for the orphan children of the Clergy, and many others which have a similar end in view; thus proclaiming the extensive advantages to all orders and descriptions of people, which have resulted from the benignant example of Freemasonry.

Again; our aged brethren who have passed their lives in the practice of masonic principles, and have acquired the approbation of mankind in their several stations; if, in the decline of life, misfortune overtakes them, they are entitled to the provisions of an Asylum, and Annuity Fund, which will afford them the means of subsistence; will contribute to make the closing hours of their pilgrimage a scene of serenity and comfort, and enable them to prepare to meet their God at the approach of that period when the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.

But the influence of masonic charity does not rest here; for one of the fundamental principles of the Order is, "not to halt in the walk of benevolence while anything remains undone." And therefore we have also a fund of Benevolence, from which relief is extended to those whom calamity may have visited; and whose career of usefulness has been clouded by any casual mischance. These donations have, in numerous instances, proved the means of averting ruin, by removing any temporary difficulty which the inadvertence of others may have thrown in the way. The insolvency, for instance, of any person whose dealings have been extensive, may involve many innocent and industrious families in calamity, and in the absence of some friendly aid, may terminate in their utter ruin. In such cases the fund of Benevolence is at hand, and the recommendation of the Officers of a Lodge will produce immediate relief to ward off the danger, and give time for the energies of a worthy man to expand themselves, until he is able, like the Bruce, in ancient Scottish history, to surmount the difficulty, and replace himself in the position from which the unexpected casualty had threatened to remove him.

Such instances redound highly to the credit of the masonic institution, and force a conviction of its utility on the mind, even of the most sceptical casuist. And they do more than this. They extend the benefits of the Order to society in general, by restoring a confidence in

worldly affairs which might otherwise be destroyed; and many families may be benefited by the renewed solvency of one, who, but for the aid thus needfully imparted, would perhaps have been the innocent cause of ruin, or at least mischance to others.

The fund of Benevolence also extends its benefits to the widows of worthy brethren, and enables them, by a timely donation, to wind up satisfactorily the worldly affairs of him they have lost, and to place themselves in some station by which they may provide the necessaries of life for the future. And there are many cases on record where the Grand Lodge has bountifully granted to such interesting objects of benevolence, the sum of £50, or even £100, to avert the evils of poverty and indigence from those who have seen better days, and who consequently are quite unprepared for a sudden change from comparative opulence to absolute want.

Such obvious examples of munificent assistance have stamped Masonry with the seal of universal approbation. Its benefits are known, and its benevolent principles being thus applied to promote the interests of virtue, are estimated by the world as the undoubted emanations of a real love for that benignant religion which teaches Charity and Brotherly Love as the perfection of Faith and Hope. There is no alloy to the pleasure which the dispensation of such benefits produces in the mind; and it may be reflected on at all times, as being well pleasing to the Great Architect of the Universe; because it is an axiom which cannot be refuted, that no life is so acceptable to Him, as that which contributes to the welfare of our fellow creatures.

Here, then, Freemasonry stands unrivalled. No other private institution supports so many charities, or contributes so largely to lighten the evils of life. The great moralist says, "man is a transitory being, and his designs. must partake of the imperfections of their author. To confer duration is not always in our power. We must snatch the present moment and employ it well, without too much solicitude for the future, and content ourselves with reflecting that our part is performed. He that waits for an opportunity to do much at once, may breathe out his life in idle wishes, and regret, in the last hour, his useless intentions and barren zeal."

The stream of masonic charity is constant and neverfailing. Every class contributes to the fund, and every class derives some benefit from its application. The rich are amply repaid in the satisfaction of mind which it produces; and the poor have their reward at times of the most pressing need. Cast thy bread upon the waters, and it will return to thee in many days.

The distinguishing feature in the distribution of our benevolence is that the instances of it are known to very few, even of our own body, and are never proclaimed to the world. Our alms may be truly said to be done in private, as were those of the secret chamber of the Jews, where money was privately contributed for the relief of the poor. There were two chambers in the sanctuary: one of which, called "the chamber of Secrets," was the place where pious persons deposited their charities for the maintenance of poor children. The Jews appear to have entertained a very high opinion of the merit of private charities. R. Jannai, seeing a certain person give a piece of money to a poor man, told him that it would have been much better to have given him nothing than to have done it so publicly. And our Saviour Christ mentions benevolence before prayer; intimating that it would be well to precede all supplications to God by the practice of charity to man.

It must not be supposed that Freemasonry confines its charities solely to its own body; for, it was justly represented in the Morning Herald some years ago, that the sum of £3000, contributed in India, principally amongst the Freemasons, had been placed in the Bank of Ireland, to the credit of the Mansion House Committee, for the relief of the destitute poor of that country.

These human institutions of a refined benevolence, which spring from Faith and Hope, are lively indications of that Charity which is divine; the spiritual love of God and our brethren in the flesh. This is the sublime virtue which opens the gates of heaven; symbolized, as we have already seen, by the Rose. And hence Charity or Brotherly Love teaches us to conceal the faults and infirmities of our brethren, or to speak of them under the Rose, and endeavour to reclaim them from vice to virtue and lead them to the practice of Religion, whose ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

If our endeavours to produce this auspicious change in the heart and affections be successful, we shall realize the happiness of the angels of heaven, who are represented as rejoicing over a sinner that repenteth. If he suffer from the pestilential breath of calumny and defamation, Charity incites us to undertake his vindication, and restore his good name. Are we injured, we must forgive; if our enemy is placed in our power we must be merciful; for Freemasonry teaches us to "cultivate brotherly love, the foundation and capestone, the cement and glory of our ancient fraternity; to avoid all wrangling and quarrelling, all slander and backbiting; not to permit others to slander any honest brother, but to defend his character and do him all good offices, as far as is consistent with our honour and safety."

Charity envieth not-we must not either repine at the good fortune of our brother, or rejoice at his calamities; for Freemasonry teaches us to let "the hand and the heart unite in promoting his welfare, both temporal and spiritual, and rejoicing in his prosperity." Charity thinketh no evil-we must not put a bad construction on our brother's words, because it is impossible for us to know the motives by which he is actuated. And in nine cases out of ten, if we presume to judge him by the standard of our own feelings, we shall be guilty of passing an unmerited sentence upon him, and perhaps also upon ourselves. On the contrary, it is our duty, as Masons, to follow the advice contained in the First Great Light: "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."

Freemasonry teaches us further, in the exercise of this universal Charity, to "respect a genuine brother, and if he is in want to relieve him, or direct him how he may be relieved. We must employ him in some good work, or else recommend him to be so employed. But we are not charged to do beyond our ability; only to prefer a poor brother that is a good man and true, before any other poor people in the same circumstances.' This state of perfection the heathen could neither

8 Matt. v., 44.

'Ancient Charges, vi.

understand nor acquire. It is true they pretended that their mysteries would restore the soul to its primitive purity, and release it from those shackles by which it is restricted in its worldly tabernacle; that initiation is the precursor of a happy life here, and an introduction to Elysium hereafter, by the communication of divine knowledge, and a spiritual regeneration. To attain which the neophyte underwent four proofs of purification by the elements. The earth represented the darkness of the profane; water or baptism was the emblem of exterior regeneration, by triumphing over temptations; air designated divine truth, enlightening the understanding of the candidate, as fire, or the Supreme Being opened his heart to love divine. The symbolic proofs were purely exterior; they figured the four material spheres through which he must pass before attaining the three heavens represented on earth by the three degrees of initiation, which confer a spiritual regeneration. And when he had passed to the highest degree, he was introduced to an illuminated apartment, the type of Elysium, where, as Apuleius expresses it, having arrived at the gate of death, and seen the dreary abode of Proserpine, he was relieved by passing through the elements, and beheld at midnight the sun shining with meridian splendour. And more than this, Plato tells us that the regenerated candidate saw celestial beauty in all its dazzling radiance, and joining in the blessed anthem, he was admitted to the beatific vision of heaven, and pronounced perfect. The candidate was then dismissed with a formula which enjoined him to "Watch and abstain from evil.”

10

The above was nothing more than a senseless and incomprehensible hypothesis. The heathen philosophers -even the very best of them-while they exercised their disciples with lessons of virtue, practised in secret every revolting vice. The same cannot be justly predicated of Freemasons; who, to their pure precepts, add a corresponding purity of practice; and having thus passed through the Gates of Faith, Hope, and Charity, are admitted into the Grand Lodge above, where Charity constitutes the great bond of perfection and happiness.

10 Weale's Architecture, part v., p. 4.