Legend Of Strasburg Cathedral.

LEGEND OF STRASBURG CATHEDRAL .

There is a quaint old tradition vvhich comes down to us from ancient times , tottering under its load of age , and rep lete with the superstitions of the past . On the borders of Alsatia there lies a great city , dating its foundation far back to the old Roman days , and rich in those architectural relics of the olden time which are

ever so dear to the antiquary . " Quaint offspring of centurial years , the town of Strasburg stands , Rich in the lore of a mighty past , in legend and in story ; Rich in high-hearted men , honest sons—a country ' s truest g lory ;

Rich in its old cathedral church , with clustering ivy spread , The Santa Crece of the land , where sleep her noble dead . " The story runs that once in every twelvemonth , on the eve of St . John , when the quiet burghers of that ancient city are wrapt in peaceful slumber , and when the hour of

midnight clangs out from the loud-tongued bell which hangs in the old cathedral tower , the spirits of the stonemasons by whose hands the sacred pile was erected arise from the tomb , and once more re-visit the scene of their former labours . Up from the dark and gloomy crypt , along the columned aisles and vast dim nave , across the white eleaming marble floor , checquered with ghostly

shadows that stream from picture oriels , past the stonecarved statues that keep watch and ward with their swords and sceptres , comes the long train of deathlike , night-wandering shadows . Clad in their quaint old mediaeval costume , the Masters , with their compasses and rules ; the Craftsmen , with their plumbs and squares and levels ; the Apprentice lads , with their heavy gavels ;

all silently greeting their companions , old and dear , with time-honoured salute and token , as of yore . While the last note of the deep-mouthed bell is still trembling in the air , reverberating from arch to arch , and dying away amid the frozen music of the traceried roof , forth from the western portal streams the shadowy throng . Thrice around the sacred edifice winds the waving ,

floating train , old Erwin himself leading the way , while far up above , above the sculptured saints who look down upon the sleeping city—up where , at the very summit of the feathery , fairy-like spire , the image of the Queen of Heaven stands—there floats a cold , white-robed female form , the fair Sabina , old Ervvin ' s well-beloved child , whose fair

hands aided him in his work . In her right band a mallet , in her left a chisel , she flits among the sculptured lacework of the noble spires like the Genius of Masonry . With the faint blush of dawn the vision fades , the phantoms eli'solve , and the old Masons return to their sepulchre , there to rest until the next St . John ' s-eve shall summon them to earth .

Ex-Mayor Bernard , of Montreal , was buried July 15 th , with Masonic honours . The Grand Lodges of Quebec and Canada and eighteen city Lodp-es were represented . The Mayor , the City Council , and other municipal officers attended in a body . Bro . H . A .. M . Henderson , editor of the

Kentucky " Freemason , " delivered a fine St . John ' s Day adelress , on June 24 th , before the Brethren of Marshall Lodge , No . 427 ( Bro . T . J . Bourne , VV . M . ) , at Port Henry , Ky . The procession was a large one , headed by two bands of music . About two thousand persons were in attendance .

An American brother recently attempted to visit an English lodge , and was refused an examination because he had no certificate . He writes to the London " Freemason " as though his case was one of great hardship , but we can't see it . Every brother that travels abroad

should possess a Grand Lodge certificate . It would not he a bad rule to require every brother , when outside of his own jurisdiction in the United States , also to possess and exhibit one , when seeking admittance into a lodge in another jurisdiction . Some of our Grand Lodges do require it . — " Keystone . "

Something like a panic prevailed at the Royal Arsenal , Woolwich , on Wednesday , in consequence of the dry grass in the Marsh Meadows being on fire in the immediate proximity of the large magazine known as No . 5 , " 1 which is accumulated a vast store of gunpowder . The fire spread rapidly , and cleared off five acres of grass , but

a large force of police hastened to the spot , and there being two fire engines kept at the magazine , and plenty of water obtainable , ' the flames were extinguished before they reached the building . Popular education is steadily gaining strength in Egypt . Jhe number of children receiving public instruction has

increased from 3 , , in the time of Mahommed Ali , to « o , ooo in the first years of the period of 1863-72 . The ° bstacles in the way of public education arc , however , great and exceptional in Egypt . Among the 89 , 893 scho-, n ° w in the primary schools there are only 3 , 018 girls , ¦ 1

« . whom , are ot non . Mussulman lamiues . thus one-half of the population of Egypt is , or has been until now , beyond the influence of education , it being one ! "J * dogmas of the East that women are not worthy of , Passings of education . The Khedive proposes to esaolish , at Alexandria , a great public school for

childall nationalities , at an expense of 65 , 000 dolls . Mr . p . Cavill , the well-known professional team " ™" ' now ful ' announced his intention of atmpting to emulate the feat of Captain Webb in swimfi'ted T ' Channel from Dover t 0 Calais , and has tim u I 2 th ' - as the day on which he will start ° « W the weather prove favourable .

An Ancient Masonic Charter.

AN ANCIENT MASONIC CHARTER .

At the session of the General Assembly of Rhode Island , held June , 1758 , was passed an act entitled "An act raising two thousand four hundree ! dollars , for anel towards the erecting a public edifice in the town of Newport , to be called ane ! known by the name of Masons Hall . " The preamble recites

that"Whereas , Robert Jenkins , jun ., Master , John Mavvdsley , and Samuel Brenton , Warelens , an ^ the chief of the Society of the Free and Accepted Masons in the town of Newport , with sundry other persons inhabitants of this colony , preferred a petition and represented unto this Assembly , that as the said town hath no building in it snffie-ie'ntlv larsre anel commodious for uublic

entertainments , where the Governor and Council , or General Assembly may occasionally meet and dine , and where any of his Majesty ' s Governors or other officers may be publicly entertair . ed , as they pass through this Government , they , the said society , h ive agreed to set on foot and erect a

commodious building to be called and known by the name of Masons' Hall , for the use of the said society and purposes aforesaid ; but finding their funds to be unequal to the expense , they prayed that a lottery may be opened and set up , in creler to raise twenty-four hundred dollars for carrying on and completing the proposed building . "

The act then provides for the raising by lottery ot the sum above named ; gives the scheme of the lottery , which is to " consist of four thousand tickets at four dollars each ; whereof " 5 ne thousand one hundreil and thirteen shall be fortunate , without any deduction . " The prizes range from one of 1000 dols . to 1000 of 8 dols each , making the total value of the " fortunate" prizes 13 , 600 dols .

Managers are appointed to conduct the lottery , who are t- > be under oath , and give security to the General Treasurer for the payment of the prizes , & c . " Said building when erected shall serve and be improved for the celebration of all public feasts and entertainments as they may occasionally happen , in which the Governor and Council of this Colony or the General Assembly thereof may be

concerned , but for no other use or purpose whatsoever without the consent or leave of the said Society of Free and Accepted Masons must be first had and obtained . " After granting authority to purchase and hold a suitable lot of land on which to build the Hall , the act goes on to provide"And forasmuch as it may happen that disputes

and controversies may arise from time to time , as well about the building and repairing of the said House , as the regulation and government thereof , it is necessary that the said Society have a name in law . Be it therefore further enacted , that the society aforesaid be , and are hereby incorporated , body politick in fact anel name bv the name ol the Master . Warelens , and Society of

Free and Accepted Masons iir the town of Newport , and by the same name they and their successors shall and may be persons able and capable in law , to sue and be sued , to plea and be impleaded , to answer and be answered unto , to defend and be elefended against , in all and singular suits , quarrels , matters , actions , and thinrrrs . of what kind or nature soever , touching- and

concerning ihe building aforesaid . " This , we believe , is the earliest recognition of the fraternity in the records of the State ; a , iul this civil charter is the most ancient of any granted in this country , so far as our knowledge extends . Can any correspondent throw

further light on this niattei ? Gov . Arnold , in Lis history of Rhode Island , says that in the year in which the charter above named was granted , " the first public celebration of the Order that was ever held in Rhode Island , took place with religious services at Trinity Church . "— " Freemasons' Repository . "

The Temple At Jerusalem.

THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM .

In a recent number ol the " Contemporary Review , " we find the following remarks on the Temple at Jerusalem : — It is , probably , no exaggeration to say that more has been written regarding the Temple at Jerusalem in respect to anv other buildinr ? in the known world , and

unfortunately , it may beadded , more that is wild and utterly untenable , this last peculiarity arises from several causes : First , because all the earlier restorers were entirely ignorant of the ground on which the temple stood , and of the local circumstances that governed its construction . It was not , indeed , till the spot was surveyed by the late Mr . Catherwood , in 1833 , and his plan

published on a sufficient scale in 1862 , that restorers had such a map of the ground as would allow them to adjust measurements to a locality with anything like certainty Though that plan was wonderfully perfect , considering the circumstances under which it was made , it has since been superseded by that made under direction of Capt . ( now Major ) Wilson , R . E ., in 1864-5 , which leaves nothing to be

desired in tliis respect . It can be depended upon almost by inches , and has been engraved on a scale sufficiently large for all topographical , if not quite for all architectural , purposes . A second cause of the wildness of the the restorations hitherto attempted is , that the Temple at Jerusalem was quite unique . Not only had the Jews only this one temple , but so far as we know , it was entirely of their own invention , and utterly unlike the

temples of any of the nations around them . It certainly , at all events , was quite unlike the temples of the Egyptians or Greeks . It may have had affinities with those of the Babylonians and Assyrians ; but notwithstanding all that has been done of late years , we know so very little of what the the temples of Mesopotamia were , that these hardly help us , even at this day , and the assumption that this might be so was of no use whatever to earlier restorers . Having thus no analo-

The Temple At Jerusalem.

gies to guide them , and , as it is literally and absolutely true that not one stone remains on another of thc Temple , properly so called , it is not to be wondered that early restorers failed to realize the truth , and indulged in fancies which were utterly untenable . In nine cases out of ten their object was to produce a building that would be worth y of Solomon in all his glory , rather than a sober reproduce tjon of the very moderate building described in the Bible .

The Spirit Of Masonry.

THE SPIRIT OF MASONRY .

M . W . Bro . Charles Griswold in concluding his annual address to the Grand Lodge of Minnesota , uses the following touching language : " Our journey is so very brief , and will so soon be closed , that alienations are sadly out of place ; and the precious moments that are left should be faithfully improved in

doing good , in strengthening the ties of Brotherly love , and enlarging our mantle of charity . No one who has any manhood about him finds it a difficult matter to think kindly of the departed . With the living we may have our serious differences and sharp cutting words ; but somehow , as we come into the presence of trie dead , we feel that all animosities are out of olace . and all < -rmtmtinn « mntt

be for ever dropped . We will gently bear the cold clay to its final resting place ; we will utter kind words of sympathy to the bereaved ; whatever there was good or beautiful in the life of the departed , we will speak of it then , and in its absence hold our peace . To strike a dead man seems so unnatural , so mean , so cowardly , that we cannot fine ! it in our hearts to do it . All this is as it should

be . But if we would only carry the same spirit into all our relations and intercourse with the living , how much better it would be . If , when we are about to utter a hasty word , or to do the unkind act , or pronounce the harsh , uncharitable judgment , we would for a moment stop and ask ourselves the question , 'What aboutall this if mybrother should die to-dav ? ' Are mv relatione wieh Wm «™

what I would wish them to be then ? ' If we would but follow this course , from how much sorrow and bitter selfaccusation wc might be saved I And then its effects upon others ? With this spirit carried out , how many of the bitter feuds that now rend society would come to an end ; aye , would be nipped in the bud , and so never have an existence ? ' How many that are crushed down would be

raised up ? How it would smooth elovvn the frictions of life , and oil all the wheels of society ? How many hearts are aching to-day because of wrong done by brother to brother , in the midst of which death has entered , and the opportunity for reconciliation has gone for ever ? I find this sentiment beautifully expressed in verse : " ' If I should die to-nisrht !

My friends would look upon my quiet face Before they laid it in its resting place , And deem that death had left it almost fair ! And laying snow-white flowers against my hair Would smooth it down in tearful tenderness ; And fold my hands with lingering caress—Poor hand—so empty so cold to-night ! '

" ' If I should die to-night I My friends woulel call to mind with loving thought Some kindly deed the icy hand had wrought , Some gentle words the frozen lips had said , Errands , on which the willing feet had speel ; The memory of my selfishness and pride—My hasty words would all be put aside , And so I should be loved and mourned to-night

' ' If I should die to-night ; Even hearts estranged Ivould turn once mire to me . Recalling other days remorsefully ; The eyes that chill me with averted glance Would look upon me as of yore , perchance . And often in the oldj familiar way—For who can war with dumb unconscious clay ? And so I might rest forgiven all to-night !

" ' Oh , friends I I pray to-night I Keep not your kisses for my dead , cold brow , The way is lonely ; let me feel them now , Think gently of me , for I am travel-worn ; My faltering feet are pierced with many a thorn . Forgive I Oh , hearts enstranged , forgive , I plead—When dreamless rest is mine I shall need The tenderness for which I long to-night . ' "

VALUE OF BOOKS . —So precious were books in thc Dark Ages that gifts are recorded as acts of signal generosity , deserving perpetual remembrance . In 6 90 a King of Northumberland gave 100 acres of land for one book containing a history of the world . A Countess of Anjou gave 200 sheep and a large parcel of rich furs for a volume of homilies ; 120 crowns were given for a single book of Livy ; 100 crowns of gold for a Concordance , and

40 crowns for a satirical poem called the " Romance of the Rose . " In 1720 a Latin Bible was valued at £ 30 , at a time when two arches of London Bridge vvere built for less money ; at a time , too , when the wages of a labourer were only three half-pence per day , and when , of course it would have cost such a man 15 years of labour to buy a Bible , which , after all , being in Latin , he coulel not have read .

RAILWAY PASSENGER DUTY . —It is shown by a public document just issued that in the year ended the 31 st March last the railway passenger duty amounted to £ 736 , 36 9 63 . 2 \ d . "London Society" for August contains , among other interesting matter , a story by Bro . Angelo J . Lewis , entitled " My First Client , " with a page illustration .