The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonry.

him , took him warmly by the hand , and ' welcomed hiin . ' She led him to the best apartment , refreshed him with the richest wine in a golden cup , fed , cheered , clothed her guest , nor suffered " him to depart until he was strengthened for the journey . Through all the country her name was famous as

' the beneficent and affectionate Electa . ' And all this time she was ripening for the better world , and preparing for a fate which , although protracted , was inevitably to settle upon her . The time of her martyrdom drew nigh . A great persecution began , and any one who had confessed the name of Jesus

was required to recant from his faith , or suffer the penalty of the law . Electa was visited by a band of soldiers , whose chief officer proposed the test of ' casting a cross on the ground and putting her foot upon it , ' whereupon he would report her recantation . She refused , and the family were cast into a

dungeon , and kept there one year . Then the Roman Jud ge came and offered her another opportunity to recant , promising that if she would do so she should be protected . Again she refused , and this brought the drama to a speedy close . The whole family were scourged to the very verge of death . They were

then drawn on a cart , by oxen , to the nearest hill , and crucified . She saw her husband perish . She saw each of her sons and daughters die on the cruel tree . She was then nailed there , and being about to pass' to the better land , ' she prayed with her expiring breath : 'Father , forgive them , for they

know not what they do ! ' The colour red symbolises fervency , and alludes to the noble generosity of Electa , displayed toward the poor and persecuted of her faith . The emblem of the cup reminds us of the ardent hospitality of Electa , excited by the view of poverty and distress . The sign alludes

, . . . The pass is used to recall the summingup of the grand tragedy which crowned the life of the heroic Electa . The grip will serve to remind us of the manner of reception , alike to the rich and poor , practised by Electa . " The lines printed hereunder constitute a tribute to Electa : —

" When cares press heavy on the heart , And all is gloom around , Where shall we fix the heavy eye In all this mortal bound ? What emblem hath the mourner here ? What love to warm—what lisrht to cheer ?

Thine , true Electra , thine which tells Of His distress and thine ! The Cross upon whose rugged limbs Ye both did bleed and pine ! The Cross by heavenly wisdom given To raise our thoughts from earth to heaven . "

The general instructions given to the officei presiding at the ceremonial business of the institution are brief , but perspicuous . They are thus laid clown : — "The Instructor will again refer to the signet , and repeat with care and distinctness the names ,

passwords , emblems , signs , colours , and scriptural passages of each degree , also the grip . Induce the ladies to make the signs , give the grip , and repeat the pass words . Excite a friendly and pleasant spirit of emulation ; but keep all in perfect order and good humour . Explain the object and

meaning of the motto— "I have seen His star m the East , and have come to worship Him "—in the scroll at the top of the signet ; also explain in detail the Cabalistic motto—F . A . T . A . L . —upon the body of the star , in the following or similar language : — Jephthah ' s Daughter , because she cheerfully

rendered up her life to preserve her fathers honour , was .... Ruth , because she forsook , home , friends , and wealth , that she might dwell among the people of God , was .... Esther , because she was prepared to resign her crown and life to save the people of God from death , or to perish

with them , was .... Martha , because amidst sickness , death , and loneliness she never for a moment doubled the Saviour ' s power to raise the dead , was .... And , finally , Electa , because she joyfully rendered up home , husband , children , good name , and life that she might testify to her

Christian love by a martyr ' s death , was . . . . So , ladies , let it be with each of you . As you illustrate the virtues of these chosen and tried servants of God , so shall be your reward . You will not be called to suffer as they did , and yet sufferings and trials await all of us in this sublunary

state ; and those who in the place to which they arc called best endure these trials , and resist temptations , prove that had they lived in ancient times they would not have been found wanting , though called to endure as a Ruth or an Electa . As Freemasons , we earnestly solicit your goodwill and

encouragement in the work in which we arc engaged . I have proved to you that it is for your good as much as ours that wc are doing the Masonic work . Then , ladijs , help us . Help us by defending our principles when you hear them attacked , and by ever speaking a kind word in our behalf . Your smiles and favours are the best

The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonry.

encouragement we seek ; with them we can do everything , and with them we pledge ourselves to do a double portion for you . And to those kind ladies who thus , while living , prove themselves the

friends of Masons and Masonry , we promise that living we will love and respect you , and when you pass from this world to a better , we will remember you as . . . . "

The progress of the Order in America , the impressions entertained by the writer upon the introduction of a similar constitution into this country , and other matters , will , in the succeeding article , be communicated to the 2 'eader .

The Royal Order Of Scotland.

The ROYAL ORDER of SCOTLAND .

BY REIT AM . The Royal Order of Scotland consists of two steps or degrees—H . R . M . and R . S . Y . C . S . —the former being really the Christianized form of the ancient degree of Master Mason , and the latter

an order of knighthood . Indeed , it is well authenticated to be the oldest , and perhaps the only genuine , order of Masonic knighthood , as in it we have an intimate relation between the sword and the trowel , which is shunned by all

other orders . The order of Masonic Knights Templar has doubtless been instituted by Freemasons , but has nothing whatever Masonic in its ritual , unless in a spiritual sense , and has no claim to be a Masonic order , as it is well known

the ancient Knights of the Temple were not Masons , as we accept the term . They may have possessed certain secrets , and undoubtedly had a secret ritual or form of reception of candidates , but the order was not a Masonic one . It can ,

however , be proved by public documents that the geiiuine Order of the Temple was in existence in Scotland till the year 1650 , and we are told that about 1680 a body of knights attached themselves to a lodge of Masons at Stirling ,

and were called Cross / egged Masons . The traditional origin of the Royal Order , and the legend which ascribes its foundation to King Robert the Bruce , in 1314 , are well known , and must be familiar to every Masonic student . We shall

not , therefore , occupy space and time by a recapitulation . It is exceedingly doubtful when the Royal Order was really established , but it is a most interesting fact that , although at present we have no Chapter of H . R . M . or Grand Lodge

of R . S . Y . C . S . m England , we have indubitable evidence to show that , so far back as 1730 , there was a Provincial Grand Lodge for South Britain , which met at the Thistle and Crown in Chandosstreet , the date of whose constitution was then

so ancient as to be called " from time immemorial . " There were also in London , of similar antiquity , chapters at the Coach and Horses , in YVelbeck-street , and at the Blue Boar ' s Head , in Exeter-street . It is but fair to say that at this

time the Order 111 Scotland had become almost dormant , and the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Britain obtained permission from the Deputy Grand Master and Governor to grant charters , and on the nth December , 1743 , a

warrant for a chapter of H . R . M . was granted to certain brethren to meet at the Golden Horse Shoe , Cannon-street , Southwark , and about a year after , 20 th December , 1744 , some others were authorised to meet at the Griffin , Deptford ,

Kent . Bro . William Mitchel , a Scotsman residing at the Hague , obtained from the P . G . Lodge of South Britain a charter for Holland , 22 nd July , 1750 ; but , from unforeseen circumstances , was unable to use it . On his return to

Scotland shortly after , he called a meeting of the then existing KnightCompanions , and succeeded in reviving the Order in that country , and placing it on a firm basis . From that time it has continued to flourish until the present day , when

we hope soon to see the re-establishment of the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Britain in London . It must not be forgotten that in 1747 Prince Charles Edward Stuart , in his celebrated charter to Arras , claimed to be the Sovereign

Grand Master of the Royal Order , " Nous , Charles Edouard Stewart , Roi d' Angleterre de France , de 1 ' Ecosse , et d' Irlande , et en cette qualite S . G . M . du Chapitre de H . " Prince Charles Edward goes on to say that H . or H . R . M . is known as the " Eagle and Pelican "—

The Royal Order Of Scotland.

' Connu sous le titre de Chevalier de 1 ' Aigle et de Pelican " et depnis nos malheurs et nos infortunes , sous celui de Rose Croix . " Now , there is not the shadow of a proof that the Rose Croix was even known in England till twenty years after 1747 ; and in Ireland it was introduced by

a French chevalier , M . L'Aurent , about i 7 S 2 or 1783 . The chapter at Arras was the first constituted in France— " Chapitre primordial de Rose Croix " —and from other circumstances ( the very name Rose Croix being a translation of R . S . Y . C . S . ) , we are forced to the conclusion that

the degree chartered by Prince Charles Edward was , if not the actual Royal Order in both points , a Masonic ceremony founded on , and pirated from , that most ancient and venerable Order . This is said to have been done by that celebrated Scotsman , the Chevalier Tohn Michael

Ramsay , for political and Jacobite purposes . Indeed , we are at once led to the conclusion that to the Royal Order of Scotland we are indebted (?) for all those degrees called " Ecossais , " but which were invented in France or Prussia towards the close of the eighteenth

century . All other Masonic degrees can , under certain conditions , establish themselves in each country as Grand Bodies , owing no fealty to any other country ; but the moment a Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Order throws off its

allegiance to the Grand Lodge of the Order in Scotland , it ceases to be legal , and is ipso facto incapable of advancing brethren to the degree of H . R . M . the first , and only portion of the Order , ' to confer which a charter is granted by the Grand Lodge . A Provincial Grand Lodge has

in itself no power to promote brethren of H . R . M . to the Knig hthood of the R . S . Y . C . S . ; but in almost every case the Prov . G . M . and Governor receive letters patent , which enable him and his Deputy to confer that dignity . All Knights Companions , no matter where advanced and

promoted , must be registered in the books of the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh , and pay the usual fees to the parent body . We may mention that the original warrant for the chapter at the Hague , granted to Bro . William Mitchel in 1750 , is still in existence ,

and is in possession of the Order in Edinburgh , as well as the letters patent authorising him to promote brethren of H . R . M . to the R . S . Y . C . S . The Grand Lodge also possess a Book of Records , with the list of members and their characteristics , previous to 1763 , and regularly

engrossed minutes , the first of which bears date 31 st October , 1766 , and which are continued to the present time . Before 1766 , there is but little doubt , the books and minutes were lost or destroyed in the Rebellion .

Should the subject prove interesting to the Masonic student , we may , at some future time , give a few interesting extracts from these valuable Masonic records ; but at present time and space will not permit .

There are many Knights Companions of the Royal Order in England—we beg pardon , South Britain—and we have reason to believe that a charter would be granted to them were they to apply in the usual course . Indeed , we are not

not sure but that something of the kind is being already done . Be this as it may , we sincerely hope before long to see the re-establishment of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Order ' for South Britain .

ROYAI . ORDER OF SCOTLAND . —This order is now established at Bombay , under the Provincial Grand Mastership of Sir Knight H . Morland . The following Sir Knights were recently exalted : — The Hon . J . Gibbs , M . Balfour , J . Percy Leith , E . Tyrrell

Leith , Colonel L . W . Penn , Captain B . H . Mathew , H . Maxwell , Hon . G . M . Stewart , A . F . Shepherd , Dr . Shepherd , Dr . Blanc , J . Thomas , V . Reid , G . L . F . Connell , K . R . Cama , J . D . Wadia , W . Cooper , J . Green , and C . Mathews .

WE extract the following from a letter of the London correspondent of the Western Morning A ews : — "It is not , I think , generally known that Earl De Grey found his labours facilitated in no small degree by the fact that he is at the head of the

English Freemasons . Freemasonry in America is very strong , and there was thus a powerful inducement on the part of influential Americans who are also Freemasons to receive him with the utmost courtesy . "