Class Lodges.

at such a rate , that about the third quarter of the last century , no garrison towns and few regiments of cavalry or infantry in Great Britain or France were without one . An English Masonic Calendar for 1763 , gives under a separate heading " Sea and Field Lodges , " meaning thereby the Masonic brotherhood ' s actively at work in British Men-o ' -war and the various arms of the sister

. At different times in the eighteenth century French lodges were constituted in London , but all of them proved to be deficent in staying power , and one after another passed off the scene . The Pilgrim Lodge , however , founded in 1779 , for the promotion of good fellowship among Germans residing in the metropolis , has been mare fortun ite , and ihe entire work is

still carried on , as it was happily begun , in the language of the Fatherland . Of the other Class Lodges at present in existence , the Grand Stewards , dating from 1735 , and consisting of Freemasons who have served the ofiice of Steward at the Annual Festival , can justly claim pride of place . After which comes the Royal Alpha , composed exclusively of the councillors and friends of the Grand Master .

Military or regimental lodges , properly so-called , are fast dying out , but of stationary lodges which restrict their membership to persons in either the land or sea services , some examples may be presented . Thus the Royal Artillery can take their choice between the Ubique and the Ordnance , while the Hon . Artillery Company of London find a Masonic home in the Fitzroy ,

at the head-quarters of their corps . The Royal Naval College Lodge exists for the convenience of our " first line of defence , " and quite recently the distinguished Admiral , who is now serving his country as second in command in the Mediterranean , was the Master of it . The Reserve Forces are represented by an infinity of lodges bearing the titles of the Volunteer battalions with which they are connected .

The medical profession can enjoy Masonic fellowship in the / Esculapius , and chemists in the Galen . Architects congregate in the Hiram , engineers in the Britannic , rowing men in the Argonauts , actors in the Asaph and Drury Lane , and the musical profession at large in the Chough , Orpheus , Guildhall , School of Music , and other Lodges .

In the United Lodge of Prudence , members of the Stock Exchange are enabled "to meet on the level and part on the square . " The " United Northern Counties " affords a common meeting ground to Masons from the Northern Shires . Graduates of the University of London can resort to a lodge of the same name . " Old Westminsters " are in a like position , and the former members of another great school substantially so , the only difference being that the lodge of the latter , instead of " Merchant Taylors "

bears the time-honoured name of Sir Thomas White . The Israel , Scots , Savage Club , Anglo-American , and Empire Lodges disclose their respective missions at a glance . La France is equally suggestive , and scarcely less so the Gallery—which would be nothing without the reporters ; or the Sir Walter Raleigh , where manufacturersand brokers , alike interested in the fragrant weed , seek a welcome solace ( after the lodge work ) in the consumption of it .

Total abstainers meet with brethren of congenial tastes under the banner of King Solomon , though the propriety of naming a Masonic lodge with a bias in the direction of temperance principles , after the Wise King , is a point upon which there may be some difference of opinion . In the case , however , of the gas industry , a happier title has been selected , and those members of it who have fraternal yearnings can gratify them , appropriately enough , by

the light of the Evening Star . Lastly , there is the Quatuor Coronati , with a notice of which I shall bring the present article to a close . The lodge , which derives its name from the Four Crowned Martyrs , the legendary saints of the building trades , was established for the promotion of Masonic study and research . No members are admitted without a high literary , artistic , or scientific qualification . An

original paper is read at each meeting , which is followed by a discussion . The lodge began its labours in January , 1886 , and a year later instituted an Outer , or Correspondence , Circle , consisting of subscribers to its printed Transactions , which already numbers more than sixteen hundred members , and is steadily increasing at about the rate of three hundred additional subscribers in each year .

From this it has been contended , and apparently with great show of reason , " That of all the events interesting to Freemasons which have occurred within living memory , the most marvellous is the effect produced by the Lodge Quatuor Coronati . The mere fact that the lodge has in about seven years enrolled in its Correspondence Circle more than 1600 members , many of whom are lodges or societies , and the object of them all being

simply to possess the Transactions , demonstrates how intense and widespread must have beer , the craving—the very existence of which was no t only unknown but unexpected—for education in the learning peculiar to the Masonic Art . " About half the members of the Outer Circle reside in the United Kingdom , the remainder are dispersed over the surface of the globe . The

towns ( out of England ) where the membership is largest , rank in the following order : Johannesburg ( South African Republic ) , Kimberley ( Griqualand ) , foowoomba ( Queensland ) , Providence ( Rhode Island ) , Cape Town , Brisbane ( Queensland ) , and Buenos Ayres . The actual lodge , which is limited to 40 members , does not at present number more than 28 , but even among this small band will be found some notable representatives of the two services , the learned professions , literature ,

science and art . The army furnishes Major-Gen . Sir Charles Warren ; Ihe navy , Rear-Admiral A . H . Markham ; divinity , the Rev . C . J . Ball , Chaplain to the Hon . Society of Lincoln's Inn ; medicine , Sir B . W . Richardson , F . R . S . ; literature , Walter Besant ; science and art , Professor T . Hayter Lewis and William Simpson ; and the learned societies , "•H . Rylands , so long and favourably known in connection with Biblical archeology . —New Zealand Craftsman .

Play-Time Is Over.

PLAY-TIME IS OVER .

How we use to watch the clock on the old school-house wall as its hands trawled lazily round , and what joy and youthful laughter greeted the sound 01 the recess bell . Out into the yard we piled , pushing and shoving each ot her in the very exuberance of childish glee . It was play-time . With what reluclance we used to enter the school-room after recess . With faces flushed and nerves all a quiver from romping and play , we came "ack and threw ourselves into our scats frowning at the fate that made it lle « ssary for us to study fractions . But we made the best of it , and were

s ° on quiet an ( j | jenl ; on | earning the lessons assigned in . No matter even if We did study from fear of a reprimand , or the switch , yet we studied until closing time

Play-Time Is Over.

We are still children , only larger grown , and many of us sigh to think that the days of our pilgrimage have been so many , and we look forward even now with feelings of keenest delight to the recess time , when we can throw aside the ledger , full of fractions ; the day book , full of addition ; and the

sales book , full of troublesome problems , and for a few weeks play at resting . To the seaside and the hill-top , to the lakes and across the great ocean we each take our own way in search of the same pleasure we so greatly enjoytd in youth ; not , of course , with ball and bat , but with other sports as invigorating and as restful .

And precisely the same as in boyhood , do we return to the tasks of business , regretting that necessity compels us to labour for 11 long months in order to enjoy the rest found in one . Back we come and bend all our energies to the accumulation of greater wealth . Such is man ' s life from the cradle to the grave . Only a short time for play .

The play-time of the lodges is over . All over the land the silence of the lodge rooms is being broken by the sound of the gavel in the East , and the darkness of those silent chambers is dispelled by the glowing lights about the altar . Recess time is over , and school hours have returned . The effect of rest from study and labour ought to be good , both to mind and body . If the individual members of the lodges have rested during the recess of summertime , they ought to return to their labours with renewed

strength and vigour , and the result ought to be good upon the lodge . Individual recuperation ought to make a recuperated lodge . We return from the seaside and the lake , from the mountain and the field , with physical strength renewed , and should contribute our share to the lodge . We welcome back to work those who have been resting . May the energy that has characterised the work of the past be increased . May success and harmony prevail , and may the resting time prove a blessing to the members and to the lodges . —New York Dispatch .

Obligations Of A Masonic Lodge.

OBLIGATIONS OF A MASONIC LODGE .

A Masonic lodge is under many more obligations to its individual members than would at first thought seem possible . When a lodge accepts a candidate who has petitioned in good faith , it assumes a debt not easily discharged , and one which is never paid in full until the last clod of earth has been placed on the little mound that marks his last resting-place on earth . When a candidate presents himself for initiation he should be received decorously , and should be informed by the Worshipful Master or some other

member of the Fraternity that the ceremonies through which he is about to pass contain many important and useful lessons , and these lessons are not to be taught by flash lights thrown on his mentality , to be forgotten as soon as the last ray fades from the screen , but to be po : idered —to be studied earnestly , prayerfully , with a view to gaining the largest amount of benefit possible , not only to himself , but to all who may need the helping hand of the philanthrophist .

No indecorous conduct should on any account be permitted in the lodge or preparation room , nor should it be necessary to tell the candidate that nothing had been done in the spirit of levity , because levity can claim no place in Masonic ceremonies . In a church , where persons of all ages and conditions are admitted , levity is not tolerated during the services : then

why should a body composed entirely of men who , theoretically at least , have arrived at an age that has put away boyish things , be guilty of a breach of decorum in the presence of a candidate who is entitled to the highest possible amount of benefit to be derived from our initiatory ceremonies ? No person is allowed to receive the Master Mason ' s Degree until all fees are paid , nor should any lodge be in arrears to a newly made member .

If a member is in distress from any cause , he is entitled to the sympathy of the lodge , which should be shown in the manner best calculated to relieve his distress ; but it may be well , in this connection , to say that sympathy , either abstractor material , may be easily wasted ; consequently care must be taken not to run the fountain dry . While a lodge may owe a needy member pecuniary assistance , it at the same time owes him an education in fortitude and self reliance that ought to prevent any man of ordinary ability from becoming a dependent .

I presume some of my readers will wonder what all this means . I will tell you . It means that the officers of a lodge ought to be competent to give instruction to the members ; that the members oui > ht to have sufficient intelligence to profit by such instruction . It means that Masonry is not for amusement , but for mutual improvement , not play , but work . It means that we are making a great mistake in shelving the patriarchs of our lodges

and substituting young men to give life and vim to the institution . Vim does not belong to the Masonic vocabulary . Masonry is not a giggling institution ; it is sedate , deep , thoughtful . Young blood may be all right in the counting room , in the merchants' exchange and in all the avenues that lead to wealth , but when the sober work of building up true manhood , that

manhood which makes life worth living , and above all fits a man to become a column of strength in the great temple of progress , young blood is too hot . Blood that makes the face radiant with hilarity , the heels to dance for joy , the brain to swim with excitement and the heart wild with passion , is unfit to " man the wheel , " where temperance , fortitude , ptudence , and justice are the cardinal virtues .

If you were desirous of teaching a boy to respect his parents , and to become thoughtful and reverent , you would not seek a street gamin for an instructor , nor would you in thoughtful earnestness employ a clown or dullard to teach metaphysics . Reader , I do not desire to bankrupt any lodge , but 1 am afraid that the Grand Lodge would be justified in winding up some of our strongest lodges if the members should bring in bills for all that is due them in instruction .

Let us strive to pay our debts in the future . Call upon good , intelligent men for lectures upon any topic concerning the wellare of humanity , and see that your Worshipful Master delivers a lecture , or part of a lecture , on one of the first three Degrees of Masonry at least once during his term of office .

You will be astonished to see how much talent you have in your lodge , and will cease to be divided into factions on account of incompetent members crowding to the iront . When you require your Worshipful Master to be something more than a parror , you will have cropped the wings of some of your most ambitious disturbers .

Dedicate your Masters chair to wisdom , and insist that no ignoramus shall desecrate it , and your lodge will cease to be seriously in debt to its members . Eden Reed in Masonic Constellation .