The grand master then addresses the officers and mem bers of the new lodge as follows:

CHARGE UPON THE INSTALLATION OF THE OFFICERS OF A LODGE.

* WORSHIPFUL MASTER,

"The grand lodge having committed to your care the superintendance and government of the brethren who are to compose this new lodge, you cannot be insensible of the obligations which devolve on you, as their head; norof your responsibility for the faithful discharge of the important duties annexed to your appointment.

"The honour, reputation and usefulness of your lodge. will materially depend on the skill and assiduity with which you manage its concerns; whilst the happiness of its members will be generally promoted, in proportion to the zeal and ability with which you propagate the genuine principles of our institution.

"For a pattern of imitation, consider the great luminary of nature, which, rising in the East, regularly diffuses light and lustre to all within its circle. In like manner it is your province to spread and communicate light and instruction to the brethren of your lodge. Forcibly impress upon them the dignity and high importance of masonry; and seriously admonish them never to disgrace it. Charge them to practice out of the lodge, those duties which they have been taught in it; and by amiable, discreet and virtuous conduct, to convince mankind of the goodness of the institution: So that when any one is said to be a member of it, the world may know that he is one to whom the burthened heart may pour out its sorrows; to whom distress may prefer its suit; whose hand is guided by justice, and his heart expanded by benevolence, In short, by a diligent observance of the by-laws of your lodge, the constitutions of masonry, and above all, the Holy Scriptures, which are given as a rule and guide to your faith, you wil be enabled to acquit yourself with honour and reputation, and lay up a crown of rejoicing which shall continue when time shall be no more.

BROTHER SENIOR AND JUNIOR WARDENS,

"You are too well acquainted with the principles of masonry, to warrant any distrust that you will be found wanting in the discharge of your respective duties. Suffice it to mention, that what you have seen praiseworthy in others, you should carefully imitate; and what in them may have appeared defective, you should in yourselves amend. You should be examples of good order and regularity; for it is only by a due regard to the laws in your own conduct, that you can expect obedience to them from others. You are assiduously to assist the master in the discharge of his trust; diffusing light and imparting knowledge to all whom he shall place under your care. In the absence of the master you will succeed to higher duties; your acquirements must therefore be such, as that the craft may never suffer for want of proper instruction. From the spirit which you have hitherto evinced, I entertain no doubt that your future conduct will be such, as to merit the applause of your brethren, and the testimony of a good conscience.

BRETHREN OF LODGE,

"Such is the nature of our constitution, that as some must of necessity rule and teach, so others must of course learn to submit and obey. Humility in both is an essential duty. The officers who are appointed to govern your lodge, are sufficiently conversant with the rules of propriety and the laws of the institution, to avoid exceeding the powers with which they are entrusted; and you are of too generous dispositions to envy their preferment. I therefore trust that you will have but one aim, to please each other, and unite in the grand design of being happy, and communicating happiness.

"Finally, my brethren, as this association has been formed and perfected in so much unanimity and concord, in which we greatly rejoice, so may it long continue. May you long enjoy every satisfaction and delight, which disinterested friendship can afford. May kindness and brotherly affection distinguish your conduct as men and as

masons. Within your peaceful walls, may your children's children celebrate with joy and gratitude the transactions of this auspicious solemnity. And may the tenets of our profession be transmitted through your lodge, pure and animpaired, from generation to generation."

The grand marshal then proclaims the new lodge, in the following manner, viz:

"In the name of the most worshipful grand lodge of the state of Kentucky, I proclaim this new lodge, by the Lodge, duly constituted."

name of

This proclamation being thrice made, the lodge is closed with the usual solemnities.

CHAPTER V.

GENERAL REGULATIONS AND PREREQUISITES FOR CAN

DIDATES.

WHOSOEVER from love of knowledge, interest or curiosity, desires to be a mason, is to know that, as his foundation and great corner stone, he is to believe firmly in the eternal God, and to pay that worship which is due to him, as the great Architect and Governor of the uniA mason is also obliged by his tenure to observe the moral law, as a true Noachida ;* and if he rightly understands the royal art, he cannot tread in the irreligious paths of the unhappy libertine, or stupid atheist ; nor, in any case, act against the great inward light of his own conscience.

verse.

He will likewise shun the gross errors of bigotry and superstition; making a dúe use of his own reason, according to that liberty wherewith a mason is made free. For

*Sons of Noah, the first name for Free Masons.

although in ancient times, the Christian Masons were charged to comply with the christian usages of the countries where they sojourned or worked, (being found in all nations, and of divers religions and persuasions ;) yet it is now thought most expedient, that the brethren in general, should only be charged to adhere to the essentials of religion, in which all men agree; leaving each brother to his own private judgment, as to particular modes and forms, Whence it follows, that all masons are to be good men and true-men of honour and honesty, by whatever religious names or persuasions distinguished; always following that golden precept, of "doing unto all men as (upon a change of conditions) they would that all men should do

unto them."

Thus, since masons, by their tenure, must agree in the three great articles of Noah, masonry becomes the centre of union among the brethren, and the happy means of conciliating and cementing into one body, those who might otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance; thereby strengthening the divine obligations of religion and love.

Thus far hath been spoken of the internal qualities and virtues required in all who aspire to the sublime honour and advantage of becoming free and accepted masons. We speak next of the external qualities, and the steps to be pursued, in order to obtain initiation and admission into a duly warranted lodge of ancient York Masons.

Be it known to you then in the first place, that no person is capable of becoming a member of such lodge, unless in addition to the qualities and virtues mentioned above, or at least a disposition and capacity to seek and acquire them, he is also "free born, of mature and discreet age; of good report; of sufficient natural endowments, and the senses of a man; with an estate, office, trade, occupation, or some visible way of acquiring an hon

est livelihood, and of working in his craft, as becomes the members of this most ancient and honourable fraternity; who ought not only to earn what is sufficient for themselves and families, but likewise something to spare for works of charity, and for supporting the ancient grandeur and dignity of the royal craft. Every person desiring admission, must also be upright in body, not deformed or dismembered at the time of making, but of hale and entire limbs, as a man ought to be."

Thus you see, a strict though private and impartial enquiry, will be made into your character and ability before you can be admitted into any lodge; and by the rules of masonry, no friend who may wish to propose you, can shew you any favour in this respect. But if you have a 'friend who is a mason, and is every way satisfied in these points, his duty is described as follows, viz:

Every person desirous of being made a free mason in any lodge, shall be proposed by a member thereof, whe shall give an account of the candidate's name, age, quality, title, trade, place of residence, description of his person, and other requisites. And it is generally required, that such proposal be also seconded by some one or more members, who likewise know something of the candidate. Such proposal shall also be made in lodge hours,* at least one lodge night before initiation, in order that the brethren may have sufficient time and opportunity to make a strict enquiry into the morals, character, circumstances and connexions of the candidate, for which purpose a special committee is sometimes appointed.

The brother who proposes a candidate, shall at the same time deposit such a sum of money for him, as the

* That is, from March 25th to September 25th, between the hours of seven and ten; and from September 25th to March 25th, between the hours of six and nine.