Obituary.

when Hie was but opening to him a career of distinguished success and usefulness , we mourn the loss which has befallen both the Craft and the country , and while in humble obedience to the dictates of the Great I Am , we bow to the stroke , we have the hopo remaining that our brother is removed to another and abetter world . We feel the utmost commiseration for his young widow , a feeling which will be common to all who knew jier amiable husbandand we trust that He who has promised

, to be a Father to the fatherless and a Husband lo the widow will , iu His own good time and way , bring comfort to the sorrowing heart , and prove a stay in this hour of her dark tribulation . It was known for the space of a fortnight previous to his death , that our lamented brother had been labouring under an attack of gastric feverbutconsidering his youth and the

; , eminent medical skill brought to bear upon his case , the hope was ardently entertained that he would be enabled to conquer the disease . A vain hope , and our brother succumbed to the dread enemy at the early age of twenty-eight . Archibald Alexander Speirs was born in 18-10 , and four yeais thereafter succeeded to the extensive family estates in Renfrewshire , upon the death of his father , Alexander Speirs , Esq ., of

Elderslie , a leading and consistent AVhig , who was at once the Lord Lieutenant and Member of Parliament for the County . The lamented deceased was educated at Eton ; in 185 s he entered the army , and obtained in 1862 the rank of Captain in the Scots Fusilier Guards , from which , however , in 1 SG 5 he retired , on being elected , by a largo majority , representative of Renfrewshire in the liberal interest , after a keen contest with Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Bart-, the conservative candidate , former Member of Parliament , an d the Provincial Grand Master for Renfrewshire West . In 1 S 67 , Captain Speirs married the

Honourable Anne Pleydel — Bouvet-ie , eldest daughter of Viscount Folkestone , and grand-daughter of the Earl of Radnor . In the event of no issue resulting from this marriage , his only sister , married to Lieut . Col . Claud Alexander , of Balloehm 3 'le , will succeed to the estates , the rental of which amounts we ' understaiul , to fully £ 25 , 000 a year . Mrs . Alexander has issue , one son , born in 1867 . The dowager Mrs . Speirs , who was a daughter of Thomas C . HagartEsq . of Bantaskine

, , , was married , it will be remembered , soon after the auspicious nuptials of her son , to Edward Ellice , Esq ., M . P . for St . Andrews . Captain Speirs was a keen craftsman , and from the date of his initiation till the hour of his death took a warm interest in everything relating to Freemasonry . He was initiated in the Prince of Wales LodgeNo . 259 on 24 th Maypassed 1 st July

, , , , and raised 29 th July , 18 G 1-. He was Junior Grand AYardenand Grand Assistant Sojourner of England for 1 S 67-1 SGS . In 1 SG 8 he contested the chair of Provincial Grand Mastership of Renfrewshire East , against Lieut . Col . Archibald Douglas Campbell , of Blytbeswood , but in which he was successful . In 1 SG 7 , however , upon the death of Sir Archibald Alison , he was elected Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow , by an

overwhelming majority over Sheriff Sirathearn . In appearance Captain Speirs was distinguished by manly beauty , while his mind did not belie his appearance . He had an easy copious flow of oratory , and gave indications , had he been spared , of taking at a later period , a high position as a public speaker . His death will be a sad blow to the Glasgow brethren , "who had entire confidence in him , and looked forward to his assistance in certain matters of reform and improvement , at present occupying their attention . We condole with them in the loss which has befallen them in the death of their chief .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

PUBLICATIONS OF THE MASONIC PUBLISHING COMPANY , 432 , BEOOME STREET , NEW YORK CONCLUDING PAWUS . The Ancient and Accepted Rite is one of tho greatest importance in all countriesand while Fesslor ' s ' be

, may of a more philosophic character , wo give it the preference . There is a unity and a purpose , from tho first to the thirty-third , transparent to tho merest tyro , and these are abundantly shown in Bro . Charles T . M'Clenacban ' s work upon the Eite . He has very properly omitted the

first three degrees , and the Chapter Degrees , commencing with the fourth . Thus a brother with the three other works previously reviewed in Nos . 494 and 4-95 of the llayazine , and the jDi-esent one , obtains a bird ' s-eye view of tho whole Eifce , can understand the intentions of its originators , and discover the goal to which its teachings desire to lead the aspirant . We have seldom seen so

complete a vidimus of the Eite ; and , while Bro . M'Clenaehau has carefully avoided placing the esoteric doctrines in the hands of flic profane , he has given abundance of extracts to aid tho different office-bearers in fulfilling their duties .

The Ancient and Accepted Eite may be easily divided into three great classes , upon the axiom that Fi-eemasonry is a progressive science . The first three degrees can easily be taken by all who believe in a Supreme Being and the Immortality of the Soul . The fourth to the eighteenth embrace all believers in the Jewish Dispensation , the seventeenth ending it with the preaching

of John the Baptist , and the eighteenth commencing what may be called—although such a term is susceptible of various constructions , Abdel Kedar , and many eminent Jews and Arabs having taken the Eosc Croix and other high degrees — the Christian . Thus every brother—whatever his religious faith may be—has some degree upon which he can meet

with other brethren holding different creeds . This constitutes tho utility and glory of Freemasonry , where brethren can proceed so far hand in hand , and , as each reaches the limit of his belief , he drops out in goodwill and friendship with his fellows who proceed beyond him . Only such a society holding such principles as the Freemason , could bring under its banner brethren of so conflicting characters , natures , and creeds , without

jarring and without enmity , but uniting in deeds of benevolence and of friendshi p . Many of the degrees above the third supplement the Craft , and by their legends deepen the effect of the sublime teachings of the three first . The Ancient and Accepted Eite is composed of seven series , the first three known as the symbolic degrees , are given in a symbolic

lodge . The fourth to tho fourteenth degree compose the second series , are called the ineffable and are conferred in a perfection lodge . The third series , consisting of the fifteenth and sixteenth , are historical degrees , and are conferred in a Council of Princes . The seventeenth , in Scotland conferred in a Eoyal Arch Chapter , and eighteenth form the fourth series , are philosophical

degrees , and are given in a Eose Croix Chapter . The fifth series , consisting of tho nineteenth to the twentyninth , are historical and philosophical degrees , and are conferred in the Areopagus . The sixth series , consisting of the thirtieth , thirty-first , and thirty-second , are chivalvic degrees , and are conferred in a Consistory ; while the thirty-third is an Official and Executive Council .

The history of this Rite , and tho date of origin of the various degrees , have been points of much dispute , some supposing that Ramsay was the founder . We rather suppose that Ramsay brought together certain degrees in existence long previous to his birth , which he classified and put into the present Rite , and which form its originals . The same idea runs through the various

series , from the murder of the builder , through the Crucifixion of Christ , to the martyrdom of Jacques de Molai . In all the degrees the sense of sacrifice being necessary to perfection is prominent , but Ramsay , a keen Jacobite , may have sought to identify the slaughtered with King Charles I ., tho Jewish Captivity with the dethronement of James II . and exile of his adherents . We know that

the Jacobites and the Royalist emU / rie in the French Revolution after the guillotining of Louis XVI ., both had fanciful modes of commemorating the fates of their mouarchs . A tree toz \ n up by tho roots was a favourite symbol of the Jacobites , whose hopes of the Stewarts returning to the throne were indicated by a strong sap-