The Footsteps Of Masonry;

amongst the ancient Romans , to whom emblems were common ; and some of the houses at Pompeii are carved with emblems indicating their trade .

Here , then , is an ancient Roman sign of undoubted authenticity retained amongst us , and of importance to our argument , since , as it was actually used by them , it shows our Latin origin .

IM AUKS . Amongst all the emblems of our lodges we have no images , and Nuraa strictly forbade the Romans to represent God in the form of man or beast , saying ( says Plutarch ) , " that it was by

the understanding only that we could form any conception of the Deity f and however our prayers may have been modified since his time , they breathe the same spirit and recognise the universal Father and Governor of the Universe ,

a God not made with hands ; for the triangle , although it may he looked upon as an emblem , is not an " effigy , " or " eidolon , " form or likeness , and it is this latter which constitutes idolatry .

JEWELS OF THE LODGE . The jewels of the lodge are said to be " moveable and immoveable . " The Roman law also divided possessions into " moveable and immoveable . " The moveable , for example , were retained by the seller of a farm , & c .

The allusions may be accidental , but it was a division much insisted on in the Roman law .

FREEBORN . " Privileges restricted to the Freeborn . " Blackstone , in speaking of this subject , says : " The obsolete doctrines of old laws are frequently the foundations on which what exists is

erected . But Ave remark that , in Masonry , obsolete ideas are , in this case , preserved , as are flies in amber . Amongst the Romans , few things are more remarkable than the scrupulosity with which

" free and freeborn " was regarded . " With what natural justice , " says Blackstone , " I shall not now inquire . " It was a point greatly insisted on amongst them , and our retention of it eminently shows

great approximation with the habits of ancient Rome ; for , when the Emperor Caracalla granted the " freedom of the city " of Rome to all the Roman world , he restricted it strictly to the " freeborn . " St . Paul calls himself a "

tentmaker , " not merely to state his trade , but as indicating also that he had a guild , and was consequently " free by birth . " Horace , the friend of a favourite of Augustus , was , it is true , the son of a freedman , as he himself tells us , " Me

libertino nattim patre ; " but he may have been born before his father became a captive and slave . But genius is a law unto itself , and free from all others . Although seemingly illiberal , this very

distinction shows the liberality of Freemasonry ; for , in the early history of Rome , as in all ancient states , foreigners enjoyed none of the privileges , or even the dress , of citizens , and were much despised .

That Freemasonry only requires freedom of birth in their candidates points out the liberality and fraternity of those who , on this sole condition , opened their portals to others , and thus invited the co-operation of foreign craftsmen and men of science , " being worthy . "

This fact , so recognised and insisted on in our traditions , is , undoubtedly , one chief cause of its universality ; for , whenever or wherever a lodge was formed , no other obstacle existed for admission , all who came , of whatever nation , or kingdom , or people , being found worthy , were alike received .

" CLOSING THE LODGE WITH THE SETTING SUN . " This evident remnant of an ancient usage recalls forcibly to our minds this fact , that , in all the assemblies of the Roman people , nothing could be done before the rising nor after the

setting of the sun . Hence , we are told ( Adams ) that some one was always appointed to mark the setting sun , and close the collegium , by order of the Master of the assembly .

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PLEDGES OF FIDELITY . We must not omit an important characteristic of Freemasonry , evidence of ancient manners and of ancient teachings , viz ., " oaths or pledges of fidelity . " The King Nuraa built a temple to

Faith , and , we are told , instituted formal oaths as pledges of fidelity , which were thus rendered legally binding , and thus avoided the necessity of giving hostages or pledges when such were not absolutely required .

The Romans did not forget his teachings , and their fidelity to their pledges and solemn obligations long distinguished them as a people , and Gibbon remarks that , " The goddess of human and social Faith was worshipped not only in the temples , but in the very lives of the Romans . "

RECEPTION AND OBLIGATION OF CANDIDAl'ES Freemasonry retains evidently a very ancient * form of receiving and obligating its candidates . Amongst the Romans , a candidate seeking any object or preferment , appealed personally to the

Qumtes or electors , but m a peculiar manner . It was usual for the candidate to be accompanied by a monitor , to instruct or inform him . On setting out , he assumed an appearance of humility , threw off his pallum or cloak , loosened

his tunic or coat , and at the same time bared his arm and breast , the foot being slipshod . All this we are expressly told ; it is not therefore necessary to seek amongst Eastern nations for parallel facts .

Of religious ceremonial , initiation or devotion , on great and important occasions , descriptions are not wanting •as when Dido , stung by the ingratitude of / Eneas , seeks in religious devotion a solace for her woes . Virgil thus describes

it" Pallor simul occupat ora Ipsa mola manibus que piis altaria jtixt . i Unum exnta pedem , vinctis in veste recincta Testatur moiituia Deos . "

Which may be thus rendereel - . — " The Queen herself , her face bedewed and pallid , her hair dishevelled — now resolute on death . Having one foot bare , her robe ungirt , standing by and holding the altar ( pedestal ) with pious hands ,

and offering salt-cake ( the mola , or mass ) , makes her appeal to the gods and to the stars , conscious of her fate . " Some authors assert that it was the left foot which was bared , anel in this condition the postu-Ianlmade the round of the altars . Ovid describes

Medea" Kgreditur tectis , vestes induta recinctas , Nuda pedem , niulis humeris , '' & c , and which may be rendered : Arm , breast , and knee made bare , left foot slipshod . Horace and

other authors also give a similar description , so that religious , political , and social postulants underwent ceremonial preparation . Dishevelled hair ( for females ) , garment bound back ( that

they might be better enabled to go round the sacreel building , it is said ) , the shoulder , arm , and left foot made bare , the hands upon the altar , and in this humiliating condition take the solemn obligation .

Ihe ceremony of initiating vestal virgins " is said by a learned editor ( I cannot put my hand on the extract ) closely to have resembled taking the veil in modern times , the latter evidently being imitated from the former , and might be

studied with advantage . The duty of the vestal virgin was , as we have already mentioned ( when their order was founded hy Numa ) , to keep the sacred fire burning , and that is even now , in the Latin countries , a chief duty of nuns . In

southern Italy , to the present day , in almost every house a lamp is kept burning to the honour of the Queen of Heaven ; and what is that but the "sacred fire , " descended—almost unknown , tin . seen , unthoiight of—even unto the present day ?

It may be interesting to recal the " Declaration " with which the Pontifex Maximus received the Vestal Virgin " designate" from her mother or family : " I take thee , O beloved one ( amata ) ,

as priestess to our Lady Vesta , to perform her religious service , anel to discharge those duties with respect to the whole body of the Roman people , which the law requires of you as priestess of Vesta . " Thus far have we proceeded in the identifica- [

The Footsteps Of Masonry;

tion of our fragments , our object being , as our programme proposed , by studying its internal organization , to show the "unity of design " perceptible equally in the ancient and modern

institution . We hope , in our next lecture , to be sufficiently advanced to point out where the Roman , or fundamental , or primary institution terminates , and the second , or accessory , commences . ( To be continued . )

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DEATH OF THE OLDEST FREEMASON IN ENGLAND . —Bro . Matthew Greathead , of Richmond , Yorkshire , died there on Sunday in the 102 nd year of his age . He was born at High Cunniscliffe , near Darlington , on April 23 , 1770 , and was believed to be the oldest Freemason in

England , having been a member of a lodge for 75 years - DENMARK . —His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been elected Grand Master of the Danish Craft , in succession to the late M . W . Brother Brastrup . Representatives from the

Grand Lodge of Sweden , Germany , Sec ., are expected to attend the new Grand Masters installation at Copenhagen , in the current month . Under the auspices of his Royal Highness ( who is brother to the Princess of Wales ) ,

Freemasonry cannot fail to prosper in Denmark , where the ancient Craft has long been held in great estimation , the late King Frederick having been Grand Master up to the period of his decease .

A LONDON SECRET WORTH KNOWING . —It is a matter of frequent surprise to our neighbours across the Channel , and of still greater annoyance to ourselves , that , with all our advanced civilisation and love of comfort , so little accommodation of an adequate character exists in London for any visitor in

search of a really good dinner , or lighter refreshment , either for himself or for a party of friends . This is , undoubtedly , one of the matters that are , even yet , " managed better in France . " It is true that our West-end clubs are luxurious and comfortable in the highest degree , but only a certain

favoured few among the denizens of London can avail themselves of their privileges . On the other hand , the proverbial extortion of the great hotels , and their narrow and insufficient accommodation , want of roominess , general "stuffy" atmosphere , and indifferent cuisine , ca . usc them to be avoided by

those whose taste is at all fastidious , and whose means are moderate . Between the hotel and the club , and performing partly the functions of both , stands the restaurant , but of such establishments there are , unfortunately , too few in our metropolis , and most of those which do exist are situated in

quarters of the town more accessible to men of business than to those of leisure ; so that the question how to take a laely or a friend to a house where a really good dinner , well cooked and well served , with due quietness and privacy , can be procured , has hitherto been difficult of

solution . A solitary but notable instance of an establishment offering all these advantages and conveniences has come under our notice , which seems to have attained the full measure of success such an experiment deserves . Situated in the most fashionable anel frequented thoroughfare in the

West-end , contiguous to the National Gallery , the theatres , and the Metropolitan Railway , the Pall Mall Restaurant is in no respect inferior to the best Parisian houses as they were under the Empire . Only recently some alterations have been made , providintr many additional private rooms , a luncheon

and dining room for ladies , a magnificent suite it manger on the first floor , and a bar for lighter refreshments . It cannot be too widely known that hot luncheons are served daily from 1 to 4 o'clock , in the New Luncheon Rooms , at prices as moderate as those of any house in London . The perfection of the cuisine , the really exquisite " service , " and

the plentiful "attendance , " render it matter for no surprise that the Pall Mall has attained a high place among London restaurants , and that among our foreign visitors especially it has attained unbounded popularity . The speciality of the house for late suppers should not be forgotten , as this was an accommodation hitherto to be obtained only by journeying far to the east .---John Bull .