The Working Hours Of Masons.*

THE WORKING HOURS OF MASONS . *

BY BEO . DR . SC'irAUBEKG , OIUTOR OF Tim LODUti J 10 BESTIA EI' MBEBTAS , IN ZtllUCH . THE midday is the symbolic time at which the business of the Lodges commences , and midnight the time at which it concludes . As to the reason for this beginning aud cndiiioof the Masonic work , there is nothing satisfactory in the book of instructions . In that of New England , by Browne , the following explanation is afforded : — " 25 . Q . When were you made a Mason 1—A . When the

sun arrived afc the meridian point . "' 26 . Q . What reason do you give for the receptions takingplace only at night 1—A . As the world is globular , so is the sun always in its relative position in the meridian , on one side or the other . " Although Krause observes that these two replies point out in an ingenious and conclusive manner

the universalit y of Masonry over the whole earth , yet , in my opinion , they do not illustrate what is required , namely , why the business of the Lod ges commences at midday and terminates at midnight . If we examine into the symbolic duration of the business of each Lodge more narrowly , it is immediatel y perceptible that this time comprises a natural

day , a period of twelve hours , continuing from midday to midnight . The natural Masonic clay begins really at midday , when the sun is at its culminating point , which shows the terminating day and the commencement of another . The beginning of the Masonic clay at midday is symbolic , inasmuch as it si gnifies that the Freemasons only work and edify in the bri

ghtest li ght , and when all indications of darkness are vanished—showing that their works require no secrecy , and ran challenge the purest light of heaven . It is worthy of consideration , and relates particularly to the subject before us , to knoAV at what hour the various nations of antiquity considered the clay to commence . Certain lesfor instance

peop , , the Bab ylonians and Egyptians , began their day at sunrise . Others , namely , the Arabians , the ancient Germans , and likewise the Jews , commence their day in the evening—the Jewish Sabbath , therefore , lasts from Eriday evening till sunset on Saturday . This commencement of the clay evidently rests on the cosmogonies ! aspect , that is , the prior existence

of darkness , from which li ght was created . Thus , in the first chapter of Genesis , we perceive that the evening precedes the clay , it being there expressly stated , " thus evening and morning were the first clay . " The custom of modern Europe to reckon the civil clay from midni ght to midnight again , in twenty-four successive hours , dates from the time of the

Romans . The astronomers begin their clay at twelve o ' clock , the meridian point of contact and separation , and count the twenty-four hours in succession till the following midday , by which the civil day of twenty-four hours is divided into two portions of twelve hours each for the natural day and the natural night . Amongst the Erccmasons , the most ancient record of the

commencement of time at midday was amongst the Chinese , when the Emperor YVu-wan g , the founder of the third Chinese dynasty , in the year 1050 before the birth of Christ , altered the mode of calculation to midni ght as the commencement of clay . From this great historical fact , in relation to the oldest civilized nation " of the earthnamel

, y , the reckoning of time from midday , the hi ghest point attained by the sun in its course , there is a good reason for believiuothat in the Masonic day , commencing at midday , we have a relic or tradition of the customs of the first of the Asiatic races . Tins was no doubt a symbolic and sacred custom with these people , one of the . mysteries which descended to tho I

Limes of the Roman and German civil corporations , or guilds of craftsmen—the custom of worshipping the Almighty at midday only , at the period of the bri g htest light , and hence their commencement of all sacred festivals at that time . Tho li ghting up and burning of caudles , tapers , or lamps in the Jewish synagogues , and the Catholic and Lutheran churches ,

J during the religious services , as well as in the Masonic Lodges during the hours of business , has the same origin , and is the symbol of the arrival of the sun in the midheaveiis , the point of its utmost brilliancy . Tho synagogues , the churches , and the Lodges would thus impress upon those present a lively sensation of their being then in the bri ghtest hour of light ,

and in the presence of the all seeing God . That is considered to be the right time , the 2 U-eci . se moment , to commence the religious forms of the church and the business of the Lodges . . Light is the symbol of a pure heart , a pure spirit , and a pure life , which we must possess when in presence of the Almighty , The purity of the heartthe mindand the lifethe Masonic

, , , brethren can only attain by the use of the square , by walking in the right direction , without deviating to the right or the left ; the square diriyit obliqua , and forms the irregular stone into a rectangle or cube ; the ri ght course of life produces the upright man—the real Freemason . This symbol of the square , as the measure of rectitude , in respect to Masonry , has a direct

relation to the twenty-four Egyptian inch ell , which represents the twenty-four hours of the civil day , and is intended as a guide for the proper division and employment of the twentyfour hours . Masonry thus resolves the difficult question , how rightly to divide the day for man ' s advantage . In the time of the Egyptian mysteries , this twenty-four inch measure was in . use as a symbol , and a conspicuous attribute of the master of the ceremonies at the public festivals , by which he regulated

the time of the various duties to be performed . In tho ancient English book of instructions in Masonry , the novice is represented as answering the Master ' s fifty-sixth question , viz ., "How do you divide the twenty-four hours of the clay ?" in the following way ;— " I give six hours to labour , six hours to God ' s service , six hours to hel p a friend or brother

to the utmost of my power , without injuring myself or family , and six hours I give to sleep . " The result of this reply is , that man is bound to work , ancl to serve . God ancl mankind to the utmost of his strength . In conclusion I would remark , that in the same manner as the day , so the Masonic year commencesthat iswhen the

, , sun has reached the nearest and most elevated point of his heavenly course , or the summer solstice , on the twenty-first of June . The shortest and the longest day , commence both the Masonic clay and year , at the time of the arrival of the sun at its culminating point , and prior to its declination and retrocession . There must be evening and morning to

conclude the clay as well as the year . The beginning of the new day aud the new year is the point of contact between the acme of life audits decline ; of the brightness of day and the approach of night ; of the balmy summer and cheerless winter ; of the declining feast of St . John and the approaching Christmas . When full midniht arriveswhen tho sun is at its

g , lowest point under the horizon , and when the utmost darkness ancl extreme of winter pervade the earth , the Masonic Lodges all close , and every light is extinguished . " Now is the day , let man to labour go ; For night comes on , when work he cannot do . "

A in Tux—It is the mutual and individual desire of bestowing happiness that causes the geueral feeling ; and to bo happy ourselves to the limited extent allowed , wo must be virtuous . The mind must feed itself m its solitary moments un emotions that ace good , gentle , and benevolent ; the whole range of human life and human error must be looked at with the of hilanthropistnot of misanthrope

eye a p , a or cynic : we must seek I ' m- what is amiable a / id excellent , not / or what is hateful ' and bad ; wo must cultivate good feelings towards all , founded on and reiiectcd by the gwdnc «« and sincerity that lies at our own hearts ; we must avoid the approaches of error , of cruelty , of jealousy , of revenge , and all evil jMissions ; we must always defend the right and avenge- tlu ; wrong ; upholding tho weak aud good , and bearding the strong and viciouswe must have ever on our lithe watchword of truthreligion

, ps , , and liberty ; by such means we may approach as nearly to happiness as our earthly nature will allow , and our memorks will be perpetuated , not , perhaps , by the marble monument , but what is far more ennobling , tho love , reverence , and esteem of all those on whom we have conferred benefits , or impressed the character of our usefulness , — Walker Arden .