MASONIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1061, 30 June 1892, Page 7

MASONIC.

FAVOURS RECEIVED. " New Zealand Craftsman, Juno 16. A MASONIC BROTHER., A Freemason whose life corresponds to the teachings of his ritual, who studiously observes all that which it enjoins, who practises all of its obligations, to such a one a brother may in confidence repose. The counsel of a brother who will assist us in our need, and remember us in our devotions, we may be assured will be divested of every selfish consideration, and to bis bosom we may confide the trials and the difficulties incident to our struggles in this life, His breast will be a safe repository of all that he receives, and to him may be entrusted with safety such confidential communications of an honourable nature as we would only impart to one who felt a real interest in our welfare. A true brother is more than a friend. He is bound by the golden chain of love, and in prosperity and adversity, in all the trials of life, remains not only firm, but slicketh closer, and the rivets are more firmly foiged in misfortune, in distress and danger; yea, he will fly to rescue his brother iu the hour of peril even though his life should be endangered thereby. A true brother may not only be entrusted confidentially with the secret communions of our own breast, but he will defend his brother from the aspersions of malice, hatred or jealousy, in his absence as well as in his presence. These are all points which the bonds of fraternity and close relation of brotherhood naturally and constitutionally exact. The design of Freemasonry is to improve, elevate, and exalt the members of the fraternity, so that they may adorn the temple of the living God. This life is but an initiatory probation. There is a world beyond, in wliiolx higher degrees are in reserve—in which higher mysteries will be unfolded —but man’s duty here on earth is to live a life of purity in conformity to the teachings of Freemasonry, and then when the gavel of the Supreme Grand Master shall call us away, death will have no sting, and we will advance onward in our progressive mission to the unseen world, knowing no fear, no danger, and we will enter the mansions of light in God’s eternal world, and continue our labours throughout an endless immortality, seeking for more and more light from the exhaustless lamp of wisdom of God the Father. So mote it be.—N.Y. Masonic Chronicle.

Most emphatically do we coinoide with th opinion expressed by the writer of the follow ing irom the New York Despatch : —I heard a Master boasting the other day that he was going to ‘ beat the record.’ He was going to fire at one shot from his Masonic mortar more full-fledged Master Masons than had over been fired before at one time in the history of the metropolitan district. He was going to astonish-tlie oldest inhabitant. I asked him how many good men he would get out of the 20 whom'he expected to raise. He thought about five—or twenty, five per cent. At the same ratio, how long would it take to turn hie lodge into an undesirable body ? Ido not know whether ho meant that only about 25 per cent would care anything for Masonry • after they were raised, or that 75 per cent were objectionable, but in either case the lodge would certainly be better off by not * beating the record.’ lam sorry to see such a spirit as is prevalent among some lodges, and I cannot help looking with suspicion upon every attempt to ‘ beat the record.’ I do not Bee that there is anything Masonic in this effort to over-reach others in the making of Masons. An ounce of pure gold is worth many pounds of dross. It is understood (says the Christchurch Press) that at the next Communication of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, to be held in Wellington, some recognition of the distinguished services rendered to the Craft by Bro ii. Thomson as Grand Master during the past two years will be made.