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(7) It is not antichristian, because its ceremonials teach the dogma of eternal life, the mortality of the body, and the immortality of the soul.

(8) Masonry does not substitute natural religion for Christianity. It requires only that its members shall believe in one ever-living God.

(9) The new temple Masons are building is in the human heart. They try to teach that all men are born equal and free; that truth, justice, and virtue should characterise the action of every brother. They impress their candidates with the importance of being charitable-charitable in the sense taught by the Great Teacher of mankind. (10) It is well known that the higher degrees of Freemasonry are founded upon Christianity.

(11) Freemasonry has never plotted against the rights of religious liberty, while the Roman Church does.

The Pope excommunicates Freemasonry because it is a secret society working against constituted authority. Every member of such a society, we are told, lies ipso facto under the ban of excommunication, whether he has been excommunicated by name or not. If a Freemason is thus excommunicate, then so is a Jesuit. The Jesuit lies under the same ban. He belongs to what is the greatest secret society in the world. Every member of it is pledged to unreasoning obedience and profoundest secrecy. That it has worked against constituted authority we have the witness of every European State, nay, of the Sovereign Pontiff himself. If the mere fact of belonging to a secret society, which works against constituted authority, makes a Freemason excommunicate, though he protests against the charge of working against any constituted authority, then how much more must a Jesuit be ipso facto excommunicate, since he admits that his Order works against constituted authority. Logically, there is no escape from the position, if Freemasonry is excommunicate, then so is Jesuitism.

After all, is not the secret of this antagonism of the Vatican against Freemasonry to be founded on the natural antagonism of two rival secret societies? If the Carbonari bos conintios have flourished so in Italy, has it not

been that men have been compelled in self-defence to fight Jesuitism by its own weapon-secret organisation? If the French Freemasons have gone beyond their charter, and mixed in politics, and, alas, erased the Divine Name from. their proceedings, have they not been driven to it by their implacable rival? Instead of forming a new secret society to counteract the secret society of Jesuitism, they took what they had already to hand, and endeavored to fight Jesuitism by Freemasonry. If there are Freemasons acting contrary to the spirit of Freemasonry, then the Jesuits are themselves to blame. While much may therefore be said in extenuation of the attitude of French Freemasonry, yet this deviation from right has not been condoned by Freemasons elsewhere.

We conclude what we have to offer with the following extract from the address of the Grand Master of the State of New York, and the action of the Grand Lodge thereon, which represents the sentiment and action of the Freemasons throughout the world:

While it is assumed that we come with manly purpose to the deliberations of this Grand Lodge, it is also important that we carry from this place to our respective homes such thoughts and influences as shall nobly inspire the brethren whom we represent. A just regard for our own good name and consistent standing in this enlightened community makes the duty of the hour perfectly clear.

Some years ago we severed our connection with the Grand Orient of France, because of their persistent infringement of the jurisdiction of an American Grand Lodge. The matter in issue at that time was purely governmental. Since then strange reports have reached us, from time to time, of departures from the traditions and customs of our Fraternity; until finally the information comes that they now profess to practice a Masonry that ignores the existence of GOD. This raises the question, whether such rite can truthfully be denominated Masonic. In prompt reply to this question, let us from the abundant material at hand take, for example, the familiar symbol of the burning bush, with its impressive story as related in the Old Hebrew Bible. In simplicity of faith, one interprets the record literally; another, differently constituted, sees in it a beautiful metaphor, which the imagination expands to cosmical proportious; and behold the fiery light of the morning sun fills the tree tops on the eastern hills with a flame of glory. Whether the pastoral or cosmical interpretation be adopted, the lesson is the same. In either, there is present to the imagination an impenetrable mystery, and out of that mystery, to the reverential beholder, there comes the voice of GOD.

Turning now from this picture of the early days, and moving without pause along the pathway of man's journey through the ages, let us mingle for a moment in the wonderful activities of the present time. With the geologist, we essay to trace the handwriting of time in the composition of the earth; we penetrate the mass and try to guess the secrets of the 'Old Red Sandstone' and the Granite Rock. We turn our eyes heavenward, and, through the telescope, seek to explore the infinity of stellar space. Through the microscope we prolong the vision in an opposite direction, and strive to comprehend the universe in the molecule. With the spectroscope we analyse the molten contents of the crucible; and determine the component parts of incandescent suns and stars. We speculate upon various theories of light and heat, the correlation of physical forces, and the origin of species. Then we follow the application of science to the arts; we recall the famous boast in the fairy tale, that a girdle should be put around the earth in forty minutes; and lo! in this matter-of-fact age, the telegraph performs the feat in as many seconds.

Finally, we direct our attention to man himself. We apply all the accumulated knowledge of this remarkable age to solve the problem of his life; we mark his mental capacities; we discriminate his intellectual faculties, his social and moral sentiments, and his religious emotions; we note his marvellous achievements in the realms of mind and matter, and follow him through the entire domain of human research. But whether our attention be directed to man or his environments, we still encounter an everpresent, impenetrable mystery; and as in the olden time, so now, out of this mystery, to the devout observer, there comes the voice of GOD. Though the wonderful progress of the past shall be accelerated in the future, man will continue to find disclosures of GOD in nature, GOD in history, and GOD in humanity. Thus it appears that this symbol of the burning bush retains its sublime significance through all the changes of time, through all the vicissitudes of man's earthly experience. When, therefore, the report comes to us that certain parties profess to practice a Masonic rite in which there is no GOD, we unhesitatingly declare that such rite is not Masonic, and to call it so is an utter perversion of terms; for, in the full light of our symbolism, of our traditions, and of our world-wide precepts and charges, we know full well, that no Atheist can be made a Mason, and that no Godless Temple can be erected on the foundation of Ancient Freemasonry. JOSEPH J. COUCH,

To the Grand Lodge of the State of New York:

rand Master.

The Special Committee, to which was referred so much of the Grand Master's Annual Address as refers to our foreign relations, and especially those of the European Grand Lodges, do respectfully report:

That the whole subject-matter is so fully, and yet concisely, stated by the Grand Master that no words which it could employ would add to the force and truthfulness of their exposition. The reports of our Committee on Foreign Correspondence are but an historical summary of the transac tions of the Fraternity during the year preceding, prepared by brethren of

to be entitled to make their individual comments and criticisms upon the events which they thus record. For their opinions this Grand Lodge does not hold itself responsible, except when they are made the subject of distinct and definite resolution upon which this Grand Lodge takes action. If at any time any expression of opinion should be made which might be deemed disrespectful or unkind, the Committee feel confident that it would be promptly disavowed by the Grand Lodge; but our attention has never been called to any such violation of Masonic comity, and especially towards our European brethren, whose customs and usages differ in some respects from ours, and if in allusion to any of them expressions have been made, which may seem to injure their feelings, it has been through error and inadvertence and not through intention of unkindness towards brethren for whom we entertain (with a single exception) sentiments of the most profound fraternal regard and respect. And that exception is the Grand Orient of France, from which we differ on a point so vital, so far-reaching, and so subversive of the teachings and belief of the Fraternity that we ought not, cannot, pass it by unnoticed.

No words of ours can add force to the truthful and thrilling sentences of the Grand Master in his address, and his stern and just reprobation of a belief which not only destroys our first and noblest sentiments, and whose tendency is to sap the foundation of virtue and morality as well as faith. Let us repeat that we ever bear in memory the solemn, golden concluding sentence, 'We know full well that no Atheist can be made a Mason, and that no Godless Temple can be erected on the foundation of Ancient Freemasonry.'

We are, therefore, prepared earnestly to recommend the adoption of the preamble and resolution offered by W. Bro. H. L. STOWELL, of Waverly Lodge, No. 407, referred to this Committee and hereto annexed.

Fraternally submitted,

JOHN L. LEWIS,

STEPHEN H. JOHNSON, Committee.
CHRISTOPHER G. FOX,

WHEREAS, It has come to the knowledge of this Grand Lodge that the Grand Orient of France has caused to be stricken from their Constitution that part of the 'Ancient Landmarks' requiring a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, which action we believe to be contrary to the spirit and teachings of Ancient Freemasonry and destroying one of its most vital principles.

Resolved, That we refuse to recognise as a Freemason any person initiated, passed, or raised in a Lodge where the existence of a Supreme Being is denied or ignored.

Bishop Kingdon on Confirmation.

Confirmation, Continuity from Apostolic Times. I. The Scrip tures. Fredericton: W. T. H. Fenety. 1885.

History of Confirmation. An Address before the Church Congress of 1874. By the Rev. W. JACKSON, M.A. Fredericton: W. T. H. Fenety.

1888.

The Order of Confirmation, According to the Use of the Church of England. Annotated Historically. Fredericton: W. T. H. Fenety. 1885.

Confirmation Types. I. Adam. II. Noah's Dove.

III.

The Tabernacle. IV. The Temple of God. Fredericton:
W. T. H. Fenety. 1886.

The Laying-on of Hands. Fredericton. 1889.

The Seal; or, The Inward Spiritual Grace of Confirmation. By Miss CHARLOTTE M. YONGE. Fredericton: W. T.

H. Fenety.

HE Bishop of New Jersey is credited with the remark,

that the sin of schism has yet to be brought home to the consciences of the people of this land. The first step in schism is the neglect of Confirmation. If our own people deem schism a venial sin, if a sin at all, the blame lies at the door of the great number of our clergy, who in the past made so light of Confirmation. The Scriptural view of Confirmation is, however, spreading, though it is to be feared somewhat slowly. The series of publications enumerated above, are out-and-out the most complete set of tracts yet issued on this most important subject. We consider we cannot do the Church a better service than by calling attention to them.

Two only are reprints. One is a reprint, by permission, of the Address delivered by the Rev. W. Jackson before the English Church Congress of 1874. The list of quotations has been added to, so that every century of our era might testify to the Continuity of Confirmation, and a few questions and answers, to bring out the true teaching on that sacred ordinance, have been appended.