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NOTICE . The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is now i os . per annum , post-free , payable in advance .

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to NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS . The Office of THE FREEMASON is now transferred to 198 , FLEET-STREET , E . C . All communications for the Editor or Publisher should therefore be forwarded to that address .

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^ nstes ( fewsjrimtants . AM communications for The Freemason should be written legibly on one side of the paper only , anil , if intended for insertion in the current number , must he received not later than 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address ol every writer must be sent to us in confidence . J . K . —Thanhs for the communication . Cannot spare room . The following aiteles and communicat ' ons will appear next week : — "Masonic Excer | ta , " by Bro . the Rev . A . A . Woodfcrd ; " The futuie of l- ' reemasoniy in Ireland ; " ' and '' Tiie Rtprtfe tation of trc Grand Maik Lodge of England in American Chapters . "

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , ATRIL 20 , 1872 . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in lime for the early trains . The price o ! " the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , IOS ( payable m : dv i . uce ) All communications , letters , Sec , to be addressed to the Editor , 198 , Fleet-street , i ' .. C The Editor will pay careful attention to allM ^ S . entrusted to him , but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Oration,

ORATION ,

By BRO . REV . J . HALI ' ORD , PROV . G . CHAPLAIN , LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND . Delivered at the Cinsecration of the Commercial Lodge , No . 1391 .

I must claim the kind indulgence of the brethren , inasmuch as the adequate and satisfactory discharge of the work which has been assigned to me as Provincial Grand Chaplain requires an

acquaintance with Masonic history , and a familiarity with Masonic lore to which I have no pretensions . The very richness and abundance of materials which are at hand , the vastness

of the subject , and its many aspects , are the great embarrassments in the way of doing justice on an occasion like the present , though I doubt not . a skilful and discriminatina-

Craftsman mi ght in the delivery of this oration erect a lasting and interesting monument , worthy to commemorate the dedication of that lodge to-day entering on a career , which there is ample reason

for the predic . ion will be honourable to itself and the Craft , and useful to mankind . On the historical aspect of Freemasonry I shall touch but slightly , I will refrain from

speculations , ( though of the greatest interest ) as to the origin of Freemasonry , and the credibility of its early traditions . I will not pause to examine the theories which assign its parentage to one or

other of the corporations of ancient Rome . myself am disposed to refer its ori gin to one of the mediaeval guilds , that of the Operative Masons . The Masonic ritual and Masonic emblems all lead to this inference .

Oration,

Speculative Masons of the nineteenth century have good reason to be proud of the first fathers of Freemasonry . They may point with legitimate pride to those stately and superb edifices , the

masterpieces of architectural skill , which were amongst the chief ornaments , not only of these islands , but of Continental Europe ; the cathedral buildings , which the present century , with

all its resources and triumphs over the material world , can never excel in beauty of design , or in the skill which embodied and enhanced the grandeur of the architectural idea . These

buildings are the work of Freemasons , and bear witness to their skill as builders , and the perfect knowledge which they possessed of all the resources of their art , and not only to their

professional knowledge , but also to those great moral qualities of industry , temperance , mutual help , and trust , to their perfect order and organisation , without which , works so stupendous could never

have been brought to a successful result . These virtues and this organisation are still cherished by the Speculative Masons as their most sacred inheritance , and be it remembered ,

that the results which they aimed at were the same as those aimed at by us . The glory of God and the good of men , though the means by which those results were sought , were somewhat

different ; in the one case a material building , in the other a spiritual temple . But I pass to the Principles of Freemasonry . No Mason requires information as to what these principles are .

Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . We may anticipate the time when all modern institutions and the present organisations of society , will undergo great modifications ; but

we cannot conceive any age , however remote , when the Princi ples of Freemasonry will be obsolete ; time can neither add to them nor diminish from them . Built upon them , Freemasonry

shows no symptoms of decadence , on the contrary , our very work of to-day proves that Masonry is vigorous and healthy . Where there is growth

there is not onl y life , but vigorous and superabundant life . The offshoot which we are today planting is the best proof of our youth and

vigour . Most institutions of ancient origin require continual modifications to adapt them to the altered circumstances of modern society . Not so

Masonry . We have no superstitious veneration for the past , but experience shows that a close and even somewhat jealous adherence to the ancient landmarks of our Order is productive of

strength and progress , while any departure from ' them , eiriier in spirit or in letter , is found invariably a source of dissension and weakness . What

better testimony can we have of the wisdom of our founders , or the soundness of our principles —Brotherl y Love and Fraternity .

More and more do . s the world recognise the great fact of the Universal Brotherhood of man . Thought no fact is more clearl y announced in the Volume of the Sacred Law , it is only now that

the world is recognising its full significance . We Masons , however , have ever recognised and acted on these principles as our most sacred

trust , and have anticipated the progress of mankind in this , the most important branch of human knowledge . In a Masons' Lodge no man , however illustrious , is more than a brother , no

Oration,

man , however humble , is less than a brother . Equality therefore is another of our principles , but it is equality in the ri ght sense of the word . We do not attempt to make equal that which the

G . A . O . T . U . has made unequal , and he has not made all men equal . No two men are born with exactly equal strength of body or mind , or equal capabilities of any kind . We have no Quixotic

notions of equality ; we ignore the distinction of rank and wealth of the outside world ; but we have many and very marked distinctions

of our own ; offices of greater or less dignity , and commanding , according to their degree , greater or less reverence from the other brethren .

Difference of rank is more marked amongst Masons than elsewhere , but it is rank which is , or ought to be , founded on merit alone . One word on the privileges of Masonry—It

gives us a claim on the sympathy , and help of all our Brethren , and inasmuch as these are to be found in all parts of the world , this is no slight privilege . Every Masonic Lodge is bound to

give us not only admission , but a warm and brotherly welcome , and such help as our circumstances may require . Further it gives a claim on the good word of our Brother Masons ,

as far as is consistent with the interests of truth and justice—for truth must never be sacrificed , even to brotherly love—but when , through our own fault , we have forfeited this claim on our

brothers' good word , we still have a claim on his reticence . But privileges imply reciprocal duties . If we have a claim on others , they have

the same claim on us , a claim which we are bound to recognise . Some Masons seem to think that concealment

of our mysteries and secrets from the o . itside world is the extent of their obligations . What a miserable and mistaken view of Masonry ! The obligation extends to the most minute

particulars of every day life . We are bound to be the sacred repository of our brothers' secrets when delivered to us as such—to be jealous of his good name , not only not revile him , but not

suffering others to do so , an I boldly repelling the slanderer of his good name . We are taught to lree our souls from the dominion of pride and prejudice , to view in every son of Adam a

brother of the dust—to bend with humility and resignation to the will of the G . A . O . T . U ., and to dedicate our heart , thus purified and prepared for the reception of truth and wisdom , to his

glory and the good of our fellow-creatures . Let us live up to our profession , so shall we vindicate Masonry from the scoffs of the cowan

and the ignorant , so shall we be living witnesses to the power , and beauty , and excellence of the principles of Masonry . No bad man is , or can be in any sense a good Mason .

In conclusion , a word to the officers of lodges who are present , and especiall y the officers of the Commercial Lodge . Do not look upon Masonry merely as an amusement , or as a relaxation , still

less as an opportunity for harmless convivial enjoyment . Office in a Masonic lodge should be undertaken as a duty , as a work to be done for the good of others , and as a work having its

own responsibilities , and as involving a considerable amount of care , attention , perseverance , and in some instances , diligent study . And though the spirit of Masonry is the principal sub-