The Compliments Of The Season.

THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON .

ONCE more we have tho pleasure of wishing- our readers A MEEEY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR , and in doing so we desire to tender our heartiest thanks to the numerous friends of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE who have hitherto supported us . During the past twelve months

we have frequently had to chronicle tho ravages of that grim monster—Death—and , strange as it may appear on our part to refer to so dismal a subject , at what should be the most joyful season of the year , AVO cannot help calling to mind the many dear friends who , since the last Christmas ,

" have gone to the undiscover'd country , from whose bourn no traveller returns . " But we must dismiss these thoughts from our mind , and strive , by every means in our power , to promote as much enjoyment as is possible among those who are still around us ; and who , let us hope , will share with

us the pleasures of Christmas for many years to come . As year by year we have the opportunity of joining in the hearty greetings of this festive season we cannot but feel a pride in the progress of the work we have undertaken . The number of our friends increases day by day , but it is

only ou such anniversaries as the present that we seem to be able to devote a moment to a consideration of the extent to which the circle of our good wishers has attained ; and

then , by comparing the position with that at the corresponding period of a previous year , we are enabled to congratulate ourselves on the fact that our labours on behalf of Freemasonry are appreciated .

THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE to-day starts on the sixth year of its existence , and on taking up our pen to record this fact , Ave are tempted to direct the attention of our readers to consideration of a few of the questions of the day which bear most parfcicularlv upon the

welfare , happiness and prosperity of Freemasons as a body . On every side it will be conceded that we , as a nation , are passing through a season of great commercial depression ; to say that the times are bad is no mere figure of speech , the fact is brought too palpably to our very doors to be

lightly passed over . Those of our brethren who act as representatives of the large trading houses of the kingdom experience the greatest difficulty in filling their order sheets , and week after week the result of their labours is meagre , while the consideration of what is to be clone in the

future engenders a spirit of depression and discouragement most difficult to counteract . It is not within our province to offer opinions as to the why or the wherefore of this , nor are we tempted to suggest a remedy ; still we think we may offer a few suggestions that will be found acceptable to our

readers . First , then we will consider how it is that during the pasfc year , to which season more especially our remarks will apply , that the extension of onr great organisation has gone steadily on . During the Masonic year no less than GO new warrants have been granted by the Most

Worshipful the Grand Master the Prince of Wales . Associated in the management of many of these new Lodges are brethren who bring with them great experience , and a knowledge of the duties and responsibilities expected of thoso who seek to govern the Craft , and maintain it in the

state of efficiency ifc now presents . The financial result of tho Festivals of our three glorious Institutions was far beyond what could ever have been anticipated by the most

sanguine , while in the matter of private benevolence we boldly assert thafc no complaint of a falling off can for a moment be sustained . To what , then , can be attributed the desire to join our ranks ? Many of a cynical turn

The Compliments Of The Season.

of mind will tell us that a majority of thoso attached to our Order are influenced by motives of gain , and this impression is endorsed by many of those weak members of the Craft who—we regret to say—are too easily led by those who are continually seeking to find unworthy

motives for almost every action of daily lifo . This brings us to a consideration of what our brotherly relationship , the ono to the other , should be . It is said that the world may know thafc a Mason is one to whom the burdened heart may pour forth its sorrows , and the

distressed may prefer their suit . Is this fully and fairly borne in mind by tho Craft at large ? Is not the first wail of a brother on whom the hand of adversity has heavily fallen , treated as the signal for the listener—¦ who should be expected to render the help desired ;

help which , by the way , may not always be required to take the form of a monetary gift , bat frequently merely a yearning for sympathy and advice—to make himself scarce , and studiously to avoid a future meeting , lest he should be pestered with the troubles of others .

We fear in placing our views thus forcibly before our readers , wo may lay ourselves open to the offc-repeated charge that those who join our ranks should remember that they are incurring heavy liabilities , and thafc if their pnrsesfcrings will not bear the strain ifc wore far better to

hold aloof . This , we think , we may be able to reply to . How many in our own immediate circle could we name whose prospects were of tho brightest , yofc through BO fault of their own , have been struck down in their career of prosperity ? Who amongst us nan make a

forecast of what his business—however flourishing it may be to-day- —will produce five , three , nay , even one , year hence ? Life at the present time may , indeed , bo called a lottery , in which , there are prizes , bat wherein the number

of blanks far exceeds . The man who to-day is prosperous should be thankful thafc he is so , and not , as is too frequently the case , take all the credit to himself ; rather let him look carefully into his own heart , and draw a comparison with some of his less fortunate brethren . Wo think he

need not be long ere he arrives at the conclusion that he has much to be thankful for , and that many of those less fortunate around him demand , and are worthy of his assistance . Let us bear in mind the old saying , " Many a mickle makes a mnckle : " let us o-ive according- to our

means ; if we cannot assist with our purse , let us do so with our counsel ; wo need never intrude upon our distressed brother , but should we be appealed to , let us do all in our power to help , and not turn upon onr heel and rush away as if contagion were at our elbow .

In this the opening number of the Eleventh Volume of tho CHRONICLE we think it desirable to follow the timehonoured custom of mesfc journals , and lay down a programme for the future . Tho pasfc speaks for itself ; and , therefore , we dismiss it at once . Our course throughout

our career has been unfettered by any outside influences , and we have always striven to perform our duty faithfully and fearlessly ; when we say that it is our wish to maintain this line of action in the future , we think we havo said all that is necessary or possible to say in connection

with a journal which professes truthfully to record Masonio intelligence . If in the discharge of our editorial functions we have offended any , we trust they will now accept tho right hand of fellowship , and join with us in wishing every member of the Craffc THE COMPLIMENTS or THE SEASON .