will, and this sanctified love will be more blissful in itself, more beneficial in its results.

The symbolic meaning of incense is remarkably exhibited in one passage of the New Testament, Rev. viii. 3, 4. "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which was with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."-Here we see the Mediator interfering between men and God, and His perfect service mingling as the smoke of sweet incense with their prayers, to make them acceptable. The pot of incense may remind us of this, but it reminds us more specially of that offering which ought continually to arise from our own hearts, " incense and a pure offering," acceptable to God.

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CHAPTER LVII.

MASONIC SYMBOLS.-THE BEE-HIVE.

THE Bee-Hive is the symbol of industry; and calls us to consider both the duty of industry, and the advantage of it. Industry is a virtue held in high esteem amongst Freemasons, and the duty of it is much inculcated in the old charges, which may be found in "Freemasonry and its Jurisprudence," a previous work by the present author.

Industry is also strongly commended and enjoined in the best of all books, the volume of inspiration; whilst slothfulness or sluggardice is reprobated. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard" says Solomon, "consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man " (Prov. vi. 6-11). The following also are weighty sentences of the Book of Proverbs. "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich" (Prov. x. 4). "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame" (Prov. x. 5). "As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him" (Prov. x. 26). "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute" (Prov. xii. 24). "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious" (Prov. xii. 27). "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath

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nothing but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat" (Prov. xiii. 4). "The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain" (Prov. xv. 19). "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster" (Prov. xviii. 9). "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger" (Prov. xix. 15). "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread" (Prov. xx. 13). "I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man" (Prov. xxiv. 30-34). "The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth” (Prov. xxvi. 13-15). "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens" (Prov. xxvii. 23-27). "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough" (Prov. xxviii. 19). And in the Book of Ecclesiastes we read: "By much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through" (Eccl. x. 18). Also, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Eccl. ix. 10). In the New Testament also we

are exhorted to "be not slothful in business" (Rom. xii. 11). And the rule is laid down that if a man will not work, neither shall he eat, that is, he is not to expect that his wants shall be supplied by that charity which ought to be reserved for those whose poverty is their misfortune and not the consequence of their own faults: it is enjoined that every man shall labour, "working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth" (Eph. iv. 28); and we read the strong statement that, "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1. Tim. v. 8).

It is needless to dwell much on the advantages of industry, after the quotations made from the Book of Proverbs, in which they are clearly pointed out, and shown in strong contrast with the miserable consequences of slothfulness. When Adam sinned and fell, this was part of the curse pronounced against him: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. iii. 19). But God has been pleased to mingle blessings with man's lot, and to connect them with that very toil which he must endure that he may eat bread. "The sleep of the labouring man is sweet,' and he who is diligent in his business, faithfully discharging his duty, has the reward not only of providing for his own comfortable subsistence, and that of his family, but also of an approving conscience, exemption from harassing anxieties, and peace in his heart.

The bee-hive is a very significant and natural symbol of industry. The industry of the bee, like that of the ant, is proverbial, and our admiration is demanded alike by the diligence of bees in gathering honey and in constructing their combs and cells in which to store it. We see in them also an example of united industry; a whole community, and that a large one, systematically working for a common purpose, according to the wonderful instinct implanted in them by their Creator, without discord, and without confusion; some

going forth to extract honey from flowers, and to bring it home to the hive; some in like manner, devoting themselves to the production of wax : some to the building of the combs and cells; and some to the care and feeding of the young. From all this we may learn important lessons. We are taught the manifold advantages of unity and co-operation, which are not less necessary for the successful prosecution of human purposes and designs, than for the welfare of the bee-community. We may also reflect that as the young of the bee is for a considerable time helpless, and entirely dependent on its watchful nurses, so the young of the human race are helpless in infancy and for a long time -longer than in the case of any of the lower animals,dependent on their parents. Thus when we look upon the bee-hive, this symbol reminds us of our duty towards the young, of the provision which ought to be made for them, the affection with which they ought to be regarded, and the care which ought to be taken of them, in a way accordant with their nature, that they may be so trained as in due time to be fitted for occupying well their own places in society. The education of his children must ever occupy much of the attention of a good parent, and he is not a good and worthy Mason who is negligent of it.

Reflecting further on the subject of co-operation, we cannot but observe that the largest communities of men have common interests, which require unity of purpose, and harmonious prosecution of that purpose by the individual members of the community. The part to be performed by one necessarily differs from that of another; but each has his part, and in performing it he contributes to the general welfare of the community. Nations, therefore, have their institutions and their laws, in accordance with which every one must regulate the whole course of his life; and the prosperity of the nation depends, not only on the excellence of these institutions and laws, but on the general and willing obedience of the people to every law that exists; their hearty concurrence in their several spheres, in endeavouring to turn their institutions to the best possible account, not grudging the time and