Caste.

Of the thousand elegances and graces of the pasfc this ornamriilal brother knows nothing . Of old English litentMu-e—even of modern writing—ho knows nothing . He looks upon Past Masters and Provincial Grand Officers as men who require his patronage , more from the

honourable marks of distinction they wear than from the mental labour thoy have undergone in the process of acquiring them . The picture is severe , but is ifc not too true ? Do we not find in many Lodges men of this languid , dawdling type , who regard position as " an awful bore , " and who , if

their vanity is not pampered by obsequious attentions , soon cool down , and eventually drop out of the firmament which declines to reflect their glitter and glare ? And if , perchance , from reasons that may seem desirable , an attempt is made to elevate this " cub" into a position in which

sobered example may bo turned to good account , what a task is undertaken b y the charitable and voluntary preceptor ! As the tutor engaged to coach his pupil , to pull him through an examination , is often regarded with contempt by his " pup " ( short for

pupil ) , so very often is tlio honest and pains-taking preceptor who takes in hand this promising undergraduate . He might contrive , by thafc wondrous concentration which practice in one peculiar capacity confers upon humanity , to lick his prob ' gi' into a kind of education ;

just as men of low intelligence train dogs , monkeys , mice , and birds to perform tricks at command . He might be crammed sufficiently to pass the chair , assisted over the stony paths of hard work by kindly Past Masters , but his year of office will eventuate in no credit to the Loclgo ,

or benefit to its members . And , after he has handed down the gavel he has scarcel y known how to wield , he will relapse into the same listless apathy as that from which he had been temporarily aroused , the only exception being that he will dangle from his button-hole the P . M . ' s jewel , which has been

given him more out of compliment than appreciation . There are many other phases of Caste to which we may refer—the man who makes Masonry a vehicle for pushinohis trade , who flaunts the emblems upon his shop-front , business-card , or sign-board ; who employs it as a means of seeming " influence " which shall assist him into a

position in life ; or who regards it as a passport to Society , without which he could not " mix " with those above him . But why enumerate them all ? Surel y we have said sufficient to illustrate the design of this article , and to prove thafc its title is not an empty one ,

even when applied to Masonry . That equalit y is recognised and acted upon in its truest sense with regard to the Order generally , and that it finds its truest exemplification in our Lodges , it would be affectation on our part to dispute ; but that there are exceptions to this , as to every other rule ,

is abundantly evident to even the most casual observer of our system . It is as impossible to eradicate tho presence of caste in any society as ifc is to change the orbits of the planets , and that being so it may be vain to point to the

subject at all . Our only aim is that , by referring to ifc , we may possibly do some little in the way of reducing to a minimum the sins of omission and commission which every true-hearted and right-thinking Mason must deplore .

Summer Masonry.

SUMMER MASONRY .

1 « ROM THK "KEYSTONE . "

npiIERE is considerable difference between Summer and Winter -L Masonry , although both are admirable . They bare divers fields of action . Winter Masonry is practised chiefly in the Lodges . Thero we regularly meet our brethren , work up new material , administer charity , and instruct and entertain each other . Although often a

month elapses between the meetings , ifc flies swiftly by . so that tho communications appear to occur much more frequently than according to the regulations set down in the bye-laws . The labour and refreshment are so well adjusted to each other , and both are so congenial to the tastes and education of Craftsmen , that a Mason scarcely knows a pleasure superior to that of statedly meeting with

his brethren , and aiding his fellows who maybe in distress . Winter Masonry , therefore , combines activity with variety , and we trust and believe that the timo will never come when tho Fraternit y shall cease to shower blessings upon the heads of all who engage in ' its labour of love . But what about Summer Masonry ? During the heated term , and especially during tho month of Au < nisfc

( upon which we have lately entered ) , as a rule , the Lodge llooms ° aro closed . If the brethren meet , it is likely—in the cause of refreshment , pure and simple—to indulge in a Masonic picnic , or excursion or , it may be , to pay the last fraternal honors to the remains of a departed brother over his grave . The one gathering is as sad as the other is joyous . The one points to immortality , tho other to time

Summer Masonry.

The one is tho most joyous refreshment , the other tho most melancholy labour . But this is not all of Rummer Masonry . What , is tho very essence of Freemasonry , tho soul thafc animates the body ? Ia it not tho spirit of fraternity prevailing throughout the Craft—that fellow feeling which David Garriek so truly said , " makes ono wondrous kind ? " And how much of this there is

among Masons out of tho Lodgo ! Wo are often reminded to praotiso out of tho Lodge thoso virtues wo are taught within it , and ono of tho most signal of these virtues is brotherly love , tho very bond aud essence of Freemasonry . Thero is no place that wo can go , so long as wo do not entirely separate ourselves from our fellows , where wo may nofc exercise , and ourselves receive tho benefit of , this spirit of

fraternity . It is the greatest of tho triune virtues , and the opportunities for its display aro manifold . During tho summer season we aro apt to form many now acquaintances , whether wo are at homo or abroad . It does not take ono long to discover whether he is introduced to a Brother Mason . Tho fact may bo unintentionally divulged to a wide-awake brother

iu many ways ; aud to ono who is not so wide awake , a ponderons Masonic jewel worn for ornament may serve as a placard to givo notice of the claims of the wearer . However we may discover thafc ho is in truth a brother ; once having discovered it , thero immediately springs up a cordiality that is born of knowledge , kinship , and is a fountain of pleasure to all who sharo in it . A man who is a

Freemason is never among strangers . Go whore he may , within the bounds of civilization , and sometimes , also , witho . it its bounds , aud ho finds in every land a homo , and every where a brother . Wo havo met with brethren , strangers to us afc first , but afterwards the closest of friends , ou mountain tops , and in mines in tlio bowels of tho earth , on tho ocean , aud iu the wilderness . Wo havo started upon a

journey alone , and finished it surrounded by brethren . Such is not a unique experience—all havo shared in it who have travelled , whether near or far . In tho Lodge-room wo meet with visiting brethren who aro certified to ns as such , but during tho limited time that we aro thus together , comparative ! v few opportunities arise for tho enjoyment of

prolonged friendship . It is different in tho outside world . Thero wo are our own committee of examination . There we aro by ourselves , it may be—at all events not in tho midsb of a throng of brethren as iu the Lodge-room , and a Masonic acquaintance is appreciated tho more . There we are out of tho immediate circle of influence of Masonry , and under theso circumstances it is moro than gratifying to learn

that Freemasonry is a life , aud nob simply a theory ; aud that ifc not only permeates large bodies , but is distributed liberally to each individual member when separated from the parent Lodge , and afloat on the sea of lifo We do not know how it may have struck others , but it has always seemed to us that Freomasoury iu tho world was , if possible , more real , moro tangible , moro enjoyable , than Freemasonry within the tylod precincts of tho Lodge .

AVe feel inclined to invoke blessings upon tho dog-days , because they introduce ns to Summer Masonry . By tho sea-side , and on the sea ; on lake , and mountain side ; on prairie and in tho wilderness , wherever a Mason travels , he surely meets with , and profits hy , tho spirit of Fraternity . Ho may nofc need material aid , but all of us afc all times enjoy the ministry of brotherly love . All hail , then , Summer Masonry !

In Memoriam.

In Memoriam .

It is with deep regret wo announce the death , which took place on the 24 th insfc ., of Bro . George Kelly King , well known to many of our readers by his connection with the Alexandra Palace Lodge , No . 1541 . From the Sussex Daily Post we extract the following : —

"Deceased was well known in Brighton many years ago as secretary and manager of a local Fire and Lifo Assurance Company , which afterwards became merged into tho Sun Office , and in connection with which the Brighton Mutual Provident Society was first brought forward . A great lover of cricket , ho subsequently became attached

to Lords Ground and tho Oval , as oflical scorer , and also became a recognised contributor iu all cricketing matters to the principal sporting papers . About two years ago he took over a brewery businoss at Hurstpierpoint , which unfortunately proved most disastrous , and the trouble of this , attendant on general weak health , must havo

hasteued his decay . As a Freemason he was held in high esteem . Ho had served the Office of Master of two Lodges , wag mainly instrumental in forming the Horsham Lodge , and but a few months back ( with tho assistance of a few friends ho established tho Southdown Loclgo at Hurstpierpoint . )"

The funeral of Bro . King took place on Wednesday , at Croydon , where for the last few months the deceased had been residing . In addition to several old and private friends and relations , there were present the following members of the "Southdown" Lodge , No . 1797 , at

Hurstpierpoint : —Bro . James Curtis ( S . W . and now acting W . M . ) , Bro . E . Broadbridge ( Secretary ) , and Bro . Dayson ( S . John ' s College ) , aJso Bro . Prank Holford ( " Yarborough" Lodge ) , an old friend of the family . Tho

Burial Service , the first part of which was fully choral , was performed at the Church of S . Michael and All Angels ; the body was interred in the Croydon Cemetery . Deceased will long be missed and mourned by a numerous circle of friends , to whom his genuine worth had endeared

him . He leaves a widow to bewail her loss , which will be equally felfc in London , Horsham , Hurst p ierpoint , and Brighton .