Masonic Unity.

MASONIC UNITY .

The ancients considered the number two " accursed , " because it was the first departure from unity . The Romans dedicated the second month of the year to Plato , the god of hell , and the second day of the month to the manes of the dead . The

Thebans in their armies had a band of men , whom they called " the holy band" : they consisted of such only as were joined together in the bonds of love , and " as would live and die together . " These were considered the strength of their armies .

The mythological dispute between Neptune and Pallas , who should have the honour to give the name to the city of Athens , teaches the important truth which we are setting before the brethren . It was resolved , that he should give the name , who could find

out that which might conduce to the benefit of the city . Upon this , Neptune presented them with a stately horse , the symbol of wars , bloodshed , divisions , tumults ; hut Pallas came with an olive branch , the emblem of peaceloveand unity . Very

, , properly Pallas was chosen to be the guardian of the Athenians , for love , peace , and unity , would most promote the prosperity and safety of their city . All communities see the force of the words of the well-known adage" Union is power . "

, And speculative Mssonry , in one of its phases , is a system of charity , i . e ., love . The Masonic anthem , founded on the Sacred Law , runs

thus—Behold I how good a thing it is , And how becoming well ; For brethren such as Masons are , In unity to dwell . Hence charity or love is the chief corner stone of our Masonic Temple and upon it

is to be erected a superstructure of all the other virtues , which make " the good Mason . " And not without foundation , the boast or the glory of our Order is that a Mason however destitute , if he is " worthy , " may find in every clime a brotherand in

, every land a home . How unseemly then , to say the least , are divisions and discord among the brethren . How prejudicial to the interests of the Craft are variances in the brotherhood . When feuds have marred

the peace and harmony of Masonic meetings , how detrimental have they proved to the advancement of our Holy Order . If

you can pluck a beam from the body of the sun , it will then have no light ; but if you sever a river from the spring , it will soon be dried up ; if you amputate a member from the body , it will soon perish . Likewiseif you remove charityor unity

, , from the Fraternity , the latter must lose its vitality . As with the Athenians in the clays of Pallas , so in our clay , the prosperity of our fraternity depends upon love and unity to cement our affections , and peace to compose the differences , that may

profanely spring among us . " By uniting we stand , by dividing we fall . " . A Great Master-builder has proclaimed the glorious Masonic truth , — "ThoughI speak with the tongues of men and of angels , and have not charity ( love ) I become as

soun-, ding brass or tinkling cymbal . " Consequently unity must be assiduously cultivated by us , " the brethren of the mystic tie , " to whatever Constitutions we may belong , for

" We are brethren a ' , " and by our vows we have become a band of brothers , bound in one fraternal bond of love and one fellowship of mind . The number two , in accordance with our Masonic teaching , is more than accursed ,

for it denotes " darkness and the evil principle . " Let us therefore in the spirit of " a holy band , " send it to the place where its divinity dwalls , and let us with fraternal determination keep it among " the shades of the dead . " Leave discord , quarrels ,

Billingsgate , to the low-minded . Let the canaille—to whatever tribe they may belong—delight in their base revellings ; but let us as brethren , who have a good fight to fight among scoffers and faultfinders , imitate the hero of Trafalgar , who

the day before the famous battle , took Collingwood and Rotherham , who were at variance , to the spot where they could see the fleet opposed to them , and said , " Yonder , are your enemies , shake hands , and be friendslike good Englishmen . " Let

, every Mason who is anxious for the prosperity of his Order , feel the truth of the Masonic maxim , — " That for harmony should his Lodge be opened , —in harmony should it work , —and with harmony be closed . "

In the last century—as in the 2 ) resent —• there were many ignorant detainers of our Craft . Freemasonry was said by those