Masonic Emblems.

a course , but in the mean time , until the attention of the higher authorities is directed to the subject , and brought to boar upon it , with energy and decision , much may be done by private Lodges , if they can be induced to discountenance the custom , and to attach a stigma to any member who adopts or encourages it . I am convinced that you have so high a sense of the dignity of Freemasonry , that you

will agree with mo in considering it derogatory to our poitsion and character as a body , mimical to our professions of kind and ' charitable , and self-denying influences , and calculated to bring us into contempt with all right-minded and thinking men . No wonder that we are often classed with Foresters , Odd-Fellows , and Druids , Allien the practices of some amongst us are such as to reduce us to their level . Yours faithfully and fraternally , Jersey , August , 1 st , 1860 . ' H . H .

The Province Of Kent.

THE PROVINCE OF KENT .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Sin AND BROTHER , —You are right in the conjecture that -when the letter inserted in your number , July 14 th , was ¦ written ( by some inadvertence , the letter has no date ); 1 was not aware of the appointment of Lord Ilolmesdale . Four numbers for May , June , and July , did not reach me until yesterday . Allow me to take advantage of your most interesting and most useful pages , to congratulate the

Brethren of the Province of Kent , and all our " Ancient . Fraternity , " upon this happy circumstance—the former , because the appointment seems , from your numbers of Juno 9 th , to have been the accomplishment of their wish , communicated by memorials from the Lodges—the latter , because it affords another proof of what in Grand Lodge I have often heard called in doubt , that the M . AV . G . M .

In the exercise of his hi gh patronage is uninfluenced by party politics . Again , allow mo to take advantage of your pages , to express a hope , that the arrangement respecting the Provincial Charity Fund of Kent will continue unaltered , until every Lodge shall be a Life Governor of each of our four charities —the Girls' School , established in 1788—the Boys' School in 1798—the Benevolent Institution for Aged . Freemasons

and their Widows in more recent days . That arrangement is as follows : the Lodge having the greatest number of members according to tho returns , shall receive the amount of subscriptions , or such portion of it as shall be voted in Provincial Grand Lodge , to be applied by way of contribution to such one , or more of the Masonic Charities , as the Prov . G . Lodge may direct , so as to give the Lodge so contributing , the

advantage during its existence of a Life Governorship ; and in the following years , each Lodge in succession having the next greatest number of members , shall receive the like advantages , until all have , as I have intimated , become Life Governors of each Charity . Our four Charities are the grand characteristic of English Masonry—they are our principal source of . satisfaction ' and

delight . May they always continue to be such , and thou our nobic institution need fear nothing from Legislative interference , which the conduct of the Brethren in some other countries ( I grieve to be compelled to make the confession ) , has on too many occasions rendered positively necessary . Yours fraternally , OlIAULES PuitTON C ' OOrEIl Chateau Frampas , Montiercnder , Haute Marne , August fth , 1860 .

Influence Of Freemasonry.

INFLUENCE OF FREEMASONRY .

fun benign influences of Freemasonry ought to bo felt in every -ramification of our extended country . ' Go where you will , to the very bounds of civilization , you will find numbers of our timehonoured Order , and in alnost every town and village you will find a Lod ge of Craft Masons . These , numbering tens and ' hundreds of thousands , bound together by the mystic ties of the fraternity , professing principles of the highest morality , and teaching their practice in all the transactions of life ht to exercise purifing

, oug a y influence in every community , an influence which ought to be felt throug hout the country . Does Freemasonry , through the influence r I ^ " 3 lno "' aV'i ' y of its membership , exert a power that is seen and felt . ^ 'This is a question that Freemasons oualit to consider calmly and without bias , and if after due investigation the response is a

negative , the investigation should be continued , and the causes ascertained . In truth , ih-eemasomy ought to exercise an influence upon the world around us , and would as sure as " truth is powerful , " if its membership lived up to its principles , andpractisedits teachings . It would not be otherwise , because the history of human actions shows that Alrtue and A ice are infectious , and that man is controlled by the conduct of his fellow man . There are two chief causes to be assigned why Freemasonry does not exert a beneficial influence upon

t he communities in ivhieh its membership reside . As a Masonic journalist , we must speak the truth , although it may not be very palatable . The first and primary cause is , that men aro made Masons without regard to their moral nature , men who did not possess the proper qualifications of heart and mind , who are neither ' good nor true men ; and these are sufficiently numerous to counteract all the moral force and influence of those who are Masons in heartin princile and

, p action . How many Masons will you find who will go the length of their cable to serve a Brother , if they are inconvenienced thereby ? How often will you hear the kind word spoken , in defence of the absent ? or the gentle ministrations , practical aud effective , offered to the unfortunate , the sorrowful , the afflicted . There are tens of thousands of ways , and many oiiportunities afforded every day , in which to exemplify the benign teachings or Freemasonry in our

intercourse , not alone ivith Brother Masons ; but others , and which , if practised , would exercise a powerful influence upon society . AVe could extend our remarks upon this subject to an indefinite extent , but we have said sufficient to induce deep reflection upon this first and primary cause , why Freemasonry does not exert a purifying influence in the communities where its membership reside . The second chief cause is to be found in the ambition and aspirations for distinctionfor officefor power ; and unfortunatel

, , y from the highest to the lowest , these desires are apparent , and to gratify them , every possible means are resorted to to gain the ends wished for . . It is to be seen in the project of creating new organizations where office and power can be gained , not only in the establishment of G . G . Bodies , but in new Lodges , Chapters , Councils , & c .

It is to be seen m all Subordinate bodies at every election , ancl we are not sure that Grand Lodges , & c , are exempt from the evils of aspirations for office . But the ambition of those aspiring to be leaders is not always confined to aspirations for office , but also to be teachers in Israel . Tliese assume to dictate what Freemasonry is—what its teachings are —and the peculiar character of its work—and the explanation of its symbols . KTow we have no hesitation in making the broad assertion ,

that all of this class , including the compilers of Manuals , Monitors , Charts , Guide Books , & c , and teachers of this or that particular kind of work , have done more injury to the institution than the severest persecution the Order has gone through , and the reason is apparent . They have created divisions in the Masonic familythey have caused heart-burnings in the bosom of brothers against other members of the household—they have cast fire-brands into the Orderwhich have arrayed brother against brother— -they have

, sown the seeds of discord by teaching sectarian doctrines . It cannot be expected if unity and concord does not exist in a family , that its members can exert a beneficial influence among their neighbours . These evils , although they do exist , are not irremediable . They are by no means inherent to the institution ; on the contrary , they are antagonistic to every principle of Freemasonry . Its true teachings are benevolent , humane , and kind ; and intended and calculated to bring into active exercise all the

generous feelings of our nature—every noble impulse—high and holy aspirations—genial and liberal sentiments—mild and courteous demeanor—to be just and upright—and to act upon the golden rule in all our intercourse with our fellow man . If all Freemasons would , in word , and thought , and deed , as they ought , act in accordance with the teachings of Freemasonry , then would indeed our noble order exercise a most beneficial influence

upon mankind , an influence that would be seen and felt in an elevated tone of society , in the practice of virtue , in preventing undue excitements and strife , hostility , fraud , and wrong , and in the promotion of every object that can possibly conduce to the welfare of man , and the harmony and peace of society . —American Mirror and Keg-Stone .

IXSIDE THE CnAiiTER HOUSE . —Against the walls there are the tablets with the names of young Carthusians who had been the "Orators" and "Gold Medallists" of their day . I did not remark in these lists for the last thirty years the name of any one ivho had subsequently obtained serious " distinction in life , although Carthusians in general hold their own very respectably amongst the marked men of the day , and though in the present century they reckon among their numbers the names of Grote , Havelock , Thirlwall , Monk , and Thackeray . —Once a Week .