Descendants Of Deities Who Once Reigned In Egypt.

of such humbug , and preferred wandering in the wilderness to submitting to Egyptian cruelties . Now , as the main value of Freemasonry consists in its teachings of humanity and justice , I cannot see how such a

government as Egypt then had could havo tolerated Freemasonry . Take for instance Russia , whoso government is still Egyptian to the back-bone , whose Emperor , in the estimation of the peasantry , is a God upon

earth , and who still retains the Egyptian power of making his people do what he pleases . Now , does the Emperor of Russia tolerate Freemasonry in his dominions ? Why ! of course nofc . Again , take Papal Rome , where the ruler

claims to be infallible and God ' s Viceregent upon earth ; there also Freemasonry can gain no footing . In short , wherever a despot claims to rule by divine right Freemasonry cannot be tolerated , and hence Freemasonry could never have been tolerated in ancient benighted Egypt .

Here , however , I imagine hearing our Egyptologic high degree Mason exclaim , " What ! do you mean to deny the existence of initations and mysteries in ancient Egypt ? and have you never heard that the wisdom of the ancient Egyptians was confined to the initiated ? " To this I

answer , First , assuming that the old Egyptians had mysteries , their mysteries must have been concocted by artful priests with the sanction of kings , mainly for the purpose of

enslaving the mass of the people both bodily and mentally ; and second , as to the wisdom claimed to have been imparted in the Egyptian mysteries , I do not believe that any of our Egyptologic high degreemongers , from the days

of Cagliostro to the present time , knew more about either the nature or object of fche ancient Egyptian mysteries than they know about the man in the moon ; and the same

may be said about other Masonic luminosities , who pretend to know about Templar mysteries , Rosicrucian mysteries , and a * ' thousand and one" other so-called ancient mysteries . BOSTON , U . S ., 28 th February 1887 .

Reasons For Masonic Secrecy.

REASONS FOR MASONIC SECRECY .

IF the secrets of Masonry are replete with such advantages to mankind it may be asked , Why are they not divulged for the general good of society ? To this it may be answered , Were the privileges of Masonry to be

indiscriminately dispensed , the purposes of the Institution would be subverted , and our secrets being familiar , like other important matters , would lose their value , and sink into disregard .

Ifc is a weakness in human nature that men are generally more charmed with novelty than with the intrinsic value of things . Innumerable testimonies might be adduced to confirm this truth . The most wonderful operations of

the Divine Artificer , however beautiful , magnificent and useful , are overlooked , because common and familiar . The sun rises and sets , the sea flows and ebbs , rivers glide along their channels , trees and plants vegetate , men and

beasts act , yet these beings , perpetually open to view , pass unnoticed . The most astonishing productions of nature on the same account escape observation and excite no emotion , either in admiration of the great cause ,

or of gratitude for the blessing conferred . Even virtue herself is not exempted from this unhappy bias in the human frame . Novelty influences all our actions and determinations . What is new or difficult in

the acquisition , however trifling or insignificant , readily captivates the imagination and insures a temporary admiration , while what is familiar or easily attained , however noble or eminent , is sure to be disregarded by the giddy and unthinking .

Did the essence of Masonry consist in the knowledge of particular secrets or peculiar forms , it might be alleged that our amusements were trifling and superficial . But this is not the case . These are only keys to our treasure , and ,

having their use , are preserved ; while from the recollection of the lessons which they inculcate , the well-informed Mason derives instruction , draws them to a near inspection , views them through a proper medium , adverts to the

circumstances which gave them rise , and dwells npon the tenets which they convey . Finding them replete with useful information he prizes them as sacred ; and convinced of the propriety , estimates their value from their utility . —Masonic Register .

An Evening With The "Old Folks."

AN EVENING WITH THE "OLD FOLKS . "

FOLLOWING a suggestion made by Bro . A . J . Dixie , afc the Old People's Entertainment in January , a nnmber of brethren made arrangements to visit them on one of the meeting nights in the Hall of the Institution . The evening selected vnU Tuesday last , the 15 th , but in consequence of fche inclemency of tbe weather , the promoters did not master at the rendezvous so numerously as could have been wished . However , Bros . James Terry P . M .

228 , A . J . Dixie J . W . 453 , R . W . Galer W . M . 1366 , F . Ashton 1507 , W . Staley 1597 , Bacon 1839 , and W . Syclemore 1288 attended , and a little after six o ' clock fonnd these zealous brethren plodding through the snow to the Old Folks' Home at Croydon , where they were most cordially welcomed by fche Matron , Miss Norris , who provided them with a cnp of tea . As soon as the Old People had

assembled in the Hall , Bro . James Terry , the indefatigable Secretary , introduced the visitors , and the evening ' s entertainment commeno ed . the sanction of the ladies to allow their elder brethren to enjoy the fragrant weed having been accorded , B ^ o . Syclemore sang " Queen of tie Earth , " playing his own accompaniment . Miss Mary and Miss

Annie Galer followed , with a dnefc in B by A . Diabsdli . Bro . W . Staley next sang " The Village Blacksmith . " The " Old Boys " W're now enjoying their smoke , and it was suggested they were possibly getting dry ; this hint was immediately acted upon . The Visitors at once proceeded to minister to the creature comforts of the ladies

and their elder brethren , who thoroughly appreciated tbe kind forethought displayed for them . Renewing tbe entertainment , Bro . F . Ashton sang " Resignation ; " Bro . Dixie gave a comic recitation , ' * Peterkin Peep ; " Bro . Staley sang the " Stirrup Cup . " Bro . Terry gave the popular recitation , "Daniel versus Dishclout ; " Bro .

Syclemore sang " To-morrow will be Friday . The Misses Galer played a dnefc , "The Great Globe Quadrilles ; " Miss Annie Galer , " L'Argentine . Mr . Ashton sang "The Lost Chord . " Bro . Dixie recited a nursery rhyme , in two versions , "The House that Jack Built ; " Bro . Staley followed , with "Tell me , Mary , how to woo

thee . " Bro . Dyer , one of the residents , gave a recitation , " Melnotte's defence . " Bro . Syclemore sang " The Skipper . " Misa Mary Galer played " March anx Flambeaux . " Bro . Ashton sang " The sea is England ' s glory . " Mrs . Bonorandi sang " Far o'er the waves , " playing her own accompaniment , and as an encore " The

Reign of the Roses ; lastly , Bro . Syclemore gave " God save the Queen . " Bro . Dixie explained the motive whioh had prompted those who had come down to visit the Old People , and trusted afc no distant date to see them again . Bro . Terry , on behalf of the resi . dents , tendered their sincere thanks to the brethren who had so thoroughly striven to amuse them .

As our readers will perceive , by an advertisement appearing on another page , a Special General Court of the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic

Institution for Girls will be held at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , Lincoln's Inn Fields , London , on Monday next , the 21 st inst ., at twelve o ' clock precisely , to consider some important notices of motion .

At the meeting of the Gallery Lodge , No . 1928 , held at the Brixton Hall , on Saturday last , Pasfc Master Brother Thomas Minstrell ( the M . E . Z . of the Gallery Chapter ) was elected to represent the Lodge as Steward at the

forthcoming Anniversary of the Girls' School . Brother Minstrell , who is a Life Governor of the Mason c I istitations , filled a similar position this year for the Old People in another Lodge , where he is a Past Master . For many

years Bro . Minstrell has been a warm supporter of the Charities , and has beeu the means , either as Steward himself or by assisting other Stewards , of obtaining large sums of money for the Institutions .

The ceremony of snstallation is announced for rehearsal by Bro . Frederic Carr P . M ., afc the Loyalty Lodge of lustruction , held at 206 Mare-street , E ., at eight o ' clock on Friday next , the 25 th instant .

RE-OPENING OF ST . MARYS CHURCH , NEWMARKET . —On the south side of this Cluipol there is a two-l'trhr , window , representing " Et . heldreda" and " Solomon , " given by th- Frrema ^ ons if Erhe ! dreda Lodge to tho memory of the late Bro . Jumes "Neil York . Arxuhfli * on the nnmt ? side , repres 'ntins ; " The Annunciation " and " The Presnn ' a-

tion , " is to tbe memory of tbe Rev . John Dennan , M . A ., late rector of St . Mary , and was raised by public subscription in the parish . At the east end of the south aisle a three-light , window ( subject , " The Transfiguration " ) has been placed by Mr . W . Ratliff , of Coventry ,

to the memory of his uncle and aunt , of Newmarket . These windows were designed and executed by Messrs . T . J . Marshall and Co ., Campbell Works , Stoke Newington . The west window has also been reglazsd , and the upper part renewed with a chaste design ( foliage ) by the same firm . —Bury owicl Suffolk Standard ,.