in "Eleusinians of the 19th Century", Krause and Fessler, and of still more recent date O. E. Funkhänel, O. Marbach, and Rud. Seydel are conspicuous: the latter, especially in his work "Discourses on Freemasonry to reflective NonMasons", which was received with well-merited approbation, has shown how the present nature, form, and efficiency of the Fraternity logically arise out of the essential idea of Freemasonry itself. As Freemasonry is not a dogma, but an art, working only upon man's intellectual faculties, it cannot be taught fully in words; by active participation in Freemasonry itself, by social intercourse with its members, must it be learned and tested. Originating from the Fraternity of Operative Masons, the Craft has borrowed its Emblems and Symbols from the Building Corporations, to impart to its members moral truths and the rules of the Royal Art. Speculative Masonry embraces all things fit to build up man in wisdom, strength, and beauty. The object of Freemasonry is not only to inform the minds of its members by instructing them in the sciences and useful arts, but to better their hearts by enforcing the precepts of morality, and to unite men of every nation, of every religion, and of every condition of life for good purposes. The Masonic The imbodiment of this idea, the teacher and proFraternity. pagator of Freemasonry, is the Masonic Fraternity.

"The purest and most perfect exemplification of religious impulse, of goodness, of piety, of holiness", remarks Bro Rudolph Seydel, "cannot be concentrated in a single individual, but only in a Society of individuals, organized on this firm basis, that all its members agree on this one point, viz., that they do not seek their own selfish interests, but the general and spiritual good of the whole, according as it is assigned to each individual to see, apprehend, and demonstrate, that he endeavours to mortify through life all selfish impulses, every thing tending to disunion both in himself and around him, so that the universal and intellectual advantage of all may prevail, and become the fountain whence each derives happiness.

"From this Faternity, then, they are not excluded whose creed is different, but only those whose nature and desires are opposed to this.

"This union of all unions, this association of men, bound together in their struggles to attain all that is noble, who desire only what is true and beautiful, who love and practise virtue for its own sake this is Masonry. It is the most comprehensive of all humam confederacies, the outward circle enclosing and concentrating all smaller ones within its precincts, and therefore the purest and sublimest form of human association, there being really no other moral and religious union which, like this, is based on the purity and genuineness of the divine instinct within us. which is the groundwork in the character of all good men. Therefore is Freemasonry the most perfect representation of the inward wrestling for the reunion of the scattered sparks of divine light, for the reconciliation between God. and his creatures, between man and his fellow-man; and therein, too, lies its historical and intellectual title to be called into existence. Here do we find the contradictions between Mankind and the history of the human race reconciled; the virtuous out of the multitude are here gathered as in a Temple, the band of faithful believers, as well as the isolated individual. These contradictions however, are by no means permitted to remain quietly in close proximity, but each member forms one of an alliance united for mutual instruction and interchange of thought, for the polishing down of all that is harsh and inharmonious, that in loving fellowship they may approach more nearly to their ideal, until at length all incongruities are reconciled and made to accord in sweet harmony."

The Work of

Life, progress, and activity are better suited

a Mason. to us mortals, than the assertion that the work is complete, that there is no more that we can do. Our Fraternity has not yet reached perfection, but is still developing and extending. The ideal excellence after which it aspires is that condition in which God's will is the will

of all mankind. Moral perfection, as it is the aim of the human race, is also its aim. The Mason for his part must, with hand that is never weary, and an eye that is ever watchful, in close communion with his Brethren, strive to attain this design. Above all, he must begin with himself if he wishes to carry out the moral and intellectual advancement of the human species; he must endeavour to arrive at self-knowledge and incessantly aspire to perfect himself, that the gladdening, blessed, and inspiring principle of love within him may be gradually disencumbered of the fetters of selfishness, sensuousness, and supineness which bind it. Then will his aim be to diffuse' truth, beauty, and goodness around him in his daily life, and to further the welfare of mankind in obedience to God's law, and with no selfish end in view.

The Lodge. The place in which Freemasons assemble to work in common is called a Lodge, and the assembly itself, in which the precepts of Masonry are propounded and mutually practised, bears the same name. Men having but one purpose have found themselves in one Lodge, longing to reach the highest and best this earth has to offer. All that has been acquired in their mental struggles with much toil and labour, may here in the Lodge be very appropriately deposited and presented for the profit and delight of each other, to the mutual advantage both of themselves and their Brethren, either by making them aware of their own progress or by placing before them the stirring example of others, so that the words of Schleiermacher may be well applied to the Lodge: “To present a life passed according to the dictates of reason and godliness, is regarded by each member as a study, an art, and therefore engages each one to strive to perfect himself in some one particular. A noble emulation prevails in the Fraternity, and the desire to offer something which may in some degree be worthy of such an assembly, incites each one faithfully and assiduously to appropriate to himself whatever seems to be marked out for him in his

particular sphere. The more ready the members are to communicate their thoughts to each other, the more perfect will be their fellowship. No one member has his knowledge from himself alone, he is at the same time a participator in the knowledge of others."

Thus the Lodge is an active Institution, not merely for the bringing together of faithful friends in a Society modelled according to the perfection of good fellowship, but likewise for the purpose of educating its members for the world, for mankind. In this sense Lodges may be called veritable workshops, in which the members work in order that the type of human nature, in its original purity, of which in the manifold changes and mutilations that humanity is subject to much has been lost, may be restored and revived, first in the narrow circle of the Fraternity, and further perfected when actively working in concert, to be still more widely disseminated and made attainable to all mankind. To this explanation of Freemasonry, we will add a few remarks, touching its relation to Church and State and its outward form.

Freemasonry

The Position of The position Freemasonry assumes towards towards the State, the State is a perfectly friendly one, as one of its fundamental laws prohibits all political discussions. It educates its members to become good citizens, enjoining them to promote the general welfare, and fostering in them conformity to law, and the love of good order. Whatever difference of opinion we may express upon other points (as freedom of conscience is by us accorded to every one), yet herein we all agree, viz., that we patronize the arts and sciences, and demand the practice of the social virtues, faithfully and conscientiously avoiding giving offence to any government whatsoever under which we may assemble peaceably in due form. Therefore it is the interest of every State to favour Freemasonry, as Lessing correctly observes: "Wherever Freemasonry has appeared, it always has been the sign of a healthy, vigorous government, as it is even now the token of a weak and timid one where

it is not sanctioned." This opinion has been confirmed at different periods by competent authorities.

Position of Freemasonry towards the Church.

Freemasonry takes a similar position towards the Church, as it does towards the State. All doctrinal tenets it makes it a rule to leave untouched, keeping aloof from all religious entanglements which the numerous sects have fabricated, esteeming and honouring every form of faith, insisting above all things that its members should display toleration and charity in their daily life. Genuine Masonry has to deal with man as man, and by making its followers good men, it necessarily trains them to be good members of the religious communities to which they belong. The hostile attitude assumed by the Roman Catholic and other Churches towards Freemasonry (wherever it has not been abandoned) is not, nor ever will be a proof of the mischievous tendency of this Institution, but only of unfounded misrepresentations and inventions, and, above all, ignorance of its real nature and influence.

Neither is there any foundation for the often repeated reproach that Freemasonry favours religious indifference. It relies chiefly on connecting mankind with that common link which is the groundwork of all religions; for the only thing it takes into consideration is the inward moral worth of its followers, leaving to each one his own individual opinion.

Thus Freemasonry is neutral ground for all political opinions and religious creeds, and within its Fraternity all political and religious controversies, which so greatly embitter life and set mankind at variance, are happily avoided.

The Organisation A Lodge is formed by the assembling of of the Order. a sufficient number of members (the number is determined by law), who, upon proving satisfactorily that they possess the necessary intellectual capacity and have sufficient means, apply to some properly constituted Grand Lodge, praying it to constitute them a regular Lodge, and to grant them a charter accordingly. The Grand