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CTontents . PAGE Interesting Discovery at the Old Jewish Synagogue , Birmingham 301 Pcetry dul CRAFT LODGE JIEETIXGS : —

Masonic Jlems 302 Metropolitan , 303 Provincial 303 Knights Templar 307 JIark Masonry 397

Interesting Discovery At The Old Jewish Synagogue, Birmingham.

INTERESTING DISCOVERY AT THE OLD JEWISH SYNAGOGUE , BIRMINGHAM .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 14 , 1 S 71

After the erection of the HebreAv neAV synagogue at Singer ' s Hill , the old place of Avorship of the Jews , in Severn Street , was purchased by the Athol Lodge of freemasons , and by it converted into a place of meeting for the members of that section of tbe order .

Eeeently , certain alterations and additions have been made to the building , and , in sinking the foundation for a new banqueting hall , the memorial stone of the old temple Avas discovered . Pitted to this stone a brass plate , bearing the folloAving inscription in

HebreAV : — - " This plate ' was placed here by tbe hands of the -most respected Mordecai , the Son of Solomon , in this town , on the Sth day of Sivan , in the year 5569 A . M ., and the five principal men who Avere occupied in raising this building were David , the Son of Solomon ,

President ; the Judah , the Son of Coleman , Treasurer ; Solomon , the Son of Mordecai ; Jacob , the Son of Samuel ; and Moses , the Son of Lyon . — A . M . 5569 . "

The Christian date ofthe ceremony would be 1809 or 60 years ago . At that time the Jews were a very small body in Birmingham ; now they number 5 , 000 . A second brass plate , bearing date 5 , 609—40 years later—Avas also found during the alterations . At a meeting of the Athol Lodge , held yesterday ,

Bro . Michael Davis , W . M ., presiding , it was resolved to present the memorial plate to the Hebrew congregation , by whom it will no doubt be carefully preserved as an interesting historical relic . At the same time the Lodge laid the memorial stone of the new ¦ building , the extension part of Avhich consists of a

reception room , banqueting hall , and Tyler ' s house . The brethren having assembled in open lodge , and all ihe customary ceremonies having been performed , Bro . Thomas Bragg , P . M ., and P . Prov . G . S . D ., delivered a short address on the ancient institution of Ereemasonry ; after which he was presented b y Bro . Muggleton , P . M ., with a handsome silver trowel , suitably engraved . The architect , Bro . T . Baden ,

Interesting Discovery At The Old Jewish Synagogue, Birmingham.

produced the plans ; the contractor , Bro . J . MofFatt , handed the mallet ; and Bro . Bragg , assisted by the "W . M ., Bro . Michael Davis , then laid the stone according to ancient custom . In the cavit y of the stone was placed a glass bottle , containing a

description of the events connected with the ownership and extension of the building by the Athol Lodge ; also some coins , a neivspaper , and a copy of the old plates commemorating the erection of the building by the Hebrew congregation . The stone was then lowered , and , having been tested by the W . M ., Bro .

M . DaA'is , Bro . Bragg declared the stone well and truly laid . The W . M ., Bro . Davis , delivered a short address . Corn , oil , and Avine were sprinkled on the stone , and prayer having been oftered , the ceremony closed . On the stone is engraved the following : — "This

stone , to commemorate the extension of the building , was laid by Bro . Thomas Bragg , P . M ., and P . Prov . G . S . D ., assisted by the W . M ., Bro . 2 tl . Davis , October 4 th , 1871 . " " When the building was completed , the members

of the Athol Lodge will be able to congratulate themselves on having a hall suited in every way for Masonic purposes .

Poetry.

Poetry .

THE MASTER'S TOUCH . In the still air the music lies unheard ; In the rough marble beauty lies unseen ; To wake the music and the beauty needs The Master's touch , the sculptor ' s chisel keen . Great JIaster 1 touch us with Thy skilful hand ,

Let not the music that is in us die ; Great Sculptor ! hew and polish us ; nor let Hidden aud lost thy form within us lie . Spare not the stroke ; do with us as Thou wilt , Let there be naught unfurnished , broken , marred : Complete thy purpose , thafc we may become Thy perfect image , 0 our Lord and God . Evergreen .

THE BIBLE . —The sacred volume was composed by a \ -ast variety of writers , men of every different rank and condition , of every diversity of character and turn of mind ; the monarch and the plebian , the illiterate and the learned , the foremost iu talent , and the moderately gifted in natural advantages , the historian and the legislator , the orator and the poet—each had his immediate vocationeach his peculiar province . Some

-, pro phets , some evangelists , living in ages remote from each other , under different modes of civil government , under different dispensations of the divine economy , filling up a period of time that reached from the first dawn of hes \ -en ! y light to its meridian influence .