The Queen Of Sheba.

heads like Adam in fallen Ecieu , fancying , like the silly bird of fable , that our blindness is that of omniscience . Perhaps , again , we sec in this plain statement a warning against those systems by which men in every age have sought to evade a simple straightforward submission to the plainly revealed will of God . AAHiat they seek is to be saved on their own terms , and so they build up Babels as roads to heaven , motley structures of fact and falsehood , and and

theory s 3 * stem , welded into one inharmonious whole in so ingenious a fashion , that they have not the heart to expose their idol and their toy to the rough blow of criticism , which they know would scatter it at once to atoms . This is the case at the present day , au age when religion is so popular , when the profession of it is a matter of continual boast , and some sacrifices even arc really made for its sake—aud all the while the Hood of is well ni

ungodliness gh universal , steeping in stagnant worldliness millions of immortal souls , and only leaving the true inquirer after wisdom one or two cheering points on which to fasten bis aching cye . _ For _ the rest , he sees but the man of pleasure and of fashion making his reli gion minister to his artistic elegance and refined excitement . He sees the keen man of business striving to make a compact with his God , as impious as that of the robber chieftains who endowed

churches with their illgottcn gains , endeavouring , by his respectability and charity , and orthodoxy , his constant attendance at church , and bis occasional appearance at some religious or charitable meeting , to salve the rankling sense that there arc details of his trade or profession on which conscience does not dare to dwell . He sees the mass of mankind ; the multiplied units of the reliious worldthinking more of their

g , own souls , than of their God and Saviour ; bringing into their prayers that old self which they are always thinking about ; trying to get themselves saved ( hy God ' s help , as they say ) , though if they thought they could ' he saved without God's help , it would make little difference to them—blind to the glorious fact

that heaven is God—that in beholding in him the Ruler and Manager of this world , bringing good out of evil , blessing and guiding all things and people on earth , is the life of the soul ; for the soul would be worth nothing if there was uo God to glory in , no blessed Jesus in heaven to work for and delight in . "What marvel then that the wisdom of Solomon falls on deal

ears in such times as these . It would never be heard at all if it were only accessible on the same conditions as . in the case of the queen of the south : but we , brethren , have it daily brought before us in every holy ordinance and divine privilege which we are blessed , to enjoy . Every good word , every act of pious selfdenial and Christian charity , should teach us the lesson of Solomon . Nay , more—we have a clearer light and a more heavenl

y revelation—a greater than Solomon is here . In the full glories of the Christian dispensation , in the knowledge that unless we have faith in Christ , and unless all good works spring from that faith , our deeds arc as nothing in God ' s sight ; in exalting divine grace , and placing in its true light all human merit , our faith does most emphatically and vastly exceed the highest system and the clearest view ever vouchsafed to saint or prophet of the old dispensation . The true grace of God , ancl his mercy and love , are the acknowledged source of all that is good in us , and all that is good done by us . Our faith should drive from us all

pride , vain glory , and hypocrisy , for it makes God everything and us nothing . And yet , when wc look at the sad counterfeits of religion which prevail in the present day ; when we see men who ought , if they truly believe the principles they profess , to be united in all good works of godliness and charity—disunited and disheartened , because of the fearful want of Christian sympathy and love which they meet with among the men with whom they

are associated—and because of the tendency to seek for points of difference instead of those of agreement , and for excuses for schism , instead of means of binding up together in one body the members of Christ—the whole head is sick , and the whole heart faint . These petty jealousies , these reproaches , heart burnings , and malicious slanders are surely no part of the religion of love . They are earthl sensualdevilishthey proceed from that

y , , ; device of Satan which ruins so many souls hy making them take words for things , and . leading them to forget that the eye of Omniscience having witnessed , all , and the mind that embraces past , present , and future , with equal minuteness ancl equal certainty , having retained all—the sentence pronounced upon each child of Adam will be founded on complete and unerring knowled of what he has been and all that be has doneLittle will

ge . it then avail that the professors of relig ion have eaten and drunk m their Lord ' s presence , and taught , aye , though with the eloquence and popularity of an apostle , in his streets . By their irmts they will be known , though " we speak with the tongues of

men aud of angels , and have not chanty , we are but as soimdmg brass and a tinkling cymbal . " Brethren in Masonry : clearly beloved—whom I have been privileged to address already , thrice during the past year , I will not again urge at length those considerations which I have already striven under God to place before you , to the utmost of my feeble powers . If , as I hope and trust , you do really perceive and

appreciate the true value of the wisdom of Solomon , j-on will make your profession of Freemasonry a thing of deeds , not words ; you will strive to render onr Order indeed a guild of humble workers together ivith Gocl , striving above all things to spread in your respective localities the great Christian principles of "peace on earth , goodwill towards men , " not perplexing yourselves and injuring others by unseemlcontentions about points of party

y strife , but writing on your hearts the words of the prophet " He hath showed thee , O'man , what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee but / to do justice and to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy God . " And to you brethren , as dearly beloved , among whom I was born and bred , and with -whom I am connected by a link even

higher than that of Masonry , inasmuch as the message of our blessed Lord and Master is greater than the wisdom of Solomon . I beseech your prayers for our newly founded undertaking , that the blessing of the Most Hig h may rest upon it as erst upon the temple at Jerusalem , and make it an effectual handmaid of true pietyand charity among us . Pray for mc that I may be enabled at all times to speak in the spirit of true wisdom , fervent love , and

godly fear , and for ail who undertake the duties of our charitable association , that they may devote themselves to those duties in humble dependence upon the principles of true religion and godliness . Nor let us forget , while wc oiler onr prayers for a blessing on our future labours , to return our grateful thanks to the Almighty Ruler of the universe for favours alreadreceived . Let us make

y our offerings in his temple with a grateful heart , ancl join with one accord , in heart as well as voice , and say" I will sing unto the Lord a new song . O Lord , thou art great and glorious , wonderful in strength , ancl invincible . " Let all creatures serve thee , for thou sp-akest and they were made , thou didst send forth thy spirit and it created them , and there is none that can resist thy voice

. " Por the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters , the rocks shall melt as wax at thy presence , yet thou art merciful to them that fear thee . " Por all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savour unto thee , aud all the fat is not sufficient for thy burnt offering , but he that feareth the Lord is great at all times . "

The African Lodge.

THE AFRICAN LODGE .

IN the American Mirror and Keystone , we find a copy of tim original charter of the African Lodge of Boston , No . 4 . 59 , of which " the original , as it was received from London , is still preserved in the archives of the National Grand Lodge of Coloured Masons , at Boston , Mass . " It is as follows : — " A . G . M . To all and every our Right Worshipful and loving Brethren , we , Thomas Howard , Earl of Effingham , Lord Howard , Master under the of His

& c , & c , & c , Acting Grand authority Royal Highness Henry Frederick Duke of Cumberland , & c , & c , & c . Grand Master of the Most Antient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons , send greeting - . "Know ye , that we , at the humble petition of our right trusty and well beloved brethren , Prince Hall , Boston Smith , Thomas Sanderson , and several other brethren residing in Boston , New the said brethren

England , in North America , do hereby constitute into a regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , under the title or denomination of the African Lodge , to be opened in Boston aforesaid , and do further , at their said petition , and of the great trust and confidence reposed in every of the said above named brethren , hereby appoint the said Prince Hall to be Master ; Boston Smith , Senior Warden ; andThonias Sanderson , and for such further

Junior AVarden , for opening the said Lodge , time only as shall be thought by the brethren thereof , it being our will that this our appointment of the above officers shall m no wise affect any future election of officers of the Lodge , but that such election shall be regulated agreeable to such by-laws of the said Lodge as shall be consistent with the general laws of the societycontained in the Book of Constitutionsancl we hereb

, ; y will and require of you , the said Prince Hall , to take special care that all and every the said brethren arc to have been regularly made Masons , and that they do observe , perform ancl keep all the rules and orders contained in the Book of Constitutions ; and