Classical Theology.

We think with Newton in saying , whilst there are universal records and traditions of an Omnipotent God and his supernatural creation of the world , it is unphilosophical , worse than useless , and labour in vain , to speculate ou " natural laws appertaining in a chaos . "

The perpetual fire of the lamps , or earthern vessels , held in suspension , amongst the Bo mans , was the symbol of holiness in the Temple of Vesta . The most purely lovely maidens , called in honour of the goddess —and as a reward of honour to

themselvesvestal virgins , were selected for her priestesses , charged with the vi gilant care of her sacred flame . If , by any chance , this vestal fire became extinguished , it was considered so portentious a calamity , that until , by excessive penalties and pains , it was thought to be expiated , all public and private business was prohibited . But did its extinction appear to have

happened through any negligence of the virgins , they were severely punished , and beaten sometimes with rods . Yet , whether or not it was extinguished , they once a year , upon the Kalends of March , renewed the fire from its eternal source—that is , from the rays of the Sun . Hence we may conclude with the aueients , as

we have already said , that , of the 2 'elaiire Vestas , the one represents Earth , as born and made of Heaven , and the other Eire , as an offspring or emanation of the Sun , in itself a purely vital , heavenly , and divine flame , so essential to life , that animal heat would perish without it , aud the soul become of darkness nonproductive , miserable , and abortive ; as , for

exemplification , instead of being happy and blessed for everlasting iu the virtues of Light , we are told that by our own faults we may be guilty of our own death , in which it will he extinguished , —a doom more terrible and to be dreaded than the punishment of the incontinent Vestal virgins , who were inhumed alive . But without heat there would be no air ; without airthere

, would be no light ; without light , there would be no sun . Consequently , we should say , by volcanic or subterranean fire , the earth would not be burnt to a cinder , but that it would be brought into one solid body of adamantine conglaciation . Then with heat there would be air , and with air there would be

light , and so on ? Nay ; we would say , if there were no God there would be no heat ; that is to say , there is a God , and therefore— " Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return to God who gave it . Eor God shall bring every wort unto judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil . "

Freemasonry.

FREEMASONRY .

ITS TEACHINGS , ITS DUTIES , AXD ITS PBIVILEGES The followiug is an address delivered by Bro . Bondeaux , to four newly initiated brethren in Lodge La Cesaree ( No . S 60 ) , Jersey , on Thursday , December 11 th , 1862 . —Translated by Bro . Dr . Hopkins , P . M .,

Prov . S . G . W ., Warwickshire . Brethren , in the course of the ceremonies connected with your reception among us , the Worshipful Master has ^ in part explained to you the symbols aud allegories of which we make use , for the instruction of such as , like yourselves , have had the wisdom to come

to knock at the door of our temple . Permit me to carry on this instruction to a further extent , aud to make you more fully acquainted with the Order to which you henceforth belong . Freemasonry is nothing more than morality brought into a condition of activitythat is to say ,

, the art of governing men by honour and truth . Freemasonry interferes not with opinions based on conscience . Previous to admission into its bosom , it inquires not what is your creed ? It demands simply to be assured that you are freemen , and that your conduct is regulated by good manners . It meddles not

with religious controversies , nor with political strife . Wherever political or religious disputes commence , there 2 ? reeinasonry ends . By its nature , by the virtues which constitute its essence , our institution stands aloof from all sources of disturbancefrom all the agitations which may surge

, in the profane world . Ereemasonry is peculiar to uo country , aud recognises no limits of locality ; it is neither English nor Scotch , neither American nor Erench ; it is not more Swedish at Stockholm than Prussianjat Berlin , than Turkish at Constantinople , than Bussian at Moscow ; it is one and universal . If

it lost this character of universality , it would cease to be Ereemasonry . The language which it speaks is understood and comprehended in every land . In the steppes of Bussia , in the prairies of Mexico , on the borders of the Gauges , uuder the tent in the desert , you will hear the same words uttered , the same ideas expressed ; you will recognise the same signs as those

which we employ to make ourselves known to our brethren , and some of which have already been communicated to you . Ereemasonry is not a religion , in the sense in which the word is generally understood in our days . He who should attempt to convert it into a creedin the

, common acceptation of the term , would falsify aud pervert it . It opens wide the portals of its temple as well to the Christian as to the Jew ; to the Mahometan as to the Brahmin , with these significant words , " You are all brethren , love each other , aid each other , enlighten and instruct each other . " LoveLiht

, g , Charity , he who should succeed in his search for yon will find true happiness . After this brief and rapid sketch , you will . I think , agree with me , brethren , that our watchword , the combination and inculcation of all that is good in principle , good in sentiment , is fraternity , tolerance , union among

men . As to the origin of Ereemasonry , it is so remote from our period , that it is lost in the night of time , in the obscurity which its lapse naturally causes , or rather it commences ; with ; the very first existence of the human race for this reason it is that we now date our proceedings from the year of the world 5862 . I will

not this evening attempt to penetrate the veil in which our Order was enveloped at its , birth , nor will I harass myself with the inquiry iu what corner of the earth Ereemasonry first took root . I will tell j'ou simply that the Indians practised it under the guise of mysteries ; that it is probable that thence it was

transmitted . to the Persians ; then to the Egyptians ; that they in turn communicated it to the Greeks , who gave it to the Jews , from which last ib passed on to the Christians , who in more modern times instituted ' the Crusades . It is almost a certainty that it was