Present Masonic Needs.

tinue , will , sooner or later , undermine the foundation walls and cause the edifice to fall . Those who in Masonry see only forms and ceremonies , which in a short time lose their attractive qualities—who

do not become impressed with the spirit of its teachings , who do not onjoy the fellowship of its members , who have no lovo for its sublimo teachings , and who maniTest no desire to aid in advancing aud promoting its objects—must

of necessity exert a disorganizing and unhealthy influence . Every individual , of whatever rank or station in life , exerts an influence for good or for evil . If Masonry would continue in the future , as it has in the past , to wield a

powerful influence for good in the upbuilding of society and maintaining good government , it must maintain its own organization in a sound and healthy state ; for as a rill from a fountain increases as it flows , rises into a stream , and

swells into a river , so , symbolically , are the origin and course cf the good deeds and name we would transmit . At first , its beginning is small ; it takes its rise from the home , its natural source , extends to the neighbourhood , stretches

through the community , and finally takes a range proportioned to the qualities by which it is supported . Let us then , first , guard well the entrance of our Lodge ; second , so perform our work that each rough ashlar will

occupy an important place in the temple we erect ; and , lastly , by the exercise of wholesome legislation prune our society from unhealthy and slothful membership .

I have ventured to call tho attention of this Grand Lodge to these questions , not in the spirit of criticism , but in the hope of inducing eerious reflection upon the opportunity now passing before us for adopting a policy of practical benefit -to the time we live in , and of securing greater honour to the Institution itself in time to come . —Keystone

A New Masonic Fossil.

A NEW MASONIC FOSSIL .

BY BRO . JACOB NORTON .

MASONIC writers have again and again claimed the Essenes as Brother Masons , and some intimate that John the Baptist was an Essene . Some Christian writers suppose that even Jesns was an Essene . But be

that as it may , I have a small book before me , size 6 inches by 4 , which claims to furnish conclusive evidence that Jesus took the first degree of Ussenianism . The title page of the said book is as follows : —

PART I . "Important concealed information obtained from an old manuscript , found in Alexandria , which shows that Jesus in a trance was taken down from the cross , brought to life again , and in reality died six months after , within a secret religious society , called Essene Brethren , of which he was a member . "

PART II

" The Brethren among the Jews , a Manuscript for Freemasons . Chicago , Stillman and Pitkin , 81 Jackson Street . " From another page I learn that the book was printed in 1873 , and as to the best of my knowledge the said book has never been noticed before in any Masonic publication , I shall lay what I can learn from it before the readers

of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , and here is part of the preface : — "A member of the Abyssinian Mercantile Company

discovered , in Alexandria , an ancient house , formerly occupied by Grecian Friars , in whose oblivion and abandoned library was found an old pergament ( doubtless some old Masonic word ) . A French literateur , accidentally

present , at once began to decipher it , but a missionary in the Order , of fanatical orthodoxy , tried by all means to destroy the antique document . But the efforts of the Jesuit missionary do not seem to have been successful , as a copy

of the Latin original was written , which copy , through Freemasons , found its way to Germany . It has been proved , from the archaeological discoveries made on the spot , that the house where the pergament was found was owned and

occupied by the Order of Essenes . Further that the document found was the only remains of literature from the once well-filled library of this scientific and religious Order or Brotherhood . " " The French literateur who conceived the importance and historical worth of the manuscript tried hard to enrich

A New Masonic Fossil.

the French Academy with the original , but owing to the intrigues of the Jesuit mission in Egypt , bent on destroying a document so detrimental to their doctrines , he was not successful , although it was preserved principally

through the interference of influential Abyssinian Merchants , and Pythagorical Societies , from whom the copy above spoken of came into the possession of the

modern institution of Freemasons , and a Society in Germany now without doubt possesses the only copy in existence .

" As regards the discovered antique document , it consisted of a letter , which the so-called' Terapute' ( the elder ) , the highest esteemed member of the Brotherhood , had written to his brethren in Alexandria , in the name of the

Brotherhood m Jerusalem . This letter was written by him only a few years after the death of Jesus ; it gives a full description of the doctrines and death of Jesus , who the letter proves to have belonged to , and been a member of ,

their Brotherhood . Rumours of his miracles , and finally of his martyrdom , had also reached Alexandria , and as the brethren there had a conviction that he was their brother , preached their doctrines , used their sign of recognition , and

lived in accordance with their rules , they manifested a desire to be informed on the subject , as to the real truth of the matter . To obtain this information their leader , or ' Terapute , ' had written a letter to his colleagues in

Jerusalem , who in reply wrote this letter , from which we obtain a clear and truthful account of this important and interesting subject . It is a fact , that never has been doubted by those familiar with ancient history , that the

Essenes always spoke and wrote the strictest truth , and this , added to their moral and scientific lives , puts an end to any doubt as to the correctness and genuineness of the information given in the ancient discovered letter . "

The above is followed by two pages , eulogising the Essene Brotherhood , and is continued as follows : — " This Order , of which the present Freemasonry is the modern issue , was at the time of Jesus widely diffused

through Palestine and Egypt , and had their colonies scattered all over the country . They always kept up a congenial fraternal feeling in their meetings , and gave each other information about the affairs of the Brotherhood .

They counted among their members men of all professions and stations in society , and although comprising a great many learned men and rich persons ( who sometimes found it to their interest to keep this secret ) they never did exclude the poor or persons of moderate circumstances .

" Thus we have all reasons to credit this letter , dictated by the love of truth , and written by a man who had been an eye-witness to most of the important transactions

in the life and death of Jesus , who , as a member of their Order , was embraced by them with all the fraternal devotion of the Order . "

From the title page may be inferred that the writer of the old " pergament " ( as it is called ) did not agree with the New Testament writer , about the death of Jesus . The following extracts show that he differed from them on other points , he says : —

"You wonder that the belief in the supernatural and miracles should gain foothold in our midst , when you know that we all have to bear the responsibility for the actions of one of our members .

" Therefore , you ought to know that the rumour is like wind . Where it commenced it drives the pure air away ahead , but in its progress it receives all vapours and mist from the earth , and when it has passed some distance it

creates darkness , instead of clear pure air , of which it was first composed , and at last consists solely of particles it has received during its progress . It is even so as regard s the rumour about Jesus and his fate .

"Furthermore , consider that the inspired men that have written and informed of him were often carried away by their enthusiasm , and in their devotion and simplicity they believed all things the people , naturally superstitious , told them . "

" Know then that Jesus is our ' brother , ' has himself vowed , when at Jutha was admitted in the first degree of our Order . " Now that I write this to you , the Jews have seven

times ate the lamb of the Passover since our Brother was crucified , whom we all loved , and in whom God was glorified . " Bro . Adams , an old well-known Boston Mason . | informed