Freemasonry And Its Objects.

FREEMASONRY AND ITS OBJECTS .

There are few more competent exponents of the aims and objects of Freemasonry than our reverend brother the Dean of YORK , and theaddress with which he recently inaugurated the series of lectures vvhich will be delivered from time to time under the auspices of the Lodge of Defence , No . t 22 i , Leeds , is a model of what such an address should be . It was clear

and precise in its several parts , easy of comprehension by the general body of Craftsmen , and a truthful presentation of the purposes vvhich Freemasonry has set itself to accomplish . No doubt our distinguished brother would have felt equally , if not more , at home in addressing an audience of highly cultured Masons desirous of learning more about the abstruser

mysteries of the Craft . But we doubt very much if a learned address would have been as generally acceptable as that vvhich vve had the pleasure of publishing last week , for the reason that it would not have bcen so readily comprehended by the general body . It would not have appealed so directly to their sympathies or to those of the general public , vvho , though they are not

themselves members of the Masonic Fraternity , are nevertheless greatly interested in its proceedings . But let us accompany our reverend brother through the several sections of his address , and vve shall then be in a better position to appreciate its value . He began by pointing out that the old conception as to the character of Freemasonry , however much of truth it

may have contained in former days , holds good no longer . People do not now caricature us , and set us down as " mere gluttons and bibulous people , whose conversation was flavoured with coarseness , and whose actions savoured of indecency . " The habits of society , of which Freemasons are an important part , forbid any such suggestion . But the belief is still

widely prevalent that Freemasonry is a kind of goodfellovvship club , and he is probably not far wrong in ascribing this belief to the habit so common among brethren of describing what is nothing more than the simple and necessary refreshment which should always follovv labour by " thc pedantic and archaic " term of " banquets . " We meet together for the discharge of

our appointed duties , and when we have discharged them vve dine or sup together or spend an hour or two in taking some light refreshments . This refection , slight or substantial , as the case may be , is magniloquent ! )' described as a " banquet , " and hence , no doubt , the belief he referred to lhat Masons are a " goodfellovvship rlub , " who meet together for no

other purpose than that of enjoying themselves . But even if they merit this appellation , there is , as he truly says , a sufficient apology for their conduct . There is , indeed , no reason why frugal and necessary refreshment should not be taken by members of the Masonic body when they meet together for thc transaction ot business . It is " consistent vvith

humanity itself that the partaking of food should be social rather than solitary . " In short , we meet as a lodge and dine or sup together as a family . This we do some eight or ro times in the course of 12 months , and the people must indeed be censorious who can deduce harm from customs so simple and indulged in at intervals so rare .

Again , as our reverend brother points out , Freemasonry is not a benefit society ; it does not lend itself , except on very special occasions , to anything in the nature of spectacular display , and , above all , it is not , neither has it ever advanced any claim to be , a religion . It is not a benefit society , because men do not join our ranks for the sake of any benefits they

"lay hope to derive from it on their own account , but in order to be able , through its instrumentality , to render services to others . Benefit societies are , no doubt , useful , and , as the Rev . Bro . PUREY-CUST remarks , "it may he an act of prudence " to belong to one , " and it is , no doubt , great want ° f prudence to belong to nothing of the sort , and to make no provision for

possible dark days , or for those dependent on us . " But , as he goes on to •idd , " surely it is a different and a higher course if the object is not self but others , not what we may get for ourselves , but how vve can best utilise our means and capabilities to promote the welfare of our brethren . " Again ,

•'reemasonry is no religion , but " it recognises religious truths ; it inculcates ¦ ind practises much which lies at the base of all true religion , and promotes •t frame of mind and a temper which are most helpful to religion . " It occupies ground " which i . s common to all who hold anything deserving lo oe recognised as serious and sensible religious opinions . It accentuates , dwells upon , inculcates , and encourages those cardinal principles and

s Piritual foundations without which anything worthy to be called a religion cannot exist , and when vve meet we do not suppress the very name of GOD ^ if His very being were out of place in social life and philanthropic work . " Moreover , " it is something in an age when men arc enticed to associate emsclves together where the very name of Goi > and the very mention of 8 ° n would be deemed an intrusion and a discord , jarring with the ' •ccepted routine , and at variance with the purpose of their gatherings , to

Freemasonry And Its Objects.

feel that , at any rate , there is nothing in Freemasonry vvhich can chill any devout aspirations , wound any tender conscience , or quicken any feelings or aspirations which are at variance vvith our best interests in this life or in another . ' ' Having shown that Freemasonry is not any of the things he enumerated ,

our reverend brother proceeded to defime " the object of our Society" as being " to cultivate social intercourse and fraternal fellowship with the view of promoting acts of benevolence and Charity , and exalting and inculcating the practice of morality and due reverence and loyal allegiance to the powers that be , whether of heaven or earth . " As regards the constitution of our

Order , he took occasion to point out that , in this country at all events , " it gathers together men of all ranks and stations , from the Heir to the Throne to thc working man . " There may not , perhaps , be many of the latter , but there is little doubt the Fraternity is " abundantly recruited from the upper and middle classes of society . " It includes " men of all shades of

politics and all schools of religious thought , of the highest as well as the simplest intellectual culture , men of every profession and calling , clerical and lay , men of different temperaments and dispositions , of varied gifts , of various professions , the richest and the poorest , the man of business and the man of leisure , the man of study and the man of action , the man of

commerce and the man of agriculture , thc man of science and the man of politics , the employer and the employed , the man of the most independent and of the most subordinate positions . " That such an organisation as this —which " masses all these different classes of the community together "; which " brings them on to one common neutral ground , " where they " meet

and are honoured , not so much for their rank and position without as for their position and rank within ; " which is " a social democracy , and yet controlled by a discipline which is loyally submitted to , and cheerfully recognised , and governed by an executive which retains the confidence of the members generally , and is obeyed and honoured "—should win the admiration of so

competent a judge is not to be wondered at ; neither is it surprising that he should give voice to the opinion that " it would be indeed a shame , grievous abuse of great opportunities , a criminal waste of a grand and intricate organisation ( vvhich seems to have been permitted lo grow together for some great purpose ) if it was allowed to subside into a mere occasion for

indulgence , for mere parade , for mere utterance of familiar formularies and mere platitudes , and for the mere assumption of costume . " F . qually important is it to note that " a good example is catching , and that the evidence , on such a large scale as ours , of men able to differ , and yet able to teach a fellowship of harmony and mutual respect , will not be ineffectual if only it is sincere . "

Much else might be quoted from this instructive address , but we have selected enough to show how justly the objects of Freemasonry are understood by the Dean of YORK , and how grand a future lies before the Craft , if only its members will appreciate and act up to his teachings . It is ,

indeed , an able exposition of Freemasonry , and the Lodge of Defence will be fortunate indeed if the rest of the series of the lectures which are to be delivered under its auspices equal , or even approach , the one we have just been summarising .

Introduction To Bro. Vernon's Scottish Masonic History.

INTRODUCTION TO BRO . VERNON'S SCOTTISH MASONIC HISTORY .

The following introduction by Bro . W . J . Hughan to Bro . Vernon ' s work recently published , has been reprinted by permission of the Author , and will , we think , prove of interest to our readers -. — I am exceedingly pleased that Bro . W . Fred . Vernon has so promptly responded to the wishes of several students in writing a comprehensive

"History of I' reemasonry in the Province of Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire , " not only as such a work is much needed ( containing as it does numerous particulars respecting old lodges from 16 74 to 1892 ) , but primarily because rny friend is most thoroughly conversant with the subject , nnd has virtually been preparing for this " labour of love" ( though without

intending it ) for many years past . Amidst the multitudinous duties of a busy life he has contrived to find time to do justice to the important record s of the old Lodgeof Melrose , vvith minutes from 16 74 ; the Lodge of Kelso from 1701 , and those of the extinct lodge at Haughfoot , from 1702 , besides other ancient ateliers whose transactions are dul y described in musty

volumes , and now , for the first time , see the light by being placed at the service of the universal Craft for examination and comparison with kindred MSS . More even than this will be found in the following pages , for all the lodges in the two counties concerned have their histories pourtrayed by a master hand , so that those dating from the present or t 8 th century ,