The Furniture Of A Lodge.*

render him fit for the duties of society . They strengthen his mind against the storms of life , pave the Avay to peace , and promote domestic happiness . They meliorate the temper and improve the understanding ; are company in solitude , and give A'ivacity , variety , and energy to social conversation . In youth they govern the passions and employ usefullour

y most actii'e faculties ; and in age , when sickness , imbecility , and disease have benumbed the corporeal frame , and rendered the union of soul and body almost intolerable , they yield an ample fund of comfort and satisfaction . And hence , Avhoever cultivates this science and acts agreeably to the character of a

Mason , has within himself the spring and support of every social virtue ; a subject of contemplation that enlarges the mind , and expands all its poivers ; a theme that is inexhaustable , ever new , and ahvays interesting . The first great light contributes its aid to make the

lodge just , because it is the primary and supreme grand archive of Masonry , from tbe threefold nature of its contents ; viz ., law—prophets—gospel , including that divine history which tvas transmitted by Moses , the traditionary Grand Master of the lodge of Israel in the wilderness . The writings of the

prophets and apostles there recorded direct us in the way of holiness , by exhibiting . the eminent virtues of holy men of old , as shining examples to ourselves ; and show the necessity of loi'ing and fearing God as the beneficient author of all wisdom and goodness , and of doing to our brethren as we would haA'e them

do to us . In a word , this holy volume inspires us with spiritual discernment , and enables us to obtain the blessing of a quiet conscience in this transitory life , with a hopeful assurance of celestial bliss in the world to come .

The square and compasses when united are intended to regulate our lives and actions , as the volume of the sacred law regulates our faith . The compasses , being the chief instrument made use of in the formation of all architectural plans and designs , are appropriated to the Grand Master as the chief ruler and goi'ernor of the Craftunder Avhose patronage

, our laws are judicially enforced and implicitly obeyed by the fraternity . The square is appropriated to the whole Craft , because as every initiated brother was obligated within it so is he exhorted to consider himself for ever bound to act thereon .

These great lights bear a reference to the three moral duties ; for the Bible is the grand depository of faith in God , the square directs us in our duties to our neighbours , and the compasses refer to ourselves . The three degrees are also pointed out b y the same triad , the first being a system of morals contained in the Holy Bible . The square is the instrument b

y which the FelloAv Craft is proved , and the third degree is denoted by the compasses , that being the only instrument Avhieh describes a perfect figure with a circumference equidistant in all its parts from the common centre . This minute method of examining a symbol or series of symbols may appear to be undiscriminating

brother a refinement of interpretation that the circumstances scarcely warrant . But the doctrine of progress speaks a different language , and not only justifies , but absolutely commands such an analysis as may exhibit a full and particular view of every point , part , and secret , and briefly , though rationally , illustrate them by such apposite explanation as may afford a clear and

The Furniture Of A Lodge.*

unobjectionable solution of the mystery . Hence it becomes the duty of every Masonic expositor to scan his subjects with the eye of a critic . He must look at them from every point of A'iew . A bald and disjointed elucidation is unsatisfactory , and . worse than none . Either do the work well , or omit it altogether . What support could Freemasonry expect to obtain in

these enlightened times , if it continued to be the namby-pamby thing which presented itself to the public eye towards the close of the sei'enteenth century ? It AA'ould not be tolerated ; and , therefore , improvements out of number have been suggested , many of which have received the sanction and concurrence of the authorities , and now form part of the system .

Tidings From The Sandwich Islands.

TIDINGS FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS .

No . III . ( COMMUNICATED BX BEO . D . MTJEEAX LT O ^ , PEOY . J . G . W . OE AYKSHIBE . ) "A voice upon the prairies—¦ A cry of woman ' s woe , That mingleth with the autunln blast

All fitfully and low ; It is a mother ' s wailing : Hath earth another tone , Like that with which a mother mourns Her lost , her only son . "

We recently devoted considerable space to extracts from certain interesting despatches , addressed from the Sandwich Islands hy our countryman and brother , His Excellency Eobert Criehton Wylie , to the Secretary of Mother Kilwinning . It ivill be remembered by our readers that , on replying to the congratulations of the Eoyal Arch Chapter of Honolulu , presented to

Kamehameha , on the birth of an heir to the throne , our royal brother , in his concluding remarks thus expressed himself : — " When I look on my infant son , ivhose birth has heen the cause of much joy to me , and . of so much interest to yourselves , the thought already crosses my mind that perhaps one day he wear those deeply-prized badges

may , and that his intercourse with his fellow-men , like his father ' s , may be rendered more' pleasant , and perhaps more profitable , by his espousing those solemn tenets Avhich make the name of a Freemason honourable throughout the world . "

These anticipations , natural to the heart of every consistent Craftsman , have been suddenl y dispelledthe icy hand of death has snatched from the outer courts of the Temple , a louvteau of much value in the eyes of the brethren of Honolulu—and plunged in the most poignant grief the royal parents of an onl y childin whom their own and a nation ' s fondest

ex-, pectations were so affectionately centred . Several months ago the English hierarchy erected Honolulu into an Episcopal see , with Dr . Staley for its bishop , Avho had not reached the scene of his future labours when the death of the Crown Prince , who was to have been baptised by him , occurred . From files

of the Polynesian and Commercial Advertiser sent to us by Bro . Wylie , we learn that on the ISfch of August the Prince was seized with inflammation of the brain . The malady made rapid progress , and in the course of a few days it became evident that it would terminate in death . On the morning of the 23 rd , the child was baptised by the Eev . Mr . Clarke , according to the