R.W. Bro. Hugh David Sandeman, P.D.G. Master Of Bengal.

in appreciation of his Masonic work—a compliment rarely paid in such a mannfr . We cannot br-tter conclude this sketch of ihe Masonic career of our distinguished brother than by giving a brief outline of his offk'al career in Ind * a . He joined the Bengal Civil Service in the year 1844 , and after

s » rvng as As'istant and Joint Magistrate at different stations , he went to Engl nd on furlough from 1854 to 1857 . and on his return here , was appointed Collector of Jaunpore . He was subsequently appointed Accountant-General , Punjab ; Sub-Treasurer , Madras ; Accountant-General , B-r gal ; and ComptroUer-G-neral and Chief Commissioner of Paper Currency , from which last office he retired on pension in March 1873 .

It is now three-and-twenty years since Bro . Sandeman has left India , and during the whole of this time , he has been and is still , though advanced in years , an active and zealous worker in the Craft , the interests of whkh he has thoroughly at heart . Let us hope that we may , for many years to come , still have the benefit of his vast and varied-experience extended over a period of forty-seven years . "

Freemasonry And The Great Pyramid.

FREEMASONRY AND THE GREAT PYRAMID .

BY H . R . SHAW . ( Continued from page ij , vol . xxxii . j II . —SauARE AND COMPASSES . We will now proceed to consider a few of the symbols used in Freemasonry , and which , as we have already promised , will be found to be used also by the architect of the Great Pyramid to elucidate the lessons which he places before mankind . Prominent among these symbols we find that of the square and

compasses the first and universal emblem and , so to speak , trade mark of Freemasonry . We cannot , of course , make any attempt at explaining what Masonic virtues lie hidden wiihin their folds ; we may quite accept our author's statement that they do illustrate good morals , as well they may , for as implements of operative Masonry they are unquestionably necessary to the production of sound , well-built stone edifices , and thus seem to offer but little scope for any very deeply mysterious teaching .

But looking a little more closely at the matter we may perceive that they are always deliniated in conjunction , and are so arranged as to form a geometrical figure of peculiar proportions , for whereas the square is an implement , aKvays rigidly fixed at an angle of 90 degrees , the compasses , being subject to the will of the operator , are usmlly found placed across the squire and op- ned to an angle of about 60 degrees more or less , and thus inevit-ibly suggesting the circle wilh the equilateral triangle that may be formed upon its radius .

Now if this square and compasses be thus the universal emblem and seal of Freemasonry , it is equally certain that it forms the beginning and ending and the universal seal of the building of the Great Pyramid , as may be discovered by even the most casual observer , notwithstanding that this does not seem to have been noticed by anyone until the late John Taylor , of Gower-street , London , made the discovery , some 40 years ago , that the

Pyramid ' s height , in the original condition of the monument , when each of its four sloping triangular sides were made into a perfect plane by means of the polished outer surface of the casing-stones , was to twice the breadth of its square base as the diameter to the circumference of a circle ; or as has been shown more recently the area of the Great Pyramid ' s right section—that is , of a cut right through the centre , parallel to one of the sides of the horizontal

base , is to the area of the base as I to 3 " 1415 , & c , which last number , as is well known , is the best simple arithmetical expression that can be given for the proportion between diameter and circumference , or the simple squaring of the circle . This same fact admits of being differently and perhaps moie felicitously stated in saying that the vertical height of the Great Pyramid is the radius of a theoretical circle , the length of whose curved

circumference is equal to the sum of the lengths of the four straight sidis of the actual and practical square base of the building . And in th's last statement we may doubtless read the real genesis of the building . The architfct with his compasses ruled a circle which was afterwards to be moulded into four-square shape by his square , and from whence sluuld arise a four-faced pyramid reaching to a height equivalent to the opening of his compasses or the radius of his circle .

But we need not look so deeply into the building as did John Taylor and others following , for , as already intimated , the square and compasses appear so plainly there as to be almost palpable , as we have said , even to the casual observer . Viewing the Great Pyramid upon its low hill at the border of the desert , or even looking at its pictorial representation , the squareness of its

base is taken for granted while either ot its four faces presents an accurate delineation of a pair of compasses naturally reposing thereon and opened to an angle of just about sixty degrees ; the faces are not quite equilateral triangles , since the bases are notably longer than the isosceles—but this is scarcely perceptible to the eye .

It is worthy of remark , and may here be repeated , that it is only the Great Pyramid of all the great pyramidal buildings in Egypt which is possessed of the circle-squaring property . True it is that all the others , being mere imitations , have square bases and triangular faces , and some of them even get a near approach to the original shape , but as Piazzi-Smyth remarks , " the ability of head is wanting" in their construction , and they are evidently ihe work of men supremely ignorant of this truly ancient mystery of square and compasses .

It is not only in the shape of the building that we perceive these remarkable symbols of Freemasonry . The geographical situation of the Great Pyramid is as unique as the building- itself , for it is placed upon the brow and close 10 the extreme edge of a flat-topped hill 130 feet in height , which overlooks the entire land of Lower Egypt , containing the delta of the great river Nil ? . Now Lower Egypt , as may be known , is of a sector shape , 0

being , indeed , almost accurately a quarter of a circle , whose 90 angle resides verv near to the centre of the Great Pyramid , as a glance at the map of Egypt makes evidr nt , and whrse two straight sides fairly coincide with the low ranges of desert hill- ; bounding the d « Ita landwards , while the quadrant line which compl < tes ihe figure is forrmd by the coast-line of the Mediterranean Sea , extending in a uniform average curve from near Alexandria to beyond Port

baid . HTC , ihen , we have ihe square and compasses symbol in full play , coupled with a kev t" the solution of a most remarkable enigma rontained in our Masonic friends' Volume of the S . icred Law ( Isa . xix . 19 ) , which tells of an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt , and a pillar at the border thereof ; for since the building coincides exactly with the sectorial centre of the land of Lower E gypt , it must be , as pointed out by

Freemasonry And The Great Pyramid.

Mr . Henry Mitchell , United States hydrographer , at one and the same time both at the border thereof and in its quasi middle , or just as was to be the altar and pillar spoken of by the prophet Isaiah as being destined also to be for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the idolatrous land of Egypt . It will now be possible , or indeed necessary , to go through the interior of the Great Pyramid in order to prove how this circle-squaring problem

aopears and re-appears therein with varied illustration . Past volumes of the Banner contain much information to the curious upon this point , as do also the several treatises already mentioned . But our Masonic friends might be usefully reminded that the architect has not plied his square and compasses solely for the purpose of producing picturesque sections of circles which might only convict him of " triviality . " No I the first of Ivs circles was undoubtedly the

circumference of the round world , and the next was its orbit ; and with inches derived hirmoniously from the axis of rotation of that round world he proceeded to set out his ground plan for this circle-squaring building , in terms 100 inches for each apparent revolution of the earth during the complete course of the second circle or orbit around the sun ; or it may be , of course , the he means us to read in the perimeter of his square base , 36 , 524 inches ,

the number of days in one century , at the rate of one inch for one day ; or as Piazzi-Smyth has it also , the number of sacred cubits of 25 inches contained in one base side is equal to 3 65 * 24 , or the number of days in one solar year And this again is precisely what the other Egyptian Pyramids know nothing at all about , and can tell nothing , test them by what standard we will . —The Banner .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF ESSEX .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held in the Corn Exchange , Chelmsford , on Wednesday evening , the Sth inst ., the Presiding Officer being Comp . Frederick A . Philbrick , Q . C , Grand Registrar , Grand Superintendent . There was a large attendance of the Craft , and the companions fully appreciated the arrangements made for their comfort , heartily recognising and appreciating the kindly services of Comp .

Andrew Durrant and Comp . T . J . Railing , Prov . G . S . E . The report showed that there was a balance in hand of ^ 23 17 s . 5 d . The roll of chapters in the province remains at 11 , with a membership of 289 against 280 ^ last year . There have been during the year 32 exaltations , and five joining members ; the resignations have been 24 , deaths three , excluded one . Ten guineas was voted to charity .

The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT , in the course of his address , congratulated the brethren upon maintaining their efficiency , numerically and financially . He had a word or two to say of those who had " passed away , " particularly referring to Comp . Welch , who was so horribly murdered at Colchester . He was a very thoughtful and earnest Mason , and who had assisted at the consecration of a chapter , his address on that occasion being

greatly appreciated . Others who had gone over to the majority were Comps . George Cooper , of Brentwood , and Vaux , of Harwich , both worthy and zealous Masons . On the motion of Comp . VERO W . TAYLOR , P . P . G . H ., seconded by Comp . J . P . LEU IN , P . P . G . S . N ., Comp . Andrew Durrant was re-elected for the 12 th time Prov . Grand Treasurer .

The following were elected members of the Provincial Board of General Purposes : Comps . G . H . Finch , P . Z . 2005 , P . P . G . J . ; John J . C . Turner , P . Z . 51 , P . P . G . J . ; and Francis A . White , P . Z . 1437 , P . P . G . J . The officers installed and duly invested by the Grand Superintendent were :

Comp . A . C . Durrant , M . E . Z . 276 ... ... Prov . G . H . „ J . Glass , M . E . Z . ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ Thos . J . Railing , P . Z . and S . E . 51 , P . G . S . B . Eng . ( i 2 th year ) ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ A . S . B . Sparling , P . Z . qi ... ... Prov . G . S . N .

„ H . C . Jones , H . 214 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ VV . T . Warner , M . E . Z . 2005 ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ F . H . Meggy , H . 276 ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ James Speller , H . 2255 ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S .

,, G . ] . Glasscock , H . 1000 ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ M . T . Tuck , J . 1437 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . ,, A . Lucking , P . Z . and Treas . 1000 , P . A . G . D . C . Eng . ( 12 th year ) ... ... Prov . G . D . C .

„ Joseph Sadler , J . 102 4 ... ... Prov . Asst . G . D . C . „ Clement Spurgeon , Org . 453 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . W . Knight , M . E . Z . 2250 ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . ,, A . W . Martin ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . The banquet followed at the White Hart Hotel . A selection of vocal music was commendahly rendered hy Comps . Herbert Schartau and Albert James .

Secret Societies And Secret Tribunals.

SECRET SOCIETIES AND SECRET TRIBUNALS .

Chambers' Journal for last week has an interesting article on Secret Societies , commencing with the Order of Knight Templars , which , founded in 1119 , was suppressed in 1314 , when it ceased to exist as an Order of Chiv a lry . The writer traces the existence of the several societies down to the Rosicrucians , which after the Company of Troubadours he considers 1 lie most attractive Secret Society of which there is any record .

"It was theiis to invest the debased art of alchemy with a fantastic charm , none the less graceful because it was unreal . They were very closely connected with the Troubadours , holding th ; * Komaunt of the Rose' as the epic of their order . Their professed aim was tlu restoration of the ' sciences '—that is , alchemy and astrology—to their true spheres . Their tenets and ceremonies were of the most graceful and poetical descri ption ,

very different from the stern Vehmic code and the crude mummery of other secret societies . Their beliefs were worthy of their general character . Boldly and unreservedly , they denied the grotesque horrors of monkisi theology—there was no witchcraft or sorcery ; incubus and succubus ha I no existence ; the unseen world was peopled , not with horned devils and dismal

spectres , but with beautiful spirits , loving mankind . It is to them that we owe nearly all lh ¦ folklore of ancient Germany—of the gnomes which toil in the mines , of the legend of Undine , ofthe sylphs which inhabit the air . Hie sect spread into Scotland and Sweden and throughout all Europe . '' gradually became merged in the Craft of Freemasons . "

This is true in ihe sense that many members of the Masonic Fraternity are also members of the Rosicrucian Society of England , but it forms no pad of the system recognised as English Freemasonry .