Deaf And Dumb School For North And, East Lancashire.

the inscription on the piste recording the event , after whioh tbe fonndation stone was placed in position and declared by the Grand Master to be well and trnly laid , and that the Craftsmen had worked well . He also urged the workmen to proceed with the erection aud completion of the building without loss of time . Corn was strewed , and wine and oil poured upon tbe Btone . The choir next sang to nn air from Haydn ' s " Creation , " an ode commencing : —

" The spaoious firmament on high With all the blue ethereal sky , And spangled heavens , —a shining frame , Their great Original proolaim . " After another prayer the ceremony was farther proceeded with , and then the Masonio version of the National Anthem waa sane .

After the offertory , the Rev . J . Harris proposed a vote of thanks to the Provincial Grand Master for bis attendance , and said that it had been thought well , under the circumstances , to give the name of " Cross" to the title of the school in consideration of Miss Cross ' s generona offer towards its fonndation . After the building bad been erected , there would not he much left towards the endowment fond ,

bnt they hoped , by donations , by collections in churches , and by legacies which they hoped to receive after the institution had been found to be successful , to carry on the charity which had been so happily inangnrated that day . When Miss Cross heard that Lord Lathom had consented to lay the fonndation stone with Masonic honours she was greatly pleased , and thongh unable to be present on

that occasion , he knew her thoughts and sympathies were with thnm . An economic and efficient carrying on of the new schools would create public confidence in the work hereaftor , and he had no fear of the happy results to many of their unfortunate fellow creatures who needed such aid as the institution wonld give . Mr . Byrne seconded tho motion , which was carried unanimously .

Lord Lathom , in reply , said , as he had told Archdeacon Rawstone at the beginning of the proceedings , it gave him great pleasure to come there that clay and take part in such a good work , which he hoped would soon bo completed , and not suffer from lack of funds . He was glad to sco his Masonic brethren rally round him iu such goodly numbers that day , and hoped the institution would flourish , and be a boon to those who needed it for many yoars to come .

The Rov . Dr . Staiuer , a brother of Dr . J . Stniner , the late organist of St . Paul's Cathedral , occupied a front position on the platform , and while the ceremony waB being proceeded with interpreted it throughout , in tbo deaf and dumb language , to a number of mutes present , for which they were evidently very grateful . The ceremony beiog onnoluded , the processiou was formed iu inverted order , and retarned to the Town Hall , where the special Provincial Grand Lodge waB closed .

J • J • J. A Meditation On A Master Mason's Journey.

J J J . A MEDITATION ON A MASTER MASON'S JOURNEY .

"Tl / HAT an exhuustlpss subject for thought is found in V T the symbolical teachings of Masonry ? In convoying to the mind the hidden meaning covered by the many object lessons , in which the moral philosophy of the Craft lies concealed , every activity , every organ , every sense , is

called into operation—all as feeders to the spiritual existence of men . Tho eye , the ear , tbe touch , the posture , the gesture , the movement of feet , bands , head , body , all are enlisted in one harmonious whole to form a conduit

from the physical visible without , to the mental invisible ¦ within , whereby the intelligence is quickened , the comprehension taught , and the soul fed and strengthened . In the first degree the physical darkness illustrates the

mental condition of tbe mind . The neophyte is presupposed to be mentally blind . He may have the wisdom of a Nestor , the eloquence of a Demosthenes , the calculation

of a Euclid , the erudition of a Archimedes , the comprehension of a Aristotle and the wealth of a Crcesns , but he must begin his Masonic journey poor , naked , penniless and blind .

His initiatorial degroe concludes with the restoration of his worldly goods to the body and light to the mind b y which his mental vision is directed to the far distant goal of his journey . He is instructed that as yefc he is but inside

the gate . A long and toilsome road stretches out before In ' m , but he learns that tbe end may be achieved and the ambition gratified iu what he has set out to attain . On the presumed vacuum of his mind are placed the three

great fonndation ashlars—Brotherly Love , Relt ' of , and Truth . The crude material , to be used in the formation of character , are to him pointed out . The Bible is to bo his

trestle board , his rulo and guide—and the tools of an Entered Apprentice Mason are given him , with directions for their use , and this-is the first degree in Masonry .

In tbe second degree he is brought into contact with the liig her branches of intellectual attainment . The arts and sciences are presented and severally explained , with tbe relation each branch holds to the moulding of character , And the perfection of a moral manbooii . As the lirst

J • J • J. A Meditation On A Master Mason's Journey.

degree may be termed the primary school , so the second takes the place of a college , from which graduation can only be had when proficiency is shown in the several lessons taught therein . The third degree opens up an entirely new line of

thought to the Masonic pilgrim . The two former degrees were largely attached , in their course of instruction , to the wants and requirements of the physical and mental , but now an entirely new line of thought is opened up , in which

the spiritual in man is exemplified . It is shown that man , in a state of nature , was destitute of that knowledge of tho imperishable principle within , which demanded to bo fed . Blind . o the fact that he is still far from that

knowledge sought , he is permitted to rest content for a time , with the idea that he is finally a Master Mason . But he awakes to the surprising knowledge that man is by

nature in a state of darkness . The jewel about his neck may signify to him all that may be outwardly obtained by the seeker after soul food , but tho vacuum within is still a void . He now seeks to fill ifc with a

promise . The symbolism of types and metaphors as represented in the Mosaic dispensation are presented to him , but all they can bestow upon the soul , hungry for a knowledge of itself , is a symbolical ovidenco of things hoped for , things not seen . With all his accumulation of

knowledge , gathered on his journey so far , the great fact of the immortality of the soul is still hidden from him . He may have scaled the heights of heathen philosophy and with Socrates or Plato may ba possessed of a faint dream of a life beyond the tomb ; yea , will go still farther and

permit him to rest on the dimly sublime assurance of the man in the land of TTz , when he confidently exclaimed : " I know that my redeemer liveth , and that he shall stand

at the latter day upon the earth : and though after my skin worms destroy this body , yet in my flesh shall I see God . " But even with all these inklings of a possible futurity of joy he cannot surely know that .

Beyond this vale of tears There is a life above Unmeasured by the flight of years , And all that life is love . And so unknowing he lives and dies . Kind hands place

him in the tomb . Loved ones drop the regretful tear of blighted affection , and all is over . But not so . " The Lion of the Tribe of Judah" has brought life and immortality to light iu the Christian dispensation , and this he is now to learn .

Ah ! We may strivo as wo may to tako the Christ thought out of Masonry , but there it is , brethren , and we cannot take it away . Life and immortality is brought to

light through Him . On the strength of this dogmatic fact the third degree of Masonry has been founded and cannot be altered , without an entire elimination of the whole .

But before the Master Mason learns this grand fact ( so graphically illustrated in the last part of the second section ) , he has to traverse a rough and thorny road , where his weaknesses are to him made apparent in tho conflict , to which he is forced to finally succumb . He has reached the third terrace on the Masonic

mountain , and on th's brief plain must be fought out the conflict in which the seeming defeat will eventuate in immortal victors

Assured by the grandeur of his attainments , and the exercise of Brotherly Love , Relief and Truth , which has cbatacterised his actions along his Masonic journey so far : confident in his knowledge obtained in tho second

degree that he is qualified to impart knowledge to otheiv , he unshrinkingly entsu upon the third stage and meets with tho first "J . " This may bo tyrnied Jeopardy , and alarmed he finds

hidden foes , when confronted with what threatens his : peace , his reputation , his self confidence . He , surprised , awakens to find himself in Jeopardy . He realises what false friends aud malicious foes can do . Even those

obligated with himself , as brothers bound by a common tie , tu-Ti traitors . Those he has befriended become ingrates . Ingi-atitade ns , a > ' ! s him . Scandal searches him .

Falsehood stubs him with a serpent ' s tooth . Malignity seeks to traduce him . Vile calumny enfolds him in its foul embrace , and wounded and bruised he barely escapes to only meet a second "J . "

This can be termed Jealousy . Here , he finds himself surrounded by those who would f ; t u beat open his breast , 1 ' thereby could bv torn out the power which