The Building Of The Temple.

saved shall walk in the light of it ; and the kings of the earth do bring their honour and glory to it . " Yes , well beloved brethren , when that day shall come , the former things shall have passed away . Ended will be then the Avork ; completed ivill be then the Grand Arch which the Almighty Architect has IIOAV been nearly six thousand years in building , and on it shall be set the sapphire throne of God ; while below it

shall bo unveiled the pure and spotless altar from wliich shall rise the ceaseless incense of the praises of the redeemed . No need there of mysterious sign and symbol , of guardedly imparted token or word—AVC shall knoiv as we arc knoivii ; and the last secret , the Lord of Sabaoth himself , whom UOAV we see but as in a glass darkly , in his works and gifts of love , shall then be visible to us face to face . What joy AVC shall have in that presence , I may not

attempt to say ; more it will be than we ever in our best and purest hours ever realized of heaven and heavenly love ; more than in' vision or revelation was ever made known to prophet or apostle of old , for all these things have been seen by and known to man ; but '' eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him . " NOAV therefore to him , the Great Architect of the universe , the triune God Most High , let us ascribe all honour , power , wisdom , and glory , henceforth and for ever .

Masonry, As It Is.

MASONRY , AS IT IS .

From tho American Masonic Mirror and Keystone . THERE have been of late years various opinions expressed , both outside and within the Order , as to the precise benefits it confers upon the world . This is an utilitarian age , and everything must of course be measured by the standard of utility . AVith regard to Masonry , it is bnt just . It certainly has professed to possess within itself means of usefulness not enjoyed by kindred

associations . It has , indeed , not only professed but proved itself in byegonc years , to be a blessing to the nations . Has Masonry descended from her exalted position ? Has she fallen into the sere and yellow leaf of decay ? These arc the questions which have pressed upon the minds of Masons , and have met with a ready answer from those least able to answer the profane . From our oivn memberstiiose AVIIO stand within the sacred faneAVC

, , listen to glowing panegyrics upon the virtues of Masonry , praise so hyperbolic as to trench narrowly on the ridiculous ; and anon , to lamentations so mournful and profound , as to sink the heavens into tlie profundities of bathos . NOAV , both are partly right and partly wrong , Masonry still stands as a light set upon a hill , its brilliancy , perhaps , somcAvlnit dimmed . Iter province is still to enlihten the understandingto succour the distressed . Her

g , sphere of usefulness , liOAvever , has been somevhat curtailed . The territory which she once occupied , almost exclusively , has been invaded . AVe live in an age when true philanthropy rests not in theory but expands into practice . There is a struggle betivecu the great ones of the earth , the great in goodness , in the cause of truth and humanity . All around us the workers are up

and doing . The work AA'hich Masonry once regarded as almost exclusively hers , must be shared ivith others , so that she is not so much a necessity as in the days of yore , when oppression ran riot , and poverty w-as not only a misfortune but a curse . Other agencies have been called forth in these days of light and power , Avhich far transcend her in their means of usefulness—both morally and physically . Of this AVO have no doubt , nor do we stand

alone in this opinion . Moral and religious teachers have arisen , the field of Avhose exertions is far wider than that of Masonry . The benevolent societies of the day arc more prolific of good , because they possess greater means and power . The passage of years has brought this about , not , we think , any remissness ou the part of Masons , or carelessness in the discipline of the Order . Masonry cannot be considered the necessity she once AA'as , except , perhaps , in ivill stand alone

one respect . In this one particular she , so longas the present constitution of things exists . She forms the only perfect brotherhood . The distinctions of the world , the distinctions which rank or wealth confer , she reckons not , but as matters of accident . She is yet no leveller . She preaches not the equalit y of men as citizens of the world , as planners and actors on file ' s arena . Profound intellect , indomitable energy , arc not vouchsafed to all scale of life

, and these form the sliding ; place somcat the top , some at the bottom ofthe hill , we never find all remaining on a level . Then tlie fortuitous circumstances ivhich none can either seize or repel , give a shove up or a shove doivn , making all the difference in the world among the contestants . Masonry looks to the heart alone . She teaches , and successfull y too , that man must regard his fellow as a brother , no matter

Masonry, As It Is.

how exalted or IIOAV mean his condition ; and on the floor ot the Lodge all are so regarded . Where else does man meet man as his equal—his equal in the poiver of living and acting well , neither superior or inferior , as worldly circumstances may have elevated or depressed ? AVe certainly find no such equality represented in the church , political arena , or exchange . We do not see it strictly acknowledged in the various

benevolent associations . But in Masonry it is a cardinal principle . The peasant and the peer are equal , provided both act up to the principles of truth and virtue . We mean , of course , when they meet as Masons . Masonry , as AVC have remarked , does not ignore the distinction which God himself has planted in the world , when we meet on the open stage of life . But , still the principle which in the Lodroom is developed into actionloses not its influence

ge , when Ave leave . It causes us to be watchful of thought and action , lest AVC unnecessarily offend . It keeps brightly glowing that flame which should warm every heart , that of love and kindness . The lessons taught in a Lodge—lessons of humility , yet of trusting love , cannot be forgotten . Thus , then , the necessity of constantly inculcating , by precept and example , this laAV of brotherhood , makes still a necessityShe isfor this one great

Masonry . , purpose , as potent IIOAV as in past years . In the Lodge rooms alone , arc precept and example on this important point , combined . As an intellectual agent , her influence may havc _ decayed ; as a moral teacher , her lessons may have lost to a certain extent their power ; but , as a socialize ! - and humanizcr of man , she stands preeminent . Can she socialize or humanize without making men wiser and better ?

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE LATE L 01 SD DUDLEY COUTTS STUAET . I SHOULD be glad to be informed , through the " Masonic Notes and Queries , " whether the late Lord Dudley Stuart was a Mason . I heard several persons , at the List election for this borough , assert that he was one of the brethren , but , as they were all strangers to me , I have sonic doubts as to the accuracy of their knowledge . —MAUYLEBONE . — - [ The late Lord Dudley Stuart was of the Polish Lod 776 in

a Mason . He passed the chair ge ( No . ' ) 1851 . He also served the offices of 3 rd and 2 nd Principal of the Royal Arch Chapter , and was elected to the first chair , but owing to illness was never installed . His lordship was also S . G . AV . of England in 1852 . For a short obituary notice of this patriotic and noble brother , "Marylebone" is referred to p . 9 G of the Masonic ' Mirror , for the year 185-: ! -. ]

PRIVILEGES OF TIIE FOUR OLD L 01 ) G ! -. & . Iii 1 . 717 , . when the Grand Lodge was resuscitated , it ivas resolved " That every privilege which they collectively enjoyed by virtue of their immemorial rights , they should still continue to enjoy ; and that no law , rule , or regulation to be hereafter made or passed in Grand Lodge should ever deprive them of such privilege , or encroach on any landmark which Avas at that time estastandard of Alasonic

blished as the government . " NOAV , I see nothing of this kind iu our present Book of Constitutions , nor is the dispute about privilege clearly set forth by which , for some years , Bro . Preston ceased to be a member ofthe Lodge of Antiquity . I would therefore request the favour of a reply to two questions , viz .: —AVhat are the peculiar privileges of the four old Lodges ( if any )? and when were they abrogated ? — JAS . C . . . . .

GRAXD rOHTP . AIT PAIXTER . It is on record , that at a Grand Lodge , holden on the 23 rd of November , 17 S 3 , an addition was made to the number of Grand Officers , by the appointment of the Reverend AVilliam Peters as Grand Portrait Painter . As one of your previous notes has told us that he ivas one oi the great artists of his dayand produced several ictures still

, p held in deserved esteem , there seems to have been nothing objectionable in the appointment . My question , however , is not as to the propriety of conferring such an office , but to ask ivho have been his successors ?—MAUL-STICK .

WAS TIIE EJII'EUOK XAl'OLEOX A FlIEWLASOX ? The three greatest generals of modern times arc objects of interest to every one . AA ' ashington has long since been knoivii as a Mason ; the Duke of AVellington has been clearly proved to have been one of our Order by several of your correspondents ; and I IIOAV venture to inquire if the Emperor Napoleon n-as a Mason ? I remember having beard , or read , long before I took notes of that had

particularly striking events , or information , Napoleon been initiated much against the desire of the fraternity , and that in consequence he was subjected to some exceedingly rigorous