The Schoolmaster Abroad.

is not the case in itself , as all educationists know well , and therefore some explanation must be found for this evident unreliability of the returns per se as a test of actual education . In 1873 it seems that 18 8 per cent , of the men marrying made their

" marks , " and 25 * 4 per cent , of the women , while in 1874 , 17 ' 8 per cent , of the men aud 24 2 per cent of the women made their uiarks . Gratifying as the decrease is of the " marks , " of ignorance , or nervousness , or indifferenceas the case may be , in either

, sex , we hope and believe that succeeding years will show still more striking results , as a general unletteredness passes away , and education is happily universal among our true-hearted people .

The Origin And References Of The Hermesian Spurious Freemasonry.

THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY .

BY REV . GEO . OLIVER , D . D . ( Continued from page 148 . ) CHAPTER XII . THE REFERENCE TO A TRIAD OE DEITY .

"The Monad is there first where the paternal Monad subsists . The Monad is extended which generates two . The mind of the Father said that all tilings should be out into three . His will assented , and immediately all things were cut . The mind of the Eternal Father said into three , governing all things by mind . The Father mingled every spirit from this Triad . All things are governed in the bosoms of this Triad . All things are governed and subsist in these three . "—ORACLES OF ZOROASTEK .

IN speculating on the religious customs and ceremonies of ancient heathen nations , we are obliged to wander in darkness ; and the conclusions to which we arrive are necessarily the result of analogy and conjecture rather than of sober argument

founded on certain and intelligible data . Modern discovery amongst the monuments of Egypt has thrown considerable light upon the civil affairs of that people , which contributes materially to illustrate their knowled ge of the arts and sciencesand the

, practices and enjoyments of domestic and social life ; but on the abstruse doctrines ° f their religion we have still much to learn .

While such able and talented scholars as Bishop Warburton , Sir William Jones , Maurice , Bryant , Faber , Bishop Tomline , and other writers of equal eminence , cannot agree on the construction and reference of the heathen triads , where are we to look

for light to guide us through the mazes of this difficult inquiry ? One supposes that they were derived from some mutilated tradition of a trinity which prevailed in the earliest ages of the world , and was known to mankind before the dispersion

from Shinar , when they lived together in society as one great family , with the patriarch Noah at its head as their prophet , priest , and king . Others dissent from this supposition , and maintain that it is little short of blasphemy to class the Christian

Trinity with the impure triads which prevailed amongst the heathen , and not to be tolerated for a moment . Of the latter opinion was Sir William Jones and Mr . Faber , both of them learned , talented , and wise ; and amongst those who favour the

former theory , Bishop Tomline and Mr . Maurice may be mentioned , and they occupy a prominent situation in the ranks of theological literature . Under these circumstances this great question must remain undecided ; aud every reader will form his own conclusions while I endeavour to

explain the reference to a triad of deity which is contained in the hieroglyphic before us . The figure is furnished with a human head . This is an instance of symbolical combination which does not often occur on

the Egyptian monuments , except in their sphinxes , emblematical of strength and wisdom , and also of regeneration , a doctrine which the Egyptians are said to have derived from the patriarchal religion . * The body of the sphinx was that of a lion with the head of a man ; and it was consequently

a symbol of those deities who united the attributesof wisdom and strength in their own person . Some have wings , and others not . The Theban sphinx has the head and bosom of a girl , the claws of a lion , the body of a dog , the tail of a dragonand the wings of

, a bird . The Egyptian sphinx has two sexes , and are found with human hands armed with crooked nails , with beards ; the Persea plant upon the chin ; horses' tails