The True Position Of English Freemasonry.

belief in the Fatherhood of the Most High , affection for the Brotherhood of the dust , and beyond that it puts forward no questions , and imposes no test . It may be wrong in all this , but such is its profession , such its practice ; and such as it has been

since 1717 , such it is practically at the present hour . There is one point , however , to which it is only honest to allude , and which we are bound to admit and concede , if we seek to speak the truth and deal honestly with those who , from one side or the other , impugn our

teaching in the abstract , and cavil at our doings in the concrete . During the last century , the teaching of English Masonry was , no doubt , to a great extent Christian , a complete answer , we may observe , to foreign sciolists , who attempt to give to English Masonry a character

it never assumed , and above all never sought to assume . But we also know , as the lxawlinson MSS . shew us , and as our lamented and able Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson used to point out , that side by side with this Christian teaching in our lodges grew up an

universal school , which culminated in the authoritative exposition of 1813 , and since that time has been the recognized teaching of English Masonry . That a Christian school exists in English Masonry is undoubtedly true ; it always has existed , it probably always will exist ;

and within certain due limits of guarded moderation , we are among those who feel that in this , as in many little ritual observances , there should be in our wide and tolerant [ Order a " liberty , " both of 'prophesying " and of practice . But the official teaching of English Freemasonry is

distinct . It is Universal in its aim and scope . It bases its prayers on the Divine model of the best of all prayers , and though it unhesitatingly proclaims belief in T . G . A . O . T . U . as incumbent , absolutely incumbent , on all true Freemasons , and bases all its moral teaching on the Inspired

Revelation , it asks no more of every candidate for its mysteries . In Masonry itself no doubt we learn more and are taught more , but while it asserts the immortality of the soul , and points to the resurrection of the human race , and asserts with unfaltering tongue the noblest axioms of

piety , 'morality , charity , virtue , and religious living , it studiously avoids any dogmata which serve to illustrate the doctrines of churches , or religious bodies , inasmuch as it carefully ignores sectarian rivalries and antagonistic creeds . But this , its very moderation , its via media ,

exposes it to attacks from opposing quarters . It is accused of not saying enough , —it is assailed for asserting too much . There are those who wish it to be made decidedly relig ious in doctrine and profession , and decidedly Christian , less Universal . But to such opponents the answer is

plain . The glory , the good of Freemasonry , depend on its tolerant basis , its open platform , its unsectarian bias . It refuses to give up to a "denomination , " however good or true , " what was meant for mankind , " and , at any rate , until the Christian church is one and universal in its

teaching , significance , and extent , the members of this or that section of it have no right to accuse Freemasons of " forming a brotherhood of mere Theists . " Freemasonry in its present adaptation to the wants of the . age , and the yearnings of mankind , appears to us to be a happy

symbol of a greater future , a prototype of a religious " Parliament " of the world , a spiritual "federation " of our mortal race . But there are those in France and Germany who accuse us of going too far in proclaiming belief in T . G . A . O . T . U ., as a necessary pre-requisite of

admission into the condition of continuation in our great and goodly Masonic system . They claim recognition of the actual atheist even on the grounds of " absolute toleration . " We say , in reply , that there are limits to toleration even , and that on such principles belief becomes a

paradox , and toleration itself a farce , for there is nothing positively left either to assert or to tolerate . We cannot therefore assent either to the reasonableness of their complaints or the soundness of these views . JPe , as English Masons , never

will work with or admit Icnotvn Atheists in our lod ges . It seems to us so baneful , so degrading , a theory , that a man is to " live without God in the world , " that any one is to refuse , on . any ground , to avow belief in T . G . A . O . T . U ., that

The True Position Of English Freemasonry.

we decline to have anything to do with such , to march forward with such , to be associated with snch , to claim such as our associates on any condition , in any shape whatever . We may be wrong , utterly wrong , in this . We may be

termed bigots , intolerant , retrograde , anything yon like . But here we stand , like the white cliffs of Old England itself , calmly confronting the raging sea , firm to our own principles , true to the great and goodly teaching of our honourable and beneficent Order .

Our Financial Prospects.

OUR FINANCIAL PROSPECTS .

We have always contended , despite the forebodings of our financial wiseacres , that the estimate of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be made good , and so this week ' s return amply demonstrates . Of course it has been , as was unavoidable under the exceptional

circumstances , a very " close fit , but the return , as before us , is satisfactory on every head except the Excise , on which there has been a deficiency on the year of . £ 272 , 000 , though the last quarter stows a gain of , £ 90 , 000 . The principal loss on the Excise appears to have been in the

quarter ending September 30 th , 1877 . As it will be seen by the following tables , which deserve study , there is an increase on every head of income for the year , except the Excise , ^ which has now seemingly turned the corner ) , and though there has been in the quarter ending

March 3 r , 1878 , 8 small decrease on stamps , Telegraph Service , and Interest , there is a gain on every other head . Sir Stafford Northcote calculated on receiving £ 79 , 146 , 00 a , and he has received £ 79 , 763 , 199 , being an increase on the year of £ 1 , 198 , 000 . The six millions

recently voted , have , of course , to be provided for , but have to be dealt with separately . The difficulties of the situation have to be faced , but the income of the country has not fallen off , ( despite the trials and slackness of trade ) , and has , on the contrary , a tendency to increase .

Were it not for the preparations and expenditure of war , and the consequent uncertainty of all business arrangements , we might fairly say that our financial prospects were very encouraging . We give the three following tables , as deserving both study and consideration : —

Year ended Year ended March 31 , 1878 . March 31 , 1877 Customs £ 19 , 9 6 9 , 000 19 , 922 , 000 Excise 27 , 464 , 000 27 , 736 , 000 Stamps 10 , 956 , 000 10 , 890 , 000 Land Tax & House Duty 2 , 670 , 000 2 532 , 000

, Property & Income'fax 5 , 820 , 000 5 , 280 , 000 Post Office ... ... 6 , 150 , 000 6 , 000 , 000 Telegraph Service 1 , 310 , 000 1 , 305 , 000 Crown Lands ... 410 , 000 410 , 000 Interest on Advances 949 , 000 793 , 682 Miscellaneous ... 4 , 06 4 , 415 3 , 696 , 3 : 4

Totals , £ 79 > 7 <> 3 > 299 jC 78 . 56 fl . 036 Year ended March 31 st , 18 / 8 : — Increase . Decrease . Customs £ 47 , 000 — Excise — £ 272 , 000 Stamps ... ... 65 , ooo

—Lind Tax & House Duty 138 , 000 — Property & Income Tax 540 , 000 — Post Office ... 150 , 000 — Telegraph Service 5 , 000 — Crown Lands ... Interest on Advances 156 , 202 — Miscellaneous ... 368 , 061

—Totals ... £ 1 , 470 , 263 £ 272 , 000 Net Increase , £ 1 , 198 , 263 . Quarter ended March 31 st , 1878 : —

Increase . Decrease . Customs £ 207 , 000 — Excise ... ... 9 6 , 000 — Stamps — £ 12 , 000 Land Tax & House Duty 34 , 000 — Property & Income Tax 84 , 000 — Post Office ... 17 , 000 — Telegraph Service — 10 , 000

Crown Lands ... — — Interest on Advances — 4 . 451 Miscellaneous ... 671 , 196

—Totals ... £ 1 , 10 9 , 196 £ 26 , 451 Net Increase , £ 1 , 082 , 741 ; . We shall possibly recur to the subject in our next .

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , attended by Mr . Holzmann , honoured Mr . C . Schloesser ' s studio with a visit on Tuesday last .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of che opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1

A CORRECTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Permit me to call attention to an inaccuracy in your otherwise admirable report of the proceedings of last Grand Lodge . In speaking of the division on Bro . Clabon ' s motion in regard to the Board of Benevolence , " no hand was held

up here" is the account of the result on the question being put . Now , I will answer for my own hand and at least eight or ten others being held up for thc motion . It was , of course , clear that a great majority of those present were against it . I am sorry this was the case , for the present system , or rather mode , of distributing large sums of money is simply monstrous , and , I venture to add , unprecedented and

unique . Notwithstanding Bro . Binckes ' s sweeping judgment about " charity organisation , " he may depend on it , those principles are rapidly permeating society , and that by-andbye the present " happy-go-lucky" and unjust and

uninvcstigating custom will , like the corn-laws and many other " vital " interests , have become things of the past . Fraternally yours , R . J . SIMPSON . ( We arc sorry that by a mistake this letter did not appear in our last impression . —ED . }

KENNING'S CYCLOPAEDIA . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I am intensely amused by a profound " critique " on this valuable work , which has appeared in your amiable , and fraternal , and enlightened contemporary , the Sunday Times . Such a review says a great deal for the

intellect , the information , the good taste , and the Masonic sympathy of the writer , as well for the " animus" which permits its appearance in a quasi-Masonic paper . I think the following amusing extract from the New York Dispatch is the best commentary on the recent exhaustive and scientific review in the Sunday Times of Bro . Kenning's most useful publication : — " The Alpha , a lofty journal published at Washington ,

devoted to a great deal of talk about things that it doesn ' t know anything about , comes to us marked X , and solemnly assures us in the leading article that we ' can marry our cousin . ' You ' re much mistaken , we can ' t . For three reasons . In the first place we are already married , and in the second place all our cousins arc married , and in the third place , they are all men . " Yours fraterna ^ y , AMUSED .

THE COVERING AND THE CORE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I need not tell you that I was highly gratified at the kind expressions of appreciation of my recent letter on Coincidence or Design , which appeared in your paper of the 16 th ult ., from the pen of Bro . H . H . B . But I have

to thank my courteous panegyrist for another pleasure , and I hope you will allow me in your columns to do so . I allude to the enjoyment I experienced in my prompt examination of the noble Sebastian del Piombo , referred to by your correspondent . It is , indeed , a magnificent picture . I marvel that I had never closely observed it before . The . . . . ([ must not , of course , be more

explicit ) alluded to by H . H . B ., I recognised at once , and I cannot but think that he has , so to speak , " struck ile " in his speculations , I trust he may read this communication because I am sure that I have encountered in him a genial spirit—one who , like myself , regards Freemasonry from a very elevated standpoint ; and this exaltation was not arrived at by me , as I am convinced it was not by him ,

by means of mere toil and labour—although many who may recognise the initials at the foot of this epistle will justly give me credit for never having spared either—but was attained , I may say , / icj- saullier . At that very peculiar moment , thc most peculiar of any Mason ' s life—I do not mean merely his Masonic . but his natural . life—when theDeacons by command of the W . M ., & c , I felt that mere material light

was but as the covering to the core , the shell or husk to the kernel . I realised that it symbolized an esoteric light , in which I was thereafter to live j by which I was to see to study the history and philosophy of the system I had just voluntarily adopted . Well has it been recently observed by a very thoughtful lecturer * on a text from the charge that inculcates our obligation " each day to make some

progress in Masonic knowledge : " " I fear that too often little attention is paid to the intelligent side of Masonry . " . . . . The realities of Masonry are not to be discovered in the mere ritual of the three degrees . The lodge workings are only the outer shell or elemental part of Masonic study ; and , althot'gh a thorough acquaintance with them at the outset is indispensable to every brother who hopes to do credit to himself and to Masonry , I hope

you will never make the tremendous error of imagining that a clever Masonic ritualist is necessarily a good Mason . " And he aptly quotes a Masonic writer of the last century— " You are well convinced that there are some amongst us who take the shadow for the substance , who are acquainted with the ceremonies , but catch not the spirit of thc profession . " These are wise words . How many an old Past Master , who has forgotten more Masonry than his pert corrector has ever learned , has been " pulled

* In an address delivered to the members of the Eboracum Lodge , No . 1611 , York , 27 th February , 1878 , by Bro . T . B . Whytehead , W . M .