Allegories Of Masonry.

have had , and secured to him eternal life . Isaac is born , and , when grown , God tells Abraham to go to Mount Moriah ( which was the Mount upon which God afterwards directed Solomon to build the Temple ) , and there to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering . It is said , and truly , that this command

was given to try Abraham ' s faith ; yet there was a more important lesson . Abraham lived in the days of idolatry , surrounded by idolators , who sacrificed their human victims to their idols . Abraham was to be taught that the sacrifices offered by man were , and could only be , typical , and that hence man

must not dare to shed human blood as a type of divine sacrifice to be made for man . Hence the mysterious command , and the miraculous interposition of the ram , which , in the further development of the Levitical ritual , was delared to be the only type ofthe atoning sacrifice .

I do not purpose entering into an analysis of all the sacrifices of the Jewish economy ; it is sufficient for my purpose to say , that all the sacrifices may be grouped into three classes—expiatory , self-dedicatory , and eucharistic . Expiatory—sin-offerings , and trespass-offerings , represented the covenant between

God and man , as broken , and as knit together again by God's appointment , through thesheddingofblood . Self-dedicatory — burnt-offering , referring to , and includingtheideaof , expiation—was mainly to represent the dedication of the sacrificer , or worshipper , soul and body , to the service of God . Eucharistic

—meat-offerings and peace-offerings—the type of thankful hearts and active Christian charity . We have a ritual , so had the children of Abraham . If true Israelites , they did not worship their ritual ; they worshipped God by faith , through their ritual . Their ritual teaches that something was lost—the

knowledge of God ; and in that loss man is ruined . In process of time , God gave them the Book of the Law , ordered a house to be built , and the Sacred Book to be placed therein , and , for the time , overshadowed it with His presence . By their wickedness , His protecting care was withdrawn , and the

book was lost . Again , He stirs up the heart of Josiah to cause the House of the Lord to be repaired , and the Book was found . These things were permitted , and brought about , to furnish the means of teaching the great abstract truths that otherwise would be incomprehensible-

that by sin we have fallen from covenant relations with God , and can only be restored by faith . We may find that which was lost , not by works , but by faith , with faithful Abraham . Hence , in our search for light , all our allegories and symbols were selected and arranged , by our ancient brethren , with a view

to lead to a true knowledge of God ' s law , and , so far as allowable , of God . If , therefore , any symbol or allegory is used in the lodge , that conflicts with the teachings of the Bible , it is not Masonry . The Bible is the gift of God to man . It is the consummation of wisdom ,

goodness , and truth . On its veracity , our holy religion must stand or fall ; our hopes of salvation anchor upon it , as on a rock , which can never give way . Its author is Jehovah himself . It is perfect and complete . "If any man shall add unto these things , God shall add unto him the plagues

that are written in this book ; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy , God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life , and out ofthe holy city , and from the things which are written in this book . " Let us , then , look through our . allegories , to the

moral truths intended to be taught , and not commit the great error of supposing our ancient brethren to have been guilty of attempting to supply historical facts by tradition . Many of our allegories are beautiful — some grandly sublime — well calculated to stir all the

powers of the soul , and lift man ' s thoughts to God , and lead him to the practice of all those social virtues so impressively enjoined in our obligations . Hut , if wc trille with them , in our work , as a mere pastime , then the effect is precisely lhe reverse . It were better than the man who habitually follows

profane swearing , evil speaking of his neighbour , lying , uses false balances , oppresses the poor , makes widows and orphans by placing the intoxicating bowl constantly in the way of the weak husband and father , had nrvcr entered the sacred precincts of the lodge . There was never a corner-stone

planted benuatn the gambler ' s saloon , the grocery , or the brothel . These lay beyond the precints of Masonry . Within her landmarks are found the territories of truth , temperance , fortitude , and justice , and the habitation of charity , the home of the widow and the orphan . —Am . Masonic Record .

" THREE years ago this autumn I had a severe attack of gout , to which I had been subject twentytwo years . After being confined to my room , under treatment , two necks , 1 was induced to try your Vegetable Pain Killer , and in little more than a week Was able to be at business . Two years before I had a similar attack , no worse , which , under the best of treatment , laid me up over four months . —T . PERRY , Red Lion-si / ., London , Nov ., i S 68 ..-T 0 P . D . & Son . "

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LINCOLNSHIRE .

A very large and influential assemblage of Freemasons took place at Gainsborough , on Thursday se ' nnight , in consequence of His Grace the Duke of St . Albans , the R . W . P . G . M ., having issued his summons for holding the Annual Provincial Grand Lodge there , under the

auspices ofthe Yarborough Lodge , No . 422 . Bro . Dr . Mackinder , the W . M . ofthe lodge , entertained His Grace and a few ofthe brethren at luncheon at his own house , and Grand Lodge was opened in due form in the Old Hall at 2 p . m . This magnificent old building , which , perhaps , for antiquity and appearance is unique in

the county , and is well worth going many miles to see , had been lent for the occasion by Sir Hickman Bacon , Premier Baronet of England , and was m . st tastefully decorated , the whole arrangements reflecting the greatest credit upon those who had the management of them . Bro . Howlett , of Keiton-in-Lindsey , acted as D . C , and Bro . G . H . Porter , of Louth , as O .

I he business of the day was of a very interesting character , and occupied some time . The P . G . Treasurer , Bro . C . M . Nesbitt , of Louth , read an abstract of the accounts for the year , which was of an encouraging nature .

The Registrar ' s returns showed a steady increase in the number of subscribing members , and the fact that four new lodges had been constituted in the province during the first six months of the present year—viz ., tlie Ancholme ( No . 1282 , at Brigg ) , the Bayons ( No . 1286 , at Market Rasen ) , the St . Albans ( No . 1204 ,

at Great Grimsby ) , ¦ and the Olive Union ( No . 1304 , at Homcastle)—proved how rapidly the spirit of Freemasonry was increasing , a circumstance which is mainly due to the popularity of the R . W . the P . G . M ., and tlie unwearied exertions of his worth y and excellent Deputy , Bro . Major Smyth .

The report of the Benevolent Fund Committee showed that there was a balance of nearl y ^ 500 in hand , with an income of ^ 70 per annum , which had all been contributed during the last four years . Several liberal grants were

made in committee , and confirmed in Grand Lodge , to indigent Masons and the widows and children of Masons , as well as one of ten guineas to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls .

Bro . Radley , of Boston , the indefatigable Secretary of the Provincial Charity Committee , read his first report , which showed what valuable results had been attained by unity of action during the past year , and how enormously the strength of the province , in connection with the

great central Masonic Charities , had been increased . Favourable communications had been opened with neighbouring provinces , as well as with Middlesex , West Yorkshire , Warwickshire , & c , by which votes could be

borrowed and exchanged . The exertions of the committee will be concentrated at the next election in obtaining the election of a little girl , daughter of their late much esteemed brother W . J . Whalley , of Grimsb y , P . P . G . R ., into the Girls' School .

Bro . Captain Locock , P . M . of the Lindsay Lodge , Louth , and P . S . G . W . , handed in a full report of the efforts made by the province last year on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , the Grand Festival of which he attended in March last as Steward for the province .

His list of donations , including one of fifty guineas from the R . "W . the P . G . M ., amounted to . £ 189 , making , with the sum sent up the previous year , upwards of , £ 300 to this noble charity . ( The announcement was received with

much applause , but far from wishing to rest upon their oars , or to he satisfied with what had already been accomplished , it was stated that an effort would be made during the present year to do as much for the kindred charity—the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . )

The W . D . P . GM . proposed that the P . G . Secretary should be appointed as Steward for the province , and no less than four oilier brethren announced their intention of going up as Stewards lo the next Grand Festival . With

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

such valuable help as is guaranteed by the names of Bros . Sutcliffe and Josse , of Grimsby , Bro . Radley , of Boston , and Bro . Locock , of Louth , there can be no doubt of the success of the

movement . Amongst the visitors present was Bro . E . H . Patten , P . G . S . B . of England and the excellent Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . One would almost suppose he had had some prophetic intimation of the spirit that was

likely to animate the lodge— " Where the carcase is , there will the eagles be gathered together . " It was gladly noticed that after so many years ' anxious toil , his natural strength is not abated , and that his eye is as keen after business as it has ever been . Doubtless , he would feel

somewhat compensated for his long and tedious journey from the metropolis by what he saw and heard . His presence was hailed with much pleasure by the brethren , and the stirring words he delivered at the banquet in favour of his pet institution will doubtless much assist the Stewards in their canvass .

His Grace the R . W . P . G . M ., met with tne warmest and most enthusiastic reception by the brethren—the more so , because it was known that His Grace had very much inconvenienced lu ' mself , and had been compelled to alter some important domestic plans to enable him to be

present . After thanking the D . P G . M . in particular , and the other officers , for the performance of their arduous duties during the past year , His Grace invested several new ones , appointing as his Senior Warden W . Bro . Captain Valentine Cary-Elwes ( of Brigg ) , Bro . Dr . Mackinder

( of Gainsborough ) as his J . W ., and Bro . the Rev . W . H . Hewitt ( of Yarborough ) as Chaplain . After the business had all been concluded , the brethren , numbering upwards of one hundred , sat down to a magnificent banquet in the Old Hall , presided over by His Grace the Duke of St . Albans , the vice-chairs being occupied by

Bro . Dr . Mackinder and Bro . J . Sutcliffe , W . M . of the St . Alban ' s Lodge , Grimsby . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to in the most spirited manner , and all present acknowledged that it had been one of the brightest days in the annals of Masonry in the province of Lincolnshire .

The Freemasons' Life Boat.

THE FREEMASONS' LIFE BOAT .

At the regular meeting of the Committee held at Bro . Forstcr ' s , Railway Tavern , London-street , E . C , on Thursday , the 3 rd instant , the following list of subscriptions was read : — £ s . d . Supscriptions already acknowledged

in THE FREEMASON 159 9 o Bro . Moriiirly , 933 o 10 6 Per Bro . II . M . Levy , P . M . 188 ... 026 Bro . H . F . Isaacs , iS 8 026 ,, G . Brett ... . 026

,, Aslihurner , 127 S o 10 o „ Rev . J . Row 026 Total j £ i 6 o 19 6 The meeting was attended by Bros . A . E . Harris , S . Davis , E . Gottheil , T . Mortlock , and C . C . Taylor . The committee will meet again on Thursday , the 1 st December , 1 S 70 , at 8 p . m .

The French Masons And The King Of Prussia.

THE FRENCH MASONS AND THE KING OF PRUSSIA .

The following letter has appeared in the Daily News : — To the Editor of the Daily News . Sir , —There is reason to believe that the alleged summons addressed to the Kins and Crown Prince

of Prussia as Masons ( referred to in one of your leaders to-day ) does not emanate from the Freemasons of Paris . The Grand Orient ( Grand Lodge ) of France , and the lodges of Paris , hold their meetings at the Rue Cadet , which is a long way from the Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau . The

summons , therefore , probably emanates from some spurious Masonic body , of which one , at tlie least , exists in Paris . French Mat- > lry , even ofthe best , is too exalted in its ideas , and seems to consider that it has a mission to regenerate mankind — a mission which could certainly no * , be fulfilled by any

secret society . But it is highly improbable that the Grand Orient of France , or any lodge under its jurisdiction , would issue a summons so absurd as that alluded to . I am , & c ., London , Nov . 5 . J SYMONDS .