Hampshire And The Isle Of Wight.

the Boys' School— a subject which had been already alluded to by Bro . Binckes during the former part of the day's proceedings . Ho ( the Chairman ) knew that tho brethren had been previously called npon to make great exertions in that canse , and it was hardly to be expected that when they were appealed to by him to support him during the proceedings for the charity , they would again make the

sacrifices they did , bufc when tho donations were announced afc the festival they elicited the warmest recognition . ( Hear , hear ) . The Right Worshipful brother intimated thafc the Provincial Lodge wonld be held next year at Southampton . ( Hear , hear ) . It was nine years since the Provincial Grand Lodgo had been held in that town , and not since the year he had the honour of being installed aa Provincial

Grand Master . He assured tho brethren it was his earnest wish , in tho distribution of the honours of the Prov . G . Lodge , to reward merit and ability , but it was extremely difficult always to meet the caso . He could , however , assure those brethren who had exerted themselves in tho cause of Freemasonry that though thoy appeared to be passed by at ihe present moment , snch wonld nofc bo the caso

eventually , for their merits would not bo lost sight of , and ho trusted that all wonld endeavour to promote the prosperity of the Craft by all means in their power . ( Great cheering ) . Bro . Stopher ( Winchester ) , submitted the next toast , the D . P . G . M . of tho Province , Bro . AV . Hickman P . A . G . D . C . of England , " and Bro . Hickman suitably replied . Bro . Ere ( Aldershot ) gavo tho Visitors ,

which was acknowledged by Bro . Davison ( Province of Middlesex ) . The Chairman proposed the toast of the Wardens and Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , coupling with it the name of Bro . James Harris , who had rendered great services during tho past few years . ( Applause . ) Bro . Harris , in acknowledging the toast , said ifc waa just fourteen years sinco he was initiated , and ifc was also just

fourteen years since the last meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held in Winchester . Bro . Hickman then gave tho AVorshipful Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the Lodges in tho Province , and said that of the twenty-eight Lodges of which the province was composed , twenty-seven wero in full working order . Bro . Godwin ( AVinchester ) ,

replied to the toast , and expressed his opinion that much good was done in the province and throughout the world by an interchange of visits between the members of different Lodges . The Masonic Charities was the last toast on the list . Ifc was proposed by the Chairman , who dwelt on tho eminent services of Bro . Binckes on behalf of the Charities .

Annual Excursion Of Lodge Of Saint John's, No. 221, Bolton.

ANNUAL EXCURSION OF LODGE OF SAINT JOHN'S , No . 221 , BOLTON .

THE third annual picnic of the members of this Lodge , who on this occasion numbered about 40 , with the requisite accompaniment of ladies , took placo on Wednesday , tho 1 st inst . Tho weather was all that could be desired , the company happily assorted , and the arrangements complete ; it only remains to be added thafc tho place of pilgrimage selected was that charming residence , Eaton Hall . The journey by rail to Chester accomplished , a few spare minutes were

c coupicd by " ye ladies " in " ye rows , " and by " ye lords " in " ye kite > en . " Luncheon having been served , in Messrs . Bolland ' s well known style , tracks were made to " the Groves " on " ancient Deva ' s banks , " where a commodious foirge , with rowers and a band , were waiting to convey the party a joyous four miles to the palatial hall of the Duke of Westminster . This excursion , so well known to manv

oi our readers , by its time-worn associations , as also by its exceeding beauty and peacefulness , demands no more from ns on this occasion than an acknowledgment of the thorough enjoyment , and the remark thafc the return journey to the City was marked by general sighs of regret . The ancient Church and Priory of St . John , the celebrated walls , and the venerable pile of St . AVerburgh were only cursorily examined , from lack of time , which had been so delightfully spent

elsewhere . Tea was heartily partaken of , and the party , accommodated with the largest London and North Western saloon carriage , was speeding on its return journey , pleased , delighted , and unitedly disposed to accord to Bros . Stanley AV . M ., J . AV . Taylor D . C . P . Prov . Grand Organist , and J . M . Rutter a hearty and unanimous vote of thanks for their trouble and care in organising and conducting so happy an excursion , which was begun , continued , and completed without a hitch or contretemps .

The God Of Masonry And The Gods Of Mythology.

THE GOD OF MASONRY AND THE GODS OF MYTHOLOGY .

THE first great light in Masonry informs us , that " He that built all things is God . " It is from this , and similar passages in the same great light , that we derive our ideas of God as the one great Master Builder , the Grand Architect of the Universe , the Supreme Grand Master—whose works are matchless , whose power is limitless , and from whose decree there is no appeal . To Freemasons God is

a unit . He reigns alone , in majesty and glory . He made all things , and governs all things . He has no equal , and no competitor . How different was tho current belief ages ago ; and yet the Freemasonry of to-day , and the Ancient Mysteries of Greece and other countries , which were the Freemasonry of their day , combatted tbo vulgar

belief , and taught then , as now , tho existence and unity of God . We would now consider the man puerile who shonld profess a belief in a mob of gods—who were indeed only quasi omnipotent men , with much of their weakness and all of their vices j yet such was once the popular faith of nofc a few nations . Mythology pictures to ns this

faith , and the early imaginative writers have wrought ifc into their poems . We propose to consider some of its ludicrous features , once generally credited , bnt which were always combatted by Masonic teachings . The traditional home of the Gods was on Mount Olympus , in

The God Of Masonry And The Gods Of Mythology.

Thessaly , a part of ancient Greece , bufc . Hiow in Turkey . Afc its foot was the famous Vale of Tempe , the most delightful spot on earth , filled with verdant walks , cooling shades , vocal with the warbling of birds , and which the gods often honoured with their presence . Mount Olympus itself was reputed to touch Heaven—in fact , it is less than two miles in height , being 9 , 700 feet . This mountain , snow-capped ,

and piercing the clouds , was the reputed home of the family of gods , of whom Jupiter or Jove ( as ho was termed by the Romans ) , or Zens ( as named by the Greeks ) was chief . Their palace was upon tho summit , which was shut out from human view by the clouds thafc veiled it from tho earth ; or , according to the belief of others , the gods dwelt in the heavens above Olympus . In the legend of the

war of tho giants npon tho gods , the former are said to have piled tho neighbouring mountain of Pelion ou Ossa , and both on Olympus , in their ineffectual attempt to scale Heaven . This inaccessible abode , the ethereal palace of the Grecian gods , did not want for snow with which to cool the nectar that ; the deities wero reputed to drink at their banquets ; and when the gods and

goddesses grew weary of tho icy air , or the Pembleohookian depart , ment of tho court of Olympian Jove , wo are told they descended into the charming and secluded vale of Tempe , near by , and there passed sunny hours with mortal men and maidens . Homer enthrones Jupiter upon the loftiest pinnacle of manypeaked Olympus , and thus pictures his power among the gods :

" As he spako , the son of Saturn gave The nod of his dark brows , the ambrosial curls Upon the Sovereign One ' s immortal head AVere shaken , and with them the mighty mount Olympus trembled . Then parted Thetis ,

Plunging from bright Olympus to the deep , And Jove returning to his palace home ; AVhero all the gods , uprising from their thrones At sight of the Great Father , waited not For his approach , bufc met him as he came . " ( BKVANT ' S Iliad , Book I . )

This reads very pretty , bufc the family of gods were nofc always , nor often so happy or so submissive . Jupiter , Neptane and Pluto were all three the potent sons of Saturn , and Jupiter , as the eldest , waa reputed chief ; bufc they frequently took different sides in the Trojan war , and even mingled with the warriors in disguise in the fight . Neptune bearded Jupiter on 01 ympus ,. and called him the " tyrant of the sky . " Pope ' s Iliad tells it thus :

" My court beneath the hoary waves I keep , And hush tho roarings of the sacred deep ; Olympus and this earth in common lie ; What claim has here the tyrant of the shy ? Far in tho distant clouds let him control , And awe the younger brothers of the pole ; There to his children his commands be given ; The trembling , servile second race of heaven . "

Pretty sharp language this , for one god fco use to another , aud not at all fraternal , yet Neptane and Jupiter were brothers . And not only did these mythological deities often play at crosspnrposes , and even openly war with each other by taking opposite sides in the battles of men , even to Juno , the spouse of Jupiter , and Queen of Heaven , but sometimes tho chief of them , Jupiter , wonld be

asleep , when prayed to , and would nofc awake ; and at other times he would be absent from Olympus . Thus we learn that once the king of tho gods had gone out to dinner , or rather to a grand succession of banquets , covering twelve days , to which he had been invited by the "blameless Ethiopians" ( the author of "Daniel Deronda" suggests , thafc the reason why they were " blameless " was that they lived so

far away thafc they had no neighbours to find fault with them ) . The supremacy of Jupiter , Thunderer that he was , was more nomi . nal than real , and he had often to fight for it by a war of words , if not deeds . And the pleasures of the entire company of gods were no higher than those of men—consisting of the feast , the wine cup .

mnsic , song , dissipation and intrigue . Jupiter and his queen , Juno , wrangled as might the most unequally matched earthly couple , and he was eminently unfaithful to her . Epithets of quarrel and abuse were household words with them . Jupiter even looked calmly on when the members of his court and family were contending , the one against the other , in the conflicts of the Greeks and Trojans : —

" Jove , as his sport , the dreadful scene descries , And views contending gods with careless eyes . " It is fortunate for mankind thafc the worship of Jupiter has ceased from the earth , for there could scarcely be a more corrupting ono . He who had numerous mistresses and more numerous children , who was tho father of a countless throng , including the Fates , the Muses

and the Graces , was not fit to bo a nation s god . He assumed protean shapes to gratify his passions , and yefc his worship was afc one time almost universal . He was tho Amnion of the Africans , the Belns of Babylon , tho Osiris of Egypt , the Zens of Greece , and the Jupiter of Rome . Yet ho was but the nominal head of a crowd of gods , no ono of whom was a real deity . Tho poet has stated the truth pointedly and prettily in these lines :

"In Pactum ' s ancient fanes I trod , And mused on those strange men of old , AVhose dark religion could infold , So many gods , and yet no God ! " The faith of Freemasonry in the existence and unity of God cannot but win the approbation even of its enemies . Its God is , in the

language of the Bible , " Ho that built all things . " Its Great Light is the Book of the Law , which God has given to man for his in . strnctor and guide . It looks forward hopefully to the great hereafter , when its cardinal doctrine of the immortality of the soul shall be practically demonstrated to be the truth of God . Such is Free , masonry . Such is the false mythology that it has supplanted . Who would not be proud of the ancient brotherhood ?—Keystone .