The Worth Of Masonry.

THE WORTH OF MASONRY .

TO THE EDITOE OE THE TKEEMASONS MAGAZINE AND ATASONIC ITriiSOJ ! . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Contemplating the interesting picture disclosed to the view of the investigating ' Mason , ' I frequently regret that I am restrained from developing to some of my most valued friends among the uninitiated so much of its beauty , of displaying such of its most striking featuresas

, would serve to counteract the effects of those erroneous ideas of our institution , which we find too prevalent among mankind . The Masonic system to my eye exhibits a stupendous aud beautiful fabric , founded on universal piety , unfolding its gates to receive , without prejudice or discrimination , the worthy

professor of every description of genuine religion ; concentrating , as it were , in one body the just tenets , unencumbered by the disputable peculiarities of all sects and persuasions ; and storing up the most approved schemes of ethics adopted by the different nations of the world where civilisation has impressed her footsteps . This system originated in the earliest

ages , and among the wisest of men ; and on it the effect of time ( contrary to the usual course ) has been to meliorate , not to impair , to conduct it to perfection by improvement , ad infinitum , not to accelerate its progress to decay . It is a system , I must say , ( whether morally or religiously considered ) more

excellent than any , because partaking of the chief excellencies of all others ; more practicable , more productive of effects on its professors , because free from the austerity , yet comprising the best precepts of religion , it removes the thorns in the road to happiness , and substitutes a flowery path to the same goal . It is to be lamented that to the suggestions of

some weak minds among our fraternity , the prejudices of the world against our invaluable institution are in a great measure imputable . Unable to comprehend the beautiful allegories of ancient wisdom , they ignorantly assert that the rites of Masonry are futile , and its doctrines inefficient , To this assertion , indeedthey give by their own conduct a semblance

, of truth , as we fail to discern that they are made wiser or better men by their admission to our mysteries . Nature alone can implant the seeds of wisdom ; but Masonry will teach and enable us to cultivate the soil , and to foster and stregthen the lant in its growth . Of understandings incompetent

p to the conception of an idea so sublime as that of a society of men uniting for the noble purpose of imbibing and disseminating the principles of wisdom and virtue ( for iu the royal art wisdom and virtue go hand in hand ) in a mode so facile and so faciuating as to serve this sacred cause by an imperceptible

operation ; binding themselves to civil aud social fidelity , to support the government of the state under which they live and to revere the laws wisely established for good govemmont among themselves ; subjugating their passions , healing animosities , cultivating fraternal affection , promoting and facilitating the the acquisition of science and philosophy ; and by the

influence of precept and of example , enforcing the practice of every moral and religious virtue . Incapable , I say of comprehending such au immense plan of perfection , the grosser faculties of some men lead them to conceive of Masonry as of a superior degree of club conviviality only . Assumin g this fallacious principle they perhaps prevail with

The Worth Of Masonry.

some inconsiderate brother to propose their initiation to our mysteries ; and what has that brother not to answer for , who , so far forgetting our ancient charges , substitutes , it may be , the fruits of a club-room acquaintance with a mrai for a solid qualification for Masonry ; and thus degrades the dignity of that character which it has been the pride aud pleasure of

the greatest and best of men to assume and to support ? The candidate thus unworthily introduced , with a soul torpid to to every mental enjoyment , experiences a disgusting tedium during the business of the lodge , and flies from this vacuity of mind with rapture to the subsequent entertainment ; thus evincing too plainly that , not " the feast of reason "

so much as " the flow of soul" was his inducement to initiation . From such an attendance on the duties of Masonry what impression can be made but that of stupid wonder at the mysterious , and to him incomprehensible , pursuits , whence , gratifying as they appeared to sensible miads , he could derive no pleasure ? This impression he bears abroad with him into the world ; and being consulted perhaps by some well-disposed

person , who may be desirous of a guide to hisjudgment as to the propriety of entering or abstaining from our society , he blunders out his ridiculous conceptions of the Institution and debases ( through ignorance of its virtue ) " a pearl without price . " To dispel the cloud of ignorance so inauspicious to the noble purposes of our Orderand to facilitate that knowledge of its

, mysteries , the unrestrained communication of which alone cau convey pleasure to the mind of the professor , or confer its true dignity on the profession , seem to have been the end and aim of the Harodim system of Masonry ; which , after encountering and surmounting innumerable obstacles interposed by

ignorance and prejudice is now rising rapidly into its proper sphere , under the auspices of some . of the most dignified characters in the Art , who , while by their talents and virtues , they reflect a lustre on the Institution , are content to believe and condescend publicly to acknowledge that the pursuits which they

thus patronise are no inconsiderable ornament to themselves as Freemasons . Tours fraternally , —J AWES FREDERICK SPURR . Scarborough , Oct , 1 , 1 S 66 .

Lost Votes.

LOST VOTES .

10 IDE EDITOR 03 ? THE KlEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND SlASONIC JtlRUOB . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Referring to your remarks in your last issue on the loss of votes to candidates for our Charities , I should be glad if you would point out in what manner the " loss " or withholding of votes can affect the interests of the candidates . I assumeas a factthat there are at all

, , elections a given number of vacancies to be filled up , and that the same number of candidates must therefore be successful whatever may be the number of votes recorded . For instance , ou Tuesday , the 11 th proximo , eleven vacancies in the Girls' School are to be filled . The eleven girls having the largest number of

votes must be elected , and it must be a matter of perfect indifference , I should think , to all concerned , whether a successful candidate comes in on the strength of her hundred votes , or of one vote . If I or any others do not vote at all how are the candi-