MASONIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 915, 13 September 1889, Page 7

MASONIC.

Having re-opened the Masonic column in he Mail, under the supervision of a Master in the Craft, we shall be glad to receive from Secretaries oj Lodges, and brethren generally, short reports of Lodge meetings and Masonic 'vents of all kinds likely to be of interest to nemoers of the craft. All correspondence for this column to be addressed to the Masonic Editor, New Zealand Mail.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A.P.—The Kite of Memphis is worked in Victoria. The Sovereign Sanctuary meets at Salisbury Buildings. _ . C.C.R. (Havvera).— There is no difficulty in procuring the jewel hero. N.K. (Westport).—Evidently the Ritual m your possession is not the correct one.

FAVOURS RECEIVED. London Freemason, Masonic World, Masonic Star, South African Freemason, El Simbolismo, and L’Acacia.

THE FIRST LESSON. The first lesson the Mason learns - and be learns it at the very threshold —is that he should never introduce among his brethren anything that might give offence. He must lay aside hi 3 party badge, his worldly rank and equipage ; yea, if he be a prince he must cast the purple from his shoulders,. the diadem from his brow, and consent to sit as a man among men, as a brother among brethren, and be content to receive that honour which only manly worth may claim. But let no one mistake the nature of the marvellous peace that pervades this brotherhood. It is not that we are indifferent to Church or State. It is not that we despise convictions, and set no value on opinions. It is rather because vve respect and honour them in one another ; it is because we esteem freedom of thought and conscience as the most eacred of human rights.

SOMETHING LIKE. Denver, Colorado (a great silver mining city), will soon have one of the finest Masonic Temples in the West, costing not far from 250,000 dollars. It will be seven stories high, with a frontage of 125 feet and a depth of 100 feet. Every girder and beam throughout the building will be of iron, not even a wooden step or staircase being used.

INTERESTING NEWS. The Masonic press in Spain is agitating the subject of suitably commemorating the centennial of King Charles 111., the monarch who expelled the Jesuits from his dominions. At Nice an international Masonic committee has been formed to raise, by contribution, the spin of money requisite for completion of the monument to 111. *.Bro.'.Garibaldi, 33° at Nice, the place of his nativity, at present a French city.

A MASONIC MONK. A French provincial newspaper, The Echo de la Manche, of July 9th, exhumes a very curious letter written by a member of the ecclesiastical order, conclusively showing that one hundred years since, Catholic priests were not on.y Masoua, but openly avowed their fidelity to the Order, It read thu3 : ‘ Or.', of Paris, loth day of £he J2th Month, of the Year of True Light 5775 (Feb. sth, 1776). Very 111.’. and very jR.\ Br.'.—My professional and civil engagements exact my attendance at Brussels, where I am to preach the Lenten sermons before the Court of Prince Charles ; my professional and Masonic engagements necessitate that I shall not depart fiom the O. \ of Paris without notifying you of my leaving, praying you, very illustrious brethren, to consider the motives of my absenee, without diminution of tho zeal and fervour I will ever glory in exhibiting for the Royal Art and the fraternal sentiments of which I have the honour of being, Very lII.'. and R.'. Brethren, Your most devoted brother, Loth a Miniine. Deputy to the G. \.o.from the Lodge La Franchise, Or.*, of Guise,’

CENTENNIAL HYMN. The following CentdShial Hymn, written for the Grand L6dge of Maryland, by Bro. James R. Brewer, was sung by the entire audience, accompanied by the Fifth Regiment Band, in the Academy of Music, Baltimore : Sound the glad jubilee Over the century Ended to-day. Grand is its mighty scroll; Grander the deeds enroll’d, Grandest the work untold Of Masonry. Lighting the nation’s dawn Came our grand charter, born ’Mid hopes and foars ; Blending with liberty, Progress,' Prosperity, Faith, Hope and Charity Through ali the years. Men never were so free, States oould no greater be Than these we share ; Since with the Compass set We on the Level met, Taught by the Plumb to act, Part on the Square. Then let the anthem ring, Loudly our praises sing To God above, Who, with a Father's hand, Touched our fraternal band And bless’d our favoured land With His great love