The other eleven were: Ehje, Jehovah, Elohim, El, Gibbor, Eloah, Sabaoth, Isebaoth, Schaddai, Adonai, and Makom. It is introduced here because some of our brethren of the last century used the word as an inscription in Hebrew characters for "the lodge" represented on the floor-cloth.

AHIMAN REZON. Dr. Mackey says these words are derived from the Hebrew ahim, brothers, manah, to prepare, and ratzon, the will or law; and signifies, therefore, literally, "the law of prepared brothers." Others contend that the derivation is from achi man ratzon," the opinions of a true and faithful brother." It was the title adopted for their Book of Constitutions by the section which split off from our Grand Lodge about the year 1740, and denominated themselves, by way of distinction, Ancient Masons.

AIR. Every human being at his birth becomes subject to the action of three elements. He comes out of water, passes through the air, and when he arrives at maturity, he is under the influence of fire. It is only at his death that he can participate of the fourth element (the earth). When he is initiated into the mysteries of Masonry, he is proved by the three elements of water, air, and fire. -Rosenberg.

AHOLIAB. Of the tribe of Dan. It is observed by R. Bechai, that God chose one out of the lowest tribe (for so they accounted that of Dan), as well as one out of the chief, which was Judah; that Bezaleel might not be lifted up with vain conceit; for great and small are equal before God. And he truly observes, that one of the same tribe of Dan, by the mother's side, was the most skilful person that could be found for the building of the Temple by Solomon. There were several, no doubt, who had a natural genius to such arts as were necessary in this work, but they could not, by their own industry, have attained such skill as God bestowed on Aholiab and Bezaleel; at least not so soon, as to go immediately about the building of the Tabernacle, and all things belonging to it.-Bishop Patrick.

AKIROP. The name of an assassin at the building of King Solomon's Temple.

ALERT. As everything in Freemasonry ought to be performed with the precision of perfect discipline, it behoves all the officers of a lodge to be ever on the alert in the discharge of their respective duties, that the brethren may have continually before them an example of order and regularity worthy of imitation; for it is only by the correct demeanour of the rulers and governors of the Craft, that the machinery of a lodge can be beneficially worked, and its labours conducted with such effect as to produce the blessings of peace, harmony, and brotherly love.

ALEXANDRIA. The inundations of the Nile caused the inhabitants great rejoicings. But it usually happened that when the waters had subsided, and they returned to their agricultural pursuits, the sediment which had been deposited by the retreating river had obliterated their temporary land-marks, which originated violent disputes respecting their several localities. Being at length tired of these annual contentions, and hearing that a lodge of Masons was in existence at Alexandria, over which Euclid presided, the Egyptians resolved to refer all litigated matters to this Grand Lodge. Euclid undertook the task, and with the assistance of his Grand Warden, Straton the philosopher, collected the scattered elements of geometry, and formed them into a regular system, by which means the people were instructed how to measure and apportion their lands, and renew their boundary marks, without any infringement of each others rights or property.

ALLEGORY. The two sons of Abraham, Ishmael, born of Agar his handmaid, and Isaac, born of Sarah the free-woman, contain an allegory in which the name is put for the thing signified or represented by it; for these. two women and their children are, by representation, the two covenants; the one covenant being that from Mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is, by representation, Agar the bond-woman, and so bearing a child which also

was in bondage, for that which is signified by Agar, from whom Ishmael descended, is Mount Sinai in Arabia, whence the law was given; and this Agar answers to Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children to the law, as the bond-woman and her child were to Abraham; but the Jerusalem which is above, is by representation Sarah the free-woman, whose son was born, not according to the flesh, but "according to the promise." "Lo then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but the free."—Whitby.

ALL-SEEING EYE. Whom the Sun, Moon, and Stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform their stupendous revolutions, beholds the inmost recesses of the human heart, and will reward us according to our works.-Lectures.

ALLUREMENTS. Masonry is one of the most sublime and perfect institutions that ever was formed for the advancement of happiness and general good of mankind; creating, in all its varieties, universal benevolence and brotherly love. It holds out allurements so captivating as to inspire the brotherhood with emulation to deeds of glory, such as must command, throughout the world, veneration and applause, and such as must entitle those who perform them to dignity and respect. It teaches us those useful, wise, and instructive doctrines, upon which alone true happiness is founded; and at the same time affords those easy paths by which we attain the rewards of virtue; it teaches us the duties which we owe to our neighbour, never to injure him in any one situation, but to conduct ourselves with justice and impartiality; it bids us not to divulge the mystery to the public, and it orders us to be true to our trust, and above all meanness and dissimulation, and in all our vocations to perform religiously that which we ought to do.-Duke of Sussex.

ALPHA and OMEGA. From eternity to eternity. This mode of speech is borrowed from the Jews, who express the whole compass of things by saleph and ♬ tau, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabets; but as

St. John was writing in Greck, he accommodates the whole to the Greek alphabet, of which A alpha and 2 omega are the first and last letters.

תא ועד ת With the rabbins

mealeph read tau, "from aleph to tau," expressed the whole of a matter from the beginning to the end; as Adam transgressed the whole law from aleph to tau, i. e. from the beginning to the end.-Adam Clarke.

ALTAR. An altar must be a most holy place to every Christian, and more especially to every true worshipper of God. It was so to the first nations who conceived the idea of a Most High being. High above all the stars they conjectured was his most elevated seat. They fell upon their knees when they worshipped Him, as more emblematical of the immense distance they were removed from Him; and they built altars, upon which they offered fruits and other things, that the smoke might arise towards Him, as a proof of their gratitude. We, as enlightened Christians and Freemasons, make no offerings of fruits upon our altars, neither are they any more to be found upon the tops of mountains, or in the depths of the caverns, but under a cloudy canopy, as emblematical of the heavens, and our offerings are the hallowed obligations of a grateful and pious heart.-Gadicke.

AMERICA. The Americans appear to be more generally versed in the principles of the Order than the brethren of this country; which is owing, I conceive, to the genial operation of its local Grand Lodges. Every brother may become a ruler of the Craft, and a Master in Israel, by his own meritorious exertions. The offices of Grand Lodge are open to industrious and worthy brethren who have given proof of their excellence in the art; and this facility of promotion excites a spirit of friendly emulation which operates favourably for society at large. The several Grand Lodges also are engaged in an amicable contest which shall carry out the best interests of Masonry most effectually; and hence we find nothing in Masonry as it is practised there to condemn, but everything to commend. They do not waste their time in talking-debates upon all speculative questions

The

being left to the several committees or boards. Grand Lodges have to determine merely upon their reports, which are usually found to be drawn up with so much judgment and discrimination as not to be susceptible of any hostile opinion; and hence their members are seldom in collision with each other.

AMBITION. The possession and exercise of authority is a matter of honourable and proper ambition in every brother who really prizes the institution into which he has been initiated, and who wishes to render his Masonry productive of its legitimate fruits-the moral improvement of his mental faculties. It is to be regretted, however, that this ambition, so praiseworthy when exercised within its due bounds, is too frequently indulged, even to an unlimited extent, by brethren who, though in other respects worthy, do not possess the requisite talent or industry to confer distinction. Or, in other words, the ambition is more frequently for the office, than for the qualification to execute it with credit to themselves or benefit to the community over which they have been called on to preside.

AMMI. Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. Although the Israelites, in the days of Hosea, were in general corrupt, and addicted to idolatry, yet there were among them in the worst times some who had not bowed down the knee to Baal. These were always Ammi and Ruhamah; God's own people and a darling daughter. It is probable that God here commissions these faithful few to admonish the inhabitants of the land in general of the dreadful judgments that would be brought upon them by the gross idolatry of the Jewish church and nation. Speak to your brethren, O Ammi (O my people), and to your sisters, O Ruhamah (O darling daughter).-Bishop Horsley.

AMPLE FORM. When the Grand Lodge is opened by the Grand Master in person, it is said to be opened in "ample form;" when by the Deputy Grand Master, it is in" due form," and when by any other officer, it is said to be simply "in form."