Professor Robertson On Freemasonry.

readily bringing into common conversation the most sacred name of God , must necessarily lead to irreverence and impiety . What can be more alien to the spirit of the Gospel than these tAVO habits of falsehood and irreverence ?

" NOAV it seems very apparent that ifc is this evil habit which our Lord condemns . The Jews appear to have satisfied themselves , that they might swear as much as they chose , if fchey did not forsAvear themselves . But our Lord , enforcing

the spirit , not merely the letter , of the commandment , tells them' to swear not afc all ; and enjoins thafc , in their common discourse , they should only say , yea and nay ; as more than this can come only from the evil one , Mafcfc . v ., 37 . The very

Avords used , and the Avhole tenour of the passage show , that ifc is to common conversation that the precept applies . Sfc . James's Avords , James v ., 12 , are so nearly a repetition of our Lord ' s , that the former must be interpreted by the latter . So far

then Ave see the great evil of profane swearing , and of solemn asseverations on unimportant occasions . All such are strictly forbidden by , and thoroughly opposed to , the Gospel of Christ . . " Bufc on solemn and important occasions , and

especially in courts of justice , Ave have NBAV Testament authority for belieidng , that oaths are laAvful to Christians , as Avell as to Jews

Our Lord consented to be put upon his oath . Sfc . Paul frequently , in very weighty matters , calls God to witness , Avhich is essentially taking an oath , see Rom . ix ., 1 1 Cor . xv ., 31 ; 2 Cor . i ., 18 , 23 ; xi ., 10 , 31 ; xii ., 19 ; Gal . i ., 20 ; Phil , i .,

8 . This is St . Augustine ' s argument against the Pelagians though he says truly , that Ave must not SAvear carelessly , because St . Paul sivore Avhen there was good reason for sivearing . Again , in the Epistle to the Hebreivs , iii ., 11 ; vi ., 16 , 17 .

the Almighty is represented as sivearing ; and , in the latter passage , the apostle compares God ' s swearing Avith the sivearing common among men , saying , ' Men verily swear by the greater ; and an oath for confirmation is the end of all

strife , ' Heb . vi ., 16 . With this we ought to compare Matt , xxiii ., 16-22 ; see also Rev , x ., 6 . " In short , profane SAvearin g is altogether forbidden to Christians ; but religious attestation upon oath seems to be acquiesced in

as necessary , and admitted as lawful . " To this true and Scriptural statement , Ave should imagine , every right-minded Mason Avill subscribe .

Professor Robertson On Freemasonry.

Professor Robertson's second objection to our Masonic obligations is that "the oaths of the Freemason are not only secret , but , at the best , unnecessary ; for , should Ave even be unable to prove thafc in very many countries the ultimate objects of Freemasonry are most culpable , yet all admit that the matter SAVorn to in the minor

grades are most frivolous and puerile . But a frivolous or unnecessary oath is in the eyes of the Church a guilty oath . " With Avhat charming simplicity does the Professor take it for granted that " all admit that the matters sivorn to are most frivolous and

puerile . " Who , Ave ask , are the all ? We turn to the commencement of Mr . Robertson ' s pamphlet ; , and Ave find that the all comprise his most trustAvorfchy authorities , viz ., the Abbe Barruel , Professor Robison , the infidel Carlile , and M .

Eckert ! We ask , in the name of common sense , are the statements of such men as these to be preferred to those of the host of Avorfchies whose names are emblazoned on Masonry ' s scroll ; whose lives and conversation prove them to be genuine

folloAvers of that Blessed One Avho went about doing good ? Are Barruel , and Robison , and Carlile to be believed in preference to Wellington , and Washington , and Scott , and Locke , and Oliver , and the other great ; ancl good men of our Order , to

mention Avhose names time Avould fail us ? Are all the beneficent deeds of Masonry to be ignored , because a few pretentious , self-satisfied men choose to utter maledictions and slanders against her ; knoiving neither what they say , nor whereof they affirm . ? No ! so far from all admitting- that the matters

SAvorn to are most frivolous and puerile , we can safely assert ; , that Ave never met a single well-informed brother AVIIO Avas not deeply affected by , and delighted Avith , the teachings of our Craffc , Avhen first brought to light . And this li ght grows

brighter , and this admiration strengthens as she leads him hi gher up her mystic ladder . ( To he Continued . )

Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA .

By Bro . D . MUURAX LYON , one of tlie Grand Steivards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Compulsory Attendance at Funerals . —Masonic Poor Rates . In a code of bye-laAvs recently submitted by a daughter lodge for approval of the Grand Lodge