Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ Announcements of Births , Marriages , and Deaths relating to the Craft , or their families , will be inserted , free of charge , if properly authenticated . ] BIRTH . BucnANA * -. —On April 25 th , at 93 £ , Main-street , Anderston , Glasgow , the wife of John Buchanan , Esq . ( It . AV . M . Lodge Clyde , No . 408 ) , of a daughter .

DEATH . HAHUISON . —April 22 nd , at Spafield . Abbeyleix , John , aged five months , son of Bro . John Harrison , Secretary 402 , Abbeylaix , Ireland .

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Cjjc Jreemmtt , SATURDAY , MAY 1 , 1869 .

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THB FRBICIIIBOX is published on Saturday Mornings in time for the early trains . The price of Tns FUEKJIASOI- is Twopence por week ; quarterly subscription ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annual Subscription , 12 s . Subscriptions payable inadvance . AU communications , letters , & c ., to be addressed to the EDIIOE , 3 & 4 , Little Britain , l '* . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to allHSS . entrusted to bim , bat cannot undertake to return thorn unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Masonic Festivals.

MASONIC FESTIVALS .

OUB lively neighbours , the French , are accustomed to guage the civilization of a nation by its skill in the noble science of gastronomy , and most of us remember tho tale of the Duke of AVellington and his chef , when the latter quitted

Apsley House in despair , because the great man failed to appreciate thc triumphs of his unrivalled cuisine . From a Scythian feeding on roots , to a Ileliogabalus feasting on dainties worth their weight in gold , is an abrupt transition , and a

well-balanced mind revolts as much at thc savage diet as at the wasteful banquet . Happy , therefore , is he who follows the via media—who rejoices in the goodly fruits of thc earth in their season , and cheerfully gives of his excess to the

poor and needy . A good dinner has long been an institution in England , and hence wo find that soon after thc reorganization of the Masonic body in 1717 thc "Annual Feast" was revived , and has been held uninterruptedly ever since .

It is a pity that we li-ivc no accessible records of those earlier festivals over which such men as Philip tho mad" Duke of AVharton , and tho princely Howard of Norfolk presided , for although

wo know that the toasts now used were introduced so fur back as 1723 , in other respects vast changes and improvements have taken place in the conduct of our " Grand Feasts . "

Undoubtedly , good order and regularity prevailed at those old Masonic meetings to an extent unknown nt other festive gatherings ofthe period , but thc manners and customs of tlio time favored excess , and six-bottlo men were tho exemplars of

society . Fortunately all this is altered now , and a Freemason at thc present day can partake of the bounteous hospitality of the Grand Stewards , enjoy the sweetest strains of music , and retire to his homo at an hour when thc AVhaitons and

tho Montagues of tho earl y decades of tho 18 th century wero entering upon tho first stages of their nocturnal orgies . It is noteworthy that tho Grand Festival is really tho only general feast of thc Craft unconnected with tho mystic

rites , or charitable objects of tho Order . It ia simply a fraternal banquet where brethren can meet and rejoice together over tho progress of Freemasonry , and the triumph of truth and

justice . Each Grand Festival marks a year of Masonic work , and invites tho fraternity to pause from labour and renew the animal man with well-

Masonic Festivals.

earned refreshment . It is figurative of that spiritual renovation which the mind receives from a contemplation of the Divine nature , for " man does not live by bread alone . " Let us , therefore , adhere to the ancient custom of

feasting and fraternising together once a year , and enjoy in moderation the good things of this life . Let our path be neither that of the ascetic nor the glutton ¦ let our festivities be conducted

with temperance and prudence ; and , above all , let us not forget to sanctify the feast by harmony and brotherly love , " as though an angel supped with us unseen . "

The High Places Of Freemasonry.

THE HIGH PLACES OF FREEMASONRY .

WE are not about to expatiate upon the dignities and honours of Freemasonry , as some may imagine from the title of this article ; neither is our business at present with the modern representatives of King Solomon or the

cunning workman of lyre , highly placed though they be in the Craft . Our subject is lottier still , and , in a word , it is " mountains . " The records of Holy AVrit inform us that the children of Israel , deaf to the prayers and

warnings of then * prophets , persisted m burning incense and offering sacrifices in "high places . " One of these hills was Mount Hermon , whereon stood a temple dedicated to Baal ; and at the base of "Great Hermon "—for there are two mountains

of the name—the sacred river Jordan takes its rise . Hermon is the highest pinnacle in the chain of hills known as Anti-Lebanon , its altitude being nearly 9000 feet abovo tlio level of the sea . Our readers will not forget how beautifully

David refers to this holy mount when he compares the blessed influence of brethren dwelling together in unity to the " dew of Hermon , and

the dew which descends upon the hills of Zion . " A recent traveller in the Holy Land describes it as * ' the majestic Hermon , with its icy crown . "

A nothcr " high place ' in Palestine is the famous Mount Hor , which Aaron , the first high priestn-scended , and then laid him down to die . This mountain is now a landmark in tho desert , and whenever an eastern caravan comes in si ght ol

thc " tomb of Aaron " a lamb is slain to his memory , and tho Arabs offer sacrifice- * on a stone altar close by as memorials of thc dead high priest . Hor is described as "the very throne of desolation itself ; " so rugged and barren is the wilderness around it .

Lebanon presents a vastly different picture , and is thus lauded by one of thc Arabian poets : — " Lebanon bears winter on its bead , spring plays upon its shoulders , autumn rests on its bosom while summer lies sleeping at its feet . " Thence

did Solomon bring the mighty stones that were needed as material for the temple , nnd from the cedars of tho forest thc ncccsfary timber was fashioned . Of these but few remain , although efforts havo been made of late years to replant

the cedar groves of Lebanon . Innumerable passages of scripture refer to this interesting mountain , whoso history is inseparably WON en with the most cherished traditions of the Craft . The holy Mount Moriah is another "high place "

of Freemasonry which invites our contemplative gaze . Tho scene of Abraham ' s trial of faith , when he scrupled not to offer his beloved son Isaac , till " lo ! God ' s angel stayed him ;"—tho spot whore Araunah erected his threshing-floor , and David reared an altar to Jehovah—this

sacred hill was afterwards the chosen site of the Temple itself . Around it cluster many bright Masonic memories .

The High Places Of Freemasonry.

Tabor—beautiful Tabor , the pride of Galileea fortress occupied by the princes of the landis another hill intimately associated with our traditions . But perhaps the most familiar name of all is Mount Zion—the peculiar glory of

Jerusalem . —the type of peace and happinessthe mystic image of celestial perfection . There , wrapped in the silence of the tomb , David and Solomon rest from their labours ; to that

spotthe pilgrim directs his steps , and muses over the faded grandeur of the Fast . Truly there is rich pabulum for thought in the wondrous scenes which have beeu enacted in the " high places " of Freemasonry .

The Editor's Portfolio.

The Editor's Portfolio .

SINCERITY . Sincerity is one of the most beautiful words in the English language , and , like many other words , it has a history . It conies from two Latin words , sine and cera , without cement , and its origin was in this wise . In the golden days of Roman prosperity , when her merchants were very affluent , and dwelt

in marble palaces on the banks of the Tiber , thero was a very natural sort of emulation in the grandeur and artistic adornment of their dwelling . Their successful wars bad made many of the gems of Grecian art the possessions of the Roman people . A . taste for sculpture had been awakened , and the sons of Borne set to work themselves in the schools

of design . Good sculptures were quickly bought up . But dodges sometimes took place then , as now ; for instance , if the sculptor came upou a flaw in the marble , or if bis chisel missed its aim , he bad a carefully constructed cement , with which he filled in the chink , and so cleverly fixed it as to be

imperceptible . In time , however , and after the purchase had been long completed , beat , or damp , or accident , would aifect the cement , and it would reveal its presence there . The consequence was , that when new contracts came to be signed for commissioned works of art , there was a clause put iu that they were to be sine cera , or without cement .

Masonic Jurisprudence.

Masonic Jurisprudence .

—?—PAST MASTEU . —AVe are clearly of opinion that a W . M ., when unable to attend his lodtjo , cannot depute any P . M . to perform the work in his absence . The I . P . M . takes the chair in such a case , and in bis absence the senior P . M . of thc lodge present ,

failing which any P . M . in the lodge may , at the request of the S . Warden , occupy the chair , but he cannot claim it as a right . The Book of Constitutions is binding upon B . A . Masons wherever its laws are applicable , but it does not follow that tho It . A . Regulations are a criterion for tlie government

of Craft lodges . GIIADUS . — AVe have before stated that the Grand Lodge of England docs not recognise a " Past Master ' s" degree . The body in which an I . M . is entrusted with the secrets of the chair is not a "lodge " of P . M . ' s , but a '' board" of l . M ' s ; therefore neither

an uninstalled Master of a Scotch lodge nor a brother with the Scottish P . M . 's degree is admissible to au English Board of Installed Masters . A P . M . { Vide "Original Correspondence" ) . —The oflice of Provincial Grand Standard Bearer is unknown to the Book of Constitulions ^ nd consequently

all such appointments are illegal . The subject was very properly brought before Grand Lodge scmo time ago , by Bro . H . G . AVarren , and it was then understood that such irregularities would be visited with severe displeasure if made known to tho authorities . AVith respect to a AV . M . acceptiiiK a

minor oflice in a Provincial Grand Lodge , when higher posts are conferred upon his juniors , it is a matter entirely within his own discretion . AVe should not consider it infra , dig . ourselves , especially as tbe rule of promotion , year by year , prevails in many provinces .

Enoch is said to have been thc first man who erected a public altar to God . 'Ihe principal altars of the Jews were the altar of incense , that of burnt offering , and the altar , or table , for the show-bread . Tho M . E . Grand Superintendent of N . andE . R ofYorkshire , has signified bis intention of holding a

Provincial Chapter of the Holy Royal Arch , at the Old Globe Chapter , Scarborough , on the 19 th of May , at 2 . 30 p . m ., when it is hoped that tis many Companions as can make it convenient will attend . The banquet will afterwards be held ut Companion Parker ' s , "George Hotel . " Tickets , including dessert , 5 s .