The Chief Corner Stone.

Jesus Christ " is become the Head of the Corner . " HaA'ing just shewn you that the Redeemer of the world is typified by that " Stone which the builders rejected , " and would have thrown aside as worthless among the rubbish ; but which , by

the mighty power of God , and to the astonishment of the apostles and disciples , became the Chief Corner Stone , supporting the Avhole spiritual temple , and uniting the several parts of it into one building , " an habitation of God through the

Spirit , " —I "will now SIIOAY its accomplishment , and that Christ " is become the Head of the Corner . " No sooner had Adam fallen from his first

estate , than the Lord God declared to him , that , notAvithstaiiding the ruin and degradation lie had brought upon himself and his posterity by his disobedience , he would provide a Saviour in the person of his Son , the Messiah who should come .

It Avas foretold that the Messiah should come before the sceptre departed from Judah , that is , before the Jewish government Avas destroyed , and accordingly the Lord Jesus appeared , shortly before it was overthrown by the Romans . It was also foretold that he should come before the

destruction of the second temple ; accordingly , Christ appeared some time before the destruction of the city and Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans , as prophesied by Haggai . It Avas foretold by the prophet Daniel , that Christ should

come at the end of four hundred and ninet } ' years after the rebuilding of Jerusalem , which had been laid waste during the Babylonish captivity ; that he should be cut off ; and after that the city and temple should be destroyed and made desolate ; ail

which happened accordingly . It Avas foretold that he should be born of a virgin , in the town of Bethlehem , that he should be of the tribe of Judah , of the seed of David , that " the Spirit of the Lord should rest upon Him , the spirit of Avisdom and

understanding , the spirit of counsel and mig ht , the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord ; " so that at twelve years old the } ' found liim in the temple in the midst of the doctors , both hearing and asking them questions . And all that

heard him were astonished at his undevtanding and answers . And after entering on his ministry , his miracles were many , great , and beneficial . It -was also foretold that he should die a violent death , that he should be " wounded for our

transgressions , and bruised for our iniquities , that the chastisement of our peace should be upon him , that with his stripes we should be healed , that

God would lay on him the iniquity of us all . " All which was accomplished in the sufferings of Christ , " who died for our sins , the just for the unjust , that he might bring us to God . " He is , therefore , by his miraculous birth , by his ministry , by

his death , by his glorious resurrection and ascension , become the Head of the Corner , that is , the grand ornament , stability , and cement of the whole spiritual temple . The wisdom , strength , and beauty of the whole edifice , which God is

building up | by the incorporation of Gentile converts Avith the believing Jews , Avho bring forth the fruits of righteousness to his praise and glory . III . " . This was the Lord ' s doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes . " It is evident from the Avhole tenor of Scripture , that it " Avas the Lord's doing , " for , Le is not . only the Creator and Governor of

the universe , but by him all things exist in heaven and earth , and for his pleasure they are and were created . That the Almighty should , after the disobedience and fall of man , condescend still to look upon him , and provide , in the person of his

only Son , a Saviour , not only to redeem him from eternal death , but to raise him , by faith in his blood , to the mansions of immortality , is mercy beyond human comprehension , " which things the angels desire to look into , " for here CD O '

God's holiness and justice were satisfied , and his goodness and mercy displayed , " For God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Son , that whosoever berieveth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . " Oh ! the

height and the breadth , and the depth of the love of God , for that whilst we Avere enemies , he hath granted us his salvation .

Remember , my brethren , that " this is the Lord ' s doing , and it is marvellous in our eyes . " Yes , it is marvellous ! all the different ingredients in the work of our redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ , are indeed marvellous ; this wondrous

Avork could only have been accomplished by the omnipotence , the omniscience , and the omnipresence of the Lord God Almighty ! Having thus briefly considered the several divisions of the text , I will UOAV more immediately

address myself to the members of the Masonic Institution . To those of you Avho knoAV the science of Freemasonry , who know its operative or practical , and its speculative or theoretical character , many passages of Scripture , to which I might have referred , will appear in all their force and beauty . That the science of Freemasonry