Mission Of Freemasonry.

moral and spiritual , and elevate the animal and physical . Since the close of the Avar IIOAV have our ears been pained Avith the reports from all parts of the country of wrong and outrage , and disregard of the sacredness of life . Masonry has

a great work before her , to hold up right ideas of the sacredness of life , and the value of personal liberty . The telegraph , and steamship , and mechanical improvements must be made to subserve liberty , brotherhood , and Masonic influence .

Everything , even our late war , must be made in due time to evolve the incalculable issues of human Welfare , and universal brotherhood , truth , and charity . —National Freemason .

Ar00601

AN ORDNANCE SURVEY OF JERUSALEM .

Colonel Sir Henry James , E . F ., F . B . 8 ., & c , recently read at the Royal Institution , a paper embodying the results of the survey of Jerusalem made under his direction Avith the permission of the Secretary of State for War . The paper containing several points of interest to the Craft , Ave

have here given the substance of it for the benefit of our readers : — The speaker stated that the permission of the Secretary of State for War Avas obtained in compliance with the request of the Dean of Westminster , Avhoon the part of a number of

gentle-, men interested in endeavouring to improve the sanitary state of the city , undertook to pay the cost of the survey . He also stated , that the Councils of the Royal Society and of the Royal Geographical Society had placed the necessary funds at his disposal to cover the cost of levelling

from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea ; and that the Syrian Improvement Society had also contributed the funds required to cover the cost of levelling from Jerusalem to the Pools of Solomon , and for investigating the nature and extent of the present and former supplies of water to the city .

lor the execution of these duties Sir Henry selected Captain Wilson , H . E ., and a party of Royal -Engineers from the Ordnance Survey , including a good surveyor and photographer , Serjeant McDonald , li . ' !<] ., to take vieAVS of the most interesting places in and about the city .

For tho illustration of the lecture a j > Ian of the city , on the scale of 25 in . to the mile , Avith plans of the Haram and Church of the Holy Sepulchre , on the scale of 120 in . to a mile , Avere exhibited on the Avail of the lecture-room , and also plans and sections of the line levelled from the

Mediterranean to the Dead Sea , and from Jerusalem to the Pools of Solomon ; and several of the photographs were projected by electric light upon a screen , by Dr . Tyndall .

Sir Henry first described the route taken in levelling from Jaffa , by Jerusalem , to the Dead Sea near Jericho ; and stated the highest point passed over Avas at Mount Scopus , Avhich was 2 , 724 ft . above the level of the sea ; whilst the height of the Mount of Olives Avas 2 , 665 ft ., of Mount Zion

2 , 550 ft ., and Mount Moriah 2 , 440 ft . The level of the Mediterranean AA as crossed on the road from Jerusalem by Bethany , at 3 | miles beyond Khan Haddur . At about one mile from Jericho , the line Avas carried across the plain to a point on the shore of the Dead Sea opposite the small island

there . The depression of the Dead Sea below the Mediterranean Avas found to be 1 , 292 ft . on the 12 th March , 1865 ; but at certain seasons of the year the water fell 6 ft . lower , making the greatest depression 1298 ft . The depressionas

ascer-, , tained by Lieutenant Symonds , B . E ., in 1841 , Avas l , 312 - 2 ft . Sir Henry then pointed out the importance of being able to connect the levels of the Jerusalem survey Avith that of the Mediterranean , and of having a line of bench marks , cut on permanent objectsalong the whole line levelledfor

, , any future surveys in Palestine , such as those contemplated by the society Avhich has since been formed for the accurate investigation of the Topography , Geology , and Physical Geography , & c , of the Holy Land for Bibical illustration .

The geological structure of the country Avas described as consisting of a single great anticlinal fold of strata , of the age of the chalk and loAver tertiaries of this country . Specimensof the rocks . Avith the characteristic fossils , Ammonites , Hippurites , and Baculites of the chalk , Avith the

Nummulites and other tertiary fossils , were exhibited on the table , and also specimens of the highly bituminous limestone found in the cretaceous strata on the eastern slope towards the Dead Sea ; the decomposition of which , and the constant flowing up of the bitumen on the surface

of that sea , Avas the probable cause of its having been formerly called the Lake Asphaltitis . It was then pointed out that the physical or geographical axis of the country betAveen the two seas , which . was at Jerusalem itself , from AA'hence the rivers flowed east and west , did not correspond

with the geological anticlinal axis , Avhich Avas at Ain-Jifna and eight miles Avest of the city ; and that all the strata at Jerusalem dipped to the south-east at an angle of about 12 ° . The geological plan and section of the ground upon which the city is built was then described .

The nummuliticor foraminiferouslimestone , locally known under the name of " Cakooli , " caps the hills to the east and south of the city , and forms the summits of Mount Scopus , the Mount of Olives , and of the Mount of Evil Counsel , and is 290 ft . thick , composed of a soft white limestone

with bands of flints . This formation is succeeded by the crataceous strata , the uppermost of Avhich is a hard siliceous