may be admitted as visitors, but such brethren are not permitted to vote.

The lecture on the Holy Royal Arch degree is, in general, divided into two parts, and deserves the serious attention of all who are desirous of being qualified to perform the duties of the various stations in which his services may be required by the Chapter.

The first section furnishes us with many important particulars relative to the state of the fraternity at different periods, but particularly during the reign of King Solomon; and illustrates the causes and consequences of many events, which occurred in that reign, which will be found, not only interesting, but highly satisfactory. This section, likewise, designates the situation, number, &c. of the several officers, and points out the duties annexed to their respective stations.

The second section is no less important, as it is not only replete with much valuable historical information; but proves, beyond the power of contradiction, that happiness will inevitably be the ultimate consequence of justice and virtue, while infamy and destruction will invariably overwhelm those who devote their lives to vice, sensuality, and other criminal indulgences.

Various passages of scripture are made use of during the ceremonies, of which we shall select the following, 2. Thes. iii. 6-17. " 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 traditions which he receiveth 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 example 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 busy bodies. Now them that are such, we command and exhort you by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness, they work and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not ye weary in well doing. 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." Isaiah xlii. 16. "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not. I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them," Exodus iii. 1—6. Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush, and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight,why the bush is not burned. And when the Lord saw, that he turned aside, to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses! and he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground, 2. Chron. xxxvi. 11. 20. "Zedekiah was one and twenty years old, when he began to reign; and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speak

ing from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart, from turning unto the LORD God of Israel. Moreover, all the chief of priests and the people transgressed very much, after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling-place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people till there was no remedy. Therefore,he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave them all unto his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his princes; all these be brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the places thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof," Ezra i. 1-5. “ Now, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia (that the word of the LORD by the prophet Jeremiah might be fulfilled) the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The LORD GOD of Heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judeah; who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem,

which is in Judeah, and build the house of the LORD GOD of Israel, (he is the God) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place, where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill offering for the house of God, that is in Jerusalem." Exodus iii. 13, 14. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, what is his name, What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Psalm cxli. "LORD I cry unto thee, make haste unto me, give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee, as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties. Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head; for yet my prayers also shall be in their calamities. When their judges are overthrown in strong places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet. Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the LORD: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape, Psalm cxlii. I cried unto the LORD with my voice: with my voice, unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint

my

before him ; I shewed before him my trouble, when my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path; in the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, ant! beheld; but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me: no man cared for soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me." Psalm cxliii. "Hear, my prayer O LORD, give ear to my supplications; in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee, my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land, Selah. Hear me speedily, O LORD; my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning, for in thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I. should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies; I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God; thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake; for thy rigeteousness' sake, bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy, cut off mine ene