One Of The Ancient Mysteries.

any communication with the outer world , they prepared themselves for initiation . The ceremony did not take place in the temple , this being considered too sacred for the purpose , but in the house of the leading magistratus of the day , who gave up his home to the priestesses of the rite on that special

occasion . Flowers and symbols adorned the rooms , and amidst dancing , to the sound of various musical instruments , an expiatory sacrifice was offered up to the goddess of fecundity . Wine and oil were also poured out on the altar , and mysterious signs and words were communicated to the initiates .

Thus in the remote past , by means of ceremonies which bear a close resemblance to those of Freemasonry , but which have been considerably modified by the lapse of centuries , those great beliefs , in one great first cause and immortality , were symbolically taught in various ways to the candidates who attended the Egyptian , Grecian , and Roman mysteries .

Bona Dea was also looked upon as the goddess of health , and in her temples were special chambers where priestesses ministered to the sick and infirm , and dispensed charity to the poor . Medicinal plants , said to cure all ailments , were grown and carefully tended within the precincts of the sacred

edifice , and from these herbs decoctions were made and supplied to suffering humanity . Here , then , is a very forcible illustration of what is so beautifully laid down in the charge in the first degree of Freemasonry respecting the relieving of our neighbour ' s distress , and the soothing of his afflictions .

The rite of Bona Dea became very popular not only in Rome , but throughout the whole of Italy . This is proved by the discovery of remains of numerous temples , inscriptions ,, and tablets . Quite recently a votive offering , in the shape of a gold medal , was discovered in demolishing an old wall in Rome , and is to be seen in one of the museums . It bears the following

inscription : —Voluptas Rutuleia Bonae Deae donum dedit pro Hermete . This was evidently an offering made by Voluptas Rutuleia to the goddess on behalf of a certain Heremete who , being a male , could not approach the diety himself to solicit some special favour , but did so through a female , who may possibly have been a priestess of the rite . In some of the old writings it is also stated that bronze and silver vases and urns were presented to the

temple of Bona Dea on the occasion of the annual feast , and also rich vestments with which the statue of the diety was adorned during the imposing ceremonies . The rites attending the worship of this goddess were exceedingly interesting , and the connection of its symbols with the signs ' a most absorbing study . Perhaps at some future time I will endeavour to show the relationship existing between them .

It is , however , greatly to be regretted that this ancient ceremony , which in early times had been performed with so much secrecy and mystery , should have been allowed , just before the Christian era , to fall from the position which it' had formerly occupied , and became a cloak for gross licentiousness , so much so that Juvenal , a writer of the day , in one of his now famous satires , describes the nocturnal feast and its attendant abuses .

The rite of the Bona Dea is connected with an incident in the private life of Julius Caesar , which is not generally known . It is recorded that a member of the distinguished Roman family of the Claudii had the temerity to disguise himself as a woman , and , in order to continue his intrigues with Pompeia , Caesar's third wife , bribed one of the vestals , and was admitted by her to the house where the annual feast was being celebrated . His voice , however , betrayed him , and he barely escaped with his life .

The insult which he had thus offered the goddess was also considered a crime against the State , and Claudius was denounced by pontifices and consuls alike . Many of these , who had private grudges against Caesar , secretly hoped that a public scandal , in which his wife ' s name was involved , would seriously damage the popularity of the great Roman . They therefore

clamoured until proceedings were instituted against the offender . Caesar , who did not wish to make an enemy of such a powerful family as the Claudii , acted with great prudence . He stopped the judicial process , and repudiated Pompeia , giving for his reason that on Caesar's wife not even the shadow of a suspicion should rest . Claudius was killed shortly afterwards near the temple of Bona Dea at Boville , and his death was attributed to the wrath of

the goddess at the sacrilege which he had committed . The rite of Bona Dea has been mentioned by Cicero , Ovid , Suetonius , Juvenal , and many other more modern writers . The latest information on this interesting subject is by an eminent Italian writer , Lovatelli , to whom I am indebted for some of the particulars which are embodied in this paper . — " New Zealand Craftsman . "

Some Good Thoughts.

SOME GOOD THOUGHTS .

TF I mistake not , it is the universal experience of all who , having belonged - * - to other orders , become Masons , that the seriousness and solemnity of the work impresses them more , perhaps , than any other one thing . And why should it not ? Life itself is a solemn thing , and cover it up as well as we can with roses of pleasure , disguise the fact as we may for a season with jest and song , it can never alter the fact one iota or put off the ravages of time for a single moment .

We are told that the ancient Egyptians often placed a skeleton in their banqueting halls , in order that in the midst oi their revelry they might he reminded of the ultimate fate of the physical man . The idea shocks our sense of propriety ; but if it served a useful purpose , and acted as a check on frivolity and needless levity , why was it not a good thing ?

As Masons we acknowledge a serious purpose in life . We obligate ourselves upon the Holy Bible to purposes that are noble , and accept principles that are as enduring as time itself . We are taught that

Some Good Thoughts.

" Life is real , life is earnest , And the grave is not its goal . " And the star of truth ever shining above our consecrated altars is but the earnest of that hope which reaches beyond the grave to the boundless realms of eternity .

Masonry has a double mission . It makes us better individuals , and alleviates the sorrows of others . It teaches that universal love which ennobles both recipient and donor . It whispers the word of friendly admonition in the ear of the erring , and in silence and secrecy drops its charities in the hand of poverty , with a touch so delicate that it relieves without humiliation .

It binds its votaries in an ever-increasing bond of sacred union . Strand after strand is added , until the cable is impossible to be broken . It takes a kind word here , a gentle action- there , a thread from the garments of beloved dead , a thread of sentiment , a strand from the good offices of numerous Brethren , a cord from old associations , another from the

purity of your own intentions , yet another from the hope of immortality , and it twists them into a cable that might hold fast a world . That cable made of the very fibres of our hearts , and intertwined with our most sacred affections , is attached to the derricks of the spiritual temple , that building not made with hands , where the supreme Architect of the Universe ia the

builder , and we but as the stones in its walls ; where there comes neither day nor night , and where cark nor care can ever enter in . Brethren , with such sacred ties duly lived up to , we cannot materially err . Neither need we fret over the extinction of Masonic principles in the earth , but buoyed up by the hope that looks beyond , and the consciousness of a life well spent , we may

accept the sprig of . acacia as an emblem of immortality , and look forward to the convening of the Grand Lodge above with confidence and satisfaction , realising that whatever our merits may be , there will they be fully appreciated , and the end of our hopes and desires be finally reached . —Edwin H . Van Patten , in " Canadian Craftsman . "

An Affiliation Surprise.

AN AFFILIATION SURPRISE .

FOR more than a decade there has been a crusade against non-affiliation . No matter how justly a Brother remained under dimission he received severe censure from Grand Masters , Committees on Jurisprudence , Committees on Correspondence , and many others , until , in some jurisdictions , he was coldly told that he had no right but that of petitioning for Lodge membership . All this came from a gross overestimate of the loss to the

Fraternity by dimission . All who dimitted , were dropped or suspended or expelled , were counted as lost , and the affiliations and restorations were overlooked , and , of course , not counted as regained . One day , while examining a table of general statistics , we discovered that no per centum of non-affiliates regained was shown . We forthwith tried the matter , and was

surprised to find that more than two-thirds of all who had become nonaffiliated had been regained . Since that time we have been watching the per centum in the respective Grand Jurisdictions , and , this month , was surprised to find that in Utah the number affiliated so far exceeded the nonaffiliated that the per centum of regaining was one hundred and forty-one .

We were also surprised at finding from the statistics of one Grand Royal Arch Chapter that more than ninety-eight per cent , of the non-affiliates had been regained . Judging by the light we now possess , we believe that the Brethren who wilfully remain non-affiliated are , comparatively , few in number , and that nearly all could and would be regained if true Masonio

means were used to accomplish that object . More than sixty-six per cent , of the non-affiliates are regained ; at least ninety per cent , of them ought to be ; let brotherly love accomplish that object . Let the non-affiliated be

sought and invited to visit the Lodges , and to petition for membership . Let the law be made so that nought but objection , sustained by charges , trial , and verdict , shall prevent affiliation , and let the affiliation fee be abolished . — " Voice of Masonry . "

A NEW FOUB-HOESE COACH has been put upon the road by Messrs . Spiers and Pond . It is called " The Criterion , " and leaves their establishment of that name in Piccadilly Circus at 11-30 a . m . every week day , proceeding via Putney , Richmond , Twickenham , Teddington , Bushey Park , Hampton Court and Thames Ditton to the Southampton Hotel at Surbiton , where a two hours' stop is allowed for luncheon , which in fine weather is served at separate tables on the lawn . It then returns via Ewell , Worcester

Park , Coombe Warren , Roehampton , arriving in London at 6-30 . Five firstclass teams are provided by Messrs . McN ' amara and Co ., Contractors to the General Post Office , and who provide the teams for the working of the fourhorse parcel post vans that leave the chief office every night for various destinations in the country . This coach affords one of the most charming and delightful drives near London , and offers an advantage over most of the coaches leaving the Metropolis in the fact that the time of its departure is somewhat later than is usual .

Cart Horse Parade . —Messrs . M . B . Foster and Sons , Limited , again took a first prize and diploma in the " Unicorn" Class , for * , their team , consisting of two fine browns and a grey .

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