The Future Of Freemasonry.

THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY .

The following address was delivered at the Centenary of the Caledonian Lodge , November loth , 186-1 , hy Bro . John Grant , P . M . : — Brethren , the W . M . has commanded me to occupy the Junior "Warden ' s chair this evening , in consequence of the absence of Brother Dr . Canton , and to say a

few words on the future of Freemasonry . Now , as I labour under some disadvantage in consequence o f being called upon almost suddenly to do so , I hope that any remarks I may make will be received by you with all charity . Having listened to the able address on the past of

Masonry and of the Caledonian Lodge , by Brother J . Nunn , P . M ., it is for me , brethren , to lift the silken veil of the future , and draw upon my imagination as to what influence Masonry is likely to exert on the men and manners of the far off future of this world

of ours ; and , brethren , regarding as I do Freemasonry as the handmaid of pure and undefiled religion —its laws and principles being drawn from the Sacred Volume—it cannot but tend to elevate and ennoble every good Mason . We know that even now , east , west , north , and south , Masonry is known and

practised . I believe it is destined , like the stone cut out of the mountain without hands in Daniel ' s prophecy , to roll onward and onward until it shall fill the whole earth and cover its surface with its benign influence , as the waters cover the vast and mighty deep , bounded only by the broad and ample belt of this beautiful

creation . Then shall he realised the truth of that Divine saying , "Behold , how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity !" and in the exercise of that brotherl y love men will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into priming-hooks , and nations shall learn war no more , nor earth groan to Heaven at drinking in my brother ' s blood . LoA'ing and heing beloved , each striving to secure the other ' s happiness , the children

of men AVIII present the lovely scene of one vast and happy brotherhood , all having one object , aim , and end , the carrying out of the beautiful princi ples of our Order , brotherly love , relief , and truth , until they shall ascend the Grand Lodge above , where the World ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for ever . In finebrethrenI will conclude this imperfect

ad-, , dress in the words of a poet , — "Not here alone its praises shall go round ; Not here alone its praises sball abound ; Broad as the empire of the free shall spread , Far as the foot of man shall dare to tread ; Where oar has never dipp'd , where human tongue Hath never through the woods of a ? es rung ,

There , where the eagle ' s scream and wild wolf ' s cry Keep ceaseless day and night through earth anel sky , Even there , in aftertime , as toil and taste Go forth in gladness to redeem the waste , Even there shall rise , as grateful myriads throng , Faith's holy prayers and freedom ' s joyful song ; " There shall the flame of Masonry he found , By Peace , hy Concord , and by Virtue * crowned . "

The Antiquity And Teachings Of Masonry.

THE ANTIQUITY AND TEACHINGS OF MASONRY .

( Continued from paye 429 . ) The Wisdom of Masonry is exemplified in establishing her basis on the immutable foundation of truth . Her cardinal principle is belief in the existence of God . All other truths correlative with belief in the Deity have a place in her system . The Bible , as the source and standard of truthis exalted on her altars as her first Great

, Light , and all her moral teachings are but beams of its brightness . While Masonry makes no pretensions as a system of religion , and , least of all , prefers a claim to bea substitute for Christianity , she humbly walks by its . side in a strict alliance , as far as she goes . In her speculative form she is as exact in her teachings of moral truths as was operative masonry in mathematical science .

Her propositions admit of no dispute . She wisely confines herself to simple , absolute , and acknowledged truth , and leaves no margin for controversy or contradiction . Masonry inculcates virtue and dissuades from vice , but has no casuistical refinements to perplex and divide her followers . Masonry from her plane furnishes themost ample facilities for the investigation of truth .

Whoever stands with her there breathes an atmosphere of unrestricted liberality , for her toleration is as boundless in matters of opinion as her rule is imperative in fundamental faith . Anchored in her principles fast by the throne of God , inculcating in her first step a loving trust in Him , and accepting His law as the embodiment of truth , she excludes no one from a participation in her benefits on

account of diversity in religious views . Her gates are closed against the atheist only . The shackles fall from the hands of prejudice and bigotry at the entrance of her shrine . When the well known words are spoken which , like the proclamation of the mystagogue at Eleusis , closes the door of her sanctuary on the profane , the truths in which all agree are the only lessons which are taught ..

In her sacred retreat every discordant voice is hushed , and the bitterness of sectarian strife is abashed intosilence in the awful presence of pure and absolute truth . On any other platform than this Masonry could nofc comprehend in her embrace all the tribes of men , as the human race now exists , or has ever existed . It is the recognition of these principles and the acknowledgmentof obli

corresponding gations which alone renders it possible to make her privileges available to the whole of the great human family . If she should require any other creed than that God is our Father and that men are His children , and therefore bound to love Him and one another , her grand object would at once be defeated . Hence , while every Mason retains his religious peculiaritiesthe the Turk

, Jew , , the aborigines of the forest , and the Christian may fraternise in the recognition of a common bond , and demand and receive mutual benefits . Tbe perfect adaptation of our Order to the nature and wants of man is strongly indicative of the wisdom of its constitution . Its whole energies have been devoted tothe interests of humanity . Next to allegiance to God , and springing from ib , its controlling principle is love for man as man .

Before the era of Christianity we know of no othersystem of morals or philosophy , of religion or politics , which presents this bold ^ peculiarity of Freemasonry . Individual interests seem to have been nearly or quite overlooked by the sages and governors who sought torule the world by philosophies or by power . In the republics of Greece and Rome , confessedly the best

devevelopments of civilisation in ancient times , the interests of humanity were by no means predominant . In the Eoman republic , the boast of being a Eoman citizen had little meaning except as a defence against the exactions , of foreign domination . The man was not esteemed of value except as part of the commonwealth . Individual rights were neither sacred nor respected as inalienable- .