Masonic Notes And Queries.

as I was sure it would produce , in a mind , such as yours , at once intelligent and eager for the truth , the conviction of the existence of the Great Architect of the "Universe , ancl you have become a member of our Institution . Let me now recommend to you moderation in your Meta physical Reading . The nature of

the Great Architect of the Universe will ever he a mystery for the human understanding ; the finite cannot comprehend the infinite , whatever the word infinite is taken to signify . You already possessfall the knowled ge requisite for your guidance onward iu that path at the end of which is found , what , adopting

philosophical language , you denominate the " sovereign good . " Perform your moral duty , and if you have not your reward now , you will have it hereafter . You have learnt this by the light of nature . You will excuse me when I add it would be more satisfactory to those who love you had you learnt it by revelation also . —C . P . COOPER .

THE ELETJSmAX MVSTEEIES . The brother , writer of a recent letter in the Freemesons' Magazine , will perhaps be glad to see a passage respecting the Eleusinian mysteries , taken hy me six or seven years ago from the stray numbers of some work in the nature of an encyclopaedia then

publishing in parts . It may be here ' mentioned that some of a large series of communications , intended for the Freemasons' Magazine , already prepared in answer to the questions of correspondents , relate to the mysteries of ancient nations . But press of matter will probablrender it impossible for the editor to

y insert such communications for some months to come , most of them falling late iu the series . The ensuing is the passage referred to above : — "The outward method of the celebration of the Eleusinian mysteries is known with considerable accuracy of detail . Their esoteric significance is variouslinterpreted

y , The ancients themselves generall y believed that the doctrines revealed to the initiated gave them better hopes than other men enjoyed , both as to the present life and as to a future state of existence . Modern speculation has run wild in the attempt satisfactoril y to explain these mysteries . As reasonable a solution "

as any other seemsto he that of Bishop Thirlwall , who finds iu them the remains of a worship which preceded the rise of the Hellenic mythology and its attendant rites , grounded on a view of nature less fanciful , more earnest , and better fitted to awaken both philosophical thoughts and religious feeling . "C . P . COOPEE .

EOACS AXD EEEEJIASOITET . "Well , wonders will never cease , say I ; and now that I have recovered my breath , let me explain how I came to lose it . Rome is actually growing consistent , her precepts and her examples are getting to harmonise- —sad symptoms , ancl I fear the old lady of the Seven Hills is in a bad way when she goes the length

of refusing heretics' money . Upon my word , I am inclined to believe it one of poor A . "Ward ' s goaPs . No , here it is in black and white . Turn to page 251 of the present volume , and you will read " How Papists" ( begin to understood ) "estimate Freemasonry . " The Bishop of Salonike has forbidden the sisters of mercy to receive a portion of a certain fund arising from a charitable benefit g iven by the brethren of the Italian Lodge there . It is true that the

Jesuits have been carrying on a systematic persecution of these brethren , a circumstance which may have influenced tho bishop . Still , it is well worth remarking that the Roman Catholics have refused tho Freemasons' money . " What is the use of making such a fuss about it ? " I hear a brother say , " has not the Pope

consigned us to blazes and the pleasures of brimstone ? " Granted , my esteemed brother ; and the celebrated Paul Cullen , of Ireland , in one of his ISiJS pastorals , threatened even the faithful of the Romish Church with the same punishment for attending Freemason halls , see Scottish Freemasons' Magazine for July , 1863 , and tlie newspapers ofthe time . What bothers me is the fact of the sisters of mercy refusing the

money . When that elegant , learned , and most Christ-like document known as the Pope ' s Allocution against Freemasonry was fulminated , spreading widely laughter and humour among the brethren , who did not appear to suffer much from the thunderer , it was supposed that thenceforward all communication

between us , the diabolic Masons and the good Catholics , was at an end . But such , certain Roman Catholics understood , was not to he the case . While I was revising the proof of an answer to the Pope's Allocution , I received by post a polite letter and packet of tickets , requesting me , as Right Worshipful Master

of Lodge St . Stephen ' s , to dispose of them at sixpence a-piece among my brethren , when , if I succeeded in selling twenty , one complimentary ticket wasto . be my rewar'd . My ordinary custom is , on receip t of such documents , to pitch them into the waste basket , unless they happen to be of some excellent paper

, when they make extremely good pipe-lights . The present packet had that qualification , and so were preserved . I did not pay much attention to the packet at the time , and it was only when I came to twist a ticket up into a p ipe-light , that I discovered that it emanated from some Roman Catholic sisters

of mercy . Now , this was a good joke—asking me , whom their reverend head had consigned to eternal perdition , to help raise funds for his cause . Shy lock was honest when he told Bassanio , " I will buy with you , sell with you , talk with you , walk with you , and so following ; but I will not eat with you ,

drink with you , nor pray with you . " Yf hy can Rome not be equally honest , and say , "I will take your money , but mind , I will damn you . " I found that every other Master had received a similar packet , with a similar request , and , if my memory does not fail meone or two similar packets from other Roman

, Catholics reached me during my term of office . It was about the most barefaced piece of impudence that could have been perpetrated , to ask the Master of a lodge to exert himself in behalf of a religion , while at tlie very moment the pulp its of its churches rang with the blasphemous denunciation of the brethren .

This conduct , at the time , struck me as absurd in the last degree , and was another proof of the g laring inconsistency of Roman Catholics . It is thus with much gratification that I observe a change for the better coming over the spirit of Rome ' s dream ; and a few bishops like him of Salonike introduced into Britain might ' . be a step in the rig ht direction , when the Masons would no longer have insult added to attempted injury . —A . 0 . HAXE .