What Is Needed.

un-Masonic to regard a Brother who may differ with you on any question of policy as an enemy , and to try to injure him in his business or reputation . It is un-Masonic to look upon those who vote on " the other side " from you as rascals . It is un-Masonic to act upon

your judgment as the only rule and gauge of right , and to regard the opinion of every other Brother as unworthy of any consideration . Masonry teaches a Brotherhood ,

not an autocratic czar-ship . Every Brother in the Fraternity is entitled to respect and to consideration , and a haughty , czar-like spirit marks the possessor of it as unworthy to be taken by the hand as Brother .

We need men with brains , broad enough to comprehend what Brotherhood means , and with a spirit within them that will lead them to practise the lessons they have been taught . When the spirit of true fraternity is

found in those who are leaders , when they are willing to regard all men as worthy of consideration , because they bear the same stamp of the Creator as themselves , when a spirit of forbearance and forgiveness is manifested , then will ifc be found that Masonry is useful . — " New York Dispatch . "

The Shadow Mason.

THE SHADOW MASON .

IT has become a matter of expediency to receive the rights and benefits of Masonry on the part of some men , who simply grasp at the shadow of Masonic philosophy , and care nothing for the subsfcance . There is nofc a Lodgej Chapter , Commandery or Consistory that

has nofc its quota of these Shadow Masons . They simply connect themselves with the Institution that they may be named as Masons , and as such have a place in society , where to be known as a Craftsman carries with it a certain amount of social strength . It reminds us

forcibly of that condition of things spoken of by Isaiah , when seven women shall take hold upon one man , and afc their own expense , only asking fco take his name , thafc fche reproach of single-blessedness may be removed from them . ( Isaiah iv 1 . ) This class is represented by

Shadow Masons , who only ask to be called by the name of the Craft . They promise faithfully not to intrude their presence upon the Craft while at their work . They only ask to be considered ornamental , the usefulness has not entered into their calculations . It is to be regretted

that this element in Freemasonry is usually to be found located among professional men . Ministers , Doctors , and lawyers can be found in every locality , many of whom never put in a second appearance in the Masonic body they joined , after having received their degrees .

At the first glance such a fact—for fact it is—would seem to be strong evidence that Freemasonry was a very flimsy and foolish affair , that had failed to interest such men as Rev . Joel Poundtext , Squire Lexicon , or Dr . Gangelon , and the enemies of the Institution point to

the fact of indifference of such men as a reason for descrying the whole system of Freemasonry . It is to be regretted that a negative evidence is thus afforded detrimental to fche Craft , and" were the reason for the absence of such men from the Lodge in which they have

membership founded upon an intelligent verdict on their part antagonistic to Freemasonry , we might honour any such thing , if only in respect to fche judgment of such men . But this is not the case . They never intended to do more than pay the fees and receive the degrees . They

attached Masonry to their lives on the same principle that they attach a hook to the wall to hang a hat on . They merely wanted the name of Mason , without the labour connected with the same . They repeated each obligation in a poll parrot style , and with no care or

intelligent appreciation of either language or meaning , and had thafc obligation asked them to kill , burn and destroy indiscriminately , they would have repeated it just the same . In short the whole ritual was to them perfunctory , and had to be gone through with in order to

legalise their right to be called Masons . They only asked for the name , the mere shadow , and all else was secondary . We are glad to believe that the class here presented is comparatively few in number ; but still they

exist , and hence this writing . We like the good old law of Vermont Masonry that made absence for three regulars from Lodge a matter of Masonic discipline , and should be universally enforced . It is frequently a

The Shadow Mason.

subject of surprise , on some special Masonic event , to find one or more of these Shadow Masons present , but the surprise consists in your finding out that he is a Mason . You never before knew it , aud as a general thing you are agreeably gratified to find that such a

distinguished gentlemen belongs to the ancient and honourable Fraternity . And right in this fact rests the reason for the presence of the Shadow Mason in the Institution . To secure the membership of some man prominent in " law , physic , or divinity , " a foolish and

totally uu-Masonic method is frequently pursued , viz ., that of seeking them . There are ways in which the fact of " undue solicitation" can be and is avoided , and the information is surreptitiously conveyed to the party sought after that he would be made welcome in some

ambitious Lodge . The result is that the bait takes , and said Lodge has the honour of enrolling the " prominent " individual . But sometimes this does not always work smoothly , and a " dark sphere" is found in the ballotbox . Then the horror of the moment ! Then the

extraordinary efforts made to remove the cloud ! Then the appeals in favour of the candidate , and the disgrace attached to the Lodge (?) by his rejection ! Well , Brethren , we have seen it , and we can rejoice that

Masonry has plenty of faithful workers , who , even when thus handicapped by the " superfluous , " can carry the burden , even though the Shadow Mason be a useless weight . — " American Tyler . "

Grand Honours.

GRAND HONOURS .

MANY readers , who have been taught to believe that all forms and ceremonies of Masonry are the same the world over , may be surprised when informed that the Grand Lodge of Maine has adopted as the Public Grand

Honours , the " crossing of the arms upon the breast , the left uppermost , the tips of the fingers touching the points of the shoulders , and bowing three times with the arms thus crossed . " These honours are so

given on occasions like dedications of halls , laying of corner-stones , and other ceremonies in public , but at Masonic funerals another original method of giving Grand Honours has been adopted . The Brethren cross their arms on their breasts and say : " His memory we

cherish in our hearts ; " then extending their hands , palms downward , over the grave , say : " His body we commit to the earth , " then raising their hands , as if in supplication , say : " And his spirit we commend unto God who gave ifc . "

In depositing the evergreen in the grave of a deceased Brother we most heartily commend the manner adopted by our Maine Brethren . It is done by first bringing the right hand to the left breast , then extending it , palm

downward , over the grave , depositing the evergreen , then carrying it above the head , pointing to Heaven , then letting it drop to the side . When done with precision this must be quite impressive . — " Advocate . "

The Whole Duty Of Masonry.

THE WHOLE DUTY OF MASONRY .

IT is a matter for deep regret that of late the idea seems to be gaining ground amongst us that the obligation of a Master Mason does not extend to and cover his relations with the Brethren in private life , but

only extends to the converse and work of the Lodge Room—that work of Brotherly love , and unkindness and injustice amongst the Brethren in their relations as private citizens , is a matter entirely beyond and outside Masonic cognizance . If this view is correct and should

become generally adopted and acted upon , it must surely eventually tend nofc only to render the terms of a most solemn obligation unintelligible and foolish jargon , but also in a very great measure nullify the principle of Brotherly kindness , which is as strictly enjoined as any

other of the tenets to which we give assent in that obligation . If Brethren are only to be kind , just and true to one another when in Lodge assembled , and . when

unclothed are absolved from their obligation in this respect , then will we in vain seek to impress upon the profane that there can be in our system consistency , integrity , and stability . But I do most earnestly