Freemasonry :

mations of character;—and geometry is the Mason ' s favourite science . If to tread the path of duty and benevolence barefoot or shod , to prefer labour to refreshment , and death to dishonour , be noble elements of character , they are lessons which a Mason cannot enter his lodge without learning .

If you inquire what are the jewels of a lodge , 1 would answer , brotherly love , relief and truth . if you inquire what are the Masons' secret igns , 1 would answer , all the signals of distress , from the infant ' s cry to the " union down " of a sinking ship . ( f you ask the Masons' password . I would answer for the entire brotherhood . Let our words

here , m the lodge , or in secret communion , be what they may , nevertheless . " Not every one that saith unto me . Lord , Lord , shall enter into kingdom of Heaven , but he that doeth the will of my Father who art in heaven . "

¦ Secrecy is a peculiar feature of Masonry , and the meaning and power of a Mason ' s secrecy lies in another word , and that is silence . To illustrate : God is silent . A boy ' s rocket shot into the air makes more noise than all Gods

constellations . In what dignified , sublime , awful reserve does the great Architect contain himself—reserve of thought large as space and deep and solemn as the sea ; of holiness , stern as the mountains and

pure as the breeze that sighs around them ; of mercy quick as the light , and gentle as the tints that make it . "The heavens declare the glory of God . Day unto day uttereth speech of Him , " but in tones that do not break an infant ' s fevered

slumber . Could we stand in the focus of those tones , we should hear the soliloquy of God . The secret of a Mason ' s secrecy is in the words : "When thou doest alms , let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth ; " or these : "He shall not cry , nor lift up , nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets . "

The Masons' great quest is light . If we look upat night , we see shining upon us with a distinct bri g htness orbs and worlds , far beyond the point where our sun can lend them any radiance . They are not lit up by his beams and yet they shine . How is this r Science explains it . It has

discovered a luminous element , which it calls ether , which encompasses all the worlds that our eyes behold . The element is invisible , impalpable , imponderable , immeasurable . It is a sea of light , irradiating every sun , and bathing in splendour every star . Destroy or dissipate it , and our sun

would go out in stygian darkness , and not a star would beam in the firmament . Suns and stars drink deep of the invisible glory , and then themselves become fountains of light , which rolls in wavcs . that in swift succession and with immense rapidity traverse in all directions the unfathomable sea . In the ethereal elements of truth which

God has poured like a flood upon our intelligent being , Masonry would bathe itself that it may become itself a fountain and source of light to those that sit in darkness . As the light of the sun gives unity to the works of God and kindles them into beauty , clothes every landscape with its rich and varied loveliness ,

imparts to every gem its lustre , to every star its blazing radiance , so is it the light of truth alone that gives unity , beauty , and excellence to the Masons' lodge . Truth , like light , is stainless , pure . The ray that discovers the mote in the air is not infected by it , nor defiled b y the stain that it reveals , only that it may be removed .

Light shines and creation rejoices . Verdure clothes the earth and flowers adorn it ; lakes and rivers become polished mirrors under its delicate touch , and ocean laughs to its very depths under the sweet and powerful influence , as day mounts the heavens . Life in a thousand forms renews

its activity , the groves become vocal with innumerable songs , the petals of the flowers unfold to Aurora ' s roseate fingers and catt forth their perfume , the beast of the field rises from his grassy couch , and the monarch of all goes forth to his

labor . Such animation , beauty and joy is truth , received in the love of it to the soul of man . The virtues taught in Masonry are the white light of truth refracted into the colours of the rainbow

The light of truth in Masonry is the light of life and immortality . " Death is an eternal sleep : '" they wrote it on their tombstones and cemeteries

Freemasonry :

m ancient times . Truth with pencil of light , has written on our graves " resting in hope . " "Who follows truth carries his star in his brain . " The . corner stone will now be laid with ample ceremony . It will receive at the hands of the

Grand Officers a tribute of corn , and wine , aod oil : symbols , respectively , the corn of nourishment , the wine of refreshment , and the oil of the joy which the fraternity wishes this community , in the midst of which it is planted .

The foundation stone placed in position , let the Temple rise if the work be of God ; if not , let the confusion of Babel seize the builders , and the work itself come to nought .

Let the temple rise ; the expression in union of its parts and the solidity of its structure , of concord , harmony and brotherly love yet abiding on earth , though the nations be embroiled in strife ; just as the institution which it shall cover has often been a refuge and comfort for enemies in war !

Let the temple rise ; let it real the firmer to its base for every earthquake , and shine the brig hter for every tongue of fire that licks it ; and whenever time or judgment , as one or the other must , shall reveal the contents of the box now

to be enclosed in the corner-stone , may documents and papers discover by contrast a better , purer , happier state of society than now , then existing : the murder and fraud , and corruptions

in public life , of which the journals to-day tell the story , passed away forever , and the race well advanced toward perfect goodness and happiness ! Let the temple rise ! .

Tt is the quaint conceit of a wild modern poet , that the precious stones of our earth are the remains of a temple built by angels in Eden , to the worship of God . The foundations of the temple were bright and beaten gold , tower

and root and pinnacle without were solid diamond , and the dome was eye-blue sapphire , studded with golden stars ; the floor was emerald , veined with gold and silver , marble and mineral of every hue were in its walls , the columns were

of alabaster , the altar was one ruby , heart-like , and where all things were magnificent the meanest thing was gold , and the plainest . Alan fell and joined the hosts of hell , black-bannered , on the very day when he should have met God

and Ins angels there , and immediately also fell that bright fane . No death-dimmed eye gazed on its glory . Earthquakes gulped it down . The Temple of the Angels lay in its grave ; till at the Flood it burst like a shell and scattered east and

west , and lar and wide , its fragments , that arc the diamonds and rubies , and emeralds and sapphires of this world ' s costly merchandise . The temple of a perfect human nature has been wrecked . Yet benevolence , truth , justice , mercy , love , are scattered like fragmentary jewels in separate human characters .

Let it be our nobler Masonry to rebuild the Temple of the Lord in the perfect man , until he shall stand forth himself again , the jewels one again in combination , love beating in the heart , truth ever speaking from the tongue , justice ever

reigning in the mind , benevolence ever giving from the hand , righteousness ever in the path of the feet , kindness ever beaming from the eye , gentleness curving every limb , honour crowning the head , and goodness unqualified the descri ption of the life .

Let the Temple rise , the constant admonition to us particularly , brethren , of that fairer , nobler edifice of character in godliness and grace that can only be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets , Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone !

BREAKFAST . —Ei'i's ' s COCOA . —GHATI-ILI . AMI COMfoiiTi . s-c . — " By a thorough knowledge of tlie natural laws which yovem the operations of digestion and nutrition , and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected

cocoa , Mr . Epps has provided our breakfast tallies with a delicately-flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills . "—Civil Service Gazelle . Made simply with Boiling Water or Milk . Each packet is labelled"JAMES EPPS & Co ., Homoeopathic Chemists , London . "

Reviews.

Reviews .

"ALBION'S CHURCH . " Among the many imitators of the anonymous author of the well-known brochure "The Row in Dame Europa ' s School , " Mr . S . E . Thomas stands forth conspicuously as the writer of a little pamphlet entitled , "The Row in Dame

Albion ' s Church School , " which , in a dramatic form , supplies an exposition of the varying shades of thought and doctrine entertained and taught within the pale of the Established Church by its most eminent professors . On this dialogue ' s

first appearance , the vigour with which it was written , and the command of the subject displayed , evinced that its author was no mere tyro

in the study of divinity , while the easily penetrated disguises of the dramatis persona ; and the felicitous turns of expression attributed to each , denoted the well-read student and the keen ob .

server . It at once became highly popular , and now the invariable sequel to popularity , a peop les ' s edition , under the crisper title of " Albion ' s Church " has been issued by Messrs . Houlston and Son , the original publishers , at an almost

nominal price . Denominational effusions must ex necessitate rei be tut seldom noticed in these columns , but the little squib before us , characterised as it is throughout , by a pervading spirit of charity , and a truly catholic breadth of

observation and comprehensive toleratton , may fairly plead as an excuse for our departure from the rule . The presence in the work

under notice of these qualities must commend it to the favourable notice of Freemasons , as a bod ) ' of men whose creed is unsectarian and cosmopolitan .

We have received " A Masonic Galop , " by Bro . W . Hemingway , and can safely recommend , it , feeling assured it will give satisfaction to all lovers of music , whether they are connected with the Fraternity or not .

IHE GLOUCESTER LODGE CENTENARY . — Whilst the Grand Master and the other hi gh officers engaged with him in this festival were assembled at the Deanery , advantage was taken of the opportunity to signalise the event by taking

a photograph of them in a group , the operators being Messrs . Adams and Stilliard , who have produced a real work of art , all the portraits

being most distinct and expressive . The " group " may be obtained of the above firm , and a most interesting memorial of the grand celebration it may be considered .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . W . WESCOE , I . P . M . 266 . With profound sorrow we record the death of our respected Bro . William Wescoe , I . P . M ., of Naphtali Lodge , No . 266 , Heyvvood , Lancashire , which occurred near his residence on the 12 th

ult . His remains were interred at the Hey wood Cemetery on the 18 th ult ., the funeral being numerously attended by the brethren , amongst whom were several Provincial Officers . The deceased was highly esteemed , and general sympathy was evinced by the whole town .

BRO . THOMAS SAMBROOKE . At the Brompton Cemetry on Tuesday , the 23 rd ult ., were interred the mortal remains of Brother Thomas Sambrookc , who expired at his place of business in High Holborn on Thursday the 18 th , somewhat suddenly , after a short illness of three or four days only , aged 54 . Bro .

Sambrookc was initiated in the Egyptian Lodge , No . 27 , on the 4 th October , i 860 . His career in Masonry was not marked b y any notable event , as he never aspired to hold office in his lodge , but a kinder or more genial soul never breathed . He was well known to , and highly esteemed by his neighbours and fellow-tradesmen , as a man of

strict honour and integrity . His remains were followed to the grave by many of his Masonic friends and neighbours , as mourners , or otherwise , amongst whom were noticed : Bros . Todd , Buss , Berri , Hoare , J . May , C . Burnett of No . 27 ; Burry , No . 172 ; Messrs . Easton , Burden , Baker , Battson , and others .