Divulging The Mason's Word.

the countersign , ivith his hand . You were unable to answer his countersign , ancl for that reason he kneAv you to be a clandestine Mason—a man AA'I IO has learned the secrets in an improper way . Therefore , it was his duty to chastise you . Your

life may yet be forfeited for that indiscretion . " " M y life ! By all that is good , I thought yon ivere only humbugging me ivhen you said that ' spoons' was the passivord . " " Sh-h-k ! Beware ! " said Jacob , putting his

hand on Ral p h ' s mouth . " Never utter that ivord again . Masons are ubiquitous , and yon might lose your life . As it is , you are in danger ; for all the lodges in the cit y ivill be immediately convoked to adopt measures that may discover the

man who has betrayed them . My life , as well as yours , is in jeopardy . Promise me that you will never again utter that passivord . " "And so ' spoons' is the password ! " Ralph was at last convinced that his old friend had been

telling truth . "Well , may I be broiled ou a Masonic gridiron , and turned ivith a red hot troivel , if ever I halloo ' spoons' again . ' " Ral ph has most reli g iously kept his word . Should he need a spoon , ivhile at table , he now

asks his wife for a c sugar shovel , ' fearing that if he mentioned the proper name of the required article , that some pugnacious member of the mystic brotherhood mi g ht respond to the Masonic password .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE EIXG . —TIIE MAEEIAGE . Brother . . . Masonic ceremony is the ring ; hut Masonic doctrine is the marriage . —C . P . COOPEE . THK WOED " MASON . " Extract from an old French tract : — " Le mot

ilfapon est d ' une origine pen reculee . II s ' explique par les mots sage et lien faisant . Or , dans tout les temps celui-la J ' ut Ma ^ on qui pratiqua la vertu et fit du bien aux hommes . "—Prom a bundle of Masonic Memoranda in Bro . Purton Cooper ' s manuscript collections .

IXTELLIGEXCE . The Great Architect of the Universe gii'es different degrees of intelligence . Where much has been given , it is not a little that is expected . "Where little has been givenit is not nought that is expected . It is better to

, possess only the intelligence ot' the abori ginal Australian , and make a good use of it , than the intelligence of the Caucasian and make a bad use of it . — Prom a manuscript in Bro . Purton Cooper ' s Masonic collections , entitled " Freemasons' Table Talk . "

LAWS OF MATTEE KSD MINJD . There are laws which regulate matter , and laws which regulate mind . By observation and right reason these laws hai'e in great part been discovered ; and all that hai-e been discovered are consistent with what iu true Preemasonry is considered essential . —From a manuscrip t in Bro . Purton Cooper ' s Masonic collection entitled " Freemasons' Table Talk . "

FEEEJIASOXS lAIAGAZIXE . Excellent Young Friend Having , at an early age , inherited the land and monies of a ivealthy father aud of two wealth } ' uncles , you have , amongst all the wealthy inhabitants of * * * the reputatation of being the most Avorthy . It is , I trust ,

therefore , no violation of the duty , especially befitting my many years , of enjoining jjroper economy in order that the means of doing good may be increased , that my ansiA'er to an interesting passage of your letter , which among the Masonic pursuits and studies , partly of certain literary brothersand partly of yourself ,

, is a recommendation to buy at once four copies of the Freemasons' Magazine , July , 1 S 59 , to December , 1866 ; three copies for the lodges of which , as I understand , the literary brothers and you are members ,, and the fourth for your own library . This purchase effectedfirstin reference to the Masonic pursuits

, , and studies of the literary brothers , make" arrangements with the lodges for convenient access to their respective copies ; next , in reference to your own Masonic studies and pursuits take your copy and set courageously to ivork aud , note-book at your elbow , examine c _ ii"fifu ! lv the indices of volumes T . to _ X _ I __

In your list of miscellaneous matters there is scarcely one upon ivhieh information may not be found , such as sooner or later you ivill be glad to possess . Then proceed to the indices of volumes XII . to XV ., and look the words set doivn in the appendix here subjoined , and read attentively all contained in the communications which these vrords indicate . The task is

one which will ill bear unnecessary interruption . Until achievement , therefore , cease not . Remember " En fait de lectures , la continuity sente est profitable ; la variete n ' est qu ' amusante . " Appendix , vol . IX : — A God who is not the God of English Preemasonry ^ Preemasonry and Buddhism ; Freemasonry anil

Fatalism ; Freemasonry and Materialism ; Preemasonry and Positivism . Vol . XIII : —Architect of the Universe ; The Atheists and Preemasonry ; Dualism and Preemasonry ; Idealogy and Preemasonry ,- Immortality of the soul and Preemasonry ; Naturalism and Freemasonry ; Pope ' s Essay on Man ;

Proof of the existence of God , & e . ; The legion of English Preemasonry ; Religion of Preemasonry as a uuii'ersal institution ; Sceptism and Preemasonry . Vol . XIV : —Atheism aud Preemasonry in Germany ; The Bible and English Preemasonry ; Christianity and English Preemasonry ; Mr . Emerson ; English

Preemasonry and Continental lodges ; English Freemasons , their notions of the Deity ; Existence of God ; Final causes ; Freemasonry as a world-wide association ; Preemasonry likened to a college ; Freemasonry , why called universal ; The God of Preemasonry ; The God of Plato ; Saint Augustin and Preemasonry ; The Great Architect of the Universe -, Greek Philosophers , teachings of old ; The lodge in English Freemasonry ; he Materialists ; Metaphy-