Palestine Exploration Fund.

feet below the present bed , which , has been filled up by the debris of time , and of all the sieges that have wasted the Holy City . But by far the most interesting piece of work yet achieved by the society is the discovery and

subsequent exploration of a vast series of subterraneous chambers built to the west of the Haram wall , and under the modern city of Jerusalem , Of these no less than fifteen had been opened out . They are mostly filled with rubbish , or with water .

A great passage running nearly west has been followed for 250 feet , but has yet to be explored thoroughly . A plan of these chambers has been sent home , and may be seen at the office of the fund , 9 , Pall-Mall East . What was their

intention and original use does not yet appear . Bro . Warren thinks that some few of them are of Saracenic origin . One , a large square chamber , with a column in the south , he says is of early Jewish construction , and marks " Masonic Hall . "

On the south wall of the Haram area he has made a discovery which may ultimately lead to important results . We give the words of his letter : —

" Haram Wall . —The courses of stone in this wall with marginal drafts ran from 3 ft . Gin . to 3 ft . 9 in . in height ; but between the Huldah and Temple Gates there is a course , the height of which is from 5 ft . lOin . to 6 ft . lin . On a recent

examination of the south wall I found this large course continuied to the south-east angle , thence running north for 24 ft .

This course bears directly on the question of the unity of the South Haram wall . It is nearl y double the heights of the other bevelled courses in the Haram wall ; its base is about one foot higher than the highest part of the rock of Mount

Moriah , and consequently it is the first course in this front which can run through from E . to W . "It exists at present for 600 ft . W . of S . E . angle , but is not seen W . of the Huldah Gate . " At the S . E . angle the corner stone of the

course weighs over a hundred tons , and though not the largest stone , it is certainly the heaviest visible in the Haram wall . " We must remember in thinking over what this discovery may lead to— -1 , that Josephus gives

600 ft . as the length of the wall ; and 2 , that the lowest point of the Tyropean valley is beyond the termination of this large course , but within the present west wall . In other words , it is more than possible that this course of great stones marks the

Palestine Exploration Fund.

exact southern wall of King Solomon ' s T ¦ nple , and the extension to the west that of ' ! -rod ' s Temple . Friends to the Palestine Exploration l ?> i i 1 will await with considerable interest the an-ivi ! > fthe next letters .

Masonic Notes And Querie.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIE .

FIVE QUERIES . 1 st . If oue member , or say even two or thre- members of a lodge , object to the admission of a visitor on purely personal grounds , is the visitor obliged to go away ?

N . B . —If he is , then the right of visitation is not an inherent right of a M . M . but a conditional one . Of course the visitor has no objection to sit with any member . 2 nd . If any charges , however serious , are preferred in a public print against a brotherwithout any

, attempt being ever made to bring them forward in a court of justice , has a lodge any right to call the brother to account for them ? N . B . —A public character has always public enemies to cry him down in a journal , and . he may be charged with dishonestyforgeryperjury <& cin the

, , , , bitterness of private pique . There may be circumstances which might prevent an action of libel beingbrought against the accusers ; but the accuser , after having shown the bitterest animosity a-gaiusfc their

victim , does not prosecute him in a court of justice . If the charges are really true and can be substantiated , the court is open for redress at any time ; but when that is not resorted to , why should a lodge , act a 3 a court of inquisition on anything aud everything written or spoken against a member ? 3 rd . Suppose certain charges are preferred in a

public paper against a brother some five or six years ago , after which the brother has got his higher degrees and continued to attend his lodge , can any member fairly after the lapse of such a long time cfdl the victim to account ? N . B . —It is presumed that during the long

interval there has been discovered , nothing vn-Masonic in the character and conduct of the brother who was victimized with charges by his enemies . Granted even that the charges were true , is it brotherly to bring up an eyesore continually before his sihteven after a minute has been made in tho

g , minute-book that the Committee of the "W . M ., his Wardens , & c , cannot enter into such charges on account of the length of time , & c , and that minute confirmed by the open lodge .

-1 th . Vfhen two or three members object to sit with another subscribing member of a lodge , is the latter to be put out by the W . M . ? N 13 . —If he is , then , whenever two or throo members find that another member objects to a candidate they wish to bring into the lodfor initiationthoy

ge , can find out a difference and put him out at once . 5 th . An officer and a member quarrel nnd pass some unpleasant remarks between themselves . Tho member says that he is sorry for what he has said