Expatiation On The Mysteries Of Masonry In Malling Abbey Lodge,

associated Avith the sacrament of initiation into the Christian Church . " Know ye not that so many of us as were babtised into Jesus Christ were baptised into His death . Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death . " So

says St . Paul . And the collect of the English Church for Easter Eve almost sounds like a prayer for use in the ceremony of raising to the third degree : — " Grant 0 Lord , that as Ave are baptised into the death of thy blessed Son , so , by continual

mortifying our corrupt affections , we may be buried with Him ; and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass to our joyful resurrection . " There is this important difference between Christ ,

the Foundation Stone , and those that are built upon Him , that He has life iu Himself , and they derive their life from Him . The living foundation imparts spiritual and eternal life to every stone in the building-. In no other Avay can we possess it . The hand of the E . A . could not raise us to this

life , for natural religion is powerless . The F . C . could not help us , for the moral law brings condemnation . It is the Master alone who can raise us , as He raised up St . John : — " I fell at His feet as dead . And He laid His right hand upon me ,

saying unto me , Fear not , I am the first and the last . " And Ave can only be raised to life on the points of fellowship , which are those of Christian love . For the same Apostle says : — " We knoAv that ive have passed from death unto life , because

Ave love the brethren . He that hateth his brother is in darkness , and walketh in darkness . If we say we have fellowship Avith God , and walk in darkness , Ave lie , and do not the truth . He that loveth his brother abideth in the li ght , and there

is none occasion of stumbling iu Him . If we walk in the light , as God is in the li ght , Ave have fellowship one with another , ancl the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin . " And the whole fabric must be raised in the same

AA ay as each separate stone of it . It must increase by the edifying , or building up of itself in love . Knowledge puffs up , but charity builds up . Thus , coming to the living stone , disallowed indeed of men , but chosen of God , and precious , Ave also , as

lively stones , are built up a spiritual house . Happy indeed are they who shall be found worth y to be placed by the Great Architect , as stones in this building , to be united to the foundation stone which He has laid in Sion , to groAV up into a holy Temple , in the Lord ; a Temple in Avhich the

noise of axe and hammer will not be heard ; m which all love all , sing with one voice , and Avorship as one man , a temple which will endure to eternity , aud in AA hich the living stones shall shine as the stars for ever and ever . ( To he continued . )

The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HATE . { Continued from page 27 . ) CHAPTER XII . —continued , The Christians had no longer among them the

wood of the Holy Cross to animate them in battle , and to cheer them in death . In place of it . King Guy caused the Books of the Evangelists to be borne before him , Avrapped in coverings of silk , and supported by four Knights . Guy commanded

the right Aving , and had under his baton the French and the Knights Hospitallers . The Venetians , the Lombards , ' and . the Syrians formed the left wing , and were commanded by Conrad de Montferrat . The Germans and English ,

commanded by the Landgrave of Thuringia , occupied the centre . The Templars , with the Duke of Gueldres and his soldiers , formed the reserve , and were under the command of Gerard de Ridefort , The guardianship of . the camp was entrusted to

Gerard d'Avesnes and Geoffrey , de Lusignan . Saladin , with his army , presented a formidable appearance , commanding the centre in person . His nephew had charge of the right wing , and the Princes of Mossoul and Sandjar of the left .

The battle commenced by the archers and cavalry of the Christians attacking the right wing ofthe Mussulman army , Avhich they broke . Conrad de Montferrat then advanced with his cavalry , and the Mussulman giving way before him , fled in

disorder . The Christians took possession of the enemy ' s camp , the cords of the pavilion were cut , and the fiery Count de Montbar penetrated to the tent of Saladin , which he seized upon . The rout ofthe Saracens Avas complete , and in their terror

they fled to the most distant cities , without drawing rein or taking refreshment . An Arabian historian , Chehabeddin , writes , — "This day I was amonothe holy men , and I was upon the hill with them , looking at the fight , and Avatching for what should happen to the enemy . We had no idea that the battle would reach us ; but when the enemy be-