Royal Arch.

cipals was then formed , for the purpose of installing Comp . Isr-Abrahams into the second chair , which was done by the ALE . in a most impressive manner . After the closing of the chapter , the companions adjourned to the banquet . Grace having been said and the cloth removed , tho M . E . proposed the health of Her Majesty in the following terms : — " Companions , as Masons are everywhere good patriots , and as at no epoch , Freemasons as a body , have ever been found to be traitors or perjurers to

their country , so is there never any Masonic festival held without prefacing their utterances b y a declaration of their most loyal attachment to tho chief ruler ofthe land . I trust I shall not be accused of making a political speech , for I well know , politics are rigourously excluded from our discussions ; hut I consider expressions of love for one's country and manifestations of devotion for one ' s Sovereign are not polities . I am sure , the mere mention of Her Majesty , will cause your hearts to beat

higher and quicker , and I therefore give you without any further comments , " The Queen aud lt . A . Masonry . " In proposing the health of the newly exalted companions , the ALE . said , " Companions , the toast I have to propose to you now , is on behalf of those , who were found worthy this evening , to take for the first time their seat in the midst of this privileged family . One of the maxims of P ythagoras , whom we all revere , was "Take not every one b y tbe light hand . " It cannot be a

matter of indifference to us , whether we introduce to our Order , the inconsiderate or the thoughtful , the proud or the modest , the ignorant or the learned , the loquacious or the silent . Like Pythagoras , I consider , only those deserve to be exalted , who bear a spotless reputation and who are known for thoir upright dealings . I therefore think , we can congratulate ourselves this evening , on the accession to our ranks [ of men , who would be a credit to any chapter . " All of them are well known to us .

After having expatiated on the merits of each of the newl y exalted members , the ALE ., addressing himself particularly to the latter , continued : " companions , from the knowledge you alread y had of Freemasonry , viz ., that it was a peculiar system of morality , veiled in allegory aud illustrated by symbols , I am certain , you did not expect to be called upon in the Royal Arch , to help us to construct material edifices , whicli are transitory and / perishable . Neither will it be my duty to explain to you our

peculiar system of morality : you well know with respect to its peculiarity , we can challenge the fullest inquiry , as every point , part or secret in Freemasonry , tends to make us better men . Indeed the voice of Freemasonry crosses all oceans , defies all distances , and penetrates the world with more excellences , than the light of the sun itself , for the sun yields part of its empire to the darkness of the night , whilst the Alasonic star darkens at no time . As to the perfect model of architecture , the temple

of Solomon , I consiuer it allegoricully represents to us the symbol of that moral perfection , which we Freemasons ought to endeavour to attain , and which we can attain , when the square and compasses regulate our actions . As to the Royal Arch , I consider it to ho the crown jewel in the whole Alasonic treasure casket , for the plans which we execute in tho K . A ., emanate directly from the Great Architect hiuiselli from him , who laid the foundations of the vast Universewho keeps up the whole

, ceremony , and is enthroned over a million of worlds . In the Arch , we penetrate deeper and deeper into the endlessness of the divine wisdom and nowhere are we taught to humble and prostrate ourselves more than before the Great Architect of ilic Universe . In the Arch we are taught , that man is great with God , but that he is nothing without him ; and thus does the R . A . constitute a formidable phalanx and sale rampart , against the prevailing poison of the present dayviz . Materialism

, , , which considers all that lives us matter , and denies the existence ofthe soul . Like Atheism , it also says , "there is no God , there is no soul . " AVhut we call " soul materialism says , is nothing but corporeal effect produced by the aclion of the brains . " This baneful doctiine does away with every belief , creed or religious worship ; it annihilates the bible , the synagogue , the church . According to this doctrine , life is developed out of matter , precisely as sugar is pressed from the sugar cane , or spirit distilled

from sugar . This empiric philosophy , so antagonistic to and destructive of all revealed reli gion , must be combated by us and never be permitted to penetrate our walls , consecrated to the Great Teh . Companions , it must be consolatory for us to know , that the greatest benefactors of mankind , the greatest philosophers , those that are considered giants iu science , were all I believers . The founder of Pensylvanin , by inscribing in his code of laws , that every mun believing in God , was to be considered as a brother , must have been a theist . The immoi-Ul Newton

Royal Arch.

never mentioned the name of God , without uncovering himself j the naturalist Linnaeus was very religious ; Goethe , who was also a Alason , was deeply embued with religious feeling , the follower of Copernicus , Galileo , who caused a whole revolution in the sciences , was a firm believer in God , as is illustrated by the following incident . On being informed of the death of a friend of his , with the name of Libri , who influenced hy the fanaticism of those times , could never be induced to look through a

telescope for the purpose of inspecting the satellites of Jupiter discovered by Galileo , in January 1 G 10 , he exclaimed , "I trust , that Libri , whom I could not induce to look at those moons , while on earth , will have perceived them now , on his onward journey towards heaven . " After some further pertinent remarks , the ALE . continued : " I will now leave this important subject and ouly mention for the sake of cementing brotherly love between us and the new comersthat the Trowel should he

, looked upon , as the symbol teaching ns , to hide the errors of a companion ; and in our behaviour towards eveiy man , hut particularl y towards a brother or companion with whom we may unfortunatel y he at variance , let us imitate the example set to us by Socrates , who , when told by an adversary , ' Alay I die unless I am revenged on you , ' answered with those noble words , ' May I die , if 1 do not make a friend of you . ' " On giving the A'isitors , after some introductory remarks , the ALE . said : " All

the peoples of antiquity and all the aucient mysteries had their mystic and reli gious banquets . The Egyptians and Greeks had sacred feasts ; tbe Romans had their hectisternes ; the Jews had their religous repasts prescribed by Moses ; the first Christians had their repasts of love and charity , under the name of Agapes . AVith respert to the Alasonic banquets , he said , that they were essentially mystical in their forms and philosophical in their principles . This toast was most eloquently responded to on

behalf of the Visitors , h y Comp . Hyde Pollen . The remaining toasts having been duly given , the companions separated at about 11 , after having spent a very pleasant evening . " CANO -SI ITJIIY CHAPTEB ( No . 657 ) . —A regular convocation of this chapter Has held on the 24 th ult . at the George Hotel , Aldermanbury . The chapter was opened iu due form and with solemn prayer . The election of officers for the ensuing year then took place , and Comps . Samuel Alay was unanimously elected as

JI . E . Z . ; Joseph Tanner , H . ; F . Cox , J . ; H . Gary , S . B . ; J . Jones , N . ; 11- Reynolds , P . S . ; and Thomas AA ' cscombe , Treas . There were also present : —Comps . AYilliam Ough , Chancellor , AVebb , D . II . Jacobs , Maid well , B . P . Todd , AV it-kens , Driver . AVhite , itc . A P . Z . 's jewel was voted to Comp . T . AA ' eseorobe , The business being concluded , the chapter was then closed , and . r . he usual banquet followed , the usual toasts being given and responded to . Comp . 11 . G . Buss , P . Z . Domatic , returned thanks as a visitor .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

INDIA . BOMBAY . —The Bombay Chapter of Sovereign Princes of Rose Croix of JOr ' M . ' . D . ' . M . - . —At a meeting of this chapter held on the 17 th December , 1809 , Bros . Colonels AV . D . Aitken aud I ,. W . Penn received the Ineffable Degrees from the 4-th to ( lie Ib'th . At a previous meeting Bros . AI . Balfour , Melville , and , 1 . Thomas were exulted . 111 . Bro . A . Hay was elected Ai . W . S . for the ensuing year , and 111 . Bro . J . Thomas was elected

Organist . PUXJAUU . —It affords us much pleasure to learn that a chapter of the Hol y Rose Croix Degree has been opened at Lahore , regarding which a correspondent writes : — "In your issue of December , you mention the opening of the Coromandel Chapter ol Ro .-o Croix of ll . ' . R . - . D . - .. M . - . at Aiath . is , and express a hope that the Inellable Degrees may shortly be established in Bengal aud the Punjaub . For the information of those interested in

the matter , I have the pleasure to inform you that a chapter has :, been opened at Lahore under authority of the Supreme Grand Conned ' 33 ° of England and AVales , and is working well . 111 . Bro . Colonel A . J . Greenlaw is one of the founders , and has afforded the first Al . AV . S ., 111 . Bro . Adolphus Nicols , IS ' - ' , every assistance iu establishing the Alount Calvary Chapter . The hall in whicli the chapter is held is a very fine building , and has been very beautifully furnished under the direction of 111 . Bro . Major Basevi , who , 1 am happy to inform you , is this year AA . M . No . 782 , Lodge Hope and Perseverance , than which there is not a more flourishing lodge in the province . "