Masonic Discipline.—Xi.

in utter desperation , aud yet upon retiring immediately into the ante-room , to be able to repeat with fluency what , but a few minutes previously , the rack could not have extorted from him . Yet this brother was a profound Mason , a well read

man , an able writer , and a sound authority upon all Masonic matters admitting of honest and candid discussion . To our younger brethren , some of whom are undoubtedly affected in this manner , we say , there is only one cure , but it is a certain one ,

" speak on every occasion ? in public that you possibly can . Never mind so much what you speak j cultivate the habit of talking to au audience , clearly and distinctly ; acquire fluency first and sense will come afterwards . A ccustom yourselves

to rise at a moment from your seat and launch out into some general remarks , which will give you time to collect your thoughts , and come to the point you desire . Although , we think sufficient reasons have been

givenj to demonstrate that the practice of conducting tlie examination of officers , should be vested in the hands of the supreme authority , rather than

confided to the heads of separate lodges , yet there is another wliich possesses urgent claims in favour of the plan we have alluded to . It is , that complete unanimity , the one requirement needed to render Freemasonry perfect , would be thus ensured .

It is evident that so long as each individual lodge retains in its own hands the education , so to speak , of its members or officers , so long will the present discrepancies in their separate workings continue to exist . Can there be anything more absurd than

the statement repeatedly put forward , that such and such a lodge works according to so and so ? Every brother must feel that the common remark , " our lodge does not work like yours , we work

according to so aud so , " is a self contradiction ot the boasted universality of the Craft . Imagine one regiment of the line being drilled according to one fashion , and another in a different manner . Consider how derogatory it is to our ancient and

honourable Institution , that it can be truthfully said , we do not work all our lodges in accordance with any abstract immutable Masonic principles , but that the ritual and ceremonial routine vary in each lodge , accordingly as it adopts the system of

Jones or that of Eobinson , or of some one else . The absence of a fixed standard , of a definite and unalterable code of instructions , and of a proper degree of surveillance is thus rendered painfully ¦ manifest . The same evil is perpetuated by the

Masonic Discipline.—Xi.

lodges of Instruction , since they also are worked after different fashions . This is undoubtedly one reason that they are not better attended , for it is clear that there is little or no use in a brother going to learn his duties in a lodge of instruction , that

works on a principle different to the one employed in his own lodge . Thus it frequently happens that a brother dpes nob attend a lodge of instruction simply because he would have to unlearn a great portion of what he acquired there . He can of

course always find a lodge of instruction which is conducted upon a system similar to that of his own lodge , but in many instances it may be so remotely situated as to cause him great inconvenience to attend . Having laid down the proposition , that it

is incumbent upon the supreme authority to institute some method of improving the Masonic education of the members of the Craft , so as to afford to those who are desirous of being working , not playing Masons , the opportunity of obtaining accurate and uniform instruction , we may now proceed to discnss the matter a little in detail .

Masonic Lifeboat Fund.

MASONIC LIFEBOAT FUND .

We are glad to say that this fund at length promises to be a success , and we trust that so soon as the committee is formed , proceedings will be taken to put our boat in water . We cannot however conceal the fact that tliere has been a want of that

lively interest in the matter , which is generally not the case with the fraternity . We still think that this indifference springs , not from a real want of interest in the subject , but rather from tlie fact that the fund has not been brought before the

Craft in such a manner as to attract attention . This , doubtless will be remedied , and the National Life Boat Institution ' s hands be strengthened by tlie present ofthe Masonic Life Boat . It will be seen from another part of the

MAGAZINE that the Merchants of Mincing-lane , London , have presented the National Life-Boat Institution with , the magnificent sum of £ 1 , 000 to defray the cost of a new Life Boat at Montrose . Surely for the credit of the fraternity , the Freemasons of the British Isles , will no longer be backward in the cause of the fund .

BALUSTRE . —All documents issued by the Sovereign Inspectors or Supreme Councils of the thirty-third degree , Ancient Scotch rite , are called " Balusfcres , " — Maclcoy .