The Origin Of The Names Of The Masonic Fraternity.

are derived from the marvellous architectural productions of the Middle Ages . It is irrelevant to my purpose to inquire whether the construction of these architectural marvels is due to Masonic ability , but the construction , the edification , to Avhich our

name , if well understood , relates , has nothing to clo Avith great monuments of stone , nor with the earthly building of the tabernacle , but Avith the Temple of God , Avith "the House that is not made by hands , and is eternal in the Heavens . "

It was natural that upon the transfer of the Order from Egypt to Judea , those AVIIO had charge of its ritual made a paraphrase of its primitive title in their own language . The translation of the term "Sons of Light" into Hebrew is nttA : ^? . The Hebrew phrase ; ' , BEN , Son , is derived from

" constructing , " because a son builds or constructs the house of the family ; thus it means the descendants , and is used to designate a tribe or nation , e . g ., the " Sons of Israel" i . e . the Israelites . No grammatical objection exists ,

therefore , to the application of this term to the whole Order , in accordance with the Hebrew analogy , and consequent combination of the idea of building Avith the primitive symbolical title by which the Fraternity Avas originally designated . It

is only in the course of time when indolence and apathy declared themselves satisfied Avith a literal instead of a symbolical ritual , that the great era of the magnificence and glory of the JOAVS , the erection of their temple consecrated to the one God of Truth , was considered as the origin of an Institution whose name seems to connect it with that

remarkable epoch . Our traditions also , though labouring under some confusion aud obscurity , if understood literally , will acquire a clear , lucid , ancl specific meaning , by seeking after the parabolical value Avhich is involved in the symbolical Ritual ancl the intrinsic nature of the Order .

Masonic Gleanings.

MASONIC GLEANINGS .

By Bro . the Rev . J . KINGSTON . ( Continued from page 409 . ) To Bro . Matthew Cooke , Mr . Irving replies thus : " I cannot fancy on what grounds Mr . Cooke should suppose I asserted that

Professor Aytoun , from whose SAVord I received the accolade , had anything to clo with the French Order . My statement Avas surely sufficiently clear , ' I may state , in regard to the Knights Templar in Scotland , that a most capital account of their

history Avas Avritten by the late lamented Professor Aytoun . ' _ Indeed , Aytoun frequently expressed to me his great doubts of the validity of the French Order . Mr . Cooke ' s information " as to its Russian origin makes doubt a certainty . " " It is a remarkable fact that the- Czar should

assert himself to be the head of the Orders ofthe Temple and St . John , Avhich , it is well known , originated in the Latin part of Europe long after the great separation betAveen the Churches of the East and West ; but Russian Orders are most singular in many respects .

" Mr . Cooke is quite correct in stating that the Scotch Templars Avere at one time a Masonic body ; but he is ignorant of the fact that the Conclave , some twenty years ago , decreed that the connection should cease . The reason Avas simply this , that the original Knights were all Jacobites ;

and that the jealousy of the government induced them to ally themselves Avith the Masonic bodies , of which the Hanoverian family have always been great supporters . The necessity for such connection having entirely ceased , the Conclave at the time I refer to formally declared that thereafter the Order should have nothing to do with Masonry .

" A new code of rules Avere { sic ) issued ; and deputations of tAvo Knight Commanders were instructed to inspect the Preceptories in their respective districts . " It fell to my lot to visit that of Douglas , —a town endeared to every Scotchman from its

historical associations . The astonishment of rny brother inspector and myself may be conceived , but cannot be described . We found waiting for us a guard of honour with Masonic scarfs and armed with wooden swords , who conducted us to a room where the other members Avere assembled .

Before proceeding to business , we were requested to accept a collation , which consisted of whisky toddy . Toasts were proposed ; for the purpose of doing honour to Avhich each Avas furnished with one of the Avooden SAVords . With these we found Ave Avere to keep up a theatrical one-twothree combat with each of our neighbours in

succession . "We were told that our proper attitude in drinking a toast Avas to cross our legs , —like the statues on monuments , which have been so long erroneously supposed to indicate that the person Avho sleeps below had been in the Holy Land ;

while it really indicates that he held the office of sheriff , or something analogous . " It is almost needless to add that the Preceptory of Douglas disappeared from the roll of the Conclave . " GEOKGE VEEE IEVING . "

"P . S . —I Avas wrong in stating that Sir David Milne bought the collar in Paris . He obtained it at the sale of the Duke of Sussex's effects . It Avas H . R . H . who bought it in Paris . " We certainly think that in this discussion Bro .