Type And Symbol-Mongers.

called the ' omblem of all emblems , '" [ why ?] " and the grand emblem of Royal Arch Masonry . It was adopted in the same form as the Royal Arch badge by the Goneral Grand Chapter of tho TJnitod States in 1859 . The original signification has been variously explained , some suppose it to include the initial of the Temple of Jerusalem , Templum Jlierosolymw . Others , that ifc is tho symbol of tho mystical uuion of

the Father and Son , ( -J signifying Jehovah , and f or tho cross , the Son . " Agaiu—« ' Speaking of tho use of tho oross in the Old Testament , Didron says , ' that it saved tho youthful Isaac from death , redeemed from destruction an entire people whoso houses were marked with that symbol , healed tho envenomed bites of thoso who looked at the

serpent raised in the form of a tau upon a polo , and called tho soul of the dead body of the Bon of the poor widow who had given bread to the prophet . '" We see , now , how easily our symbol-monger could Masonize and Christianize Abraham and Isaac , Moses and Aaron , Elijah and Ezekiel , and the Talmndists in the bargain ; for , according to Dr .

Maokey , one and all either worshipped or venerated the cross . But was Masonry designed for teaching such trash ? I have always avoided that species of pedantry of using foreign words in Masonio communications ; bat as I wish to make tho subject clear to the understanding of all , I am therefore , in this instance , compelled to depart from my rale , but mast

premise—First . St . Anthony was not crucified ; the X cannot , therefore , be called " St . Anthony ' s cross " on that account . Seoond . There is no evidenoe whatever that Jews ever worshipped the oross , or venerated the cross , or marked themselves with the oross , or that the Talmudists ever said that Moses did mark a cross . Third . In the Book of Numbers xxi . 8 , 9 , there is no allusion to the

cross , or Tau either , ifc merely says , " Make thee a fiery serpent and put it upon a pole . " " And Moses made a serpent of brass , and put it upon a pole . " * A pole is not a cross . And fourth . In the Hebrew version of Ezekiel ix . 4 , are tho following words : — -in XWI . TI ( Vehitvito tav ) , tho literal translation whereof is , " And you shall mark a mark . " The English Bible has it ,

" And set a mark . " In Leeser ' s Bible it reads , " Inscribe a mark . " There is some difference in the phraseology of the abovo translations , but all concur in the fact , that those words merely convey the idea of making a mark , without the least hint about the shape of the mark . As far as we know , the mark meant by the writer may havo been a mere daub ; for a daub would havo answered the purpose of

distinguishing those that wero to be saved from thoso that wero to be killed , as much as a more complicated mark could do . But Bible oommentators who have dogmas to prove stick at no trifles •and as already shown , tho early Christian fathers were very prolific in discovering far-fetched meanings in tho writings of the Old Testament , henoe the Douay , or Catholic Bible , renders the abovo passage in Ezekiel , "And make a Tau . " But what is a Tau ? This question

the translator of the said Bible answers in a foot-note , thus" Tau is tho last letter in tho Hebrew al phabet , and signifies [ not as a mere letter n , but when written m or tav ] , a sign or mark , which is the reason why some translators render this placeset a mark or mark a mark , without specif ying what this mark was . But St . Jerome and other interpreters conclude it wa 3 the form of the letter Tau , whioh in ancient Hebrew character , was the form of a cross . "

Mosheim says that ono of tho maxims of tho earl y Christian fathers was : — " That it was a virtue to deceive and lie , when by such means the interest of the church might be promoted . " And he adds , " We would willingly except from this ohargo Ambrose and Hilary , Gregory Nazianzen , and Jerome ; but truth , which is more respectable than those venerable fathers , obliges ns to involve fchem in the general accusation . "

As Jerome did not hesitate to deceive and lie for the interests of the Church , we need not wonder at his perverting and misconstruing the words of Ezekiel . Our Masonic symbol-mongers and expounders also believe in the doctrine of deceiving and lying for the benefit of the Churoh ; and hence no matter what shape an emblem may be , and no matter how it is explained in tho Lodge , they persist in declaring

that" It expresses , prefigures , or typifies another fact of a higher and more important nature , " viz ., Christianity . And I verily believe that if tho poker , tongs , and shovel , or any other household utensil , had been Mentioned in the rifcnal , there wonld hare been no end of signifioancies suggested about them . They would havo assured us that

poker , tongs , and shovel , & c , were anciently regarded as symbols of Deity in the religion of Osiris , Moses , or Christ . And as for authorities , they would either have cited the writers of some dreamers , or when even that failed them , they would not have scrupled at inventing authorities .

This emblem J . on the English Master ' s apron , is a fair illustration of the truth of the abovo remark . As already stated , the R . A . and its emblem , wa 3 unknown to Masons before or near tho middle of the last century . Nay , more . D . G . M . Manningham condemned that

new degree as an imposturo , and Grand Secretary Spencer ridiculed the R . A . degreo aboufc 1768 . In 1813 , at the Union , tho Grand Lodge of England was compelled to call tho R . A . degree " Masonic . " And I am strongly inclined to believe that this upside dmon top of the R . A . emblem was not introduced into Craft Masonry by the G . L . of England before 1813 . Dr . Oliver , of course , mado the "Triple Jan" into a Christian emblem . And Dr . Mackey , who was bound

* Leeser ' s Bible reads , " And Moses made a serpent of copper , and put ifc upon a polo " ( omitting " brazen" and " fiery " ) . Tho Douay Bible says , " Made a brazen serpent , and set ifc up for a sign " ( omitting brass and copper ) . And in a note thereto , we are informed

that , " The brazen serpent was a figure of Christ crucified . " To my mind , this kind of figuring seems very ridiculous . But if Christians can be made to believe that the lion , the lamb , the pelican , the fish , the ass , & c , are types of Christ , why may not the serpent also typify Christ ? *

Type And Symbol-Mongers.

to tell us what Dr . Oliver did not , made , as wo have soon , a groat splnrgo abont tho upside down X ( for VP or <'"" - '" ' * '' e Siu"io to him ) and demonstrated after his fashion that _ L is not only a Christian cross , but also that tho identical shaped cross was venerated by Abraham , Isaac , Moses , Aaron , Elijah and Ezekiel ; but as ho had no

authority whatever , not even that of Didron , about Moses marking Aaron with tho cross , ho was not at all abashod , in appealing to Talmndic authority . Such aro the characteristics of our symbol-mongors , whose writings our clerical brethren and pious Masonic editors admiro and applaud . And why p BOSTON , U . S ., 5 th April 1880 .

Committee Meeting Of The Girls' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

THE General Committeo of this Institution mot on Thursday , at Freemasons' Hall , London . Bro . Lieut .-C'ol . Creaton , Grand Treasurer , occupied tho chair , and , as will bo seon from the number of votes recorded for tho several candidates , was supported by a very large nnmbor of Life Governors . The minutes having been read and confirmed , tho general business of tho day was proceeded with . This

comprised , among other matters , tho approval of six petitions , tho children on whoso behalf they wero presented being then placed on the list for tho October election . The plans for affording additional office accommodation , as drawn up by the Grand Superintendent of Works , wero submittod , and the offer of Grand Lodge in this respoct

was accepted , tho ront asked and agreed too being £ 85 a-year . Certain recommendations from the House Committee on matters connected with tho management of the Institntion were brought up and confirmed . The Chairman was authorised to sign cheques for the various accounts which had been passed , and then a notice of motion was given by Bro . C . A . Cottebrune P . G . P . to establish an annual

prize , of the value of threo guineas , to be given to one of tho pupils 1 in memory . of tho late Bro . John Boyd , and to be oalled the John Boyd Memorial Prize . This prize is proposed in consideration of a donation of one hundred guineas made to the funds of the Institution by the members of the Prudent Brethren Lodge and Chapter . The Committee then proceeded to the eloction of tho House and Audit Committees , the following being the result : —

HOUSE COMMITTEE . No . on poll Namo No , of votes 1 Edmund C . Mather ... 284 2 Alfred Henry Tatfcershall - - 272 3 John A . Rucker .... 271 4 Griffiths Smith - . - - 269 5 Frank Richardson .... 268 6 Edward Letchworth . . . - 267

H ( Henry A . Dubois ... 262 \ Joshua Nunn - ... - 262 9 Lieut .-Col . James Peters - - - 261 10 Peter de Lande Long . . - 258 11 William Hope , M . D . . . - - 253 12 Charles Hammerton ... 241

13 Edward Cox 96 14 Thomas Cubitfc ... 94 15 John A . Farnfield ... 86 16 William Stephens .... 83 17 Reuben E . Davis 71

18 Edgar Bowyer ... 68 19 John H . Southwood ... 67 20 Edward Terry .... - 65 21 JohnBellerby 63 22 T . W . C . Bush 62 23 Charles G . Hill ... 60 24 C . H . Webb -- - - - 42

The twelve brethren first named , all of whom , except Bro . Charles Hammerton , were members of the old committee , were declared elected .

AUDIT COMMITTEE . No . on poll Namo No . of votes 1 Henry C . Levander .. .. 309 2 Herbert Dicketts - - - 296 3 John C . Chancellor .... 294 4 Robert B . Webster - - - - 292 5 William Roebuck - - - - 290 6 William Bailey . - - - 288

7 James Cntbush . - - - 283 8 Henry Venn - - - - 273 9 Thomas Kingston .. .. 257 10 Robert Berridgo ... 96 11 Hyam M . Levy- - - - - Gl

The nine brothren highest on the poll were declared elected . These brethren comprised the Audit Committee last year . A voto of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a conclusion .

In the event of the Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution deciding to refill the office of Collector , we understand that Bro . William Worrell P . M . and Sec . 766 , & c . and Bro . C . H . Webb P . M . 1607 W . M . 174 , Vice President of the Institution , will offer themselves as candidates . We shall refer to the subject in a future issue .