"The Freemasons Magazine" And "The Voice Of Masonry."

tell them so , not as regards their personal positionfor against that we have nothing to say— -but as regards their Masonic pretensions , ancl the degree in which Masonry and commerce may be mixed together . We are glad to hear that our contemporary has secured 1100 subscribers in the "United Kingdom ; and if our

circulation is not so large as that of The Voice , ive must beg Bro . Morristorememberthe difterencebetweenthe number of Masons in England and the United States , between 6 s . and 26 s . per annum , and the cost of labour in London as compared with that in Louisville , Kentucky . In one part ofthe article , "The Model Editor , "thepublication of

which appears to have given offence , we recollect it stated that the editor ivas in the habit of sending ont agents to distant districts to canvass , and whilst the publication got all the subscribers so obtained , the agents spent all the money ; and really Ave cannot understand that 1100 subscribers at 6 s . per annum each , or £ 830

sterling , will leave any large margin of jirofit on a journey from Kentucky to England—a continual travel from place to place , and a residence of eighteen months in the United Kingdom . If it does , all we can say is , that our American brethren understand these things better than we do—albeit , our representatives , being no prophets

m their native land , may not have been always treated with the same consideration as has been the lot of our Bro . Cooke . Most cordially do ive congratulate Bro . Cooke and Bro . Morris on the success of their enterprise ; and notwithstanding the presumed jealousy of the Editors of

TIIE PREEAIASOX ' S MAGAZINE , the worst of our wishes towards them is , that they may retain and increase the ivhole of their 1100 British subscribers when our respected Bro . Cooke returns to America , and the excitement of the comparison between English and American Masonry no longer exists . In the meanwhile ,

should the M . W . G . M . of England ever become a Masonic publisher , we offer ourselves as his travelling agents ; and should he furnish us with such credentials as will secure us a reception at the various Grand Lodges ivith Avhich tho Grand Lodge of England is in connection , we shall not object to being classed amongst Masonic

commercial speculators—if even we can deny that to some extent Ave must be so regarded whilst ive are connected with any Masonic publication , be it TIIE PREEAIASOJTS MAQAZIXE or The Voice of Masonry—for the success or non-success of either ivill not alter the character of the venture .

Tin- ; DRI ; 3 CLAIM SECRET RELATIONS WITH THE SCOTCH . —A still more extraordinary belief exists amongst the Druses of the mountain—namely , that there are many Alclcals of their creed in the hills of Scotland , who , on account of the dominant religion are obliged to profess Christianity outwardly , but ivho , amongst themselves , are as pure Druses of the initiated class as any that exist in Lebanon . After learning that I was a Scotchman , Druses have often questioned me as to whether 1 was aware that members of

their creed existed in that country . This tradition seems to have been handed down to the present generation from the days of the Crusaders , and to have got mixed up with the fact that the Templars existed formerly iu certain parts of Europe ; for certain ceremonies which the Syrian Druses say are practised by their Scottish brethren bear a close resemblance to those of the old ' Knidits Tem-

Stray Thoughts On The Origin And Progress Of The Fine Arts.

STRAY THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE FINE ARTS .

By * DlAGORAS . PAET XII . { Continued from p . 41 . ) In every age religion has exerted a powerful influence

on architecture , a complete history of ivhich , as a science , is little else than a history of the progress of mankind in civilisation until the time ivhen Christianity exercised its blessed and benign influence . We find that man

bestowed his care on his temples , rather than on his domestic dwellings , as if to propitiate the object of his worship by offering a fit abode for Divine occupation . The form ancl general construction of the Temple was influenced not only by the state of art in the country , but also by the peculiar nature ofthe sacrifices offered therein

, before the great truth became fully impressed upon the human mind that God " desireth not sacrifice , and delighteth not in burnt offering . " The smoke of the heathen sacrifice rose high into the air from ivithin the temples . The same open roof ivhich admitted the light was also favourable to the peculiar forms of pagan

worship . In the early ages of Christianity , when those who embraced its tenets ivere compelled , through dread of persecution , to keep their belief and their modes of worship as secret as i ^ ossible , we find that religious assemblies were held in private houses , and even in public catacombs ; but as soon as the storms of

persecution began to abate , the early Christians sought for the possession of public buildings for the celebration of religious worship . It has been found that the Christians were in possession of buildings regularly used as churches before the time of Constantine , and that an edict was issued hy that Emperor for repairing as well as rebuilding churches , thus proving that they were in existence at that period . The Christian worship did not require , like that of the heathens , extensive courts in

which to perforin their sacrifices ; but , consisting as it chiefly did , of exhortation and prayer , a coA'ered buildinoof sufficient size to contain a large congregation was all that Avas necessary for their purpose . Such buildings ivere the lasiliccs , or royal houses , courts , or apartments erected for the administration of justice . Constantine gave two basilicasthe Sessorianand that in his palace

, , of the Lateraii , to be used as churches ; and he afterwards built other churches after the same form . Seven churches were built or consecrated in Home during the reign of Constantine , and when the seat of the empire was removed to Constantinople , that city ivas gradually adorned and elevated to a degree of magnificence almost

equal to that of the ancient capital . It was enriched by Constantine ivith many beautiful edifices , among which were the Cathedral of Sancta Sophia , or Hol y Wisdom , and a church dedicated to the Apostles . His mother , Helena , also erected several edifices for Christian worship , the most celebrated being the Church of the Holy

Sepulchre , at Jerusalem , and a church at Bethlehem .. Among the Latin churches the principal facade of the building was generally towards the ivest ,- while , in the primitive Greek churches , it is said to have been towards the east , that the priest , in performing the service , might have his face directed that way . The semi-circular recess at one end of the basilica hacl the name of ap > sis , which signifies an arch ; this ivas the- place intended for