The Hebrew Brethren Of New York And The Dist. G. Master.

the day breaketh , ' ever remembering that the darkest hour is that which precedes the dawn of a new and , ofttimes , more glorious day , and bearing in mind what the great king and sweet psalmist of Israel has written , that though 'heaviness may endure for a nihtjoy cometh with the morning . '

g , " If they are faithful to the teachings of Masonry , the lodges of which they are members will find them no drones in their hive , but workers in every good labour ; their good example will thus remove the unfounded prejudice under which their race is alleged to be suffering , and that blessing

¦ which always follows patient labour and watching Tvill surely come upon bhem ; and though compelled to deny this petition , for the reasons that I have stated , no one will more heartily rejoice at such a deliverance than , " Fraternally yours , " JAMES GIBSON , " Grand Master of Masons in JVew York . ''

How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

HOW I SPENT MY FIVE WEEKS' LEAVE .

Being a Journal kept during an Excursion to Syria and Palestine in the month of May , 1868 . ( Continued from page 46 ) . BAAIREC—ANTI-LEBANON—ZEBELANG— -SUTZ WADY BABACHA ANI-FIJEH .

The whole place is grievously knocked about and spoiled , by the Saracens first in the seventh ¦ century , who used the place as a fortress , and built up walls with old blocks and columns ; since that by earthquakes , and lastly by the Turks , who

have hewn away the bottom of the pillars to get the pieces of iron by which they are fixed ! We return to lunch under the peristyle of the Temple of Jupiter , where we recline and admire the beautiful carving of the huge slabs which form

the ceiling connecting the peristyle with the building . Here I amuse myself by composing the following lines : —

BAALREK . Ye fragments of the mighty past , Like handiwork of genii seeming , Are ye for ages doomed to last ? Can it be true , or am I dreaming ? Behold how hurled each mighty mass ,

Hither or thither , like a toy , Work of none else save Him who " shall Their idols utterly destroy . " Tor ages thus the heathen toiled To praise their gods of wood or stone , In vain ! Our God their work has spoiled , " How are the mighty overthrown ! "

How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

How vain are human labours ; all , ( Like Baalbek , subject of my rhyme , ) However mighty , still must fall Before the fell destroyer— -Time . One building only can wo raise

That shall not perish—one alone , That edifice supported is By Christ , our " sure foundation stone . " We now start , ancl turning into the Anti-Lebanon range are soon riding through deep ravines ,

with fine mountain crags rising to the sky on each side . We ride for some miles alongside of a beautiful little river , or rather torrent , which descends down the glen , and is too deep to cross . Its pleasant murmur as it dashes down and lashes

itself into fury , is very refreshing . At last we reach our encampment just outside a wretched village . We negotiate a bath in a small stream , though I am sorry to say we have parted with our river . After dinner we treat the natives

to a musical entertainment , similar to the one we gave at Baalbec , and which brings out the whole village in astonishment . What droll ideas the natives must form of "Ye manner and customs of ye English . "

Next day we push on , and soon enter the charming valley of Zebelang , which is well cultivated and full of trees . The villagers here are said to be very wealthy , and to spend all their money in buying wives ! We soon pass a pretty waterfall ,

where the river Barada falls over a ledge of rock about 20 feet deep . Riding by the side of this rapid stream , we soon reach Suk Wady Barada , the ancient Abila , Here the tomb of Abel is said to be , and here are the remains of an ancient

Roman road , cut through the solid rock , to the depth of 20 feet in many places . Here is a Latin inscription , dated A . D . 164 , sayiug that the road

was made by Marcus Aurelius , etc ., at the expense of the Abilines . Soon after passing this I have a narrow escape , my horse stumbling , and all bub falling on the very brink of a precipice , overhanging the ruin . Riding along the valley , which

is filled with orchards , we reach the groves and fountains of Ani Fijeh . This remarkable fountain bursts forth from a narrow cave , over which an old temple was built , remains of which are still there . Out of this the pent up waters leap and

foam with a roar like that of a stormy sea , and at once form a rapid current some thirty feet wide , and about four deep , which dashes down for some seventy yards , and then joins the Barada : the