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his power, by commanding light; and seeing that it was good, he gave it his sacred approbation, and distinguished it by a new name, by calling the light day, and giving the appellation of night to darkness; and in order to keep new framed matter within just limits, the SECOND period was employed in laying the fermament, which was to keep the water above the clouds, and those below them asunder, and God called the firmament heaven. On the THIRD period, he commanded those waters to be restrained within due bounds, on the retreat of which dry land appeared, which he called "earth, and the gathering together of the waters, called he seas.' The earth being yet irregular and destitute of any kind of cultivation. God spake the word, and immediately it was covered with a most beautiful carpet of flowers, plants, trees, herbs, and shrubs of all sorts, in full growth and perfection.

On the FOURTH period, these two grand and bright luminaries, the sun and moon were created; the former to rule the day, and the latter to rule the night, and to be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years. Beside these two great lights, the omnipotent Architect was pleased to bespangle the ætherial concave with innumerable stars, so that man, whom he intended to create, might employ himself, at suitable periods, in contemplating his supereminent wisdom, and justly praising his divine majesty and glory.

On the FIFTH period, he created the birds, which fly in the air, so that man might please both his eyes and ears in being delighted with some for their beautiful plumage and uncommon instinct, and others for their melodious notes. He also commanded the waters to bring forth a variety of fish for our use; and in order to impress on our minds a reverential awe of his omnipotence, he created great whales and every living creature, that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly.

On the SIXTH period, he created the beasts of the field, and reptiles to crawl upon the earth. Here we may per ceive the most evident manifestation of his goodness, wisdom and mercy in all his proceedings. He produced what effect he pleased without the help of natural causes; thus he gave light to the world before he created the sun and moon, and made the earth fruitful and to bring forth plants without the influence of the heavenly bodies. He did not create the beasts of the field until he had provided for them sufficient herbage; nor did he make man till he had prepared every thing requisite for his comfort and pleasure. To dignify the work of his hand he made him after his own image, and gave him" dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Man came into the world with greater splendour than any of the creatures which preceded him, as they were brought into existence with no other ceremony than a Dixit Deus, i. e. God said, but in the creation of man there was a consultation of the adorable Trinity, saying, "Let us make man," and he was accordingly formed out of the dust of the earth, into his nostrils was breathed the breath of life, and he became a living soul. In this one creature, was concentered every thing, which was excellent in creation. He was made a little lower than the angels, and crowned with glory and honour To him, likewise, dominion was given over all other creatures, and he was formed after the image of GOD, so that he might the better be enabled to adore him, who had been graciously pleased to bestow on him the faculty of speech, the use of reason, and a soul, which may enjoy the most extatic bliss through all the ages of a never-ending eternity.

The Almighty, then, as his last and best gift to man

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created woman "Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, in every gesture dignity and love." man! lovely woman, men would be brutes without thee." The heavens and the earth, and all their hosts, having thus been created in the space of six days, God, on the seventh day rested from all his work, and sanctified it as a holy sabbath to himself, thereby intimating, in the clearest manner, that man should work with industry for six days, for the maintenance of himself and family, and set-apart the seventh as a day of rest from his labour, and that he should devote the same to the praise and glory of God his creator.

May the six days' work of the creation, emulate every free-mason to industry during the week, and may they always be enabled to spend the SEVENTH in such a manner, as may be most conducive to their present as well as their future happiness.

CHAPTER XIV.

Of the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences.

These are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic. Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy.

The Grammar rules instruct the tongue and pen,

Rhetoric teaches eloquence to men,

By Logic, we are taught to reason well,

Music has charms beyond our powers to tell.

The use of numbers, numberless we find,

Geometry gave measure to mankind,

The Heavenly system elevates the mind.
All these and many secrets more,

Were by free-masons taught in days of yore.

But of these liberal arts and sciences we shall treat

more at large, as they are entitled to the attention of every one, who is desirous of arriving at distinction in our fraternity.

SECTION 1.OF GRAMMAR.

Grammar is the art of writing and speaking any particular language correctly. If any one expect that he can acquire a facility of expressing himself with accuracy, without a knowledge of this science, whatever he may think of his own acquirements, men of learning with whom he may have occasion to converse or correspond, will soon perceive his deficiency. This science merits our most serious attention, as it may, in fact be considered as the gate, or avenue, which leads to all the others, and it particularly concerns us as masons to know its rules; for, without this, we cannot be acquainted with the beauties of our own lectures, nor speak with correctness and propriety.

SECTION 2.-OF RHETORIC.

Rhetoric instructs us how to select words with taste, and to arrange them with a view to please, to engage, and to persuade. It is commonly defined the art of speaking well, that is to say, of speaking in such a manner as to make ourselves heard, and to persuade those who hear us. This science is also enriched with tropes and figures, which add strength and beauty to elocution, and is, therefore, properly adapted to subjects of our masonic mysteries.

SECTION 3.-OF LOGIC.

Logic is that art, which teacheth us to reason in a systematic manner, and by a regular train of argument, to proceed from one step to another, till we arrive at the full conviction of the proposition intended to be proved; and as the excellency of masonry consists in the four principle operations of the mind, viz. conceiving, judg

ing, reasoning, and disposing, this liberal science is highly essential to our fraternal institution.

SECTION 4.-OF ARITHMETIC.

Arithmetic adjusts the greatest sums by a cypher and the nine digits. It adds, multiplies, and divides numbers in every manner that can be required. It arranges and combines them in all sorts of regular series and progressions, both finite and infinite. It not only discovers, with a wonderful facility, the properties and sums of finite ones from general principles, without a tedious consideration of each particular number, but by determining the sums of such progressions, as can never come to an end, sets bounds to infinity itself. With no less surprising invention, it effects apparent impossibilities, and when no real quantity can be found, which will answer the question proposed, it finds a just solution by imaginary, yet intelligible quantities, or by a series of quantities which continually approximates to the truth, till at last all error vanisheth. Abraham first taught this useful science to the Egyptians, and it was afterwards so much improved by Pythagoras, who used such hieroglyphical figures and allegorical emblems, that by them, we are now enabled to keep the world in perfect ignorance of our mysteries, till they have become masons.

SECTION 5. OF GEOMETRY

Geometry determines lines to which we cannot apply any measure. It traces out lines, which, continually approaching nearer to one another, can never coincide, however far they are extended. It has discovered the most ingenious, surprising, and just mensuration of surfaces and solid bodies. It traces accurately, the paths of bodies, which are thrown into the air, though projected at random in any direction whatever. On this sci

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