Cyrus, King Of Persia.

return to Jerusalem , after being seventy years in captivity at Babylon . He also restored to them the vases and urns belonging to their Temples , and gave them many singular marks of his

goodness . After this Cyrus enjoyed in peace the fruits of his labours and victories . His extensive empire was terminated on the east of India , on the north by the Caspian Sea , on the west by the Egean Sea , and on the south by Ethiopia . He fixed his

residence in the centre of his dominions ; he passed the winter at Babylon , and made a journey every year to Persia . This admirable prince preserved to the last a healthful , robust constitution , the fruits of

regularity and discretion . When he found the latest period of his existence approach he sent for his children and the chief of his people , and declared Cambyses , his eldest son , his successor . After giving him some excellent precepts , he terminated his career in the seventieth year of his age ,

universally lamented . C yrus was not wanting in any of the good qualities that form the great man . His sense , his moderation , his courage , his sublime sentiments , his profound knowledge of the military art , and

his address iu insinuating himself into the minds of the people , and more particularly his constant attention to make his subjects happy , pronounced him one of the greatest princes of his time . He used to say a prince should consider himself a

pastor ; that his vigilance and beneficence should go hand-in-hand ; that he should watch over his people ' s wants , and take care of their safety , by removing everything that might be pernicious to them ; and place his greatest felicity in seeing them increase and multiply . This , said he , is the just image of a good king .

This prince had the talent of being great , even in the smallest things , and he knew how to support his greatness by real merit . He had friends , because he knew how to be one himself ; living and conversin g familiarly with them , and

supporting no more of his dignity than was consistent Avith decency ; but he required of them that they should conceal nothing from him , but freely reveal their thoughts . He was the first to consult them upon all important occasions , either on the

operations of war or the appointment of ministers . According to Cicero , there never once escaped from him , during his whole reign , a choleric expression or effusion of passion—an encomium that

Cyrus, King Of Persia.

sufficiently proves this prince was the master of himself . In the midst of invariable success , he never forgot that he was a man , always preserving a proper secret apprehension of what might happen to him . Therefore he never gave way to

extravagant mirth nor insolent pride . Though his ambition cannot be concealed with respect to conquests , it should be observed that they were the fruits of his victories gained over Croesus , King of Lydia , aud the King of Babylon ;

that these two princes possessed , between them , the greatest part of Asia , and that they were the aggressors . Be this as it may , everything duly considered , the reign of Cyrus may be looked upon as the model of a perfect government .

Masonic Light.

MASONIC LIGHT .

By R . W . Bro . Colonel GREENLAAV . " In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth , and the earth was without form , and void , and darkness was upon the face of the deep , and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of

the Avaters , and God said ' Let there be li ght / and there was light . " This is the first passage in our Sacred Law , and there is no other deserving more attention and investigation to us as Masons . It is this " light , " brethren , that I desire to speak

about , because it is not material light , but true and genuine Masonic light . Let us look more clearly into this passage of the Sacred Law—just quoted . "Iu the beginning God created the heaven and the earth . " Prom this we mi ght be led to believe that heaven aud earth were first made ; but lit is not so . Eor in the fifth verse

of the first chapter you will find that the heaven Avas not created until the second day , and earth on the third day ; and so also you will find that light and darkness were not made until the fourth day , and was therefore different from the li ght and

darkness recorded as made on the first day . "And darkness was ou the face of the deep . " Now the waters Avere not gathered together before the third day , the waters having been divided from tlie land on the second day . " And the Spirit

of God moved upon the face of the waters , and God said , Let there be light , and there was light . " We can all understand that it did not surely require the Spirit of God to move upon the face of the waters , to give us material light . Matez-ial light Avas made on the fourth day , when God said , " Let there be lights in the firmament