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illuminate their paths to virtue and its great rewards.

The

great light" still shines, in all its primitive brilliancy and force, and cannot fail, if we are careful to follow in the paths of duties it reflects, to gain like honors and rewards.

But the question arises here, Why are not all Masons good men, if not great men?

We answer, in the first place, that Masonry cannot confer capacity upon those who are not endowed with it by the God of nature; we can only improve what we find they possess, we only give form and polish to the "Rough Ashler" brought to our hands. Hence, all Masons are not great men.

We answer, in the second place, that if all Masons are not good men, it is not the fault of the Order, so far as its laws and principles are concerned.

In the nature of things, Masonry has a great work to do, in its labors upon the material brought up, to be fitted to its place in the great social and moral edifice. Some stones will not take a polish; some workmen have never, themselves, been reduced to the Order, not "fair work and square work." Some are too ready to compromise principle, and the immutable laws of the Order, for ease, luxury, self-indulgence and prejudice. From these and many like causes, the high standards are lowered down to suit the circumstances of the times, and prevailing habits of place. There is too often a woeful departure from the principles of our profession, by which the sacred Order is made to suffer in all its great interests.

It is by far too common with many who profess to be Masons, when urged to uphold the sublime principles of our beloved Order, to repel the appeal by asking:

"Do you want to make Masonry a Church, a temperance society, or a set of bigots? We are liberal in our views, and not disposed to restrain ourselves to our Brethren, when they choose to indulge their appetites or passions; we are but men, and don't profess to be saints; let us alone: other Masons can engage in any business, live as they please, and their Lodges indorse their conduct. Why can we not do the same?"

The man who refuses to "subdue his passions and improve himself in Masonry"-a system of morality-should never knock at our doors; he should never bow at our altars; he should never make a profession of our doctrines and principles; he should never take upon himself the solemn vows and obligations by which he bound himself to be a Mason; to be a good man, and true. and strictly to obey the moral law. The man who voluntarily takes upon himself the sacred vows, and then indulges in profane swearing, gambling, frequents liquor shops, and lends his example and influence to promote drunkenness and debauchery, in any form, violates his solemn vows, does violence to his profession, injures the cause of Masonry, and brings disgrace upon himself.

"We are not saints." No, we do not as Masons, profess to be saints; but will any intelligent Mason tell us the difference between the morality of Masons and that of Christianity? Are they not the same? Our system of morality is derived from the Bible-the Great light" of Masonry. No person can be a good Mason, and not keep the moral law. The thing in itself is right, and every right-minded man will say so, whether he is a Mason or not. Masonry creates no new obligation; it only holds good men, under their own voluntary obligation, to do that which they ought to do, if there was no such thing as Masonry in the world.

Show us the man who willingly takes upon himself the high profession of a true and undefiled morality, such as every Mason subscribes to, and acts upon his profession, and we are prepared not only to take him by the hand, but to take him to our bosom as a Brother and Companion. We require nothing else. He may belong to any church or party in politics, or to no church or party; it matters not, if he is a good man and true, he is our Brother. But profession and practice must go hand in hand, or else there is a fraud, a deception, and we pity the man who cannot be a man after the pattern of his Masonic profession.— Masonic Mirror.

THE NEW COMER.

A POEM FOR MOTHERS ONLY.

endear'd;

The hour arrives, the moment wish'd and fear'd,
The child is born, by many a pang
And now the mother's ear has caught his cry;
Oh! grant the cherub to her asking eye!
He comes, she clasps him, to her bosom press'd,
He drinks the balm of life and drops to rest.
She, by her smile, how soon the stranger knows;
How soon by his, the glad discovery shows!
As to her lips she lifts the lovely boy,
What answering looks of sympathy and joy!
He walks, he speaks, in many a broken word,
His wants, his wishes, and his griefs, are heard;
And ever, ever, to her lap he flies,

Where rosy sleep comes on with glad surprise,
Long in her arms, his arms across her flung,
That name most dear forever on his tongue.
As with soft accents on her neck he clings,
And cheek to cheek her lulling song she sings;
How blest to feel the beating of his heart,
Breathe his sweet breath, and kiss for kiss impart;
Watch o'er his slumbers like the brooding dove,
And, if she can, exhaust a mother's love.

MASONRY DIVINE.

"Did you not denominate Masonry_as divine in one of your editorials?" asks a Christian brother. By no means. We do not regard Masonry as divine; that is to say, we do not regard the regimen or organization as divine or ordained of God. The Church we regard as divine. We believe that a certain regimen was ordained by its Founder, which He only can change; that He created ministerial orders and functions for these and His Church, which none may innocently assume, which Masonry does not and cannot pretend to. Masonry, by way of poetical accommodation and hyperbole, is sometimes called divine; as beauty, poetry, or wit, is called divine. In one sense, mathematics is divine; for it is a science in perfect and exact conformity with His law. In this sense, we think, a republican government approximatively divine. Government is divine, its form is left to man himself. But we boldly aver that the principles of Masonry are divine, that they have not been derived from man, and are not the issues of reason, but are emanations of the Deity; they are heaven derived, and not earth-born. What are these principles? Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Is not the love of the brethren, of all men, inculcating relief and charity, and peace and good will to the entire race, without distinction of creed, political associations, or conventional differences, divine? Is not truth, a love of it, a full perception of it. obedience to it, divine? Is not God, the Lord of the truth? When men oppose Masonry, they oppose these principles: they oppose a friend, and a friend of the race.

Here let us say, that in modern times there has been a slight deviation from Masonic taste and propriety. Masonry has always exhibited great regard for the Church and the ministry; and we are delighted to see at least one Grand Lodge of extensive jurisdiction and influence inventing a burial service more in accordance with Anglican masonic usage, at least, than that found in our monitors. Clergymen, Christians, and families of deceased friends properly object to this service, as ignoring a cherished idea and usage at the grave. A clergyman should perform his services, except such as are purely official to the Master. The address should be shorter, and not apologetic of Masonry, and the services should be responsive. What would be thought of Episcopalians, Methodists, and other religious denominations, at the grave, explaining directly and formally the nature of their services. Whatever suggestions of this kind may be advisable, let them be indirect and manifest from the service itself.

Not exactly germain to the subject, yet would it not be a masonic appreciation of propriety, and masonic cultivation of good breeding in the lodge room, in all the ceremonies, for the Master to call upon a clergyman, when present, to officiate at the altar.

MASONS OF THE HEART AND OF THE ANTE

ROOM.

The true and enlightened Mason will readily appreciate the distinction we here make. The first step in becoming a Mason is to prepare the heart for the reception of masonic truths, and the assumption of masonic obligations. Without this preparation, no man can rightly be made a Mason. Indeed, if the first preparation for Freemasonry is to be accomplished in the heart, how can one who has no heart become a Mason at all? And yet, we are compelled to admit that many go through the form, and stand within our mystic circle-sometimes, even attaining to high official station in the Order, who are as heartless as stones. Such may be termed Masons of the Ante-room. They had no internal preparation; no self-examination; no scrutiny of the heart. All was external, selfish, mercenary.

Now, it is precisely here that we have been too loose in investigating the qualifications of candidates. Mere moralitv, per se,

is not sufficient; for a man may be strictly moral-keep with rigid exactness all the commands of the Decalogue, and yet be mean, selfish, contemptible, and brutal. utterly destitute of the first qualifications to recommend him as a suitable candidate for Masonry. Morality is simply a negative quality. Masonry, like Christianity, requires more than this. It demands positive, active goodness. The young man, of whom we read, had kept the commandments "from his youth up," and yet how destitute of all positive virtue he appeared, when subjected to the searching examination of the Master? "You have kept the commandments, that is, refrained from violating the law, kept on the windy side of justice,' but what actual good have you done? your works of benevolence and charity and love? destitute soul, go sell all thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven."

6

Where are Ah! poor,

Mere morality, then, is not enough. The candidate for Masonry should have a heart. and a large one. He should have sympathies with human sorrow, a genial spirit, and a feeling of brotherhood to all. He should be known as a man of benevolence and charity; and let him never receive the suffrages of the brethren until they have before them unquestioned proofs that he possesses positive virtues. Better, a thousand times, that he have some vices with great and resplendent virtues which are ever active for the good of mankind, than a pure morality with no virtues at all.

It behooves the brethren to exercise more care in this respect. Nearly all the discords, scandals and difficulties that have ever disturbed the harmony of the Fraternity have been caused by these Masons, without heart, without charity, who have entered the institution from motives of ambition, or interest, or curiosity. Thev aspire to its official honors, but never seek to earn them by

exercising its virtues. Cold and selfish, they repudiate every masonic obligation, chill every true-hearted brother who approaches them, and dishonor the Order before the world.

Let none approach Let none stand withhearts, in which to qualified to become

If we wish to preserve the integrity of Freemasonry, we must close our Lodges sternly against all such. our altars to pronounce hypocritical vows. in the burning triangle but those who have make fitting preparation, and who are thus Masons "in spirit and in truth."

THE PENALTIES OF MASONRY.

There are extremes of opinion on all subjects, and around each extreme is grouped a series of errors which often go far to destroy the good that is in the subject itself. This is true of Masonry in a peculiar degree. The good of Masonry, like that of religion, consists in its good use. If taken in extremes, it is so far from beneficial that it is a curse, and a tremendous one, too, to a community. For only consider that its votaries are bound in it for life, and engaged to one another and to the common cause by the most sacred bonds; the importance of this right use will thus appear plain.

The Penalties of Masonry are those punishments due to transgressors of its peculiar laws. It is our purpose in this article to inquire what those punishments may lawfully be.

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The enemies of the Institution have likened it to a Pirate's League, whose sanction is blood, and blood only. Such persons overlook, intentionally or ignorantly, it matters not which, the declaration so clearly laid down in our organic law, (The Ancient Constitutions of Masonry,) that a Mason is a peaceable subject to the civil powers wherever he resides or works, and is never to be concerned in plots and conspiracies against the peace and welfare of the nation, nor to behave himself undutifully to infe rior magistrates, etc.," a declaration which is brought to the knowledge of every pledge to which he is made to listen, that the engagements into which he is about to enter. do not interfere with his duties to God, his country, or himself. But how could a Mason shed blood without violating the laws of his country against murder? Or, how take any revenge of a physical character upon the betrayer of Masonic secrets, when the statutes of his government forbid laying violent hands upon any save by legal process? He could not; and this answers the charge so long and so perseveringly made against the Institution for its share in the abduction (it there was an abduction) of William Morgan. Masonry is no more chargeable with that offense (if any such offense was committed) than religion is chargeable with the last edict issued by the Papal See against Secret Societies.

On the other extreme, the friends of Masonry have endeavored

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