Light On Masonry.

claim to be a religion , or take the place of a religion , Too many of our brethren do give it more love and attention than they do religion ; but they are personally responsible for such unwise action . The Order does not lead its members to make such erroneous mistakes . No intelligent Mason ever asserts that Masonry can take the place of religion in his life . Many good men have been prejudiced against cur beloved Institution by such unwise statements . In such cases Masonry ' s " foes are they of its own household . "

There is nothing in our Masonic creed opposed to Christianity . It ought to lead us into the acceptance of the broader and more comp-ehensive truths of religion . A man may in no wise violate his Masonic vows , and yet not be in possession of all that religion vouchsafes . Religion not only teaches morality , but it requires a regenerating process that makes the man a new creature . Masonry does not teach or exact regeneration or conversion . It

teaches , in the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason , the resurrection power of the " Lion of the Tribe of Judah . " It refers to the Christ only in a prophetic manner . And here I wish to answer the objection sometimes urged against Masonry on account of its Christle ; sness . We admit that historically there is no Christ in ancient Craft Masonry , yet we stand ready to reveal as much of Him therein as these objectors may find of Him in the

Old Testament Scriptures . As the first three Degrees of our Order are founded on the Old Testament , it is not to be expected that it would speak of the Christ in an historic sense . Christ appears in the Old Testament only in prophecy . Christ appears in Masonry only in prophecy . Masonry takes the grandest fact connected with the Almighty power oi the Messiah , as recorded in the Old Testament , and incorporates it into its teachings , and makes it the basis of its most Sublime Ancient Degree .

Christianity includes the fuller revelations of the New Testament , its broader teachings , its more exacting requirements , and give to ils followers a deeper faith and a more glorious hope . If I accept the teachings of the Old Testament , I must accept the teachings of Alasonry . If I do not condemn the Old Testament for containing a prophetic rather than an historic Christ , I must not condemn Ancient Craft Masonry for having in its creed Christ only in prophecy .

My Hebrew brother can be as consistent a Mason as any Christian . There is nothing in Ancient Craft Masonry that is antagonistic to his faith . I , as Christian , accepting his faith , but following what I regard as the sequel of his faith , can meet my Hebrew brother on the level and part upon the

square . And further . There is the distinguishing difference between Masonry and Christianity ; Masonry is exclusive . It selects its own members . It does not want the masses . It ought not to have the masses . The Christian religion comprehends the race . Its great mission is to the masses . Its followers are to invite all to partake of its benefits . But Masonry will have

nothing to do with a bad man . A candidate for its Degrees must be recommended by three Masons as of good moral character , and must submit to " due inquiry " and the scrutiny of the ballot . Its great aim is to make good men better . It does not undertake to make a bad man good . Christianity ' s great mission is to the bad man . Its Founder Himself said that He came not to call the righteous , but sinners , to repentance . It says not to

the good man , " We want you because you will honour our Institution ; " but it says to the bad man , " VVe want you because we desire to make you better . " Masonry developes a man along the line in which it finds him . Christianity , in its very first work , lifts a man out of where it finds him , and developes him along lines diametrically opposed to those which it found him travelling . Hence , I reaffirm that Masonry and religion are not antagonistic—only the one is more comprehensive than the other .

I feel like speaking of another objection that is raised against our ancient Order . Freemasonry is charged with having a membership which is taught morals which it does not observe . It is said that Masonry is founded on the Bible , yet some of its members are infidels ; that it teaches belief in God , yet some of its members are atheists , and that it teaches reverence for Daily , yet many of its members are very profane . All this may be true , and yet

the Order is not responsible for such hypocrisy . I have no doubt there are many hypocritical Masons . I know some , yet I cannot say much , for I know a few hypocritical Christians . I do not blame Masonry because men are false to its teachings . I do not blame the Church because there are thoss who " steal the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in . " In view of the fact that Masonry has its hypocrites , no honest and fair-minded

Mason will condemn the Church because it has its hypocrites . Every organisation has its faithless members . We Mas Mis have them ; and how often we have felt the stigma of their disloyal actions and profane words ! We Christians have them , and how often our cheeks have tingled with shame as we have heard of their lecheries and their crimes ! It is no reflection on

the true coin of the realm to find a counterfeit . It is no reflection on Masonry or on the Church that wicked and perjured men have sought to cloak their infamies beneath the fair robes of purity . The Church does not blame Masonry for its hypocrites . Masonry does not blame the Church for its hjpocrites , and no fair-minded man will blame either .

There are some dangers against which I would warn the Order . Masonry has grown so large and respectable that now there are many who ' -tek its honours without any willingness to be guided by its teachings . It i- > a badge of honour to wear the Masonic emblems ; and hence ambitious men , with sufficient money to pay for the Degrees , are anxious to become members of our Fraternity . Our Committees appointed to investigate the

character and qualifications of petitioners should be more careful and thorough in their work . Too frequently the Committee does not work at all with the exception of gathering around the Secretary's desk and signing tlieir names to the recommenda'ion . By carelessness , and unwise ambition to increase the lodge roll , unfit men are hastily inducted into our lodges .

Masonry has more to fear from foes w ' thin than from foss without . O Jtside enemies have vainly struggled lor centuries to destroy ojr Institution , but J * ' th no avail . The greatest danger against which we must guard is the "' illation of improper persons , and the lax enforcement of discli pine in c- ' ^ es of scandalous and un-Masonic conduct on the part of those who hive taken our vowr .

Let us remember that the qualifications which arc essential in thoss who apply for initiation are of two kinds—internal and external . The internal ' l'l ' iliiications are those which lie in one ' s own bosom , and are not known to the world . They refer to his peculiar dispensation towards the Institution and his motives and des'gn in making an entrance into it . Hence they are known to himself alone , and a knowledge of them can only be required "om his own solemn declarations . 'fhe external qualifications are those which refer to his outward fitness lor initiation , and are based on his moral and religious character , the frame

Light On Masonry.

of his body , the constitution of his mind , and his social position . The knowledge of these is to be acquired by a Committee for that purpose . Let us guard well our front door , admitting none to our mysteries save those who are worthy and well qualified ; and let our back door move smoothly on its hinges to afford hasty departure to those who walk not worthily according to our sublime teachings ; and then our glorious institution will continue to grow , filling the earth with its beneficent benedictions and abiding peace .

We Masons need frequently to remind ourselves that we are not set for the defence of our Order . Our chief task is to reflect honour on our profession by the noble lives we live before our fellows . Masonic honours are not golden badges worn in conspicuous places on our garments . The most bejewelled Mason may be the most ordinary man . Freemasonry is set for the development of manhood ! It helps to ' . exalt in life the best virtues and noblest attributes .

As Masons we have our Masonic honour to maintain . There are words we must not speak . There are things we must not do . There are places we must not enter . We have too much at stake . The honour of our man - hood , and the standing of our Order , depend upon our absolute adherence to the tenets of our sublime institution . Our honour must remain unsullied ! Our Order must be kept above reproach ! Our God must be honoured ! Our souls must be exalted to the Grand Lodge above I We are born to be kings and priests unto God for ever!—Voice of Masonry .

Masonic Visiting.

MASONIC VISITING .

One of the signal pleasures arising from Freemasonry is that which is incident to Masonic visiting . Of course we enjoy attending our own Iodge ; it is our especial home ; there we meet the members of our own immediate family ; but Freemasonry is an endless chain of families extending around the globe . In every land the Freemason may find a home , and in every clime a brother . This is not figure of speech , but fact . But many who never become travellers desire to visit in . their own country and their own

city . There is a charm in visiting another Masonic lodge , meeting even in the same Masonic Temple as our own Iodge . It may be a next-door neighbour , yet in it we are abroad . We there widen our circle of experience , our knowledge of the Masonic world . We there , amid old associations , meet new associates . It is the same old work , the same secret art and mystery , the same symbols and allegories , but all else is new , and new life is sometimes thus acquired by the brother who has been previously following only a time-worn monotonous path .

Wherever there are all the outward tokens of Freemasonry—a Masonic Hall , a Masonic Temple , or even an unpretentious lodge-room—duly guarded by the Tyler , and thus protected from the approach of the profane , a Freemason may venture to present himself . But if the customary Craft indications are lacking—the doors kept wide open or ajar , where one may walk in unchallenged , or peep in—beware I It requires some skill to visit wisely . The brother must have his Masonic wits about him . He must be

like the Acacia , ever green . He must be bright , a reading Mason , not merely on speaking terms with Freemasonry , but intimatel y familiar with its mysteries . Such a one cannot go astray . We will suppose a discreet brother to be on his travels in quest of " more light . " He presents himself to a lodge where he is unknown , and requests admission as a visitor . What is the usual course which ensues ? That depends on the Master of the Lodge . The Master is Master . His will

and pleasure rules the Craft . He may perform his duty , or neglect it . He may in due course hear the request for admission presented , and for a good cause , or a poor cause , or no cause at all , pay no immediate attention to it , or temporarily overlook it , or lose sight of it altogether . The constant recurrence of one or other of these lines of conduct is becoming a crying evil in lhe Craft . A visiting brother who sends in his request to a lodge

has the right to have it treated with Masonic courtesy , and with all possible promptness acted upon . He is a brother of the Craft . Every lodge should be made a home to him . We , of course , recognise the right of a Master to refuse admittance to any visiting brother whom he thinks would mar the harmony of that particular lodge , and also the personal right of any member , for the same reason , to object to a visitor ; but we are not now

treating of that aspect of the subject . We are assuming that there is no formal objection to his admission , and that this request is simply neglected or ignored . This is a wrong . There is no good reason why his request should be treated wilh neglect , and every reason why it should be treated with the civility due a gentleman and a Freemason . Put yourself in his place I How would you like to be kept loitering in the outer courts of the Temple , while

within those mystic rites which have so great a fascination to the average initiate are being enacted by your brethren . We trust the day , or the night , is at hand when all Masters of lodges will be thoughtful of the visiting brother , give him instant attention if practicable , and treat him with that fraternal spirit which hc would invoke for himself were he knocking at the portals of another lodge . The Tyler ' s room , or closet , or entry , is not

always the most agreeable place in the Masonic world . Sometimes the stove is uncomfortably near , or the smoke unpleasantly thick , or the seats disagreeably hard , or the monotony decidedly marked . Then the proposing visitor has a dull time of it . But even when the surroundings are the best imaginable , they are not what he is in quest of . He desires to enter the

portals of Freemasonry , to visit his brethren , to sit in the lodge . He ought not to be unreasonably kept out . He should have the right hand of friendship and brotherly love extended to him . He is one of us probibly , and he should be duly noticed , promptly examined , and , if found to be a Freemason , warmly welcomed as a visiting brother . —Keystone , of Philadelphia .

THE MARQUIS OV SALISHUUY has intimated to Bro . the Marquis of Tweeddals that her Majesty has been pleased to confer upon him the Ribbon of the Thistle , vacant by the death of Bro . the Earl of Mansfield . Since his lordship quitted political life in 1 S 7 S he has been actively engaged in the management of telegraph companies , and succeeded the late Bro . Sir John Pender in the chairmanship of those knjA-n as th : " Eastern" group . B . o . Lord , Tweedd * . le has also been chairman of ths North Britisi Railway Company duri . ig the past 12 years .