A Further Development In The New Zealand Question.

masonry are dear to us all , but we do not see our way to maintaining ihe one and promoting the other by urging our Grand Lodge to humiliate itself in the presence of the whole world of Freemasonry . We loyally desire to see all sections of ihr . Craft throughout the I . rilish Empire enferfaining towards each other the friendliest feelings ; but this can only be done hy the adoption of a course of action that shall be equally honourable to all .

The Operative Function Of Speculative Masonry.

THE OPERATIVE FUNCTION OF SPECULATIVE MASONRY .

BY BRO . THE REV . T . SELBY IIENREY . It is hardly possible to conceive a theme more inspiring to contemplate , and exhilarating to write upon , than that of Freemasonry ; for it takes you out of the heated atmosphere of politics , as well as from the wrangling area of polemics—to a calm , peaceful domain , where not only unanimity , but also

amity reign supreme . At the same time there is a difficulty about committing one ' s idea of Masonry to paper , not being desirous to enter upon ground where Angels fear to tread ; also , I am not unmindful that at my initiation my brothers endeavoured to teach me to be cautious . 1 -will , thertfore , only touch on principles . In my judgment the power of the Masonic Order lies

in her methods of presenting great thoughts to the mental 'gaze of her votaries . For a moment let us see how thought governs man . The subject of thought has been made the fulcrum of the teaching of every great writer . " 'Tis the mind , " says SHAKSPEAUE , " which makes the body rich . " " The key to every man is his thoughts , " writes EMERSON . Listen to a third , " The

process of education itself is nothing more or less than the art of controlling and disciplining thought . " Who has not given silent expression to such a sentiment , "Oh , give me a great thought that I may feid upon it . " Thought causes a man to think , and SOLOMON , in the Old Baok , tells us as a man thinketh in his heart so is he . Chatacter is determined by that

whereon the mind principally dwells . Every day experience makes us conscious that such teaching is not only true in theory , but also most true in practice . Let a man nurse in his mind the thought that he is ill , and his body will not tarry in its response ; inspire a man that he is healthy , and the thought of his being as " sound as a bell" will prove his best

physic . Let a man be dominated by the thought , on retiring to rest at night , that at five a . m . he must be up , and on that morning , at any rate , he will be able to crow with the glorious company of Early Risers . There is nothing so marvellous as the continuity of thought . The last thought which occcupied a man ' s

mind on falling to sleep , if it be healthy sleep , will accompany him through the midnight hours , and prove to be his waking thought . And who has not heard of an instance 6 f the psychological fact that the thought which is present immediately prior to a man being rendered insensible by accident , or some other cause , will be dormant in the mind for days , or maybe weeks ,

and at last re-assert itself in all its potentially on the man ' s recovery to consciousness . Thus wc see what a wonderful influence thought exerts upon the mind of man , and the mind re-acts on the body . If you wish to resort to the most effectual means of degrading a man , lower his thoughts : if you wish to raise a man , present to him noble thoughts .

Except above himself he can erect himself How small a thing is man . It is my contention that the most beneficent work which Masonry can bring into operation , when dealing with man , is to be found in her methodsof continually presenting noble thoughts before the mental vision of man . Trace

this principle in Operative Masonry of the Middle Ages . Sir Gilbert Scott informs us how the religious builders , during the Medieval period , were organised into systematic guilds , each composed of architects , masons , joiners , and labourers , welded together under the auspices of a patron' saint , most commonly St . John , executing their respective occupations by the

inspiring thought expressed by Hagar , " Thou God secst me , not actuated with temporal gains , but propelled on to excellency , animated by the thought of glorifying the Great Architect of the Universe . When these guilds were initiated no one whose moral character was questionable , or who had not proved himself a competent artisan , was admitted . These guilds , of

necessity , were migratory , travelling from Church to Church , keeping secret their own particular excellences in conception of style and execution of workmanship by means of the thought of brotherhood , a bond of Freemasonry . We find distinct schools over the country . The lover of architecture will at once detect buildings of exquisite symmetry in one county

showing up inferior styles in an adjacent one , and the different buildings can be assigned to their respective builders by private marks which the arch . xologist is now enabled to decipher . The stones at Melrose Abbey have been found to be as the distinguishing mark of two pairs of compasses crossed ; those of Gloucester Cathedral a triangle , while a double triangle is

cut on the stones of York Minster . In addition to these there has been discovered in the crypt of York , an ancient lodge minute book . When we consider that the work of these Guilds was on buildings which , for stability of structure and symmetry of design , have never been surpassed or even approached , we cannot but deplore that such beneficent building fraternities , animated by

such divine and lofty thoughts of labour , were broken up , and their secrets to a certain extent lost during the re-action of the sixteenth century . Here you have' Faith in God , men as brothers , Divine responsibility , Eternity . Divine and noble thoughts undoubtedly were the keystones of the Operative

Masons' success during the Medieval Ages . Let us now look at Speculative Masonry . In the First place , I must ask fora definition of the word thought ; and I remember that Locke , in his work "On the Human Understanding , " states that thoughts are derived from one or other of two causes—they are either sensational , that is , they tome through the medium of the senses , or

The Operative Function Of Speculative Masonry.

they come by reflection . As an instance of thoughts produced by sensation , I , for instance , mention an animal , and there is a picture of that animal at once produced in your mind ; and then you will ruminate upon it , and reflect upon it , and you get an entirel y different set of ideas—this is reflection . Or to express the sams truth in a different way , is to say , that man

cannot accept anything simply stated in the abstract , the abstract must be reduced to the concrete . 1 mention a thing by name , which no Englishman has ever heard of , and there is on ly a sensation of thought , but there is no reflection ; there is a cessation of thought because the mind has nothing to work on . But 1 mention , say , a rose , a horse , and 1 immediately raise

innumerable associations in your mind , and these reflections quickly follow in the wake of the sensational . Apply this to Speculative Masonry . Every virtue is as it were reduced to the concrete , ( f you cannot appeal directly to the intellect , you can through the eye , which is the first form of acquiring knowledge . There is a sense in which it is true to say that the working

of Masonry is a mode by which great thoughts are presented before man ' s mental vision through the medium of symbals and signs . Do I not prove my assertion by directing attention to the three great emblematical lights to Freemasonry ; the working tools of an Entered Apprentice ; the character of Hiram Abiff ; the signs , tokens , and words of a Master Mason ; or ,

the scene in the Third Degree , when the candidate is required to anticipate an event which must come to him sooner or later , and may be rather sooner than he expects . The great thoughts which such as these carry with them must make an impression on the man , and play an unconsciousor mechanical part in his evcry-day life . For example , do not many of the things which we

perform come somewhat mechanically ? We set out fora certain house , we cross over several streets , round corners , and at last find ourselves at the door of the desired house . We have never given a thought to the route . We mechanically , or unconsciously , arrived there safely to-day because we had right thoughts about it yesterday . What is character , it it is not invisible

thought translated into aclion , cut into the life ? What a glorious mission does Freemasonry fulfil in thL cold and naughty world , if she is theinspirer of men to do what is noble , true , honest , just , lovable ! " If you wish to alter the destiny of a people , " exclaimed a great thinker , " you have only to alter its thoughts ! " Translate the thoughts which Masonry presents into action , and they will form habits , and habits will rule you—n fortiori , Masonry will

rule you , and you will be a good Mason . Masonry makes no secret that Charity is her goddrcas . The highest law in the Volume of the Sacred Law is Charity . " Faith will vanish into sight ; Hope be emptied in delight ; Love in Heaven will shine more bright . "

Charity is another name for love , and love is the essence of God , for God is love . In response to the character of love , the gates of Heaven will roll back , and the Mason will find that in the Grand Lodge above there is One greater than King Solomon , with outstretched arms to give a hearty grip to those who have held out the hand of Charity to any poor and distressed

Mason . May noble thoughts endue every Mason with such fortitude , that in the hour of . trial he fail not ; but passing safely under God ' s protection through the Valley of the Shadow of Death , the Lord of Life may enable him to trample the King of Terrors beneath his feet , and lift his eyes to that bright Morning Star , whose rising brings peace and tranquillity to the faithful and obedient of the human race .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The following is the business to be transacted on Wednesday next : THK REPORT or THE COMMITTEE OK GENERAL PURPOSES . To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 17 th October , to the 15 th January , 1895 , both inclusive , which

they find to be as follows : To balance , Grand Chapter £ 370 17 11 . By Disbursements during the ,, ,, Unappropriated Quarter 326 0 C Account 126 2 S , ' , Balance ... 554 S 4 „ Subsequent Receipts .. 500 9 5 „ „ Unappropriated Account 217 1 2

£ 1097 ' ° ° £ l 0 97 10 °

which balances are in the Bank of England , Law Courts Branch . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following petitions . ist . From Comps . Edward John H . Hoskyns , M . D ., as Z . ; John Walker , as H . ; William Henry Fisher , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Ecclesburne Lodge , No . 2425 , Duflield , to be called the Ecclesburne Chapter , and to meet at the White Hart Hotel , Driffield , in the County of Derby .

2 nd . From Comps . Wm . Edward Murray Tomlinson , M . P ., as Z . ; Thomas Read Wilkinson , as H . ; T . Wilde Rice , as J . ; and seven others for a chapter to be attached to the Corinthian Lodge , No . 2350 , to be called the Corinthian Chapter , and to meet at the Bird-in-the-Hand Hotel , Lancashire ( West Division ) . 3 rd . From Comps . G . H . Whitaker , M . D ., as Z . ; Hawthorn Robert Thornton , as H . ; William Mason . Varley , as J . ; and 10 others for a chapter to be attached to the Horwich Lodge , No . 2324 , to be called the Horwich Chapter , and to meet at the Bridge Hotel , Horwich , Lancashire ( Western Division ) .

4 th . From Comps . J . Norris Grant , at ; Z . : Wilfred Ravenshaw-Fellows Lukis , as H . ; John William Ridal , as J . ; and 12 others for a chapter to be attached to the St . George ' s Lodge , No . 2170 , Colombo , Ceylon , to be called the Hercules Chapter , and to meet at the Freemasons' Hall , Colombo , Ceylon . 5 th . From Companions William Hickley Gundry , as Z . ; Edward Rogers Deacon , as H . ; George Swann , as J ., and six others , for a ch . iper to be attached to the Conyers Lodge , No . 1916 , Sydenham , Christchurch , N . Z ., to be called the Prince of Wales Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Sydenham , Christchurch , N . / C .

The foregoing petitions being regular , the committee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The committee have also received a memorial from Companions William Henry Pitts , '/ .. John Henry Furneaux , H . ; James Frederick Pennock , P . Z ., as