fall, or most likely to fall, before the temptation to which he is exposed. It is better because kinder, whilst pointing out to him his danger, to assume that he himself must be very desirous to escape from it, and to encourage him in his own good purpose of resisting temptation, even when warning him against the impropriety of unnecessarily exposing himself to it. When a fault has been already committed, great tenderness still needs to be manifested; and it is always right-until the words of the erring Brother make it too plain that he has not yet repented of his sin-to treat him as one whom we suppose to be already sincerely sorry, and desirous of turning into a right path, not repeating his offence, nor persevering in an evil course. -Let a case or two be supposed for illustration. A young Brother is, perhaps, seen to have begun to associate with dissolute companions, and to join with them in the pursuit of pleasure. It is very evident that he is in great danger of being led away from the paths of virtue, and a friendly admonition may be of inestimable use in arousing him to a sense of his danger, and so leading him to withdraw from bad company and from scenes of amusement in which there is much temptation to vice. But the admonition will probably be all the more powerful and effectual, if it does not proceed upon the assumption that he has already become a partaker with the vicious in any of their vices. Or if a Brother is known to have entered into a practice of gambling, a warning of the evil of it may be of much use in leading him to relinquish it, and to live according to the law of the Bible and of Freemasonry; but it is most likely to be useful, if in giving it we seem to entertain confidence that he himself desires to cease from doing evil, and in fact treat him as a Brother whom we still respect and love, and whom on that very account we exceedingly regret to see entangled in the meshes of vice, whom also, it would give us great joy to see returning to the right path, and steadfastly walking in it.

Each of us is to watch over his Brethren, not with an eye of jealousy and suspicion, as if constantly apprehending

evil and expecting to discover it; but in a generous and confiding spirit, with all tenderness, and with a great unwillingness to believe any evil concerning a Brother, or to receive an evil report as to his conduct. He who conducts himself thus, will in general find his admonitions gratefully received, and will probably have the joy of knowing that they are useful.

"In many things we offend all," says the Apostle James (James iii. 2). There is no one, not even the best and most worthy Brother, who might not at times be the better for a friendly admonition. If we are required to be ready to admonish, we are no less bound to be ready to receive admonition; and he who, humbly distrustful of himself, is ready to listen gratefully to the faithful words of a friend, is most likely also to be listened to as he wishes, when he utters the words of his own faithful friendship. We are to teach and admonish each other; loving as Brethren, and seeking to be mutually helpful, both giving and receiving help according to the need of others and our own. And the help given by a friendly admonition is often of greater value, more conducive to the happiness of a brother and his family, than even the liberality which supplies food and. clothing to the destitute.

He who truly makes the prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," may be supposed ready to receive admonition thankfully, when it is opportunely and kindly given. The heart that resents it and rebels against it, is generally full of pride and self-confidence, the haughty spirit that goeth before a fall.

The sentiments expressed by David in the words already quoted from the 141st Psalm, "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness," &c., are beautifully illustrated by his own conduct when the Prophet Nathan, sent by God, came to him to reprove him for his sin in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, and also, when towards the close of his life and reign, the Prophet Gad reproved him for the sin into which his pride and vanity had betrayed him, in numbering the people. We have a similar example in

Hezekiah, when he was reproved by Isaiah for his vainglorious display of his treasures to the ambassadors of the king of Babylon, and it was foretold to him that all these treasures would be carried to Babylon; but his reply was, "Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken (2 Kings xx. 19). If it be said, These examples have little value for us, because the men that gave the reproofs were prophets commissioned by God, the reply is ready. The men who received the reproofs saw in their presence only their fellow-men, their subjects too, for they themselves were kings: they acknowledged their divine mission, because they had reason to believe them to be prophets of the Lord, but many of his prophets have been persecuted and slain by unbelieving, wicked kings: they submitted to their reproofs because their own hearts told them that these reproofs were just and right. And ought we not all to consider that he who speaks to us a word in season, even a word of admonition or reproof, is worthy of respect as a divinely commissioned messenger? For, indeed, he holds a divine commission; and we are all divinely commissioned to admonish each other. If the truth is really and kindly spoken in any case, the divine commission is truly executed; and the value of the truth so spoken, only the great day shall declare. There is no case in which it is more difficult to speak wisely and well; but there is also none in which the sayings of Solomon are more applicable-"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Prov. xxv. 11); and "The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools" (Eccles. ix. 17).

"Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured" (Prov. xiii. 18).

"A fool despiseth his father's instruction; but he that heareth reproof is prudent " (Prov. xv. 5).

"The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul; but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding " (Prov. xv. 31, 32).

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-TIME AND THE MOURNER.

MANY Masonic symbols have for their purpose to remind us of the uncertainty of life, the certainty of death, and at the same time of the prospect of a blessed immortality. One of these symbols is that of Time and the Mourner. We see before us a broken column, the memorial of one who has been cut off in youth or in middle age. Beside the urn stands a maiden, weeping; and behind, a figure of Time, as an old man with a scythe in his hand, a long beard, and a long lock of hair on his otherwise bare forehead, his hand catching the dishevelled locks of the mourning maiden. We are thus reminded that even the days of mourning are numbered, and that the mourner must also pass into the grave, like the mourned and beloved. The hands of Time are in the hairs of the youthful mourner. These hairs will become grey; and by and by the scythe will do its office. But on the broken pillar, in presence of the mourner, is an open Bible. In her left hand is an urn, representing her regard for the dead, and her confidence in a blessed resurrection; and this confidence is still more strongly expressed by the branch which she holds aloft in her right hand, a branch of evergreen acacia, the emblem of immortality. The whole symbol teaches us to prepare for death, but at the same time to rejoice in hope, expecting the promised future. It cannot be long till the mourner shall herself be mourned, or even till the last remembrance of the dead shall have passed away; but the prospect of immortality remains, and nothing can deprive it of its excellence. We have it before us from our entrance into life, until we pass into the grave; and it abides there, for the comfort

of those whom we leave behind us; it delivers us from the terrors of death, and enables us to look far beyond it into the regions where death is known no more.

Time, in this symbol, is represented as an old man, and winged. That he appears as an old man, needs no explanation we have only to think for a moment of the long flight of past ages. The scythe in his hand indicates his power over human life; his hand in the hair of the mourning maiden, signifies the certainty that she also will be his victim, dying as he whom she mourns has died. The hour will come for the scythe to strike, and then its stroke will be inevitable. Youth, health, beauty have no power to prevail against it. Of all this we are called to think of all such things as these; but only that we may look beyond them all, to that which the evergreen branch signifies, and to the revelations and promises of that open Bible, outspread upon the broken column. All would be drear and miserable; all would be dark and hopeless; but for the prospects which are opened to us by the revelation contained in that book, and signified by that evergreen branch. But the mourner may firmly hold that branch and wave it: the promise is made and is sure, the promise of eternal life to all that trust in Him who hath died for us that we may live for

ever.

Of all things in this symbol, the most important in many respects is the open Bible, on which the mourning maiden. has her eyes fixed. It is from this, we are taught to consider, that she derives the hope which affords her comfort in her affliction, and which she confidently expresses by holding aloft the evergreen branch. Let us learn, as we are here taught, to look much into the Word of God, that we also may rejoice in hope, looking forward to death as our entrance into the realms of bliss, and thinking of our friends who have already died, as not lost, but gone before. It is only from the Bible that we can learn the certainty of the truths which bring to the heart such hope and joy. Without the Bible, man may reason about immortality, and reason well; the "fond desire," the "longing after immor