The Relation Of St. John The Baptist To Freemasonry.

uncensured , or are treated as worthy of honour and respect . St . John the Baptist may be regarded as a martyr to his faithfulness in maintaining the purity of domestic relations . It was the law of God which he maintained , and because it was

the law of God ; but it was the law concerning the domestic relations . There is nothing in which Freemasons acquainted with the ancient landmarks of the Order , or with the purposes for which the Order was founded , can take a deeper interest . The purity of domestic life must be

dear to the heart of every true Freemason . The Freemason is not to be merely a member of the lodge—decent in his conduct there , and pleasant in the fellowship of his brethren—but an honourable member of society , and , as such , comporting himself well towards his own wife , and all

the members of his family . Avhatever is inconsistent with domestic purity and peace , is inconsistent also with Freemasonry . The first duties of every man , in fact , are the duties of home , and he who neglects them cannot be supposed well to regard any other . Those

transgressions of the , moral law which are gross violations of these duties , and render their subsequent discharge impossible , are in violation of the very landmarks of the Masonic Order . It must be mentioned , in conclusion , that the only Freemasonry recognized by the Grand Lodge

of Scotland is that called St . John ' s Masonry There are three degrees of this Order , but no other degrees are recognized at all . 77 iere is the degree of Entered Apprentice , the degree of Fellow Craft with the adjunct of Mark , and the degree of Master Mason , to which the Mason

may after due time be advanced . 77 ie very fact that these are known as degrees of St . John ' s Masonry shows in what high reverence the memory of St . John the Baptist was anciently entertained , for the present method of Scottish Freemasonry has been handed down from very

ancient times . Long may Freemasons continue to venerate the name and to study the example of St . John the Baptist ; so will the honour of the Order be maintained , and that purity of morals , without which antiquity and all its

traditions can give it no honour whatever . In St . John the Baptist ' s life and character we see a pattern for all Freemasons to admire and imitate ; and trusting every Freemason will keep that pattern before him as the object of his admiration and imitation .

Ancient And Modern Mysteries.

ANCIENT AND MODERN MYSTERIES .

BY BRO . ROBERT WENTWORTH LITTLE , Provincial Grand Secretary , Middlesex ; Presidentof the London Literary Union ; Editor of " The Jlosierucian , " <_ v . ( Continued from page <)<) . ) There was a man named Ali , who resided in the city of Rei , in Persia . He was a strenuous

Sheah , and maintained that his family had originally come from Koofa , in Arabia ; but the people of Khorasan asserted that his famil y had always dwelt in one of the villages near 7 ' oos , in that province , and that consequently his pretensions to an Arabian extraction were false . Ali ,

it would appear , was anxious to conceal his opinion , and employed the strongest asseverations to convince the governor of the province , a rigid Soonitc , of his orthodoxy , and finally retired into a monastery to pass the remainder of his days in meditation . As a further means of clearing himself from the charge of heresy , he

sent Ins only son , Hassan Sabah , to Nishaboor to be instructed by the celebrated imam Mowafek , who resided at that place . What lessons he may have given the young Hassan previously to parting with him , and what communication he may have afterwards kept up with him , are points on which history is silent .

7 'he fame of the imam Mowafek was great over all Persia , anil it was currentl y believed that those who had the good fortune to study the Koran and the Soonna under him were secure of their fortune in after life . His school was

consequently thronged by youths ambitious of knowledge and future distinction ; and here Hassan met , and formed a strict intimacy with , Omar Khiam , afterwards so distinguished as a poet and an astronomer , . md with Nizam-al-Moolk

( Regulation of the Realm ) , who became vizir to the monarchs of the house of Seljook . This last , in a history which he wrote of himself and his times , relates the following instance of the early development of the ambition of Hassan . As these three , who were the most distinguished pupils of the imam , were one day together , " It

is the general opinion , " said Hassan , " that the pupils ofthe imam are certain of being fortunate . 77 iis opinion may be verified in one of us . So come , let us pledge ourselves to one another that he who shall be successful will make the other two sharers in his good fortune . " His two companions readily assented , and the promise was mutually given and received .

Nizam-al-Moolk entered the path of politics , where his talents and his noble qualities had free course , and he rose through the various gradations of office , till at length he attained the highest post in the realm , the viziriate , under Alp Arslan ( Strong Lion ) , the second monarch

of the house of Seljook . When thus exalted he forgot not his former friends ; and , calling to mind the promise which he had made , he received with great kindness Omar Khiam , who waited on him to congratulate him on his elevation ; and he offered at once to employ all his

interest to procure him a post under the government . But Omar , who was devoted to Epicurean indulgences , and averse from toil and care , thanking his friend , declined his proffered services ; and all that the vizir could prevail on him to accept was an annual pension of 1 , 200 ducats

on the revenue of Nishaboor , whither he retired to spend his days in ease and tranquillity . 77 ie case was different with Hassan . During the ten years' reign of Alp Arslan he kept aloof from the vizir , living in obscurity , and probably maturing his plans for the future . But when the

young prince Malek Shah ( King King ) mounted the throne he saw that his time was come . He suddenly appeared at the court of the new monarch , and waited on the powerful vizir . The story is thus told by the vizir himself in his work entitled Wasaya ( Political Institutes ) , whence it is given by Mirkhond : —

"He came to me at Nishaboor in the year that Malek Shah , having got rid of Kaward , had quieted the troubles which his rebellion had caused . I received him with the greatest honours , and performed , on my part , all that could be expected from a man who is a faithful

observer of his oaths , and a slave to the engagements which he has contracted . Each day I gave him a new proof of my friendship , and I endeavoured to satisfy his desires . lie said to me once : ' Kojah ( master ) , you are of the number of the learned and virtuous ; you know that the

goods of this world are but an enjoyment of little duration . Do you then think that you will be permitted to fail in your engagements by letting yourself be seduced by the attractions of greatness and the love ofthe world ? and will you be of the number of those who violate the contract

made with God I' ' Heaven keep me from it !' replied I . 'Though you heap honours upon me , ' continued he , ' and though you pour upon me benefits without number , you cannot be ignorant that that is not the way to perform what we once pledged ourselves to respecting each other . ' 'You

are right , said I , ' and I am ready to satisfy you in what I promised . All that 1 possess of honour and power , received from my fathers or acquired by myself , belongs lo you in common with me . ' I then introduced him into the society of the

sultan , I assigned him a rank and suitable titles , and I related to the prince all that had formerly passed between him and me . I spoke in terms of such praise of tlie extent of his knowledge , of his excellent qualities and good morals , that he obtained the rank of minister and of a

confidential man . But he was , like his father , an impostor , a hypocrite , one who knew how to impose , and a wretch . He so well possessed thc art of covering himself with an exterior of probity and virtue that in a little time he completely

gained the mind of the sultan , and inspired him with such confidence that that prince blindly followed his advice in most of those affairs of a greater and more important nature which required good faith and sincerity , and he was nhvnvs decided bv his opinion . I have said all

Ancient And Modern Mysteries.

this to let it be seen that it was I who had raised him to this fortune , and yet , by an effect of his bad character , there came quarrels between the sultan and me , the unpleasant result of which had like to have been that the good reputation and favour which I hacl enjoyed for

so many years were near going into dust and being annihilated ; for at last his malignity broke out on-a sudden , and the effects of his jealousy showed themselves in the most terrible manner in his actions and in his words . " ( To be continued . )

Leaves From My Library.

LEAVES FROM MY LIBRARY .

BY MARMADUKE MAKEPEACE . ( Continued from page 98 . ) Alamdde was perfectly concealed from all eyes by a thick bush , behind which he stood and gazed on Ipsiboe with an intense and increasing surprise . More than once , as he observed the whimsical

absurdity of her equipment and her gestures , he was about to indulge in that loud mirth which the vivacity and levity of his temper made it difficult to repress . At this moment Ipsibo . addressed the Grand Master of the Templars , and her words reached the

youth distinctly . " Noble Duke , " said she , " we must separate : the eagle of Citeaux ( a ) awaits me . I have business too with Abelard ; the letter of Foulqucs , King of Jerusalem , requires a prompt reply ; the fair Alice ( li ) , daughter of the Count of Champagne , has sent to me to meet her on the

banks of the Durance ; and you know that I must confer this very night with the Nuncio of Alexander . The Anti-pope Victor ( e ) must" "Hush , " interrupted the Grand Master : "in these days of usurpation and sacrilege , there are no solitudes so secret where spies may not have

intruded . Victor IV . governs at Rome ; his eyes are upon us , and acknowledged by the clergy" " But not acknowledged by Heaven , " cried Ipsiboe' energetically . " What matters the decision of an insignificant portion of the earth ? The falsely

crowned idol shall fall broken and destroyed from his throne , like the statue of Dagon at the feet of the Archpriest of Israel . " " Let as quit so dangerous a topic , " rejoined the Templar , in a low tone ; " who can say that , among those who now surround us , there may not be

traitors concealed ? "Are not all the soldiers in your train initiated ?" asked the Lady of thc Morass ; " are they not all noble adepts ofthe Grand Order ? and are they not all enlightened regenerators—all Invisibles ?" " Doubtless they are : ancl thc book of life" id )

" Then by our statutes they must look , but not sec ; hear , but not understand ; obey , but not inquire . " " They have sworn to these things upon thc holy rood : they know that no traitor can escape death . Nevertheless"

" Enough , Duke . Let us walk in thc way pointed out by Heaven , and let no puerile fears obstruct us . The lists arc open ; let us boldly to thc attack . I will elevate my voice to Heaven , and none shall understand who is not especially called to comprehend mc . As the monsters of the Euphrates

tied formerly from my sight , so the powers inimical to liberty shall now fall before me . " This singular rhapsody of religious enthusiasm and worldly politics , of holy allusions ancl warlike exhortations , excited thc youth ' s surprise to the

highest pitch . "What reply shall I give to the Great Council ?" replied the Templar . "Shall thc man whom we expect appear ?" "I have promised you shall shortly see him . " "Let us pray that the Prince"

" Prayers will not suffice : Heaven requires actions also . Will it be satisfied merely with zeal for the cause ? Christian princes govern , and powerful religious orders extend their domination throughout Europe , yet the infamous sect of Bruys spreads over our realm , ancl increases under our very eyes . "

"What can we oppose to them ? The factions which divide our unhappy Provence deprive us of the strength necessary to combat at once the Usurper , thc Toulousians , the Antipapists , the partisans of Berenger , the Imperialists , the Republicans , and thc Heretics . " "The Invisibles are numerous ; their members arc

everywhere : in the very ranks of the enemy they have friends , agents , and soldiers . In a civil war it is better to have twenty small factions to attack than a linn and single phalanx to disunite—than one enemy only to conquer . " "But we lack a head—a Bozon . Let the true monarch but show himself"

( a ) St . Ucrn . ird . ( I >) This Alice was afterwards Queen of France , and the third wife of Louis VII . ( c ) Victor Amadous , who afterwards resigned his pretentions to the triple crown . ( To be continued ) .