Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBEK 19 , 1867 .

By Bro . D . HURRAY LYOJT , A . M ., Masonic University of Kentucky , U . S . ; Corresponding Member of the Union of German Freemasons , Leipsic ; one of the Grand Stewards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; author of the " History of Mother Kilwinning , " &~ o .

MASONIC SEALS . Prom an impression thai ; fac-siniiles of the seals of our Scottish , lodges Avould form an interesting contribution to , and embellishment of , the pages of the MAGAZINE , we purpose , as opportunity

offers , to dedicate a " Wheat Ear " to the illustration of the subject in hand—a feature which , it may be mentioned , we had a few years ago the privilege of imparting to a now defunct Masonic contemporaiy , and in the further development of

which we beg the fraternal aid of those who are in possession of material worthy of our acceptance . In design , our seals would doubtless be found to be as vaiied as the colour of our clothing , or the emblazonment of our banners , and in the aggregate

would indicate how little attention has hitherto been given to the heraldry of St . John ' s Masonry . The seals and banners of Craft lodges should be purged of all emblems appertaining to other than the Craft degrees ; and as abuses cannot be

remedied until their existence is demonstrated , a view of our lodge seals is most desirable . In a recent communication our indefatigable and greatly respected fellow-worker in the Masonic vineyard , Bro . Hughan , of Truro , reproduced an impression

of the seal of the Operative Lodge of Banff—a companion to which , we beg to present in a facsimile of the Lodge of Aberdeen ( No . 34 ) .

The present seal of the Aberdeen Lodge was made in 1762 , as appeal's by the minutes of a meeting of the lodge held the 27 th February of that year ; and although there is no allusion in these minutes to a former seal , it is probable that one had previously been in use . An act of

incorporation , or " Seal of Cause / ' as it is termed , was granted by Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels , then Provost , and the Magistrates and Council of Aberdeen , as a fitting tribute of gratitude to the Craft and their Oversman or Deacon , George

Baxter , for having successfully finished the Bridge of Dee , a work of considerable magnitude and beauty , and of great public utility . This Seal of Cause is dated 5 th August , 1527 , and was granted to the Masons in conjunction with the Wri ghts

and Coopers . The same bodies we find were associated in the preceding century in the foundation and maintenance , within St . Nicholas Parish : Church in Aberdeen , of a chantry and altar dedicated to St . John the Baptist and St . John

the Evangelist , the Masons' patron saints . The Wrights and Coopers , as one corporation , had , and continue to have , a coat of arms charged with emblems appropriate to both trades ; and there is reason to believe that the Masonic body had

likewise its proper shield and common seal , although not now to be found . And as a proof of the little care sometimes taken of such things , it may

be mentioned that the seal of one of our lodges was lately found amongst a parcel of old keys and bits of iron exposed for sale on a stall in the market-place : we have known also of lodge records and other Masonic property being held

in pawn by publicans , for drink supplied to the unworthy custodiers of paraphernalia belonging to dormant lodges ! The first quarter of the seal of the Lodge Aberdeen , it will be observed ,, is charged with a section of the arms common to

the Mason Craft , placed as on that of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , which arrangement differs slightly from that on the seal of Mother Kilwinning . The hieroglyphics borne on the second and fourth

quarters symbolise the two grand elements of the mystic science ; those on the third aro familiar to every operative builder . The exhibition of six rounds in the ladder is not quite in harmony with our modern ritual ; although traditionary lore

makes it appear that our ancient brethren saw in the six rounds an emblem of the six periods of the Creation , and was thereby stimulated to pursue with industry their daily toil , that they might the better appreciate the Sabbath rest . The motto

encircling the general field of the seal , and which as a monitor of our obligations to secrecy is peculiarly appropriate to Ereemasonry , is taken ( slightly altered ) from Horace : — " Conceal what is entrusted to you , though tortured both by wine