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last point by way of illustration; but such was the inference of the communication made to me by one who had, or said he had, conversed with him upon the subject. The parson seems to have forgotten, that every instance of coition is not effectual, and that, at every ineffectual instance, a soul must be wasted, unless it can recover its former position for a more effectual effort. This immortal-soul-subject is a truly laughable one, to those who understand it rightly, as I presume that I and all anatomists and physiologists and materialists do. Whether you do or do not, I will not pretend to say; for report, which does all and every thing to make royalty great, has not even gifted you with knowledge. Nor have your senatorial speeches supplied the defect: though I hear, that the one, which has "so help me god" for its motto, is handed about with all sorts of embellishments added by the art of the engraver, printer and binder.

I have represented so much of the Royal Arch degree of Masonry as exhibits the finding of the lost grand word. In almost all instances, the grand words of Masonry are the various names of the Jewish God. In this degree, it has been Jahova and Jao-bul-on. It is not to be pronounced by an individual; but only when three are together, grasping each others wrists, with hands across to form a triple triangle. Each individual repeats each syllable of the name in succession, so that, it is not pronounced as a whole by either at the same time. There are five ways of pronouncing this word altogether; but I cannot define the whole at this moment. It is enough, that I say, that this manner of pronouncing this grand word is the grand secret of Royal Arch Masonry and here, at its climax, for this is now called the climax of masonry, we find it to be ridiculous, and, as such, with so much fuss and ceremony made about it, detestable and wicked.

In the chapter, the letters of this name are kept as loose letters, and when the pretended discovery of the name on the gold plate in the arch is made, to avoid a pronunciation of the word, the candidate is instructed by seeing the letters put rightly together to form it. This pretended reverence for the name of their God, was an old trick of the Jewish Priests, to make it appear a matter of great import to the ignorant. Jao-bul-on, say the Royal Arch Masons, is the compounded name of the Deity in three languages-Hebrew, Syriac, and Chaldean: and all the etymological definition that can be given of the words is, that they mean the sun, who has been the unconscious parent of all the gods. We

are told, that Boyle the Chemist never pronounced the name of God without a respectful pause, lest, I presume, the words preceding and succeeding should pollute this nonsensical word; but, if there were such a being with a recognized name, there could be nothing improper in a becoming mention of it in conversation, as with any other name. Religion, like love, makes us all fools; and, in the former case, fools without any kind of gratification. So, at schools and at church, we were taught to bow at the name of Jesus Christ, whilst this sacred word of the Jews and Mason's Jehovah. was pronounced with as much indifference as Jackass. The Christians bow at the words Jesus Christ, the Jews at Jehovah and the Mahometans at Allah: and the whole are alike idolators. The Jaggernaut of the Hindoos, or the Grand Lama of the Tartars, is as good and as powerful a god as either of them. They are all alike idols, and he who harbours even an idea of a god, of an intelligent being beyond the animal world, is as much an idolator as any idolator that ever lived. We have no experience, no analogy, to warrant any notions of the kind. "God is up above" cries the ignorant idolator; "where is up above" asks my little Tom Paine; "why, up there," pointing to a perpendicular, says the former; "ah! that will be down below, as we turn round from it, so there is no constant up above." "Oh! you little fool, how do you know," says the idolator, confuted and angry; "I do know," says Tom, "that you know nothing about a God." Tom would often come and tell me of such a dialogue as this with the Dorchester boys. And where is the Bishop, who can, can you the Bishop of Osnaburg, add to the knowledge of this child upon this subject, a child that has been born since I have been in Dorchester Gaol, a Prisoner, for exposing this abominable, this mischievous, this truly sinful and wicked nonsense?

In this Royal Arch degree, there are five signs, called the penal, the reverential or sign of sorrow, the penitential or supplicatory, the monitorial and the fiducial sign. Five is the characteristic number of this degree. There are five knocks, five signs, five ways of pronouncing the grand word or sacred name, and I presume, that the Bible must be kissed five times after each obligation, having first pronounced five amens. This is one of the features of Masonry, and we have read in the Scotch degree and others, that 81 is the grand climacteric number of Masonry in its old forms; before it was mutilated by the grand union of all the grand fools. In the old lodges, it was requisite to perambulate

the lodge as many times as were equal to the number of the degree, which, in some of the degrees, became a most painful task. Five seems now to be the highest; and, I presume, that the union of the grand lodges has nearly rendered nugatory the professional instructions of the one-eyed. brother Bilkes.

Finch makes the number seven to be the characteristic number of this degree, and particularly mentions, that the Biblemust be kissed seven times; but, in many instances, he fabricated his own degrees, or made them to be just what he thought proper.

The first pass-word in this degree, or that which ntrodu ces a new candidate, is the Past Master's word, Giblum. The pass-word for the first vale in the Royal Arch Chapter is, "I am that I am." The pass-word or words for the second vale are, Noah, Shem, Japhet. And those for the third vale, Moses, Aaron Eleazer. What distinguishes a vale, I cannot perceive, unless it be distinct introductions to the same chapter, in a state of blindness, at each of which a peculiar ceremony is gone through. An organ appears to be indispensable to the full practice of this degree; for there is music at every interval, and these are many. I must also wait for further instruction before I can describe the signs, though I know, that the reverential sign or sign of sorrow is, to bend the body forward, to have the right hand on the forehead and the left on the left breast. The penitential or supplicatory sign is I presume to put the hands in the attitude of prayer. The others, I will explain hereafter. The form of the obligations, if worthy of notice, shall also be subsequently noticed; but we find a sameness, on this head, throughout, and that the first, or that of the Entered Apprentice, is the basis of all. Even in the exaltation of the candidate, in this Royal Arch Degree, there is so little of original form, that I am almost ashamed to impose it upon the readers of a periodical publication; but, as this is the last dose of Jewish Masonry, I hope they will excuse it.

The candidate for this degree is made bare from the knees downward, blindfolded, and a cable tow put round bis neck. Thus prepared, he is left alone for a time, to meditate in an outer chamber. One of the scribes, or a past master, goes from the chapter to him and gives him an exortation for the occasion, speaks of the importance of the ceremony and the exaltation,and cautions him not to proceed, unless fully resolved to go through it and to apply himself to the duties of the chapter. The candidate pledges zeal and perseverance and

receives the sign and pass-word. The first sojourner is sent to introduce him, who brings him to the door and gives five knocks.

I see no account of a tiler or outer guard to a Royal Arch Chapter; but internally, the two scribes attend the door. On the report being given on the door, Nehemiah addresses Zerubbabel and says-most excellent, a report.

Z. See who wants admission.

N. opening the door Who comes there?

1st. S. Brother Noodle, who has duly and truly served his time as as Entered Apprentice, passed the degree of a Fellow Craft, and has been, in due time, raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, upon the five points of fellowship, with the respective signs, words, and pass words thereunto belonging and instituted according to the order of King Solomon; and, lastly, having been duly elected master of a lodge of Master Masons, installed in the chair of King Solomon and entrusted with the grip and word of a Past Master, with the sign and salutation of a master of arts and sciences; now presents himself, properly prepa red, for admission into this chapter, and for initiation into the sublime and exalted degree of Royal Arch Mason.

N. Halt, while I make due report. (He repeats the application to Zerubbabel.)*

Z. Companions is it your wish, that Brother Noodle be admit

ted?

C. It is, most excellent.

Z. Companion, Nehemiah. is he in possession of those particulars and properly prepared?

N. To the best of my knowledge, most excellent.

Z. Let the candidate be admitted in due form. (He is placed in the west.) Brother Noodle, we understand, that you seek preferment in our order; but before you can be admitted, we must first ascertain, whether you voluntarily offer yourself for the mysteries of this exalted degree?

Noodle, I do.

Z. We must also further ascertain, whether you are properly qualified to receive the mysteries of this exalted degree.

The High Priest Jeshua advances, and puts to him the necessary questions. Which being answered, the Priest orders him to kneel, for the benefit of a prayer, and thus prays:—

Almighty God, who art the sole Architect of the universe, at whose command the world burst forth from chaos and all created matter had its birth, look down, we pray thee, at this time, in a more peculiar manner, on this thy servant, and henceforth crown him with every blessing from thine inexhaustible store. But above all, give him grace to consider well his present undertaking, that he may neither proceed therein lightly, nor recede from it

dishonourably but pursue it steadily, ever remembering the intention, which is the acquisition of true wisdom and understanding, by searching out thy great and glorious works, for promoting thy honour and glory, for the benefit of the whole creation and his own eternal welfare. Amen.

Noodle is then led on in due form towards the altar, where the Prophet Haggai meets him and talks of the solemn nature of his situation, apprising him that he now stands before the Grand and Royal Arch Chapter, representing the Sanhedrim or famous court of judicature among the ancient Jews.

The High Priest here reads the second chapter of the book of Proverbs, after which, Zerubbabel administers the obligation, some particulars of which will be gathered from a Catechism to follow,

In some chapters, Nehemiah thus addresses the Candidate on entering :

In the name of the great omnipotent and eternal being, enter the Royal Arch dedicated to enlighten those that are in darkness and to shew forth the way, the truth, and the life.

The candidate is also considered one of the three sojourners, who have been set to work and have made the discovery of the arch or triple arch, and prior to the prayer before set forth (according to Finch) is thus addressed by Zerubbabel.

Z. Worthy sojourner, your integrity and industry have already been productive of a grand and wonderful discovery, previous to which you were obliged to draw forth three key stones. This was accomplished by manual labour. You have now three more key stones to draw forth, the operation of which depends on the mental power, for they are emblematic of the discovery which you have made; and the grand mystery of the Tau, which you could not describe, is now about to be revealed to you, that the completion of this part of the discovery may crown the reward of your labour; therefore, if you are fully prepared for this trial,. kneel down and endeavour to draw forth the first key stone, by attending to what I shall unfold.

The first key stone is the prayer. Then the following dialogueproceeds :

Z. In whom do you put your trust?

N. In Jehovah.

Z. In the name of that omnipotent being; I say, arise, follow yourleader, and fear no danger, Let your advance be by seven solemn steps, and, at each step, you must halt, and make obeisance, with the awe and reverence suited to this grand and solemn occasion; for every step brings you nearer to the sacred name of God. (The reader must suppose Noodle advancing from the door to the altar.) You are now about to draw forth the second key stone, by taking a great and solemn obligation.

This second key stone is the obligation, and the third, I pre

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