Oration.

indigent merit or wiped a tear from the mourner's eye ? A fiend may possess a higher degree of reason , more knowledge and more power than the wisest and best of men—destitute of charity , he is the more to be dreaded—not revered . Who would

-esteem the man of rank whose haughty selfish spirit conld never smile on modest worth ? Of what avail is wealth imprisoned in the rusty coffers of the miser or wantonly squandered away in the dissipation of the Prodigal ? Who would value

our influence , if never employed in promoting the prosperity of others ? if such gifts are made subservient to personal advantage , they only shew that we want the spirit and inclination to enjoy that greatestof all luxuries , the luxury of doing good-And do not the tenets of our venerable Order

¦ ever point in this direction ? Are not our glorious charities practical illustrations of these truths ? Yes ! Brethren , to bind up the broken-hearted , to extricate the industrious from misfortune , to rescue the helpless and the orphan from the prospect of want

or ruin , to comfort the widow in affliction ' s hour and to afford a peaceful home to the aged and deserving in the evening- of their days ; these are objects worthy of the regard of every Mason who values the delight of blessing others , the respect

due to himself , the honour of the Craft , and , above all , the approbation of God . And , as the child is father to the man , let us as Masons give special diligence to foster education in its highest sense , and while storing the mind and exercising the

intellect , ever remember as men , as Englishmen or as Masons , and that there are weapons and an armour still more necessary for the battle of life ,

it is not so much in what we have as in what we are that our greatness consists . Let us educate the child , that when , in future days , he feels himself alone among the crowd , when he is for a moment disheartened by that

difficulty which is the rude and rocking cradle of all excellence , when he is conscious of the pinch of poverty aud self-denial , he should be conscious too that a sleepless eye is watching him from above ; that his honest efforts are assisted ; that his

prayers are heard ; that all things are workingtogether for his good . Is not this the life of faith , of hope , of duty , which li ghts up for us the cheerless world , and transfigures all that we encounter ( whatever be its outer form ) with hues

brought down from heaven , and finally leads us through the valley of dark shadow "to shine as the stars for ever and ever . "

Oration.

If thus , brethren , we hold to the great principles of our order , "adding to our faith virtue , to virtue knowledge , to knowledge temperance , to temperance brotherly kindness , and to brofckerlv kindness charity ; " then shall we hand down

something in our generation to bless and enrich our Craft , our country , and our kind . Systems may change ; customs may vary ; nay , empires may rise or fall , we shall still , keeping in view the ancient landmarks and "the bright and

morninostar / ' go on our way rejoicing—rejoicing in the spread of truth , of virtue , of charity—rejoicing in the diffusion of that peace and good will which shall really conduce to the brotherhood of nations

—rejoicing in the mitigation of human suffering , in the alleviation of human sorrow , in the elevation of human thought—then—having passed through the apprenticeship of human discipline , having had fellowship in the work of restoration—having

mastered the lower passions and affections of human nature—having in fact finished the work given us to do , we shall exchange these lodges or tents we now inhabit for eternal mansions not made with hands which the Great Architect has

prepared—and we shall enter on the possession of that promised land , where the good and faithful workman shall re-join the companions of his former toils , shall rest from his labours and shall receive his " great reward . "

Masonic Discipline.—Xiv.

MASONIC DISCIPLINE . —XIV .

BY CRUX .

Before proceeding to discuss seriatim , the many inconsistencies and discrepancies , that are to be found in our oral ritual , ceremonial routine , and general Masonic practices and customs , we will select one example , illustrating our meaning . It

is one with which the majority of the brethren are well acquainted ; especially those belonging to metropolitan lodges , and others of which the members are in the habit of following the orthodox-, and universally recognised English custom , of

dining in company , after the transaction of business that affects their common weal . The instance to which we allude is the . Tyler ' s J toast , and the manner in which it is received , or rather , honoured . In some lodges , it is the custom to

drink this toast iu silence , accompanied by a silent fire , in others it is received with what might be termed a medium , and in others again , with a