The Ancient Mysteries.

sonified . The Mysteries , says Strabo , * were instituted onl y to preserve the honour clue to the supreme being . These alone , says Chrysippus , can communicate a just idea of him . They taught that be is tho Supremo Ruler ; that be governs all things ancl disposes of all events ; that bis eye beholds every action , and even the most secret thought . By this placing Man under the immediate inspection of the Deit y ,

tbey inspired him with love of virtue , aucl they served at tho same time togii'e him just notions of the excellence and dignity of human nature . ( To be continued . )

Lodge Histories.

LODGE HISTORIES .

AS Ave have often recorded tbe history of English ancl Scottish Lodges in this magazine , Ave think it well to give , from the Liberal , Freemason , an interesting account of an American Lodge , as in Lodge life , Avhether in Eno-land or America or Scotland , tbe true history of Freemasonry is to be found .

PHILANTHROPIC LODGE . ON tbe occasion of reviving Philanthropic Lodge , in Marblehead , alluded to in our last number , the Secretary , Bro . S . P . HatheAvay , Jun ., road a paper , giving , as will be seen , a historical sketch of that organization . He has kindl y furnished us the copy , ancl , though somewhat lengthy , we print it for the benefit of those interested . After alluding to the feeling of regard one must

haA'e for those whose good deeds have made green their memories , and for traditions associated with things long past , he says : Our Lodge has such traditions and memories . We turn to its record , ancl Ave live with a century of Masonry that has passed . We look at its charter , Avbieb so many noble bands have held , and find the name of Paul Revere . We bend at its altar , ancl grasp tbe square and compasses that ivere taken from tbe

powder ship that Mug-ford captured . We are met at tbe door of the T yler Avitb tbe first sword that Avas drawn in this State at the President ' s call for troops in the late rebellion , which , in another century , will be as historic as the others . But briefly , let us together look through the records ; it will be old to some , tiresome to many , but food to all . The first knowledge we have of Masonry in this town is obtained from tbe

records of tbe Grand Lodge . Therein Ave find , on the 25 th of March , 17 G 0 , Dr . Lowell ancl some others went to Boston to be made Masons , were so made by Bro . Jeremy Gridley , then Grand Master , ancl Avere authorized to form a lodge in this place . ( It was twenty-seven years after the establishment of Masonry in America , but of tbe time or place of meeting no record remains . ) The presumption is that after forming the Lodge theirnumbers failed to

increase , and having become discouraged tbey returned the charter or dispensation , to Avait a more favourable opportunity . There are but t * vo Lodges older than this in the State , St . John ' s aucl St . Andrew ' s : St . John ' s , chartered in England in 1733 ( being then the Grand Lodge from which our charter was obtained ) ; St . AndreAv ' s , chartered as a Grand Lodge in Scotland in 1756 . In 1792 , these two authorities united to form what is now the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , but retained their charters as subordinate Lodges . An appli-