The Power Of Freemasonry.

having characteristics differing from it , that Mighty Stream which tempers many leagues away the waters through which it flows and gives to bordering lands their flowers and their fruits . The powers and forces of the physical world will one day have expended their strength ; but when there shall be no more sea ; when the Sun shall lay aside his diadem of fire ; when Saturn

shall unbind his girdle of light ; when Orion shall with his gleaming sword no longer make his stately march across the heavens ; when the Pleiades shall unwind the silver threads which bind their golden hair ; and when star after star shall have gone out in darkness and in gloom , then the influence of Masonry will still be felt , and tbe principles and truths which it ,

by allegory , symbol , sign and emblem , impresses upon the hearts and lives of its votaries , will shine on in all their pristine splendour and gleam with undying radiance through all the ages —coeval with eternity , coinfinite with immensity—because they are emanations from the mind of God , breathed by Him into the soul of man . —" Voice of Masonry . "

Solomon's Temple.

SOLOMON'S TEMPLE .

A MASONIC correspondent writes ; A plan is on foot that P \ will attract to Buffalo and Cayuga Islands thousands of Freemasons for a brilliant end of the century demonstration of the strength of the Order in the New World . It is suggested that one of the buildings for ihe Pan-American Exposition shall be a reproduction of Solomon ' s Temple . The site selected is on

the shore of the island . The preliminary drawings of the palace provide for the treasure rooms , in which it is proposed to show the priceless relics and rare jewels accumulated by the Order during the centuries of its existence . This section is to be an innermost shrine , to which only Masons will be admitted .

Endorsements have been received from every State in the Union . President Brinker , of the Exposition management , has set aside a commanding location for the temple . During the recent Masonic trip to the Holy Land and Egypt a number of the English Brethren were invited to join the Worshipful Master of

the Idris Lodge , Cairo ( Bro . A . Hanauer * , iu an excursion to Bedrasheyn , and thence to Sakhara . This expedition was undertaken in consequence of Bro . Hanauer having on the occasion of a previous visit discovered amongst the tombs of Sakhara a number of signs which are at present in use in the

Order . The signs were found to follow each other in rotation in the same way as every subject of life is engraved in the same tomb . One slab represents a reaper ; next to him come a number of men binding up sheaves of corn , followed by another group of men carrying the sheaves away ; then a heap of corn is shown as

being winnowed , and there are a number of other subjects . The news of the discovery of these signs will in all probability be a matter of much speculation in the Masonic world . The slabs are in tombs belonging to the VI . Dynasty . Such was in existence 3600 B . C ., and this makes them therefore 5600 years old ( A . L . ) . — " Yorkshire Daily Post . "

The Ritual.

THE RITUAL .

THOSE who claim that no Masonic ritual existed before 1717 may be as far out as the scholars who claimed that Moses could not have written the law because letters were not known so early as his day . Moses is vindicated by the finding of manuscripts two thousand years older than the Exodus , and new

evidence is accumulating that speculative Lodges conferred the degrees long before 1717 , and they could not have existed without rituals . No doubt they varied in different Lodges , but they probably tried to render the legends of the Craft as literally as possible .

It is known that in the Scotch operative Lodges before 1717 the ceremonies were very brief , but in the Lodge at Doneraile Court , where Elizabeth St . Leger was made a Mason five or six years before 1717 , there was unquestionably a ritual ofthe Fellow Craft degree to which she was admitted , and this ritual was the prototype of that afterwards adopted by the " Ancients " and now

practiced in Pennsylvania . So the Lodge at Warrington , in which Elias Ashmole was made in 1641 ; and that at Chester , of which Eandle Holme was a member in 1688 ; and the Lodge of the Masons Company in London , in 1636 , must have been speculative Lodges and must have had rituals . We may yet hope to have a pre-1717 ritual turn up among the rubbish . — " Masonic Token . "

A Well Known Mason.

A WELL KNOWN MASON .

THB retirement of Bro . E . Ashby from the position of manager of the Ship and Turtle will be generally regretted by ail members of the Craft to whom he is known . At a meeting of the Guardian Lodge , on Thursday , 28 th ult ., Bro . H . V . Clements presiding , Bro . W . Brown made a sympathetic allusion to the fact that Bro . Ashby had severed his connection with tho Ship

A Well Known Mason.

and Turtle , and suggested that the members of the Lodge and the Craft generally should show their appreciation of his courteous and genial qualities by joining in somo movement of a practical character . Bro . Brown ' s remarks were received with spontaneous applause and approbation . Bro . T . A . Bullock Past Grand Sword Bearer , in asking permission to support the proposition , said that during his 20 years' career as a Mason he had had amply opportunity of forming a judgment of Bro . Ashby ' s capacity as a

manager , while his courtesy and attention to all were proverbial . He expressed his deep regret at the fact that their good old friend had severed his connection with a position he had honourably filled for a great number of years . The members of the Craft would , he was sure , willingly give practical expression to their sympathy with Bro . Ashby in his present position , whioh was " an unfortunate one . With this end in view he proposed that a

Committee of the Lodge should be formed without delay , and that the members should place themselves in communication with other Lodges . The suggestion was cordially . supported by Bro . A . E . Pridmore , CO ., and Bro . Caldwell Moore , CO . The matter was then referred to the Permanent Committee , to take immediate steps to carry out the proposition . — " City Press . "

Hull Masonic Club.

HULL MASONIC CLUB .

ON Tuesday , 19 th ult ., the final concert of the winter session was held in connection with the Hull Masonic Club , Bro . 3 . G . Wallis presiding . There was a very large gathering . During the evening the president of the Club Bro . Peck , on behalf of the members , presented Bro . Wallis with a handsome silver epergne and an illuminated address in recognition of his valuable services as Chairman of

the Club during tho past three , years . In making the presentation Bro . Peck said the members were taking the opportunity of showing their regard for Bro . Wallis on the occasion of the anniversary of his silver wedding . As their Chairman he had displayed a large amount of labour , energy , and zeal , and he was only echoing the sentiments of their chiefs , Earl Zetland and Lord Bolton , when he said they never had a better Director of Ceremonies in the Province than they had in Bro . Wallis .

Complimentary speeches were also made by Bro . J . T . Pirbank , M . P ., and other Brethren . Bro . Wallis having thanked the Brethren for their very valuable presents the concert was proceeded with . The silver epergne was supplied by Bro . A . King , and weighs 130 ounces . The address was illuminated by Bro . Peck , Market Place , Hull .

A Bogus Freemason.

A BOGUS FREEMASON .

AT Ashton Police Court , on Monday morning , James Stewart Macdonald was charged with obtaining money under false pretences from a local Freemason on the 25 th ult . The prisoner went to the Treasurer of the local Lodge of Freemasons , and , stating that he was a member of the St . Clair Lodge , Glasgow , asked for relief . He was given two shillings , but it afterwards transpired that he had tried the same trick before . He was consequently detained . It was ascertained that he was an impostor . The prisoner was sent to prison for three months . —• " Huddersfield Chronicle . "

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