The Cost Of Admission To The Schools.

of either the Boys' or the Girls' School will produce two votes each half year for life ; hence the value of the votes would seem—from a strictly financial point of view—to be 2 s 6 d each , but as certain concessions made ami extra

are on suosequent suoscriptions , votes are given as an inducement to brethren to act as Stewards or Canvassers for the Charities , perhaps it would be mere justice to sot down the average cost

of a vote at two shillings , that is providing that the average subscriber gave his money at the age of 27—which he does not do , and that we are to reckon the returns from the Charities on the same basis as

regards interest , & c , as the Government does m calculating its annuities . At the Elections last week 111 , 936 votes were needed to secure the admission of 34 children , which gives an average of 3292 votes to

each child ; these , calculated at two shillings each , give the actual cost of securing a child ' s admission into the Charity as £ 329 4 s , and the question to be iswnetner tins is to

asKea , sum oe regaraea as more than it should be , or whether it is a fair price to pay for the maintenance and provision it provides ? Children are admitted into the Schools between the ages of 8 and 11 , and remain until they are 16 , so

that it is fair to assume that the majority stay six years , hence the cost per annum—paid in advance , be it remembered—is about £ 55 per child , which is an amount very far in advance of what is claimed for the Institutions , and particularly the Girls' School .

But all these arguments do not alter our first conclusion , that in 1881 it was possible to secure a place in the Schools for less than half what it costs in 1890 , and we again ask why should this be so ? The subject is one which ! requires more and more attention

as it is looked into , and we shall certainly take an early opportunity of recurring to its consideration . Meanwhile we shonld like to hear the opinion of some of our readers on the points raised in our present article .

Immortality As Symbolized In The Oslrian Mysteries.

IMMORTALITY AS SYMBOLIZED IN THE OSlRIAN MYSTERIES .

ON the south wall of Egyptian Hall , Masonic Temple Philadelphia , the first panel from the east has portrayed upon it a representation of the jackal-beaded God Anubis ( a form of Horns ) , tbe chief God of the dead , according to the Egyptian mythology , and tho president of tbo embalmers , who is presiding over the mummy of a deceased

person , whose soul is visiting it in the guize of a humanbeaded hawk , holding in one hand the cmx ansata ( handled cross ) , the emblem of immortality , and in the other hand

a sail , emblematic of breath or spirit . In this painting there is unmistakably and forcibly portrayed the faith of fche initiates in the Osirian Mysteries in the doctrine of the immortality of the soul . %

By the consensus of fche best informed writers , ancient and modern , the Egyptian mystics were the earliest people that believed in tbe immortality of the soul . Judging from the

Scriptures of the Old Testament , the Hebrews possessed but a faint idea of tbe doctrine . The Egyptians , on the other hand , manifested their belief by numerous symbols and customs , which are comparatively easy of interpretation .

The Egyp tians mummified the bodies of their dead , so as to preserve their bodies as future habitations for fche souls which once inhabited them , and which forsook them afc death only fco return to them thousands of years afterwards . These bodies they carefully preserved , either in

hypogea or subterranean tombs , excavated oufc of the solid rock , as at Beni-Hassan , and Sioufc in middle Egypt , and in Biban-el-Moluk , near Thebes ; or in pyramids , which in their matchless construction , apparently for all time , typified the preservation of the body until the soul should return to revive it .

The Bennu , lapwing or heron , the sacred bird of Osiris ( the Phoenix of the Greeks , the bird thafc arose from its ashes , thus typifying the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul ) , was supposed to accompany the human soul during its journeyings in the underworld ; then

Immortality As Symbolized In The Oslrian Mysteries.

finally ifc became its emblem , and a symbol of its resurrection . A pectoral stone , having a figure of a Bennu en . graved upon it , was often placed on a mummy , as an amulet for its preservation . Tho Egyptians believed no less implicity in tlie

resurrection of fche body than in tho immortality of the soul . "It was for tin ' s , " Mr . Brace observes , " that loving hands laid so many million human bodies , preserved by careful art From decay , in the rock-tombs on the Nile , and in thousands of unknown graves . It was for this thnt the ' kings

md counsellors of the earth built solitary piles for themselves ' ( Job iii . 14 ) . " The ancient Egyptian book entitled , " The Breaths of Life" ( translated in "Records of the Past , " IV . 119 ) , taught that the justified FOUI is restored to a purified bod y .

As Osiris—the sun-god , the offspring and representative of tho " concealed god , " Ammon-Ra , the One Creator , whom Dr . Birch calls " the oldest of Egyptian conceptions of au abstract deity , " died and rose again , so thall all those that believe in him rise . The " Book of ihe Dead " styles tho

day of one ' s death the day of bis birth . " Only tbe dead aro tbe living . They eat and drink every day with Osiris . They become like God . " This same book tells us , " Tho dead is in peace , in peace . " " He shall shine like a star for ever in heaven . " " He seeth God Avith his flesh . "

"' The spirit of tbe dead is living in eternity . " The Osiriau joyfully exclaims : Open stands tbe hidden kingdom of the air spaces , and I step oufc of my seat in the ship of tbe sun , of tbe god of light . " Embarked wifch the sun-god , Osiris , in his radiant bark , he surveys every day with bim the glorious of the material universe .

A striking Oriental painting in tbe tombs of Egypt , referred to by Dr . Lee , is that of Neith ( of whom Isis is another form ) , the Great Mother , from whose bosom all things proceeded . She is portrayed as a female figure , overhanging the earth . Beneath her is a red man rising

from the earth , wbo becomes a blue man when risen , standing upright . This difference calls forcibly to mind fche fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians : "Ifc is sown a natural body ( typified by the prone red figure ) , ifc is raised a spiritual body " ( typified by tbe raised blue figure ) . A fine illustration of Neifch is contained in the Soane Museum

London . With what interest does the Freemason contemplate the symbols and emblems to which we have referred , enforcing ,

us they do , in tbo typical language of the Osu-ian Mysteries , certain of tbe great lessons taught by our Mystic Craft . There are some things that are unchangeable in this world of change , and one of these is Freemasonry . — Keystone .

Consecration Of A Middlesex Lodge.

CONSECRATION OF A MIDDLESEX LODGE .

ON the recommendation of Colonel Sir Francis Bardetfc , Bart . Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , H . R . H . the Princo of Wales M . W . Grand Master was graciously pleased to grant a warrant for the formation of a new Lodge , to be called the Bushey Park Lodge , No . 2381 , which will bo located at the Greyhound Hotel , Hampton Court . The Lodge was consecrated on the 1 st inst ., by Bro . Kaymond

H . Krnpp Deputy Prov . Grand Master , assisted by Lieutenant-Colonel Bullock and Dr . A . E . Sansom Prov . Grand Wardens , Eev . G . Nugee Prov . Grand Chaplain , and Bro . Howard H . Room Prov . Grand Secretary . Bro , William H . Lee Prov . Assistant Grand Secretary , waa installed as the first Worshipful Master , Bro . William Walter Lee was appointed the first Senior Warden , Bro . Arthur Arthur Blenkarn

the first Junior Warden , and Bro . George E . Langley the first Secretary . After the consecration ceremony a banquet took place , presided over by the newly-installed Worshipful Master . A large number of Brethren wero in attendance , including Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke Grand Secretary , and many distinguished members of tbe Craft .

Devon Masonic Educational Fund.

DEVON MASONIC EDUCATIONAL FUND .

HPHE subscribers held tbeir annual meeting afc the Masonio Hall , J- Plymouth , on Wednesday , 29 th nlfc ., to elect two candidates on the educational fund . Representatives from the whole of the Lodges of Devonport , Plymouth , Stonehouse , and other places wero present , under tbe presidency of W . Bro . John Lane P . M . 1402 P . P . G . Reg . The sum of £ 5 was voted to tho daughter of a deceased Brother of

Lodge Methorn , 1205 , Stonehouse , in order to aid her advancement iu life . The son of a deceased Brother of Lodge 202 , Friendship , Devonport , third application , was elected on the fund by 979 votes , as well as the sou of a deceased Brother of Lodge 1135 , Concord , of

Ilfracombe , by 900 votes . W . Brother Allsford and Captain Ivimy were appointed the respective guardians of the children . The business ot the meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the scrutineers , Bros . Barrett , Griffin and Merrifield .

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FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , ! in London and Country , by Bro . G . A . HUTTOM " , 17 Newcastle ! Street , Strand , W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made .