of their own self-judgment, to force their way into the Sanctum of that which ought only to be obtained by the verdict given by the judgment of others?

Brethren; I would detain you but a few moments longer. I could indeed dwell upon many many points which crowd upon me; for my mind and heart are full of them; but I refrain. I leave you to meditate upon the general results to yourselves personally, of our brotherhood; upon some few my desire as well as my duty upon the present occasion leads me to offer brief remarks. We claim many brethren who rejoice in rank and affluence; but there are thousands who range under our banners in every part of the world of every creed, colour, and nation, who need and seek and enjoy our benevolence. As to this point I could picture the sudden calamities which strike down the most prosperous, which bring low the firmest frame, and make agonized and powerless the most confident amongst us-and to these alleviated and made endurable:—I could speak of the bed of sickness cheered, of the relief given to console the dear companion of your life's affection, or the education promised to the feeble children of your love I could speak of the asylum for old age, and the comfortings of the times when years have bowed down the strong :-and above all I could tell of the hour when it may so please the Almighty Ruler of man's existence, that the couch of malady shall be the couch of death :-yes! Brethren of the humbler grade, it is well for you then that the agony of parting vitality, when your mind ought to be able to meditate upon higher matters, be not increased by the cares and harassings of worldly thoughts :

yes! it is something arising from our brotherhood, that even then you may pass from life to be laid in your humble graves decently and in order, with this satisfaction at least, that they who survive will not be uncared for-that widow's tears and the orphan's wail will not be unnoticed and unheard-that they, who have quite enough to weep over in that they have lost a friend, will not have also to lament that that friend's loss has entailed worldly ruin and desolation in addition to mental regrets and the stricken heart's sharp misery!

Brethren! doubly brethren! I have to call you, and I do call you to aid in these matters. And surely there can be no hesitation. From this holy temple you will pass to the banquet board. Do you think that the festivity will be less cheerful because you have put your best efforts into the offertory in God's house, for the purpose of soothing the widow's grief, comforting the aged one's withered years, and brightening the orphan's desolation? Brethren, you will not-you dare not pass away with clutched hands. cold to brotherly feeling-you dare not soil the festive board with revelry at the expense of the brokenhearted who call upon you! But I have done.

Brethren Pass hence from this holy place, not only with the name of GOD as a sign, but with the word of God as a rule and guide;-not only with the mystic developments of a Triune Lord to exercise your intellectual investigations, but with the full faith in a Creater, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, filling your souls! Pass on and again go and mingle with the world. Should you be tempted for your secret,— remember your obligation; should you be taunted

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for your order,-point to your conduct as illustrating its excellency; should you be asked for its fruits,— shew them by your loyalty, gentleness, peaceableness, long-suffering, mutual love, temperance, charity !— And believe me, I say no rash thing, I urge no hard thing, when I bid you make your peculiar privileges subservient to the setting forth GoD's glory,-and your peculiar knowledge assistant to the acquisition of that only true and real knowledge which points to the great High Priest of the Universe,—the very atonement and satisfaction for the sins of the eternal Israel, the high Master who alone can raise us, not from figurative, but from absolute death and the tomb of transgression, JESUS CHRIST the Saviour of the world, and also to the holy Comforter and sanctifying Spirit, which at the birth of the Universe "moved upon the face of the waters," and which alone can guide us "into all truth."

Brethren Now join with me in adopting the words of Solomon.* "Lord God of Israel, there is no God like Thee, in heaven above or in the earth beneath, who keepest covenant with thy servants that walk before Thee with all their heart:" "Hear Thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men) that" we "may fear Thee all the days that" we "live in the land which Thou gavest unto our Fathers," "Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and maintain our cause.' "The Lord our GOD be with us, as He was with our fathers: let

1 Kings xlii. 23, &c.

Him not leave us nor forsake us: That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgements; "-"That He maintain the cause of his servants: ""That all the people of the earth may know that He is GOD and that there is none else!"

Brethren! "The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you! The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace, now and for ever! "-Amen!

• Numbers vi. 24, et seq.

Bro. R. Spencer, Printer, 314, High Holborn.