Masonic Notes And Queries.

holding of my feet back from the way of peace and life . " J l The experience of the brave Mr . Yaliant-for-trutli bears in the same direction : — - _ " I am a Pilgrim , and am going to the Celestial City . Now , as I was in my way , there were three men did beset me and propounded unto me these

three things : 1 . Whether I ivould become one of them ; 2 . Or go hack from whence I came-, 3 . Or die upon the place . To the first I answered , I had been a true man for a long season , ancl therefore it could not he expected that I should now cast in my lot with thieves . Then they demanded what I should to

say the second . So I told them the place from whence I -come ; had I not found incommodity there , I had not forsaken it at all ; but , finding it altogether unsuitable tome , and very unprofitable to me , I forsook it for this way . Then they asked me what I said to the third . And I told them my life cost far more dear than that

I should lightly give it away . Besides , you have nothing to do thus to put things to my choice ; wherefore , at your peril be it if you meddle . " Banyan ' s lines "Tbe Pilgrim , " are full of p ith and marrow as the reader will see : — " Who ivould true valour see

, Let him come hither , One here will constant he , Come wind , come weather ; There ' s no discouragement , Shall make him once relent , His first avowed intent , To be a Pilgrim .

" Whoso hcset him round With dismal stories , Bo hut themselves confound , His strength the more is ; JNo lion can him fright . He'll with a giant fight , But ho will have a light

To be a Pilgrim . " Hobgoblin nor foul fiend , Can daunt his spirit ; He knows lie at the end , Shall life inherit . Then fancies ily away , He'll not leiu- what men say , He'll labour night and clay To be a Pilgrim . "

The description of an Atheist , that detestable character in the Masonic estimation , is graphic : — " At hist ho came up to them . His name was Atheist , and he asked them whither they were going . " Chris . —We are going to Mount Zion .

" Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter . " Chris . —What is the meaning of your laughter ? " Atheist . —I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are to take upon you so tedious a journey , aud yet are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains .

" Chris . —Why , man , do you think we shall not be received ? " Atheist . —Received ? there is not such a place as you dream of in all this world . " Chris . —But there is in the world to come . "Atheist . —When I was at home in mine own

country I heard as you now affirm , and from that hearing went out to see , and have been seeking this city these twenty years , but find no more of it than I did the first clay I set out .

" Chris . —We have both heard and believe that there is such a place to he found . "Atheist . —Had I not , when at home , believed , 1 had not come thus far to seek ; but finding noneand yet I should had there been such a place to be foundfor I have gone to seek it further than you—I

, am going back again , ancl will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then cast away for hopes of that which I now see is not . "A conference in a low tone occurs between

Christian and Hopeful , whereupon the latter says : " Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God . So they turned away from the man , and he , laughing at them , went his way . " The description of the Bible , as the Word of God , in -which every man may read his character ancl compare it with the perfect character to which its precepts

will enable us to attain , is inimitable . It conies the entire progress of a Masonic workman from the Bough to the Perfect Ashlar : — " The glass ivas one of a thousand . It would present a man one ivay with his own features exactly ; and turn it but another way and it would show one

Hie very face and similitude of the Prince of Pilgrims himself . Yes , I have talked with them that can tell , and they have said they have seen the very crown of . thorns upon his head by looking in that glass ; they have therein also seen the holes in his bands , his feet , and his side . Tea , such an excellency is there in this

glass , that it will show him to one where tliey have a niindto see him—whether living or dead ; ivhether in earth or in heaven ; whether in a state of humiliation or exaltation ; whether coming to suffer or coming to reign . " We conclude our extracts by his descrip tion of the

Pilgrim ' s entrance , after passing the River of Death , into Heaven . We justify the length of this passage hy reminding our readers that the Masonic lodge is a type of tbe Celestial City , and that all its furniture and adornments adumbrate the glories of that sinless place . This passage , according to our judgment , is the finest in the English language , and should be read under the reflection , When shall I wake and find me there !

" Now , while they were thus drawing toward the gate , behold a company of the heavenly host came out to meet them ; to whom it was said by the other two Shining Ones , These are the men that have loved our Lord when they were in the world , and that have left all for his holy name ; and he hath sent us to

fetch them , and we have brought them thus far on their desired journey that they may go in and look their Redeemer in the face with joy . Then the heavenly host gave a great shout , saying , Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb . There came out also at this time to meet

them several of the King ' s Trumpeters , clothed in white and shining raiment , who , with melodious voices and loud , made even the heavens to echo with thensound . These trumpeters saluted Christian and his fellow with ten thousand welcomes from the world ; and this they did with shouting ancl sound of trumpet .

"This done , they compassed them round on every side ; some went before , some behind , and some on the rig ht hand and some on the left— -as it were to guard them through the upper regions—continually sounding as they went with melodious noise in notes