political obligations of society. It directs us to fulfil our duty to our God, our country, our neighbours, and ourselves. It inculcates reverence, resignation, and gratitude to Him, who made and preserves us; obedience to the laws of the land in which we live; courtesy and amity to our brethren; equity and compassion to all mankind. It teaches us, like the Christian religion, to pity and forgive our enemies; to love and reward our friends; to relieve the distressed, and cherish the neglected. Masonry is confined to no form of faith, nor sect of religion; and its charity, like its creed, is universal. So, likewise, as it rejects all bigotry in matters of faith, it nourishes no blind zeal on the subject of politics, nor affords any support to civil discord.

Private benevolence, in its extensive operation, becomes patriotism, which is, in fact, public benevolence; from liberality of thinking and acting towards individuals, it becomes propitious to general liberty;-but it is liberty void of licentiousness. The grand principles of our order are, those of peace, patience, and good will; they hold out no encouragement to faction or tumultuous broils, and as far as the welfare of the state depends, our wishes, as well as those of all good members of the community, must ever be for its prosperity and happiness. Under the auspices of masonry, we are taught to support the public tranquillity, by every honourable means which may be in our power. Love is our

principle, and happiness our aim; and every emblem, symbol, or hieroglyphick, which has ever been represented to us in the lodge, ought to remind us of our duties to God and man, and teach us, that the time is not far distant, when we must take our departure for that undiscovered country, from whose bourne, no traveller returns.

How careful, therefore, ought we to be, not to disappoint the wise design of this mysterious secrecy, nor pervert that, which is meant to keep us perpetually on our guard, into a source of fatal security; for the day most assuredly will come, (whether sooner or later, is of little importance,) when we all must be numbered with those, who have been.

May we all, therefore, endeavour to live daily, as we shall fervently wish we had lived, when that awful moment shall overtake us, in which our souls shall be required of us. May we study to act in such a manner, that our practice may prove the best comment on the principles of our craft, and thereby teach the world, that charity and brotherly love, integrity of heart, and purity of manners, are not less the characteristics of masonry, than of religion. Then may we piously hope, that when a period, even still more awful than the hour of our dissolution shall arrive, when the last trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible; when our scattered· atoms shall be collected, and we shall all appear in the presence of the Lord God Omni

potent, "the High and Holy One, who inhabiteth eternity," that our transgressions will be mercifully forgiven, and that the GRAND ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE will be graciously pleased to give us rest from all our labours, by an admission into the celestial fraternity of angels, and of the spirits of just men made perfect. Amen, so mote it be.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Of the Apparel and Jewels of Masons.

MASONS, as one of their first principles, profess INNOCENCE. They put on white apparel as an emblem of that character, which speaks purity of soul, and a determination on their part, that their demeanour through life shall be such, as to give no just cause of offence to their neighbours.

Whilst the white apron, with which we are elothed, indicates a disposition of INNOCENCE, and belies not the wearer's heart, let the ignorant deride. Superior to their ridicule and malice, we will enfold ourselves in the garb of integrity, and shielded by a self-approving conscience, stand unmoved against the persecution of all our opponents.

The raiment, which truly implies the innocence of the heart is, as has been before observed, a badge more honourable than ever

was devised by kings; the Roman eagle, with all the orders of knighthood, are far inferior. They may be prostituted by the caprice of princes, but innocence is innate and cannot be adopted

To be a true mason, is to possess this principle; or the apparel which he wears is an infamy, and only points him out as an object of shame and contempt. That innocence should be the professed principle of a mason, occasions no astonishment, when we consider, that the discovery of the Deity leads us to the knowledge of those maxims, by which he may be well pleased. The very idea of a Gop, is succeeded by the belief, that he can approve of nothing which is evil; and when our predecessors first professed themselves servants of the Architect of the world, as an indispensable duty, they professed innocence, and put on white raiment as a type and characteristic of their conviction, and of their being devoted to his will.

Every degree of sin strikes the rational mind with some feelings of self-condemnation. Under such conviction, who could call upon or claim the presence of a Divinity, whose demonstration is good works? Hence, men are naturally led to conceive, that such a Divinity will only accept of works of righteousness. Zealous for the approbation of heaven, the first servants of God bound themselves to maxims of purity and virtue; and as MASONS, we, regarding the principles of those, who were the first worshippers of the true

God, should imitate their apparel, and assume the badge of innocence.

Our JEWELS or ornaments imply, that we should try our affections by justice, and our actions by truth, as the square tries the workmanship of the mechanic; that we regard our moral state, whether it be opulent or indigent, as being of one nature in the beginning, and of one rank in its close. In sensations, passions and pleasures; in infirmities, diseases and wants, all mankind are on a parallel. NATURE has given us no superiority; nor can it be derived from any other source, except from WISDOM and VIRTUE. From such maxims, we make estimates of our brother, when his calamities call for our counsel or our aid. The works of CHARITY are from sympathetic feelings, and BENEVOLENCE acts upon the level. The emblem of these sentiments is another of the jewels of our society.

To walk uprightly before God and men, neither inclining to the right, nor to the left, is the duty of a MASON. He is neither to be an enthusiast, nor a persecutor in regard to religion; nor is he to bend towards innovation or infidelity. In civil government, he is to be firm in his allegiance, yet steadfast in defence of our laws, liberties and constitution. In private life, he is to yield up every selfish propensity, and to incline neither to avarice, nor injustice; to malice, nor revenge; to envy, nor contempt with mankind; but as the builder raises his column by the plane and