The Romantic Interest Of Freemasonry.

out of Tyre . He was a widow ' s son , of the tribe of Naphtali , and his father was a man of Tyre , a worker in brasF . " Hiram thus came of good industrial stock ,

Blood will tell , and it told on him . He was the son of his father , bnt like him his brass was all in his works , none in himself . Some men are workers in brass , and furnish their own material . Not so Hiram .

What could Hiram do ? Let us turn again to the divine record concerning the divine artist . He wns * ' skilful to work in gold and in silver , in brass , in iron ,

in stone and in timber , in purple , in blue and in fine linen , and in crimson ; also to grave any manner of graving , and to find out every device which shall be put to him . "

This is the artist , Hiram , around which Freemasonry weaves its romantic legend . Was he not worthy of it , and is it not entirely consistent with his character ? Was he not an honest and faithful artist and architect , and

must he not have been honest and faithful to the end ? Charaoter tells , like blood—often it is blood . It even - tuates in something . It illustrates itself . Thus did Hiram ' s .

Hiram ' s example is for all time . It is an embodiment of Freemasonry—Freemasonry teaching by example . As he did , so must we . His obedience to principle crowned his memory with a laurel wreath , which , in our fraternity ,

will be as lasting as time . As long as Masonry is taught and practised , so long will tho romantic incidents in the career of Hiram be held up for yeneration , laudation and emulation .

There are likewise not a few romantic incidonts in the Craft ' s after history . The career of tho mediaeval architects was only less romantic than that of Hiram . Those were no ordinary builders that erected the magnificont cathedrals of Europe , any more than were those that

erected Solomon ' s Temple and the Temples of Phoenicia and Egypt . Look upon those Temples . They are miracles in stone . They are alive with statuary that seems to breatho . Every stone is full of expression , and lifts one ' s thoughts to the Grand Architect of the Universe .

How strange that men of the middle ages—so-called ages of darkness—men whose gifts were in their wonderworking hands guided by their minds , men of whom we hear little in any other relation of life—yet every temple they erected stamps them as men of master minds , whose works are akin to those of the Divine Architect . The

romance of art is interwoven with the reality of their overy-day life , and thus an interest is begotten in their work which will cause them to be memorable as long as

the world and history endure . Every Freemason may gather inspiration from their careers , and increase his admiration for the fraternity which has produced such marvellous men .

The day of the romantic in Freemasonry is not yet past . Great-hearted deeds are still performed , which cause the eyes of Craftsmen to glisten and their hearts to glow . When Brethren bestow large portions of their fortunes to establish funds for the relief of decayed

Freemasons , their suffering widows and destitute orphans ; when all bodies of the Brotherhood are dispensing fraternal charit y to the distressed , a present element of romance attends Freemasonry , of which it should be

proud . He who realizes that " it is more blessed to give than to receive " has gained for himself the highest happiness possible , has aided his brother man , aud has added a laurel leaf to his own eternal crown .

Wo need not ask whether there was ever another fraternity than ours which united in itself so many of the best elements of reality and romance . The past answers the question in its records , and the present in the experience of each active and observing Brother . —Keystone .

A Curious Piece Of China.

A CURIOUS PIECE OF CHINA .

TyJRING a visit to some friends in Devonshire I came JL / across a very old china bowl , probably a punchbowl , which , I think ' , is deserving of some notice . Its history has been forgotten , but it is known to have been in

the possession of a former inhabitant of Exeter , now deceased , more than 50 years ago . It is supposed to be made of Bristol ware , but this is mere conjecture . At any rate it is Engligh , but it bears no potter ' s marks of any

A Curious Piece Of China.

kind . It is 113 inches in diameter , and as nearl y as possible half as much in height . The bowl is of white glazed china . I will begin by describing the interior Round the top there is a band , half an inch wide , consisting of a

conventional pattern in red . Below this comes a single narrow gilt line . At the bottom , surrounded by a ciroular border consisting of a green conventional pattern , bordered by red lines , is a picture representing the sun between two pillars standing on a tesselated pavement . The pillars are gilt

on the top of each is a red globe , and the pavement is deep red and white . The pillars are exactly alike , but tho globes have curious marks upon * them . Those on the right hand globe are much more clearly defined than those on the left . These marks are not at all easy to desoribe .

Judging from the bees represented on tho outside of the bowl they might be meant for insects of some kind , There are eight clearly shown on the left hand side of the globe on the right hand pillar , and seven indistinctl y visible on the left hand globe . Almost the whole of the

space between the pillars is filled up by a sun . The rays are of two kinds , gilt and grey and red , alternately . Tha centre of the Bnn consists of a G in gold on a red ground . Above this picture and outside the conventional border enclosing the pillars , the pavement and the sun , is a representation of an ear of corn .

At the side of the bowl , and facing ,, the picture at the bottom , is represented a sun , the rays of which are upwards of 3 inches in diameter . The centre is a well-drawn full face , with nose , eyebrows , and red lips , but the eyes have no pupils . The rays are again of two kinds , blue and

red and gold , alternately . The red and gold rays are straight , the blue ones somewhat waving . On the left side of the bowl , and a quarter of a circle from the sun is a representation of the crescent moon painted mauve , red and white , with a well-painted face in profile between the

horns of the crescent . Tho eyes arc blue , but again have no pupils , and tho lips red . Opposite tho sun are six objects , each consisting of two or three blue lines hanging from rocks . As it is reasonable to suppose that this picture is intended to be looked at from the same side of

tho bowl as the other four pictures inside the bowl , it probably represents woter falling from a rock . It is nearer to the ear of corn , described above , than any of tho

other objects represented within the bowl , and probably has some connection with it . This picture turned round might also represent six acacia trees growing upon a rocky hill . On the fourth side of tho bowl is a firmameut

containing seven stars in red and gold . Of these , four havo six points , and three eight points . To turn to the outside of the bowl . At the top is a conventional pattern in pink and green with a black lino below and a pink one above it . Tho edge of the bowl was

also originally gilded . In this pattern , at the points corresponding with the four pictures on the inside of the bowl , are four similar emblematic figures . They represent

a ring formed by a serpent with its tail in its mouth , and with what appear to be two clubs underneath it . The head of one of these clubs is smooth , and , that of the other covered with knobs . The handles of these clubs are

long , and there is a rough knob at the end of each . Tho Clubs are crossed and the handle of the rough one in every case comes through the ring , the smooth club being altogether below the ring . The serpent is painted red and

white , the scales being visible , and the clubs are mauve . The rough club is the lower one in each case , that is its head is below that of the smooth one . The heads of the clubs are on the ri ght of the ring on one side of the bowl and on the left on the other .

Below this border are four emblematic figures , the positions of which correspond with those of the four figures inside and the serpents outside the bowl . That corresponding with the sun represents on one side a table upon which lie a trowel , a heavy maul , a pair of compasses , and

two other articles , which it is difficult to decipher . One may be a scroll , the other possibly a chisel , but it is more like a pair of snuffers . On the other side is represented a perfect ashlar , and between this and the table , upon a

grassy knoll , a rough ashlar . Against this is leaning a very good representation of the stonemason ' s saw and a crowbar , while upon it are resting two cups without bandies . These are the immoveable jewels .

Corresponding with the moon on the inside of the bowl , are a level , a plumb-rule , and an instrument which is a combination of the square and the plumb-rule . These are the