation and ennoblement of tho human spirit ; show thyself unceasingly virtuous , seek constantly to allie wisdom and prudence ;

let the love of thy kind burn in thy heart ; and hence , Avorthy of tho Sublime Architect of tho Universe , thou canst call thyself with pride the true child of light . When tho Masonic torch shall illumine the Avorld , and Masonic doctrines be known amongst all peoplo , then will be realised tho

snblimo idea which is enclosed in our Symbols : bnt be sure that it is not in an agglomeration of wicked , jealous , and viudictivo men , proud mediocrities , that our sublime institution will become strong and powerful . FINIS CORONAT OPUS .

District Grand Lodge, Punjab.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE , PUNJAB .

A T tho Quarterly Communication held at Freemasons' Hall , •** - Lahore , on Wednesday , tho 12 th day of April 1876 , afc 7 . 30 p . m . Present—W . Bros . Major W . H . Mackesy D . D . G . M . in charge of District , Capt . John Chalmers S . G . W ., James Wilkinson as J . G . W ., Walter Adlard Past J . G . W ., Charles H . Cheetham G . Treas ., Henry T . Tanner C . E . G . Reg ., George Davies G . Sec , Capt . A . Dunbar G . D . of Cers ., Honry W . Warmington G . Purs . ; Bros . W . J . Donaghey ,

W . Rosamond Stewards , George Read Tyler . The folloAving Lodges Avere represented : — HOPE AND PERSEVERANCE , 782 , by W . Bro . W . Adlard P . M . RAVEE , 1215 , by W . Bros . H . W . Warmington W . M ., P . Scott P . M ., G . Davies P . M ., C . H . Chetham P . M ., W . Bull S . W ., W . J . Donaghey J . W . and J . J . Davies . MOOITAN , 1307 , by W . Bros . Capfc . A . Dunbar W . M ., and D . P . Masson .

JUMNA , 139-1 , by W . Bro . Capt . John Chalmers P . M . LICHT IN THE HIMALAYAIIS , 1 M 8 , by W . Bro . Henry T . Tanner P . M . SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST , 1483 , by W . Bros . Capt . L . W . Taylor W . M ., and William Rosamond J . W . INDUSTRY , 1485 , by W . Bros . J . Wilkinson P . M ., J . W . Lemarchand S . W ., and G . W . Read .

Tho D . D . G . M . proposed that , the Minutes of the January Communication having been printed aud circulated , be taken as read . This Avas earned . In the course of his address tho D . D . G . M . remarked : Since onr last Communication H . R . H . the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . visited Lahore , on which occasion he was pleased to receive a small Masonic deputation , aud to accept an address aud

ornamental casket from District Grand Lodge , to which a gracious reply was returned . Tho Report of the Board of General Purposes shows that Masonry continues to flourish in the Province , and he recommended for acceptance the recommendations of the Committee of tho Fund of Benevolence , ancl the Report of the Freemasons' Hall Committee . District Grand Secretary then read the several reports , and the - fcher business having boon disposed of , Lodgo wag closed at 9 . 30 ,