Freemasonry In Ireland.

to be played any other than Masonictunes , it being strictly prohibited to introduce on such occasions any party or political colours or tunes , so that the honour of the Craft or the peace of the country may be compromised , and every brother offending against this rule shall be liable to exclusion or suspension from the rights of Masonry during

the pleasure of the Grand Lodge . From and after the 24 th of June , 1816 , no brother being ttic proprietor of a house of entertainment in which a Masonic lodge hold its meetings shall be eligible to hold the office of Master of such lodge during the time it meets in his house , and any lodge electing such brother as their Master shall have the warrant thereof suspended during

the pleasure of the Giand Lodge . Any regular Mason aiding or assisting at the works of a lodge not authorised or warranted by the Grand Lodge , or whose warrant has been suspended or cancelled , acts concontrary to the fundamental principles of Freemasonry , and shall be excluded or suspended during the pleasure of the Grand Lodge .

Grand Lodge , 2 nd of November , 1815 . Ordered , That no application for reduction of dues or arrears of dues by individual lodges be received by this Grand Lodge , and that the Secretary be ordered to return all such applications . By Order of the Grand Lodge , ROBERT HANDCOCK , Grand Secretary . WILLIAM F . GRAHAM , D . G . Sec . ( To be continued . )

Fratres Rosicrucianae Societatis In Anglia.

FRATRES ROSICRUCIANAE SOCIETATIS IN ANGLIA .

The Quarterly Convocation of the Rosicrucian Fraternity was held at Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the 20 th instant , and amongst those present were : Colonel Burdett , Hon . V . P . ; J . Brett , M . G . ; R . Wentworth Little , P . M . G . ; C . H . Rogers-Harrison , D . M . G . ; W . R .

Woodman , M . D ., S . G . ; H . C . Levander , M . A . ; W . B . Hambly , J . Weaver , E . Stanton Jones , Rev . W . B . Church , M . A . ; and W . Carpenter , Ancients ; W . J . Ferguson , T . B . ; T . Cubitt , Org . ; Major E . H . Finney , G . of T . ; J . Boyd , G . Butler , J . R . Foulger , E . H . Finney ( jun . ) , M . Edwards , and J . S . Banning .

After the confirmation of the minutes , the following ten candidates being in attendance were admitted to the grade of Zelator : Bros . S . Rosenthal , W . B . Johnston , Captain J . Bertrand Payne , D . M . Dewar , W . Roebuck ( C . &) , G . Cooper , T . W . White , R . H . Thrupp , J . O .

Oxland , and J . W . Barrett . Fratres Woodman , Ferguson , Weaver , Butler , and Jones were advanced to the 7 , or grade of Adeptus Exemptus , Colonel Burdett and H . C . Levander to the 6 ° , or Adeptus Major , and fourteen other fratres to the rank of Adeptus Minor , the 5 .

It was proposed , seconded , and unanimously resolved that the sum of five guineas be voted from the funds of the Society to the "Wentworth Little Testimonial" Fund in recognition of the services of Frater Little , S . M ., Past Master General .

Letters of apology for non-attendance from Frater Hughan and others were read . The Sec . Gen . reported that he had appointed Frater Finney , jun ., Asst . Sec , vice Gordon , superseded for absence without leave .

An application was then made by Frater Oxland , of Corpus Christi College , Cambridge , for permission to found a subordinate College of Rosicrucians at that ancient seat of learning , and the S . M . said that the application should be duly laid before the Council of Ancients .

The Sec . Gen . was requested to prepare a list of the actual members of tlie Society by the next meeting , arranged in the order of their several grades , and distinguishing the names of

those who belonged to the colleges at London , Bristol , and Manchester respectively—the list to be neatly copied and suspended in a frame for the information of the Society at every future meeting .

At the next meeting a paper on " Mediaeval Mysticism , " by Frater Little , will be read and discussed .

"THERE is no medicine at the present day I value so highly as the Pain Killer . I have used it in my family for years , and in every instance it has proved a sovereign remedy . I tested it to-day on a severe burn , and found it all that could be desired . I cannot praise it too highly .=-A . D . MILNE , editor of Messenger , N . Y . —To P . Davis & Son . "

The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonry.

THE FAIR SEX AND ADOPTIVE MASONRY .

ARTICLE v . Bibliologists are perhaps more exposed to the shafts of a censorious world than any other logicians , the subject upon which they treat affording considerable scope for

comment . To write a treatise upon the sacred writings so as to be generally acceptable would therefore be found to be exceedingly difficult , if not thoroughly impracticable , the opinions of individuals disagreeing

in a very remarkable manner , as exemplified by the innumerable essays and other compositions that have from time to time appeared . There has been much dissension with regard to the " clandestine act "

committed by Ruth , previous to her espousal to the distinguished citizen of Bethlehem . Her behavior being tolerably well known to most readers of the Scriptures , need not here be minutely

described . Some have endeavoured to prove that her conduct is to be construed into no other light than that of a pure and honest intention ; while others emphatically declare that her proceeding , being quite inconsistent with the dictates of

modesty and virtue must be extremely offensive to all who prize decency and chastity . Is the latter estimate indicative or uncharitable , or is it deficient in reasonableness ? Let the enthusiast ponder over the subject . Let his inferences be tempered by his own conscience . I feel that in this

instance it is not for me to consider

whether the " female Masons " have been wise in their selection of Ruth as an example of piety , or whether another representative more eligible for the purposes of the

Order might have been discovered in Holy Writ . My duty is now to lay before the reader the annexed particulars , having reference to the second point of the signet of the sisterhood : —

THE SECOND POINT . RUTH , OR THE WIDOW ' S DEGREE . [ The Symbol of the Ripened Grain . ] " Pity the widow , desolate and poor ;

Those little parcels are her only store ; Meekly upon her breast she crosses them , Prophetic of the Cross of Bethlehem ; Then looks imploringly into the sky , Where sits enthroned the pitying Deity . "

The scriptural illustration is the following verse , taken from the 2 nd chapter of Ruth : — " Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers , Whose damsel is this ?"

The point is coloured yellow—the hue being typified by the sunflower . The emblem of the degree is a sheaf . The lecturer , in addition to other matters , thus discourses upon the incidents connected with the life of Ruth : —

" Freemasonry in its obligations , emblems , and principles is peculiar , and we , as Master Masons , arc taught to respect devotion to religious principles . Upon our first entrance into the Masonic lodge we testify our faith and trust in God .

Atheism will effectually debar any person from becoming a Freemason . Therefore , when we find in history a person who forsakes home , and lands , and parents , and country through piety to God , wc seize upon that character , and hail it as Masonic ;

and we claim whatever credit or honour may be associated with it . Such a character , forcibly delineated , we discover in the Book of Ruth under the title of Ruth ; and we have so surrounded the piety of that noble and heroic woman with emblems ,

legends , and tokens of recognition , as to make of it a section in Adoptive Masonry . The history of Ruth , as composing a degree of the Eastern Star , is as follows : — Ruth was of the nation of Moab , an idolatrous people . She married a man

named Mahlon , formerly a citizen of Bethlehem , who had taken up his residence in the land of Moab , where he died . He was a worshipper of God , and by his pious example and teaching she was converted to the true religion . A few happy

The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonry.

years followed , and then the calamity of widowhood , came upon her . Upon his death-bed he solemnly exhorted her , for her soul ' s sake , to leave the dangerous company in which she would be thrown , and go to the city of Bethlehem , where dwelt the people of God . Immediately after his death she

obeyed his pious injunctions . Forsaking her home and friends , she journeyed , in company with her aged mother-in-law , to Bethlehem , where she arrived in due time , wayworn and so poor that she was compelled , for her own support and that of her friend , to seek some means of securing a

livelihood . There was nothing , however , that she could do , save to go into the barley fields—for it was the time of harvest—and glean among the poorest and lowest classes of the people for a support . The very first attempt she made at this labour exhausted her strength . She had been reared in luxury , and the

toil was too great for her . The sharp stubble wounded her feet ; the blazing sun oppressed her brain ; the jeers and insults of her companions alarmed and discouraged her , and long before the hour of noon , with only two little handfuls of barley

as the fruits of her labour , she sought the shade of a tree to rest herself for a few moments before retiring from the field . At this instant Boaz , the owner of the field , entered . He was a pious and charitable man . None in Bethlehem was so rich ; none more beloved and honoured than he . As he

entered the field , he observed near the gleaners the form of one differing in garb and manners from the rest , and asked the overseer who she was . In reply he learned that she was a woman from Moab , who had asked leave to glean among the sheaves , but that evidently she was unaccustomed to such labour ,

for she had been there since the sunrise and had gathered but two little handfuls of barley . This excited the kindly feelings of Boaz , and he went to her to say a word of sympathy , and to offer her relief . As she saw him approach she supposed him to be the owner of the field and come to order

her away . Ever since the morning she had met nothing but scorn and reproach , and she looked for it now . Raising her hands , therefore , to show him how small were her gleanings , and that she had taken nothing from the sheaves , she placed them meekly upon her breast , as showing her willingness

to submit to whatever lot she might be called upon to endure , and cast her eyes upward as appealing to God against the inhumanity of man . It was for God she had forsaken home , wealth , and friends , and the disconsolate widow , alone in the world , had none other to whom she could look for protection ,

This mute appeal was not lost upon the kind heart of Boaz . He spoke words of sympathy and tenderness to her ; he encouraged her to persevere . From the provisions brought for his reapers he bade her eat and drink . He directed that handfuls of barley should be dropped on purpose in her

way by the reapers , so that she might gather an ample supply ; and when she returned home to her mother-in-law she bore with her enough for their immediate necessities . In a short time Ruth became the wife of Boaz , by whom she had a son , called Obed , the father of Jesse , the father of

David , the father of Solomon , whose wisdom and power arc known to every intelligent Freemason . The colour yellow alludes to the ripened grain that composed the barley sheaves of Boaz , among which Ruth was gleaning . The emblem of the sheaf

reminds us of the liberality of Boaz , who from his sheaves commanded that portions be taken and cast in Ruth ' s way , that she might gather an abundance . The sign alludes . . . The pass is used to recall the then lowering but afterwards glorious history of the heroic Ruth . "

The lines quoted beneath are designed is a tribute to Ruth : — " Widow , mourning for the dead , 'Midst the golden harvest mourning , Beats the sun thy aching head ?

Burns the stubble ' ncath thy tread ? No kind look thy gaze returning , These poor parcels all thy store ? Surely God will give thee more , Surely God will give thee more .

" Stand , then , mournfully and sigh ; Raise thy hands in meek submission ; Thy redeemer , Ruth , is nigh—Marks thee with a gracious eye , Knows thy lonely sad condition ; All thou ' st given him and more Shall be rendered from his store , Shall be rendered from his store . "

The details of the third point , being rather lengthy , are reserved for the next article . C . S .

WE are reqestcd to state that the working of the Fifteen Sections at the Confidence Lodge of Instruction is unavoidably postponed from the 23 rd inst . to Wednesday , the 17 th May .