the end of a house, the gavel or gable, running up to a point at the summit, the form in the one case and in the other being somewhat similar. The mallet is sometimes used by Masters of Lodges instead of the gavel.

The sight of the gavel may well remind the Mason of that text of Scripture: "Put off all these-anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth" (Col. iii. 8).

Is it easy to "put off" all these?

He who has

tried can tell. He who has not tried is but the rough ashlar as yet, unprepared for a place in the walls of the spiritual temple. The more outward things it may seem comparatively easy to put off, but it is not so as to those which are more of the heart, "anger, wrath, malice." It is a great attainment, indeed, to be able to quench and subdue these passions in any considerable measure, so that they may not break forth in word or deed, but the true believer, or the good and worthy Mason, is bound to labour continually for the suppression of them even in his heart.

CHAPTER XXXI.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-THE CHISEL.

THE third and last of the working tools now specially appropriated, in speculative masonry, to the Entered Apprentice's Degree, is the Chisel. In the hands of the operative, it is used for giving form and regularity to the rude mass of stone, converting the rough ashlar into smooth ashlar, polishing its surface, and developing that beauty which was hidden in it before. So education polishes and improves the mind, not merely that which the boy receives at school and the youth at college, but that also which goes on continually in a well-regulated family, that of the Lodge, and that which the worthy Mason perseveringly carries on for himself, ever seeking his own intellectual and moral improvement. In polishing by the chisel, the workman comes at last to the completion of his work, the stone is reduced to the utmost perfection of form desired, and is polished to the highest degree possible; but it is not so in that process symbolically represented by the chisel in speculative Masonry. So long as this life endures, further improvement is still possible, and is therefore required. Those who have made greatest progress in this work still see in themselves the need for more, and the eye also becoming always better educated as the work goes on, perceives defects which would be passed unnoticed by the mere beginner. Perfection is not to be attained here, but a nearer and nearer approach to it may daily be made. We must ever seek to be more perfect than we are; and whilst we do so, we are encouraged to rejoice in hope of ultimate perfection, in that Temple of which every stone shall indeed be polished after the similitude of a palace. The

chisel,-as occasionally used for other purposes than those of the ordinary work of operative masonry, may also remind us that the day approaches when the thread of life shall be cut, and when we shall suddenly enter on that other state of being, for which, during the whole time of our abode on earth, we ought to be preparing. And thus may we be admonished to be diligent in all our work, so that it may be approved, and not condemned, by the Great Judge before whom we must stand. But in order to this, it is in the highest degree necessary that a man should clearly perceive and always bear in mind, that the ashlar which it has been given to him to polish, is not polished sufficiently; that he should be aware of its remaining asperities, and be willing, therefore, and anxious to apply the chisel still more. In other words, it is necessary that he should see his own faults, and labour to correct them. The case of that man is very hopeless, who is quite selfsatisfied, confident of the sufficiency of his own attainments, and occupied in admiration of them rather than with regret that they are not far greater. It may be doubted if such a man has really begun the work at all, which the use of the chisel symbolises, and of the importance of which the chisel as a symbol is intended always to put us in mind.

CHAPTER XXXII.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-THE SQUARE.

So

THE working tools of the Fellow-Craft's Degree are the square, the level, and the plumb. The Square is composed of two pieces of wood, joined so as to form an angle of ninety degrees—a right angle; and by it the operative mason tries his work, to see that the angles of a stone are right angles, which is necessary to its fitting its place in a wall, and especially at the corners of a building, giving regularity and symmetry to the whole, as well as ensuring strength. The eye could not judge of these angles with sufficient accuracy, and without their being made exactly as they ought to be, the whole work would be marred. in speculative Masonry the square symbolises the trial of our conduct by the laws of morality. The operative mason rejects the stone which, on trial by the square, is not found to be correctly fashioned, or proceeds to correct its faults and bring it into right shape by further use of the chisel. In like manner, he whose conduct will not bear the trial of the moral law, must seek to amend his life, lest he himself should be condemned in the final day of trial, when the square of the moral law shall be applied by the omniscient and unerring Judge; and when it shall be said, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still" (Rev. xxii. 11). The square teaches us to try ourselves by the Word of God, in which the Moral Law, the law according to which He judges, is perfectly set forth; and by the dictates of reason. and conscience, which that Word has served to enlighten. He who neglects thus to try himself, day by day, cannot be a true and worthy Mason. A man careless and uncir

cumspect in his conduct, cannot be expected to keep a course of exact accordance with the laws of morality; but he who often brings himself to trial, applying the square again and again, can hardly fail to attain good success and to make daily improvement. The more that he does this, the more will he see his need of improvement, the more will he feel the difficulty of his work, and the more will he be led to seek that aid, the necessity of which, and the promise of which, it does not belong to the symbol now before us to teach; but concerning which, as we shall soon see, other Masonic symbols are meant to instruct us; whilst also he will be compelled to acknowledge his need after all of that mercy without which we could have no access to God's favour, and no hope of a happy eternity.