The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

members of the lodge , viz ., Bobert Philip . It was stated by Mr . Broom that the Grand Lodge had requested that twelve of the members of the St . John ' s should act as the operative part of the Grand Lodge . It was stated on behalf of the committee appointed to examine the clothing , & c , that such of them as had been discovered and

necessary had been put into the hands of tradesmen to be renewed . It was then agreed that the lodge should be opened on Monday evening at seven o'clock for initiating the parties , members of other lodges , * and at half-past eight for

admitting new members ; and the Collector and Messrs . M'Guffie , James Scott , and Buchanan are appointed as a committee to fix upon the place of meeting . Dr . Battray to be warned at seven , so soon as the place of meeting is fixed . " +

"At Glasgow , ninth of May , 1842 . At a meeting of the Freemen St . John ' s Lodge . Present : The Grand Master , other Office BearersJ , and a number of members . The following parties were initiated ( or ) affiliated , § viz ., William York ,

James Fyfe , — Buchanan , Thomas Brownlie , John Cochrane , Robert Craig , John Watt , Walter Baird , Bobert Cruickshanks , and Bobert Fyfe , Treasurer . The sum of £ 3 7 s . 6 d . paid to him , received for initiating members . Brothers

Neilson and Jaffrey were also initiated , and paid to the Treasurer 7 s . 6 d . each . James Hamilton , Robert Philip , Jas . Cruickshank admitted . Their entry 15 s . each paid to the Treasurer . " |[ ( To be continued . )

How I Spent My Five Weeks' Leave.

HOW I SPENT MY FIVE WEEKS' LEAVE .

Being a Journal leapt during an Excursion to Syria and Palestine in the month of May , 1868 . ( Continued from page 468 ) . LEAVE MALTA UPPER BBTHOEON TO JERUSALEM . Next day we mount at 7 a . m ., and ride through the most peculiar , wild country ; deep i * avines , and an apparently endless succession of mountains

presenting themselves no sooner have we descended one , than we come to another . It is oppressively hot riding down these " wadges " or deep water-courses . ¦ This is part of the wilderness of Engedi . At last we arrive at the plain of

the Jordan , bounded by the blue mountains of Moab , which extend up the far side of the Jordan valley , till the eye loses sight of them in the hazy distance . On our right , the Dead Sea soon bursts upon our sight , with a thick mist rising

from it , owing to the great heat , which is due in great measure to the extraordinary depression , for it is 1 , 300 ft . below the level of the Mediterranean ; the sea is about as deep again , so the bottom of the Dead Sea is 2 , 600 ft . below the level of the

Sea ; then again , as the mountains all around are so high , no refreshing , cool breeze can get in . The Dead Sea has been much belied ; it appears a beautiful blue lake , of clear crystal water , and as for the fiction of birds being unable to cross it ,

I myself saw an old crow sailing oyer as gaily as possible ; but it has an unspeakably desolate look ; bo boat on its surface , no sign of life or

cultivation on its shores ; all sterility and death-like solitude . We ride clown to the north coast , and ' taste the water , which is acrid to a degree . I should like to bathe , but as it is mid-day , the sun is fearfully hot , also no place where one can get

the least shade to dress in , it would be dangerous . A good gallop over the plain brings us in a . bout an hour to the banks of the Jordan . It is a fine river , but disappointed me , as I expected to see a clear stream . It is about the colour of cream , or

rather of "milk and honey . " No marvel that Naaman thinking of the beautiful streams of the Lebanon , should say , " Are not Abana and Pharphar rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel ? " The heat , in crossing the plain , has

been such ; that I feel ready to drop , and there is no real shade to be got , only a tangled brake , and a few thin silver poplars on the banks ; however , we make an awning with railway wrappers , under which we lie and pant , drinking gallons of water

or lemonade , the supply of both of which we exhaust , and have to come down to the muddy water of the sacred stream . After lunch we bathe in

the river , at the spot where the Pilgrims bathe on Easter Tuesday . A strange sight it must be !" these thousands of enthusiastic Pilgrims , who have come from all parts of Europe and Asia , rushing into the stream ,- most of them bathing in white dresses which are afterwards kept for