Hidden Mystery, No. 3.

HIDDEN MYSTERY , No . 3 .

Before closing the lodge at the last meeting of the Quatuor Coronati L-dge , the Worshipful Master , Bro . Sydney T . " Klein , F . L . S ., F . R . A . S ., & c , continued his interesting series of demonstrations by giving Hidden Mystery , No . 3 , or " The loves of the Atoms , " as follows : I concluded my last demonstration by pointing out that the force we then used was the result of what we call Chemical Affinity , and this process might be described

as the act of bottling up and letting loose the desires of those atoms of which matter is composed . The Mystery we are to consider to-night is the fact that each aton has its own special characteristic desires for certain other atoms , for some it is of the most vigorous order , for others it is less energetic , and for others again it is even shy of recognition . There are many ways in which we can examine the mystery of those passionate atoms , but before we

consider them let us try and fathom what matter really is ; we are so accustomed to take everything for granted that it may , perhaps , startle some of you when I ask you to consider whether we can even assert that we have ever seen matter . Let us turn towards a com Tion object in this room : we catch in our eyes the multitudinous impulses which are reflected from its surfaces under circumstances similar to those in which a cricketer " fields " a

ball , he puts his hand in the way of the moving ball and catches it , and knowing the distance ofthe batsmin he recognises , by the hard impact ofthe ball , that the batsman has strong muscles , but he can gain thereby no idea as to his character , and so it is with objective intuition , we direct our eyes towards an object and catch thereby rays of light reflected from lhat object , at different angles , and by combining all these directions we recognisey » m ,

and come to the conclusion that we are looking at , say , a chair ; the eye also tells us that rajs are coming in greater quantity from some parts of it , and we krow lhat those parts are polished ; the eye , again , catches rays giving higher or lower frequencies of \ ibration , and we call that colour ; our eyes also tell us that it intercepts certain rays reflected from other objects in the room , and we know that it is not transparent to light , and those are our

conceptions of a wooden chair ; we may go a little further by " pushing , when we know by the amount cf resistance , compared with the power exerted , what force of gravity is being exerted by , and on that chair , and we declare it heavy or light , but we get no nearer to the knowledge of what matter really is . By tests and reagents , we can resolve wood into other forms which we call carbon , oxygen , hydrogen , nitrogen , & c , which ,

because we cannot divide them into any other known substance , we call " elements , " but we can only look at these in the same way as we are looking at the chair . Chemists , however , carry us a little further , and show us that these elementary substances have not only their likes and dislikes , but . their passionate desire and lukewarmness towaids other of their ilk , and

when opportunity offers , they break up with great violence any ordinary friendship existing between their neighbours , and seize on their coveted prey with a strength of will surpassing anything experienced in the organic world , and this association they maintain until they , in their turn , are either dispossessed , or they encounter another substance of still greater attraction when they leave thtir first love , and lake up new connections .

Ihe lecturer then illustrated his subject by the folio ving experiments : Two colourless gases enclosed in separate glass jirs were mixed ( ogtther , and immediately formed a perfectly opaque vapour . Several colourless liquids were likewise mixed , the result being new combinations showing brilliant red , yellow , green , blue , and intense black solutions .

The next experiment explained that the life and heat of the human body , the heat and light of a coal fire , and also of an ordinary gas flame , were not inherent in the human body , or in the coal , or in lhe gas ; but were rendered possible by means of the oxygen in the surrounding air . The human body could not be kept alive or warm , neither would the fire glow nor the gas jet

light unless surrounded by the atmosphere containing oxygen . An example of the combining properties of oxygen in its mildest form may be seen in the case of an iron nail being gradually but surely rusted away . This is due entirely to the action of the oxygen in lhe air , which burns up the iron , although so slowly that no appreciable heat or light is evolved in thc process .

The lecturer then showed this same process greatly accelerated by the experiment of burning a piece of iron in pure oxygen , the result being an intense white incandescent light . The VV . M . then blew some soap-films with a mixture of two parts of hydrrgen to one of oxygen , and , taking these on his hand , the application

of a lighted taper exploded them with great violence . He explained that owing to the thinnt ss of the film the force of the explosion , although of very gnat intensity , was small in quantity , and quite a large volume of the mixed gases could be exploded on the hand without injury . This experiment was formed wilh pure hjdrogen and pure oxygen , and showed the enormous violence of the reciprocal affinity of these two gases for each other .

The lecturer explained that these two gases when combined resulted in a new compound , in the same way as the mixture of colourless fluids had been shown to produce new chemical combinations by the colours of the resulting fluids . In the present case the result ofthe combination of oxygen and hydrogen was the formation of pure water , and , in view of the violence of the action , it would be natural to expect that it would be very dillicult to break up this combination ,

I he lecturer , however , showed in conclusion that there were two " elements" which had a much greater affinity for oxygen than oxygen had for hydrogen , and that , in their presence , hydrogen was powerless ' to keep the oxygen in her grasp . These two substances were sodium and potassium , both of which have a beautiful metallic lustre , like silver . A piece of sodium was dropped into a large bisin of water , and on touching the water it exploded with great violence , but without much light : the potassium , on the

olher hand , when dropped into the water , immediately caught fire , and burned brilliantly for a considerable time . The lecturer explained tint the cause of lhe explosion and also of the flame was that the hydrogen was set free by the desertion of the oxygen , and sufficient heat was generated to enable this ( the hydrogen ) to combine again with the oxygen of the air ; in lhe former case it did this very suddenly , forming a quxk explosion , v « hereas in the latter case it did it more leisurely , resultig in a burning ( lame . The lecturer then cont ' nued : This passionate desire , if we may use the term metaphorically , is not confined to one side only—it is reciprocal , and

Hidden Mystery, No. 3.

is between the ultimate particles of matter called " atoms , " and we now come to the very root of the question as to what matter is , namely , what are these atoms ? We know with great precision their relative weights and the force exerted in their combinations . We know that they vibrate ever quicker and quicker as their temperature rises , and , as the quicker they vibrate the less cohesion they have , so matter passes from the solid into the

liquid , and thence into the gaseous state as the temperature is raised , but this does not touch the mystery of what an atom really consists . Our greatest physicists are ever working on this subject , and the theory which explains the most and seems to fulfil the conditions under which these atoms act , points to each of these being a vortex in the ether , thit subtle medium which , having the properties of a solid of almost infinite elasticity , we know

to be universally present , as it is by means of that wonderful elasticity that we are able to receive the light from stars sunk far away in the depths of space . Do we not , then , seem to find in this an explanation of how matter was brought into existence and how some day it will vanish awiv ? God is omnipresent , and it would seem that the fiat of His will , which went forth when these worlds were made , was the

indestructible force which set these vortices in notion , and these will remain in motion until that fiat is recalled ; we miy , in fact , look upon all creation , as suggested in my installation address , as being the materialisation of the thoughts ofthe Deity and , when Volition is withdrawn , matter will return again into the ethereal . Let us think what it will mean for us when all matter ceases to exist , only the Innermost Self of which we

treated in my last demonstration , or Spiritual ' part of us , will be left , our corporeal senses and all our affections set on material objects will be as naught ; we shall then see clearly that from the beginning of Time the only reality is , and has been , the Spiritual ; the material body is but the shadow which attends it during its pilgrimage through this passing life , it

has no real existence except to our corporeal senses , it is but a movement in the Ether which in the fulfilment of time will cease to exist . The Philosopher Paul seems to have had this in mind when , in the first century of our Era , he wrote to the Corinthians—Behold I show you a mystery , we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed , in a moment , in the twinkling of an eye , at the last trump . ( 1 . Cor . 15 , 51 , 52 . )

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Somerset.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SOMERSET .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Friday , the 3 rd instant , at the Friends' Meeting House , Yatton , under the bannerof the Yatton Lodgeof Agriculture , No . 1199 . The Prov . G . M ., Bro . the Right Hon . Viscount Dungarvan , presided , and was supported by Bro . R . C . Else , P . G . D . England . Dep . P . G . M ., and other distinguished brethren .

Bro . C . L . FRY EDWARDS , S . G . D . England , ? rov . G . Treas ., presented the Prov . Grand Lodge accounts , which showed a balance in hand of £ S \ ios . 7 d . The statement of accounts was adopted , on the motion of Bro . PEEL FLOYD , seconded by Bro . J . C . HUNT .

Bro . T . P . ASHLEY next proposed the re-election of Bro . C . L . Fry Edwards as Prov . G . Treasurer , remarking that he had discharged the duties of that high and important oflice in a very efficient and satisfactory manner , and he was sure they could not do better than re-appoint him . Bro . J . BURNETT , seconded the proposition , observing that the accounts

were always presented by Bro . Edwards in the best possible form , and that they were very much indebted to him as a province for his valuable services . The PROV . GRAND MASTER said he was sure it was unnecessary to put the resolution in a formal manner , and that it would be agreeable to the lodge that he should inform Bro . Edwards that he had been re-elected unanimously .

Bro . EDWARDS having thanked the brethren for the honour they had again conferred on him , The PROV . GRAND MASTER said he had received the permission of the M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of VVales , to confer two more Jubilee honours on provincial brethren , and he had great pleasure in appointing as officers of past rank Bros . VV . Rice , 175 s . P . P . S . G . W ., and Evans , nog , P . P . J . G . W .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER next appointed and invested the following brethren as officers of Prov . Grand Lodge for the ensuing year , remarking that he was pleased to state that the Bishop of Bath and Wells had accepted the collar of P . G . Chaplain , but , unfortunately , his many duties had prevented his attending the lodge that dav .

Uro . R . Gough , P . M . 973 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ H . VV . Collins , P . M . 1199 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . ,, Right Rev . Dr . Kennion , G . C . Eng . ,., ) ,, „ „ , „ Rev . A . R . Cartwright , 1 750 . . ... j rov' G' Cha P " „ G . H . Kite , P . M . 390 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ C . L . Fry Edwards , P . M . 1199 ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ E . Fry Wade , P . M . 291 ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ VV . Gough , P . M . 2038 ... ... ,., Prov . S . G . D . „ F . T . George , P . M . 44 ft ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ A . B . Cottam , P . M . 1 ^ 5 ... ... Prov . G . S . of VV . „ A . B . Wickenden , P . M . 1750 ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ P . H . Shrepnell , P . M . iS . n ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ J . P . Capell , P . M . 1222 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ J . Tyler , P . M . 291 ... ... ... ) n / - C . J n „ „ J . R . Paull , P . M . .. 97 j Prov - G > Std - BrSl „ T . H . Chaflin , P . M . 261 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ VV . A . Fedden , P . M . 1296 ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . rursi

,, | . IM . narper , I ' . IM . ... ... rrov . tr . . ,, W . J . C'laike , P . M . 97 O .. ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ C . J . Perrott , P . M . 285 ... ... ") „ F . B . Smith , P . M . -, 2 9 ... ... | ,, C . F . White , P . M . . n 7 ... ... }» Prov . G . Stewards . „ S . Pile , P . M . S 14 ' ... ... ... I

„ J . W . Pitts , P . M . 11 ,, .. ... ... J ,, A . J . Sailer , 5 ? ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . ,, S . Bidgood , 41 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Ty ler . Bro . R . C . ELSE , D . P . G . M ., next presented a very satisfactory report of the Charity Organisation Committee .