Masonic Gleanings.

MASONIC GLEANINGS .

By Bro . the Eev . J . KINGSTON , ( Continued from page 426 . ) The ei g hth volume of " Notes and Queries " contains the following extracts , which will be interesting to brethren belonging to the E . A . and Eose Croix decrees : —

" OUKIOUS DECORATION . "A decoration was lately brought to me for interpretation ; but I could make out nothing' of its mysterious characters . I will describe it , in hopes that some reader of " Notes and Queries " may favour me with an explanation . It is a star

of seven points , the place of the eighth , at . the top , being inelegantly supplied by a loop ; from which it is to be suspended on a ribbon or chain . The material is only brass , yet the engraving is remarkably well executed . It displays a shield divided quarterly by an upright crosierand a

, transverse spear . In the dexter chief is a lion rampant and a sceptre before him . In the sinister chief appears a well under a tree , an arrow by its side , and a bull underneath . The dexter base has

a man m a kind of frock coat , with both hands lifted up , as if preaching or exhorting . In the sinister base is a spread eagle . The supporters are two harpies , each extending one wing over the escutcheon , and with the other partly covering her body . Above the shield is a star , with the letter

J in the centre ; and above all is the eye of Providence . The motto is KODES LA ADONIA . At first I thought it might have some reference to the KoddeSj who founded the sect of Collegians ; but the person who brought it said that he understood it to be the decoration of some societywhich he

, called the Order of Stagorians . I confess I am all in the dark about this singular motto and coat of arms , and shall be thankful if any one can give on explanation of it . " "F . C . H . "

To this query Bro . T . J . Bucktonthus replies : — "Although I have not attained the degree in Freemasonry to which this decoration appears to me to belong , I can yet explain it partially . There is a degree in Masonry of Knights of the White Eagle or Pelican , to which this may appertain .

I conceive the lion and sceptre to indicate the royal house of Judah . The eagle is the symbol of supreme power . f The harpies' are , I suppose , the cherubim . The letter J . is the initial of c Jehovah , ' and the motto correctly put , Kodesh 1 'Adonai , ' means 'Holiness to the Lord . ' The

correct explanation , I conceive , is known to very few persons , and these would not furnish it . I can form no conjecture as to the meaning of the crozier , the spear , the tree , the well , the arrow , or the bull . But , on the contrary , the blazing star with its seven points is clearly Masonic ; so is the man in the attitude described . " "My thanks to Mr . Buckton for his partial

explanation of the symbols on this decoration . The degree of Freemasonry to which he alludes is , I presume , that of Rosa Grucis , the jewel of which is a pelican , which also appears upon the seal of the Order , with a rose-coloured ribband . But none of the other figures on the decoration are connected with the Order of Rosa Grucis . Tf

I may hazard a conjecture , I think the lion and sceptre symbolise the kingly power , while the crozier and spear represent the clerical and military authorities . But beyond this I do not see my way . The motto maybe intended for the Hebrew words , as given by Mr . Buckton ; but it is distinctly engraved in bold Eoman capitals , as I gave it—KODES LA ADONIA . And this puzzled me . I was of course aware that the sacred name

ADONAI IS used in various Orders of Freemasonry ; and I know that KADOSH appears on the mystical ladder of the Masonic Knights Templar ; but it was difficult to suppose that on a decoration with engraving of superior execution these words should have been so completely perverted as above . I

have since ascertained that the owner of the star was formerly a member of the society called Stagorians , and that he wore this as such . The society certainly did exist in the city where he resides . I shall make further inquiries , and may have more to communicate later on . —F . C . H .

Our indefatigable brother , Matthew Cooke , thus explains the decoration : "Mr . T . J . Buckton is not quite correct in apportioning the medal described by F . C . H . ( who , I presume , from the initials and his Bristol recollections has seen such a specimen before ) , to belong to the Knights of the White Eagle , or Pelican . It is an old jewel belonging to the Order

of the Holy Eoyal Arch before the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 . Its principal points represent the leading standards of the four divisions of the army of Israel , which make the compound figure of the cherubim , and are composed of a man , a lion , an ox , and an eagle . A man to

personify intelligence and understanding ; a lion to represent strength and power ; an ox to denote the ministration of patience and assiduity ; and an eagle as the figure of that promptness and celerity with which the will and pleasure of the great I Air is always executed . The other emblems refer to

the bearings of some of the principal tribes of Israel . The motto , Holiness to the Lord , ' is that of the Supreme Chapters of Eoyal Arch Masons everywhere . The crosier is emblematical of the officer Jeshua , the son of Josedech , the high priest , who wrote it . The spear , now superseded by the sword , which every companion will recognise as one of the necessaries of the builders who

returned with Zerubabel ; and the tree alludes to the burning bush , seen by Moses on Mount Horeb , in the Wilderness of Sinai . From the peculiarity of its bearing an arrow , now disused with us , I infer that the medal in question was made previous to the year 1775 . "