Masonic Notes And Queries.

Taylor in his interesting remarks on the interior of the Great Pyramid , and especially o \ i tho cotter in the " King ' s Chamber , " as a standard of all measures ( Hebrew , Greek , Roman , aud English ) of capacityon the derivation of weights from measures of capacity , & c . ; neither can I enter upon the question , "Who built the Great Pyramid ? " further than to say

that Mr . Taylor has raised some important points well worthy of attentive consideration . I must not , however , quit the subject without acknowledging the advantange derived from finding , in a collected form , in the work before us , the opinions of the most eminent writerswho have devoted their time and

, talents to the subject of the Pyramids , aud ivhich must otherwise be gathered from the perusal of many volumes , some of ivhich are not easily accessible to the geueral reader ; neither it be omitted to notice the service ivhich the . author has rendered to those who feel an interest in antiquarian researchesby

, showing how apparent discrepancies , in the measurements given by different writers , are perfectly reeoncileable . We have all of us experienced the uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty and distrust ivhich comes over us when we find men of undoubted ability differing from each other in their statements of what

would seem to be a simple fact ; especially when we have no means of determining the way the truth lies ! Thus Greaves estimates the base of the Pyramid to be 693 ft . ; De Monconys , Thevonot , and others , found it to be 728 ft . ; Davison made the base 746 ft ., and this measure was confirmed by Jomard and others . The discovery of the casing-stones , in 1837 , showed

the full measure of the base to be 703 -Q or 704 ft . Mr . Taylor has shown that all the above results are perfectly reconcileahle , the measurements having been taken at different altitudes , according as the accumulation of sand permitted ; and that the last measurement , when the sand was cleared away from the base , actually confirms the truth of those formerly taken

, thus establishing the character of the eminent men , to whose labours we are indebted for these results , for accuracy and truthfulness . I cannot omit pointing out a very important service which Mr . Taylor has rendered to the public by his laboursviz ., the facility he has afforded of

re-, ducing the parliamentary standard of measure to a modular one . Sir John Herschel expresses his surprise " That the reduction of Mr . Airy's polar axis from feet to inches , in p . 87 , which is rightly performed , " should not have "led him ( Mr . Taylor ) to notice the important practical facility of reduction

from the parliamentary to the modular standard above insisted on . * Mr . Taylor did not notice this "important practical facility , " simply because it formed no part of the purpose of his book ; but the service he has thus rendered to science is not the less important ; for , as Dr . Samuel Johnson once said , " Next to

knowing a thing , is knowing where to find it . " I had always imagined the Great Pyramid was a place of sepulchre for the Egyptian Kings , and that Bro . Belzoni had done something to prove its connection with Erecinasonry . If it is only a standard for weights and measures , I confess its charms are , to me , very much fallen indeed ; but , believing it is identified with Ereemasonry , I have been at some

pains to extract the above , m the hope of some of your learned readers taking the matter up , and showing , if it has any connection with Ereemasonry , what that connection is . —CHEOPS . THE WORKING TOOLS . The working tools of a Master Mason arein a

, particular maimer , the Holy Bible , the Square and the Compasses . The sacred writings being the spiritual trestle-board on ivhich the Master draws , it is appropriately circumscribed by the compass of reason and laid down agreeably to the square of conscience . — COLE ' S Freemasons' Library .

A CHRISTIAN LODGE . Would there be any harm in establishing a purely Christian lodge , where brethren who hold decidedly religious opinions could meet together ? When was it Bro . Portal stated : — " Erom the days of St . Alban , till within the present century , in Christian lodges Christianity ivas openly professed ; in Hebrew aud .

Mahommedan lodges it was of course excluded . It is perhaps a question whether we might not with wisdom return to the ancient plan of allowing the ritual of each lodge to bear more distinctly the impress of its members faith . " I should be very glad if any one will tell me upon what occasion the above was spoken ?—C . T . B .

PUNCH AND FREEMASON LEGENDS . Our old friend Punch says , "M . Gououd ' s new opera , ' Eeine de Saba , ' is founded upon a tradition of Ereemasonry concerning Adonhiram , the Tyrian master bulkier . The chief feature in the instrumentation is , we believe , an original accompaniment upon the Masonic cymbals and triangle . " Isn't it funny ?' —JUDX .

THE MISSIOSr OE MASONRY . The greatest aim of Masonry , as I understand it ,, is to cultivate and improve the mind , and to impressupon its votaries the solemn truth that there is an omnipotent , omniscient , and ever-living God , whorules ancl governs all . In the interesting aud beautiful , ceremonial of our Orderwe are constantly reminded ,

, of this great and important truth , and also that the same Mighty Power that fashioned and sustains the universe , created also tbe mind of man , bestowed upon him a thinking , a reasoning , aud a feeling nature ,, p laced him in a universe of wonders , endowed him with faculties to comprehend them , and enable him

to raise by his meditations to a knowledge of their divine origin , " to look through nature up to nature ' s God . " The language used by a distinguished statesmau and savant of our owu day , on a recent occasion ,, may well and appropriately be applied to our divine artfor Masonry must make an impression on the

; minds of its disciples , ivhich can never wear out by a lapse of time , or be effaced by the rival influences of other contemplations , or obliterated by the cares of the world . The lessons then learned , and the feelings then engendered or cherished , will shed their auspicious influence over the mind through life ,

protecting against the seductions of prosperous fortune , solacing in affliction , preparing the mind for the great change that must close the scene of our earthly labours , by habitual and confident belief in the only wise God , and in the humble hope of immortality ,