Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

CAUI-i . EOYAL Alien MASONRY ... 1 REVIEWS" The American Freemason" ... ... ... 2 "Monograms" . 2

PROVINCIAL GRAND CIIAPTEII OF YORKSHIRE ... 2 IKSTAILA ' IION HEETINO OF TUE PREMIER CONCLAVE 3 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS . THE CRAFTMetropolitan ... ... ... 4 Provincial ... ... 4 THE ROYAL

Ancu—Metropolitan ... ... ... 4 Provincial ... ... 5 MARK MASONRY — Provincial ... ... 5 la THERE A GOD ? 5 CONSECRATION OP THE DE MOWBRAY CHAPTER , 1130 5

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND FREEMASONRY ii THE FUND OF B .-KEVOLENCE ... o QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE ... 7 MASONIC HALL , Irswicn 8 ROYAL PI . ANTAGENET ENCAMPMENT S

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF OXFORD 9 GRAND LODGE OF MARK JI . vsoxs 10 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 10 LIST OF AGENTS 10 ABVEUTISMIK - 10 , 11 & 11 '

NOW READY , Cases to hold 4 copies of "The Freemason , " 1 / C . Cases to hold 5 i copies of '' The Freemason , " 2 / C . With TIIK FREEM is . iN emblematically depicted , and other Masonic emblems iu gold . To bo had at tlio Offices , 3 & 4 , Little Britain .

Royal Arch Masonry.

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY .

BY THE SON OI ? SAI . ATUIKL . ( Continued . )

( The rights of translation and reproduction rc $ crrcd . ~ ] HAVING traced tho history of the temple erected under ( he auspices of Zerubbabel , Ilaggai , and Joshua , upon which record the

ceremonies of Eoyal Arch Masonry , in what may he termed tlio York llite , are substantially based , it may be well to retrace our steps and review those traditions which ascribe the origin

of the lloyal . Arch degree to a much earlier period—tho antediluvian era . The figure of the Patriarch Enoch stands forth prominentl y in the first act of this mythical drama , which h probably unknown to the vast majority ol

Masons at the present day . The legend , however deserves preservation , were it onl y for the apposite moral attached to its quaint and mystic narrative . Enoch , the sou of Jared , " was a man who

walked encircled with the love of God , and the visible presence of the Deity shed splendour round his jwth . To him avas tlio arcana of Divine Wisdom revealed ; to hiin the secrets of nature were unveiled , and the profound obscurities of human thought became irradiated to the

spiritual vision of the friend of God . Iu blissful communion with his Maker , the favoured Enoch rejoiced , and around him iloatcd the atmosphere of Paradise , tint the sacred name of tho Most High was not communicated to the

patriarch until he lind acquired the knowledge of all things appertaining to the animal , mineral , and vegetable kingdoms , and had penetrated into mysteries super-mundane and celestial .

Then it was that the -Almighty appeared unto him in a dream , and said , "As thou art desirous of knowing my name , follow me and it shall bc revealed . " Upon this a mountain seemed to rise to the heavens , and Enoch was swiftly

carried lo the top thereof , where he was shown a triangular plate of gold upon which was engraved , iu brilliant characters , the ever-blessed liiinie of God , which lie was admonished by a mystic voice never to pronounce . After this ,

Enoch was lowered into the bowels of the earth perpendicularly through nine arches , and in tho ninth , or deepest , he saw the same brilliant golden plate with the same characters

surrounded with a flaming light . Enoch being full of the spirit of the Most Puissant God , built a temple on the very spot under ground , and dedicated it to Jehovah . The entrance to this

temple was through nine successive arches in the same form as those he had witnessed in his dream . Methuselah , the eldest son ot Enoch , was the

architect of this sacred building , but he knew not the reus n for its singular con :. f ruction . This cdilice was erected iu the Land of Canaan , which afterwards became the Land of Premise ,

and , since then , the heiitage of Israel . Enoch made a gold plate of a triangular form , a cubit long , und enriched it with the most precious stones , lie encrusted this plate ou a stone of ugate , and engraved thereon the characters he

had observed in his dream . Tlie p late was then transported to the vault of the ninth arch , and p laced ou a pedestal of white marble of a triangular form . After Enoch had finished the subterranean

temple , God appeared to him again , and desired him to make a trap-door of stone in the first arch , and told him it must be laid down with an iron ring to lift up the same occasionally , as , in consequence of the wickedness of mankind , God had determined to visit tho world with fire

or with the waters of destruction . The nine arches , being finished and closed up accordingly , no person could penetrate or enter therein , and to Enoch alone was known the precious treasure contained in those hidden arches , and he alone ,

of all men living , knew the true and wondrous name of God . The wickedness of man increased , daily ; and Enoch , foreseeing that tlie knowledge of the arts would be lost in the impending

deluge or conflagration , and being desirous of preserving tho princip les of science to the posterity of those whom God was p leased to save , he built two great columns on the highest mountain near him—one of brass to withstand

the water , and the other of marble to resist the fire . He engraved ou the marble column certain hieroglyphics that thcro was a precious treasure concealed in arches underground which

lie had dedicated to God ; and on the brazen column he engraved the principles of the liberal arts and sciences . Methuselah was the father ot Lanicch , and J . amech was the sire of Noah , whoso virtues gained him the approval and love

of the Most High , who thus spake to him , " I will punish all mankind in general with a deluge , and order you to construct an ark to contain yourself aud family , with apartments for

a pair of every living creature , as I will save those from the punishment I am about to inflict upon the world . " God then gave Noah tho plan for constructing thu Ark which the

patriarch was 100 years in building , and when it was completed ho was GOO years of age and his son Seth 9 D . About five years before this lieiiod , Liimcch died aged 777 j'ears . There

was therefore not one of tho ancient patriarchs since Adam living at the time ofthe flood except Methuselah , tho grandfather of Noah , who was then 9 G'J years old , and as there is no record of his existence in the past diluvian era , there can