Masonic Teaching.

MASONIC TEACHING .

OUR readers have doubtless noted with some degree of interest the first portion of a mislaid letter which appeared last week , while the remainder will be found in another part of our columns . This letter , which was forwarded to us under circumstances that are somewhat strange , is written by one Bro . Lionel Harrison , to his son

and brother , whom , in ignorance of his proper designation , we will designate as Bro . Harrison jun . The point we are anxious to insist upon in connection with this letter is one that will have especial weight with our readers . It demonstrates , beyond all doubt , that Masonic teaching is

not only perfectly harmless , but that it far transcends , iu respect of value , tho doctrines inculcated by the most illustrious teachers of morality of the past or any age . Nor is this its only merit . Of late , and , indeed , at various times more or less frequent , Freemasonry has been seriously

attacked by sundry spiritual advisers , whose Christian charity should have induced them to avoid all hostility to an Order which , before all things , inculcates the divine virtues of brotherly love , relief , and truth . Not only this ,

they should have utilised the doctrines of Freemasonry to the common good of mankind . They should have striven to show that a Society , which struggled so persistently to unite men of all creeds and nationalities in one common

brotherhood , was worthy of the greatest support possible ; that while , for sufficient reasons , it veiled its teachings in language more or less mysterious and inappreciable by the profane , or outer world , it yet sought to inculcate the purest virtue , and a sincere and heartfelb belief in the Grand Creator

of the Universe . Yet , in spite of the purity of our morality , we are constantly invited to believe that Freemasonry is dangerous , and likely to prove subversive of all that good and true and religious men deem most worthy of respect . Let us , then , take the text of this mislaid letter , written by our unknown yet worthy brother , Lionel Harrison .

Bro . Harrison is anxious that his son , who is also , in Masonic parlance , a Brother , should benefit to the utmost by the teachings of Masonry . He bears in mind the sacred nature of his own obligations , and regardful , no doubt , that even in these days of progress the miscarriage of a

letter is not only possible but probable , he is content to limit his paternal and personal instruction to sundry general directions , the value of which no man in his senses will venture to set at naught . Bro . Harrison , in the first instance , insists on- the holy value of love . Love

is instilled into the mind of every child , but the range of Masonic love , like that of charity , is universal . Masons love each other and all mankind , nob merely as a whelp loves its dam , of sheer instinct , but as a matter of duty . Thus is set forth that love must be genuine , and from the

heart ; that is , there must be no hypocritical display of this brotherly love , and , as necessary to the attainment of this , Masons * must have a firm faith in the merits of their system . " Faith , " says Bro . Harrison , " is the foundation of justice , the bond of amity , and the chief

support of society . How , otherwise indeed , could society exist without love in the first instance , and faith in the general excellence of human kind in the second . Charity , again , is urged with a solemn impressiveness . We bear in mind the doctrine of the Evangelist as to " Faith , Hope ,

and Charity , but the greatest of these is Charity . " Whosoever ignores the just demands of Charity falls short of his duty , not only as a Mason , but as a man . Then again temperance is a virtue of which both heathen and Christian philosophers have spoken in the highest terms of praise

Masonic Teaching.

and commendation , and the observance of this is rightly insisted upon , not merely in its narrow , but in its widest signification . We are enjoined to be temperate in all things , not only in our affections , but in our passions , so that , by a strict governance of the reason , we may " be

relieved from the allurements of vice . " In order to attain temperance , however , we must be prudent , which is rightly described as " the golden mean between rashness and cowardice . " Prudence enables a man to judge wisely , and to determine fully whatever pertains " to their

temporal and eternal welfare . " Besides prudence , tho full value of justice is inculcated , for this virtue guides us to render every man his due . Honour , again , and virtue , and mercy—as illustrated by our greatest poet—are further inculcated , and in the teaching laid down , even the Pope

himself , we venture to affirm , can find nothing which is in the slightest degree devious from the strictest code of morality . Lastly , mercy is insisted upon , with an eagerness that is highly commendable . Men are weakly by nature . They experience in their course through life many vicissitudes ,

many temptations . The result frequently is that they fall , yet humanum est errare . The best among us fall short in the performance of our duties , and for these shortcomings it is imperative we should crave indulgence occasionally . Thus mercy is " as the gentle rain from heaven upon the

place beneath ; it is twice blessed—it blesseth him that gives and him that takes . " So says Shakspeare , so says Freemasonry , so says Christianity , and with such a concurrence of opinion who shall gainsay the correctness of our view ?

We shall not prolong this article much further . The casual finding of a letter , unintended for publication , has led us to make these remarks . We fully believe they are in keeping with our general teaching , and we express

most firmly our opinion that if the profaimm valgus will but give heed to these few comments of ours there will never be the slightest doubt as to the efficacy of Masonic teaching .

We have offered these few remarks in the most genuine spirit . We are actuated by tbe purest motives . We feel that Masonry has no claim on the respect of mankind if it cannot show itself to be actuated , as it is in very truth , by the purest , the most disinterested , and the most virtuous

of all laws , both human and divine . Care we , then , if others doubt our virtue ? Yea , forsooth , for we pride ourselves , not unnaturally or unbecomingly , on the virtues we possess . At all events , till something more alarming than slander can be directed against us , we are content to remain

as we are ; charitably disposed towards all men , brothers or non-brothers , eager to do good wherever good may be done , or to allay differences where differences may have arisen . We strive humbly to cultivate charity , prudence , mercy , and the kindred virtues . If we fail , it is owing : to the

frailty of nature . But we trust continently in tho help of the G . A . O . T . U . We believe iu His power to aid us , and shall , sooner or later , be the better for our faith . May the doctrines laid clown by our Bro . Harrison find a full responsive scho in the breasts of all Masons !

Genteel Mendicants.

GENTEEL MENDICANTS .

THE society for the repression of Mendicity is , wc believe , doing a great and good work . It is endeavouring so to organise charity that onr old and absurd fashion of indiscriminate almsgiving may bo , in a