Classical Theology.—Xxi.

. "Lust aud gluttony are neighbouring vices ; like Scylla and Charybdis , there is but a small distance between them , arid it may be said they act unitedly . It would be a difficult task to find one who is greatly addicted to the luxury of the board who is not also a slave to wine and to voluptuous concupiscence . Virgil has given an elegant delineation of

these tiA-o metaphorical monsters in the third book of the . / Eiioid : — ' '• Far on the right her dogs foul Scylla hides ; Charybdis roaring on her left presides , And in her greedy whirlpool sucks the tides . Then spouts them from below—in fury driven The waves mount up and AA'ash the face of heaven .

lint Scylla , from her den , with open jaws 'The sinking vessel down her eddy draws , And dashes on the rocks . A human face , A virgin bosom , hide the tail's disgrace . Her parts obscene below the waves descend , With clogs enclosed , and in a dolphin end . "

Hereby , in plain prose , we are to understand that this great rook was said to be surrounded with dogs and wolves , that devoured all who were oast upon ifc ; and again , when the stormy waves arc dashing there , the sound they make somewhat resembles the combined yelling and howling of many of the above named brutes .

Wc arc inclined to agree , with tho classic poets and satirists that there can scarcely he a more disgusting animal than a selfish ( gourmand ; while libertinism , or reckless lust , is especially dangerous to the religious and moral community at large . Is not this indeed self-evident ? ' there ivas another Scylla , the daughter of Nisus . king of

Megara , into whoso history has been mythologically introduced tho vile exploit of Delilah over Samson . Tin ' s Scylla was in love with 51 inos , the great , victorious and blood y king of . his day , who afterwards by favour got a judgeship , we believe , in hell . He besieged Nisus in his city of Megara , whose fate was involved in a certain purple or red lock of its king ' s hair . HeyUa batrayed both the city , her country , aud her father , by cutting off this fatal tress and sending it to the besieger . Minos took the city , but detested the

perfidious Scylla so much lor her unhlial and unpatriotic baseness that she could not endure her pangs of shame and regret , but pined away , and was changed into a lark . As for Nisus , they turned him into a sparrowhawk , which to this day still pursues the lark with unremitting fury as if it , as the enraged Nisusstill sought to punish his iniquitous daughter .

, Cicero says ( Paradox i ., Be Senectule ) ' ¦ ' ¦ The minds of men are deposed from their proper seat and state by the allurements of pleasure . " This naturally refers to such as wholl y addict themselves to selfish gratifications . We hold with those who think moderate or harmless pleasures are conduciA'e to healthinvigorating to the mental

facultiesresto-, , rative to genial tempers , and conductors of harmony to the spirits . We grow old , but let us not forget our youthful days when we led our -parents to fairs and rareeshows , who , in their turn , led us to places of more grave amusement ancl serious instruction . There is a time to play and to see plays , as well as a time to work and to be thoughtful . The great

seeker after and teacher of ivisdoni declares " To everything there is a season , and a time to every purpose under the heaven . A time to keep silence , and a time to speak ; a time to mourn , and a time to dance . "

The hieroglyphic or hybrid Scyllas , we must believe , were the offsprings of the arts or artistical imaginations existing in figures of stone , appropriated , as tho Caryatides , to the support and character of some mystical E gyptian temple . They afterwards , in course of time , became the sport of the musesor rather tho poets whoso wild freak's of fancy

de-, lighted in ridiculing all that was foreign to their country or bad ceased to lie popular . Whereby , slowly and surel y , thev confounded ancient history , and , as it were , by the fino-er of God , their heathen religion with it—till the only true ] i « hfc of the spirit of truth arose , like the Phoenix from its ashes

Classical Theology.—Xxi.

in the Sun of Ri ghteousness with healing on his wings . At the same time there is no reason now , that we can sec , why the symbolical or figured column should not bo again made classically instructive , and usefully ornamental .

The Rights Of Freemasons.

THE RIGHTS OF FREEMASONS .

BV BRO . A . C ( . MAOlvKV , jr . D . OF THE RIGHTS OT ? MASTER . MASONS ; SEC . I . ( cOXTlNUEli ) . IF , then , a Mason may be a member of a Lodge distant from his place of residence , and , perhaps , even situated in a different jurisdiction , the question then arises whether the Lodge within whose precints he resides , but of which

he is not a member , can exercise its discipline over him should he commit any offence requiring Masonic punishment . On this subject there is among Masonic writers a difference of opinion . I , however , agree with Bro . Pikes the able Chairman of the Committee of Correspondence of Arkansas , that the Lodge can exercise such discipline .

I contend that a Mason is amenable for his conduct , not only to the Lodge of whieh he may be a member , but also to any one within whose jurisdiction he permanently resides . A Lodge is the conservator of the purity and the protector of the integrity of the Order ivithin its precincts . The unworthy conduct of a Masonliving as it

, were immediately under its government , is calculated most injurious ] } ' to affect that purity and integrity . A Lodge , therefore , should not be deprived of the power of coercing such unworthy Mason , and , by salutary punishment , of vindicating the character of the institution . Let us suppose , by way of example , that a Mason living in San Francisco ,

California , but retaining his membership in New York , behaves in such an immoral and indecorous manner as to bring the greatest discredit upon the Order , and to materially injure it in the estimation of the uninitiated community . Will it be for a moment contended that a Lodge in San Francisco cannot arrest the evil , by bringing the unworthy Mason under discipline , and even ejecting him from the fraternity , if severity like that is necessary for the protection of

the institution ? Or will ifc be contended that redress can only be sought through the delay and uncertainty of an appeal to his Lodgo in . NOAV York i Even if the words of the ancient laws are silent on this subject , reason and justice ivould seem to maintain tho propriety and expediency of the doctrine , that the Lodge at San Francisco is amply competent to extend its jurisdiction and exercise its disci pline

over the culprit . In . respect to the number of votes necessary to admit a Master Mason , applying by petition for membership in a Lodge , there can bo no doubt that he must submit to precisely tho same conditions as those prescribed to a profane ou his petition for initiation . There is no room for argument

here , for the General Regulations are express on this subject . "No man can be made or admitted a member of a particular Lodge , " says the fifth regulation , " without previous notice one month before g iven to the said Lodge . " And the sixth regulation adds , that "no man can be entered a brother in any particular Lodge , or admitted to bo

a member thereof , without the unanimous consent of all the members of that Lodge then present . " So that it may be considered as settled laiv , so far as the General Regulations can settle a law of Masonry , that a Master Mason can onl y be admitted a member of a Lodge , when applying hy petition , after a month ' s probation , after

due inquiry into his character , and after a unanimous ballotin bis favour . But there are other rig hts of Master Masons eraise . pieiitupon membership , which remain to be considered . . 1 n uniting with a Lodge , a Master Mason becomes a participant of all its interests , and is entitled to speak and vote upon all subjects that come before the Lodge for investigation . He is also entitled , if duly elected b y his fellows , to hold any office