Notes On American Freemasonry.

the paucit y of the population of the place , another Lodge having been previously established , it was found to be unnecessary , and the charter surrendered , and all other proper acts performed necessary to make the surrender perfect .

After the lapse of several years , Kalamazoo has become a large and populous town , and the number of Masons too large to be accomodated with one hall . Several of the members of Old Anchor Lodge , with other brethren in good

standing , ask to have the charter restored to the Lodge with its ori ginal members , with all its former ri g hts and privileges . The Grand Master recommends that it be done , and that its

charter and jewels be restored to them without costs to the petitioners , as there , is no law , rule or constitutional provision of the Grand Lodge requiring the payment of a fee in such cases . The Committee to whom the Grand

Master ' s address was referred reported in favor of the recommendation with the addition that the petitioners pay fifty dollars , the difference between the price paid b y Lodge No . 87 for their ori ginal charter and the price at present

required . Number of Lod ges , 244 ; number of members 18 , 016 ; initiated during the year , 2 , 337 ; rejected , 1 , 670 ; died , 131 .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE FUTURE OF FREEMASONRY . " We believe that Freemasonry has yet a mission , an altar , and a priesthood , "with a future more glorious than the past ; and that the advancement of Christian civilization , so far Jroin superseding or rendering it obsolete , will but enlarge and elevate the

sphere ol its labour , and make still hi gher demands ' lor all the consecrated talent and Masonic ski ]] -we can attract around our altar . "—H ' rom a bundle of Masonic Excerpts . —CUABLES PUIITON COOPEB . GNOSTICISM , The ensuing passage by the pen of Monsieur J

. Matter , Honorary University Inspector General Paris , taken from tbe " Dietionnaire des Sciences Philosopin ' ques , " is tbe only answer that I can venture to make to the inquiry of an esteemed coriespondent . " Emanation du sein de Dieu de tons les Gtres irituals

sp , degeneration piogiessive et afl ' aiblissement conmiun de tous h c-baque degio d ' emanation redemption , et retour de tous dans le sein de kur Crealeur , et par la retabh ' sstment de la primitive harmonic , et de la ielieite divine : voila les elements constitutes du gnosticisme h toutes les epoques . "—A PAST PHOVIHCIAL GBAED MASTED .

SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY , AND OPERATIVE MASONS . I am unable satisfactorily to discover any really essential connection between our system of Speculative Freemasonry and the Operative Masons . —W . P . BIJCHAM - . ORIGIN OF MASONRY . —ERRATA .

At page 422 , 13 th line from top , for " natural science" read "matured science . '' There is also another slight mistake or two not worth mentioning . If these " printer's errors " are tbe sort of inaccuracies alluded to at page 407 , then that should be understood , however , if something more important be

alluded to , write to the point at once , and if I be wrong I shall admit it . I do not at present remember any particular mistakes made by me , say since June , 18 GS ; however , if it be supposed that some such , especially as to matters of fact , have occurred ,. I should on ) j be too glad to have them pointed out , so that I might at once correct them , if such be really the case . —W . P . BTJCHAS' .

THE HANGING GARDEN'S OF BABYLON" . The great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar ( died B . C .. 561 ) TVlien he had completed his conquests , as he found himself in possession of treasures uncounted , and captives by tens of thousands , determined also to signalize hisreign by some ofthe triumphs of peace . He built a newpalace of colossal dimensionsand surrounded it with a

, triple wall , the outer one of -which was some seven miles in circuit ; he enclosed the city of Babylon with a wall , which , Herodotus says , was jibout three hundred and thirty-five feet high , and made the Hanging Gardens .. This last ivork was undertaken to gratify his wife , Amytis , a Median princess . Having passed her younger days in a mountainous region , she disliked the uniform

level of the country about Babylon , and pined for the woods and hills of Media . The lofty rocks and various trees of this wonderful paradise were an attempt to imitate Median scenery . These gardens were high enoughto overlook the walls of the city , and occupied a square four hundred feet on a side . It has been a question how these gardens were supported at this great height , as it was , until lately , taken

lor granted that the Babylonians did not understand the principle of the arch . But it is now known that veryperfect arches were built in Egypt , in Assyria , and . in Babylon , centuries before Nebuchadnezzar ' s time , and so the question is simplified . The Ancient Koreans , when they had to carry a stone acqucduct across a deep ravine , sometimes built three

or four tiers of arches one above another , till the acquired , level at which the water was to be carried was reached . In the same manner , only on a larger scale , was this mound of the gardens raised . They built one story of arches , covering the required space ; on this was placed a second story ; and thus was story after story raised . A great mass of earth covered the top , and water was

supplied from the Euphrates through pipes . Not only flowers and shrubs grew there , but trees of the largest size ; some of them so large that their trunks , according to Quinttis Ourtius . were twelve feet in diameter . The ascent to the gardens was by steps , and on the way up , among the arches , were stately apartments , whose leasant coolness the heat of the climate would little

p affect . —Oliver Optic ' s Magazine . WISDOM , STRENGTH , AND BEAUTY . " The candidate for Masonic Li ght cannot fail to be some what impressed withtbe portion of the lecture relating " to the three great Pillars ; which informs him that "there must be wisdom to contrive , strenqth to . support , and