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Contents . — PAGE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE : — JIasonic Charities 101 Masonic Curiosities , No . 1 102 Masonic Jottings—No . 56 104

Masonic Notes and Queries 105 Correspondence 106 Masonic Sayings and Doings Abroad 107 MASONIC MIRROR : — JIasonic Jlems 108 CRAET LODGE MEEETINGS : — Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 108 Metropolitan 110

Provincial 112 Scotland 114 Mark JIasonry 115 Freemasonry in Newport , Monmouthshire 117 JIasonic Festivities 118 Poetry : 119 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 120 Notice to Correspondents 120

Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 11 , 1871 ,

Masonic charity , or love , is the law of human association . The common origin of the human family proclaims that law to be supreme . A chain ol dependence upon eaeL oilier- binds all of humanity . Th ere are destroying elements beneath

the surface of this earthly life . The mystery of evil is unceasingly at work . There is everywhere need of the redeeming virtues . Man can only triumph over vice through justice , mercy and truth / and these heroic virtues are matured through labour , and trial , and pain .

Although true charity , as affirmed , is found in the exercise of every virtue , it must have a pure and sanctified motive . The wants and weakness of our nature demand ifc ; the mutual relations we sustain in the world , demand it ; our hopes and

our fears in the solemn future demand it ; the prevalence of sin , and misery and death throughout all time demand it . But above this , above all , the love of the Great Architect of the Universe should constrain us . Gazing out upon tlie ever

moving displays of His perfections in the universe , lifting one after another the sublime veils of nature , or beholding the glowing pictures of revelation , that come like photographs from Heaven , we are lost in adoration of the God of

Nature , and naturally exclaim , " Not unto us , but unto Thy name be the glory . " Masonic charity must be exhibited without

Masonic Charity.

stint or measure . As fche earth is full of want and woe , as disappointment flings its ghastly shadows upon every human heart , as the cataracts of calamity ravage every pleasant vale , as the sinews of toil are often withered by affliction , as an

undertone of anguish burdens every breeze , the wisdom that is from above requires that we should he frfull of mercy and good fruits . " Again , is man a creature of infirmity ? is he liable to misapprehension and mistakes ? Is he

addicted to folly and foibles ? Charity , as taught in our Masonic lessons , comes in like an angel of mercy , and constrains us to bear each other ' s

burdens , and so fulfil the law . She speaks to yon through the Great Light of Freecis-sonry . Hearken : " Let love be without dissimulation . Abhor that which is evil , cleave to that which is good , do good unto all men , but especially to the

household of faith . Charity snffereth long , and is kind ; charity envietli not ; charity varmfceth uot itself , is not puffed up , cloth not behave itself unseemingly , seeketh not her own , is not easily provoked , thinketh not evil , rejoiceth not in

iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth . " - " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" is the summary of a Proomnaou's duty tu Lis brotiiei- , ami to all mankind .

Charity teaches Craftsmen to promote the happiness of each other . Our hearts s ' uoald be the sacred lodges of our confiding brothers . We should warn a brother of approaching danger , and support his falling fortunes ; and when his

character is unjustly assailed , and the fionds of evil gather around him , charity leaves him not bleeding by the wayside , but pours in freely the wine and oil of consolation , and bears him safely to the home of mercy . Tims , in relieving fche

destitute , we manifest the true spirit , tlia leading characteristic of charity . Every step of our journey through life we meet with occasions of usefulness . There , in that rickety tenement , or in that obscure neighbourhood , lives a man who

is straining the sinews of industry to gain a scanty subsistence for his family . He rises earl y to his toil , but misfortunes will come . His children are doomed to ignorance . His wife is broken down by care and affliction , and yet she would drain out

her heart ' s blood for the welfare of hor family-Ghastly disease now lays tlie strong man low . Every moment of his labour is needed for those dependent on him . But many days " of sickness