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SPECIAL NOTICE

COSMOPOLITAN CALENDAR , DIARY AND POCKET BOOK FOR 1874 . We have forwarded , addressed to the Secretaries of even / Lodge , a for in that

requires to be filled in , to show any alterations and additions that may be needed for the Cosmopolitan Calendar , Diani and Pocket Booh for 1874 . As

the Calendar will be published early next month , it is respectfully requested that the form may be filled in at once , and returned to the Publisher , George Kenning , 19 8 , Fleet-street .

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NOTICE .

The Subscription lo T HE FREEMASON is now 10 s . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 43 . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 61 I .

Vol . HI ., ditto 15 s . od . Vol . IV ., ditto 15 s . od . Vol . V ., ditto 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . Ditto ditto ± do . ... is . 6 d .

United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual

subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance . ) All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the Editor , 108 , Fleet-street , E . C . The Editorwill pay careful attention lo all MSS . entrusted tohim , butcannnt undertake to return them unlessaccompanicd by postage stamps .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

IM . t ) . —We do not wish to continue the subject . I'he following stand over : —Keport of Lodge 1327 ,. Communications from II . M . G ., G . AI . T ., D . W . L ., F . K ., a subsciiber ( Leicester ) , and S .

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

BIRTH . WKAVUK . —On September the 9 th at 4 . 5 , floivlaud-strect , Fiuroy-squarc , W ., tlie wife of Bro . James Weaver , P . M . 862 , M . E . Z . 862 , eve , of . 1 daughter .

MARRIAGE . WOODMAN . —ROWORTH . —On the nth inst ., at St . John ' s Parish Church , Hackney , Bro . YValt-r J . Woodman , Surgeon Dentist , Marquess-road , Canonbury , ( W . M . Koyal Standard Lodge , unS ) to Jessie , only daughter of II , J . Itowoith , Esq ., of Hackney . ( An cards : )

DEATHS . BALLANTINE . —On Sunday last , the 14 th inst ., to the great giief of her sorrowing family and friends , Elizabeth Anne Ballantine , aged 61 years , the affectionate wife of Bro . lames Ballantine , P . M . of the Strong Man Lodge ,

and P . Z . of the Mount Lebanon Lodge . She died in peace with all . IOIINSON . —Sept . 11 , at 3 , N ' ewlnnds-strect , Liverpool , ng-cd 42 , Bro . W . F , Johnson , tide stnvryoi of I I . M . 's Customs , ' otl . wtge 823 , and J . D . i . ' . y . v

Liverpool Theatres, &C.

LIVERPOOL THEATRES , & c .

Week ending September 27 . ROYAL ALEXANDRA THEATRE , Lime-street . —T . essc c Pro . E . S . ' iker . Craven KobcriMm ' s Company in" Caste . " ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE , Great ( harlotle-sticct . —Lessee Pro . H . Leslie . " 'i'he W ' .-indcrintr Heir . "

PRINCE OE WALES THEATRE , aayVnn-S ( juari\—Lessee Mr . Sci ' ton Parry , Pyron's linrlesiiue , " Kissi Kissi , " TTEATKE KOYAL \ villlamson-sr 111 are . —Lessee , tiro . De fr'reece . " ( Irand D \ u'Ue >„ . "

ST . | A , MES'S HALL , Lime-street . —Proprietor , Pro . S . Ilae , uc Special Artistes and Programme . NEW STAR MUSIC HALL , \ Viiil » ms » ii . «> . ; uartt . —ftlannBer Uro . Saumleis . Opera and Special Attractions . R " OTUNDA THEATRE and MUSIC HAI . L . —Proprietor , I \ l 7 I ) . 'irannelL Miscellaneous Entertainments . NEWSOME'S CIRCUS , Whitcchnpcl . —Scenes of the Circle and ( idler Entertainments ;

QUEEN'S HALL . — "Emerald " Minstrel " ,-, Humorist ., ' , " and Dancers . " p ONCERTIIALL . —Mr " . T . AIaccaber ' ' CT . ~ iAMES ^ s \\ IINOirHALC . — M ^^ ft ** jiolertaininent . "

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NOTICE .

All Communications , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 6 o ' clock on Wednesday evening .

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TheFreemason S ATURDAY , S EPTEMBER 20 , 1875 .

The Harmony Between The Bible And Freemasonry.

THE HARMONY BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND FREEMASONRY .

As we incidentally stated in The Freemason of the 6 th inst ., the Rev . Philip Hains , Rector of St . George ' s Church , Wigan , and Chaplain of the Mariners' Lodge ,

No . 249 , Liverpool , gave an excellent address on the harmony existing between the principles and teachings of the Book of the Sacred Law and Freemasonry , at the annual festival of the

Mariners' Lodge , held on the 27 th ult . The address was given on a special occasion , and was listened to with special attention . As it

possesses many features of interest , we have much pleasure in now furnishing the text of the address to onr readers .

The Rev . Bro . Hains , said , Freemasonry has been defined as a system of pure morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols . Taking the volume of the Sacred

Law as its standard of right and wrong , it is founded on the Divine precepts contained in the Holy Scriptures . Did time permit , I might point out many similitudes between the teachings of

the Bible and the usages of Freemasonry , but this morning , I will content myself with just alluding to three resemblances . Both teach moral truths , by means of symbols or emblems ;

secondly , both speak of mysteries , i . e ., have a moral meaning hidden , or secret , beneath the outward substance ; and thirdly , both inculcate

the necessity of brotherly Jove , relief , and charity . Hence the Bible has been called a " Book for mankind . " Of no other book can this be

said . Neither Homer , nor Dante , Milton , nor even Shakespeare , the most universal ofall writers , can be said to be adapted to all time , all countries , and all peoples , but this is true of one

Book , the Volume of the Sacred Law . So the universality of Freemasonry is one of its proudest boasts , and is its distinguishing characteristic . 'Die distant Chinese , the wild Arab , the

American savage , the volatile Gaul , the phlegmatic German ; nil nations , whatsoever may be their particular distinctions , are here asked to forget their differences , and to unite as brethren and children of our one Common Father in Heaven .

Masonry teaches us that the visible operations of nature contain a hidden moral meaning ; so the Bible inculcates that the voices of nature are only dull and inarticulate to those that have no

eyes to see , nor ears to hear , that when we behold the sun in the Heavens , that great luminary which our science calls "The Glory of the Lord , ' we might be reminded of One who is the Father

ol Lights , and that the Lord God is a Sun , and a shield , and that when we hear the sound of the wind around us , and cannot tell whence it

cometh or whither it goeth , but only know its direction b y the way in which we behold different objects impelled , so we are taught is every

The Harmony Between The Bible And Freemasonry.

one that is born of the S pirit . " And when we hear the thunders roll , and see the lightnino-s flash , we should be conscious of the presence of Him who " maketh the winds his messengers

and His ministers a flame of fire . " Thus Scripture and Masonry coincide in teaching by allegory , that , by a holy chemistry , we may extract Heaven out of Earth , and by contemplation

and meditation , transform the inanimate things of nature into a line of union , which , like Jacob ' s ladder , may reach from Earth to Heaven . Masonry teaches us that if we stud y but one single

fragment of the Universe ari ght , we have grasped , at least , the first link of a chain that will lead us up to God , and every book of the Bible insists on the same divine lesson .

To teach us a useful lesson of humility , we are bidden to lift our eyes to the firmament above us : — " When I consider the Heavens , the works of Thine hand , the moon and the stars that

thou hast made . What is man That thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man , that Thou so regardest him . " To teach us industry and ordinary prudence

in the pursuits of life , we are bidden to contemplate God ' s marvellous workmanshi p in the organisation of the little insect we heedlessly tread under foot : — ' •Go to the ant , thou sluggard ,

consider her ways and be wise , who without guide , overseer , and ruler , provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest . "

To teach us faith and reliance in the goodness of our Universal Parent we are bidden to go and learn from the flowers of the forest : —¦ " Consider the lilies of the field , how they grow ;

they toil not , neither do they spin , yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these . If God so clothed the grass of the field , which to day is , and to morrow is cast into the oven ,

shall he not much more clothe you . " To give us a hope full of immortality , to show us that we shall not wholly die , and that the best part of us shall escape death , we are bidden

to gaze at a handful of grain cast into the furrows of the ground . That whicli thou sowest is not quickened except it die . " Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die , it abideth

alone , but if it die , it bringeth forth much fruit . " Thus the invisible things of Him , from the beginning of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made .

Masonry at all times teaches this truth , that if we have senses to comprehend , we may find God everywhere , and moral lessons in everything , whether in the bowels of the earth , the rude

fragment of a stone , or in a sunbeam ; whether in the structuie of a wild flower , the organization of an insect , or in the mechanism of the Heavens . But the secrecy of Freemasons has been , and

still is a constant charge against us . In this too we have the sanction of the Book of Revelation . We read of mysteries there , and who was that

Divine Master , who said , " Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God , but to those who are without in parables 5 "

The great truths of His kingdom came , incorporated in symbols , to the eyes of some , whilst others had no spiritual eyes to see nor ears to hear . We read of the mystery of God ' s will , and again " Great is the mystery of Godliuess , "