4. The Serpent.-This represents "the brazen serpent erected by Moses, according to God's direction, to heal the Israelites when bitten by the fiery serpents sent among them to chastise them for their sins." The New Testament makes the brazen serpent emblematical of the crucifixion of Christ, for the healing of the sins of mankind. The serpent is an oriental emblem of wisdom, as the dove is of innocence; and with the tail held in its mouth, forming a circle, it was used by the Egyptians and other ancients to represent eternity.

NOTE. The method of proving a brother, or of being proved, taught in this degree, should be carefully remembered as of the highest importance in guarding against imposition. We would re commend those who have just received this degree, to go over it repeatedly with some well-instructed brother whom they know to be in possession of it

§ 5. Concluding Remarks.

The three degrees received, have put you in possession of peculiar means for conferring and receiving benefits for and from your brethren in the Order, even when they are utter strangers to you, and you to them. But forget not that every privilege has attached to it a corresponding obligation resting on you to make it a privilege to your brother also, when he requires it. If he is bound to give you timely warning of danger, to caution you against your own imprudence or the evil designs of others, or to risk his property, life, or reputation in a lawful effort to rescue yours; you are no less bound to him, to render like offices in the day of trial, need, and peril. That demand may never be made; but when made, may it not find you faithless to obliga tion and recreant to duty!

The less trying but equally important and more fre quently needed duties of ministering to the sick and needy, have thus far been faithfully fulfilled by our brotherhood generally; indeed, so far as my information extends, I might say, universally. The dreaded cholera, small-pox, ship-fever, and other malignant diseases, whose terrors have turned hearts to stone, and paralyzed even the domestic affections, have been met with calm resolve by numerous Odd-Fellows in various sections; and stranger-brethren, deserted by conductors of public conveyances, have been housed, and tended with care, rescued from inhumanity and disease, and restored to their families and friends, when, had it not been for our noble institution, they must have miserably perished by the wayside, and been hurried to unnoted graves!

Nor have the still more frequent duties-fit preparations for these rarer events-attention and aid to the brethren of our own vicinities, been less faithfully and devotedly performed. Thus may it ever be-and more faithfully, more abundantly, as the Order grows in numbers, and increases in means, and extends abroad in the world!

"No altars smoke, no offerings bleed,

No guiltless lives expire;
To help a brother in his need

Is all our rites require.

CHAPTER VI.

OF THE FOURTH, OR REMEMBRANCE DEGREE

§ 1. Object of the Fourth Degree.

1. A BROTHER who has studied well and practised faithfully the principles of the preceding degrees, is prepared and worthy to enter into the obligations of the Degree of Remembrance.

2. All the preceding had reference to the principles of human brotherhood as applied to the members of the Order especially. This degree extends it to universal love that sentiment, that fact which extends beyond and underlies the distinctive ties of nations, communities, parties, sects-to mankind, the great Brotherhood. Every influence that paralyzes goodness, contracts sympathy, limits affection, and generates the exclusiveness which characterizes clannishness, partyism, and selfishness, comes from a disregard of this great principle. Man forgets or overlooks the fact that his fellow-man is a being like himself, and that the interests of each are interwoven with the welfare of all. We would therefore urge our brethren to acquaint themselves with man as man-with man every where. The minor or limited affections for self, for family, for party, for country, are very good, and beautiful, and useful in legitimate operation as they are natural. But they are not the be-all and end-all" of the soul's duty in love. "Every man is the centre of the universe of souls, and the first circle is his own family. It is truly

said that charity begins at home.' All good affections must begin in the centre; but the defect in general practice is, that they do not travel extensively." These inner affections are not inconsistent with the outer, not opposed to the universal. The love of mankind and the citizenship of the world coexist with the most ardent affection for family and fatherland. We should remember, then, that mankind is our family, the earth our country, and the race our nation also. Yea, we should even go further. As all, of every grade, station, and clime, are one with us in nature, and all alike immortal, ours is a family of soul or spirit, and not of mere flesh and blood, and we are citizens of the universe. If men could but be imbued with this fact, so as to act upon it, the lesser affections would not be weakened, but would grow stronger in the strength of the larger; and happier families and more loving nations would banish clashing interests, discordant feelings, hoary prejudices and wrongs from our earth, and make the world a Paradise.

3. Revelation is explicit in making the love of man the prerequisite to even the love of God. "But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" Again, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"†

4. The following beautiful little poem, by Leigh Hunt, also teaches that we must love the visible, before the

* Autobiography of Rev. A. C. Thomas, p. 133

John iii. 17, and iv. 20.