A French Priest's View Of Masonry.

in a charter drawn up at a reunion held at Cologne in 1535 I Among the signatures to this charter , whose genuineness is acknowledged b y respectable authorities , ancl which Father Deschamps gives in full , are those of several of the leaders of the so-called Reformation , including Melancthon and Coligny . " We may state here that it is surprising that Father Deschamps should have been imposed upon by the alleged " Charter of Cologne" an instrument

, that no authoritative Masonic writer now relies upon . Indeed it is an admitted , clearly-proven forgery . After all , our reviewer , in his conchiding " paragraph , reminds us of the dogthat returned to his vomit , for he says : " Freemasonry , as a secret society , is dangerous to our free institutions ; as a Craft it is obnoxious to the true spirit of humanity . It is degrading to a

man ' s dignity to submit himself to a secret , irresponsible human authority . No one can sincerely question that the Catholic Church , in prohibiting' her children from becoming members of such secret organizations , has deserved well of the country , ancl , in this one respect particularly , has done much for the preservation of our political institutions . " But we would accept his reasoning rather than his dogmatic statement .

The former is dictated by truth—sometimes diluted , it is true , but still truth , while the latter is subservient to the intolerant view of the proprietor of the See of St . Peter . When will the believers in the Bible , everywhere , credit the Great Bible Society with its faultless principles of Faith in God , Hope in Immortality , and Charity towards the entire Brotherhood ? Can such a Society be "dangerous , " " obnoxious to the true sjiirit of humanity , " or " degrading to a man ' s dignity ? "—The Keystone .

The Writing On The Wall.

THE WRITING ON THE WALL .

BY VERAX . I WAS looking over an odd volume of the Sentimental and Masonic Magazine for 1793 , when I came on the following verses , which , striking in themselves , seem to suggest some thoughts ancl associations never unsuitable or unseasonable for the Masonic world to grasp ancl realize : THE WRITING ON THE WALL .

Festivos inter calices ac poc'la fcyrannus Palluit , in mnro mystica signa videns , Depinxit quce dira manns : —dam major in boras Et circumserpit largior usque nota . Non tamen aut primus potorum , ant ultimus ille , Talia cui poterant scripta ciere metum .

Forte aliquando animum creta , aut carbone notatus Terruerit paries , lector amice , tuum . JTammihi ( confiteor fassoque ignosce ) tabernje Adverse inscriptaa pariefce eorda nota ? Terribili monitu horrificant , interque bibendum , Excudit e treinula lapsa lagaena manu .

Scilicet hsec nostrum , suspense examine , lancem Scripfcnra et locales argnit esse breves . Si vero portenta immotus talia cernas , Tu gravior nobis lance repertus eris .

In regal pomp the tyrant sups , And , fearless , drains the hallow'd cups When , lo , his stagger'd sight appal The mystic letters on the wall , Which , as the hand terrific drew , Broad and more broad each moment grew . Yet not the first of topers he , Nor still , perhaps , the last may be ,

Whom certain kinds of nmral writing Have sometimes been the cause of frighting . At least poor me , I freely own , They oft have into panics thrown , Dash'd from my hand tV uufmish'd bowl , And almost harrow'd up my soul . E ' en you , my friend , at midnight hour , Have feltperchancetheir chilling power ;

, , But , if unmov'd such sights you view , It does but prove the maxim true , That , tried in judgment's sober scales , 'Tis " weight of metal still prevails ;" Whilst I , who ne ' er in that abound , " Am in the balance wanting found . "