Freemasons And Druids.

kind , is ever exorcised b y the genuine Mason , ivho is as ready to assist the distressed as to abstain from unkindness , uncourteousuess , or malicious construction of his neighbour ' s motives . But as the Craft of Masonry is universal , so should be its principles ; and the adept in our mysteries knoAvs no distinction of class or clime in diffusing its benefits . Thus our

princi ples would urge us to take the same actiA'o interest in raising up a school or founding- a mechanics'institute—in ivhich the uneducated or self-educated might find the means of improvement , and glean the spoils of time from the ample page of knowledge—as in the building of a hospital for the sick aud maimed , or an almshouse for the destitute and aged . The

ties of brotherhood are ever present to the Mason , and his brother has the prior claim to a stranger ; but he gives to all freel y from the stores of his house , of his purse , of his intellect , and of his sympathy . If his brother ' s Avants are satisfied , the surplus Avhich the Craftsman has to spare is given ivith the open hand and liberal sjjirit to the distressed

fellow creature ivho has no claim to the mystic tie . And if , Avhen days of prosperity have A'anished and the pinching cares of poverty surround him , the Mason SIIOAVS his grief to his brethren and they clo Avhat they can to place him again in comfort , or give him their assistance to regain Ms former station—shall om- brotherhood be likened to a benefit club , established ivith the sole and avowed intention of making to the contributor , or his representative , a full and equivalent return in the shape of money for that which he hits invested

in their hands—prudentl y , no doubt , but Avithout any higher motive than mere self-interest , prompting him to make the most judicious investment which he can for the sake of himself and his OAvn family ] But Ave do not fear such a result ; those Avho can be deceived by such empty vapourings as Ave have noticed at this

Lancaster meeting must be feAv in number and unobservant of Avhat passes constantl y before them . " By their fruits ye shall know them" is an old test , ancl one Avhich Ave recommend to those Avithout the pale of our society ; Ave are content to abide the judgment . We challenge no comparison Avith others ; Ave Avould not sound our oivn praises ; lrat Ave

distinctly repudiate all "improvements" ancl " offshoots" as barefaced ancl foolish impostures — Avhose evanescent character invariabl y pixrves the falsity of their pretensions . That Avhich is the nearest to perfection of any system yet devised b y the mind of man , can require no adventitious support—that ivhich lias for so many ages existed in solitary grandeur , cannot now stoop to acknoAvledgo a companion . Ereemasonry in herself is sufficient for the Avork she has to do—that she Avill succeed iu accomplishing it , all her sons are well convinced .

Uniformity Of Working.

UNIFORMITY OF WORKING .

No one ivill deny that uniformity of Avorking in every Lodge holding under the Grand Lodge of England , is highly desirable—several hints and suggestions have appeared in these pages as to how so desirable an object should be attained . Before we endorse any of the opinions put forward , let us endeavour to understand Avhat are the causes of the

want of uniformity complained of , and ascertain ivhat remedies are already provided . Every Mason declares his intention , to adhere to the ancient customs and established usages of tho Order ; AVO therefore presuppose that every Mason is interested in _ knoAvin g what those ancient customs and established usages are . Every

Master at his installation renews his adherence to them ; is , or ought to be , instructed orally and guided by his immediate predecessor , and hands doivn our traditionary lore to his successor . We may safely assume that it is tiie firm desire of every Master in the chair to preserve the Avorking in its integrit y . If he be of good memory , ancl the Lodge in active

working order , there is but little fear—but man is Aveak , ancl 't is the nature of all terrestrial things to change ; at the end of his year of office , a Worshipful ' Master may , although

retaining all the essentials , slig htly deviate in minor details from his predecessor ' s working , ancl if there be no other East Master present to correct him , the variation is likely to bo propagated , until in a feAv years Avhat Avas at first but an accidental variation , becomes as it Avere a landmark of the Lodge , a departure from Avhich ivould lie looked upon by

all those initiated in that Lodge since its adoption as an innovation not to bo tolerated : this danger is particularly great in a new Lodge in country toivns or the colonies , Avhere often the first Worshipful Master is the only Mason in it thoroughly acquainted Avith tho ritual . There does not arjp 031 ' to be any other cause of Avant of

unanimity ; it is simply the effect of individual Aveakness , and individual weakness demands but one thing to compensate it , and that is united strength . Is not this provided for in our very organization 1 Is not unity the basis on Avhich that organization is formed 1 Does not the Book of Constitutions distinctly lay doAvn a remedy ( page 65 art . 19 ) : — "All

, , Lodges are j ) articularly bound to observe the same usages and customs In order to preserve their uniformity ancl to cultivate a good understanding among Freemasons , some members of every Lodge should be deputed to visit other Lodges as often as may be convenient . " It Avill be urged that this remedis insufficientsincesupposing the members

y , , of two Lodges slightly varying in their working visit one another , AVIIO is to deckle Avhich of the two has deviated from the original . There can be no doubt that tho decision Avould rest with the Grand Master or Provincial Grand

Master ; and here Ave Avould give expression to a wish that Provincial Grand Lodges mig ht become more of a reality than Ave fear they often are ; Ave Avould wish to see them not only meeting for the purpose of apjiointment of officers , ancl the transaction of the ordinary business connected , generally speaking , only ivith returns , registrations , and fees , but . AVO

would like to see them carrying out the spirit as Avell as the letter of the Constitutions , infusing a spirit of emulation amongst the private Lodges—admonishing , advising , assisting them . HOAV many a once flourishing Lodge noAv sunk into oblivion mig ht not have been saved by a little encouragement from its Provincial Grand Lodge _ HOAV often might not a

number of old Masons , thrown together in some distant part of the kingdom , have formed a new Lodge , could they have looked to the Provincial Grand Lodge for help _ We Avould not , lioAvever , wish to see the Most Worshipful Grand Master , or the Provincial Grand Masters , personally called upon to decide on minor details of Avorking ; Ave

consider all the higher office bearers—individually as Past Masters , ancl collectively as a governing body—bound to correct any deviation from tho mode recognized by Grand Lodge . But lest Avhat is everybody ' s business should become nobody ' s business , Ave Avould have it made the peculiar province of some one of the Provincial Grand Ollicers to

superintend the ivorking of thc Lodges in tho province . Provincial Grand Office should not be a sinecure ; to each should be allotted some particular duty besides the mere filling tiie appointed scat once a year in Provincial Grand Lodge , and the choice of officers should then be made with reference to

their fitness for- those particular duties . Some men are eminently fitted to govern and to decide upon tho merits of n question ; such men , if zealous Masons , are highly eligible to assist the Provincial Grand Master as Provincial Grand Wardens , even should they not be gifted Avith a memory sufficiently retentive to constitute them authorities on oral tradition ; but it is seldom that a province does not possess

some one Past Master renoAvnecl for his memory and aptitude for imparting Masonic knowledge ; he might , perhaps , not be particularly qualified for the office of Grand Warden , but as Grand Director of Ceremonies such a man would bo invaluable ; ancl if entrusted Avith the duty of visiting all the Lodges in the province , and setting ri ght , by authority , any deviation from uniformity , AVC think no Worshi p ful Master Avould hesitate thankfully ancl confidently to adopt thc corrcc-