The Royal Masonic Solar Church Society.

THE ROYAL MASONIC SOLAR CHURCH SOCIETY .

In a notice of the forthcoming International Exhibition iu tho Morning Bost we find the following : — "A societ } 7 , calling itself the 'Eoyal Masonic Solar Church Society , ' wishes for space to ventilate its dogmas . The tenets of this sect , which are said to number ' 1500 heads , ' and to have the city of Bath as tho centre of their operations , are somewhat misty , as will bo seen

from the following extract from their authorised publication : — " ' This church has been founded' for tho promotion of demonstrative education , and the diffusion of intelligent utility , justice , and equity to the many , as being the true aristocracy , strength , aud glory of every country , and the preventive of all slavery , disorders , warsrobberies ,

, aud murders . Beholding about 5000 fixed stars , which are as many mighty solar systems , in their own locations , like that of ours , which is composed of a mighty sun , the ever-living God of the system , with 80 known planet and satellite worlds , that revolve round the sun , and receive their ever-living soul from him ( our earth aud moon two of them ); and hundreds of visiting comets

that receive and transmit his vital soul to other parts of the living universe . So on earth there aro . 5000 corresponding specific families of men , and their capacities as various as the smallest stars compared with the sun . Aud iu each , famil y there are 200 , 000 varieties , not two alike in the same family , as the glories of the heavens are always in motion that produce them . All equal in justicebut vary in the powers of soulmindand bod .

, , , y Our earth , and all the sun ' s planets that revolve round the sun , is the property of onr God , and the fulness thereof—and as there are 200 , 000 , 000 , 000 acres of land and ocean , and 1 , 000 , 000 , 000 souls upon this planet , so that our God iu Ms providential laws gave ( on a life lease ) to every soul of man 200 acres of land and ocean to feed and support him in his education . . . . The

best means to redeem man to the truth and knowledge of our God ' s providential laws is the study of astronomy , chemistry , botany , and animate nature , and good newspapers . ' " [ Can any of our Bath brethren enlighten us with regard to the society , and toll us what connection it has with

Masonry . We especially like the anti-climax of " good newspapers . "—En . ]

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

BEO . ROBERT Bl'KXs ' s MASOXIC COXTE . OT 0 KAKIES . Everything thafc is connected with fiobert Burns is sure to interest a large portion of Masonic readers , and having cut oufc a long extract from au American paper ( where its editor got ifc from I dont know , ) I forward ifc to you thinking ifc should find a place in your " Masonic Notes and Queries , " as ifc contains some very interesting

details of brethren long since gone to their rest . —Ex . Ex . "A ' ye whom social pleasure charms , Whose hearts the title o' kindness warms , Wha , hold your being on the terms . Each aid tlie others ' , Come to my howl , come to my arms , My friends , my Brothers . "—Bums . The following are sketches of some of the companions of

Burns , during the winter he spent in Edinburgh , —friends , rather , for many of the Masonic acquaintances he made then remained his fast friends during the residue of his brief and chequered life . Tiiey are worthy of record here , not alone for their disinterested friendship to the Poet , but for their own excellences and on account of their prominence in the Craft . How often does it happen that a very trival matter

changes entirely the current of a man ' s life , and affects him for weal or woe even down to the grave . A private letter written by a friend of Burns , commendatory of the first edition of his Poems , arrested his steps just as he was about to sail for the West Indies , and changed his destination to Edinburg h—to popularity—to enduring fame ! Had he gone to the Islands he miht have survived the ordeal ; but it is more likel that

g y with his temperament , and the weight of sadness resting upon his heart at the time , he would have found an obscure and early grave : a trifle changed the current of bis life ; he wentj to the capital , threw himself into society , called into activit y all his powers , and won an immortality as enduring as the mountains of his native land !

AEEXAXDEU PEBGUSOS - . "Was ' the Worshipful Master of Canongate Kilwinning , as heretofore stated , and placed the wreath on the brow of Burns , as Poet-Laureate of the Lodge , on the evening of the first of March . He remained a warm friend to the Poet ever after the occasion alluded to . Burns repeatedly acknowledged his friendship , in prose and verse , with all tlie gratitude of his fervent and impulsive nature . It is Ferguson , doubtless , whom he represents as addressing bira iu the following stanza -.

"No longer mourn thy fate is hard , Thus poorly low ! I come to give thee such reward As we bestow . " Alexander Ferguson , Esq ., of Craigdarroch j Advocate and Assessor of the Burgh of Canongate , ' was Master of Canongate Kilwinning Lodge from June 17 S 4 , to June 1787 , and appears to have been a man in easy circumstances , a fine lawyer , and something of a wit . Burns refers to him in The Whistle , as

"Craigdarroch , so famous for wit , worth , and law . " It was he who figured a contestant for the "Whistle in the contest for that celebrated relic , and won it . Burns gives the history of the bauble as follows : " In the train of Anne of Denmark , when she came to Scotland * with our James VI ., there came over also a Danish gentleman of gigantic stature and great prowess , and a

matchless champion of Bacchus . He had a little ebony whistle , which at the commencement of the origies he laid on the table , and whoever was the last able to blow it , every body else being disabled by the potency of the bottle , was to carry off tho whistle as a trophy of victory . The Dane challenged the Scots to the alternative of trying his prowess , or else acknowledging their inferiority . After many overthrows in the part of the Scots , the Dane was encountered hy Sir Robert Laurie , of Maxwelton , who after three days and three nights' hard contest , left the Scandinavian under the table ,

'And blew on the whistle his requiem shrill . * Sir Walter , son to Sir Robert , before-mentioned , afterwards lost the whistle to Walter Riddel , of Glenriddel . " " During Burns' residence at Ellisland the Whistle , being in possession of Captain Biddel , a descendant of Walter , and a neighbour of Burns , he determined to submit ifc to another friendly contest between himself and two other descendants of

him who won ifc from the Dane , namely , Alexander Ferguson and Sir Bobert Guthrie , M . P . The meeting took place at Friars' Carsc , and Burns was present by invitation to witness the trial and result . The prize was won by Mr . Fergusson , and Burns left his record of ifc in "The Whistle . " Such things entered into the fashion of the times , but would hardly he commended at the present day . Mr . Ferguson possessed superior attainments , and much kindness and amiability of disposition . He was thrown from his horse and died three months before the Poet .

LOUD EICIIO . "Tor though ho was of high degree , Tlie fient a pride , nae pride had he , Mair than an honest plowman . "—Burns . During this memorable winter , the Honourable Francis Charteris was Grand Master of Masons in Scotland ; and it was he who presided in the Grand Lod the evening of the 13 th of

ge on December , when Burns was presented , and who gave the toast — " Caledonia , and Caledonia's hard—Bro . Bums . " which was echoed hy the entire meeting with multip lied honors and repeated acclamations . The Hon . Francis Charteris was the only son of Francis , the