Block-Sinking; Or Brick And Mortar Reminiscences In The East.

regard to the engine is reversed , i . e ., the head of it becoming the tail . The Avildness of the scenery on this road is something charming to behold . There are several commanding peaks about Kandalla , and one of them would be very appropriately surmounted with

a colossal statue of the eminent engineer , Mr . J . J . Berkeley , whose decease not long before the completion of his magnificent work Avas a source of such deep regret to every one connected with it . Hoping that all the foregoing prosaic details of my wanderings from " far away in the north-west "

to the Bhore Ghaut Incline have not been found too overpowering , I shall now reward the reader's patience by subscribing myself , in the language of my little bird " over the sea , " his very obedient servant , RAJ MISTRI .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

POWER 03 ? TR 3 EMAS 0 NRX TOR GOOD . The position which Freemasonry now occupies before the world , its general diffusion through all ranks and grades of society , and the commanding influence universally accorded to it , invest it with an ability to do good , far beyond that which ordinarily falls to the lot of human institutions . —P . M .

MX BROTHER . ¦ " POTJETHLT—Ye shall call all Masons your Fellows , or your Hrethren , and no other names . My Brother ! what a healing thought , These simple words convey ! They have the power to sooth the soul ,

And drive revenge away . Deep in this heart their magic steals , To calm—to purify ; And none hut hardest hearts of stone , Their influence deny . My Brother ! in our ancient lodge We mutually have wrought ;

And the same light that warms the heart , Together hare we sought . At the same altar have we knelt—Our trust is aye the same ; And all the knowledge we have gained , From one great Master came . My Brother . ' let us not forget

The lessons we have learned ; And let us faithfully employ The wages we have earned . Let no unfriendly word or deed , Our Friendship come between ; And let us keep , with tender care , The Cassia ever green ?

"Who is the author of the above?—H . T . GRAND CROSS DEGREE . Having seen in your paper of the 14 fch inst ., a nuestion put by a southern K . T . as to what the Grand Cross degree , frequently conferred in northern encampmentswasI inform him that it is

con-, , may sidered by Scotch Knight Templars as the culminating point of the Temple degree , and can he conferred solely by the Grand Master of the Order in person , when presiding in Chapter General . It is

now , however , nearly extinct in Scotland , as the late Duke of Athol , during the many years he held the office of Grand Master of the Temple in Scotland , refused , for some reason only known to himself , ever to exercise his privilege of exalting anyone to this degree , even including his OAvn brother . In Chapter General this degree , as also the steps of Kt .

Companion and Kt . Commander , are conferred without any ritual or ceremony , the two latter by vote of the Chapter , theformer by the GrandMaster-at his pleasure . The degree is , however , I believe , thoroughly worked in the Eoyal Kent Encampment , Newcastle-on-Tyne , where they confer it only on Past Commanders , opening a board of Grand Crosses after the encampment business is over for the purpose of conferring the degree . —A SCOTCH TEMPLAR .

DEFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE . A writer , in a foreign Masonic journal , explains very satisfactorily why a pole-cat can never be allowed in a Masonic Lodge : " Because his weapon is both offensive and defensive . "—Ex . Ex .

POSITIVISM AND FREEMASONRY . A Master of a London lodge inquires whether he should do right in initiating a candidate whom he knows to profess positivism . I am unwilling to give a direct answer to this inquiry . I will only remark tbat Positivism is not , as I believe , necessarily Atheism . Still , some Positivisfcs in their published

Avritings avoAV Atheism ; and in a recent able treatise , " Caro , l'ldee de Dieu , et ses Nouveaux Critiques , " there is the following passage , transferred by me to a common-place book , from whence it is now copied ;—" Le Positiviste , reduit a l ' ernpirisme , ne voit dans la vie universelle qu ' une collection d'individus , ce qui eat la marque de l'Athee . "—CHARLES PTJRTON COOBEE .

EREEMASONRX DESCRIBED . As to the particular society under our notice , we can safely say that it is very religious , harmless , and benevolent , and various parts of its secret rites sublime . We who have assisted in the consecration of a lodge know that , in grandeur and solemnity , it

surpasses the finest theatrical efforts , and is yet so chaste , so pious , and so glorious , that , one interesting part excepted ( vrhich we lenoio was practised among the Druids ) , it Avould be a beautiful model even for Protestant liturgy . Ereemasonry is an ancient and genial institution ; not an operative art , but a system of piety , wisdom , and philanthropy , symbolised by architectural emblems , and supported by historical traditions . —Gentleman '' s Magazine , 1823 .

NAME WANTED . " As every one initiated into the Order of Masonry must be classed under one of three characters—either as an ornament to it , a cypher in it , or as a disgrace to it—it may not be amiss for the noviciate to view himself awhile in this compendious mirror here held up to himand seriously considerby turning over in

, , his mind , the consequences of adopting either of those characters here presented to his vieAV . " The above is extracted from a small pamphlet called An Introduction to Freemasonry ; heing a General Outline of that Ancient ancl Venercdile Institution , pointing out the Dignity of its Design and the Means