Masonic N0tes And Queries.

use , and thus weaken the security of the Order ; or morally imperfect , aud thus injure the respectability of the Order ; or physically disqualified , and thus mar tlie utility of the Order . Tiiereis danger that in the present high pressure manner in which so many are put through the degrees

we shall by ancl by forget the good old-fashioned truism , that " Haste makes Waste ; " that by slighting our work , and turning it out half clone , we shall by and by forget how to finish it all . There is danger that by our continual encroaching upon tlie ancient usages and customs of the fraternitywe shall band

, y by lose sight entirely of the very landmarks which our fathers have set , and Masonry only live in history , instead of its wise aud serious truths being impressed , upon the minds of the fraternity , and thus transmitted through a succession of ages unimpaired .

—AVATHE SECRET 01 ? THE OEDEK OF FREEMASONS , AND THE CEREMONIES OBSERVED AT THE RECEPTION OF MEMBERS INTO IT . First of all the person must be proposed iu one of the lodges by a brother of the society , as a good subject ; andwhen the latter obtains his requestthe

, , rcci pkmdary is conducted by the proposer , who becomes his godfather , into one of the . chambers of the lidge where ther .. is no light , and there they ask him whether he has a calling to be received ; he answers Yes . After which they ask him his name , sirname , aud qualitytake from him all metals aud jewels which

, he may have about him , as buckles , buttons , rings , boxes , & c . His ri ght knee is uncovered , he wears his left shoe as a slipper , then they blindfold him , and keep him in that condition about an hour , delivered up to his reflections . After this the godfather goes aud knocks three times at the door of the reception

room in which the venerable Grand Master of the lodge is , who answers by three knocks from within and orders the door to be opened ; then the godfather says that a gentleman by name presents himself in order to be received . ( Note—That loth on the outside and within litis chamber several brothers stand

icilh their swords drawn , in order to keep off profane people . ) The Grand Master , who has about his neck a blue ribband cut in a triangle , says , Ash him whether he has the calling ? The godfather puts him the question , aud the reei piendary having answered in the affirmative , the Grand Master orders him to be brought in . Then they introduce him and make him

take three turns in the room , round a sort of ring on the floor , in which , with a pencil , they draw upon two columns a sort of representation of the ruins of Solomon ' s Temple . On each side of that space they also make with the pencil a great I and a great 7 Bwhich they . don't lain till after tbe

-, exp recep tion . In the middle there are three li ghted wax candles , laid in a triangle upon which they throw gunpowder and rosin at the novice ' s arrival , in order to terrif y him b y the effect of these matters . The three turns having been made , the reeipiendary is brought into the middle of the writing

above-mentioned in three pauses , over against the Grand Master , who is at the upper end behind an anil chair , on which is the book of St . John ' s Gospel , and asks bim Do you feel the calling ? Upon his answering Yes , the Grand Master says , Sheiu him the li g ht , he has " been long enough deprived of it . Iu that instant they take the cloth from before his eyes , and all the

brothers , standing iu a circle , draw their swords ; they c . ause the reeipiendary to advance in three pauses up to a stool which is at the foot of the arm chair . The brother orator addresses him in these terms , You are going to embrace a respectable Order ivhich is more serious than you imagine . There is nothing in it against the lawagainst reli gionagainst the stateagainst the

, , , -King , nor against manners . The venerable Grand . Master ivill tell you the rest . At the same time they make him kneel on the stool with his right knee which is bare , and hold the left foot in the air . Then the Grand Master says to him , You promise never to tracewriteor reveal the secrets of the

Free-, , masons , or Freemasonry , but to a brother in the lodge , and in ihe Grand Master ' s presence ? Then they uncover bis breast to see if he is not a woman , and put a pair of compasses on his left pap , ivhich he holds himself ; ho puts his right hand on the

Gospel and pronounces his oath iu these terms : I consent that mg tongue mag be pulled ' out , mg heart torn to pieces , my body burnt , and my ashes scattered , if , & c . ( sic ) , after which he kisses the book . Then the Grand Master makes him stand b y him ; they give him the Freemasons' apron , which is a white

skin , a pair of men ' s gloves for himself , and a pair of women ' s gloves for the person of that sex for whom he has the most esteem . They also explain to him the I and B traced on the floor , which are the type of the sign by which the brothers know oue another . The I signifies Jahkinaud the _ Z ? TBoiaes . Iu the

, signs which the Freemasons make among one another , they represent those two words , by putting the right baud to the left side of the chin , from whence they draw it back to the right side upon the same Hue ";

then they strike the skirt of their coat on the right side , and also stretch out their hands to each other , laying the right thumb upon the great joint of his comrade ' s first finger , which is accompanied by the word Jalikin ; they strike their breasts with the rig ht hand and take each other by the hand again , by reciprocally

touching with the right thumb the first and great joint of the middle finger , which is accompanied by the word TBoiaes . This ceremony being performed and explained , the reeipiendary is called brother ; after which they sit down , and , with the Grand Master ' s leavedrink the new brother ' s health . Every

, man has his bottle . When they have a mind to drink , they say , " Give some powder , " viz ., fill the glass . The Grand Master says , " Lay your bauds to your firelocks ; " then they drink ye brother ' s health ,

and the glass is carried at three different motions to the mouth ; before they set it down upon the table , they lay it to the left pap , theu to the right , aud then forwards , and in three other pauses they lay the glass perpendicular upon the table , clap their hands three times , and cry three times Vivat . They observe to have three wax-candles disposed in a triagle upon the

table . If they perceive or suspect that some suspicious person has introduced himself amongst them , they declare it by saying , " It rains , " which signifies they must say nothing . As some people might have discovered the signs which denote the terms Jahkin and Hoiaesa Freemason may be known by taking

, him by the hand as above mentioned , and pronouncing I , to which the otlier answers A ; the first says H , the second replies K ; the first ends with J , and the other with A " , which makes Jahkin . It is the same with regard to JBoiaes .