"AT the initiation of a candidate, you ought to explain to him the nature and advantages of the order, that his mind may be early and agreeably imprest with its great importance. With the different lectures it is your duty to be well acquainted; and you should constantly endeavour to display the beauties, and to illustrate the difficult parts of them in the most agreeable manner. Then will the man of genius and liberal education associate with you, and contribute to your mutual pleasure and improvement.

"YE are connected, my Sons, by sacred ties; I warn you never to weaken, never to be forgetful of them. I have only to add, that I wish you happy.Virtue, my Sons, confers peace of mind here, and happiness in the regions of immortality."

AN ADDRESS

FOR A VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION, TOWARDS INCREASING THE FUND FOR CHARITY, AND ALSO

FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF A COLLECTION TO DISTRESSED BRETHREN.

CHARITY, in the works of moralists, is defined to be the love of our brethren, or a kind of brotherly affection, by which we are to understand that generous principle of the soul, which respects the human species as one family, created by an all-wise Being, and placed on this globe for the mutual assistance of each other; it must be unfeigned, constant, and out of no other design than their happiness: this is the attractive principle, or power, that draws men together and unites them in bodies politic, families, societies, and the various orders and denominations among men. Such are the general sentiments entertained of this virtue, and what the moralists define it to be at this day.

BUT as most of these are partial, contracted, or confined to a particular country, religion, or opinion; our order, on the contrary, is calculated to unite mankind as one family: every individual of which is cemented with the rest, and has a just claim to friendship and regard.

You are taught that the divine Artificer has thus cemented you for the preservation of harmony in that system of things which his unerring wisdom has thought fit to establish that it is not your own immediate en

deavours to which you are indebted for what you enjoy; the diligence by which you have acquired, or the genius by which you have commanded the goods of fortune, were given to you by the Supreme Benevolence; and given not as emoluments to yourselves only, or only to be employed for your own advantage; that he is the common Father of all; that he regards the whole species as his children, nor excludes the meanest from his paternal care; and that his mercies (however partially they may seem to bestowed) are not given for the advantage of a few, but of the whole: if HE, therefore, have dealt more favourable with you than with thousands around you, equally the works of his hands, and who have the same claim to his beneficence, look upon yourselves as the happy agents employed by him for distributing his goodness to others; shew by your love to man, your gratitude to God; be truly thankful, and obey his precepts. "Ye are only the stewards of his unlimited bounty," and are therefore, to look upon every human creature; "whatever has the character of a man, and wears the same image of GOD that you do," as truly your brethren, and having a just claim to your kind

ness,

THE objects of true CHARITY, among Masons, are merit and virtue in distress; persons who are incapable of extricating themselves from misfortunes in the journey through life; industrious men from inevitable accidents and acts of providence fallen into ruin ; widows left survivors of their husbands, by whose labours they subsisted; orphans, in tender years, left naked to the world; and the aged, whose spirits are exhausted, whose arms are unbraced by time, and

thereby rendered unable to procure for themselves that sustenance they could accomplish in their youthful days.

of men.

FOR which purpose, the feelings of the heart ought to direct the hand of Charity, which requires us to be divested of every idea of superiority, and to estimate ourselves as being of the same rank and race In this disposition of mind we may be susceptible of those sentiments which Charity delighteth in; and feel the woes and miseries of others with a genuine and true sympathy of soul; in sincerity and truth, and without dissimulation or hypocrisy, we should be always ready to commiserate distress; our hand ever ready to relieve it, and bind up the hearts which sorrow has broken; and thus experience the exalted happiness of communicating happiness to others.

WHILST free from care, we are enjoying the blessings of providence, we should not forget to raise the drooping spirits, and exhilarate the desponding hearts of our indigent brethren; and whilst we know one worthy brother deprived of the necessaries of life, we ought not to ravel in its superfluities.

THE very key-stone, as it were, of our mystical fabric is Charity. Let us cherish this amiable virtue, let us consider it as the vital principle of the society, the constant rule of our actions, and the just square by which we regulate our dealings with all mankind.— And though pity may plead, in more tender and eloquent terms, for the distresses of a brother; yet let us

be ready to extend the hand of relief, as far as our circumstances will admit, to misfortunes of every kind, wherever they nieet us.

BUT money is not the only thing the unfortunate stand in need of; compassion points out many resources, to those who are not rich, for the relief of the indigent; such as consolation, advice, protection, &c.The distressed often stand in need only of a tongue to make known their complaints; they often want no more than a word which they cannot speak, a reason they are ashamed to give, or entrance at the door of a great man, which they cannot obtain.

THEREFORE whilst you are in plenty, regaling and enjoying the blessings sent you by the beneficent Parent of the universe, you will not be deaf to the pathetic voice of compassion, or divest yourselves of benevolent thoughts and social affections; you will not shut out from your minds the calamities of distressed brethren, to whom a morsel of bread is wanting; nor forget your obligations as men, your obligations as Masons, to relieve them.

WHEN you have afforded the children of misfortune such consolation as prudence directs, you will enjoy the pleasures presented to you with greater relish: -I say, as prudence directs; for you are not under such obligations to liberality that nothing will excuse you from it: Masonry teaches you, that charity must be preceded by justice: and, unless a distressed brother's calamities call for instant assistance, when humanity prompts you to bestow bounties; or when others call