Celestial Pseudo-Freemasonry.

familiar pigtail , was bitterly resented . Time , however , cures most things , and the Chinaman of the present day is as proud of his pigtail as his ancestors were of their flowing hair . This , notwithstanding an undercurrent of political antagonism to the new dynasty , has ever since existed , and to this fact may be attributed many of the numerous rebellions which have

devastated the empire for the past two centuries . The origin of the Tian T i Hwei was not , however , coincident with the fall of the Mings . Thirty-six years after the Ching dynasty had been firmly established , the country was invaded by the Eleuth Tartars , a tribe hostile to that whose chiefs had seated themselves upon the throne . The Government , becoming somewhat

pushed , a sturdy band of priests , 128 in number , volunteered to meet and disperse the invaders . This , mainly by strategy , they did successfully , but naturally aroused considerable jealousy amongst the entourage of the Court-Their destruction , as a possible danger to the throne , was determined upon , and the old records thus tell the story : —

The reigning Emperor Kanghi , was a man of considerable character , and fully sensible of the services which the . priests had rendered to the throne . A mandarin named Kun Tat had been appointed " Commissioner " of the brigade , and being greatly respected , his connection with the priests gave them a considerable status in the eyes of the public . Kun Tat ,

however , being an honest man , had incurred the enmity of two other officials abput the Court , and they determined to ruin him . To this end they carefully impressed upon Kanghi that Kun Tat , having obtained immense influence over the priests , was secretly taking measures to overthrow the dynasty . They advocated the destruction of the priests and the execution

of Kun Tat . It was , however , pointed out that any attempt to use open force might be unsuccessful , so treachery was decided upon . One of the hostile officials suggested that the Emperor should send him as an Imperial messenger to the priests' monastery with a gift of wine , his escort being also

provided with " Sulphur , Saltpetre , Gunpowder , and all kinds of Combustibles , " together with a red scarf for Kun Tat as a sign that he was to strangle himself . Matters being so arranged the messenger and escort duly set out and in due course arrived at the monastery .

Here they were received by the Abbot with all due ceremony and respect . The priests were delighted at the Imperial gift and all parties later in the day assembled in the large Hall and took their seats preparatory to tasting the wine , the jar containing which was then opened . Suddenly , however , a curious thing occurred . A peculiar odour became

perceptible , and the Abbot felt that something was amiss . Snatching up a magic sword bequeathed to the monastery by its founder , he plunged it into the liquid , when a dense mephiticj vapour spread through the hall almost overpowering all who inhaled it . Cursing the treacherous envoy and seizing him before he could call in his companions the priests struck oil

his head and broke the wine jar in pieces . But as they turned to rush out and dispose of the escort they were paralysed to see that the monastery and mountain side were all ablaze . The " Sulphur and Combustibles " had been put to their intended use and the priests , locked in the building and surrounded by a ring of fire , were almost all burned to death . Eighteen

only , who managed to secure the magic sword and seal of the founder got into the inner hall , and prostrating themselves before the image of Buddha implored his protection . This was accorded and certain roads of

escape became visible , along which the eighteen survivors hurried away from the burning pile . It should be mentioned that Kun Tat was not then residing in the monastery but at some distance away , where the second envoy found him and had him duly strangled with the red scarf .

The wandering eighteen priests were not fated to all get safely away . On the day following their escape they fell in with a party of Government troops , and being unarmed were compelled to fly before them . There was

no safety anywhere , and after undergoing shocking privations , thirteen of their number perished of cold and hunger . The remaining five kept together , and meditated revenge for the ungrateful and dastardly manne in which their own and their companions' services had been rewarded .

One day , as the legend goes , while strolling by a river near the place of their retreat , they perceived a vase-shaped censer floating down the stream . This they secured , and on opening it found engraved upon its bottom " Overturn the Ching and restore the Ming . " It furthermore contained a " Book of Fate . " While engaged in discussing these auguries , which plainly

pointed to revenge upon their perfidious Government , they were surrounded by soldiers , who attempteJ to capture them ; but , armed with the talismans described , they succeeded in cutting their way through them and escaped . A noble lady in the neighbourhood gave them shelter , and their ranks were recruited by five horse-dealers , who promised to assist them in their projects

for avenging their wrongs . I he priests , ho . vever , were still sought for by the Government troops . At length they made their escape to the " Dragon and Tiger mountain , " where they met the five "Tiger Generals , " who sympathised with their troubles , promising to raise troops for their assistance . An ex-minister named Tan Kin-Lam , who had also been driven from

power by the corrupt machinations of the ruling clique , here joined them and their standard was rapidly recruited , 107 men offering themselves the same day . The five priests were appointed generals of the little army , which rapidly swelled to large proportions , the Commander-in-Chief of the whole force being Ban Lung . He is described by the chroniclers as

having been " nine feet high , with a face like a large hand basin . His head was as large as a peck measure , and he had enormous red whiskers and hair . He was armed with two large maces , and his strength was equal to that of 10 , 000 ordinary men . " Portets appeared in the heavens , and the

confederation assumed thenameof Hung , or " Universal , " the term " Hung League" being a third name by which the Hwei is known , and adopted as their motto— "Obey Heaven and walk righteously . " Before long the newlyformed army brought the Imperial troops to battle , and utterly defeated

Celestial Pseudo-Freemasonry.

them . Ill-fortune , however , attended the rebel army in the loss of its General , Ban Lung . He again led his troops against an Imperalist force , but in the course of the engagement his horse stumbled on some rock y ground and threw his rider , who fell dead , uttering a single groan . His followers managed to secure his body ^ and although demoralised by the

loss of their leader , managed to cut their way through the encompassing ranks of the enemy , and get safely into camp . The Grand Master , Kin Lam , however , who had foreseen the catastrophe by his powers of divination , told his followers not - to be disheartened . " We cannot , " he said " restore the dead . The best we can do is to cremate his body and bury

the ashes at the foot of the mountain . They were accordingly deposited in an octagonal plot of ground lying at the foot of a twelve-peaked hill . A nine storey pagoda was erected in front of the grave , and a memorial tombstone was erected bearing six characters . This duty performed , the little army resumed its former discipline .

It was , nevertheless , pretty evident that a small body of rebels , such as were the founders of the Hung League , could do but little against the numerous troops which the Imperialists could bring to bear . The principal chief thereupon decided , after conference with the other leaders , to recommend a policy which , for the time , would leave active aggression out of the

programme . Each member of the little army was directed to return to his own province , in disguise if possible , there to enlist as many followers willing to aid the cause as possible . Before this step was finally taken , the Tien Ti-Hwei was established . It was divided into five banners or lodges , each in a different province or locality , certain verses , characters , and

passwords being chosen as the means of recognition between members , irrespective of their languages or dialects . It will thus be seen that the mother of the secret societies which now honeycomb the Chinese Empire ,- and have

proved so troublesome in our Eastern colonies , date back effectively onl y to 1664 , or to the reign of our Charles II . With its numerous offshoots , their passwords , ceremonies , & c , ' we shall deal in a story which will appear in our Christmas issue .

Consecration Of The Border Lodge, No. 2475

CONSECRATION OF THE BORDER LODGE , No . 2475

The above lodge was consecrated on Tuesday afternoon , the 10 th inst ., by the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . The new lodge is to be held at the White Hart , near Blackwater Station , a very handsome and suitable room having been erected from the designs of Bro . G . W . Webb .

The consecration was attended by a large number of brethren , and the solemn service was most impressively performed by the Provincial Grand Master , assisted by the Chaplain and other Provincial Grand Officers . After the consecration and the installation of Bro . Capt . Manders as the first W . M ., and the investiture of the other officers , the brethren sat down to a recherche repast , provided by Bro . Ellis . The W . M . presided , and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured .

In proposing " The W . M . and Success to the Border Lodge , " the PROV . GRAND MASTER said he had no , doubt the lodge would prove an advantage to the Craft in that locality , and that it would do much to promulgate the noble principles of Freemasonry throughout the fair province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight . In addition to the P . G . M ., the following Prov . Grand Officers vrtre

present : Bros . Lefeuvre , D . P . G . M . ; Major Newcome , P . S . G . W . ; Henry Durrant , P . J . G . W . ; the Rev . F . Whyley , sen ., P . G . Chap . ; the Rev . C . E . Crowley , P . G . Chap . ; J . VV . Gieve , P . G . T . ; Edgar Goble , P . G . S . ; George Ward , P . S , G . D . ; W . M . Outridge , P . J . G . D . ; C . VV . Wyatt , P . G . S . of W . ; E . F . Crouch , P . G . D . C . ; F . S . Shaw , P . A . G . D . C . ; S . Round , P . G . Org . ; W . F . Blake , P . A . G .

Purst . ; H . A . Ashdown , P . G . Stwd . ; j . H . Goldney , P . G . D . ; J . Mitchell , P . D . G . D . C ; J . Exell , P . G . Tyler ; Major Oswald Ball . W . M . 18 99 ; J . Brown , W . M . 2043 ; Allingham , W . M . 723 ; G . W . Webb , P . P . A . G . Sec . Berks . ; G . Williams , P . P . G . Purst ., the Rev . R . Humble , P . P . G . Chap ., R . Bunce , J . Webb , S . W ., and J . W . Littleboy , J . W ., all of 2317 ; F . J . Lawes , 2043 ; W . H . Kidgell , 1101 ; T . C . L . Leverett ; E . Farrell ; Elms ; H . Leman , P . M ., and Bateman , P . M . 723 ;

and the following founders | of the lodge : Bros . Captain Manders , W . M . ; Col . Cooper King , LP . M . ; D . G . Norman , S . W . ; Dr . Russell , J . W . ; J . Mc Clinchy , Treas . ; W . G . Shaw , Sec . ; F . Baker , S . D . j J . D . Craig , J . D . ; the Rev . R . Humble , Chap . ; R . T . Webb , F . C . Norman , T . Martin , D . Sparvell , T . Sawyer , and J . Ellis . Several brethren sent apologies for their absence , including the Mayor of Reading , Bro . J . W . Martin , Prov . G . Sec . for Berks , who wrote wishing the lodge every success .

LORD VERUI . / WI , FRANCIS BACON . —The famous lawyer , statesman , and philosopher . Pope terms him , as some of us will remember , ' the wisest , brightest , meanest of mankind . " He was born in 1561 , and died at Highgate in 1626 . We need not follow his political career , as it does not consort with these pages . The point of contact between Freemasonry and Francis Bacon is as follows , if any : He wrote in his retirement , and in his later years , a figurative and mystical work called "Nova Atlantis , " in which he makes much use of the

" Templum Salamonis . " It is possible that he may have been affected by a love of occult studies , as some were at that period ; but some writers like Nicholai seem to wish to see in this work a sort of sketch of and connection with Fieemasonry . We , however , doubt the fact very much . Nicholai ' s deductions are not warranted by any evidence which he adduces or has accumulated since he wrote , and we are inclined to think the supposed concordant symbolism accidental . It may be true , as Nicholai says , that E . Ashmole was ah astrologer , and attended regularly the revived astrologers '

annual meeting , and that he alludes to other astrologers . But when Ashmole talks of Freemasonry it is clearly as entirely distinct from any astrological confraternity , though the professors of the Hermetic art may have had their secret organisation . Lord Verulam died in 1626 , E . Ashmole was made a Mason in 1646 , so that there can be no connection between the two . That Freemasonry in any way took its rise from Lord Verulam or Ashmole , or the " Nova Atlantis , " we hold to be critically unsound and historically untenable . —Kcnning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .