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I hate the fop, the churl, the fool,
The plodding knave, the party tool,
The libertine and slave;

I love the man that's good and true,
Who learns his passions to subdue;
Is generous and brave.

I love the frank and faithful breast,
On which the aching head may rest,
And quite forget its pain;

Where charity prefers her prayer- ̧
And finds a ready helper there;
Nor needs to ask again.

This said, he bow'd and went away-
Applied was made without delay;
Then to his charmer came;
She sweetly granted his request:
And clasping Damon to her breast,
Confess'd a kindred flame,

CHAPTER XI.

ROYAL ARCH MASON.

As Moses was commanded to pull his shoes from off his feet, on Mount Horeb, because the ground whereon he trode, was sanctified by the presence of the Divinity; so the Mason who would prepare himself for this exalted stage of Masonry, should advance in the naked paths of truth, be divested of every degree of arrogance, and ap proach with steps of innocence, humility, and virtue, to

challenge the ensigns of an order, whose institutions arise on the most solemn and sacred principles of religion.-Hutchinson.

This sublime degree is incomparably more august, interesting, and instructing, than any, or all which precede it. Here the mind is powerfully impressed with a belief of the existence and perfections of the great Supreme--who is the only "I AM," the first, the greatest, the best of beings.

It also develops to the mind of the inquiring Mason many important particulars, which, for the period of four hundred and seventy years, were enveloped in impenetrable darkness; and without a knowledge of which the Masonic character would be incomplete.

"Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the teut, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, the ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat, the table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread, the pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, and the golden altar, and the annointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, the brazen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, the hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, the clothes of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's cffice. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did

look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

"The proportion of the measures of the tabernacle proved it to be an imitation of the system of the world; for that third part thereof which was within the four pillars to which the priests were not admitted. is, as it were, a heaven peculiar to God; but the space of twenty cubits, is, as it were, sea and land, on which men live; and so this part is peculiar to the priests only.

"When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea; for these are accessible to all. But when he set apart the third division for God, it was because heaven is inaccessible, to men. And when he ordered twelve loaves to be set on the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. And when he made the candlestick of s seven parts, he secretly intimated the decani, or seven divisions of the planets. And as to the seven lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which that is the number. And for the vails, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements. For the fine linen was proper to signify the earth because the flax grows out of the earth. The purple signified the sea, because that colour is dyed by the blood of a sea shell-fish. The blue is fit to signify the air, and the scarlet will naturally be an indication of fire. Now the vestment of the high priest, being made of linen, signified the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of the bells resembling thunder. And for the ephod, it showed that God had made the universe of four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related to the splendour by which all things were enlightened. He also appointed the breastplate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to resemble the earth; and the girdle

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which encompassed the high priest round, signified the ocean. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the sun and the moon those I mean that were in the nature of buttons on the high priest's shoulders. And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or whether we understand the like number of the signs of that circle which the Greeks call the zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. And for the mitre, which was of a blue colour, it seems to me to mean heaven; for how otherwise could the name of God be in scribed upon it? That it was also illus rated with a crown, and that of gold also, is because of that splendour with which God is pleased."—Josephus Antiq. Jud. ch. 7.

The following passage of Scripture is read at opening. "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which ye received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you. Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat: For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all but are busybodies. New them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well do- * ing. And if any man obey not our word, by this epistle, note that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul, with mine own hand,

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which is the token in every epistle: so I write." iii. 6-17.

Observations on the Seventh Degree.

Thes.

The lecture of this degree is divided into two sections and should be well understood by every royal arch Mason; upon an accurate acquaintance with it. will depend his usefulness at our assemblies; and without it, he will be unqualified to perform the duties of the various stations in which his services may be required by the chap

ter.

The first Section.

The first section opens to our view a large field for contemplation and study. It furnishes us with many interesting particulars relative to the state of the fraternity, during and since the reign of king Solomon; and illustrates the causes and consequences of some very important events which occurred during his reign.

This section explains the mode of government in this class of Masons: designates the appellation, number, and situation of the several officers; and points out the purposes and duties of their respective stations.

The second Section.

This section contains much valuable historical information, and proves, beyond the power of contradiction, and in the most striking colours, that prosperity and happiness are ever the ultimate consequences of virtue and justice, while disgrace and ruin invariably follow the practice of vice and immorality.

A proper arrangement of the following charges, &c. is essentially necessary to be observed in every chapter; and their application should be familiar to every royal arch mason.

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