Oration

he believed , would bo an ornament to the town of Birmingham . He felt that they were all indebted to the Masonic body for erecting such a building , and he asked them to give three cheers for Lord Leig h . ( Three hearty cheers were then given for Lord Leigh . ) Lord Leigh , in responding , said he thanked the

Mayor for the courteous manner in Avhich he had proposed three cheers for himself . He did not take the compliment to himself , but to the Masonic body " , of which he happened to be the head . He thanked them for the goodly assembly on that occasion , which sliOAved that the practice of Freemasonry was regarded

favourably by the ladies of Birmingham and Warwickshire . He always felt that the ladies were with them , and he hoped and trusted that before he had the honour again of presiding over a lodge in Warwickshire that they mi ght be able to rank among their number the Mayor of Birmingham , and that on future

occasions that gentleman might not be able to speak as one of the uninitiated . He concluded by proposing "Three times three for the Ladies of War-Avickshire , " remarking that he was sure the gentlemen present would show how they could receive the ladies . Three hearty cheers were then given , and the proceedings terminated .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is * y > £ responsible for the opiniom expressed , by Correspondent * . THE ORIGIN OF FREEMASONRT . ( The F . C . Degree concluded . ') TO THE EDIT >!! OF THE FKliKMASOXs' M . UiAZIXE KSXi MAJSOXIC Jllr . KOlt . DEAR SIE ASD BKOTUEB , —In the spiritual

symbolism of this degree , the Avinditig staircase is naturally suggestive of our Saviour ' s ascent Avith S . Peter , S . James , and S . John into the hi gh mountain , where He Avas transfigured before them , and His face did shine as the sun , and His raiment Avas as white as the light ( Matt . xvii . 2 ) .

At the period I consider our ritual Avas originally composed the five steps bore probably an allusion to what are called the "Mysteries of the Yirgin , " aaid to be revealed to S . Dominic about the beginning of the thirteenth century , fifteen in number , and divided into three parts .

Firstly . The five joyful mysteries : — 1 . The message of the angel . 2 . The visitation . 3 . The birth of our Lord . 4 . The presentation in the Temple . 5 . The finding in the Temple .

Secondly . The five sorrowful mysteries : — 1 . The agony in the garden . 2 . The scourging at the pillar . 3 . The crowning Avith thorns . 4 . The carrying of the cross . 5 . The crucifixion of our Lord .

Thirdly . The five glorious mysteries : — 1 . The resurrection of our Lord . 2 . The ascension of our Lord into heaven . 3 . The mission of the Holy Ghost . 4 . The assumption of our Blessed Lady . 5 . The coronation of our Blessed Lady . But , according to the ritual of the Protestant Church , the steps will bear also a threefold allusion .

Correspondence.

Firstly . To the five divisions of our Lord ' s Prayer : 1 . Worship . 2 . Submission . 3 . For supply of our daily wants . 4 . For forgiveness of our sins . 5 . For deliverance from our temptation . Secondly . To the five commandments given by

Christ to His twelve disciples : — 1 . To preach the kingdom of heaveu . 2 . To heal the sick . 3 . To cleanse the lepers . 4 . To raise tho dead . 5 . To east out devils .

Thirdly . To the five wounds of Jesus . O to be sprinkled from the wells Of Christ's own sacred blood , excels Earth ' s best and highest bliss . The ministers of wrath divine Hurt not the happy hearts thut shine With those red drops of His .

The newly-initiated brother has ascended five more steps of the mystic ladder , and is now a Fellow Craft Freemason . The third and closing act of the sacred drama will soon follow ; but before the veil is withdrawn , let him prepare himself for participation in the solemn mystery about to be disclosed to him

by a rigid self-examination and serious meditation on the obligations and duties he has already taken upon himself , and seek , by daily petitions to the throne of grace , to obtain strength from above to fulfil them . Yours fraternally , KOSA CEUCIS .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

nilAMSM AXI ) EUEEMASONUY . " God and matter ha \ e co-existed eternally , and from them all things come . " . A learned correspondent Avrites that this is called " dualism , " and he proceeds at much length to consider Avhether an individual stating dualism to bo the religious system Avhich he lias adopted ought to be received in

Freemasonry . My correspondent comes to no conclusion , and I am loath to hav . ard au opinion . The individual , however , ought , I think , to be received into Freemasonry , supposing it can be shown that the God of dualism is equivalent to our Great Architect of the Universe . The term Architect of the Universe does

not necessarily imply the creation of the matter vised in its construction . I subjoin a few lines AA'hich Avere extracted some months ago from the " Dictionnaire des Sciences Philosophiques , " published in 1814 , and which may possibly be useful in any discussion of this difficult point-. — " On peut sans nier

directement l ' existence de Dieu , revoquer en doute la creation . " . . . " Le monde nvec tout ce qu'il renferme a etc tiro d ' une matiere premiere , cternelle efc necessaire eomme Dieu lui-meme . Cette hypothese a recu le nom de dualisme . " " Le dualisme , tel que nous venous de le deflnir , et tel qu'il a existo

dans l ' aiitiquite , a beau etre desavouo par la philosophic de notre temps : la penseo que l ' univers ne peut pas etre tout entier l ' muvre d ' une pure intelligence , qu'il a dii , au coutraire , etre forme d'un principe analogue a la matiere exerce encore sur lea esprits plus de pouvoir qu ' on ne pense , et contribue plus d ' une fois a les entrainer , par uue pente insensible , les tins au materialisme , les autres au panthcisme . " — CHAELES PUETOX COOPEE .