Ye help the helpless with a cheerful zeal, For if that portal Mercy's plume can win, There was also circulated in the Hall a spirited Italian song, written by Mrs. Webb, pupil of Signor Negri, with a translation. The following is the list of Stewards, viz. :--Bro. Col. the Hon. George Anson, M. P., P G. M. Staffordshire, President; Bros. Henry Shute, P. G. M. Bristol, Major-General George Cooke, P. G. W., Vice-Presidents; Bro. R. Gardiner Alston, Lodge of Friendship, Treasurer; Bro. John Whitmore, Secretary; Bros. Henry Faudel, No. 3; J. Nissen, No. 12; J. S. Robinson. No. 30; E. Brewster, No. 49; G. W. Turner, No. 87; P. Mountain, No. 108; J. Pennington, No. 108; B. S. Phillips, No. 113; John Collis, No. 183; S. B. Wilson, No. 188; Algernon Attwood, No. 212; Thomas Pryer, No. 225; George Barrett, No. 255; John Hervey, No. 318; J. P. Bull, No. 329; J. Imrie, No. 329; F.J. Law, No. 343; R. Spiers, No. 425; and Osborne West, No. 725. CHIT CHAT. ODD FELLOWS' LODGES. "Odd Although totally unconnected with the brethren known as Fellows," we understand that in the work of charity, they are more than emulous of the Masonic Craft. It appears that last year, Vice-Chancellor Bruce, in the case of the exclusion of a member from the " Loyal Highland Laddie Lodge," declined giving any opinion of the society as a moral instrument, as he could not decide whether the association was, or was not unlawful at common-law, or was rendered criminal, or unlawful by statute. In the House of Lords, LORD BEAUMONT moved, on the 9th of May last, the second reading of the bill for legalizing "Odd Fellows Societies,' and argued that as the associations were purely of a charitable character, they ought to be brought within the provision of the Benefit Societies' Act. One Lodge, the " Manchester Unity," consisted of 350,000 meinbers, and 4000 lodges were scattered over the country. The MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE, in giving his consent to the second reading, would go no further than was consistent with a desire to see these societies provided with a remedy, which would be found safe and practicable. LORD BEAUMONT, would meet the noble marquis's views in committee. The bill was then read a second time. The Odd Fellows Society has made a rapid advance in public opinion; and this movement has cemented that advance, by the approbation of Parliament. TALMUDIC ALLEGORIES.-The Trees of Paradise.-When the Deity led man into his Paradise, all the trees of the garden of Eden saluted the favoured of the Lord; with waving branches they offered him their fruits for his food, the fragrant shade of their boughs for his refresh ment. "O that he would prefer me!" said the palm tree, "I will feed him with my golden dates, and the wine of my juice shall be his beverage. My leaves shall form his tranquil hut, and my branches spread their shadow above him." "I will shower my odoriferous blossoms upon thee," exclaimed the apple tree, "and my choicest fruit shall be thy nourish ment," Thus all the trees of Paradise greeted their new-created lord; and his Supreme Benefactor permitted him to enjoy their rich offerings. Of all He gave him liberty to partake. One fruit only he was forbidden to taste that which grew on the TREE OF KNOWLEdge. "All other trees "A tree of knowledge!" said man within himself. yield me but terrestrial, corporeal nourishment; but this tree, which would elevate my spirit, and strengthen the powers of my mind, this tree alone I am forbidden to enjoy." Yet he silenced the voice of desire, and suppressed the rebellious thoughts which arose in his bosom. But when the voice and example of temptation assailed him, he tasted the pernicious fruit, the juice of which still ferments in our hearts. "Hard is the prohibition which is laid upon man," said the angelic spirits of heaven; "for what can be more tempting to a being who is gifted with reason, than the acquisition of knowledge? And shall he, who will soon transgress the command, therefore be punished with death? "Wait and behold his punishment,” replied the dulcet voice of celestial love, " even on the path of his errors, amidst the pangs of repentance, and the stings of remorse-even there will I be his guide, and conduct him to another tree, that grows in his heavenly home."—Hebrew Review. JEWISH GRATITUDE.-Esther Levi engaged herself as a servant in the house of Mr. Goldsmith, an Israelite merchant, residing in Cheapside, London; and as she was mild, complaisant, and desirous of pleasing, she obtained the good feeling of all the family. 66 Mr. Goldsmith had always forbade his children being harsh to servants. "That which we have a right to expect from our servants," he observed, "is that they fulfil their duties with regularity. Humanity then exacts that, far from aggravating their position, we should, by treating them kindly, lessen their sense of servitude." This principle was faithfully observed, and, at the end of some years, Esther was considered as one of the family. Misfortunes accumulated on the house of Goldsmith. Two of the children died: war with France interfered with the commerce of England, and ruined Mr. Goldsmith, who died of grief, after a lingering illness, which exhausted his last resources. His poor wife, left without parents, fortune, or defender, was maddened by despair, and her health became seriously affected by continued watchings and grief. One morning, the afflicted widow called her servant, and, with tears in her eyes, said, " My good Esther, we must separate. Your devotion merits a rich reward, but, alas! I am ruined, and it is with difficulty I pay the wages I owe you. Take this money, the last I have left, and accept as a token of my friendship this ring, the only one of my jewels I have not parted with." "What are you proposing to me?" rejoined Esther, sobbing; "would you send me away? Can I quit you, when you so much need my services? Have I asked for my wages? When you were rich, you treated me as your child; and now you are aged, poor, and sick, I will regard you as my mother. You cannot work; but never mind, I am young and strong, and can strive for us both.' For ten years Esther fulfilled her generous terms. She supported Mrs. Goldsmith by the work of her hands, and with so much cheerfulness, that she always appeared the obliged party, and exercised so much delicacy, that no person suspected her heroic devotedness. At length, in 1815, peace was proclaimed between France and England, and Mrs. Goldsmith collected some heavy debts due to her late husband. She passed the latter years of her life in calm and easy circumstances, which she doubly enjoyed in sharing them with her faithful domestic, in whose favour her will ran thus:-"I give and bequeath all I possess to my well-beloved daughter, Esther Levi; and I desire she may hereafter bear the name of Goldsmith, to preserve the remembrance of her exalted conduct, in what concerns a family who will never cease to pray to the Eternal that she be rewarded as she merits." SCRIPTURAL CALCULATIONS.-A calculator has given in English measurement the following dimensions of Noah's ark:-Length, 252 feet; breadth, 87 feet; and depth, 524 feet. The same calculator says, that Goliah was 11 feet 4 inches in height, and that his shield weighed 3,793 lbs. He states that Solomon's revenue figured £3,639,214; and gives the following as the dimensions of the New Jerusalem, viz., length of the four city walls, 1,590 miles 1,606 yards; height of the walls, 253 feet; area of the city, 2,499,271 square miles, which is about 300,000 less than that of all Europe. DRUIDICAL TEMPLES IN SCOTLAND.-Several of the Druid places of worship are still to be seen in the Highlands. Of these temples, at which the ancient Caledonians were wont to worship, the largest we have seen in the north is one in Morayshire, and those at Leys and Torbreck, near Inverness. In our own neighbourhood, above Dochmaluag, there is a pretty large one, the stones of which, it is maintained by many of the peasants in the district, are said to have been at one time human beings, which were overtaken with judgment for dancing on the Sabbath-day, and that the position of the stones exactly correspond with the different attitudes of the dancers. Hence the name Clachan Gorach, or foolish stones.-Rosshire Advertiser. It is stated that the Commissioners of Woods and Forests have appointed Bro. James Sheridan Knowles, the dramatist, to the charge of Shakspere's house at Stratford-on-Avon, at a salary of £250 a year.— Globe. THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS IN PARIS.-You would scarcely believe, in sober England, what is going forward here (Paris). The broken remnants of the Knights Templars have their head quarters in Paris. They lately assembled at the Pont Neuf in solemn celebration of the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Grand Master, Jacques Molay, in 1314. The annual custom is to walk round the statue of Henri Quatre, which occupies the exact spot where stood the funereal pyre, and then to the fountain in the Place du Dauphin, where it is said the ashes of the hero were scattered to the winds. The Revolution has given them also a renewed hope, and their assemblage was more numerous than it has VOL. VI. D D been for many years. A friend of mine who watched the procession told me that it consisted of forty eight persons, among whom were two individuals of the highest families in France; one belonging to the royal house of Spain; besides a Greek boyard, and three British noblemen. Their dress consists of a long black frock coat, upon the lappels of which the scarlet cross is embroidered; this is concealed when the coat is buttoned, and thus escapes observation. Their order still believe that the dying curse pronounced by Jacques Molay upon all kings and pontiffs is again at work, and that they shall still exist through time and change when these shall be no more!-Atlas. ROYAL CANDOUR. (not a bad hint to the present Grand Master).— George II. being informed that an impudent printer was to be punished for having published a spurious king's speech, replied, that he hoped the punishment would be of the mildest sort, because he had read both, and as far as he understood either of them, he liked the spurious speech better than his own. Parisian AntiQUITIES.-The workmen who have been lately engaged in lowering the Place du Parvis, Notre Dame, have discovered several curious objects. Among others, they have found two shafts of a marble column, a fine medal, in yellow copper, of the reign of Louis XIII; some human bones, part of a spout, artistically worked; an enormous mass of masonry, appearing to indicate the place of a monument of the Roman Empire, and the foundations of a little chapel, dedicated in the middle ages to Saint Christopher. The crowd was so great around the workmen, that the Prefect of Police was obliged to place a strong force of sergens de ville and municipal guards to preserve order. -Galignani. INTERESTING DISCOVERY.-A letter from Aix-la-Chapelle says-“ A discovery has just been made here of the highest interest in a religious and historical point of view, viz., the remains of Charlemagne. It is known that in the year 1000, Otho III. caused the vault of the Emperor to be opened, and that Frederick I., Barbarossa, on the 29th of December, 1165, took up the bones of this great Prince after he had been placed among the number of the saints by Pope Pascal III. Frederick kept these mortal spoils in a chest. The vestments and insignia of the Emperor became the coronation robes and insignia of the Franco-Roman empire, and after, in 1792, Francis II. invested himself with them as King and Emperor elect, and they were conveyed to Vienna, where they are still preserved. But the relics of Charlemagne were lost, except one arm, which was enshrined in a reliquary, and, although great pains were taken, they could never afterwards be found. A few days ago, however, the old chest was found to a place adjoining the sacristy, where it was left entirely abandoned in a dark closet. The discovery was made while two other beatified bodies were being removed in the presence of the director of the Royal Museums.”— Galignani. A PARABLE FROM THE TALMUD.-Rabbi Bun having died in the yothful age of eight-and-twenty, Rabbi Seia delivered a funeral oration, beginning with the words "The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." (Eccl. v. 12.) This sentence he illustrated by the following parable:-"A certain master had engaged several workmen for the erecting of an edifice. Among these there was one who excelled the rest in industry and exertion. The master, perceiving this, took him one day out with him to refresh himself by a walk. In the evening, when all the workmen came to receive their wages, the industrious one also appeared, and received his full wages. Thereupon the others murmured, saying: 'We have worked and toiled the whole of the day, and this one who has only worked two hours, why should he receive as much as we?' But the master replied: This one had done more in two hours than you have during the whole day.' Rabbi Bun, whom we now lament, was the industrious workman in the vineyard of the Lord. During his short stay on earth, he has effected more good than many have during a life of a hundred years' duration. Therefore his slumber is sweet, and his reward great." BURIAL PLACES IN EGYPT AND IN IRELAND.-Can we wonder that the inhabitants of Egypt resemble in appearance the carcases with whom they dwell; can we hesitate to account for the constant development of a pestilence, when we reflect that by day and by night, for twelve centuries, the soil on which Cairo stands, its crowded courts, and narrow streets have been inundated by the filthy excretions of animals and of man; that day and night, for centuries, the earth has been imbibing the putrid sanies from the bodies of thousands of animals, permitted to rot over its surface; that day and night, for centuries, it has been imbibing the fluid contents of imperfect cloaceæ, and the poisonous exhalations of its half-buried inhabitants, until the sub-soil has become one vast hotbed of pestilential infection. Now, the burial places in this kingdom have little to boast of over those of Egypt. There is this distinction, however, to be drawn. In the latter country, the system employed is at once recognized and permitted. In England, men pay "funeral dues," under the impression that their dead fulfil their destiny-return" ashes to ashes, dust to dust.' Whether they gain more by their purchase than a solemn plausability, those who have heard these Lectures, or perused what I have written, can determine for themselves. In The condition of the burial-places in Ireland seems to be even worse than those in other portions of the United Kingdom, although they are almost universally in a most disgusting and dangerous condition. the neighbourhood of Castle Island and Ballylongford, in the above country, from the imperfect covering thrown over the recent dead, troops of dogs prey from day to day on the bodies. Violent madness is the result, which has led these rabid animals not only to attack one another, but the cattle in the fields. Methinks our boasted civilization, expansive as it is, may clothe itself in sack-cloth and ashes-it should hide its head for very shame. That man, the image of his God, the heir of immortality, trampled upon during life, hideous in death, should again be made the victim of well deserved punishment to his survivors, is a fearful reflection for those . who see in the PRESENT the forebodings of a more terrible FUTURE. BURIAL-PLACES IN EGYPT-THE PRODUCERS OF PLAGUE-In ancient Egypt the plague was unknown. Although densely populated, the health of the inhabitants was preserved by strict attention to sanitary regulations. But with time came on change, and that change was in man. The serene climate, the enriching river, the fruitful soil remained; but when the experience of 2,000 years was set at nought; when the precautions previously adopted for preserving the soil from accumulated impurities |