Point-Left-Right.

Point - Left - Right .

I salute my brothers ! Years ago , when as a young man I Avas admitted through the portals of a Masonic Lodge , and before the fickle tide of circumstances had steered me into any definite course of life , I never dreamed that with the fall of years my pen would right the cause of our glorious craft . ' Perhaps no class of

every-day workers more strongly support Masonry than journalists , ; but to be called upon to Avrite Masonic notes for 31 asons from a Masonic point of view is a task from which the ordinary journalist would shrink . But I salute you , brethren ! and I tender you my hearty good wishes .

The spirit of quotation is strong among 3 Iasons . HoAvnice it is to be able to throw a bit of Shakespeare , or a slice of Jlilton into the after-dinner speech . I . P . M ' s particularly indulge in A'erbosity , and there is something very dramatic in leading up to a quotation , much as Henry Irving would to a strong " situation " and centering one ' s efforts in a final burst of blank verse . Unfortunately , pure

quotation is a thing of the past . Everybody mis-quotes and feels a pride in qui stioning his mis-quotation , but there are men who not only do this but who have so much the courage of their opinions that they rc . rise even Shakespeare . The lines appearing on the index page of our last week ' s supplement is a superb case in point . No one would read the Avords perhaps and detect the error , or rather the revision , because the revised version of the 3 IASONIC STAR is as

pure English , as good grammar , and as sound sense as the original by AVilliam . But Shakespeare Avrote— " In such Indexes , although small pricks to their subsequent volumes , there is seen the baby figure of the giant mass of things to come ! " The extraordinary ptrt of the affair is that the version printed is an exact reproduction of the lines found in a standard work on quotations from "Eminent Authors , " and this is immortality !

Many masons know something of art , many more alas don't . I Avas walking down one of our principal thoroughfares a few days ago . and gained shelter from a fall of snow in one of those picture selling places where canvases are purchased by the square mile . The bidding for an execrable study of animal life was not fast or furious , but it AA'as leading a very worthy brother into a pitfall , and

had I not recognised the picture and the bidder with the same glance , I don't knoAv Avhat Avould have happened . The picture , of large dimensions , in a massive frame of very best Dutch metal , had reached the price—by bogus bids—of twelve pounds , and "guineas " Avas bursting from the lips of our unfortunate art critic , which Avould certainly have secured the canvas had I not engaged

his attention . The picture Avas signed "Armfield , " and Avas recommended by the auctioneer as a genuine Armfield , and by the fact that the purchase Avould secure its ' " free delivery to any address in the United Kingdom . " So I should think ! AVhether or not the painter ' s name was Armfield , I cannot , of course , say , but it Avas

not the Armfield , nor Avas the Avork worth the cost of " carriage to any address in the United Kingdom . " Picture selling by auction is one of the nearest approaches to swindling one can find even in such a city as ours , and I am prepared to lay very long odds that the auctioneer in question has never seen a genuine "Armfield " in his life .

A very serious feeling is peiwading the minor bodies of the craft , that public-houses are not the best places in the Avorld for the holding of 3 Iasonic lodges . The subject is a very delicate one indeed , and requires a vast amount of experience from the man Avho would seek to reform the custom . AA e derive a deal of support from our friends the Licensed A ictuallers , who are , as a rule , very sound

and conscientious 3 Iasons . I should be very sorry to think any one of them Avould resent a Avell founded scheme for the rehabilitation of our lodges in masonic halls , especially in proA'incial centres , or AA-here the raihvay facilitates the necessity of a special building . AVhen my hair was commencing to show the silver locks nervously peeping out from among the black ones , I found there Avas a deal

of sentiment and feeling in 3 Iasonry which went far to interest us more deeply in its mysterious lore . I haA'e visited lodges in almost every corner of the civilised world , and have found no meetings more depressing than those Avhich are held in rural " pubs , " where the accommodation and surroundings are ill suited for the congregation of the brothers of our order .

3 Iasonic Halls don t pay . At the twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Birmingham 3 Iasonic Hall Company , held a feAV days since , a dividend of only 2 per cent , was declared . NOAV there are in Birmingham sixteen lodges and six chapters , and . unfortunately , two 3 Iasonic Halls . A local hotel houses Lodge No . 4 ( i 8 and Chapter 43 . seventeen lodges going to one of the halls and three to the other .

Did the Avhole ot the local iWasonic Institutions arrange affairs so that only one meeting place Avas necessary , how much more impressive the Masonic Order of Birmingham would become . My own lodge possesses , in common with another , the finest specimen of a Masonic Hall it has ever been my privilege to enter . Its fame is not confined to its province or its country , and I have met in the remotest

quarter of India men Avho have heard of its praises , and AA'ho remember their visits to it among the masonic episodes of their lives . This hall is the one that lies Avithin the very shadoAV of the principal home of our Queen , and the Royal Borough of AVindsor has done well in possessing itself of a Meeting Hall that is an ornament to the Craft .

Those of my readers who are fortunate enough to have afternoons to spare and nerves strong enough to Avithstand the fatiguing influences of the Theatrical 3 Iatinee . Avill be more than pleased with the series arranged at Bro . Terry ' s Theatre during the following month . Chief of the series will be The . Bookmaker , on the 19 th . Avhen thei popular lessee will create the title role ' . Among the

Point-Left-Right.

occupants of'the immortalized "third roAV " of stalls Avill be found a spectator Avho ever enjoys the charming comedy of Edward Terry ; and his name is not Copperfield , but THE DRUID .

Ethics Of Freemasonry.

ETHICS OF FREEMASONRY .

/ 'he foilowing is a translation from the . German- of Dr . C . Sigwarl which , appeared in LATOAIIA of Jan .. 12 th . 18811 - •— ' | j § g 3 j HE endeavour of all men throughout life is to obtain peace H m and happiness , but vast are the individual differences and H H vieAvs respecting that which is to procure those blessings . l | t &_ li These differences and views are to be traced to the

education , social position , and character of each . The majority of men desire only that which Avill insure the comfort and enjoyment of their material existence . Their morality is based upon conformity to existing practices , but wise men , such as Freemasons should be , take a far higher view of life , and not content with satisfying only these minor claims , strive to obtain light upon the true

design of mankind . They erect for themselves ideals of perfect circumstances , and endeavour to conform their lives to the high standard which they have imagined . This leads them to reflection which begins with the question " AVhat am I to do to find the right path through all the errors and contradictions , through all the fluctuations and accidents of life , and to form my existence to one

of true contentment and honourable manhood i AVhat am I to do ?" That is the first and foundation question of all ethics of all Freemasonry . It is difficult to answer , for here we have not to do Avith that Avhich can be easily understood and AA'hich can be measured by Avays and means , but Avith an obiect far distant and general , which can only be attained through Avell calculated

and Avell arranged successions of action . He Avho sets to Avork Avithout careful reflection and then fails to obtain any result to his endeavours cannot console himself Avith the thought that , at least , his intention had been good . In order that Ave may be able to ansAver this question aright , we must , therefore , set up a perfect standard for ourselves , and one

Avhich bears a practical useful application . Every possession , to procure Avhich a man will employ his energy , must in its conception exercise an influence upon him and make itself felt in his conduct , for it is only such an interest Avhich enables him stedfastly to Avork till his idea is realized . He , therefore , Avho does not understand the aim and importance of human autonomy , Avould abstain with

indifference from striving after such . an idea . He whose desires are thus exercised is interested to the utmost in his OAVH personality , and is , in as much , an egotist . But this kind of egotism has its foundation in human nature and is not to be eradicated . It may be termed self love . Egotism , therefore , first becomes unjustifiable and objectionable selfishness Avhen its gratification is sought at the

cost of others and in opposition to their interests . So much is certain—a perfectly disinterested desire , the performance of an action simply for duty ' s sake Avithout the satisfaction which its attainment promises—is an impossibility . A secret society helps us to conquer this inborn selfishness and establishes a sympathy AA'hich binds men hi social intercourse together . For in a society

AA'hich demands perfect and ever-growing sympathy between its members , selfishness will , in a measure , lose its ground , and Avell doing and love will arise to generate neAV impulses . Starting from this point , that Avhere sympathy reigns , selfishness , its direct antithesis , Avill be removed from the individual , so that Avhat pleases and advances others will render happiness to ourselves ,

arises the demand for the establishment of some uniA'ersal comprehensive object by which the A \ ell being of all may be best secured . It is not from single and inferior objects but from higher considerations and purposes that the question " AVhat ami to do '! " can be satisfactorily ansAvered . Ethics calls this universal ultimate object , Avhich is only to be

obtained by the harmonious Avorking together of all the highest worth , the acme of goodness . AVe are all of us dependent upon a chain of outAvard circumstances , Avhich arise partly in the nature and partly in the conduct of others , and it is exactly this dependence Avhich entangles us in the most manifold contradictions . Ancient philosophers , therefore , held

it for the best that man should make himself independent of these outward circumstances , and that he should cultivate within himself some mental government which Avould enable him to look Avith indifference upon changes of outward condition . Selfcontrol , frugality , observation , tranquility of mind , were therefore to be striven after . ( To be continued ') .

Election Of Grand Treasurer.

ELECTION OF GRAND TREASURER .

3 IARCH ( ith , 1889 . On the eve of the election of Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year we believe that the reproduction of the speeches of the respective nominators of the Candidates for the Office Avill be of interest to our readers : — " Bro . SIR J . R . SOMERS VINE . AV . M . Savage Club Lodge , No . 2190 ,

said : 3 Iost AVorshipful Grand 3 Iaster in the Chair—it is my great privilege , as the selected representative of a large and influential committee , numbering over 700 members of the craft , and comprising brethren in all parts of the country , to nominate for the high office of Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year an eminent brother Avhom I believe to be universally known , highly esteemed , and eminently qualified to discharge the duties of that position ; I allude

to Bro . EdAvard O'Connor Terry . That brother entered the ranks ot masonry more than 20 years ago ; he Avas initiated in the Royal Union Lodge , Uxbridge , No . 382 ; he joined the Asaph Lodge , No . 1319 . which most of our brethren may knoAV is a lodge composed mainly of professional gentlemen connected with the liberal arts and sciences , in which he served all the offices , and was installed AV . 31 . in 1877 . He also joined the St Alban ' s Lodge , No . 29 , of which be is