The Eye That Seeth In Secret.

"Men love darkness rather than light , because their deeds are evil . " They will not come to the light lest their deeds should be reproved . Night is both the seed time and the harvest of the burglar , the incendiary , and the villain of every

grade . Crime awaits with satisfaction the lengthening shadows of tbe setting sun , and is glad when the dark folds of nig hfc have exclusive control of surrounding conditions , so that , amid prevailing gloom , her operations may be the more secure

against interruptions . As the hours advance and slumber closes the eye of the weary , the curtain rises upon the carnival of iniquity . Honesty sleeps . Conscious integrity is blessed with happy dreams . But we know not what a day may bring

forth . While innocence is disarmed by its own sense of purity , and the heart filled with the charity thafc thinkefch no evil , Satan is busy . During the small hours all thafc we have treasured amid the toil and tire of long and weary

yearsthe stately pile thafc we have reared ancl to which too often our hearts may have bowed the knee may have vanished in flame . The strona' box containino *

the dust that we have mined from the sweat and blood , and pinched privations of ceaseless , anxious industry , may have been confiscated by dishonesty and spirited away by adroit fingers to which both bolts and bars are no obstruction . Thoso whom

we have loved as the apple of our eye , and whose endearing tenderness we have valued far above earthly treasure may be empooled in their own blood . Assassination may have marked with an aim too deadly and unerring , the heart thafc beat

but for the gratification of its own instinctive benevolence . All this and more , is chargeable to the covert shadows through which mortal eyes cannot see .

But Masonry points her candidates to an overlooking eye to which darkness is light , and secrecy exposure . From the level upon which all are equals , and within the tilted doors of seclusion , she points to the eye that never sleeps , and to

which concealment is a word without meanins * . She tells us thafc as fco that ; orb all things are known , the path of wisdom is so to walk as to render secrecy unnecessary ; so to walk as to challenge scrutiny and invite criticism , so to walk

that an overflowing charity may bless our steps , and that the light of onr lives may be so directed as to lead others into the ways of pleasantness and peace ,

The Eye That Seeth In Secret.

The eye that overlooks the Masonic floor sees the virtues and the excellencies of every heart , as well as the lies , the bigotry , and prejudices to which we are all subject ; . Ifc sees the divine image in every child of sorrow and even of crime ,

and recognizes , even when covered with obloquy and clothed wifch guilt , a brother whom ifc were worth our strongest effort to redeem . That eye frowns upon the clouded brow of exclusive righteousness , and teaches a charity thafc breaks

fche trammels of creeds , and bursts through sectarian boundaries , a charity that sees a brother through all fche distinctions of nationality , race , colour , and condition . That eye looks into the heart of every brother

from the moment of initiation , not only during that communication , but all others throughout his entire Masonic life . That eye that gazed upon us when we first saw fche light , sees us through all our ramblings ever afterwards . In the great

conflict with the world , in the perpetual strife for wealth , in the home of meditation , when in the silence of our chamber , from which the world is shut out , thafc is cognizant of all we do , and of whatever we think . We cannot avoid it .

What manner of men , therefore , should we be , to be always prepared for this grand visitation . Our house perpetually set in order , our jewels always bright and properly adjusted , out * passions subdued , our propensities circumscribed by

prudence , and our hearts securely tyled against the intrusions of outside temptations . Not being in any way sectarian , Masonry has no rewards to offer to the good , nor punishment to the evil , as any motive to do right . To her

view both such incentives are mercenary . She appeals to a higher sense of virtue , and addresses the conscience of every brother to do right , for the sole and only reason that it is right . —The Mystic Star .

Masonic Jottings, No. 74.

MASONIC JOTTINGS , No . 74 .

BY A PAST PEOVINCIAL GEAND MASTER . MIXUTES OP LODGES . "A Masonic Student" asserts thafc the minutes of Lodges recently , ( October 1869 ) , by brothers in their communications to the " Freemasons '

Magazine , " prove how utterly hopeless and untenable is the mistaken theory , a Contributor has set himself with such energy a determination to uphold . '