Reminiscences And Experiences Of Freemasonry.

REMINISCENCES AND EXPERIENCES OF FREEMASONRY .

We gladly find room for the following interesting sketch by an esteemed correspondent in the north of Scotland , who is Immediate Past Master of a Scotch lodge . The Master has sometimes strange parts to

play between the past and present history of his lodge—sometimes agreeable , and occasionally the reverse—but in every case he- must consider himself the link , the most important link during the time of his office , to connect the aged past ivith

the vigorous present , and unite the whole as a platform for future Masonic structures . Any man in this position must be flattered by the continued attendance of members and past office-bearers , whose early associations and friends

have years ago died out , or retired from the active business of the lodge . It has frequently been the good fortune of the Avriter to come in contact with members of his lodge , who held high place in it forty or fifty years ago , and their reminiscences of their connection with the Craft during the early days of

his own lodge has always been of the most agreeable character . An instance of this kind , not the least agreeable , occurred a few days ago by an aged man , to appearance about seventy-five , looking in at a place of business , and enquired for

Mr . , who on being pointed out , desired to know if he was the Master of Lodo-e ? Yes . " Well , sir , it is about forty years since I held the office of Senior AVarden in that lodge ; but for manv years a hard strno-o'le with the world ,

and , latterly , bodily infirmities , have prevented me from attending the lodge meetings as I should have wished , and even now I should not have been out had it not been that I have frequently heard men speak derisively of our fine old Order ,

and I could no longer listen without doing what in me lay to oppose such stupidity , and I have , in consequence , put a few words together ( handing a MS . ) which I should like published iu some Masonic paper , so that by the grace of God , I might add one stone to the stability of the great structure of Freemasonry . "

FfiEEMASOKEY . Being a humble address to all young men , and to all Freemasons round the globe . I remember reading in the "People ' s Journal , " a letter entitled " Freemasonry , what is it ? " The

writer of that article stated that it was a science of morals , but charged Freemasons with beinginconsistent by using intoxicating drink at their festivals and meetings . Now , the charge of inconsistency might be applied to every society on

the face of the earth , and to every individual man in the world , if ive knew their history—there is very little perfection about the best of us . A great many of those attending Masonic meetings are young men , and , as the old saying goes , we

cannot put old heads upon young shoulders , but as they get older they will grow wiser , moresettled , more circumspect , and by the grace of God , the Freemason can apply the mental com | 3 ass to his thoughts , words , and actions , and say ,

thus far shalt thou go and no further . As Freemasonry is a science of morals , the men of the Avorld expect that the Freemason should be a wise man , a good man , a moral man , in a word , a man who deals justly , loves mercy , and walks humbly

with his God . A Freemason should be a man who can look up to the sun , and to the moon , and to the stars of heaven , and say , " These are my

fathers ; he was the Great Architect who made all these worlds , he stretched his compass over the deep , long , long , before the race of man was made , or the breath of life breathed into his nostrils . " Freemasons admit all men into their society if

they be fit and proper persons to receive the benefits of the institution , if they bear the image of the Great Architect ivho made them ; then they will be welcome to join the glorious , the sublime science of Freemasonry ; a science that

hath stood the battle and the breeze ( if I may so speak ) for thousands of years , and still knows no change . All other institutions of men , such as kingdoms and empires are doomed to rise and

fall . But Freemasonry is unchanged ; it is the same to-day as it was six thousand years ago , and will continue the same till time shall be no more . If what I have said could be the means of adding a few stones ( I mean living stones ) to the

beautiful building of Freemasonry , it would gladden my heart aud might prove a great blessing to those who are found worthy to obtain a knowledge of the ancient , the honourable science of Freemasonry ; it might lead them from nature

up to nature's God , and to view Him as the great and sovereign Architect of the Universe , who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meted out heaven with the span , aud comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure , aud weighed