Masonry And Magic.

of what is called crystal-seeing , to a near friend of ours , to whom he lent a fine large pure crystal for tho purpose of trying whether he were gifted with the supposititious faculty of a seer . Our friend , during several patient trials , could see nothing in it but reflections of the objects around him

and of his own features . His housekeeper , an ordinary , unpretentious , but decidedly truthful woman , entered his study one evening upon some errand , and he casually handed the crystal to her . Holding it up , she at once exclaimed , " How very pretty ! " and proceeded to describe with

vivacity , a forest scene and a herd of deer . The lights and shadows of the foliage , the beautiful eyes and graceful movements of tho animals were minutely dwelt upon ; and she laid it down , supposing it to be a new and curious scientific toy . Our friend , as may be supposed , was much

astonished , and took frequent subsequent opportunities of repeating the experiment with his housekeeper , in the presence of his wife and another . On each occasion , different spectacles were described , sometimes several scenes in succession . At last , desirous of turning the matter to some

practical use , and of verifying the descriptions , ho requested that an absent person might be shown , and gave the name of a relative , with whom the seer was totally unacquainted . After a pause she announced the appearance of a book , apparently bound in scarlet , and with gilt edges , open at

the blank page behind the cover . This seeming highly unsatisfactory as well as enigmatical , our friend demanded to know the title of the book . The seer then described the closing of the book , the appearance of its cover , and with some hesitation spelled out the small gilt letters of tho first

word in its title . It was " Postage . " Our friend and his wife were instantly reminded of a gift recently made to their relative , in furtherance of his pet hobby—the collecting of postage stamps—and at once recognised the

description of the Postage Stamp Album , in which he was at the time almost absorbed , classifying and transferring to its pages his numerous collection . Of this gift , or this hobby , the seer had no knowledge , any more than of the person invoked .

In this instance , it does not seem to us that Levi ' s Astral Light theory covers all the ground . Tho manifestation of the album was not in the mind nor swayed by the will of any person present , and the theory of spiritualists that the

appearance was intended and determined by some intelligent will , not there in the flesh , seems far more feasible . Curious experiences occurred at subsequent experiments , which were terminated by an unforeseen calamity .

Many of our readers will , no doubt , have witnessed the remarkable and eccentric performances of the planchette , of which we could also say a few words ; and in cases

where the planchette has spontaneously given information of facts unknown to the holder of it and to the spectators , we do not see how the Astral Light theory can be tenable , without some intelligent agency behind .

In crystal-seeing , it is asserted that the vision is not actually shown in the crystal , which is only a medium aiding its conveyance ancl fixing the eye , but thrown upon the brain of the seer and reflected into the eye from

inwards . The mystery still remains , how objects , foreign to the seer ' s knowledge , and which must therefore be invented for the occasion by some external intelligence , can be presented .

Speculations upon these and upon many other analogous marvels are cleared up by Eliphas Levi in a manner quite satisfactory , to himself , but not so to us , who have not the same insight into their secret springs and their correspondence with material laws . But he does give ns a faint

inkling of the value and power which may be attached to symbols , and of the mathematical skeleton which underlay the formula } of the alchymists , astrologers , wizards , and shall we say Masons—of old . He asserts that Magic , in revealing the universal law of Equilibrium and the harmonn

resulting from the analogy of Opposilcs , attacks all science at the root , and preludes a revolution in every branch of knowledge . To the generative principle of numbers it attaches the generative principle of ideas , aud consequently the generative principle of worlds , completing the imperfect

intuition of Pythagoras ; that it maintains a clear and absolute dogma , and that the alpha and omega of universal motion ( or existence ) , both of ideas and forms , it

sums up m a few algebraic signs like an equation . This dogma is what he calls the Law of Equilibrium , or the balance which results from the analogy of opposites . A knowledge of magic can alone give the solution of the great problem of . the age , k . ;—>

Masonry And Magic.

To trace out the circle of human knowledge : thence , by conveying radii , to find the centre in Deity . To find a scale of proportion between effects , wills and causes , in order to ascend to tho great first will and

cause . To perfect a knowledge of tho analogies of ideas to their first source . To render religious truth as demonstrable as a geometrical problem .

And the great magic secret has been symbolised by tho lamp and poignard of Psyche , the Apple of Eve , the firo stolen from Heaven by Prometheus , and the sceptre of

Lucifer , as well as by the Redeemer ' s Cross . To possess it in order to abuse and divulge it is to merit every punishment ; to possess as it should be possessed , is to have gained the Absolute . So says Eliphas Levi . ( To be continued ) .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor ' respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . GRAND LODGE HONOURS !

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — " One who Knows " has replied to "Legitimate Ambition" in strong terms , and , according to the evidence submitted , certainly not too strongly , but he has not indicated any method whereby the " dead lock " complained of might bo altered , avoided or remedied . His advice as to " bowing the knee to Baal" is

evidently not such as he would follow himself , for if otherwise he would not have been " left out in the cold , " and he will doubtless be aware that . many of the Grand Officers have not owed their promo , tion or distinction to any such low , selfish and unworthy motives , at least none that I know of . In such cases we can but reason from what wc know , and to me it has long appeared that the real test for

Grand honours , in addition to the qualifications as to Masonic proficiency and social respectability , is the support bestowed upon our charities . Tears ago no brother could be appointed a Grand Officer without having been a Grand Steward , and member of the Grand Steward ' s Lodge , unless after the payment of a heavy fine ! I propose , now that this rule is abrogated , to require that no brother shall be called to the dais without having previously qualified as Life

Governor of our Masonic charities , or served as Steward for thoso most excellent institutions ! It would bo well , also , that as of late years it has beeu customary to appoint Deputy Provincial Grand Masters to Grand offices who have already distinctions of value in their own provinces , tho compliments paid to such brethren , and indeed to any brethren in tho country should be more sparingly given . It should be remembered that in tho London District there is no

Provincial Grand offices to bo obtained , and that a tremendous number of hard working Masons and Past Masters never receive any recognition of their valuable services , whereas in the country , each Provincial Grand Lodge usually dispenses some dozen offices presumably to worthy brethren , and in the course of years few PastMasters of average Masonic zeal and ability are overlooked . In London several Lodges have not a " riurple amongst their number ! " and yet many of their

members are known throughout the City for their Masonic and general excellence . I think the number of red apron Lodges should be increased to 30 in tho London district , and permanent rank be given to Past Stewards as Past Grand Officers , and those who support tho charities—other conditions being equal — eventually promoted from time to time . Fraternally yours , A YOUNG BROTHER .

A GUINEA FOR JACK ' S HOSPITAL . —Money is wanted to extend the efficiency of ono of the noblest of our national charities— the most expressly national , indeed , of them all , yet at the same time more than national . That is , dear friends , tho Seamen ' s Hospital , late tho Dreadnought , at Greenwich , open not only to British Soameu who need laying np for repairs , but likewise to seamen of all nations

requiring to go into dock . To the f nnds of this excellent and sorely , needed institution the Goldsmiths ' , tho Clothworkers ' , the Saddlers ' , tho Mercers ' , the Drapers ' , the Skinners ' , the Vintners ' , the Salters ' , and last , not least , tho Worshipful Merchant Taylors' Company , havo liberally subscribed—the latter to a donation of £ 31 10 s having added a grant of free admission to their Convalescent

Institution at Bognor , which has accordingly received many patients from the Seamen ' s Hospital during the past year , However , the support of Jack ' s Hospital concerns not only the City and Port of London , but every Port in England—indeed , every Port aud Harbour all over the world . It is itself a Universal Harbour of Refuge . In their fifty-fifth Annual Report , just published—a pretty little blue book—tho managing body of the Seamen ' s Hospital

Society apprise all whom it concerns—that is , everybody—that , for reasons which see : " Tho Committee ask tho public to como forward , and increase the amount received iu Annual Subscriptions from £ 2 , 000 to £ 5 , 000 , aud then , if on an average £ 50 annually be received from each Port that sends patients to tho Hospital in the course of tho yonr , tho Society will bo established on a sound national basis . " This appeal is now made known to the world at large by the ono periodical which can truly boaafc a world-wide circulation . —Punch , M \\ February im ,