Glory To God In The Highest, Peace On Earth, Good Will Towards Man.

with the petty attractions of needless mystery , and inocuous organisation . But Freemasonry , differing in this from all other similar associations that we know of , has outlived the . " ravages 6 f time , " the decay of nations , the revolutions of empires , and the vicissitudes of the world , and

still preserves , often to the marvel of the profane , the striking conditions of vigour , popularity , and great material prosperity It has been denounced but still it flourishes , it has been excommunicated , but still it is to the fore ,- it has been ridiculed , but it laughs at its satirists ; it has been

persecuted , but here it is , more genial than ever . Seeming paradox ! and yet the explanation of its vitality as well as of its success , its historical existence , and its actual value is to be found , probably , in this , that it has incorporated and does incorporate in its earthly organization the

Divine chant and glorious truth proclaimed b y the angels at Bethlehem . For Freemasonry , let us remember , is in itself purely un controversial and peace making . It ignores the controversies and conflicts of men , it denounces all tendencies to intolerance and persecution , it separates its

members for a time from the din of contending parties , or the war cries of excited combatants , and it unfurls over us al ! its famous banner , on which are inscribed in talismanic letters of gold , " Glory to God , and Peace to man . " If indeed , in its progress it has sometimes to confront the

violent outbreaks of unreasoning fanaticism , its declaration at once is " Defence not defiance ¦ " it does not seek to prolong argument of any kind from a love of disputation , or a desire to say hard words of any one , but simply because , in its opinion , it is bound to bear witness for the

truth , it is incumbent upon it to uphold the sacred rig hts of relig ious liberty , aud the undying privilege of conscientious conviction . It inculcates hostility , or anger , or bitter feelings , for hone , neither its open adversaries , nor its secret

calumniators . Its message and mission are a message and mission of love to man , and as the world goes on its way , it repeats from year to year , in gentle voice and pleasant presence , " Glory to God in the highest , and on earth peace , good will towards men . "

Rough Notes On Christmas.

ROUGH NOTES ON CHRISTMAS .

A MONDAY CHRISTMAS . —Christmas Day falls on a Monday this year . It fell on a Monday also in 186 . *; , and on that occasion the following was unearthed from , it was stated , the Harleian MSS ., No . __ - ;_ , folio it ; .-4 : —

If Christmas Day on Monday be , A great winter that year you'll see , And full of winds both loud and shrill ; But in summer , truth to tell , High winds shall there be , and strong-, Full of tempests lasting long- ;

While battles they shall multiply , And great plenty of beasts shall die . They that be born that day , I ween , They shall be strong each one and keen ; He shall be found that stealeth aught ; Tho' thou be sick , thou dieth not .

The year 1866 was the year ofthe Austro-Prussian war , a year of disastrous gales , and a year of cattle plague . Again in 1871 Christmas Day fell on a Monday . The twelvemonth following that day saw us with cattle plague in the north

and some great storms ; but as to " battles , we must go back a few months in 1871 for the capitulation of Paris and the conflict with the Commune . We have now a Monday Christmas for the third time within a dozen years . What is to come next ?

In " Poor Robin ' s Almanac , " for thc year 16 95 , occurs the following lines : — Now ihricc welcome , Christmas , which brings us good cheer , Minced pics and plum . porridge , good ale and strong beer , With pig , goose , and capon , the best that mav be ,

So well doth the weather and our stomachs agree . Observe how thc chimneys do smoke all about , r _ e cooks are providing for dinners , no doubt , But those on whose tables no victuals appear , Oh , may they keep Lent all thc rest of thc year I

With holly and ivy so green and so gay , Wc deck up our houses as fresh as the day ; With bays and rosemary , and laurel complete , And everyone now is a king in conceit . But as for curmudgeons , who will not be free , I ** -ish they may die on the three-legged tree .

Rough Notes On Christmas.

Some of us may recall the old verse , — A merry Christmas and a happy new year , Your pockets full of money and your cellars full of beer . The Mistletoe , that great Institution of the

Christmas festivity , was the sacred Plant of the Druids , and the " meeting of the lips" is said by a very ancient chronicler to be even then of " verie earlie datt . " Curious consistency of human nature , as a poet laureate has well said , — .

For those kiss now who never kissed before , And those who kissed of old now kiss the more . An ill-natured young man in our office says , " This refers to old maids and ladies of a certain age , " which we do not believe , and emphatically deny . We prefer the more joyous refrain ofthe young poet , who some think is the " coming

Rosy lips are meeting , And hearts are filled with bliss ; Such joys of life are fleeting , But far too sweet to miss . But we are too old to take part in such follies ourselves , which we must leave to the young men

and can only say we wish our readers , old and younj * -, male and female , pretty and plain , thin and stout , short and tall , fare ye well , a merry Christmas for their , all . Bright eyes and sunny faces surround your mistletoe , and young men , though you are rather slow , take care to improve the occasion . CCELEBS .

Then And Now And Then.

THEN AND NOW AND THEN .

CHRISTMAS—How the very sound of its name used to set our young hearts bounding in our bosom ; even the thought of that joyous season BY BRO . REV . W . TEBBS .

would cause our pulses to quicken at the anticipation of the joys it had in store for us ; but now—alas ! how changed it all is . Why , when we were boys we can remember being awakened on St . Thomas' Eve by the merry measures of

the Waits , whose [ very breath we knew was pretty-well freezing to their instruments whilst we , snugly tucked up in our warm and cosy beds , were almost ready to jump out of our skins with delight , or at least out of our beds , and with youthful glee extemporise a triumphal dance at

the prospect o : the " good time coming . " And on Christmas Eve how welcome were the strains of " Adeste Fideles" and "Christmas day in the Morning . " And , when as the old church clock struck the hour of midnight out burst the merry peal from the belfry tower , ushering in

"The joyful morn , "When Christ was born . " And then—But now , how changed are all these things , we growl at the Waits for a band

of half-tipsy revellers deserving of the stocks , had they not passed away with many another most excellent institution , and commend the ringers to Bedlam , for breaking in upon our hard-earned rest , and dispelling

that "kindly sleep" which visits but too seldom our aching toil-worn heads . How wofull y changed all these must be ; how altered to what they were in our youthful days , that they should produce feelings in us this night so different to

the feelings inspired by them in the night in that long-ago . Day dawns after the night of broken sleep , and we call to mind the joyous awakening in those days that are passed away , and our

successful search in the shoe placed , over night in anticipation of the visit of " Father Christmas ; " but this morning , as we hear the door softl y open overhead , followed by the gleeful shout of the children as they unpack their Christmas

gifts , so carefully placed by the loving mother in the dead of night to gladden the young ones ' hearts on this " morn of morns , " we cannot understand this noisy mirth evoked by these now " unconsidered trifles , " and we mournfully ejacu .

late "how changed these things must be . " But stay awhile , are we sure that these things are changed ? have we not elsewhere to seek for these altered feelings ? Yes , indeed , and this elsewhere is not far off , for it is in ourselves . Little things pleased us then , for wa had not

Then And Now And Then.

been sated with the garish and delusive pleasures of the world . Pleasures indeed . ' Oh what a mine of trouble , and sorrow , and anguish , and regret , does not their bare memory recall , and we look back to the happy past and our " old

song ever haunts us "— "Oh ! would I were again a child . " Patience , sad heart , yet a little while , and even this shall be . Turn we now to the world around us , and everywhere and on everything is stamped this mark of change . Well may we

ask—* ' 0 why was England , ' merrie ' call'd , I pray you tell me why ? Because Old England merry was , In merry times gone by ' . She knew no dearth of honest mirth To cheer both son and sire , But keep it up o ' er wassail cup Around the Christmas fire . "

And what ? we would know , is this " honest mirth" which our poet treats as the essence of his answer . We need hardly ask , if we onl y look back to the picture presented by a Christmas then . The old Manor Hall is li ghted up with immense Christmas candles , and the company

is gathered round the large fire burning on the hearth ; apples are being roasted on strings and allowed to fall , as done , into huge bowls of spiced ale which , will in due time be passed round as " wassail , " or the Christmas loving-cup . Presently with great ceremony is hauled in the

huge yule log , which is banded at intervals with nine iron bonds . As each band is burnt off a wassail-bowl goes round . At last comes the supper , in which furmity forms the principal dish . Meanwhile , in many parts , the orchards have been duly "wassailed " in order

that a good store of fruit may be harvested in the year to come . The morning breaks , and after early matins , the " fine old English gentle man , " standing at ihis gates , superintends the distribution of the Christmas dole to his poorer neighbours . During the morning all the tenants

and retainers are welcomed to what is really "open-house . " At the dinner the raised boar ' s head is served up with much ceremony , followed by brawn and chine . goose and capon , and then on the board smokes the pudding of theyear . Space

will not suffice to tell of the maskers and mummers , liege-servants , one and all , of the Lord of Misrule ; of the spirit and games j of the frolic and the revelry but this we know that ' good will was at its height , for

" England was merry England , when Old Christmas brought his sports again . 'Twas Christmas broach'd the mightiest ale , 'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale ; A Christmas gambol oft could cheer The poor man ' s heart through half the year . "

And now—True the Manor has its revels yet ; still is there feasting (!) for the lowl y too ; bu 6 , how obtained ? Let us here draw a veil over the picture , so oft repeated , of the goose club for the poor go at once to the reason in the pride met by independence (!); in short , in the severance

of class from class , as if at least on this night of the year all could not meet to share in the joys of an English Christmastide . Let us , however , not despair ; England shall be " merrie England " yet again ; ours be it meanwhile to aid in bringing about this glorious consummation of

brotherly love by pouring oil upon the waters of class and party strife , and by disseminating the principles of that " peace on earth , " which is the harbinger of " good will ' mongst men . " Truly no happier day will dawn in England than when these class prejudices shall have been for ever

cast aside , when master and man shall again recognise that their interests are mutual , whether it be for hard work in the week , for worship on God ' s day , or for festive mirth when one and all shall together welcome in the well-earned , wellenjoyed festivities of a good old-fashioned English Christmastide .

And we too , gentle reader , may truly and well rejoice in the glorious prospect , for by the time that that happy day shall have dawned o ! er the land of our birth , we shall be , as we Have often longed , " children once again "—children , maybe , for the second time , in the eventide of life , when this rude world ' s buffets , shall be welj nigh