Freemasonry & Israelitism.

While thus recounting the philanthropic and benevolent deeds of our race , I am not forgetful that there is another side to the picture . I have already said , we have much ignorance , much vice , and much misery amongst us , which challenge the attention

of all who are capable—and who is not ?—of aiding in their suppression . Much of the ignorance , and much of the , vice and crime which are its natural fruits , will be removed by the Education Act of 1871 , and by the extension of the Factory Acts to all children employed in trades and other occupations ;

while the modifications made , from time to time , in the Poor Law are bringing it much more in harmony with the national character for sympathy and benevolence . We have much to do before we shall fully recognise our obligations and faithfully discharge them . But we are going forward .

Meanwhile , " Let us all be up and , doing , With a heart for any fate ; Still achieving , still pursuing , Learn to labour and to wait ! "

The Forthcoming Edition Of The Irish A Himan Rezon.

THE FORTHCOMING EDITION OF THE IRISH A HIMAN REZON .

The article by our esteemed Bro . Hughan , on "The New Constitutions of Grand Lodge of Ireland , " in THE FREEMASON of

Sept . 2 nd , is another added to the many contributions for which the Craft at large have to thank him . It is useful , especially just now , as it calls attention to several

points that require careful consideration , and will help to " straighten" matters somewhat for the discussion of the various rules when they shall be submitted for confirmation to our Grand Lodge .

I have to thank him , personally , for the communication , as it enables me to say something on the subject , it having been brought forward and published by a brother not under the jurisdiction of our G . L . One

of our G . L . Rules prohibits the printing or publishing of any of the transactions of G . L ., of any private lodge , or of any Masonic committee , and also prohibits " any comment thereon , or reference thereto '' without

the permission of the G . L ., the G . M ., or the D . G . M ., and thus practically shuts us out from legally bringing before the Craft at

large many matters that might be advantageously considered in the pages of a Masonic journal . I hold that in Masonry , as in other organisations , free and full

discussion is most useful , and that there ought to be as little restriction as possible on Masonic discussion , which does not touch too closely on the " secrets and mysteries " of the Order ; but while the law exists , I of

course , feel bound to obey it , and might have felt some scruple in bringing forward , in the first instance , comments on our new laws . But as Bro . Hughan has opened the consideration of the subject , I feci myself

quite at liberty to deal with the matters referred to in his article . I quite agree with our valued brother , that " too much care cannot be observed in the making of new laws , " and as some of

the new laws now proposed mean more than , perhaps , appears at first sight , it would be well for the members of our Irish G . L . to be " wise in time , " so as to be prepared to deal at the proper time with regulations

that , if passed , may be applied so as to ' conserve" existing objectionable tendencies , and so as to interfere unwarrantably with the " rights and privileges" of individual

brethren . The first allusion to the new laws made £ y Bro . Hughan refers to the "Prayers to , be used in lodges . " He states that ,

The Forthcoming Edition Of The Irish A Himan Rezon.

" Although several are of a Christian character ( and actually as those used generally during the last century ) , other prayers ,

suitable for the most particular , are likewise inserted , and can be delivered by Jews , Turks , or Parsees with the greatest propriety . "

Now , I contend that the Grand Lodge should not put forward or sanction any prayer that could not be joined in conscientiously by not only " Jews , Turks , or Parsees , " but by any believer in God , no matter

under what form of worship or in what frame of words his religious belief may find expression . The grand leading idea of Masonry is , its unlimited tolerance in religious matters . Elsewhere , men may and do

differ widely and mischievously as to their estimate of the Supreme Being , and religious intolerance is at the bottom of many of those unhappy convulsions that in all ages and under various circumstances have

rent asunder the human race . Masonry holds out to us the one platform , ascending to which we leave behind us our differences of faith and creed , and meet together " on the level " as brethren of one universal

family , acknowledging one creating and protecting Parent . Prayer is an address to that Great Being whom we all acknowledge , and the Mason ' s prayer should be as simple and as comprehensive as the Mason ' s creed .

" I believe in one God , the Father Almighty , Maker of Heaven and Earth , and of all things visible and invisible , " is a creed to which every Mason can subscribe , but there it stops , and any attempt to Christianize

ourprayers , or to add to them the teachings of any of our "isms , " is a departure from our ancient landmarks , and an innovation dangerous to the stability of the Craft and insulting to many " good and true "

brethren . I have frequently been pained to hear the name of Him , whom I , as well as the great majority of our brethren here , acknowledge as the Saviour , used in Masonic prayers when those were present who do

not—and from their stand-point , cannotlook on Him in the same light ; and I cannot think that the introduction of His name on such occasions is altogether out of place in a Society that professes to admit all but

those who proclaim themselves Atheists . I know that there are those who would be , perhaps , disposed to look upon the expunging of Christian prayers from the Ritual of Craft and Royal Arch Masonry ( to which

alone my objections apply ) as an abandonment of " Christian principle , " and who would consider it their duty , "in seasonand out of season , " to advance what they believe to be " the truth . " To them I would sug-______ o

gest that it should be a matter for consideration of their conscience whether they should remain members of a Society which places all creeds and all doctrines on the same level , and refuses to allow either the

true or the false , as they consider them , expression within their boundaries ; and I would refer them to His teaching , " who spoke as never man spake , " Himself a Jew , while at the same the Founder of

Christianity , and remind them that he gave to His disciples a model prayer , which we Masons might , without the slightest inconsistency , adopt as ours . I knoiv that the use of Christian prayers at our lodges and in our

public meetings does give annoyance to our Jewish brethren , for example ; and trust that Grand Lodge will deal practically with the matter , bystriking out or altering the

alternative prayer where it assumes a Christian character . In Templar and Rose Croix Masonry , as a profession of Christianity is necessary , in Ireland , Christian prayers are of course useful and appropriate .

The Forthcoming Edition Of The Irish A Himan Rezon.

The law requiring P . M . 's to take out a certificate at a cost of 5 s . has been recently introduced , and whether it be the fee or the novelty , comparatively few P . M . ' s have since qualified themselves in that respect as

members of G . L . I trust they will see the necessity of at once doing this , so as to be entitled to give theirvotes on the new laws . As to the law by which Grand Officers and P . M . ' s retain their place in G . L . by a

payment of two pounds annually , without being at the same time subscribing members of any subordinate lodge , I agree with Bro . Hughan that it requires alteration . All

members of G . L . taking part , as they do , in thegovernment of the subordinate lodges , should be members of , and contribute to , the funds of some one or other of those

private lodges , and when they lose sight of what is , to some extent , their representative capacity , they are very apt to " give themselves airs , " and to assume a bearing which would in some cases be offensive , if it were not also ludicrous .

Rule No . 9 provides that visitors to G . L . shall not be admitted , except by permission of the presiding officers . It seems to me that an improvement would be , to give the right of admission to G . L . to all M . M . 's of

good standing . They must obey the rules made by G . L . They have an interest in knowing what is going on in the Craft at large , and as they cannot speak or vote in G . L . as M M . ' s , their presence would not be

likely to do any harm . Practically , they have always been admitted , with , I believe , one solitary exception , when they were for a short period of the meeting excluded to enable the presiding officer to keep out an

English visiting brother , whose presence , he was informed , might lead to discord . The wisdom of the course adopted on that occasion has been much questioned , and if any occasion should arise wherein it might

be deemed expedient to confine the meeting to G . L . members , all others might be directed to withdraw , by a resolution put to , and carried by , G . L . The rule giving into the hands of the

Grand Officers the nomination of their successors , is an innovation . Heretofore " The Board of General Purposes , " composed of representatives from the various lodges , nominated the Grand Officers , subject to

the vote of G . L ., any member of which could previously propose another candidate for any position . It is not the only point

on which an attempt is being made to curtail the privileges and action of the Board , and I am much mistaken if innovations in that direction will be submitted to .

Bro . Hughan s query on the 24 th proposed law is very pertinent , and I , for one , am of opinion that it is not " desirable to leave such an arbitrary power in the hands of the presiding officer . " I would be

disposed toadd to the rule givingdiscretionary power to the presiding officer to reject any notice of motion which he may deem "improper , unlawful , or inconsistent with

the ancient landmarks of the Order , " a clause giving the right of appeal to the next meeting of Grand Lodge , which meeting shall decide whether such notice of motion

shall , or shall not , be received . There will probably be a good deal of discussion on the 30 th rule , and I am not so sure as Bro . Hughan appears to be that " the members can , and no doubt will , carry

this regulation ; " at least , I think it will be modified in some such way as he suggests . As the rule is a very important one , and contains an " innovation" evidently contrived for a particular purpose , I quote it as it stands : — " 30 . The Grand Lodge strictly prohibits ai