Past Provincial Grand Pursuivants.

the law non-naturally , and say that it does not app ly to all Prov . Grand Officers , while it says itself it does , " subordinate Provincial Grand Officers , " or we must g ive to law the gloss of a resolution of Grand L odge , which two things are essentially distinct . And though it might

seem that Grand Lodge is bound by its resolution relative to Grand P ursuivant and Assistant Grand Pursuivant , it does not follow that the Prov . Grand Lodge is to ; especially when the letter of the law relative to " subordinate

Prov . Grand Officers " is so distinct . As we have had so many letters on the subject , we have thought it right to say this much in justification of our own expression of opinion , though such an opinion of course is only that of humble

" private authority , " and has no value except that of a careful study of our invaluable English Book of Constitutions . If any of our good brethren still think that we are wrong , we shall be most happy to insert their counter opinion in the Freemason .

Profession And Practice

PROFESSION AND PRACTICE

We are often greatl y amused by the wonderful difference existing among men in this world of ours , as between Profess ion and Practice , ft is very remarkable even in common life , and great and petty things . The patriot , for instance , who denounces corruption sometimes does not object to a quiet little job . The philanthropist , so

generous and genial abroad , is often churlish and peevish at home ; while those who denounce loudly the vices of the hour , and the wrong doings of society , have a skeleton in their closet , which they are particularly anxious shall not have the light of day let in upon it . And even in Freemasonry with its high aims and loud assertions , how often do we witness the " outcome" of

this grave inconsistency , and lucky for us it is , if it is not worse . The brother who is so glib in extolling the excellency of brotherly love may write an anonymous letter or disseminate an atrocious scandal . The orator who "discoorses" so

hnely on morality , may be somewhat shaky m past ' and present ; while the man of many words and zealous efforts , the Freemason " par Excellence , " always so ready and so pleasant in the lodge , and among the brethren , may make a sorry husband , and betray many of those most

unamiable weaknesses , amid his nearest and his dearest , to which poor mortality is too prone . But here comes in our only consolation , if consolation it can rightly be esteemed . All this that we have depicted with feeble pen is but the way of the world , the " custom of humanity . " Since the beginning of the world , through

stirring ages and startling epochs , profession and practice have been two widely different things . And so they still are , so they are likely to continue , as long as this Dispensation lasts , and time and life fulfil their weird , and move on to the consummation of all earthly scenes . This great and essential difference seems to be innate

with us all in our several callings and accompanies us in our varying lots . The parson and the lawyer , the soldier and the sailor , the citizen and the artist , the man of leisure , the disciple of literature , the philosopher and the poet , all classes and all

callings alike , demonstrate identical inconsistency in words and acts , and are controlled by the same normal condition of moral being equally inconsistent , equally blameable . Yet why should we be astonished ? As nothing here is perfect , so imperfection must remain the

bad ge of all our tribes , as long as we loiter on this bank of the Great River , and before we pass over " to the othe .- side . " Do not then let us affect surprise . Let us never be startled even when the profession and practice of men and Masons are widely different , and often very

antagonistic . Our very inconsistency is an unavoidable humiliating token of man ' s fall , of man ' s weakness , and of man ' s decay . But this we can do , we can be on uur guard against the fustian " of the " feeble-forcibles , " we can shut

our ears to the "bunkum " of " smalltorks ; " we can grieve when we see too clearly alas , how a brother forgets his profession in his practice , and above all , when as before the Order and the public , he claims the character and talks 01 the teaching of Masonry , and yet acts deliber-

Profession And Practice

ately in defiance of every law of our brotherhood b oth in the letter and in the spirit . We who p rofess fairness , kindness , honour , and morality , a re often , after all , but very little men indeed w hen measured by the true standard of right an d wrong because often petulant and personal , tale-bearing and treacherous , malicious and malignant , unscrupulous and untrustworthy .

The Would-Be Facetious

THE WOULD-BE FACETIOUS

"Wut , " as the Scotch say , is a ' very good thing , but the facetiousness of the professed joker becomes often a great ingredient of Boredom . Nothing is so dreary as the man who

will carry the " cap and bells " on all occasions , who expects you to laugh , in season and out of season , whose jokes are bad , and whose merriment is hollow . Of all nuisances deliver us , from that asinine individual on whose face rests

eternally an unmeaning grin , and who seeks laughter from senseless jests , or pointless and suppositious irony . We have laughed heartily in our time , andean still enjoy the companyof the genial , the cheery , and the witty , and we are not indisposed even to a good roar , when we hear

something worth laughing at , the real witticism of the intellectual , and the "jest " of the truly intelligent . But we cannot profess even to smile at vapid jocosity , inane talk , or vulgar inuendoes . Just as there is nothing so pleasant and so enjoyable as genuine wit , so there is nothing so

intolerable and so debasing as affected facetiousness , or vulgar twaddle . The man who , like a great gander on a common , is always running about with his month open , and " have you heard the last joke , " is about as brainless and as as braying a donkey as one wishes to encounter

in one ' s sublunary existence . We therefore think it well to put our readers on their guard against these pretenders to wit , who , though in truth " motley " is their " only wear " do not display in their cachinnations , the occasional "flashes" of the" poor fool . " Heavy and unintel-Iectual , pointless and spiritless those words which

they would try anu nvake you believe have the semblance of wit , are only marked by personality or jejeune trifling , deserve not even the appellation of facetiousness , and never approach the confines even of the category of wit . The poet once expressed a fervent wish to a kind heaven to save him from a " candid friend . "

We quite agree with him , but we would also make a petition that we may be preserved from those most " dull dogs , " who , trading on the brains and capacities of others , are the most tedious of companions , and the most uninteresting of associates . Such are they who live on stale

" Joe Millers ' and petty scandals , and think that if only they can be peisonal enough , they may make themselves amusing , if only they can combine vulgarity and conceit at the same time , they may be considered intellectual , and dub themselves wits . Alas ! for those who have to

listen to their idle words , or wade through their dreary essays . True wit , we are always ready to laugh at , but the would-be facetious we avoid , the forced and unnatural witticism of the dullest of mortals we consider the cruellest of insults to men of understanding , to brethren of sense .

A Fraternal Presentation.

A FRATERNAL PRESENTATION .

We had intended calling attention to a fraternal presentation to a very worthy and distinguished transatlantic brother , Chas . E . Meyer , but in some unaccountable way the "copy " forwarded by a kind Irish brother , became , strangeto say , missing from our editorial sanctum

and so we can only refer to it in a leader to-day . It will be seen that in our correspondence columns the week before last , we alluded to the receipt of the report , which , however ,. for the reasons assigned we have been unable to reproduce . Bro . Chas . E . Meyer is a brother whose great merit is well known in Philadelphia and

America , and who has many warm friends also in England . We have to thank him , which we do sincerely , for many fraternal courtesies and kindnesses , and we can only wish him all health and happiness , to enjoy the well earned recognition of faithful service , and to retain , as we know he will do , the regard of admiring friends and the affection of trusting brethren .

The Irish Grand Lodge

THE IRISH GRAND LODGE

" The Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Ireland has unanimously passed the following resolutions . —Whereas , the Grand Lodge of Ireland has received official notification that the Grand Orient of France has altered the first article of its Constitution from its previous form , and

omitted therefrom , as one of its fundamental principles , belief in the existence of God and the immortality of the soul , the Grand Lodge of Ireland hereby resolves that the Grand Orient of France having , by such alteration , rendered admissible as members within its jurisdiction

persons who do not believe in the existence of a perso nal Deity , has thereby caused a breach in the foundation of ancient Masonry , and acted in violation of the first great principle of the Order , and therefore the Grand Lodge of Ireland hereby declares that it cannot continue to recognize the

Grand Orient of France as a Masonic body , and it hereby directs all lodges working under the Irish Constitution to decline receiving as Masons all persons hailing from the Grand Orient of France , or from any subordinate Jodge under its jurisdiction . " An attempt has been made to identify the Order of Freemasonry in the United

Kingdom with infidel and revolutionary societies bearing a similar name on the Continent . This repudiation is likely to be regarded with general satisfaction . '' We are glad to quote the words of our contemporary the Times with reference to this important resolution of the Irish Grand Lodge . We shall recur to the subject fully for special reasons in our next .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc do not hold ourselves responsible lor , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondentF , but we wish , in \ spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . T

GRAND OHIENT OF FRANCE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — 1 have received a copy of the following resolutions , agreed to by the Grand Lodge of Ireland on the 1 st inst ., and which have been sent to the Masttrs of lodges to be read to their numbers .

Such commendable alacrity is most pleasing to all who are anxious to unite in protesting against the admission of disbelievers in a personal God into our ranks . No time should be lost by all regular Grand Lodges in withdrawing their representatives , and in firmly refusing any fellowship whatever with the Grand Orient of France , or any such .

As Freemasons—believers in God and future rewards and punishments—we can have nothing to do with any socalled brethren who do not require a belief in God by candidates as a primary and essential qualification for membership . Indeed , if a candidate cannot declare his belief in God , bis only position is outside the lodge , and always so to

continue , until he can conscientiously answer that he puts his " trust in God , " and his life is such as to prove that morally he seeks to shape his deeds accordingly . Obliterate the necessity of a belief in God from our old charges and ceremonies , and the whole character of the society becomes meaningless , and unworthy of support .

We recommend those brethren who voted ( or would have voted if present ) against the suicitlal resolution of the Grand Orient , either to unite with the " Supreme Council of France" ( a Craft Grand Lodge , & c . ) or to form a new independent Grand Lodge , its first article being " Elle a pour principes l ' cxistencc de Dicu . " WILLIAM J AMES HLOIIAN .

Grand Lodge of F . and A . Masons of Ireland . Grand Secretary ' s Office , Freemasons' Hall , Dublin , 2 nd November , 1877 . Sir and Brother , I have to inform you that at the stated com

munication of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , held on the 1 st inst ., the resolution , a copy of which is appended , ivas unanimously adopted , and I am directed to request that it may be read at the next meeting of your Lodge , and duly recorded on the minutes . B y order , SAMUEL B . OLDHAM , D . G . Sec .

Whereas the Grand Lodge of Ireland has received official notification that the Grand Orient of France has altered the first article of its constitution from its previous form , antl omitted therefrom , as one of its fundamental principles , a belief in the existence of God , and the im mortality of the soul , the Grand Lodge of Ireland thereby resolves—• ' That the Grand Orient of France having by

such alteration rendered admissablc as members of lodges within its jurisdiction individuals who do not believe in the existence of a Personal Deity , has thereby caused a breach in the foundations of ancient Masonry , and actetl in violation of the first great principle of the Order ; and

therefore the Grand Lodge of Ireland hereb y declares that it cannot continue to recognise the Grand Orient cf France as a Masonic Body , and directs all lodges working under the Irish Constitution to decline receiving as Masons any person hailing from the Grand Orient of France , or from any subordinate lodge under its jurisdiction . "