The Plain Speaking Man In Masonry.

THE PLAIN SPEAKING MAN IN MASONRY .

A MAN who tells unwholesome truths h >» s a decidedly rough time of it in tho Masonic fraternity of to-day ,

and yet he is a most useful , not to say necessary , individual We plead guilty to being one of the crew , and therefore we feel all the more sympathy for those who get more or less ostracised in our Lodges , because they will not prophecy smooth things after the manner of the gentleman who

acted as court chaplain afc tho palace of Ahab before he started on hia ill-starred expedition against the Syrians . The prophet was a master of symbolism , but he learned ihe force of axiom— " Never prophecy onless ye know " which Josiah Billings emphasised in modern times . Many

a good and earnest Mason who has the common sense faculty of calling a sham a sham when ho sees it , has to eat the bread of Masonic affliction now-a-days , because in a letter , a speech , or a sermon , he tells the Craft that their laws and constitutions are meant to be literally

interpreted , instead of being quietly and by common consent ignored . And the worst is , that the majority of really able men do not take the courageous course of the men who hang on and cry in tho wilderness , but they quietly leave the Order . We aro not going to

take up any intolerably pessimistic position . We are too strongly attached to the Craft for thafc , bufc we do say that the Order of Freemasonry demands very urgently a man after the st y le of Martin Luther , who will drop his respect for the thing that is , and make a vigorous crusade in

favour of the things thafc ought to be . We want some thorough root-and-branch reformer at work , and all the ground he need take up is the constitutional basis , upon

"which , in theory , all our Masonic lifo is erected . Nobody wants to reform the constitutions , but many want the coustifcution *** to be observed , only they are generally afraid to say so . It is high time that we paid more respect to the

Isaiahs and Jeremiahs of the Craft . ~~ South African Freemason

The Way We See It.

THE WAY WE SEE IT .

OR , rather , we might say , the way we do nofc see it . That good , old Scotch poet , Robert Burns , once wrote : " 0 wad some power the giftie gie us To see onrsils as ithers see us . " Ifc was a trifling thing that Burns saw , but the fair lady

did not see ifc , and was all unconscious of the poetical genius whose quick perception was going to immortalize her bonnet . How true to life in every walk is the fact that none of us look upon our own acts with that just

criticism which they deserve . Wo condemn in others the very things we do ourselves . We see a brother toying with a fire which we know will consume him if he keeps feeding the liquid flame with an unbridled appetite , and we say ,

"What a fool . " It may be that we cannot see to what an extent we ourselves are feeding an inward fire , nor that * we ourselves are feeding" the consuming flames of our brother's insatiable thirst . It is all wrong in him , but all right with us , simply because we look afc it that way .

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who watch ns and seo our faults and point them out , but somehow wo cannot see them . A brother uses profane language in order to bo emphatic , and we are sometimes horrified to hear tho

words of blasphemy fall from the lips of those taught only to revere the name of God . The brother has formed a habit , a useless , foolish , profane habit , thafc to others is most objectionable , bat it is so much of % habit thafc he

fails to see it in its true character . It does not need a pro fane oath to make impressive the language we want to use . To us an oath lessens the force of speech . The " big , big D " dwindles whatever it seeks to emphasise ,

Andso in our Lodge work . A man is often self-deceived , He does not or will not behold the beam that is in bis own eye , but is continually picking afc the mote in his brother ' -- ' He aspires to bo Master without realising his utter unfit

ness for the position . He wants to wear the square and wield the gavel , be greeted ns " Worshipful , " without going to school to prepare for tho duties of the position . He

would "run " for the East if it wore possible as foon as he beholds the first gleam of Masonic light . Ho does not seo himself as ho should , nor as others see him . A candidate

The Way We See It.

in Masonry was once asked what he desired , and ho said : " To get to the top as soon aa possible . " And that is the way many a man would express it . We seo a great many bad things in " the other side , " and criticise very adversely everything they do . We see nothing

good in it . " Our side " is all right . "Our party" can do nothing wrong as we see it . It is so in everything . Orthodoxy is my doxy , and heterodoxy is your doxy . We do not see ourselves , or we blind our eyes to our own shortcomings .

In the conduct of fche affairs of a Lodge we find fault ; with matters because they are not in the groove we would mark out . The Master , on the other hand , fails to see himself as his brethren see him . He sounds his gavel when a brother speaks if it does not exactly please his own

fancy . He rules arbitrarily , and yet from his standpoint it is not so . The time has passed for an autocrat in the East of a Lodge . The humblest member has rights which the Master must respect , and he must study his own actions to see that ho is not trampling upon those rights .

In the Lodge every brother is upon one common level . That is the beauty and the boasted glory of our institution , but unless we view ourselves from other than a purely selfish and personal stand-point we will * console ourselves

with the thought that we are " much better than the poor publican . " The Pharisee who thus prayed and gave thanks becanse he failed to " see himself as others saw him , " and as he really was , has many a later day follower .

Let us then study to be impartial and unprejudiced in our judgment . Be sure not to condemn in others what we find iu ourselves without first eradicating the error from

our own hearts and actions . Let us see somo good in the , " other party , " and nofc forget that if we were the " other party " we would do just as bad , if nofc worse . —New York Dispatch ,

A Few Words To Freemasons.

A FEW WORDS TO FREEMASONS .

Oh ye Craftsmen who proudly the Mason s badge wear , Who still meet on the level and part on the square , Whilo you act by the plnmb , ever upright and jnst , Be strong in your faith , in God put yonr trust . With the square and the compass to comfort and guide ,

Yon may traverse ttio earth with a feeling of pride , With a smile ou your face that a clear conscience brings , You may shske hauds with princes aud sit down with kings .

Unharmed be tho landmarks that forages have stood , While fire und the sword swept the earth like a flood , Protected and watched by tho All-soiag Ejo , lleart-roo . O'i tbey stand and timo ' s ch-tn- 'es defy .

At the altars yoa kneel where your fathers havo kuelo , Where the proud aud the strong into tenderness knelt , So firm and enduring thnt man cannot sever , In the mystical tie that binds yon together .

Though your lives may be chequered and dark be tbe way , When the sunbeams of home on the h-aart ceasi to pl ** y , Let the Great Light of the Craft with the lessons sublime , Illumine the path throngh tho journey of time .

Should some poor , erring Brother hi ? otairns on you press , Oh regard not his failing ** , but reliova his distress : Over frailties bo taught to throw charity ' s veil , For the best are but mortalM , and mortals are frail .

As you stand by the grave of a Mison aud woep With emotions of anguish all silent and deep , Oh , forget not the claims of his desolate hearth , And the deep , tender ties that long bound him to earth .

Go , with kind sympathy visit tho firosido of grief , And if want be fonnd there , bring speedy relief . Give not aa you wonld to the mendicant poor , Who may shivering stand aud bag alms at your doer .

Should the spirit of evil onr wild passions fire , Still let moral strength triumph and wisdom inspire , Charming beauty and virtue adorn tho saro lino That will load you to bliss and glory divine .

Io search of more light by degrees may you climb , Till you pass from the earth and trials of time , Wearing diadems bright and our failings forgiven , May wo all meet afc last in the Grand Lodgo of Ileaven . Keystone .

A wealthy man displaying ; one d ay Lis jcwcld to a pli loiophcr , ! ho latter s *) id : " Thank yon , sir , for bong willing to sli i- * o s ich magnificent jewels with me . " "Sia-otli tn vtrhyo . i , " -ir ? ' . Vh . tdo you mo in ? * ' " Why , you all tw mo to 1 ok ut thsm ; unci wl : at moic am you do with them yoarsslf ? "