A Few Words Concerning The Philosophy Of The Jews.

oug ht by interpretation to be brought back to a rational sense , it must be considered as a hyperbole , an allegory , or a symbolical figure ; and thence we ought to set " aside the letter to find out the spirit ; but even this reason , which here steps in as mistress of interpretationand prescribes as such rules of faithis it

, , to be the reason of the ignorant , of the frivolous , of any one ? No ! it is to be that reason which is guided by science , supported by uprightness of heart and purity of life—the reason of the wise ; now , amongst the wise , Maimonides gives a most preeminent rank to Aristotle .

This predilection on his part requires some explanation . Maimonides studied philosophy in the Arabic schools . His most honored master , not Ibn-Rosh ( Averrois ) , as it was most erroneously imagined , up to these latter days , but Ibn-sina ( Avicennes ) . Now , Avicennes and the Arabians when they initiated themselves into the philosophical schoolsfound full

, y established in the ancient world , and even at Alexandria , the authority of Aristotle , which had prevailed by degrees over that of Plato , and absorbed in itself all the ancient philosophy of Greece . Science consisted then in commenting only upon the writings of the Stagyrite . * The Arabs knew very little of

Aristotle , except through the commentaries of Themistius , Philoponus , Simplicius , and Alexander A phrodisius ; and they , themselves , never were anything but commentatory . This was preparing through the Arabs , and soon after through the Jews , the almost absolute domination which Aristote has exercised over

our modern thoughts and education . Maimonides is one of those who have contributed more than any other to this loyalty of the perapetic idea . Eor him , Aristotle is the wise man par excellence , the accomplished philospher , the almost infallible organ of reason . Thus , therefore , to interpret the Bible according to reason is to understand it in the same

sense as Aristotle . Erom this point of view the prqhlem of Exegesis , which Maimonides had traced for himself is completely identified with the one which , one century latter , all the most learned doctors of Christianity tried to solve , we mean the conciliation of the Divine wisdom , represented by the Bible with human wisdom incarnate in Aristotle .

Maimonides is the precursor of St . Thomas d'Aquin ; and the More j _ Vehi 7 chi . ii announces and prepares the way to the gumma theologies . The difference is great , however , in the procedures . Instead of those solemn steps of the angelic Doctor seeking his premises iu the highest of heaven , and

from thence descending by degrees upon earth , and unfolding the chain of its consequences , the philosopher of the synagogue , bolder in the main , but discreet and modest in his ways , begins humbly by some remarks of detail concerning a few verses of the Bible . St . Thomas displays and prescribes his

doctrines ; Maimonides allows his to be guessed , and gradually insinuates them into the mind . Open the Bible : you will find there in the first verses of the Genesis these remarkable words : " Let

us make man in our image , after our own likenesschap . 1 , verse 26 . What does this signify ? Shall we take the word in the literal sense ? It is evidently impossible . To represent God to ourselves by an

A Few Words Concerning The Philosophy Of The Jews.

image is giving Him a body—it is to humanise the divinity . God is the act of the mind in all its purity , the invisible and immaterial intelligence . This is what reason says , and it is written in the Bible itself , "Thou shalt not make any graven image of the Eternal . " — Exonus xx . { French Bible ) .

Aristotle and Moses are here perfectly in accordance . What are we to conclude from this ? That the Scriptures are full of metaphors and words with double meaning . The word image ( in Hebrew celem ) signifies external-form , but it also signifies specific form . We must reject the first senseand adopt the second .

, Instead of materializing God , we shall then remember that he is Season itself ; and as reason is the specific form of man , we shall then understand that the more we cultivate our reason , the nearer we approach to the Divine model .

Masonic Temple, St. Helier, Jersey.

MASONIC TEMPLE , ST . HELIER , JERSEY .

"We this week present our readers with a sketch of the plans and elevations of the New Masonic Temple , designed by Bro . Thos . Gallachin , engraved from drawings kindly forwai-ded by Bro . H . Hopkins . Kg . 1 is a front elevation facing Stopford Road . Eig . 2 is a side elevation facing Oxford Road .

Eig . 3 . —Plan of Principal Eloor . M . T . Masonic Temple , 47 ft . by 27 ft . ; E . R . Furniture Room ; P . R . Preparation Room ; W . R . Waiting Room , 15 ft . by 14 ft . ; H . Hall , 12 ft . by 12 ft . ; L . Library , 26 ft . by 20 ft . 6 in . Eig . 4 . —Plan of Eirst-floor . R . A . C . R Royal Arch Chapter Room , 47 ft . by 27 ffc . ; A . 25 ft . by 14 ft . 6 in ; B .

12 ft . by 10 ft . ; C . 26 ft . by 21 ft . ; L . Landing . Eig . 5 . —Ground Plan . R . R . Refreshment Room , 50 ft . by 25 ft . ; S . R . Sitting Room , 13 ft . 6 in . by 12 ft . 6 in .: Ch . Chamber , lift . 6 in . by 9 ft . ; P . Passage , C . H . Coal Hole , 0 . Celler , P . Pantry , Sc . Scullery , K Kitchen . , 15 ft . 6 in . by 19 ft . 6 in .

MOIHEB KrLwiNXDfG . —More than two centuries ago , a service was rendered by the men of Carrick to the venerable Mother when their " king , " John Kennedie , Earl of Cassillis , the friend and contemporary of Bro . Gray Steele , of the Montgomeries , and the husband of the heroine of the popular old ballad entitled " Johnny Eaa , "

ruled the courts of " ye Massounes of ye Lodge of Kilwinning . " An adept at wielding the mallet , the then "Deacoune , " of the Mother Lodge could also handle the sword , for nobly did our ancient brother fight on the side of Charles at the battle of Marston Moor , when that unfortunate monarch was beaten by the Parliamentary

forces . These were associations strong enough in themselves to knit the fraternity in Carrick to Mother Kilwinning ; but as if to strengthen the tie , another link to the chain of rich associations connecting Maybole with Kilwinning is the name of another Carrick Mason , James Eerguson , of the Kilkerran family , who was a prominent

member and office-bearer of the Mother Lodge , was esteemed by his contemporaries as a man of great piety and learning , whose works have in our day been reproduced for their intrinsic worth , and whose honoured name may yet be traced on the broken fragments of the stone marking his resting-place in the graveyard of Kilwinning .