Social Problems And Their Peaceful Solution.

titude in the early stages of this initial process , by all means give to such an one every opportunity of mental improvement Avhich may afford a chance of future advancement in life j in short , " give instruction to a Avise man and he will be yet

wiser . " Yet once again , Avith all this regard to learning , let religion go hand iu hand with it . KnoAvledge without religion is not Avorthy of the name . Besides , to give the future man instructionand to foster his

, cleverness Avithout a sense of moral and religious duty is like setting in motion a steam-engine Avithout governor or safetyvalve . We all knoAv how closely now certain Avays of getting wealth trench on

the border-land of honesty ; remove universally the safeguards of morality and religion , aud the natural result Avill be to flood the country Avith a multitude of clever scoundrels . Let us pause , then , ere it be too late ,

and even if need be , retrace our steps . Let us no longer forget God and our neighbour in self , but let us acknowledge ourselves to be , and act as , members of a vast society , whose aim is mutual good-will and improvement , Avhose purpose a

conscientious and contented fulfilment of every duty social and religious , and whose motto is " God and our country . "

The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY .

BY REV GEO . OLIVER , D . D . CHAPTER X . THE REFERENCE TO A LAAVGIVEK . { Continued from , page S 3 . )

This Odin or AVoden pronounced himself to be the Avisest of mortals—to have communion Avith the celestial gods to remove from place to place Avith the rapidity of thought , at his pleasure—to foretell future events—and to perform

miracles . AVith these pretensions amongst an ignorant people , borne out most probably by the possession of eloquence

and a poetical genius ; and by some knoAvledge of natural philosophy , Avhich enabled him to perforin a feAv extraordinary tricks , he succeeded in establishing his authority , aud substantiating his claims to divine honours . He dictated a series of

laAvs , winch were afterwards collected m a book called the Edda , Avhich- continued to be religiously observed , till the Gothic superstition Avas superseded by Christianity ; and there still exist in Norway aud Sweden many rural customs which are remnants of the ceremonies instituted by this successful chief .

It is taught in the Edda that a fabulous personage named Gaugler , being introduced into the lofty palace or hall of the gods , the roof of which '' Avas formed of brilliant gold , beheld three thrones raised one above another , and upon each throne sat a sacred personage . Upon his asking which of

these Avas their king , the guide answered , he AVIIO sits on the lowest throne is the king ; his name is Har , the lofty one ; the second is Jafuhar , or , equal to the lofty one ; he who sits on the highest throne is called Thridi , or the third . '' The

immortality of the soul Avas also inculcated , as Avell as the eternity of the Supreme Being . Thus , Gaugler asks , "Who is the first among the gods 1 " And he is ansAvered , " The Father of all . " He then enquires , "Where is God , and what has he performed ! " The reply is , " He lives evermore , governs his kingdom , and rules over

all things great and small . " And again , " God has created the heavens , and the earth , and all that is in them j he formed man , and gave him a spirit Avhich shall live and never pass away , even though the body becomes dust , or be burned to ashes . It Avill be unnecessary to repeat the

process Avhich was successfully practised in the farthest East , and the most extreme West ; Avhether by Mango Capac in Peru , or the more ignorant pretenders in the islands of Polynesia or the Caribbean Sea . The principle Avas universall y disseminated ,

that the laAvs and ordinances of religion and morality could not be binding on the people except they Avere of divine ori gin ; and the more recent attempt of Mahomet is a proof , that , even in a comparatively enlightened era , a bold assumption of superior powers , backed by an untiring zeal , and the reputation for the practice of