Masonic Discipline.—Xyi.

'bassr , is the manner in which the W . M . after jsejpcsting the assistance of the brethren in his ¦ js-s-fk ,, addresses the third ofScer in the lodge . It is- the practice of some Masters to address him as Isnrjiber A . B . calling him by his surname and of

&& S 3 S to address him as brother J . W . Which . is- esrrect ? This may at first sight appear rather -MR insignificant point , but it Avill be seen that spon it really turns the exact moment at Avhich a ho & ge may be considered formed .

lb might be assumed that no officer has a right So-be- considered in his chair and to be addressed by ' ihe title of his office , until the lodge is " properly 'iSed" and the brethren " to order . " Upon these grounds , therefore , the correct address is Bro .

A , B . in the first question of the W . M . to the J . W ., Sa the- command of the J . W . to the I . G ., in the reply ® f ti-e I . G . to the J . W ., and in repetition of that j & ply by the J . W . to the W . M . In addressing his Srefc question to the S . W . the W . M . employes the

same style , but after the brethren are to order " hs prefaces the next interrogatory to the J . W . by giving him the title of his office , and the same is maintained towards all the officers during the : ? ate & proceedings of the lodge . On the other

JbaaM } , it may be argued that directly . the W . M . ihas Bsed the gavel , the brethren AVIIO occupy the chaws are ipso jure , if not ipso facto , officers , and & hst , therefore , they may be appropriately addressed by their titles . But it must be borne in mind

ihaib the lodge is not "formed " until the brethren •as ?© "to order , " and it is manifestly somewhat in-congruous to address officers by their title before hkat is accomplished . It is not intended here to lay down the law , or to presumptuously decide the

p & in * , but after mature consideration Ave give the ¦© reference ourselves to addressing the officers by ibsir surnames , with the fraternal prefix , until the isomsnt when the lodge may be said to be " ¦ formed " by the brethren appearing " to src & er . "

Some of the brethren will probably retort upon ITS , by directing our attention to the prevailing practice of addressing the officers by their titles during the banquet , after the lodge has been dosed , ancl requesting to know how Ave reconcile

'isle difference . To this Ave reply that we do not attempt to reconcile it , but , at the same time , ah-ere is a very good reason Avhy the officers may h & so addressed at the banquet , although not before Si © formation of the lodge . This reason is to be femcf- in the fact , that the time for the banquet or

Masonic Discipline.—Xyi.

" refreshment " was formerly during the holding of the lodge , and , consequently , the officers were absolutely then in office . It is true that we no longer , at least in London lodges , adjourn " from labour to refreshment and from refreshment to

labour ; " but it is not difficult to account for the retaining of the one custom , although the other may have fallen into disuse . While upon the subject of the banquet , it may be mentioned , that it would be more to the credit of Masonic

prudence , if brethren would abstain from pledging each other Masonically until the cloth is off the table and none but Masons present . It is no doubt au error on the right side , but still an error in judgment , due to that cordial fraternal feeling Avith

which every brother sits down at the social board . At a large banquet , where some sixty or seventy members of the fraternity are assembled , it is utterly impossible to secure the services of the necessary number of Masonic attendants , and it

may be relied upon that if the convives find time to interchange Masonic inuendos , those who attend upon them will find time to observe them .

The Palestine Exploration Fund.

THE PALESTINE EXPLORATION FUND .

INTERESTING DISCOVERT AT THE N . E . ANGLE , HARAM AREA . Eeport from Lieut . WARREN . 11 th June , 1869 . We have , during the last few days , succeeded

in driving a gallery up to the great block of masonry forming the north-east angle , and have found the wall to be built of great bevelled stones to a depth of at least 60 ft . below the surface , and Ave have not yet come on the rock .

In my last letter I expressed some diffidence about our being able to get across , on account of the treacherous nature of the soil , although we

Avere then only 50 ft . off . By employing a different shape of gallery frame , and keeping a non-commissioned officer continually at the head of the gallery fixing them , we have been able to surmount these difficulties , and are IIOAV likely to

make a great addition to our knowledge of the ancient topography . Already we . have made a happy commencement . We struck the Haram Wall about 18 ft . south of the north-east angle , and at a depth of about

32 ft . below the surface . We then turned north , and ran along the Haram Wall for 26 ft . without finding any angle similar to that above . At this point a slit about 18 in . wide and 4 in . hi gh was