A Masonic Funeral Oration.

Here then , my brethren , you have the history of an active and usefully spent Masonic life of twelve years . Brother Cuquemelle stepped on in his career by giant strides ; but the cause of so rapid a course was , that in his advancement he was sustained by the two fundamental principles of our Order—love to his fellow men and fidelity to his obligations . * Now , brethren , let us sum up the whole . Let us recal the solemn words recently uttered bour Provincial Grand Master"The last offices paid

y ;—to the dead arc only useful as lectures to the living . " Well , not only must we be struck at tho honours with which Freemasonry has invested Bro . Cuquemelle , but at his fidelity in acting up to the sacred principles of our Order , in the grave all fallacies arc detected , all ranks levelled , all distinctions done away .

Brethren ! by the side of this open grave , iu the presence of this inanimate corpse , which in obedience to the immutable laws of nature will , ere long , be transformed and mingled with the earth whence it derived its orig in , in order to contribute to the reproduction of new wonders—let us not forget the great law of which the Masonic level is the emblem—the great law of equality , the basis of our institution , without whicli the fraternal affection which unites us in one boundless famil ivould be but vain mockery

y a . In the presence of this life of love , of charity , aud of self-denial , let us remember , _ brethren , that Freemasonry is indeed universal ; that it embraces the whole human species ; that in its emanations human nature stands alone , and bears a resemblance to that God b y whom it ivas created ; that each man , regarded as an individual , is to the whole human race as the most minute particle of matter is to the whole bodthat if the bodsuffer

y ; y when one of its limbs is diseased or impaired , the whole of mankind must suffer when one of its members is called upon to endure sufferings ; and then we shall understand this great law of human union ( la solulurite humaiiic ) , without which man will never attain the summit of happiness and of well-being allotted to him in this transitory abode . Holy and sacred is the law which Freemasonry has introduced into the social world , in recommendits adherents to sh brethren with

ing are as those who are in need ; in commanding them to do unto all as they would have done to themselves . Brother ! who at th y latter end didst so grandly display thy firmnessthou , who didst discourse with so tranquil a calmness on the anticipated fatal result of the operation which thou wast about to undergo—thou , who , like the wisest of the ancients , didst in death contemplate only a law of naturewhich would deliver th

, y immortal soul from the bonds of gross earthly matter—thou , who , when on the point of quitting this vale of fears , didst mark the serenity of thy mind by directing thy thoughts to tokens of remembrance for thy friends—to him whose noble nature and scientific skill were powerless to save thee , that thou mightest in future delight him with thy expressions of grateful thanks—to thy enemies , to forgive themto the wretched , to recommend them to thy brethren—thou , who now hehohlest us from celestial realms , bear witness to our . ( rood resolutions .

And we , my brethren , after having once more exhibited to the world the religious character of our ceremonies , the purity and nobleness of our principles , when we shall have laid aside these bad ges of mourning , let us zealously resume the implements of labour ; let ' us apply ourselves diligently lo the task of the advancement and the happiness of mankind ; let us act , eacli iu proportion to his strength aud his abilities , it is thus that Ave shall deserve to be one day reunited to the companions of our former toils inthe Grand Lodge above where the world ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for ever . Farewell , Brother Cuquemelle ; thou hast died firm in the Masonic