Masonic Charity.

are appointed to him . A burning fever is coursing through all his veins ; but a hotter fire ] is ^ scorching his soul with agony—the cries of his . children for bread ! Death , yes , worse than death ¦ —death by starvation—is staring his little ones

in the face ! The clammy moisture thickens upon his brow . His last hour approaches . What glad sound is that which revives him ? what voice is ¦ that which assures him his loved ones shall not

want ? It is Masonic Charity that has found him in the depth of his obscurity . He dies in peace , and is buried in hope . Silently and unobtrusively the spirit of charity . pursues her way , drying the orphan ' s tears , aud

causing the widow ' s heart to sing for joy . The poor rise up and call her blessed , and ministering angels seem to dwell with man . While ambition would roll his chariot wheels over the dearest

rights of man to gain the dazzling summit of fame ; while avarice wrings the last mite from the ¦ suffering poor , and clothes him in the very shreds of want and agony ; while envy poisons every sunny nook , and tortuous suspicion trails its slime

over the loveliest flowers of social joy , and melancholy would wrap the earth in a winding E-aheefc of woe , amid tlie strife of clcmoiifca and the war of revolution , when charity , like a scared bird , would plume its flight for a more congenial clime ,

where does it find a home ? In our sacred retreats of brotherly love , aud in the hearts of the fraternity . We call on all Freemasons to cultivate this generous virtue . Let not the sigh of distress fall ¦ coldly on the Mason ' s ear . Let not the Masonic

heart be insensible to the misfortunes of others . Wait not until squalidness shall plead , and destitution impels to crime ! Wait uot until shrunken forms and goblin cheeks shall meet your charity . Wait not until the glassy look of the dying shall

reproach you ! To cheer the sorrows of a brother is a work of humanity ; to relieve the miseries of mankind is to imitate the goodness of the Great Architect of tlie Universe , but to aggravate the sufferings even of an enemy is the dread folly of

a fiend . Brethren of the Mystic Tie , we and trust that you will never forget that ¦ Charit y is the greatest of the Masonic virtues ; for though Faith may be lost to sight , and Hope ends in fruition , yet Charity extends beyond the grave , even to the broad realms of Eternity ,, — Pomeroy ' s Democrat . "

Masonic Curiosities, No. 1.

MASONIC CURIOSITIES , No . 1 .

BY A MASONIC INQUIRER . Continued from page 482 , Vol . xxiii . But I must not trespass too much on your patience , and shall therefore , though unwillingly , pass over the building of Solomon's Temple , a building

where God himself was the Architect , and which , to all Masons is so very particular that 'tis almost unpardonable to neglect it . But that with the repairs of it by Josiah , rebuilding by Zerubbabel and Herod , to the final

destruction by Titus Vespasian , together with the history of the Grecian and Roman Orders and Architects , the Gothick intrusion over all , and its late resurrection and present growing greatness maybe subjects sufficient for several discourses ;

which , since I have ventured to break the ice , I hope some abler hand will carry on . I shall now , in conclusion , beg leave to subjoin some observations and apply them more particularly to our antient Lodge and to our present

meeting at this solemnity . And here I know you'll excuse me from unveiling our Mysteries , though I am speaking to my brethren , when you see tlie l-maun I dare noe plain in my nana .

Since , as has been said , Human Society has always been so useful , it cannot be wondered at , that this of ours should have so very ancient an original . I have already shown you thafc Masonry is the oldest science the world has produced , the

first , the earliest ages employ'd their whole study and industry upon ; and for this reason the fundamental rules of this art have , been handed down from age to age , and very justly thought fit to be made a mystery of . A Mystery , however , that

has something in it apparent to the whole world , and which alone is sufficient to answer all the objections thafc malice or ignorance can throw or has urged against us ; of which , to mention no more , our three great principles of Brotherly Love ,

Relief , and Truth to one another , are very shining instances . A Foundation laid in Virtue b y the strictest Geometrical Rules , is a Point of such Moment , that each Line describes its Strength and Stability , and a Mason must have a very

superficial , and far from a solid Judgment , that can doubt of its Duration to the End of all Things . The Pen , the Pencil , and the Trowel , have always been thought by the greatest Monarchs the World has produe'd , the properest Instruments to