Freemasoney And Its Institutes. —V.

whole Jewish nation of acquiring moral and religious instruction . The Pagans never appointed instructors to deliver moral precepts in the name of their gods , since it was no part of the duty or policy of the priests to enlighten the minds of the multitude . Fear was the organ by which the priests exercised their sway ; but fear ( says Hooker ) , if it have not the light of true understanding concerning

Godwherewith to be moderated—breedeth likewise superstition . Fear is a good solicitor to devotion . Howbeit sith fear in this kind doth grow from an apprehension of deity endued with irresistible power to hurt , and is of all affections ( anger excepted ) the unaptest to admit any conference with reason ; therefore except men know beforehand what manner of

service pleaseth God , while they are fearful they try all things which fancy offereth . Superstition neither knoweth the right kind nor observeth the due measure of actions belonging to the service of God , but is always joined with a wrong opinion touching things divine . Superstition is when things are either abhorredor observed with a zealous

, or fearful but erroneous relation to God . By means whereof the superstitions do sometimes serve , though the true God , yet with endless offices , and defraud him of duties necessary ; sometimes load others than him with such honours as are

properly his . The one their oversight , who miss in the choice of that wherewith—the other theirs , who fail in the election of him to whom—they show their devotion : this the fault of idolatry ; that , the fault of voluntary , either niceness or superfluity in religion . ( Eccles . Pol . Bk . v . 3 . ) The Grecian philosophers Pythagoras , Socrates , and Plato ,

embodied in their doctrines more of pure religion or morality than can be found in any other heathen system : they inculcated upon their disciples the necessity of loving truth , obeying the natural law of God implanted in the consciences of all men , of doing their dut y faithfully as private individuals and citizens , and of enlarging their understanding

by extending their researches into the hidden mysteries of nature and science . It was a fair picture , but devoid of life , " vain wisdom all and false philosophy ; " enthusiasm , however ardent , seldom is permanent ; every new reli gion is at first zealously adopted by its votaries , it is uppermost in their thoughtstheir minds and attention are continualldirected

, y towards it ; but in time it becomes a thing of course , and having lost thc zest of freshness , its impressions are less , aud its precepts lose their influence . In the fourth century Christianity began to triumph ; the hitherto inaccessible mysteries of Paganism were by thc priests , in hopes of propping up their falling housethrown open to allgood

, , and bad alike were admitted , but the star of Moloch and the sun of Eemphan were fast setting , and in 438 , Theodosius , by a general edict , abolished the whole of the Pagan mysteries . E . B . W . ( I ' D be continued ) .

ANTEDILUVIAN SOI-NEII .. —But hark ! what sounds are these?—tramp , tramp , tramp—crash , crash . Tree fern and club moss , cyc . is and zaiuia , yield to thc force and momentum of some immense reptile , and the colossal Igu . modon breaks through . He is tall as the tallest elephant , but from tail to snout greatly more than twice as long ; bears , like the rhinoceros , a short horn on his snout , and has his jaws thickly implanted with saw like teeth . But . though formidable from his great weight and strengthho possesses the comparative inoffensiveiiess of the

her-, bivorous animals ; and , with no desire to attack , and no necessity to defend , he moves slowly onward , deliberately munching , as he passes , the succulent stems of the cyeadac-es . The sun is fast sinking , and , as the light thickens , the reaches of the neighbouring river display their Irccuieiit dimples , and ever and anon scaly backs are raised over its surface . It numerous oi-oeodileaus are astir ; and now they quit the stream , . Old we see its thick hedge-like lines of Equisetaeeic open and again eloseis

, . thoy rustle through , to scour , iu quest of pre }* , tho dank meadows that line its banks . There are tortoises that will this evening find their protecting armour of carapace and plastron all too weak , and close their long lives of centuries . And now we saunter downwards to the shore , and see the ground-swell breaking white in the calm against i-id ges of coral scarce less white . The shore is strewed with shells of pearl—the whorlod Ammonite and the Nautilus , the sedentary Gfrvphte . i tlio 1 erua , and the Pl . igiostoma . —Miller ' s Sketch Boole of Geoloau .

Cursory Remarks On Freemasoney.-Iii.

CURSORY REMARKS ON FREEMASONEY .-III .

HAVING seen that it is the bounden duty of all Freemasons to be as punctual in their attendance at Lodge as their respective vocations in life will permit ; and that it is also incumbent upon them to conduct themselves masonically when so assembled ; g lance we now at the necessity of each brother making himself thoroughly acquainted with those various

means by which the members of our mystic Craft are known to each other both by day and by night , and recognized as brothers , whatever their country , colour , creed or clime . Having done this , we will say a few words on the absolute need of every Mason who takes office in a Lodge being fully prepared faithfully to discharge its duties so as to bring

honour on himself and benefit to the Lodge in which he has a common interest with all its members . Wo can see no more excuse for the Free and Accepted Mason remaining ignorant of his Craft than for the man calling himself an operative mason who mig ht be unacquainted with the material use of the malletthe chiselthe squarethe levelthe

plumb-, , , , rule or the trowel . We live in an age in which it is more than ever required of every man to be earnest in everything which he undertakes . If we send for a chimney sweeper to cleanse our flues , do we not expect him to do his work on the most approved plan which science can suggest ? If a

scavenger bungle his work , do we not at once dispense with his services and for the future look out for a more expert workman ? And shall we ever allow the working in a Masons' Lodge to be bungled in that slovenly manner which we cannot tolerate in the poor illiterate chimney sweeper or the common street scavenger 1 A thousand voices seem to answer in our cars ,

trumpet tongued —• " No , this shall never be ! Our royal art—hoary as it is with antiquity , and yet vigorous as in the days when earth was young ; beloved as it is by every good man who understands it aright ; and , preserved as it has been by our Heavenly Father in an almost miraculous manner to bless the poor children of humanity in their too often weary

wanderings through the thorny forests of this life ; this mystic Craft , the terror of the tyrant , the calumniated oftlie ignorant , and the blessed and beloved of all who have truly received its lig ht—shall never fail through our unworthiuess ; its golden candlestick shall not bo removed from amongst us , lest we grope our way in a darkness which , like that of Egypt ,

may be felt . " " Let Masomy , from pole to pole , Her sacred laws expand , Far as the mighty waters roll To wash remotest land .

" That Virtue has not left mankind , Her social maxims prove ; For stamped upon the Mason ' s mind Are unity and love . " Ascending to her native sky , Let Masonry increase ; A lorious pillar raised on hih

g g , Integrity its base . 11 Peace adds to olive boughs , entwin ' il , An emblematic dove ; As stamped upon the Mason ' s mind Are unity and love . " Perhaps at no time in the history of the world has the

royal art been more popular than it is at present . Lodges and members are increasing over the whole habitable globe at a ratio ivhich they were never known to do before . It behoves ns , therefore , to ascertain whether the increase ot Masonic knowledge is in like 2 > i'oportion . If it is not , we may " bo likened unto a foolish man who built his house

upon thc sand ; and the rain descended , and the floods came , and the winds blew , ancl beat upon that house ; and it fell : and great was the fall of it . " For , as our reverend brother , Dr . Oliver , has observed— " The facilities afforded by our present qualifications fill our ranks with brethren who do us little credit ; and the society would be really benefited by their absence . A Lodge consisting of a dozen