Concerning The Bearing Of Burdens.

unequal Avarfare Avith fate , brethren all : —to each of you much has been given , and , masonically speaking , of each of you much shall be required . Pause , and ponder the beautiful text on which we base this brief lay sermon ; think of the

opportunities that are on the right hand and on the left ; . nalyze the covenants which bind you to all , and all to each , and then resolve to act . " So then , as we have opportunity , let us do good to all , especially to those who are of the household of the faith . " —Evergreen .

Masonic Jottings.—No. 53.

MASONIC JOTTINGS . —No . 53 .

BY A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER . ASTROLOGY , ALCHEMY . As Astronomy owed much to Astrology , and

Chemistry to Alchemy , so our Masonry may owe much to ancient Masonry , although it was not true Freemasonry .

FIRST NOTION OF "UNIVERSALITY . In our Freemasonry the first notion of Universality is discerned in the year 1723 , Avhen there was an expansion of its Religion , the Christianity of the Church of England , and of certain Sects giving way , and general Christianity taking the vacant place .

OBLIGATION ON INITIATIONOur Obligation on Initiation being a Christian Obligation , rendered it necessary to find some other form of obligation for candidates who are Jews , Mahommedans , Parsees , and Natural Theists .

OLD SCOTCH MASONRY . A Brother , writing from Edinburgh , observes that if a Contributor is right in the assertion he makes that Christian Masonry is not a true Freemasonry , * then it follows that none of the old Scotch Masonry Avas true Freemasonry .

MASONS , PHYSICISTS . An octogenarian Brother Avrites that during his long experience of our Institution , Masons ha ve

Masonic Jottings.—No. 53.

always discussed their rival theories the ones with the philosophic calmness aud temper with which Physicists Avould discuss the emanation and undulation theories of light . My venerable brother , however , mentions one exception ; but it is better that what he writes of it should not be made part of this jotting .

THE OLD LECTURES , THE CHARGES OF 1723 . A distinguished Brother thinks that dissatisfaction with the Christianity of the Old Lecturesproduced the Christianity of the Charges of 1723 . OUR MYTHS AND LEGENDS .

Our myths and legends are the part of our History lacking evidence ; they are by no meansvalueless on this account . NATURE'S WORKS . The man whom Nature ' s Works can charm ,

holds converse with the Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth . OUR FREEMASONRY AT THE REVIVAL AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTERWARDS . A member of Grand Lodge thinks it plain that

at the Revival , and for several years afterwards ,, our Freemasonry was a particular Freemasonry only , and that its Religion was the Religion of its . predecessor .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

OUR MYTHS , TRADITIONS , AND LEGENDS . Dear Brother , —Twice only , if my memory failsnot , has my opinion respecting our Myths , Traditions ,, and Legends appeared in the pages of our periodical , once in January , 1868 , and again in July of the same

year . In January there was one of my usual communications , the words are as follows : —¦ " I would on no account separate from our Freemasonry its Myths and Traditions . Moral and religious tales are not the less edifying because the events related there have not actually occurred . No one who reads the

" Freemasons' Magazine , " and who thinks , can fail to notice the excellent use made of our myths and traditions at important meetings of the Craft by zealous and eloquent brothers . All who listen to those brothers ought surely to go aAvay better Masons andthereforebetter members of society . ' '

, , In July there was a paper from my memorandum hook , " Our Freemasons regard the Myths and Legends as our Church regards the Apocrypha . It finds in them ' example , ' hut it applies them not for ' establishment . '"—CHARLES PTJETON COOPEB .