Jottings From Masonic Journals.

us thus far , he has learned that the march of Freemasonry is still onward ; whether it is upward is not so certain . We must confess that there seems to be too much of a looking forward to what Freemasonry will do , rather that a care for what it is doing . With a membershio of half a million , it

o-ight now to be accomplishing all that any human institution can accomplish . That it is doing an i nmensegood we know ; that it is not doing all it can we as certainly know : While we hope for the future , we should act now . ' God loves the present tense , rather than the future . ' . We have noticed

with anxiety one feature in almost all the addresses the proceedings contain . It is the caution against intemperance , combined with the assumption that this vice has increased and prevails among the Craft to a dangerous extent . This gives our enemies tbe means of assailing us with success . As long as

they assail the institution itself , it is like the mere foam on the rock ; but if they shall assail us because we have abandoned the principles of Masonry , and are perverting them , what answer can we make ? Herein lies our greatest danger . All acknowledge this , but there seems too little effort to

avert the danger . The truth shining , many love ; reproving , they reject ; when it shows itself , we embrace it ; when it shows us . we cannot endure it . It is the imperative duty of all in authority , and of all to whom the brethren have given influence by havingevcr called them to positions of responsibility ,

to do all in their power by precept , and especially by example , to put away this reproach from the Craft . " —Pomeroy's New York Democrat . A TOWN in Indiana had-a lodge that had a W . M . who had an exaggerated notion of discipline . One night he had met his lodge in called meeting , not

a member absent , to instruct them in the' work . Teaching them the use of the gavel , he had just called them up with three knocks , when lie leaned too far back , fell against the window that was behind him , fell through , fell to the ground four stories , and broke his neck . Picked up the next

morning , be was buried decently , bnt not a Mason attended the funeral . More strange still , not a Mason appeared any more in that village . It was inexplicable . Forty women left widows , two hundred and seventeen children left orphans , eightyfour merchants left in the lurch with unpaid bills .

Twenty years after that somebody went up in that fourthstorey , and , behold , the lodge ' a lodge of skeletons I Strange , but true , they had rigidly obeyed the orders of the W . M ., and , while waiting for the knock to seat them , had starved to death . Each was standing in an attitude of respectful attention ,

' ¦ looking to the east , " and had not the pitying citizens taken them down and tenderly removed them , they would have been standing there yet . Such is life . —The Evergreen . THE Prince of Wales is said to have " a ringing

voice . " It rung the change , at a Masonic meeting the other day , when , £ 13 , 000 were subscribed at once towards the benevolent objects which the •'A-i'icnt and Free Accepted" Order has in view . — Ncilghcrry Excelsior .

A COMPARISON . — Wisdom - contemplating mankind leads but to the two results — compassion or disdain . He who believes in other worlds can accustom himself to look on this as the naturalist on the revolutions of an ant-hill or of a leaf . What is the earth to

infinity ? what its duration to the eternal ? Oh , linv much greater is the soul of one man than the vicissitudes of the whole globe ! Child of heaven and heir of immortality , bow from some star hereafter wilt thou lookback on the ant-hill and its commotions , from Clovis to Robespierre , from Noah to

the final fire ? The spirit that can contemplate , that lives only in the intellect , can ascend to its stars , even from the midst of the burial-ground callca earth , and while the sarcophagus called life immures in its clay the everlasting . —Zanoni , by Bulwcr .

IN * the matter of soup the City is degenerating . I went into the Brig and Tortoise the other dayit was . in fact , to a Freemasons' dinner—and they gave me last year's green peas in Ma ) -, and Mock instead of the real . However , this is quite in character with the genius of the times . Freemasons arc

not what they were when 1 was initiitcd , or they would not stand that sort of think . They are getting far too molern in their notions to suit me and sensible , amiable peop ' e generally . Instead of keeping up the good old Institution in the proper style , each lodge a secret conclave of irood

threebottled men , they arc talking of making Freemasonry a kind of superior friendly society , and subscribing so much a week for benefits during sickness , and a sum of money to bury poor old brothers ! To be sure , I proposed this very thing

thirty years ago , but then they wouldn't have it ; and now that they have changed their minds , I'JI change too , and oppose innovations with all my might' and main . And in this I am sure to get plenty . of backers , — - The Grumbler , in "Latest News , "

Freemasonry In France.

FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE .

The time for occupying ourselves with our own business has evidently come at last , and we have , therefore , given a little attention to the election of Grand Master of the Freemasons , which we should have done on former occasions had not the Emperor left us other things to look

after , which we foolishly imagined to be of more importance . The office of Grand Master is considered one of the highest trust and responsibility , and has been hotly disputed by General Mellinet and Carnot , the deputy . A grand convocation of all the lodges has been sitting

for the last three days in close confabulation upon the subject , which , for five years' duration , becomes a vital one for the order . Mellinet , who has fulfilled the duties of the office ever since the year 1 S 65 , with great honour to himself and brothers , carried the clay by a great

majority over the deputy , and the event was considered of such immense importance that telegrams were despatched to the four corners ofthe earth , wherever French lodges exist . Expense was voted beneath a Mason ' s notice , and in as short a time as possible was the news of the

election conveyed to Constantinople and to Senegal , to Bogota and to Haiti , to Madagascar and to Canada ; in short , to the uttermost parts of the world , wherever French Freemasons assemble to hold a lodge and proclaim their adhesion to the principles first laid down by the first

Earl of Derwentwater in the year 1785 . Freemasonry is respectable in France , inasmuch as it is the only institution looked upon in a serious light •and although French puerility and lightness in all things has suggested the admission of women to its sacred rites , yet its laws of

brotherhood and fraternity are strictly observed . The good done all over the world by the Grand Orient of Paris is a well-known fact . Noinstitution , however religious in its aim , has contributed more to the civilisation of the human race than this lodge . " Learn and Teach" is the wise and modest

motto adopted by its members—almost antique in its simplicity , and so completely at variance with the pert and flippant self-sufficiency of the day . Thestatistical accounts of the progressofthe Brotherhood is more interesting . There exist at the present moment in Frar . ce four hundred

thousand 1- reemasons . In this number the laches are not included , althout ' h the number of these ( Les Lccotons ) exceeds one hundred thousand . The institution has been liable to great persecutions , and the seceding lodge ofthe Rite Ecosscais carried away , not very long ago , a vast number

of adherents . At the breaking out of the great Revolution the Duke of Orleans , Philippe Egalite , was Grand Master . After his death upon the scaffold , the office was accepted by M . de Montaleau , who , with admirable tact and good management , preserved the Brotherhood

throughout the terrible period of revolution and confusion which followed 'S 9 . Since then Joseph Bonaparte , Prince Murat , and Marshal Magnan have been elected Grand Masters , and have succeeded it preserving ihe honour and prosperity

of the Grand Orient through every change in politics , and through every attack made upon it by the Church , uneasy at beholding the secret conference and huis-clos deliberations from which she his ever been peremptorily excluded . —Birmingham Daily Post .

THE Acacia Lodge , No . 1314 . was consecrated at the Ik'll Hotel , Bromley , on Wednesday , the 15 th . Full report in our next . MASONRY ON THE BENCH . —Bro . George Allcz , of Doyle's Lodge of Fellowship , No . 84 , Guernsey , was on Friday , the ioth inst ., elected Jurat of the

Royal Court , the highest local honour that can be conferred upon an inhabitant , making the third member of the Craft on the magisterial bench of that island . Bro . Allcz has only recently taken the first two degrees of our Order , and will , at the next re ; u ! ar meeting ofhis lodge , be raised lo the degree

of M . M ., on which occasion , we understand , it is in contemplation of the lodge to give him a complimentary banquet . We lienrtry join in congratulation , not only to Bro . Allcz on his appointment , but to tbe islanders on their choice , since he who is a

"just Mason" cannot be other than an " upright judge . " ACCORDING tothe Ancient Constitutions , cveryapplicant must be proposed at least one month before the lodge can act upon his petition .

Poetry.

Poetry .

A NEW SONG . BY AN OLD PAST MASTER . Composed expressly for the Board of Benevolence of the Provincial Grand Lodge ( North and East Yorks ) , on the occasion of their meeting for the first time in the Kingston Lodge , at Kingston-upon-Hull , on Wednesday , April 6 th , 1870 , when the Lodge was consecrated .

Come let us prepare , we brethren that are , And attend the Provincial Grand Meeting ; In clothing so neat , with a good balance-sheet , When we hope to receive a kind greeting . In clothing , & c .

Let ' s be true and sincere , and kind to the poor , Who apply on the present occasion ; Grant liberal aid , and not be afraid , To show we don ' t want much persuasion . Grant liberal aid , & c .

Appeals are now made , for benevolent aid , To be granted to those who are needy ; So let us be kind , and all of one mind , And prove that we always are ready . So let us be kind , & c .

Our Prince , Dukes , and Lords , will lay by their swords , To relieve both the Orphan and Widow : Our relief is at hand , all over the land , Ever ready to prove it ' s no shadow . Our relief is , & c .

Antiquity ' s pride , we take as our guide , Thus keeping each one in his station ; And do all we can , to make happy the man , Who ' s a Brother , though not a relation . And do all we can , & c .

We never deceive the fair daughters of eve , But are true to our every profession ; They never regret , when a Brother they ' ve met . And have placed themselves in his possession . They never regret , & .

Then join hand in hand , to each other firm stand , United in Masonic action ; No mortal can boast , a nobler toast , Than a Mason who knows of no faction . No mortal can boast , & c .

The Mither Lodge.

THE MITHER LODGE .

TUNE — " // Man ' s a Man for a' that . " Amang the social " rays of light " I've aften blythesomc been , man , And here within the mither Lodge

Some joyfu' nights I've seen , man ; For , aye , to me there was a charm In speech , and sang , and crack , man , That made me weary for the time When I'd come toddlin' back , man .

I've seen thejolly-hearted coun , Here often bear the sway , man ; I've seen a Wylie , ever shrewd , Masonic love display , man . And now a Mure adorns the East , A bright , a worthy name , man ; He'll gie the Lodge anithcr hcize , Anither wreath of fame , man .

Wha has 11 a felt a sacred joy , A pleasure ever sweet , man , When , by a mithcr ' s ingle side , Kind couthic friends would meet , man ; And here we feel the same delight When friendships we renew , man , Within our guid auld mithcr ' s ha ' 'Mang brithers leal an' true , man .

Wi' open heart she lo ' cs us a ' , Whate ' er our lot may be , man ; And aft she prays that a' her bairns In love may aye agree , man ; For love , she kens , can yield a charm To cheer life's fleeting scenes , man , And lead to yonder Lodge aboon Where joy unclouded reigns , man .

Yes , mticklc sense and worth is hers , And proud she wcel may be man , For even kings themselves ha'e sat Fu' kindly by her knee , man . Then , lang , Jang may she keep her feet To speak , or sing , or crack , man , And , aye , be blythc as she has been , To bid us welcome back , man . A . M . KAY , P . S . St . John ' s Lodge , Kilmarnock Kilwinning , No 22 . -