Masonic Gleanings.

" Mr . Buckton having read correctly the first part of the symbolic matter , let me point that the tree , ' the well , and the arrow , will be found in Gen . xlix . 22 , 23 . The bull also belonging to Joseph , Deut . xxxiii . 17 . The reading of the whole matter is this : When the lion of the tribe

of Judah , to whom belongs the morning star , is reconciled with the house of Joseph ( the ten tribes ) , then the power of the Spirit , or eagle , will return , and holiness to Jehovah the Lord will be the rule ; the kingly ( spear ) power and the priestly ( crosier ) will then be wielded by one who has the

secret of those seven . The decoration then refers to the fulfilment of Zech . iv . 10 , and vi . 18 ; and also to Amos v . 15 , ix . 11 , & c .

"LE CHEVALIEB AU CIN . " WAS WASHINGTON AN INEIDEL ? In the same volume a correspondent , signing himself " Cyril , " asks the above question . Lord Lyttelton , referring to the query , writes thus : — " The Eev . Dr . Miller , of Birmingham , some years ago , published a lecture on Washington , in which he said that his researches did not enable him to

affirm that Washington , on his deathbed , gave evidence of Christian belief . ' Cyril' would , no doubt , hear from Dr . Miller on this point if he wrote to him . " Bro . Matthew Cooke , however , triumphantly shows that our illustrious brother was a true

believer in Jesus Christ and His divine revelation . He writes thus : — " It was with feelings of the deepest regret that I saw so good a churchman as Lord Lyttleton quote the Eev . Dr . Miller , of Birmingham , as a competent authority to decide the question of

General Washington's belief or unbelief . Whatever may be the value of the research instituted by Dr . Miller I shall not take upon myself to determine , but I think I may claim for an American rector a more likely knowledge of the facts of the case , and an equal authority on the other side .

Bound as I am by Masonic vow to maintain a Master Mason's honour , and carefully to preserve it as my ov / n , not to injure him myself , nor knowingly suffer it to be done by others if in my power to prevent it , and boldly to repel tic slanderer of his good name , I feel called upon , in the absence

of a reply from brethren of greater dignity than myself , to adduce some reasons why one among the greatest of the thousands of great and good men we can enumerate as brethren should not suffer , and go down to posterity in the pages of f Notes and Queries' with the brand of infidel attached to his name .

" I have before me the following pamphlet by the rector of St . George ' s , New York , and I fearlessly pit his knowledge , and that of the hundreds who heard it delivered , and the thousands who have read it , against the researches of the Eev . Dr . Miller . It is entitled ' Washington , an Exemplification of the Principles of

Freemasonry : an Oration delivered m the Metropolitan Hall , in the City of New York , Nov . 4 , A . L . 5852 , at the Centennial Commemoration of the Initiation of George Washington into the Order of Free and Accepted Masons , by Stephen H . Tyng , D . D ., together with an Account of the

Proceedings . Published by order of the M . W . Grand Lodge . New York : Printed by Eobert Macoy , 1852 . ' "The pamphlet occupies thirty-two pages , which are thus filled—ono-p & ge , title ; verso , blank ; one page , dedication ; verso , blank ; one page ,

the request of the Grand Lodge to Bro . Tyng , and his rejjly , for leave to print ; verso , blank ; six pages of proceedings , followed by the oration , commencing p . 13 , and ending ' p . 31 . " Confining myself strictly to the matter in hand , I extract the following from the Eev . Bro ' s . oration : —

"' Of his own position m the unfortunate battle of that clay ( General Braddock ' s defeat ) he says , " By the all-powerful dispensations of Providence . " Ah , beautiful illustration of the way in which , from the very beginning of his glorious career , he was accustomed to acknowledge and

reverence the Divine presence and the Providence of God ! " By the all-powerful dispensations of Providence , I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation . " '—p . 19 . " Quoting from the General's farewell address , Dr . Tyng cites these words : —

"' Though , in reviewing the incidents of my administration , I am unconscious of intentional error , I am nevertheless too sensible of my defect not to think it probable that I have committed many errors . Whatever they maybe , I fervently beseech the Almighty to avert or mitigate the evils to which they may tend . ' —p . 26 . "Towards the close , Dr . Tyng enters more

fully on the immediate matter under consideration , and says : — " Permit me to adduce one more illustration of Washington ' s Masonic greatness . It 'is his distinct and constant maintenance of the authority of religion . Our honoured Society maintains this

open profession in carrying ever before us and in our midst with solemn reverence the Holy Bible —an open Bible . We have in our midst this day , guarded by soldiers who look as if they had lived from Washington's time to ours , the very Bible over which our exalted Washington uttered

his first obligation of conformity to the Constitution of his country as the chief magistrate of this Union . This venerated Bible is in the possession of St . John's Lodge in this city—who never allow it to leave their lodge but with a committee of their body , and a suitable guard of Continentals , whose privilege it is always to attend it , which guard you see before you here . * And , as his