Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MARCH 10 , 1800 .

THE most noticeable feature of the proceedings at Grand Lodge , on Wednesday last , was the defeat of the proposition to assist Provincial Lodges , by tho loan of money for building or purchasing their o \ A " n Lodges—the principal objection being that such loans mi ght lead to litigation and disunion amongst the members of the Craft . AVe have taken

so active a part in the building of Masonic Halls , that Ave cannot but regret the decision at which Grand Lodge has arrivod ; but the regret is materiall y lessened by tho knowledge that the opposition to the scheme came from an influential section of the provincial brethren themselves , led by one of the sincerest and most talented brethren in Grand

Lodge—Bro . Stebbing , who was supported by a large body of the Hampshire brethren . It must be recollected , however , that the scheme did not originate with the Board of General Purposes , but from a provincial Lodge , and Ave shall be surprised if the decision now arrived at does not call forth strong feelings of dissent from tho provinces which took no part in the

matter , simply , Ave believe , because they looked upon the scheme as certain to be carried . The onl y other feature of interest was the reelection of thc Most Worshipful Grand Master and his speech in acknowledging the confidence of tho brethren , in which lie referred to the large increase which has taken place in the Order , the prosperity of its charities , and the happy suppression of the spurious Lod ges at Smyrna—all of which are matters of gratulation alike to his lordship and the brethren in general .

Classical Theology.—Xv.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XV .

VI . —CERES AUD AUGUST—( CONTINUED . ) FROM the epigrams of Martial and the epistles of Cicero , Seneca , and Pliny , AVO find that the festival days in honour of Saturn , called Saturnalia ( in the Greek upona ) , Avere a kind of carnival or general jubilee . The senate did not meet , iicademiaus and artisans alike held holiday ; presents of sweetmeats and flowersWe tokens and rich trinkets Avcrc

, sent among friends , aud it was in fact a local time of universal license . Sen-ants took the place of their masters , who sat Avith them at the table , and even waited upon them , to signalize the memory of that happy state of liberty which all enjoyed , through , an equality of mind and manners , in tho genial time of thc golden reign when there Avas no other

servitude than to serve one another ; and if ever this millonial state become actually practicable , such may not improbably bo the heritage of our Masonic fraternity as based upon the rock of reli gion and the cardinal virtues . ZSTone but patricians were allowed to Avear the synthesis , or purple cloak , excepting at these festivities , when it was customary for domestics to usurp the habit and be invested with the

privileges of its distinction . Accordin g to Dionysius Halicarnassus , the Saturnalia were instituted by Tullus , kins of . home ; but Livy considers them to have been established by the consuls Seinproirins and Minutius . At first , until the time of Julius Cajsar , the festivals comprised only one day , the nineteenth of December , but afterwards they were

extended to three days , commencing a day earlier ; and at length , by order of Caligula , they Avere increased from four to seven clays . As during the Eleusinia , so on these rejoicing occasions , it Avas not lawful to proclaim Avar nor to execute any offenders : the sacrifices of Saturn also Avero suspended .

Like our good old Easter sports—Avhich gavo vigour to the physical , moral , and Ave may even say , mental constitution— -mirth , hilarity , rural games and pleasure , Avere characteristics of these ancient , sage , and sanitary feasts . These festivals and revels Avere of a religious tendency ; established in honour of the gods , to exalt their praise , and to thank them for some common beneficence ; or to perpetuate the memory of heroes , and the acts of the deserving dead .

Originally there Avere but a very few public celebrations , and keeping of times ( fariari ) , scarcely more than of the harvest and vintage ; but as deities multi plied , especially amongst the Athenians and Romans , the festivals rapidly increased . Of the first there were the Theseia , and Heracleicc , in memorial of Theseus and Hercules . Of the second the

TAesmophoria ( sacred rites ) and the Eleusinia ( or mystical feasts ) , called the majora and minora , in honour of Ceres , and commemorative of her laAvs ; and the Anibarvalia , a kind of thanksgiving for her instructions for lessening the labours of agriculture . All the feasts of Ceres Avere sacrificial and came under the

appellation of the Cerealia—immolations instituted in honour of the goddess—by- which name she Avas also known : so too , Pausanias says , she Avas called Eleusinia , because those rites commenced in the city of Eleusis ; others derive the root of both words from Eleusius Cereus , the prince of the city and father of Triptolemus , to Avhom she taught all manner of

husbandry , in requital for his courteous entertainment Avhen she visited him , Avhilst journeying over lands and seas she sought her daughter Proserpine . Hence thc story from Servius , and tho fifth book of Ovid ' s Metamorphoses , Of Cores bringing up the infant Tri ptolemus—which may be jjaralleled in the rearing of an exotic or hothouse plant , by giving it water or letting the rain fall on it

in the day , and keeping it warm during the night . She fed him with " celestial and divine milk" in the morning time , and in tho evening she covered him over Avith fire . The child in a feAV days grcAV so fast he became a beautiful and full grown youth . This extraordinary force of precocity so much surprised Eleusius and excited his curiosity so much to know IIOAV Ceres managed Avith his sonthat he took a

, stealthy A'ieAv through a chink of the panels of her apartment- — for houses Avere not then Availed up as they are now—when to his horror and amazement ho saAv Ceres , making as it were magical circles and using strange ceremonies , overlaying Triptolemus Avith red hot embers . The father , Avith a cry of affrightrushed into the room to save Ms sonif possibleor

, , , to destroy Ceres . The goddess punished his presumptuous inquisitiveness Avith instant death . It is more in accordance Avith Therarnen . es and Grecian theology , that Ceres transfigured Eleusius , or Cereus , as the words point out , and changed his name to Triptolemus , whom she placed in her chariot called doAvn from the sky , to which

" yoked dragons stand , . Tame and obedient to her gentle hand , AVith outstretched wings , " and sent him throughout the habitable world to teach mankind the mysteries of engrafting , and the flailing , winnowing and grinding of wheat , that men might enjoy the fruits of the earth and cat bread instead of acorns .

Both the Plmys as Avell as Virgil have made some mention of the rites and feasts of thc Thesmophoria , instituted fey Triptolemus . Women under the VOAV of perpetual chastity Avere alloAvcd to be initiated into this order . For some days a preparatory fast Avas kept ; every description of wine Avas prohibited - in the . administration of the enshrined altar consecrated to Ceres ; Avhence arose the aphorism , Cereri nupiias facer e , significant of any feast among the ancients Avhere there Avas a total absence of wine . Ovid observes' — ...

" Ceres Avith blood of swine Ave best atone Which thus requites the mischief they haA r e done . " SAvine Avere sacrificed to this divinity , because they do much damage to cornfields , and are hurtful to the roots of trees . The elegiac poet , Tibullus , alludes to prevalent offering's in these sacrifices , which Avere garlands of lovely flowers intertAvined Avith full cars and spikes of yelloAV corn and

barley : — "To thee , 0 goddess , beauteous as the morn , AVe will plait Avreaths and coronals of corn , Thy temple gate , and statue to adorn . " Still the most rustic part of these ceremonies Avere more