Papers On Masonry.

PAPERS ON MASONRY .

BY A Luwi jin ^ — ' ' ' vie Vlir . —MASONRY AND PRE-IHSTORIC MASONRY .

"In those days there was no Melech ( King ) in Israel : every man did that which was right in his own eyes . "Judges xxi . 25 . If my memory serves me right , although 1 have not the book at hand , the philosophic Thomas

Carlyle somewhere defines kings aud the kingly office as denoting greater astuteness and capacity for reconciling differences and governing men than is evinced in those who are governed . This implies intelligence ; intelligence argues physical comfort ;

physical comfort leads to civilization . To be canning , or cunning ( in the elder sense of our language ) , signified kingship ; and such a position , derived from virtue and merit , any M . M . may be called upon to exercise . To assume , even symbolically , the chair of King Solomon—who , by a species of

wonderful intuition , decided the question between the adverse mothers — requires great firinuoss , promptitude , and decision . Hence , in Universal Masonry , we hail as leader and king that man who most possesses discretion and discrimination . The divine right is thus given by T . G . A . O . T . U . But when we come to consider what may be

concisely called Pre-historic Masonry we are led to the conclusion that ages must have been passed through ere the human mind attained a sovereignty over itself , and knew rightly how to wield that sovereignty . It was necessar } that there should be an infancy of the Royal art of reconstructing the building of the human mind ; and here archaeology

comes in to assist us . Modern research has led to much which in itself has a tendency to disenchant us respecting the wisdom of the ancients . Egyptian hieroglyphics , so long the theme of poet ' s song aud of the mystic ' s rhapsodical interpretation , turn out very

commonplace affairs . The astrolabe of Bro , Henry Melville is nothing more than the rude picture of the domestic arrangements of an Assyrian cooking-house , with the stable hard by where grooms are cleaning horses ( carefully omitted by that learned (?) brother in his description ) . . Dinner , we learn from ancient

monuments , was a great institution of antiquity ; but mysticism makes mountains of molehills , anil discovers mares' nests innumerable amidst the relics of antiquity . It is very sad to be obliged to own that our forefathers were cannibals , and no better than they should be ; but if we are to be

loyal to facts we must admit the soft , but somewhat unpalatable , impeachment . We now certainly do not feast upon the aggregation of Hastinesses which formed the staple of a Roman ctciia . The civilization of our present day is infinitely higher than that of Athens or Persia , and , humiliating as it may be ,

we must abandon much that seemed very dear to our imaginations . As Longfellow sings , "Things are not what they seem ; " and all the learning possessed by Egypt aud the Magi , the Brahmins , and tho Gymnosophists , dwindles into meagre stature beside the colossal proportions of modern science . Yet , while we have a right to rejoice at

our present surrounding ? , there is no occasion to undervalue antiquity . We do not build pyramids now-a-days ; the gigantic walls of the Peruvian Andes point to a constructive power not surpassed iu our era ; Roman road-making has not been equalled since the epoch of the Casais : and the

wall of China remains to prove what antiquity could accomplish . _ All these great remains point to a skill and capacity in our predecessors on this planet to which we must give honour . What is the corollary lo the proposition I There might be many answers to such

a question , but to me the obvious one is—that an almost incomprehensible antiquity is to be assigned to the human race , during which , by the slowest and surest of processes , a gradual advancement has been made . From the rude lake dwellings ot Switzerland , from the kitchen middens of the

North , to our times there is a great leap ; and every intelligent Freemason cannot but perceive that , pari passu , with symbolisms of a moru or less mystical character there has been a steady battle fought with Nature and the elements to promote the personal comfort ami security of mankind . But the

arts come , lrom tune to tune , to definitive periods of settlement ; they a / ein arrested at certain points , and so perilled . Thus it is that at given times in the world ' s history the text I have written at the head of this article seems to be reverified—that there is really no king in Israel , and that wry man

does that which is ri ght in his own eyes . If the Master be away , the work can , it is true , bo continued by the Warden ; but the eye ami authority of the . Master is best to give the work increase and fruition , if it be true of " operative " . Masonry , how much more so of " speculative 1 '•

Papers On Masonry.

To reconstruct the temple of the human mind , to revivify the dead bones in the valluy of Ezekiel , so that they shall be clothed with Charity as a garment , supported by Strength , aud illustrated by Beauty , is a task demanding the utmost vigilance of a powerful mind . Hence the necessity , in some

shape , of authority as absolute as it should be accurate and merciful . Hence the excellence of the square as a symbolic instrument . And here I am reminded that some exception has been taken to expressions used iu one of my former papers . I said that , in the middle ages , the

operative masons being at war with the superstitions ol Papal Rome , commemorated iu sarcastic caricatures the vices and abuses of their era in the sacred edifices they raised for public worship . It was alleged that such caricatures wore not executed without the imperssion of the ecclesiastical authorities . The

enly reply to such an assumption that I can give , in print , consists iu the following extract , from perhaps the best History of Freemasonry yet in existence . I allude to that of Fiudel , who gives the following instances of such a tendency to satirize in stone . He says ( History of Freemasonry , p . 65 .

Asher & Co ., London ) : — " Intimations of their secret brotherhood aud of the symbols known to them are to be found on all their monumental buildings , as well as of their religious views , which were entirely opposed to the prevailing corruption of morals of the clergy

everywhere , as well as to the strict orthodox doctrines of the Chureh . In the St . Sebaldus Church in Nttremburg is a carving in stone , representing a nun in the lewd embrace of a monk . In -the large Church at Strasburg , in one of the transepts opposite the pulpit , a hog and a goat may be seen

carrying a sleeping fox , as a sacred relic ; a bitch is following the hog ; in advance of this procession is a bear with a cross , and before the bear a wolf holding a burning wax taper . Then follows an ass , who is reading mass at the altar . In the Cathedral of Wiizburg are to be found the significant columns J

and B which were in the porch of Solomon ' s Temple . In the Church of Doberan , in Mecklenburg ( consecrated 1368 ) , there are many double triangles placed in a significant manner , three vine leaves iu Masonic fashion , united by a cord , and symbolic ciphers on the columns ; there is further a

beautifully preserved altar-piece which apprizes us of the religious views of the architect . Iu the foreground there are priests turning a mill , grinding dogmatic doctrines therein . In the upper part of the picture is the Virgin Mary with the child Jesus , having a flaming star on the lower part of

her bod }' . At the bottom of the picture is a representation of the Lord ' s Supper , iu which are the Apostles in the well-known Freemasons' attitude , & e . In auother Gothic Church is a satirical delineation of the overshadowing of tho Holy Ghost ; a picture of Mary , from beneath whose dress issues

a leatheru pipe up to the picture of the Holy Ghost ; in the Cathedral of Braudeuburg a fox iu priestly robes is preaching to a Hock of geese ; in the Minuter at Berne , in a picture of the Last Judgment , the Pope is amongst the damned . " Now , I will appeal to tho common sense of

Freemasons in general , whether it is likely that the consent of the superiors of these churches could have been obtained to the setting up of emblems and symbol . * such a . i these 1 It is very certain that no man would consent to his own ridicule ; and yet these are palpable proofs that the " operative "

Masons of the middle ages , when " there was no king iu Israel , " set up , iu defiance of priestly authority , such emblems . Anyone who goes into the Cathedral at Aix la Chapelle , or Aachen , will see two disembowelled wolves sitting outside the side door ; and the number of instances in which this

tendency to satirize is evinced might be multiplied ad nauseam . ' •Orthodoxy , " said the wise aud witty Sydney Smith , ' •mity be my doxy ; heterodoxy is another man ' s doxy . " Or , as it has been put very well , there is exactly the same relation between Dryads and I lama-Dryads as there is between bishop . ) and archbishop * .

If the Freemasons of the present day desire to make use of the symbolisms of the past they are free to do so ; but let them beware , in the presence of archieologists , to claim any exclusive title to the origination of symbolism . Symbolism existed before Fivemasmiry ; nor is that Order the only Order which uses it to instil lessens of good into the human tiiiml—to educate the henrl--to eradicate

vice—to maintain right—to extend the hand ot charity , and to put forth foot in the path . of progivs ; - ! . Yet it must be admitted that the organisation of the Masonic Fraternity is as perfect as , in the nature of things , it can be . There are two

sides to the smeld , and the misinterpretation of the outer world reduees the whole question to an equation . In fact , to use algebraic language , Freemasonry aud institutions of a similar nature essentially seek the value of x , and desire to raise humanity , in the plenitude of its strength , to the » th power . " CHYPTONYUl'S .

The Queen And The Craft.

THE QUEEN AND THE CRAFT .

BY J . E . CAUFKUTBK , P . M ., 281 and 1190 . Ant—•' Here ' s a health lo the King , God bless him . " Fill hig h ! for whatever the Tumor may be , The glass at the brim should run o'er , Let every true brother now take it from me ,

If he never drank bumper before . Though politics ne ' er in our meeting have shar We still to be loyal endeavour , So I'll give you a toast that a Mason may boast , Here ' s ' the Queen aud the Craft for ever . '

The ancients to whom lor our science we turn , Were kings , if our records prove true , And the Craftsman who first raised the temple , wo learn

Gave homage i \ here homage was due ; Then let us unite , ev ' ry true son of light , ( Is there one who'd refuse it , oh never !) In this the best toast , that a Mason can boast , Here ' s the ' Queen and the Craft' for ever .

MASONIC ANTHEM .

BY J . E . CARPENTER , P . M ., 284 and 1190 . God save our gracions Queen , Long live our noble Queen , God save the Queen . May peace and p lenty reign , Through a'l her wide domain , May we her laws sustain , God save the Queeu .

Oh ! Lord above , who sees Our hidden mysteries , On Thee we call ; So rule our hearts that wo May in Freemasonry , Faithful aud loyal be , Oh , save us all .

May Heaven ' s Great Architect , Our gracious Queen protect , Long may she reign ; O'er her Thine arm extend , May she the Craft befriend , And we her throne defend , God save the Queen .

Metropolitan Chapter Of Instruction, No. 975.

METROPOLITAN CHAPTER OF INSTRUCTION , No . 975 .

This Chapter of Instruction so celebrated throughout the Craft for its working , under the able instruction of Companion Brett , who by his able working has perfected moru companions to enable them to fill thu important chairs , met on Tuesday , May the 18 th , at

tho George Hotel , Aldermanbury . Ihe ceremony or exaltation was very ably worked by Companion S . Foxall , acting M . E . Z . ; Nicholl , 11 . ; Tanner , J . ; Dr . Woodman , N . ; Smith , P . S ., who worked the ceremony iu a very perfect manner . Companion Tippet acting Candidate . Present Companions Brett ( Preceptor ) ,

II . M . Levy , Keyworth , C . Ilosgood , Barrett . Visitor , Comp . Win . Day Keyworth , of Hull . The 1 st clause of the 1 st section was very ablv worked by Companion Brett , on the explanation of tho jewels and solids . We should recommend all who wish to gain instruction in It . A . Masonry to pay a visit to this excellent Chapter .

Bno . HENRI D RAYTON has been engaged by Bro . Peuuoyer , to appear in New York , as Prime Basso of the Riching ' s Grand Opera Troupe , iu September next . ROYAL ARK MARINERS' LODOK . —A Royal Ark Mariners' Lodge was opened on Monday , 17 th inst ., within tho Lodge Rooms , 170 , Buchanan Street .

( Holding of the S . Old . Chap ., of Scotland . ) Tho Lod"e was opened by M . E . P . Z ., Thomas M . Campbell , N . ; William Rae , J . ; and William McEwau , S ., when the following Companions were admitted and instructed in the degree viz .: —Thoiinui Darwin Huinphirea , 0 !); Capt . John . A . McDonald , 6 !) : and William Murray , 79 .

BAHVXONISII PAHS on RED CROSS D EGREES . —A Council of Knights of the Red Cross , consisting of the three points , viz : —Knights of the Sword ; Knights of the East , or Princes of Jerusalem ; and Knights of the East and West , was held within the Council Rooms , 170 , Buchanan-street . Sir Knight Thomas M . Campbell presiding , assisted by Sir

Knights James Balfour , Thomas Gordon , William McKwan , Geo . W . Clarke , David Ramsay , and T . P . Mullins Companions Neil MoCallum , Win . Rae , Thos . Niblo , Thos . D . Humphries , Capt . Jolm A . McDonald , Edward Crosher , and William Murray , were duly installed as Knights of tho above degrees . Tho ceremony was ably performed , and of a very imposing character .