for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink. Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted" (Prov. xxxi. 1-5). This last passage indicates one of the relations of the virtue of temperance to the virtue of justice. A man who is in any measure affected by excess in wine or other strong drink, cannot exercise the duties of a ruler or a judge. His mind is not in a state to form a fair estimate of things, to decide upon the value of evidence, or to determine the amount of penalty due to a particular offence. Nor does a man addicted to such excess act justly in his domestic relations, -for example, towards his wife and children. He is far from discharging his duties towards them. They suffer by his injustice, in which also there is much heartless cruelty. He does not make the income which he might: he spends on his own base sensual indulgence a large proportion of what he makes. His family are clothed in rags and dwell in a miserable habitation, when they might enjoy every comfort. His children grow up uneducated, or very imperfectly educated, and they lack a father's proper care. Even if he is in circumstances of affluence, his vice prevents the discharge of the duties of domestic life.

The word "temperance" is so often used in relation to the abuse of alcoholic liquors, that many are unconsciously led to a very false notion of its meaning, limiting it to this alone, and supposing that every one is entitled to be called temperate who keeps free from intoxication,-abstaining altogether from intoxicating beverages, or using them only in moderation. Of course, it needs but a moment's reflection to make it apparent that intoxication by opium, or by any other narcotic, is as much an act of intemperance as intoxication by alcoholic liquor. Intoxication, however, is far from being the only vice to which temperance is opposed, and a man may be perfectly innocent of it, and yet be far from deserving to be regarded as really a temperate man, far from practising the virtue of temperance. Temperance is the due restraint of all our appetites and passions; and only when it is thus considered, is the great excellence of

the virtue perceived. Excess in intoxicants of any kind is of course incompatible with such restraint, and renders it impossible. But temperance is as much opposed to gluttony as it is to drunkenness, and as much opposed to unchastity as to either of them. A man may completely abstain from intoxicating beverages, and yet indulge in the other pleasures of the table to a degree very injurious. to the health of his body, and which unfits him for active exertion of the powers of his mind: and this, when habitual, weakens the mental powers, prevents the due restraint of the passions, and is inconsistent with the cultivation of good dispositions and affections in the heart. Still more, if possible, is unchastity opposed to all that is good. Every act of unchastity debases him who is guilty of it; a life of habitual unchastity cannot but be a life of misery, the momentary sensual indulgence being purchased at the expense of remorse and manifold troubles. What these are-what destruction may be wrought in mind and body, it is unnecessary here to state. But no vice can more surely be ranked amongst those things of which the end is death. The mind, habitually occupied with impure thoughts, is incapable of entertaining those which are good and pure. The man who indulges in them is degraded from his place amongst the creatures of God, and is incapable of engaging in the pure and spiritual worship of his Creator.

It would be easy to quote many texts of Scripture with reference to this subject; but it is unnecessary to do so here. The subject will come before us again in a subsequent part of this work. It may be enough here to mention that they are to be found both in the Old Testament and the New-in the former particularly in the Book of Proverbs.

But temperance includes the restraint of the passions as well as of the appetites. The word is derived from a Latin root, signifying to restrain or moderate, and a man truly temperate in the full and just sense of the term is one who governs all his passions so as to keep them within the bounds of reason and religion. Take for example the passion of anger. Intemperate outbursts of this passion

are alas! very common, and sad results often ensue from them. Even when no immediate and terrible catastrophe takes place, intemperate anger is always hurtful, both to him who gives way to his passion, and utters words or does things which he finds reason afterwards to regret, and to others who are affected by what he says or does. An angry word, hastily and improperly spoken, may inflict a wound which will rankle long. In no relations of life does intemperance in this passion produce worse effects than in those of the family. It mars the happiness of domestic intercourse. If a husband and father is apt to break out into violent fits of passion, his wife and children dread him and are always apprehensive of danger in his presence, instead of looking to him with confidence in his wisdom. and his love. Their respect for him is diminished, if not destroyed. Such a man is apt to inflict punishment upon his children, not only with severity disproportionate to their faults, but even, in his haste, without due inquiry, and when it is undeserved. His parental authority thus fails to be exercised for good, and his children are not trained as they ought to be. A child unjustly punished is seriously wronged, and the injury may affect him for life. He is apt to be made reckless and obstinate, and such a character formed in youth, is not likely to develope into one that is good in manhood. The case is very similar in the relation of master and servant, and indeed in many other relations of life, the evil consequences of intemperate anger being, howmost ever generally greatest in those relations which are the intimate. Anger, it must be observed, is not in itself a sinful passion, although there is perhaps no passion which is more apt to go beyond due bounds and to become sinful by its excess. "Be ye angry, and sin not" says the Apostle, but he immediately adds, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath" (Eph. iv. 26). "Wrath is cruel" says Solomon, "and anger is outrageous" (Prov. xxvii. 4). "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression" (Prov. xxix. 22). "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly" (Prov. xiv. 17). "He that is slow of

wrath is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly " (Prov. xiv. 29). "He that is slow

to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Prov. xvi. 32).

CHAPTER XLVII.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-FORTITUDE.

FORTITUDE is a virtue which especially displays itself in the endurance of the trials of life, from which no one is exempt, although greater and more numerous trials fall to the lot of some than of others. The term by which it is designated in the English language is derived from the Latin word fortis, strong; and it may be described as signifying strength of mind and strength of heart. It implies a steady purpose of mind to maintain a right course, in the midst of all difficulties, dangers, and trials; with a resolution of heart to endure to the utmost all that may be appointed in the providence of God, without swerving from that course, on the one hand or the other, to seek shelter or relief by any unlawful means. The term Fortitude is not employed in our English translation of the Bible, but there are many texts which bear upon this subject, and inculcate or illustrate this virtue. Thus, we read in the Prophecies of Isaiah: "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not " (Isa. xxxv. 4). In the charge given by David to his son Solomon, is this exhortation : "Be thou strong, therefore, and shew thyself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies" (1 Kings ii. 2, 3). Haggai, the Prophet, thus addresses Zerubbabel, and Joshua, the son of Josedech, and the Jewish people: "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts" (Hag. ii. 4). Be strong,'