Antiquity Of Masonry.

and second , Avhether there over wei-e any social relation or communication existing between these races . These AVO leave for the objector to establish , and will finish by giving the facts in the case as another link in the chain of unexplored and unhistoric evidence of the antiquity of Masonry .

After the Commodore Perry expedition , it Avill be . remembered a large embassy of distinguished men in authority iu Japan visited the United States . During that visit a distinguished Mason , at that time the Grand Secretary of our western

states , visited the embassy . Hearing some of them Avere Masons , he concluded to test them in the manner usual among the fraternity , and he did this so effectually that he found every tenet , sign , grip and Avord of our Order intact amongst them . That

it had been the same with them in ages past , and so far back that " their history of its origin Avas lost . In this one fact , then , Ave haA'e the solution of all the propositions we haA'e made above .

Stepping aside from the history of the discovery ot this land and its gradual de-A'elopment , and the knoAvledge Ave have of the native Indian , Ave find , in the various implements and pieces of pottery Avhich haA'e been discovered , evidences that a nation existed in this Ian ct ages past . Also , in Mexico and Arizona the remains of

cities , and elseAvhere , mounds , etc ., plainly tell of races long since dead . Yet , except in these relics of their past , their history is unknown . The same facts exist in regard to ancient Masonry . There are evidences , found in reading certain Avorks Avhose authors were not Masonsof the ancient

, existence of Masonic knowledge . In the ruins of Pompeii , Babylon , Yucatan , and elseAvhere , there are certain evidences existing Avhich jriainly SIIOAV there must have been a bond of union Avhich AA'as not

common to the races there . In Yucatan , in some of the ruins , there is an immense hand , plainly printed on the Avails ; Avhile m Pompeii and Babylon there is a corresponding sign , made in a similar Avay , and from the same kind of material , Avhile it exists in no other buildings . NOAVcould

, these exist at distances so great , separated b y great oceans , Avere there not some bond of union existing between them , and Avhich Avas common only to a portion of each of the races . This fact exists in regard to the Masonic Arch , and to some of the

Antiquity Of Masonry.

sculptured emblems on the door posts in the ruins of Yucatan , Pompeii , Babylon , and Egypt . If these Avere common in all the buildings of each of the nntions , it would only show there was n decided similarity of architecture , but the emblems exist

regardless of that . This being true , the query arises , AVhat are they but signs of some strong bond of union or brotherhood ? AVe are not to decide Masonry is a merely modern institution because wo cannot ascertain the date of its origin .

It is not enough to show the difference of a year or more between the saying of a legend and the existence of a fact , as Bro . Norton does in regard to one of the higher degrees , because a legend may mistake a fact . His seeing a record so near the time

given by the legend is strong evidence of a great date . As to the antiquity of the high degrees , Ave have no disposition to argue , but the substantial basis of Masonry , we do believe , has greater antiquity than that usually given it . Its date may be so

ancient that its knoAvledge is covered up , and can only be found by research among the recently discovered antiquities and by the analogy of history . If it is of modern date and its antiquity a legend , then the entire organization is a deception , and the sooner it is exploded the better .

As we have taken the idea of antiquity , and Bro . Norton the opposite , Ave leave it to him to prove learned Masons have imposed on the credulity of the world the idea of its antiquity , when , in fact , it is only a modern invention . — Voice of Masonry .

My Books.

MY BOOKS .

BY JOHN G . SAXE . Ah ! Avell I love these books of mine , That stand so trimly on their shelves , With here and there a broken line ,

( Fat"quarfcos"jostlingmodest '' twelves" ) A curious company , I own ; The poorest ranking with their tetters In brief—a thing almost unknown—A pure Democracy—of Letters .