Royal Arch Masonry.

"The equilateral triangle was adopted by nearly all the nations of antiquity as a symbol of the Deity . The Egyptians , for instance , considered it as the . representative of the great principle of animated existence . Among the Hebrews it

was often used as a symbol of the tetragrammaton , and in masonry it retains the same signification , being the symbol of the Grand Architect of the

Universe aud Bsstower of Li g ht , its three sides representing the Past , the Present and the Future , all of which are contained in the eternal existence of Jehovah . " ( To be continued . )

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» "Masonic Monthly" Boston , U . S . A . No . 65 , for May . We welcome again our old friend the Masonic Monthl y , the editor of which speaks out boldly

on the negro question , ancl we are g lad to find that his sentiments are in perfect accord not merel y with our own , but with those of all enlightened members of the Craft . Bro . Evans writes as follows : —

When the Masonic descendants of the black men to whom the Grand Lodge of England legally and properly gave a charter iu 1784 , since and to this time ostracised as Masons in the United States by their- white brethren on the pretext of irregularity ef organisation , but really by an unmasonic prejudice

against the race to which they belong , —when these men venture to petition the Crand Lodge ot Massachusetts for recognition as Masons , thou must war be pronounced against them also by the men who cry " Let us have peace , " and war against all who dared to say , investigate , aud , if all found right ,

recognise . . Bro . Findel , of Leipzig , contributes a first latter on Freemasonry in Germany , -France , aud England , in which the worth y brother comments on the fact that " American and English Masonic

periodicals do not give reports on Masouic affairs in Germany , France , " <_ c . Ho will find , however , that THE FREEMASON is not obnoxious to this charge . Bro . Findel ' s language respecting the spurious Rite of Memphis is quite as strong as bur own was recently : —

Ihere was incxistcncc in France an absurdBito , an ofispiHg of human vanity and nonsense , nnd a very modem invention , culled the " Kite of Memphis , " of ninety-nine degrees . To t lis Rite belonged sotie French lodges , to the honour of which it must be confessed , that they have changed this Hi to tor the French .

The following will be found interesting , and proves the correctness of our opinions respecting thc African Lodge at Boston : —

LETTER FROM LONDON . The writer of the following London letter , a wellknown correspondent of our journal , has returned to this country , and has verified with his own voice what he has therein set down with his pen . It is strange , but true , that crows and other black tilings

will come home to roost . The " highest Masonic authority in the world " has frequently announced that it was Lord Montacule and not Montague who issued the commission to Henry Price , under which it is claimed that organized Masonry in Massachusetts 'originated . We have ourselves in former

volumes more than once asserted that it was Montague , aud not Montacule . The coat of arms of the Montacule hung np in our Boston Temple is against us ; but our correspondent assures us that we are right , —that the records , the original records , of the Grand Lodge of England , which with his own

« yes he lias seen , says Montague , not Montacule . The escutcheon will have to come down . The herald ' s book will have to be studied once more . We are sorry , on account of the expense ; but , on account of historical truth , let us have a change . It is exceedingly funny . But in company with the writer of the following letter , we

examined a copy of the " English Peerage , " which our Boston readers may also examine for themselves at Piper ' s in Washington-street , aud find that the title ofMontacule became extinct in the year 11561 , and will , not be able to find that it was ever revived . This is another pill for " the highest Masonic authority iu the world" to put in his pipe the next time

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he smoketh . Then aboutthat omission of the date , our correspondentmakesa very damaging exposureof the way in which the " highest Masonic authority in the world " makes up history for the Masons of America . In this we think that same " highest authority , ' & c ., has exhibited a species of immorality which the

speculative Scotch Rite aud Higli Degreeism might be able to explain away , but which simple Master Masonry must , in the strongest manner , condemn . The " highest authority , " & c ., is a member of the Committee on the petition of the coloured Masons

of Massachusetts . Let that Committee see to it , and purge itself in its report which some time in the future it ought to make , by showing that such histories as " the highest authority" makes are not its guides . Your report , whenever it comes , will be closely scrutinised . —[ ED . Masonic Monthly . !

London , April 23 rd , 1869 . BKO . EVANS , —You doubtless recollect the letter of the Grand Secretary of England published in the article " Negro Lodges , " in the Feb . No . of Bro . C . W . Moore ' s Magazine . You remember in the article I then wrote for the A merican Freemason ,

I intimated my doubt with regard to a paragraph in the said letter , where Bro . Hervey was made to state that "Henry Price was Grand Master of America from 1733 to 17— . " And I then further asked Bro . Moore why he did not at the same time ask Bro . Hervey to enlighten us whether it was

Lord Montague or Montacule who granted the commission to Henry Price in 1733 . vifell , then , shortly after my arrival here , I called on Bro . Hervey , and am glad to state that I met with a truly brotherly reception . Every facility was afforded me to clear upthat , though unimportant ,

yet vexed question . I was permitted to examine the records of the Grand Lodge of England . Neither the names of Moutacute , nor that of Henry Price , could I find there ; but I did see that Montague was elected Grand Master in 1732 . This point being settled , it will now become the duty of

the present Grand Master of Massachusetts to have the name aud arms of Lord Moutacute erased from the Grand East of the Boston Masonic Temple , and either substitute that of Montague , or not , as he may deem proper . ' But that is not all . You remember the brother

from Worcester County , who objected to the naming of a lodge " Moutacute Lodge , " aud how he was bluffed and pooh-poohed by the last Grand Master and Grand Secretary when he remonstrated and protested against the name of Moutacute . Now , as there can be no doubt of the correctness of the said

brother ' s position , I think they are in duty bound to rename the said lodge accordingly . Having cleared up that question , I next asked Bro . Hervey the meaning of that dubious part of the letter , viz . " Henry Price was Grand Master of America from 1733 to 17— . " Here Bro . Hervey

expressed his surprise at Bro . Moore s mis-stating his letter . Bro . H . showed me the copy of the said letter . Tbecopy was taken with the usual process of a copying press , and it read thus : " Henry Price was Graud Master of America from 1713 to 1804 , since which time his name disappears . " When I pointed

out to Bro . Hervey that the statement was erroneous , that Henry Price died in 1775 , he said , "That may be so , but it was the duty of Bro . Moore to have had the letter printed as it was written , and then he might have corrected my error . " 1 could not very well defend Bio . Moore ' s conduct . 1 might

have pleaded that 1783 might be mistaken for 1733 , though even that would have been difficult to do ; but how to find au excuse for mistaking " 1804 " for " 17— " was entirely out of my power . I must now explain the cause ot Bro . Hervey ' s mistake . When the three categorical question * of

Bro . Moore reached Bro . H ., he naturally turned to the minutes of the Graud Lodge , 1733 . There , as already stated , the name of Price was not to be found . Tho next thing Bro . II . consulted was the " Freemasons' Almanac , " 1783 . Therein he found that Henry Price was G . M . of America . He then

followed up tlie successive ahmiiacs until 1804 , when Price was still G . M . ; but iu 1805 his name disappears . Bro . II . further informed me , that he hai , since his letter to Bro . Moore was written , examined the almanacs hack to 1770 , in till of which copies Price reigns supreme over tho

American Masons . Indeed , I do not know whether , if Bro . Hervey had looked up the almanacs still further back , lie might not have fouud Henry Price G . M . from the very origin of that publication ; and this is but an additional proof that there could have been no correspondence carried on during the last

century , between the G . L . of England aud the lodges of the colonies ; for otherwise , that error would not havo been repeated for so many successive years in such a publication . It is evident that either the first projector of the almanac , in 1704 , or

a little later , wishing to furnish a list of Masonic information to his subscribers , very naturally must have asked tlie then " greatest masonic authority in the world'' as to who was the G . M . of America , and received for answer , "Henry Price . " So , cither

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himself or his successor continued Price in office for nearly thirty years after his death . But , in 1805 , either suspecting that the longevity of Price was already extended beyond the duration allotted to humanity , or , may be , having received some dim information that Price and his Graud Lodge seceded from the G- L . of England , the name was thenceforth

discontinued . I next asked Bro . Hervey the period when the English G . L . erased the American Lodges from its list . Bro . H , replied , that he had no doubt that all the American Lodges were erased from the English register at the same time when the African Lodge were erased , viz ., 1813 .

In the course of our conversation , Bro . Hervey expressed his firm opinion , that the members of the African Lodge were as legally entitled to visit English Lodges , as the members of any other American Lodges . To-day I paid a second visit to the Grand Secretary of the G . L . of England , and was permitted to

see the first record of the said Grand Lodge . It begins with " June 24 , 1723 . The Kt . Hon . Francis Earl of Dalkeith , Grand Master . " I have also been permitted to go through the whole building , and through the adjoining building , " called Freemasons' Tavern ; but as I hope very shortly to return home , I must leave its description , and other interesting matters , for a fnture time ,

Fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON . We shall look out with hopeful expectation for the next number of the Masonic Monthl y , a magazine which we can heartily commend to our numerous subscribers in the United Kingdom , and oii the Continent of Europe .

A Masonic Hymn.

A MASONIC HYMN .

Unto Thee , great God , belong Mystic rites and sacred song ! Lowly bending at thy shrine , We hail thy Majesty divine ! 4-Glorious Architect above , Source of Light , and source of Love , Here thy light and love prevail—Hail ! Almighty Master , hail !

Whilst in yonder regions bright , The Sun by day , the Moon by night , And the Stars that gild the sky , Blazon forth thy praise on high—Join , O Earth , and as you roll From East to West , from pole to pole Lift to Heaven your grateful lays ; Join the universal praise .

Warmed by thy benignant grace , Sweet Friendship liuk'd the human race Pity lodged within her breast , Charity became hor guest , There the naked raiment found ; Sickness , balsam for it * wound ; Sorrow , comfort ; hunger , bread ; Strangers , there , a welcome shed .

Still to us , O God , dispense Thy divine benevolence ! Teach the tender tear to flow , Melting at a Brother ' s woe ! Like Samaria ' s son , that we Blest with boundless charity , To the admiring world may prove They dwell in God who dwell in Love .

A Masonic Prayer.

A MASONIC PRAYER .

O , Being of Beings ! prime Spring of Knowledge ! sprung from Thyself , before Time knew his rise ! existent with Eternity ! omnipotently great ! whose span extends beyond the bounds of space ; aud step outruns Infinity herself ! O God ! all Nature ' s

Lord ! whose lneouiprohensive might creative , rose from nothing , inert matter ! — thence formed , O Architect Divine , a fabric vast , beyond conception ' s eye to view ! The universal mass ; chaotic heap ! then , how ? Thou giv ' st to matter instinctive energy to , through attractive combination , huge

concretes rise of varied forms!—thence , organizing part , gav'st power thereto of vegetative growth for life : and—thence , to part , exalted high , a power of animated will , volition , gave ' st—this done ; Thou further weut ' st anil formed a man ; from Thy allbounteous will , with reason ! an attribute most like

Thyself ! a spark divine ! for which—this blessing great!—good God , accept our grateful thanks ! and grant , that with each sense , we may with admiration view thy vast stupendous work throughout this mundane spot , we here behold , of the vast universal whole !—Give us , good God , with reason ' s increase ,

a grateful soul to thank the ioiuilaui-soiirce thereof , Thyself ! May sun , may moon , may star , yea , may all free-accepted Geometry unite in one loud shout of praise to their great , Architect divine ; till time shall be no more ! all Mature , cry Amen ! Amen ! — Bro . SriiY , LL . D .