Of The Committee Of Charity And Inspection.

every person reported to them as a Candidate for admission into any Lodge in the City of Dublin or j .. e its vicinity , the sum of One pound Rp . mi-iiinn " , sterling , before his eligibility is taken a ° into consideration ; should the

candidate be approved of , us . iojid . thereout is paid to the Masonic Orphan School Fund ; 4 s . 4 d . to the General Fund of Charity ; 2 s . 8 } £ d . for his

registry ; and is . id . to the Grand Lodge Tiler , but should he be rejected , the entire sum to be returned . 13 . The several Lodges in the City of Dublin shall be visited by two or more members of the Committee , at least once in each half year , and

these inspectors shall be empowered to examine the Books and by-laws of each Lodge , ancl also enquire into the character and conduct of the Members thereof ; they are likewise to take notice if the several brethren arc registered and make their report at the next meeting of the Grand Lodge , and any particular lodge refusing to admit the Inspecting

Coii . mittee , to lay before them their Books and Regulations , or to give them a list of their Members if required , shall be fined one Guinea . The Visiting Committee neglecting this essential duty , or to make a report of their observations as above particularized , shall be subject to the censure of the Grand Lodge , unless some sufficient cause can be assigned for such neglect . ( To be continued )

The Duty Of Freemasons To Correct The Errors Of Their Brethren.

THE DUTY OF FREEMASONS TO CORRECT THE ERRORS OF THEIR BRETHREN .

BY BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON , Author of "Freemasonry in Relation to Civil Authority and the Family Circle . " We lately heard a Freemason express himself to lhe effect that it was not right in any

member of the Craft to take notice of the faults of a brother , or in any way to direct attention to them . From his attainments and culture , and his position in the Masonic Brotherhood , we would have expected him to possess a

knowledge of the laws of Freemasonry such as would have made it impossible for him to utter such an opinion . Nothing is more indisputable than the duty of Masons to watch over the conduct

of their brethren , not in an unkindly spirit , but rather in the utmost kindliness and brotherly affection , seeking always their good , and endeavouring to promote tlie general honour and welfare of the Craft . It is difficult to conceive lhat

a well-instructed brother should be unaware of this , or should have utterly forgotten the charge at the third degree , in which the following words occur : — " In tlie character of a Master

Mason , you are henceforth authorised to correct tlie errors and irregularities of brethren , and guard them against a breach of fidelity . To improve the morals and correct the manners of men in society must be your constant care . "

lo this let us add a single sentence from the late Bro . Dr . Oliver ' s sermon on the Masonic obligations : — " Permit me faithfully to enforce the obligated duty of brotherly love , which , for brevity ' s sake , we will observe consists , first , in

gentle reproof of an error ; secondly , kind instruction and advice in ignorance and difficulties ; and , thirdly , tender commiseration and relief in sorrow and distress . " From all this it appears lhat it is the duty of Freemasons to watch over

their brethren in a kind ami brotherly mannerone brother addressing another as occasion may appear , or the matter , if necessary , being brought before the lodge , that the honour of the Brotherhood may be maintained . That no

brother has any concern with the conduct of another , is contrary to the very first principles of Freemasonry , and to tlie idea of brotherhood which pervades all . It is contrary also to scriptural rules , which all Freemasons ,

professing to be Christians , respect as of the highest authority . They have the Bible open in \ hcir lodges ; they carry it in their processions , and professing lhe greatest brotherly kindness and highest brotherhood amongst each other , they

cannot be mdilicrent lo what they acknowledge as divine instructions concerning the conduct of brethren towards brethren . In one of the Books of Moses , we nv : ' ' : hi ; n : < i " . i ; nil .- ¦ ¦ ' , ¦ ¦ : ¦ ¦ , ) to the children of IM \ IC 1 :- - ,: Thou ;> lia ' i £ not

The Duty Of Freemasons To Correct The Errors Of Their Brethren.

hate thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt not in anywise rebuke thy neighbeur , and not SU . ; . sin upon him . " There is something extremely beautiful in the preface—as it may be called" Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart , " connected as it is with the precept that

follows ; and it admirably exhibits the character of that brotherly love which Christians profess , and ought to exhibit—which Freemasons also profess one towards another , and which they claim as an especial characteristic of their Order . In perfect accordance with this rule of brotherly kindness are all the sentences bearing on the

same subject which we find in other parts of the sacred scriptures—as , " He that saith unto tlie wicked thou art righteous , him shall the people curse ; nations shall abhor him . But to them that rebuke him shall be delight , and a good blessing shall come upon them ; " and " He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find

more favour than he that fl . ittereth with the tongue . " The great rule of Christianity , on this point may be said to be that given by our Lord himself : — " Moreover , if thy brother shall trespass against thee , go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone ; if he shall hear thee

thou has gained thy brother , but if he will not hear thee , then take with the one or two more , that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established . And if he shall neglect to hear them , tell it unto the Church ; but if he neglect to hear the Church ,

let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican . " The organisation of the Christian Church is , as all Christians believe , of Divine institution : the Masonic Brotherhood is to be regarded only as a human device , but may well claim to be esteemed as the most excellent of all

schemes ever devised for promoting the welfare of men , by establishing the bonds of brotherhood amongst men of very various sentiments in religion and politics . The principles , however , which are appointed to regulate the one , must be seen at a glance to be suitable to the other ,

and the excellence of these principles , and of the rules founded upon them , or in which they are conveyed , no man , whatever may be his religious opinion or creed , can for a moment dispute . The Christian acknowledges their

supreme authority ; the Mahommedan , the Brahmin , or the Parsee , must all acknowledge them as admirably adapted to the requirements of human nature , and calculated to promote true brotherhood amongst men .

From all this , it is not difficult to learn how Freemasons ought to conduct themselves towards one another , however difficult it may be in practice to act aright , ami to cany out , in a proper manner , the rules ancl principles of brotherhood . It is difficult for most men , and particularly for

those of the most tender disposition , and full of the kindest brotherly feeling , to rebuke or find fault with a brother , to point out to him the errors of his conduct , and lo urge upon him the necessity of amendment . Rudeness in speech or manner would almost certainly be of bad

effect , and to maintain a perfect gentleness and brotherly love in pointing out the enormity of a gross offence , is is far from being easy . In what cases the matter should be brought under the cognizance of the lodge , it may be also sometimes difficult to determine . It may , perhaps ,

be safely assumed lhat this ought not to be done where there is no scandal affecting the character of the lodge and the general interests of the Order ; but that , where such is lhe case , no time ought to be lost in doing it . The character of the lodge ought to be dear to every member of

it , and the honour of the Order to every Freemason ; and to maintain these it is requisite lhat no brother shall be allowed to pass iincensured , who is guilty of scandalous immorality . The ancient rules of the order very particularly insist upon the duty of chastity , and a member of the order living in concubinage , — . still more , one

who lies under the reproach of any worse transgression of lhe seventh commandment— cannot be loo soon subjected to the discipline which these rules enjoin , and debarred from fellowshi p with the lodge and from all enjoyment of Masonic privilege . ; , until his evil course of life is relinquished , and he has shown himself worthy ol

The Duty Of Freemasons To Correct The Errors Of Their Brethren.

being restored . The same rule must of course be applied to cases of habitual drunkenness , to cases of dishonesty , and the like . Far too little attention has been paid by Freemasons to the duty of watching over one another , and thus maintaining the character of their own lodge and

of the order , whilst at the same time they render a brotherly service to their brethren in seeking to reclaim them to those paths of honour and virtue in which every true Mason should walk . It is a duty not to be discharged in a spirit of inquisitiveness or censoriousness . We ought not to pry into the affairs of our brethren nor to be

ready to take up a reproach against them ; but neither ought we resolutely to wink at any case of flagrant immorality , nor to shut our ears against reports which are so current that every one not wilfully deaf must hear them , and of such a nature that a virtuous and really innocent man would be glad of an opportunity of vindicating himself with regard to them .

In almost every club or society not associated for mere business purposes , some regard is had to the moral character and general respectability of its members . More particu ' arly is this the case where social intercourse takes place amongst them . Men who are of good moral character

themselves , and who desire the respect of their fellow-men , refuse to be intimately associated with those who are notorious transgressors of the moral law . They cannot bear the thought of being reputed as the associates of such persons : and , indeed , the society of men of

flagitious lives cannot be agreeable to those who abhor their immoralities . It is impossible that a man living in concubinage or adultery should be a fit companion for the pure and virtuous . His whole nature is tainted ; his mind and heart are defiled : his tastes and sympathies are

different from theirs . He may place some restraint upon himself in their company , but his real character is sure to break out now and then , and to display itself in some way which they cannot but perceive , and feelings inconsistent with social enjoyment and brotherly good-fellowship are

awakened in them . They feel that they are degraded by their association with him ; they can hardly but feel also that they are contaminated , for the words which express even in a passing manner a vicious sentiment or feeling , may be as really what the ancient Grecian bard

calls winged words as any utterances of the highest eloquence . A man cannot take fire into his bosom , and not be burned ; he cannot touch pitch and not be defiled . It were strange , then , if the Masonic fraternity , which inculcates purity of morals of the most absolute necessity , should be restrained from all consideration of the

character and conduct of its members , or if , indeed , every Freemason should not be bound , as the ancient laws and constitutions of the order show that he is bound , to raise his voice against whatever in the conduct of any of his brethren is opposed to the honour and welfare of the

fraternity . We have said enough , we think , to prove the duty incumbent on all the brethren in this matter , and to demonstrate the falsehood of the notion , engendered by a spurious liberality and mistaken kindness , lhat after a Freemason has been admitted , he may live as he likes ,

without detriment to his position as a member of the brotherhood and without any possible loss of privilege or disqualification for the most honourable offices to which the lodge or Grand Lodge may have power to appoint . Let this notion prevail , and the honour of the Order is gone .

It no longer stands forth as advocating and maintaining all that is excellent on morality ; it ne longer appears as contributing to the advancement of right feeling and good conduct in its members , or to the comfort and happiness of their families . Its whole character is changed ,

but changed by the overthrow of the first principles on which it was constituted . Let us rejoice lo think that these principles cannot be overthrown ; that they must ever remain what they have ever been , ami that therefore no such notion as lhat on which we have animadverted can long and extensively prevail .

Til ) -: BEST FIRST .- — Turner ' s Tamarind Cough I ' . nuilsiiiii fur die Throat and ISronchia , lj ' Ai \ . and 2 / 9 per but . —All wholesale houses in London and Liverpool , and any respectable Chemist . —[ Advt . l