The Mark Degree And The Cryptic Rite.

Freemasonry . In a future number we will give a sketcb of tbe Most Excellent Master ' s degree , and also of the Cryptic Rite .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—©—" POINT WITHIN THE CIRCLE . " This symbol or emblem is one which every Mason is to a certain extent acquainted with . They have , most of them , in a mechanical sort

of a manner , looked upon , heard of , and spoken of it . They have an indistinct , hazy sort of knowledge , that it is one of the emblems of the 1 st degree , and has some species of relation to the Order , but it is " monitorial , " and therefore

little or no stress is laid upon it . This is to be regretted , as there is scarcely any symbol we have so rich in significance , so ancient , so suggestive , or so beautiful as this so much neglected ( or , to speak milder , so little

understood ) appeal to us , as Masons . Such being tlie premised facts , it seems to be in place to make a few remarks on the subject , and we cannot believe that any member of our Order , after reading them , will look upon the " parallel lines

and the point within the circle " with anything but the most profound respect . We are taught that in every well-regulated lodge there is found a point within a circle , which circle is embroidered by two perpendicular parallel lines .

These lines represent St . John the Baptist and St , John the Evangelist . The two great patrons of Masonry , to whom our lodges are dedicated , and who are said to have been perfect parallels in Christianity as well as in Masonry . So say old lectures .

Hemming says : " The point is emblematic of the Omniscient and Omnipresent Deity . The circle represents his eternity , and the two perpendicular parallel lines his equal justice and mercy . It necessarily follows , therefore , that in

traversing a Masonic lodge we must touch upon these two great parallels , as well as upon the volume of the sacred law ; and whilst a Mason keeps himself thus circumscribed , remembers his Creator , does justice and loves mercy , he

may hope , finally , to arrive at that immortal centre whence all goodness emanates . " Here , then , is a new reading , and opens up the subject in a broader , purer light than wc are accustomed to view it ; but what a field is open ,

when we consider the following * . The old Lectures say , " The circle has ever been considered symbolical of the Deity ; for , as a circle appears to have neither beginning nor end , it may justly

be considered a type of God , without either beginning of days or ending of years . " The ancients , however , give us a more decided and literal interpretation of the point within the circle .

The Egyptians believed the serpent to be symbolical of divine wisdom , power , and creative energy ( . . ) , and of immortality and regeneration , from the sheding of its skin * therefore they represented eternity by a circle . The monad is

the principle of all things the starting point hence to the heathen god , from the facts the learned ancients represented a point within a circle as Deity bounded only by eternity , never ending . Dr . Oliver says : "The point within

the circle was an universal emblem to denote the temple of the Deity , and referred to the planetary circle , in tlie centre of which was fixed the sun , as the universal God and father of nature : for the whole circle of heaven was

called God . " Pythagoras esteemed the central fire the supernal mansion of Jove , and he called it " Mesouraneo , " because the most excellent body ought to have the most excellent placei . e ., the centre . He also taught that the point within the circle , and the dodecahedron ( or

figure with twelve sides ) , were symbols of the universe ; the triple triangle was an emblem of health , and the letter Y representation of the course of hiim . in life with the two paths—one leading to virtue and tlie other to vice . His doctrine was , that one point ( . ) , the monad , re-

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

presented God . The two points ( .. ) , or duad , matter . The three , the worlds which were formed by the action of tbe one , or monad upon the duad . And upon this symbol the initiate into the Pythagorian mysteries was

sworn . The formula was , according to Jamblichus , thus : On the sacred tetrackus' eternal fountain of nature I swear thee . " This brings us involuntarily to another coincidence . The phallus or virile member was carried in religious

processions ; by many of the natives of antiquity it was reverenced by a symbol of creation , and dates back to the misty ages of the Indian mysteries - thence introduced into Egypt , and made conspicuous in the mysteries of Isis .

In the Grecian mysteries it was regarded with the same religious reverence , and traces of it are found among the Jews . It was not associated in the minds of tlie people , with any low , vulgar .

or lascivious ideas , but as one of the holy principles of the creative force of nature . The sign is most prominently associated with the symbol of the point within the circle .

That this same sign , and doubtless with the same accepted significance as above mentioned , was known and used in the Odenic mysteries , is au undisputed fact . Those interesting relics of the Druids found at the present day throughout Great Britain , bear the proof of this fact .

These druidical stones are erected in the shape ofa circle , and invariably in tlie centre of this circle is placed another , and generally a larger stone . Here we have the point within a circle , and in a grander and more undisputed

form that any we know of . Many ofthe ancients worshipped the sun as the representation of Deity . They represented it with a point within a circle , and , even to this day , our almanacs adopt , unconsciously , the same symbol , and we

see it daily , without once thinking of asking ourselves why and whence this representation sprung . The ancient Egyptian priests represented the kind , good , gracious , and merciful God by tbe water triangle y ( base up and point down ) , and the ; just and angry God by the tire

triangle A ( base down , point up ) . If we unite the two we have a six-pointed star as a symbol of the perfect Godhead in all His attributes . Gadlicke says : " If we surround this figure witli a circle with the point , we have the perfect Godhead with the sacred number seven : the six

points of the star and the central point making the seven . " Dr . Oliver says : " The centre point is a symbol of time and the circle of eternity . He also adds , " The point in the centre represents the Supreme Being . The circle

indicates the annual circuits of the sun ; and the parallel lines mark out the solstices , within which that circle is limited * and thus the Mason , by subjecting himself to due bounds , like the glorious luminary , will not wander from the patli of duty . "

But this article must not be allowed to take too much space . Enough has been said and quoted to demonstrate to the thinking brother that the point within the circle has a deep and wonderful significance ; it is one of the oldest

and most instructive of our symbols , and , as we said before , we believe one of the most neglected . Still , every brother has been a living representation of that same symbol ; and if he will

but recall his position , and tbat of his brethren , and tlie Holy Bible , at the moment he was brought to light , he will see and realise that so highly prized was this symbol to our ancient brethren , that it was introduced into our ritual in such a manner that each individual was called

upon to represent the point—bordered by the parallellines of his brethren—while lie touched the Holy Bible at the apex of the circle . — Loomis' foitrnal . W . S . F .

GELATIN . —It is said tbat an animal fed on gelatin dies rapidly of starvation and inanition . This is perfectly true ; but the fact is , that no simple substance given alone will support life .

The most nutritive materials , such as albumen , fibrin , gluten—to say nothing of such substances as starch or sugar—all equally fail to support life when given alone . — Food'Journal .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . "FREEMASONRY AND JUDAISM . " ( To the Editor of The Freemason . )

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Greatly as I respect the motives and appreciate the intentions of Bro . W . B ., 742 , in his article on Judaism and Freemasonry , in your last issue , I cannot but think that he has exhibited a great lack of judgment in

publishing it in LHE < -FREEMASON . He has not only put forward opinions from which our Jewish brethren must dissent—but which they will probably refrain from replying to—but he has pronounced opinions upon the most important questions , wholly at

variance with those entertained by very many oi his Christian brethren . To say nothing of the-condemnatory terms in which he pronounces judgment on the teachers of " modern theology , " which he dogmatically condemns after a fashion not exceeded

by the most self-inspired pretenders to infallibilit y , I cannot help remarking , that I remember scarcely anything more offensive to the feelings of those who differ from him than the style in which he delivers his censures . I know of no writer who has more

strangely mistaken the facts of history than W . B . has done ; and he makes his perverted facts the ground upon which he runs a-muck against all forms of religious belief , save that of the Swedenborgians . I protest against the doctrines of the article in

question , but to point out specifically its errors and false teachings would be to violate the rule I have laid down for myself touching religious controversy in the columns of THE FREEMASON , which should , I think , be closed against it . WILLIAM CARPENTER .

To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The articles of Bro . Carpenter on " Freemasonry and Israelitism , " contributed to your journal are doubtless interestin" -,

albeit some of his theories , though ingenious , may not commend themselves to everybody . But I must put forth a humble protest against a contribution entitled " Freemasonrv and Judaism , " inserted in

your issue of last week directly after Bro . Carpenter's 13 th article . It is set out as a sort of appendage to Bro . Carpenter ' s views , and is signed W . B .. 742 .

What I object to is the sectarian and polemic character of the statements put forward by W . B . I discern little else but an attack upon Christianity and modern Christian leaching . It is unnecessary

for mc to quote passages at length , and indeed superfluous , because your journal is widely circulated . But , after an Old Testament summary , W . B . in his fulmiiiation starts as follows : " Has thc Jew been superseded and replaced by the modern

Christian ? " W . B . then attacks the doctrine ofthe Trinity , averring that it was unknown till the fourth century ; and he even goes so far as to aver that " the history of the New Church down to the third or fourth century is as much a myth as the names

of the fsunders of Rome or the games of Olympia . " Then follows an attack in detail upon the doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit , starting from the oflice of thc Paraclete , as variously described in the New Testament .

It would be easy to refute the errors into which W . 13 . has fallen in this and other particulars . Bu what I wish to point out is , how foreign all this must appear to the spirit of Freemasonry , which

recognises no distinction of sect , and places a ban upon all religious controversies within its pale . I am not a clergyman , but simply a layman ; and though I am not ashamed to append my name , I prefer signing myself

Yours fraternally , W . L . A ., R . A . COMP ., AMD 30 K . H . 21 st August , 1871 .

GRATITUDE TO GOD . —It is proper that we should commence our labours by offering up tlie incense of grateful hearts to tlie Giver of all Good , for our preservation through thu past year , that lias proved fatal to so large a number of our fellowtravellers to the Spirit Land .