The Patron Saint Of Freemasoney.

" When Herod ' s birth-day was kept , the daughter of Herodias danced before them and p leased Herod , whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whosoever she would ask . And she , being before instructed of her mother , said

' give me here , John the Baptist ' s head in a charger . ' Aud the king was sorry ; nevertheless for his oath ' s sake and them which sat with him

at meat , he commanded it to be given ner . And he sent and beheaded John in the prison , and his head was brought iu a charger and given to the damsel , and she brought it to her mother , and his disciples came and took up the body and buried

it , and sent and told Jesus . " St . John was thus a martyr to truth . He died because in an ap-e of extreme lewdness and wickedness , he denounced the living with or marriage of a man with his brother ' s widow , as a marriage

unlawful in its nature , incestuous , aud calculated to bring down the wrath of God upon the guilty parties themselves , and upon the children that might , through it , be brought into the world . It is important that his conduct should ever be kept

in mind , and it reflects credit on the Masonic Fraternity , that a teacher whose benevolence extended to the distribution of one out of two coats 'to those really in need , and whose fidelity to high and holy social and moral principles would not permit him to spare a king , who deliberately ignored or recklessly trampled on the laws of God

and man , should have been chosen by them as their patron Saint . From the reign of Yespasian to the present time , Freemasons have adopted St . John as their patron Saint . The primitive or mother lodge

held at Jerusalem , of which all other lodges are only branches , was erected to God , and dedicated to St . John , who left the example of his virtues to his brethren . St . John ' s Day is held in every country where Freemasonry is practised ; it is

celebrated as a Festival , a day set apart by the brotherhood for a feast of brotherly affection , to the worshipping of the Great Architect of Heaven and Earth , and to the imploring of His blessings on the great family of mankind .

In every just , perfect , regular , and well governed lodge , there is a symbol representing a point within a circle , the point indicating an individual brother , the circle representing the boundary line of his duty to God and man , beyond which he is never to suffer his passions , prejudices , or interest to betray him on anv occasion . This circle is

embroidered by two perpendicular parallel lines , representing St . Johu the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , who were perfect parallels in Christianity as well as Masonry ; and upon the vertex rests the book of Holy Scriptures , the great light

of Masonry pointing out the whole duty of Freemasons . Iu going round the circle , we necessarily touch upon these two lines , as well as upon the Holy Scriptures ; aud while Masons keep themselves thus circumscribed , it is impossible that

they should materially err . St . John's Day , the birth-day of the Baptist , is par excellence the Masons day , as it has beeu celebrated annually , during upwards of eighteen hundred years ; and , so long as large hearted

benevolence and great hearted courage are respected and admired , it will continue to be lovingly regarded and reverentially observed . Let Freemasons never depart from the teachings and principles of their patron Saint . Should they do so , the Order would certainly fall into decay .

Opening Address.

OPENING ADDRESS .

Delivered to the members of the Pleiades Lodge of Mark Masters ( No . 26 ) , Totnes , on Thursday , Jan . 23 rd , 186 S , ly BEO . DE . HOPKINS , P . M . 74 , Sfc ., after his installation as first W . M . Brethren , —It has been my custom , whenever I

have been privileged to be installed iu the first chair of a lodge or Eoyal Arch Chapter , to offer a short address to those over whom I have been appointed to rule , and by whom I have been thus selected . Iu like manner , ou relinquishing the exalted position , I have

felt it a duty to take a retrospect of the past year , to mark any points of interst which have presented themselves in the course of it , and to endeavour to make the experience thus gained profitable to my

successors . Beiug at this moment placed under the former of these circumstances , I beg your indulgence while I offer a few observations iu reference to it . Brethren , five months ago I was unknown , even by name , to almost all of you , and my introduction to this district is due entirely to tlie kind Masonic

feeling of one of your number , Bro . Andrew Sparke Distin , who , in the early part of last year , in the most fraternal manner interested himself iu my behalf , on my application to him , then personally a stranger , for information . My claim upon him as a brother was

cordially met , and I desire thus publicly to offer my grateful acknowledgment to him . My occupation of the chair this day , as your head , is therefore a somewhat extraordinary circumstance , wherein is displayed