Masonic Explanations Of The Numbers.

to reflection ; thc centre , the ray , aud thc circumference represented to them God , man , and the Universe . This number was , among the sages , a sign of concord , love , and peace . To Masons it is a sign of union and good faith ; because it is expressed by joining tivo hands , or tbe Master ' s grip , Avhen the number of fingers gives 10 ; and it was

represented by the Tetractys of Pythagoras . The number 12 , like the number 7 , is celebrated in the Avorship of nature . The tAvo most famous divisions of thc heavens , that by 7 , which is that of the planets , and that by 12 , which is thafc of fche signs of the zodiac , are found upon the religious monuments of all the peoples of the ancient

world , even to the remote extremes of the east . Although Pythagoras does not speak of the number 12 , it is none the less a sacred number . It is the image of the zodiac , and consequently that of the sun , whicli rules over ifc . Such are the ancient ideas in . regard to those numbers whicli so often appear in Masonry , and , rightly understood , us the old sages understood them , they contain many a pregnant lesson .

The Model American Masonic Editor.

THE MODEL AMERICAN MASONIC EDITOR .

[ THE English brethren having during thc last few months heard something of American Masonic Editors , and seen something of their agents , the following amusing sketch , which appears in Bro . Brouiian ' s American Freemasons ' Magazine , published at New York , will be read with interest . There can be little doubt to whom allusion is made ,

though of course the portrait is iu many respects exaggerated ] . The Model Masonic Editor began life by turning his hand to anything that turned up . Unlike Mr . Micaivbcr , he did not wait for something to turn up , hut turned up something to wait for ; and he did not wait long . As soon as he took his third degree lie concciA'Cil thc brilliant idea of hecoming a dispenser of light , both hhis tongue and . To a good he added a read

y pen memory y tact , anil a happy way of explaining bis meaning , by the aid of a iack-kuil ' c aucl a reel silk handkerchief in speaking , and a quick quill pen in writing , lie soon wrote anil talked himself into position as a Masonic Editor , and a model one at that . The Model Alasonic Editor has a long list of correspondents , whom he cultivates by publishing extracts from their letters . He thus introduces them to the public , anil in return thoy avc happy

lo speak ivell of him aucl his publication . They can do no less than subscrihe for thc latter , as without it the } ' cannot enjoy tire Editor ' s favour , nor sec ivhat he says of them . The Model Alasonic Editor is authority iu all moot questions ; iiii * if his opinion is not sound , whose can he ? 'Tis true the Model Editor's views and those of the Grand Officers sometimes dashand sonic feeling is therebengenderedand remarks made

, y , b y thc latter nofc always favourable to the former ; but this thc Model Masonic Editor soon epiicts liy expressions of unbounded regard for thc knowledge ami generally sound doctrine of the Grand Officer who differs ivith Jiiin . Such a course completely closes the mouth of thc latter , and must ivin him in a short time over to the side of thc former .

Ihe Model Masonic Editor is a philanthropist of the broad arrow stamp . He believes in humanity generally , and particularly in that portion of it ivith ivhich he has himself come into personal contact . Ifc will take the most unpromising materiel in the shape of man , anel will work with him patiently for months , satisfied iri the end if lie is not entirely imposed upon , and cheated hthe article lie has endeavoured to useHis best friends have

y . laughed at this trait in his character , but tin ' s never moves him to change his manner , lie generally asks advice , but never takes it . His sua oiler in mode prompts the one , but his for liter in re rejects the other .

The Model Masonic Editor is skilled in the value of flatter )' . Her will praise his greatest enemies— -men ivho despise bim both publicly and privately ; and thc more they evince their contempt vor Jim ) , thc more strenuously will he endeavour to win them by ¦ Kind speeches . He often announces the fact , that he cannot by ¦ any means be induced to quarrel ivith any one . Ifc invariably returns good for evilHis heart is l that his

. so arge feelings cannot be contained therein , but gusli out and run all over enemies mil li'iciuls alike . Enemies lie cannot have—at least he cannot , - ¦ 'ciicve he has an enemy . And if kind words at all times can malce friends of all , he ought to have none .

I Thc Model Masonic . Editor is a very busy man . . Ilis pen is always in his hand . Iu the small hours of the night and the large hours of the day lie is at his . desk—always busy . His is a high vocation—his task that ol ) . spreading , the lig ht—Sit lux is his motto ' .. He will . answer every one who writes , to him , privately or publicly . He sometimes makes mistakes , arrd answers publicly what the inquirer intended should lie answered privately , but

generally he is right in bis replies , and therefore the more there arc who read them the better , lie is the embodiment of Masonic law , usage , and precedent ; and if there is neither law , usage , nor precedent to hear upon the case in point , he will arrange in the most impromptu manner something of the kind to apply . This , to give it a greater value , he generally accredits to some very ancient authority—so ancientthat none but himself ever knew

, such authority existed . Such reference is usually decisive—for ivho ivill gainsay thc evidence that boasts of centuries of age ? Iu this way he cultivates inquirers . He courts questioners . This is a card he has always ready , lie solicits in every way he can devise thc most extensive amount of questioning . He even goes so far as to advertise " One thousand querists wanted . ' He is never at a loss for a reply—even should this large number all

speak at once . He is willing to act in the capacity of instructorgeneral to every Mason in the country . This , it will be observed , is pecuniarily a trump idea . Of course any man who asks a question will want to ace thc answer , and he will not in any case be so mean as to look for it in his neighbour ' s copy of the Model Masonic Editor ' s paper , but rather in his OAVII . This involves tbe certain subscription ofthe querist to the sameand thc interchange

, of a dollar for tlie benefit of thc Model Masonic Editor—so small a matter ought by no means to keep the querist from possession of so valuable an article , and it seldom docs . The Model Masonic Editor believes in music . He can play tolerably well , but prefers stringed instruments—thc harp , for instance , is , a favourite instrument of his—not one of a thousand

strings , but one of several thousands—in fact the more thousands thc better . He ivill not be caught harping on one string—neither ivill his harp be found hanging upon the willows , as ivas that of the captive daughters of Jerusalem . Hot at all : his harp is always ready for use , and be uses it in ; J way that excites . th , c emulation and envy of those less favoured , though perhaps profcssional artists , who endeavour to ape the Model Masonic Editor

in the use of the thousand stringed harp , but who invariably fail . Thc Model Masonic Editor is a fine calculator , and a great judge of character . . Some men , his correspondents , he will tickle in one ivay , sonic in another-. His knowledge of human nature is very good indeed . Now Grand Master . Tones cannot be handled like Deputy Grand Master Smith or Senior Warden ISrpwn , because Grand Mister Jones has looked rather askance upon tire

Model Masonic Editor , arrd the latter knows it . But Grand Alaster Jones has a weakness , and thc Model . Masonic Editor . knows that too . This weakness is a desire to be considered learned in Misonic law ; arrd although the Model Masonic Editor believes iu his inmost conscience that thc said dories , touching the matter of "Masonic law , is a veritable ass , lie takes care upon all occasions , where he thinks Jones will hear it , to quote Jones , and Jones alone , as being the lineal descendant of Solomon , King of the Jews , in all matters appertaining to Jaw generally , but Masonic Jaw in particular .

Then Deputy Grand Master Smith also has a weakness , but it does not bear upon law , but upon " thc lectures "—the old original Clarc-Prcston-lTemming-Webb-Gross lectures . Deputy Grand Muster Smith affirms he is thc possessor of these lectures , and every Lodge in his state lias been visited hy him during his term of office ., aucl these lectures imparted . The Aloelel Masonic Editor allows that he also has the coveted lectures—he docs not

exactly know how lie got them , save by intuition—thinks , nay believes , that ivas the way . lint at , any rate he arranges to meet Deputy Grand Master Smith , and Iras the happiness to * assure thc latter , after listening ivith the most marked attention for two mortal hours to their exposition by bim , that they agree in every line , word , syllable , and letter . It is really astonishing bow perfectly Deputy Grand Master Smith has possessed himself of ' did not believe

those lectures , lie , tbe Model Masonic Editor , there was a man outside of his own Lodge of Instruction who bad them so perfectly . Then Senior Grand "Warden . Brown has to be tickled in a way different from eitlier Jones or Smith . . Brown has a rather wideawake look—has watched thc Model Alasonic 'Editor suspiciously for nearly a year , noticed his replies to questions , and noted a few of them . Brown had a crotchet in his head that always puzzled himself . He believed that in the work of Lodge discipline there were several screws loose ivhich ought to he tight . He finally