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Q. Where did our ancient brethren meet before Lodges were erected?

.A. On the highest hills, and in the lowest vales.

Q. Why on the highest hills and in the lowest vales? A. The better to guard against cowans and enemies either ascending or descending, that the brethren might nave timely notice of their approach to prevent being surprised.

F. Aboblong square.

What is the form of your Lodge ?

A. An o long ?

Q. How, wide ?
Q How, high ?

the highest heavens.

.A. From East to West.

.A. Between North and South.

A. From the surface of the earth to

Q. How, deep ? .A. From the surface to the centre. Q. What supports your Lodge ?

A. Three large Columns or Pillars.

Q. What are their natnes ?

.A. Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.

Q Why so? A. It is necessary there should be Wisdom to contrive, Strength to support, and Beauty to adorn all great and important undertakings; but more especially this of ours.

Q. Has your lodge any covering?

A. It has; a clouded canopy, or starry decked heavwhere all good mason's hope to arrive.

Q. How do they hope to arrive there ?
A. By the assistance of Jacob's ladder.
Q. How many principal rounds has it got?
A. Three. Q What are their names?
Hope, and Charity.

A. Faith,

Q. What do they teach? A Faith in God, Hope in immortality, and Charity to all mankind.

Q. Has your lodge any furniture?

A. It has; the Holy Bible, Square, and Compass.
Q. To whom do they belong?

A. The Bible to God, the Square to the Master, and the Compass to the Craft.

Q. How explained? A. The Bible to God; in being the inestimable gift of God to man, for his instruction to guide him through the rugged paths of life; the Square to the Master, it being the proper emblem of his office; the Compass to the Craft—by a due attention to which, we are taught ro limit our desires, curb our ambition, sub

due our irregular appetites, and keep out passions and prejudices in due bounds with all mankind, but more especially with the brethren.

Q. Has your Lodge any ornaments ?

A. It has; the mosaic, or chequered pavement; the indented tessel, that beautiful tesselated border which surrounds it, with the blazing star in the centre. Q. What do they represent?

A. The Mosaic, or chequered pavement, represents this world, which, though chequered over with good and evil, yet brethren may walk together thereon and not stumble—the indented Tessel, with the blazing star in the centre, the manifold blessings and comforts with which we are surrounded in this life, but more especially those which we hope to enjoy hereafter—the Blazing Star, the prudence which ought to appear conspicuous in the conduct of every Mason; but more especially commemorative of the Star which appeared in the East, to guide the wise men to Bethlehem, to proclaim the birth and the presence of the Son of God.

Q. Has your Lodge any lights?

A. It has three. QHow are they situated?
A. East, West, and South.

&

Has it none in the North? A. It has not.

Why so ? A. Because this and every other lodge is, or ought to be a true representation of King Solomon's Temple, which was situated north of the ecliptic; the sun and moon therefore darting their rays from the south, no light was to be expected from the north; we, therefore, masonically, term the north a place of darkness. Q. Has your Lodge any Jewels?

A. It has six; three moveable and three immoveable. Q. What are the three moveable Jewels?

A. The Square, Level, and Plumb.

Q. What do they teach?

A. The Square, morality; the Level, equality; and the Plumb, rectitude of life and conduct.

Q. What are the three immoveable Jewels?

A. The rough Ashlar, the perfect Ashlar, and the Trestle-Board. Q. What are they?

A. The rough Ashlar is a stone in its rough and natural state; the perfect Ashlar is also a stone made ready by the working tools of the Fellow-Craft to be adjusted in the building; and the Trestle-board is for the master workman to draw his plans and designs upon.

Q. What do they represent?

A. The rough Ashlar represents man in his rude and imperfect state by nature; the perfect Ashlar also represents man in that state of perfection to which we all hope to arrive by means of a virtuous life and education, our own endeavors and the blessing of God. In erecting our temporal building we pursue the plans and designs laid down by the master workman on his Trestle-board; but in erecting our spiritual building we pursue the plans and designs laid down by the Supreme Geometrician of the Universe in the Book of Life, which we, masonically, term our spiritual trestle-board. Q. Who did you serve? A. My Master.

Q. How long? A. Six days.

Q. What did you serve him with?
A. Freedom, fervency, and zeal.
Q. What do they represent?

A. Chalk, Charcoal, and Earth Q. Why so?

A. There is nothing freer than Chalk, the slightest touch of which leaves a trace behind; nothing more fervent than heated Charcoal, it will melt the most obdurate metals; nothing more zealous than the Earth to bring forth.

Q. How is your lodge situated? A. Due east and west. Why so? A. Because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Q. A second reason? A. The gospel was first preached in the east, and is spreading to the west.

Q. A third reason? A. The liberal arts and sciences began in the east and are extending to the west.

Q. A fourth reason? A. Because all Churches and Chapels are, or ought to be so situated.

Q. Why are all Churches and Chapels so situated? A. Because King Solomon's Temple was so situated. Q. Why was king Solomon's Temple so situated? A. Because Moses, after conducting the children of Israel through the Red Sea, by Divine command, erected a tabernacle to God, and placed it due east and west; which was to commemorate, to the latest posterity, that miraculous East wind that wrought their mighty deliverance; and this was an exact model of King Solomon's Temple. Since which time, every well regulated and governed Lodge is, or ought to be so situated.

Q. To whom did our ancient brethren dedicate their Lodges? A. To King Solomon.

Q. Why so? A. Because King Solomon was our

most ancient Grand Master.

Q To whom do modern masons dedicate their lodges? A- To St John the Baptist,and St. John the Evangelist. Q Why so? A Because they were the two most ancient Christian patrons of Masonry and since their time, in every well regulated and governed Lodge, there has been a certain point within a circle, which circle is bounded on the East and the West by two perpendicular parallel lines, representing the anniversary of St. John, the Baptist, and St. John, the Evangelist, who were two perfect parallels as well in Masonry as Christianity; on the vortex of which rests the book of the Holy Scriptures, supporting Jacob's Ladder which is said to Teach to the watery clouds; and in passing round this circle we naturally touch on both these perpendicular parallel lines, as well as the Book of the Holy Scriptures, and while a Mason keeps himself thus circumscribed, he cannot materially err' [Thus ends the first degree of Masonry, and the reader, who has read and paid attention to it knows more of Masonry than any Entered Apprentice in Christendom, and more of this degree than one hundredth part of the Master Masons, or even Royal Arch Masons; for very few even attempt to learn the Lectures, or even the Obligations: They merely receive the degrees, and there stop, with the exception of a few who are fascinated with the idea of holding an office: they sometimes endeavour to qualify themselves to discharge the duties which devolve on them in their respective offices. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer, are by some considered the most important in the Lodge, particularly where there is much business done.]

I will now introduce the reader to the second degree of Masonry. It is generally called passing, as will be seen in the lecture I shall omit the ceremonies of opening and closing, as they are precisely the same as in the first degree, except two knocks are used in this degree, and the door is entered by the benefit of a password; it is Shiboleth. It will be explained in the lecture.

The candidate, as before, is taken into the preparation room and prepared in the manner following; All his clothing taken off except his shirt; furnished with a pair of drawers; his right breast bare; his left loot in a slipper, the right bare; a cable-tow twice round his neck; semi

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hoodwinked; in which situation he is conducted to the door of the Lodge, where he gives two knocks, when the Senior Warden rises and says, ' Worshipful, while we are peaceably at work on the second degree of Masonry, under the influence of faith, hope, and charity, the door of our Lodge is alarmed.' Master to Junior Deacon, Brother Junior, enquire the cause of that alarm.' [In many Lodges they come to the door, knock, are answered by the Junior Deacon, and come in without their being noticed by the Senior Warden or Master] The Junior Deacon gives two raps on the inside of the door. The candidate gives one without; it is answered by the Junior Deacon with one, when the door is partly opened by the Junior Deacon, who enquires, who comes here? who comes here?' The Senior Deacon, who is or ought to be the conductor, answers, 'A worthy Brother who has been regularly initiated as an Entered Apprentice Mason, served a proper time as such, and now wishes for further light in Masonry by being passed to the degree of Fellow-Craft Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, 'Is it of his own free will and accord he makes this request ?" Ans. It is.' Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, Is he duly and truly and prepared? Ans. He is.' Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, Is he worthy and well qualified? Ans. He is.' Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, 'Has he made suitable proficiency in the preceding degree? Ans. He has.' [Very few know any more than they did the night they were initiated; have not heard their obligation repeated, nor one section of the lecture, and in fact a very small proportion of Masons ever learn either.] Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, 'By what further rights does he expect to obtain this benefit?' Ans. By the benefit of a pass-word.' Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, Has he a pass-word? Ans. He has not, but I have it for him.' Junior Deacon to Senior Deacon, Give it to me?' The Senior Deacon whispers in the Junior Deacon's ear, Shiboleth. The Junior Deacon says, 'The pass is right; since this is the case, you will wait 'till the Worshipful Master in the East is made acquainted with his request, and his answer returned.' The Junior Deacon then repairs to the Master and gives two knocks, as at the door, which are answered by two by the Master When the same questions are asked and answers returned as at the door, after which the Master

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