An Argument That Laughs In Your Face.

AN ARGUMENT THAT LAUGHS IN YOUR FACE .

From " THE KEYSTONE . "

TO say nothing of tho sin of Masonry , its childishness is excruciating . So said the Pittsburg United Presbyterian of last week . Let us seo what reasons thoro ore to support this opinion . A brother is in distress . Misfortune has clouded his path ; tho dull times have touched him in basket and store ; disease has laid its heavy hand upon him ; even death has entered his circle , and

snatched a loved ono from his family . In this time of sore trial and trouble ho is not left comfortless . Ilia brethren not only sympathize with him , but they aid him . There is a Mystic Tie that encircles all who havo knelt at tho altars of Masonry , whereby they aro knit together into ono family of brethren , who not only rejoice with each other in times of rejoicing , but also mourn Avith each other when in

adversity . No cloud without a silver lining can overshadow a Mason . No blow can fall so heavily upon him that its force will not bo broken by the interposition of a friendly arm . He is comforted , relieved , uplifted . Ho is never friendless , because ho is a Mason . This is one of tlie ¦ " sins of Masonry . " It is tho friend of those who might otherwise bo friendless .

By a'dispensation of Providence a brother is suddenly taken from his family—death strikes doAvn tho head of the house . The death of a child brings sorrow into a household ; the death of a wife is a greater afflction ; but the death of a husband and father is a staggering , almost deadly blow , to all that aro left behind . His place and office aro peculiar . Ho is tho advisor , the care-taker , the bosom

friend of all . No one who is left can fill his place . But there is another relation in which he stands to them , the breach of which is apt to leave them most helpless of all . He was the support of tho family . By strenuous industry ho supplied them with all of the necessaries , and many of tho luxuries of life ; but now those gifts , Avhich came so regularly , and apparently so naturally , como no longer . The mill has ceased to grind , and tho feed is not forthcoming . Oh

the terrible pangs of Avant , both mental and physical ! Oh , the angnish of making your wants known to tho earless world . But thero is a brotherhood that cares for . the widow aud tho orphan of every departed brother . And it does not dole out its gifts by measure , doing so ranch and no more—its gifts , like its sympathies , aro measureless . Tho widow is relieved , the orphans aro rescued from want—both because the husband and father was bound to the Craft by fraternal ties . This is another of the " sins of Masonry . "

Tho last sad rite of earth—burial , is to be performed , and the remains of a brother are to bo committed to earth , dust to dust , ashes to ashes . We havo all attended Masonic funerals . Generall y tho Church performs its rites first , and Masonry afterwards ; but it is not always so . Sometimes a clergyman goes to the house of death , but demurs to going farther ; but Masons always , when requested

bury their dead . Wo have stood by an open grave , yes , and uttered the last fond , fraternal Avords which a brother so lovingly pronounces over the remains of a member of the Craft , when not a word had been previously , or was to be subsequently spoken by another . Tho Church Avas not fulfilling its office , and if Masonry had not been true to the call of humanity and brotherhood , tho body of him who Avas

once a living man would havo been buried like a dog—no word spoken or prayer uttered , but only the dead inhumanly thrust out of sight . When the fraternity steps in and modestly performs its funeral office , the brethren appearing without any insignia or distinction , excepting a small bluo ribbon on tho lappel of their coats , aud a sprig of evergreen iu their hands , this is still another of tho " sins of Masonry . "

Wo might enumerate other sins , but it is unnecessary , for they will readily suggest themselves to the reader ' s mind . Let us turn now to those aspects of tho brotherhood that are " excruciatingly childish . " A brother , weary with tho toil of business , and perhaps the mis " fortunes of adversity , which ho has to endure alone , or perhaps has

a Avife and children to share Avith him—ono or two , or it may bo throe nights in a month , goes to Lodge , Chapter and Comniandery . During this small fraction of his time , thus devoted to the Craft , he finds himself in the fellowship of Brothers and Companions—those who havo assumed the same vows of fraternal regard to him that he has to them . He is at once in a charmed circle . No one Avho has

not been in that circle can understand its magic . There is full and free expression of opinion there— not the jarring opinions of the world , but the fraternal opinions of brethren . There is sympathy , harmony , love . As tlie ancients said , " the gods draw like to like , by somo mysterious nihility of souls . " What a picture is this . Its " childishness is excruciating . "

A Masonic Temple is to bo dedicated to Truth , Virtue and Benevolence , and tho brethren assemble to perform the solemn ceremonies , with happiness expressed in their countenances and indelibl y stamped ou their hearts . Within its walls tho one time and livin " God , of Jew and Gentile , is to be invoked , and the Hol y Bible i ' s always to be open upon its altars , as the rule of our faith ancl the

guide of onr lives . For men to meet and indulge in any ceremonies for such a cause is " excruciatingly childish . " Yes , faith is childish for the Great Light says , "whosoever shall not receive tho Kingdom of God as a little child , he shall not enter therein . " But why further multiply examples ? Is it not equally childish to participate in a

Masonic funeral , or to listen with the teachable spirit of children to a Masonic lecture upon tbe foundation principles of brotherl y loverelief and truth , that underlie the Craft ? But the argument , so to speak , " turns around and laughs in our faces , " and we laugh too at the puerility of those AVIIO would have us believe that , " to say nothing of tho Sin of Masoury , its childishness is excruciating . "

The Masonic Apron.

THE MASONIC APRON .

WE take the following from the very sensible report of Bro . Shaoffer , G . Lecturer to the Grand Lodge of California , at its last session : — To show how much good has been accomplished by the practice of presenting tho lambskin to initiates , I will relate tho following incidents , which havo come under my own observation . A certain man ,

before leaving his old home in the east , had been made a Mason , but since coming to tho Pacific coast had not visited a Lodge , and had fallen into evil paths and been led into dissipation . Ono day , Avhen looking over somo articles in his trunk , he came upon a forgotten package which , when opened , was found to contain his lambskin

apron—for the Lodgo wherein he was made a Mason had made it a custom to present each member Avith this emblem of Masonry . Tho sight of the spotless vestment , more ancient than the golden fleece or Roman eagle , aroused a flood of recollections in his bosom . In imagination he was carried back to his old home , Avhere ho had been

honoured and respected—to tho time when he stood in tho north-east corner , a just and upright man , where it had been given him strictly in charge ever to act and walk as such . He asked himself Avhether ho had fulfilled the charge ? whether he had Avalked as an upright man ? Ho felt that he had not . The spark of manhood which still

lingered in his bosom was strong enough to kindle a glowing fire . He put the apron away and went forth , determined to conquer the terrible demon that had been leading him on to the abyss of destruc . tion . Ho made himself knoAvn to some of tho Masons of this city , frankly admitted his wrongdoing , and asked them to assist him in

reforming . A helping hand Avas extended , the strong grip Avas given him , and by its aid he was lifted out of the depths into which he had fallen , and once more stood a just and upright man . Ho is now hon . cured and respected by the workmen of tho Temple , instead of being an outcast and disgraced . The other case occurred in the interior of

Mexico . A brother was travelling through that country , Avhere he contracted a feA-er and soon became delirious . Those with Avhom he was domiciled examined his baggage for tho purpose of getting him some clean linen , and found a lambskin apron . Ifc was immediately recognized , for those into whoso hands he had fallen were Masons . It is needless to say how tenderly he was cared for ; how carefully his

nurses attended upon him until tho last moment came ; aud then , hoAV reverently they closed his eyes and laid him beneath the earth . Tho written record on the lambskin furnished the brethren with the necessary information to communicate Avith the Lodge of tho deceased , and send to his friends such property as ho left behind . —Masonic Jewel .

Railway Traffic Returns.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS .

The folloAving statement shows tho receipts for trallic on tho undermentioned railways for tho past Aveek , as compared Avith tho corresponding Aveek in 1875 : — llilcs oncn . Receipts . Railway . 1870 . 187 U 1875

Caledonian 739 54 , 831 51 , 193 Glasgow and South Western . . . 315 A- 10 , 279 17 , 192 Great Eastern 761 V 47 , 058 48 , 550 Great Northern 510 53 , 290 58 , 211 Great Western 2 , 008 131 , 529 120 , 092

Lancashire aud Yorkshire . . . 437-1 70 , 07 i 61 , 415 London and Brighton .. .. 378 31 , 177 31 , 310 London , Chatham and Dover . . 153 . i 19 , 431 16 , 910 London and North Western . . . 1 , 588 170 , 701 108 , 297 London and South Western ... — 39 , 035 37 , 513

London , Tilbury and Southend . . 45 1 , 473 — Manchester and Sheffield . . . 259 } , 25 , 531 32 , 012 Midland 982 } 107 , 722 114 , 805 Metropolitan — —• — „ „ District .... 8 | - 5 , 012 5 , 324 „ „ St . John ' s Wood . — — —

North British 841 } 42 , 945 41 , 951 North Eastern 1 , 400 i 118 , 780 127 , 051 North London 12 7 , 701 7 , 184 North Staffordshire liailway . . . 191 9 , i 00 10 , 501 Caual . . . 118 1 , 110 1 , 722 South Eastern 350 30 , 901 32 , 190

THE IMPUWINCE OP FKKKMASOXS . —Grace Grcemvood , who is now sauntering through Europe , nnd Avritiug must charming letters to tho New York Times , has a good-natured fling at tho Freemasons for interfering Avith her plans . She left Vevay for Chillon for the purpose of visiting tho far-famed dungeon in which Myron ';> mythical prisoner was confined . Unfortunately she arrived at Chillon the dav before that

of the banquet to be given to tho visiting brethren by tho Masonic Congress of Lausanne , which WHS than in session . Of course she w . is refused , and she vents , in a pleasant way , her spleen at the disappointment . " Wo passed over tho moat , AV : J attained the very gate of the castle , when wo were stopped by a goadanne , who informed us

that the historical old edifice was closed for that Iny aud the next , by order of the governor , who was about to give in its halls a grand Masonic entei taiument . It seemed a sort of anachronism , but really this insolent Order is ordering everything and pushing its nay everywhere . If the New Jerusalem should como down , the Masons Avould hold a lodge in Solomon ' s Temple the first thing . " — Voice of Masonry .