A Lecture.

A LECTURE .

BY BKO . !• ' . If . S . OBI'KN , D . D . Ci . M . CUfIQUAL , AND . TTTORSHIPFUL Sir , Worship ful ancl Worth y Brethren—I have long felt ' » a burning desire to communicate to the brethren of our noble Craft my own ideas as to its nature , its object , and its origin , but have been deterred from doing so by a fearfirstthat I might be Avrong in the conclusions at Avhich

, , I had arrived , although ? -esnlting from some study , and from much thought ; ancl secondly , that I might , perhaps , if I full y divulged my own thoughts , bo looked upon as infringing upon one of the landmarks of the order by introducing into a Freemason ' s Lodge some elements , AA'hether of political or religious discussion . After hearing , hoAvever , the other clay the able and interesting lecture delivered by our distinguished and Worshipful Bro .

Warren , I have come to the conclusion that an attempt to elucidate the origin and objects of Freemasonry , if undertaken in a truthful and philosophic spirit , can only be condemned by those who fail to appreciate the real grandeur and sublimity of the noblest and most ancient society ever established by man . The prohibition of such , discussions is not , I feel convinced , the result of any Avish on tho part of our predecessors to prevent the free interchange of thought among us on any subject the discussion of AA'hich might

possibly bring benefit to our Order , or to humanity in general , but is merely a rule laid down wisely and properly , no doubt , to prevent the introduction of topics likely to induce discord where harmony and peace should ahvays reign . Being conscious , therefore , of no enmity or ill-will toAvards any religion whatever , ancl feeling no animosity towards any man for the particular shade of political opinion to which he inclines , 1 feel that , as an old Mason , ancl one AVIIO has taken some pains to studthe subjectI am justified in freely stating

y , my ideas before the largest and most influential body of Freemasons in South Africa , and while so doing 1 must beg of yon , my bretbern , to divest me , Avbolly ancl entirely , in yonr minds , of any authority with Avhich as a ruler of the Craft I am officially invested . I IIOAV appear among you merely as a brother ( an elder brother , it may be , to most of you ) , and in that capacit y I Avish to communicate my thoughts as a brother to brethrenAvho are quite

, welcome to agree with , or dissent from , what I may advance . On other occasions and at other times I shall not fail to use to the best of my ability , and in us salntory a manner as I . can , such authority as I possess ; but , on the present occasion , I particularl y desire not to be considered as speaking with authority , or " ex Cathedra . "

There can be little doubt that most of yon have often felt some degree of Avonder why we are called Masons , and thought it strange that a society , which at present has no connection Avith any constructive art , should haA'e acquired such an appellation . The fact of our using , symbolically , the tools of Masons , architects , and draughtsmen—although , as you will presently see , it naturally IOIIOAVS from the origin of our Order—must itself , in the opinion of thinking men , rather require explanation than afford a reason for our being so

designated . Here I must beg of you to remember that Avhen in a Craft lodge I speak of Freemasonry , I speak of it as defined by our constitutions , and allude merely to that pure ancient Freemasonry which consists of but three degrees , namely , the Entered Apprentice , the Fellow-Craft , ancl the Master Mason , including the Holy Royal Arch . I haA 7 e no desire to undervalue what are called the hi gher degrees , being myself in possession of many of them , but being in reality chivalric , religious ,