men.

These are the words. WHATSOEVER YOU WOULD THAT MEN SHOULD DO UNTO YOU, DO YE ALSO UNTO THEM.

This may be illustrated by a passage from the "Stray Leaves" of a Suffolk Rector. Speaking of an old soldier, whose latter years were spent in difficulties, he says: "Here was a man who unquestionably had spent the prime of his life in his country's service. He had carried her standard and had fought her battles. His blood had flowed freely in her cause. His adherence to her interests had cost him dear. Wounds, which neither skill nor time could heal, disabled him from exertion, and rendered life a burden. To acute bodily suffering positive privation was added. Who relieved him? His country? No. She left him to perish on a niggardly pension. Who succoured him? The great Duke, whose debt to the private soldier was so apparent and overwhelming? No. Who, then, aided the wounded and sinking soldier in his extremity? THE BROTHERHOOD-a secret band, if you will, but active-which requires no other recommendation, save desert, and no other stimulus than sorrow. And yet, how little is it understood, and how strangely misrepresented."

If a brother, however, should grievously sin against the rules of the Institution or Society with which he is identified, we have another rule of conduct which is worthy of notice. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the assembly; but if he neglect to hear the assembly, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. In the Book of Constitutions, (Private Lodges,) we find it provided, that if any brother behave in such a way as to disturb the harmony of the Lodge, he shall be thrice formally admonished by the Master; and if he persist in his irregular conduct, he shall be punished according to the Bye-Laws of that particular Lodge; or the case may be reported to higher

Matt. xviii., 15-17.

masonic authority; but no Lodge shall exclude any member without giving him due notice of the charge preferred against him, and of the time appointed for its consideration. The proceedings against him are thus conducted with great caution and secresy. The erring brother must be privately admonished by the Master thrice. Some of these admonitions, it is hoped, may save him from exposure. If the two first should unhappily fail of their effect, the third is generally given in the presence of two or three confidential friends and brothers, as witnesses of the fact, and sometimes before the Lodge; and if this should also be disregarded, still mercy prevails-he is furnished with a further opportunity of repentance and amendment of life. The case may be referred to the P. G. Lodge, or the Board of General Purposes; and if he persist in his contumacy, he is punished by fine, suspension, or, in extreme cases, by expulsion. In the language above cited, he becomes, in our estimation, as an heathen man and a publican.

The Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts contains the following very judicious regulation on this subject: "The accusation shall be made in writing, under the signature of a Master Mason, and given in charge to the Secretary of the Lodge; who, under the direction of the Master, shall serve, or cause the accused to be served with, an attested copy of the charges, fourteen days at least previously to the time appointed for their examination, provided the residence of the accused shall be known, and shall be within the distance of fifty miles of the place where the Lodge having the matter in hand is located. If the residence of the accused be at a greater distance than fifty miles, then, and in that case, a summons to appear and show cause, forwarded to him by the mail or other conveyance, twenty days at least before the time of trial, shall be considered sufficient service. If his residence be out of the State, and unknown, the Lodge may proceed to examine the charges ex parte; but if known, a summons shall be sent to him by mail, or otherwise, sixty days at least before the time appointed for the examination; which shall be had in a Lodge specially notified and convened for the purpose, at which no visitors shall be admitted, except as counsel or witnesses. The accused may select any brother for his coun

sel, and witnesses shall testify, if masons, on their honour, as such. Hearsay evidence shall be excluded. The question-Is the accused guilty or not guilty? shall be put to each member of the Lodge, by name, commencing with the youngest. The answer shall be given standing, and in a distinct and audible manner, which shall be recorded by the Secretary. If the verdict be suspension or expulsion, an attested copy of the proceedings shall be sent up at the ensuing meeting of this Grand Lodge for examination and final action."

Again, the secresy of Freemasons is an effectual antidote to slander and defamation. These are vices of the most baleful kind, because they injure the credit of him who is the subject of false report, without benefiting the slanderer. Defamation is a crime of the blackest dye; it is founded in malice, propagated in hatred, and becomes the mischievous author of suspicion, envy, and all uncharitableness. Amongst numerous bodies of men, it must necessarily happen that characters will occasionally be found, how strictly soever the institutions of a society may guard against their introduction, who are base enough to pass unmerited censures on their brethren, even at the risk of sullying their own reputation; and the usual consequences will follow, if great care is not taken to crush this mischievous propensity in its bud, and check the rising evil before any fatal results are accomplished.

If not-if through favour, or fear, or timidity, or any other improper feeling in a Master of a Lodge, the necessary precautions are not adopted-if the enjoined admonitions be deferred from time to time, or postponed ad infinitum, he will soon find his Lodge in a state of insubordination and misrule, which will be highly discreditable to himself, and inflict a great portion of evil on the community which he governs.

And more than this; society will suffer from the bad example thus exhibited; for the disorders of a Lodge, like those of a city built upon a hill, cannot be concealed; and the most disastrous effects may possibly ensue from the misconduct of a member, augmented and strengthened by the discreditable connivance of the Master, whose duty it was to discountenance every attempt to violate the institutes of Masonry, amongst which the

recommendations to avoid slander occupy a prominent situation. For what good can be expected to arise out of whisperings, backbitings, debates, strife, variance, emulations, anger, and evil speaking? A high authority proclaims that if any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

It was an excellent regulation of our own Grand Lodge in the last century, that when any brother was proposed to join a Lodge, or any candidate to be initiated, and it should appear upon casting up the ballot, that he was rejected; it was absolutely forbidden that any member or visiting brother should discover, by any means whatsoever, who those members were that opposed his election, under the penalty of such member being forever expelled from the Lodge, and if a visiting brother, of his being never more admitted as a visitor, or allowed to become a member; and immediately after a negative passes on any persons being proposed, the Master shall cause this law to be read, that no brother present may plead ignorance.

This law ought to be revived, for a talebearer is unworthy of a place amongst honest men. He is a despicable character, and ought to be avoided. He enters a Lodge-listens to everything that is said, and reports it abroad with numerous exaggerations, and generally under a pretended seal of secresy-as if those on whom he obtrudes his information care anything about his injunctions not to repeat the calumny. The slander spreads far and wide, and, like a secret poison, becomes incurable before the injured person knows anything about it. This, therefore, may justly be accounted one of the most cruel wounds inflicted by a tongue of evil report; for it undermines society, and frequently robs families of their peace, and innocent persons of their good name. It separateth chief friends; and, therefore, a tongue that is given to this wicked practice, may be properly said to be set on fire of hell.

For instance, a neighbour has acted indiscreetly. The story is conveyed from ear to ear. It is carried from house to house. It is the topic of every circle. The evil-speaker hears the tale with rapture, and with rapture relates it. He enlarges upon the enormity of the

crime; he lashes it with severity; he loads the actor of it with the harshest epithets with which the language is able to supply him. Is he ashamed of his want of lenity and mercy? Does he blush before his conscience when he retires into himself, and looks to the heap of stones, and hard ones, too, which he has thrown? When he sinks upon his pillow, will the recollection of the words that have gone from him allow him to sleep? His sleep is as sound as yours. He flatters himself that he is actuated solely by a virtuous abhorrence of iniquity.5

Let every Master of a Lodge, therefore, when he hears an unfavourable report of any individual brother, which he has reason to think false or exaggerated, consider himself as an injured party, and bound by the duties of his office to do justice to a calumniated friend, who may, perhaps, be unconscious that his reputation has been assailed.

It would be easy to proceed much further in illustration of the poetry and philosophy of Freemasonry, but it will be unnecessary, as enough has been already said to show the nature of its working, and the effect which such a system is sure to produce upon a great majority of the members. And if carried into general practice, cannot fail to insure the most beneficial results to society, by the admixture of even that small portion who have received the benefit of masonic instruction; because it is the sentence of one wiser than man, that "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

The superficial mode which is at present used by many of our country brethren of conducting a lodge, is totally inefficient. And it can scarcely be otherwise, when only two or three hours in every month are devoted to the purposes of Masonry; and out of which, the routine business of management-the propositions, ballotting, initiations, passings, raisings, and desultory motions, occupy so much time, that little remains for the purpose of pursuing the studies necessary to a complete knowledge of the science. At best, the Lodge Lectures are too circumscribed for a course of general instruction; and yet they are quite as explanatory as

"Fawcett's Sermons at the Old Jewry, vol. 1., ser. 9.