-Jealousy, which apprehends affronts and injuries, which were never intended,-Anger, which refuseth to deliberate,―Avarice, which withholds the portion which misery claims,-Selfishness, which knows no wants but its own, and Sensual pleasure, which intoxicates the senses, and drowns the understanding. Against these, which are predominant features in our corrupt nature, let us always be on our guard. On the contrary, let us be persuaded to cultivate with assiduity, that meekness and lowliness of disposition, that sympathy and tenderness, that ardent and generous good will, which makes every brother's situation its own; and induces us to do unto all men, as we would, that they should do unto us. That we may have not only the inclination, but the ability to afford effectual relief, we should go to the ant, and learn of her to be industrious; we should consider the industry of the bees, and learn of them to be provident.

Upon this subject, it may he farther observed, that man, on his first entrance into existence, is by far, a more helpless creature than any of the brutal creation. Months, nay, years, must elapse, before he is capable of making any provision for himself, or any defence against the innumerable casualties to which he is exposed. Mutual assistance becomes, therefore an imperious duty.

To this, it may be added, that it has pleased the Almighty Architect to have formed men as dependent creatures; dependent on him, the God, who made them, and dependent on one another. He, therefore, who is not industrious in that station, in which Divine Providence has placed him; he who does not, according to the utmost of his abilities, exert his best endeavours to promote the good of his fellow citizens at large, particularly those his of brethren, may be justly considered as a drone. in the hive, and can have no claim on the protection of the masonic fraternity.

The Book of Constitutions, guarded by the Tyler's Sword,

Should remind us, that we ought always to be guarded in our thoughts, words, and actions; particularly, when in the presence of those, who are inimical to the principles of our institution, always paying due regard to the virtues of silence and circumspection, which are peculiarly incumbent on every mason.

The Sword, pointing to a Naked Heart,

Is intended to admonish us, that, though we may, for a time, escape the punishment due to our demerits, the sword of justice will, at last, overtake us, and that though our deviations from moral rectitude may not be observed by our fellow mortals, nothing can escape the

All-Seeing Eye

of the great Sovereign of the universe, to whom the secrets of every heart are open, and who will ultimately reward every one according to his works

The Anchor and Ark.

The ark is an emblem of that divine ark, which wafts the virtuous, with safety, through all the storms and tempests, which may assail them during their voyage from time to eternity. The anchor is emblematical of the well grounded hope, which they, who faithfully perform their duty in this life, may entertain of being, at last, happily moored in a blessed harbour, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.

The Hour-Glass

Is an emblem of human life. We are accustomed from our infancy to the vulgar adage, " as runs this glass, man's life doth pass." The sand runs almost impercep

tibly to the end of the hour; so passeth the life of man, till it terminates in death. When we look at the hourglass, it ought to remind us of the following considerations, which are communicated to us in holy writ. "Man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not." Job xiv. 1. "We are but of yesterday, and know nothing; because our days upon earth are a shadow." Job viii. 9. 66 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely, I know that it shall be well with them that fear God. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow." Eccl. viii. 12. The good man, however, has this consolation. “I know, that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand, at the latter day, upon the earth. And though, after my skin, worms shall destroy this body; yet in my flesh shall I see God. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold for myself, and not another." Job xix. 25.

The Scythe

Is an emblem of time. Alas! how speedily will the consummation of all things commence! for, yet a little while, and the commissioned arch-angel will lift up his hand to heaven, and swear by him who liveth for ever and ever, that there should be time no longer," Rev. x. 6. Then abused opportunities will never return, and new opportunities will never more be offered. Then should negligent mortals, wish ever so passionately, for a few hours,-a few moments only,-to be thrown back from the opening eternity, thousands of worlds would not be able to procure the grant.

I shall conclude my observations upon this subject, with a few lines, from Mr. Ogilvie's celebrated poem, upon the day of judgment.

Be dark, thou sun, in one eternal night!
And cease, thou Moon, to rule with paler fight!
Ye planets, drop from these dissolving skies,
Rend all ye tombs, and all ye dead arise!
Ye winds be still; ye tempests rave no more:
And roll, thou deep, thy millions to the shore.
Earth be dissolved, with all these worlds on high,
And time be lost in vast eternity.

Now by creation's dread tremendous sire,
Who sweeps these stars, as atoms in his ire;
By Heaven's Omnipotent, unconquered King ;
By him, who rides the rapid whirlwind's wing ;
Who reigns supreme in his augast abode,
Forms or confounds, with one commanding ned;
Who wraps in black'ning clouds his awful brow,
Whose glance, like lightning, looks all nature thro' ;
By him I swear." He paused and bowed the head,
Then raised aloft his flaming hand, and said:
"Attend ye saints, who in seraphic lays

Exalt his name; but tremble while you praise;
Ye hosts, that bow to your Almighty Lord;
Hear, all his works th' irrevocable word!
Thy reign, O man, on earth, thy days are o'er !
I swear by him, that time shall be no more."
He spoke; (all nature groaned a loud reply)
Then shook the sun and tore him from the sky.

To this I shall only add, the advice of an eminent moralist. "Make good use of time, if you love eternity; reflect that yesterday cannot be recalled; to-morrow cannot be assured; to day is only yours, which, if you procrastinate, you lose; and if lost, it is lost for ever. One day present, is worth two to come."

The Three Steps

Which are usually depicted on the carpet in the lodge room, represent the three periods of human life, viz. youth, manhood, and old age. In the three first degrees of masonry, of which these steps are symbolical, we ought to advance from one degree of virtue and knowledge to

another, till at last, having arrived at as great a degree of perfection as falls to the lot of mortals in this life, we may die in the full assurance of attaining everlasting felicity, in that world which is beyond death and the grave, to which we are all hastening. From this emblem, we ought to study to act well our part, in which all the honour lies, and as an inducement to our perseverance, let us "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." Psalm xxxvii. 37.

The Forty-Seventh Problem of Euclid.

The theorem is, that" in any right angled triangle, the square, which is described upon the side subtending the right angle, is equal to the squares deseribed upon the sides, which contain the right angle." This was a discovery made by our illustrious friend and brother, the great PYTHAGORAS, who, as it has been already mentioned in a preceding chapter, travelled for knowledge into Egypt, &c. where he was initiated into different orders of priests, who, in those days, kept all their learning secret from the vulgar. Pythagoras also made every geometrical theorem a secret, and admitted only such to the knowledge of them, as had first undergone a five years' silence. On his inventing the aforesaid theorem, it is said, that in the joy of his heart, he exclaimed in the Greek language, Evenza, I have found it; and afterwards sacrificed a hecatomb, or one hundred cattle, as an offering to the deity for having thus enlightened his mind. The reason why this problem is introduced into masonic lodges, is to teach the brethren the value of the arts and sciences, and that, by patience and perseverance, they may, at last, be able to make some discoveries, which shall enable them to render a most important service to the commmunity.