Curious Old Attack On Freemasonry.

the foundation of a tower , like that of Babel , to scale the heavens , ancl take the dimensions of every one of them to an inch . Paracelsas , Avho Ai as as errant a Free-Mason as Adam , or any of his posterity , says , the miscarriage of the grand design in building tho tower

of Babel , Avas not OAving to the confusion of languages , but to too glib a tongue , Aidiencc hajjpens the mistake in the translation from the Chaldee copy of the Avord languages for tongues ; for one of the most expert Avorkmen in that grand fabric , being iu bod Avith his Avife , who had scolded him severely that

night , on a sudden fell a laughing , thinking on the great design they Avere about ; Avhereupon his Avife Avaking suddenly demanded the reason of that laughter Avhich Avaked her form her rest ; the poor ingenious Ercemason , Avho stood iu awe of this termagant , at her incessant importunity at last

confessed the secret ; that he had entered into combination Avith the rest of the builders of Babel to carry on that Avork until it should reach to heaven , and he ivas laughing Avithin himself to think how one day he should give her tho slip ; for they all designed when that Avas finished , to make tho best of their way to heaven and leave all their ivives

below to shift for themselves on earth , since Eve had j . hvyed their lather Adam such a slippery trick as to betray him out of Paradise , he had loft it in charge to his male posterity to return the iavour the first opportunity ; and this they had bound themselves UOAV by an oath of socerecy to

perform . The next morning the Avhole camp rung with the discovery , and the confederate body of Eree-Masons broke up in such confusion , that they understood not one another but by signs and tokens to depart ; and so they left their tools behind . Now the learned do agree , those signs remain among accepted Masons even to this day . And

this is consonant to Avhat the ingenious doctor in his remarks , speaking of the laAVS , forms , and usuages of the respective societies of Eree-Masons , seems to hint about their confusion , Avhen he says , but neither what Avas conveyed , nor tire manner hoiv , can be communicated by Avriting , as no man can

indeed understand it Avithout the key of a fellow-craft . Our learned author of the Constitutions , like a true author oi uncertainties , vorv learnedly asserts that the laws and cluvr"os of Eree-Masons had been seen and perused by King Henry the Sixth and his

honourable council , Avho alloAved them as they bad been draivn out and collected from the records of ancient times . Now had he produced one of the style of that king ' s reign , or referee ! the reader to tho paper office hi Whitehalltho Kemembrancer ' s office at

, Westminster , or tho records in the ToAver , some notice might have been taken of his labours ; but instead of that , takes great pains to let us kuoAv they Avere then deemed as rebels , felons , A agrants , & c , indeed there Avas due notice taken of labouring masons to

compel them to Avork at moderate prices in that king ' s reign . The same author Avould gladly insinuate into us the belief of King Charles theSecond being an accepted Free-Mason , barely upon this consideration , that he Avas a great

encourager of tho crafts-men ; and likeAvise says , that King William the Third Avas by most reckoned a Free-mason , but knoAvs nothing of the matter himself ; from hence it is plain Avhat mighty stress is to be laid on their records of ancient times , Aidien they cannot inform us truly of Avhat Avas so lately

done ; as if tivo such famous kings of our OAvn nation could lie admitted Eree-Masons and no record made thereof in any of their famous lodges . Who Avas Grand Master of the Grand Lodge at that time ? Or Avhy one or other of those princes , honouring

thorn Avith becoming a member of the ancientest society in the Avorld , should not accept of , or at least be complimented Avith , the title of Grand Master . But I am Aveary of this subject until better authority prompts me to pursue it . FIMIS .

BRO . ARCHIBALD C . CAMPBELL has been elected M . P . for the county of KenfreAV ( in place of tho Bt . Hon . Mr . Bruce , Avho has been advanced to the Peerage ) , by amajority of 178 Azotes . LODGE PRAYER . —It Avas the custom of

the . Druids to open and close their bardic circles Avith a formula of prayer , tho words of ivhieh have been preserved , and Avould form a beautiful formula to be adopted by Masonic Lodges for the same purpose . The prayer is as follcnvs : " 0 God , grant

us Thy protection ; and with protection , strength ; and Avith strength , discretion ; and Avith discretion , justice ; and Avith justice , loA e ; and Avith love , the love of God ; and with love of God , the love of all living things . "—Maekey ' s National Freemason .