What Is The Good Of Free Masonry?

are appointed by its Master . To be eligible for this high post , yon must have served in one of two subordinate offices for tAvelve months , and must be sufficiently skilled in Avhat is called the " Avorking , " to conduct the elaborate rites creditably . The first

condition is imperative ; the second sometimes evaded , though neither tho master accepting office , nor the Lodge electing him , acts up to the bounden obligation Avhen this is the case . The cost of Freemasonry depends almost entirely upon

the Lodge you join , and is governed by the habits of the Brethren composing it , and the By-LaAvs they have themselves agreed on . The broad rules controlling all Lodges , ancl all Masons owing allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Englandare things apart

, from these By-LaAvs , though the latter have to bo formall y sanctioned as contain ing nothing opposed to the book of constitutions or the leading principles of the Craft . ( To be continued . )

"The Nightingale."

"THE NIGHTINGALE . "

TO THE EniTOB OF THE MASONIC MAGAZINE . Dear Sir and Bro . —In the extract on tho above subject from my unpublished poem on Welcombe Hills ; or , The Land of Shak . espere , given at page 51 of the Masonic Magazine , thore needs a comma at tho end of the

line" he immortal bards of Greece before , " and instead of "to passion view before us , " in the next column AVO should have it " to pass in view before us . " For these trifling errors the printer must take the blame . For the bigger blunder of omitting the following rather Masonic sentence entirely , in transcribing it for the press , I must bear the blame myself : —

And beautifully HEUIOD shows the Avrongs Of tyrant power over the innocent , In that fine fable in his Works mid Days , AVherein the cruel and " crook-talon'd" hawk " Bore in his pounce a neck-streak'd Nightingale , ''Caring more for his banquet than its song . For in all ranks of life there ever are

Thosewho would shirk of labour their fair share—Of study , or of working at some craft—Merely to feed and sleep their life away , The sensual slaves of ignominious sloth ; Or , Avhen awake and active , use their skill Only to live by plundering mankind , — Their ears as deaf to Misery ' s plaintive cry As HKKIOD ' hawk was to the Nightingale .

Am ours very fraternall y , GEOIUJE AI AIIKIIAAI TWEDDEW ,, Stokesloy , Yorkshire , Aug . 10 , 1871 .

In Memoriam.

IN MEMORIAM .

The following lines were written by an afflicted Brother Mason , AVIIO has been conliucd to his bed for two years . I . His Avork is all done—completed the plans

, AVhich the Master designed for him here ; The column is broken ; The Avord early spoken , Bids him , with trestle-board ready in hand , Before the Grand Master appear .

II . * has been struck from labour called oft , He now rests upon earth ' s gentle breast , The Avord ' s sweetly spoken , " The Grand Temple's opei ;" " Enter thou in , divested of all dross j "

" Enter thou in , thrice ivelcome ! to rest . III . _ * * has been toll'd , and sweetly he'll sleep Till the morn when we ' re all called to rise . From the rest unbroken ,

The Avord truly spoken . Then Avill pierce the graA'e ' s gloom , and the com plete Temple give forth the Grand Master ' s praise .

IV . So mote it be . So mote it ever he-Heart to heart in the far-away land . The circle , unbroken By unkind word spoken Here , will there forever united be , AVith breast to breast , and hand clasping hand .

V . Sleep , Brother , sleep ; we Avould not awake thee To the trials of life ' s toilsome way . AVith Faith ' s surest token , With trust firmly spoken , In the Master Ave Avill ever revere ; AVe will hoAV to His Avill " e ' en though He slay . '

VI . Aye , s t eep ; we will Aveave anew the bright chain AVith thy memory linked in our love ; And ivhen " the boivl is broken 'The last earth-AVord spoken—All discord conquered—conquered all pain , We'll hail thee in the Grand Lodge above .