A Plea For Freemasonry.

Man needs something more than the gratification of his animal wants . The mind requires food as well as the body , and nothing can better give that mental nutriment than the investigation of subjects which relate to the progress of the

intellect and the growth of the religious sentiment . Again , man was not made for himself alone . The old Stoic lived only for and within himself . But modern philosophy and modern religion teach no such selfish doctrine . Man is but part of the

great brotherhood of man , and each one must be ready to exclaim with the old poet , " homo sum ; humani nihil a me alienum puto "—I am a man , and I deem nothing relating to mankind to be foreign to my feelings . Men study ancient

history simply that they may learn Avhat their brother . men have done in former times , and they read the philosophers and poets of Greece and Rome that they may know what Avere the speculations of those old thinkers , and they strive to measure the

intellect of man as it was then , and as it is now , because the study of the growth of intellectual philosophy and the investigation of the mental and moral poAvers come home to ns all as subjects of

common interest . And this , then , is the plea that I enter for Freemasonry ; that its history is closely connected with the history of intellectual and religious progress from the remotest times , and that it therefore presents historical and philosophical problems

for investigation Avhich no scholar can treat with contempt , which every scholar should treat with profound consideration .

Masonic Curiosities, No. 2.

MASONIC CURIOSITIES , No . 2 .

BY A MASONIC INQUIRER . ( Continued from page 262 ) . THE FIRST CHARGE is that you shall be true to God , and Holy Church ., and to use noe error on

Heresie you understanding and by Avise men ' . s teaching- also that you shall be true leige men to the king of England without treason or any ffalshood and that you knoe no treason or treachery but that ye amene and give knoAvledge there of to

the King or his counsell also that ye shall be true to one another ( that is to Say ) every Mason of the Craft that is Mason allowed you shall doe to him as you would be done to yourselfe .

Masonic Curiosities, No. 2.

SECONDLY and ye shall keep truly all the counsell of the Lodge or of the Chamber and all the Counsell of the Lodge that ought to be kept by the way of masonhood also that you be noe theefe nor theeves to your knowledge for that you shall

be true to the King Lord or Master that you serve and truely to see and work for his advantage also you shall call all masons ' your fellows or your bretheren and noe other names . * Fowerthly also you shall not take your ffelows Avife in villeney nor

defloAvre his Daughter or servant nor put him to disworship also you shall pay truly for your meat or drink Avheresoever you go to table or board Avhereby the Craft may be [ not ] slandered . These be the Charges that belong to every true Masons

both Masters and FelloAvs . Now I will rehearse other Charges single for Masons allowed . FIRST that noe Mason take on him noe Lords Avorke nor other mans but if he know himself well able to performe the worke soe that the Craft have noe slander .

SECONDLY also that noe master take worke but that he take reasonable pay for it so that the Lord may be truly served and the master to live honestly and to pay his ffellows truly , also that noe master or ffellow suplant others of their worke ( that is to

say ) if he have taken a worke or else stand master of a Avorke that he shall not put him out Avithout he be unable of cunninge to make an end of his Avorke also that noe master or ffellow shall take no prentice for less than seven yeares and that the

prentice be able of Birth that is ffree borne and of Limbs whole as a man ought to be and that noe mason orffelloAV take noe allowance to be maid mason Avithout the assent of his ffellows at least six or seven that he that be maid be able in all

degrees , that is free borne and of a good kindred true and no bondsman and that he have his right limbs as a man ought to have . THIRDLY also that a master take noe aprentice without he have occupation sufficient to occupia

two or three ffellows at least . FOWEETHLY also that noe Master or ffellow put away Lord ' s Avorke to taske that ought to be journey Avorke .

FIFTLY also that every Master give pay to his ffellows and servants as they may deserve so that he be not defamed with false working .