Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

ladies are prejudiced against our Order . They regard it as simply an organised conspiracy against their rights and influence , and if " W hits Masonry" did no more than to convince our mothers , wives , daughters , and sisters , that Freemasonry is Avorthy of their admiration , great good would be the result . At present Ave may often

say : — " Ye married ladies , 'tis a happy life , Believe me , that of a Freemason ' s wife , Though they conceal the secrets of their friends , In love and truth they make you full amends . " The exemplification of the principles of the Craft

-in the lives of its members is undoubtedly its highest recommendation , but when all is clone that a Mason can do to justify his Order , the Avife , or sister , as the case may be , will retort : — "But I ' m a woman—and , Avhen I say that ,

You know ivill talk—although we know not what . What think you , ladies , ain't it very hard , That Ave should from this secret be debarred ? How comes it that the softer hours of love To wheedle out this secret fruitless prove ?—. For we can wheedle when we hope to

move—What can it mean ? why all this mighty pother ? Those mystic signs , and solemn calling brother ? That we are qualified in signs is known : We can keep secrets , too—but they ' re our own . "

It may safely be said that if ladies were allowed to tread on the lowest ladder of the sacred mysteries they Avould become the most enthusiastic of Masons . Why then may we not hope to see Sister Freemasons in England ? Had Ave adoptive

Masonry among us it might be universally utilised in the extension of Masonic charities , and the development of nobler works of mercy than have yet been attempted . We , ourselves , know many ladies who would be only too glad to identify

themselves Avith the Craft if opportunity offered , and Ave hope that ere long some of the great dignitaries who ornament the Order may be " up and doing " in the matter . Meanwhile , Ave say to our feminine friends : —

" Ladies be gracious to the mystic arts , And kindly take the generous Mason ' s parts ; What though they quote old Solomon ' s decree , And vainly boast that through the world they ' re free ? With ease you humble the presumptuous braves , One kind regard make all these free men slaves . "

THE Ancient Order of Foresters has forwarded an additional contribution of £ 4-10 to the National Lifeboat Institution , on account of their second lifeboat , which is to he launched in Sunderland in the beginning of August next , in the presence of . some thousands of Foresters , who are to assemble on the occasion troni all parts of the North of England .

Numbers.

NUMBERS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAYE . [ Continued from page 362 ) . Five is another of the sacred numbers of Freemasonry . Its symbolical properties are many and curious . It is formed by a combination of the

Duad with the Triad , of the first even number with ( excluding unity ) the first odd one , 2 + 3 . In the school of Pythagoras , it represented Light , and " among his disciples , a triple triangle , forming the outline of a five pointed star , Avas an emblem

of health , because being alternately conjoined Avithin itself , it constitutes a figure of five lines . Among the cabalists , the same figure Avith the name of God Avritten on each of its points and in the centre , was considered talismanic . The number five was anions- the HebreAvs a sacred round

number , aud is repeatedly used as such in the Old Testament , as , for example , in Genesis xliii . 34 , xlv . 22 , xlvii . 2 ; Isaiah xvii . G , xiv . 18 , xxx . 17 . " This usage , " says Gesenius , " perhaps passed over to the HebreAvs from the religious

rites of Fgypt , India , and other Oriental nations , among whom five minor planets , and five elements and elementary poivers , were accounted sacred . " Among Freemasons , five is more particularly symbolical of the five Orders of Architecture , the

five human senses , but still more of the Five Points of FelloAvship . Five furthermore denoted light , nature , marriage , the latter because it was made up of the female two and the male three . Avhence it is sometimes called a hermaphrodite number .

Six Avas an emblem of health , and the symbol of justice , because it was the first perfect number-, that is , one Avhose aliquot parts of six , Avhich are three , two , and one , are equal to six . " The Grand Architect ' s Six Periods , " is an expression

used by Masons to designate the six days of Creation . Our Masonic books dilate upon them as a proper means of stimulating the Mason to industrious labour during the Aveek , that he may be enabled to rest upon the Sabbath , to

contemplate the glorious works of Creation , and adore their great Creator . Seven—This number is one of the most important in all the ancient theologies and mysteries . It is frequently used as a mystical aud symbolical

number in the bible , as well as among the principal nations of antiquity , such as the Persians Indians , Egyptians , Greeks aud Romans . The