The Boys' School Election.

No . 40 , James Hall Oscroft ( Derbyshire ) , No . 41 , Francis Walford Higgison ( Staffordshire ) , and No . 43 , Percy Gibbs ( Hants and Isle of Wight ) ; the latter , No . 25 , Thomas Robert Foord ( Kent ) i No . 28 , Charles Ernest

Haxthausen ( Hants and Isle of Wight ) , No . £ 9 , William Percy Cole ( London ) , No . 33 , Neville Innes Chamberlain ( Bombay ) , and No . 34 , Frank Mnrley Watkins ( London ) . In each of these ten cases—excepting No . 28 , Charles E .

Haxthausen , the father is dead . In the case of No . 28 , the father is living . No reason is assigned for the appeal now made on behalf of his child , but we suppose there are circumstances which render the lad eligible .

There is one point to which we may refer here in regard to the list of candidates we have just reviewed , and it is one upon which a letter has been addressed to us by a correspondent who , we know , is among those who take a

great interest in the Charities . We refer to the number of cases in which the candidates have now , or had , a brother or a sister in $ the Schools . We are of opinion that when tbe laws were altered in 1879 it was intended that only

one member of a family should be eligible for the Institutions , " unless the number of vacancies is in excess of the number of candidates , " but whether this was the case or

not it is very certain that the rule is not so construed . We shall be pleased to insert any letter which may be addressed to us on this subject , as we feel it is one which requires ventilation .

The Antiquity Of Freemasonry.

THE ANTIQUITY OF FREEMASONRY .

ONE great stumbling-block in the way of rational investigation is caused by extravagant expectations , and an unphilosophical demand for a too exact

correspondence between alleged ancient Masonic organizations , and the emblems relating to them , with modern Masonic bodies , their degrees , emblems , verbal rituals , and the modern version of our ancient legends .

Many worthy brothers , among whom are some of much learning , seem to entertain the idea that unless we go to tbe full extent of demonstrating that the ancient Mysteries were identical in all respects with modern Masonry ,

including not only our present ritual and Lodge-work , but also the division and order of the degrees , that our arguments amount to nothing , and afford no proof of the antiquity of our Fraternity .

Nothing less , I fear , would convince this class of investigators than the discovery of the whole ritual oi catechism , beginning at " From whence came you ? " & c . — as authorized by the Grand Lodge of their

Statesculptured in hieroglyphics , or written in Coptic on a roll of papyrus from an Egyptian tomb . Certainly all such expectations are unreasonable and unphilosophical . Rest assured we shall never find any proof that Lodges exactly

like ours , presided over by a Worshipful Master and Wardens , and conferring the Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master ' s degree , existed in ancient Egypt .

Freemaosnry has undergone many modifications since the day of its advent ; yet it has preserved its identity , as well as all of its vital principles and most exalted features in all ages . * * * * *

other considerations . It is quite enough if we are able to discover in ancient times , when polytheism was the dominant state religion in all nations , societies possessed of similar organizations , and , like Freemasonry , teaching the

The antiquity of our Fraternity and its identity are established , not so much by any close correspondence of our present ritual and emblems with those of ancient times ( as some investigators illogically look for ) , as from

two great doctrines of the unity of God , as One Eternal Spiritual Being , and the immortality of the soul of man societies like Masonry , secret in their nature , and possessed of words , signs , and other occult modes of recognition also

of similar but not identical form of initiation , tlie ceremonies of which were founded upon a similar Wend , allegory , myth , the same in substance , and only differiuoas to the name , era , and nationality of its hero—societies

which taught the same truths by similar and in many cases the very same emblems , signs , and symbols . These ihino-s certainl y demonstrate the identity of modern Freemasonry with those

ancient organizations , just as conclusively as the identity of modern Christianity , as a system of religion , with that of the first century or any intermediate time , is

The Antiquity Of Freemasonry.

established by a like train of reasoning and correspondence . If , on the contrary , we confine our attention to the present condition of Freemasonry , as disclosed in the various degrees and " rites " into which it has divided itself , just as

Christianity has split info Catholics and Protestants , and tho latter again into numerous sects—if we regard nothing but the verbal form of onr ritual— it is easy to show that Masonry is not of any very great antiquity . Tbe date and

even the authorship of some parts of our verbal ritual can be and have been traced , but neither tho Chevalier Ramsey nor yet those who met at the famous " Appletree Tavern , "

in 1717 , were the founders and inventors of Freemasonry , any more than Luther and Wesley were the authors of the Christian religion .

If we view Masonry from a rational standpoint , and contemplate its mystic legends and allegories in their substance , without regard to the modern language in which they are now clothed ; if we investigate the meaning

of its ceremonies , without regard to tho specific words now used in conducting them ; if we study the signs , symbols , and emblems , disregarding the erroneous modern explanation given to many of them—the great antiquity of

Masonry is at once apparent . It is now admitted on all sides that all the ancient Mysteries were identical , and had a common origin from those of Egypt , a conclusion which has been reached by the same method of reasoning and

comparison . The legend of Osiris is the parent stock from which all the others came , but in Greece and Asia Minor the name of Osiris disappeared , and those of Dionysus aud Bacchus were substituted , while in the Hebrew-Tyrian

temple legend the name of Hiram is found . The claim , however , that the legend of Hiram is an actual history , descriptive of events which really took place about tho time of the building of King Solomon ' s temple , must be abandoned by the few who still blindly cling to it .

Masonry can no longer hope to stand without criticism in this age of inquiry . There is a spirit abroad which does not hesitate to catch Antiquity by its grey beard , stare into its wrinkled face , and demand upon what

authority , of right , reason , or authentic history , it founds its pretensions . The Masonic tradition cannot hope to escape examination in its turn ; and , when it is examined , it will not stand the test as claiming to be historically true .

If , then , we have no explanation to offer , it must be discarded , and take its place among many other exploded legends of the past . By showing , however , that it is not intended as an actual history , but is really a sublime

allegory of great antiquity , teaching the profoundest truths of astronomy , and inculcating , by an ancient system of types , symbols , and emblems , an exalted code of morals , we at once reply to and disarm all that kind of criticism .

The Masonic Order is thus placed on a loftier plane , and assumes a position which challenges the respect and admiration of both the learned and virtuous ; the learned , because they will thus be enabled to recognize it as the

depository of an ancient system of scientific knowledge ; the virtuous , because the Order also stands revealed to them as having been in past ages the preserver of true worship , and the teacher of morality and brotherly love

It has been the boast of Masonry that its ritual contained great scientific as well as moral truths . While this was plainly the fact as to the moral teachings of our Order , to a large number of our most intelligent brothers the key which

alone could unlock the Masonic treasury of scientific truth appeared to have been lost . We believe that key is at length restored ; for , if the Masonic traditions and legends , with tbe ritual illustrating them , are regarded

as astronomical allegories , the light of scientific truth is at once seen to illuminate and permeate every part . Aud if this explanation is correct , any person who fully understands the meaning and intention of the legends and

ceremonies , symbols and emblems of our Order , is necessarily well informed as to the sciences of astronon ^ and geometry , which form tbe foundation of all tbe others . —Brown ' s Stellar Theology and Masonic Astronomy .

The ceremony of consecration will be rehearsed on Wednesday , th » 22 nd inst ., at the Wanderers' Lodge of Instruction , Victoria Mansions Restaurant , Vicloria-street , Westminster , S . W ., by Bro . James Terry P . M ., P . P . G . S . W . Norths and Hunts , P . Z ., Secretary of the Royal Masoui / Benevolent Institution . Brethren are cordially invited b ; attend . Lodge will be opened at 6 - 30 ip . m .