The Masonic " Poet's Corner."

The Masonic " Poet's Corner . "

( Original and Selected . ) THE THEEE GEEAT LIGHTS .

We hold in Bonds of Brotherhood those men ( and only those ) Whose hearts expand with others' joys , feel keenly others' woes , And disregarding rules and forms will aye maintain the Right ! Who judge not from appearances , oft-times deceitful they , But ever hail true virtue anil its humanizing sway , As 'tis measured by the COMPASSES , tho ANGLE , and the LIGHT .

Our COMPASSES adjust we so that limits be defined Within whose arcs there ' s room for every type of humankind , For every man man ' s brother is in GOD ' eternal sight ! Within the space thus circumscribed aye Sanctuary bo To which In times of grief and wrong the burdened heart may lice , And its cause bo vindicated by tho ANGLE and the LIGHT I

The setting of that AXP . DE calls for finished skill and care , To see its lines be laid aright , its joint precisely square ; Else tho justest Work produced our rules may cause us oft to slight , And we may be constrained to err , and oven to condemn The handicraft of Talent fine , the Acts and Deeds of them Whom tho MASTER * will Himself approve in stronger purer LIGUT .

Seek wo that LIGHT at its Great Source , nor dare we to presume To cast aside the block we've tried amidst uncertain gloom ; In tho MERIDIAN SUNLIGHT test it ! Not in Siiades of Night ! For errors manifold are made , and errors made must be , By those who of the Standard Guides lack even one of Three , Be the One of Three tho COMPASSES , the ANGLE , or the LIGHT !

When wo shall find our follow-man borne down by treatment hard Bruised and broken though ho be , liiin may we not discard , For oft-times of a broken block choose we the fragment white , And shaping it with nicest Art , a Miniature fair We place " within the Temple , " before the Master there , When all the world without is dark , it shinesf in radiance rare , A perfect Block ! A finished Work ! A model of a Square ! When 'tis tested by the COMPASSES , the ANGLE , and the LIGUT !

This is tho truest Masonry ! The Universal Creed ! Without it ne ' er can guards and signs a Mason make , indeed A shapeless mass he prostrate lies before the Orient bright ; But with it oft , as once on earth tho MASTER wisely said , The " Block the Builders cast away becomes the Corner's Hcad ! " % The noblest Work exhibited in GOD ' refulgent LIGHT .

(•) "Tho Master is come and calloth for thoe . " —JOHN xi . 28 . ( t ) "And the LIGHT shineth in darkness ; and the darkness comprehended it not . "—JOHN i . 5 . ( J ) " The stone which tho builders rejected , the same is become the head of the corner . "—LUKE xx . 17 . —From " CHIPS PROM A HOUGH ASHLAR . "

Australasia.

AUSTRALASIA .

WESTERN AUSTRALIA—PERTH—The latest addition to the Masonic Lodges of the Colony , viz .: The Emulation Lodge , No . 2281 , was solemnly consecrated in December last , by the Deputy District Grand Master , Bro . D . K . Congdon , in the presence of The Right Worshipful the District Grand Master , Bro . the Hon . J . A . Wright , His Excellency Bro . Sir F . N . Broome . K . C . M . G ., Past District

Grand Senior Warden , and a large number of the brethren of the different lodges of the Colony . Bro . F . L . Hussey , D . G . S ., acted as Director of Ceremonies . The R . W . D . G . M . opened a lodge in the three degrees , after which the Consecrating Oificer ( Bro . Congdon ) , performed the Ceremony of Consecration , assisted by Bros . B . C . Wood , E . Sholl and Rice Saunders . The brethren were called from

labour to refreshment , when the District Grand Master proposed the toast of "Success and Prosperity to the Lodge of Emulation , No . 2281 , " and his Excellency the Governor proposed that of the W . M ., Wardens and Officers of the Lodge , Bro . Hurst , the W . M . responded , thanking the Governor and the D . G . M . for their attendance . Subsequently the Lodge resumed work , when Bro . Hooper ,

District Grand Pursuivant , installed the Master and Officers in most impressive style . At the supper the usual loyal and other toasts were proposed and responded to in the happiest manner . It is said that the District Grand Master will consecrate in person the New Lodge of Harmony , No . 2282 at Fremantle , at which a large gathering of brothers of the mystic tie is expected .

VICTORIA—ROMSEY—The Installation Festival of the Romsey Lodge , No . 2079 , was held on the 14 th December , 1888 , at the Mechanics' Hall , Bro . W . T . Moffat , P . D . G . S . B ., presiding as W . M . There was a large attendance of the brethren . The visitors included brethren from Kilmore , Melbourne , & c . Amongst the apologies received was a telegram from Sir William Clarke , the

R . W . District Grand Master , who is a member of the Lodge . The W . M . elect was Bro . A . F . Taylor , J . W ., who was installed into the chair by Bro . Moffat , after which the following officers were invested : —Bros . J . Morrison , S . W . ; A . N . Thomas , J . W . ; G . Blackham , treasurer ( re-elected ); S . Seymour , secretary ( reappointed ) ; C . J . Prosser , S . D . ; J . DrummondJ . D . ; J . R . Brown

, , I . G . ; E . Jeans and L . Robertson , stewards ; P . Cook , Tyler . The report and statement of accounts for the year , showing a substantial balance in hand , was read and adopted , and after "Hearty good wishes " had been tendered by the visitors , the lodge was closed . The remainder of the evening was pleasantly and harmoniously passed at the supper table .

MASONIC BALL AT HI : GIIY . —On the 30 th nlio ., the membersof Lodge Rectitude , No . 502 , gave a ball at tho Town Hall , Rugby , in aid of the Hospital of St . Cross . liic gathering did not prove a financial success , which we regret to hoar , as tho object the brethren had in view was a most worthy one .

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . '

ALL communications should be forwarded to 59 , Moor Lane , Fore Street , E . C , London . Those relating to Editorial matter to be addressed to the E DITOR ; and all others to Messrs . ADAMS BROS . # * * * * We desire to call the attention of our provincial readers and

advertisers to the list of agents published in our advertisement columns . We are making such arrangements that through our agents any local information or business matters can be respectively forwarded or transmitted without trouble or expense . We shall add to our list as may be desired in respect of other towns .

We shall be greatly obliged to Secretaries of Lodges and Secretaries of Chapters named in our list of forthcoming Lodge and Chapter Meetings if they will instruct us as to the dates of

installations of W . M . ' s and Principals respectively . The kindly consideration of one or two of our respected Provincial Grand Secretaries hag enabled us to supply the desired information in some cases . We should like to be enabled to do so in all . [ See foot-note at page 376 . ]

In proposing the toast of " The Masonic Press" at the last meeting of the Addington Lodge , at Durban , South Africa , the W . M ., Bro . J . Fletcher , said '' The toast was a new one in South Africa , but he hoped would be a permanent one , and that the name of W . Bro . Darley-Hartley , the editor of the South African ,

Freemason , would be coupled with it for many years , for the work of a masonic paper was peculiar . It could not comment as freely upon masonic events as could be done in outside journalism . Infinite tact and care were needed in steering a masonic paper properly , and unless the editorial charge was in the hands of a true and

competent brother , very great harm might result . After a twelve months' experience of the South African Freemason , all could see how carefully it had been edited . Not an improper word had he observed in it . It was indeed a great task to edit such a paper , and it was wonderful how well Bro . Darley-Hartley had accomplished

it . Personally he must say that he found much more actual instruction in its columns than in the far more ambitious English Freemason . And he might mention that the new London paper , THE MASONIC STAR , was proceeding much on the same lines as

those adopted by the South African Freemason" We thank our brother for his kindly compliment to ourselves , and shall continue our endeavours to merit similar acknowledgement from our brethren " wheresoever dispersed . "

M . JR . Ci . . M . j * . % w w ^ t * ^ F The Australian Keystone for December is also good enough to welcome us in the following terms : — "A new Masonic journal ,

THE MASONIC STAR , published weekly in London , has reached us . It shows sufficient signs of vigour to deserve success ; we heartily welcome its advent , willingly place it on our exchange list , and commend it to the brethren . "

Our good friend and brother of " Mustard and Cress " concludes his latest contribution to the Referee with a mystic allusion familiar only to such amongst us as have heard the late Bro . Dr . Rob . Morriss ' s exquisite poem " Masons' Vows " recited . Referring to the weather of the days immediately preceding his writing—the

weather is a favourite topic of his , although it would be difficult to decidp what particular weather favours him—he says : " I am back again in the full possession of the joys of the English climate . Anything more inspiriting , more exhilarating , more absolutely entrancing than the past few days it would be difficult to imagine .

A good family vault with permission to smoke in it would be an agreeable change from a London house during such weather as we have had . And I have left Nice the beautiful , Monte Carlo the enthralling , Cannes the celestial , for this—for this—for THIS . Well ,

if you knew all that that " this " implies , I think even Cleopatra ' s Needle would have a tear in its eye for the woes and misfortunes of the melancholy and miserable—DAGONET . " Surely a certain portion of the foregoing must be considered as addressed " to 'Masons , and to 'Masons only . "

We have been requested by friends of several distinguished members of the Craft to notify in our pages their election to the honourable and dignified position of County Councillors for London and Provincial towns respectively . Being at all times pleased to hear of the success and advancement of members of our Order we

should be willing to acquiesce , but for several reasons . It is historical that the bells of a certain church were not rung in honour of a certain queen , to account for which a large number

of reasons were given , the last being that the steeple contained no hells . In like manner all the reasons we could give in respect of not granting the requests made to us , would be capped by the statement that we have no space .

WILL any brother greatly oblige a P . M . and P . Z . by kindly forwarding to him a spare copy of their Lodge or Chapter summons , as he is endeavouring to form a complete collection of them from No . 1 upwards . —Address , C . E . FE _ _ , 55 , Tregunter Road , South Kensington , S . W . — [ ADVT . ]