What Freemasonry Is. Its Origin, Nature, And Tendency.

virtue that your Masonic efforts should ever tend , not only in its common acceptation of pecuniary relief , but as embracing true brotherly love to the full extent inculcated in the sacred writings . Initiation alone never did , nor never can , make a man a true Mason ; it gives the key , but the mere

possession of the key does not constitute ownership of the treasure ; it sows the seed , but unless the soil be good , and carefully cultivated , fruit will not be produced ; it opens the portal'but unless the road be traversed the goal cannot be attained ; it lays the foundation , but without labour the

superstructure cannot be raised . So this evening we have given you the key , we have sown the seed , opened the portal , and laid the foundation ; it is for you , with such assistance , as amongst Masons can always be obtained by seeking for it in the proper quarter , to complete the work , and I sincerely trust that in this you will not be found wanting .

Finally , whilst charging you not to undervalue Freemasonry , I would beg you to remember that it is a human institution , and as such necessarily imperfect , and liable to error ; do not be disheartened ( disappointed you naturally will be ) if you find some who profess its tenets , but do not act up to

its teaching . You will probably frequently hear oui' noble science ridiculed by the unenlightened World , and stigmatised as a childish mystery , and a pretension to superior excellence , covering only secret revels and excesses . Treat such ridicule with contemptand ansAver it only by acting up to

, your profession . A man who ridicules that of which he cannot , by any possibility , know anything , stultifies himself , and is unworthy of notice . But , alas , you will find unworthy members of the

Fraternity ; some , who abuse its privileges ; some , who , from their OAVU inherent baseness , are unable to appreciate its beauties , and convert its moments of social relaxation into occasions of debauch ; and others , who , from their mental powers being too dense to enable them to penetrate beyoncl the

exterior , consider Freemasonry as mysterious nonsense . If you meet with any such , console yourself with the reflection that there ever have been , and whilst time lasts , ever Avill be such men in every human institution , and if you are well read in the great liht of Masonryyou will call to

g , mind instances where holier ordinances have been similarly profaned and misunderstood , and so you will be led to understand that Freemasonry is not to be blamed for the misdeeds and short-comings of some of its professors .

_ I will not detain you with any further observations , but merely , in conclusion , express a hope that the proceedings of this evening will never be effaced from your memory , and that by your life and actions , you will , in all things , prove to the iHiinstructed . world at large , how ennobling , excellent , and enlightened an institution is that of the Free and Accepted Masons .

Working Men's Lord's Day Rest Association.

WORKING MEN'S LORD'S DAY REST ASSOCIATION .

IS , Bedford-row , London , W . O ., June , I 860 . SIR , —I beg to forward the folfowing , which I hope you may think of sufficient importance to occupy a corner in your Magazine . I am , Sir , your obedient servant , CHARLES HILL , Secretary . SUNDAY POSTAL DELIVERY .

A copy of the following letter has been just sent to 11 , 000 clergymen and ministers in England and Wales : — WORKING MEN ' S LORD ' S DAY REST ASSOCIATION , 13 , Bedford Row , London , W . C , June , 1866 .

REV . AND DEAR SIR , —On behalf of 20 , 000 Post-Office Officials who are employed iu the provinces on Sundays , we beg to solicit your co-operation in measures designed to bring about the discontinuance of the Sunday delivery of letters . In Londonwith its vast commerce and 3000000

, ,, inhabitants , and numerous other toAvns aud villages in England and Scotland , there is no Sunday delivery of letters , and there is no good reason why the same rule should not be carried ' out in every town and village in the empire . But we cannot hope that the Sunday delivery of

letters will be stopped until the public express their willingness to give the postmen the Sunday rest , by requesting that their own letters may not be delivered on SiAndays . When this has been extensively done , we trust that the way will be prepared

for abolishing the Sunday deliveries entirely . We therefore hope that you will co-operate in the efforts now beiug made to induce persons throughout the country to sign the enclosed request for the nondelivery of their letters on Sundays . A return of the number of persons who have signed such requests will be moved for in

Parliament ; we hope , therefore , that you will use your influence with your congregation ancl friends , to induce them to sign requests for their own letters not to be deliA ered on Sundays . Any number of the enclosed papers will be sent to you , free of expense , by Mr . Charles Hill , Secretary of

the Working Men's Lord's Day Rest Association , on the receipt of a note , in the enclosed stamped envelope , as to the number you will kindly cause to be circulated . We are , yours faithfully , Jons' C . MniiER , D . D . W . WEEDON CnAiiPNEYsM . A .

, WiiiiiAii CABMAN , M . A . BAPTIST W . NOEL , M . A . JOSEPH ANGUS D . D . WILLIAM BROCK , D . D . GEORGE SMITH , D . D ., of Poplar .

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