The Mystic Beauties Of Freemasonry.

in Jerusalem , whose beauty and proportion astonished all beholders . Prior to that time all offered up their prayers and sacrifices to the Deity according to the dictates of their hearts , and the custom of the country where they lived , which was

generally East and West . The rising and the setting of the sun first led our ancient philosophers to the study of astronomy , AVIIO worshipped the sun as one of their deities , as being the giver of vegetable and vital heat—offered their oblations to the East , toward the rising sun , and supplications to the West , or setting sun .

THE THKEE PIILARS . The universe is the temple of the Deity whom Ave serve . Wisdom , Strength and Beauty are about his throne , as pillars of his Avorks—for his wisdom is infinite , his strength is in omnipotence ,

and beauty stands forth throughout all his creation in symmetry and order . He has stretched forth the leaves as a canopy ; the earth he has planted for his foo ' c-stool ; he crowneth the temple Avith the stars , as with a diadem , and in his hand he

extendeth the power and glory ; the sun and moon are messengers of his will , and all his laAvs are concord . The pillars supporting a Mason ' s Lodge . are said to be emblems of these divine powers .

JACOB ' S LADDER . The croAvning of the lodge is the celestial hemisphere ; and Freemasons hope to arrive at the dominions of bliss by this allegorical assistance of Jacob ' s Ladder , one part of Avhich [ rested on the

earth , and the other extended to heaven , on which angels were ascending and descending ; those ascending carried the oblations of gratitude to the throne of grace ; those descending dispensed the mercies of Providence to the whole creation .

This ladder , symbolical of the nature of man—his body earthly , but his soul heavenly and divine—¦ was shown to Jacob in a vision , to remind him that he could never obtain its summit but by a strict adherence to the laAvs and commands of the

Almighty—Avhich Avould not only prove a . source of earthly blessings , but enable him to return to his Father ' s house in peace and plenty ; which in process of time Avas fully veiiiied . In an emblematic sense this ladder may be considered as

resting upon the Holy Bible ; for by paying implicit obedience to the doctrines contained in that holy volume , we are convinced by promises incontrovertible , more solid than the earth , more

The Mystic Beauties Of Freemasonry.

permanent than the heavens , that , by a steadfast faith in well doing , a continual hope , and a heart replete with charity and benevolence , Ave shall finally attain the summit of that ladder , metaphorically speaking , the dominions of bliss , and the mansions of pure delight . —Pomeroy's Democrat .

Masonic Jottings, No. 84.

MASONIC JOTTINGS , No . 84 .

BY A PAST PROVINCIAL GEAND MASTER . SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF LETTERS . Suppose letters , relating to Masonic matters , purporting to be written by the Provincial Grand

Masters appointed for Hamburg , 1733 , 1737 , 1741 , or the Provincial Grand Master apppointed for Upper Saxony , 1737 , should be discovered in the archives of the Grand Lodge of England , the law would presume such letters to be authentic . OPERATIVE AND NON-OPERATIVE MASONS .

16 TH CENTURY . A correspondent thinks that in the 16 fch century the operative and and non-operative masons formed two distinct grades or classes in our lodges . He likens them to commoners and gentlemen commoners in our universities .

MASONRY . Masonry is a part of the human mind . The brother who asserts that there was a time when Masonry did not exist , asserts that there Avas a time Avhen man did not exist .

SINGING CF THE STARS . An imaginative correspondent Avrites that Pythagoras and Shakespeare tell of the Singing of the Stars , and that both were Freemasons . As to Pythagoras a good deal will be found in our

periodical ; more will be added on a future day . As to Shakespeare the proof that he tells of the Singing of the Stars is at hand , * but where is the proof that he was a Freemason ?

RELIGION OP OUR FREEMASONRY . An enquirer should ascertain Avhat Avas the religion of our Freemasonry , first at the end of the 17 th century ; next , in 1717 ; thirdly , in 1723 , and