vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came. that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burthen and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way; I will give unto this Jast even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

A Prayer to be used at the closing of a lodge of Mark-Master Masons, by Rev. Brother John Hargrove, Grand Chaplain of Maryland.

Glorious Architect of the Universe-who alone art infinite and eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

We desire gratefully to acknowledge thy protecting mercy, through all the past and perilous scenes of life; and we beseech thee still to continue to be gracious; and to increase in us all those heavenly dispositions, which are calculated to dignify our character as men, and as masons; that we may thereby be enabled to let our "light shine before men," and aid in promoting the strength and beauty of thy spiritual temple.

And whether we be stationed, by thee, our gracious and unerring grand master, in the plains of Zeredathah, or on the mountains of Libanus; whether in using the chisel and the mallet, on the rough ashler; or in putting on the topstone of our mystic building; do thou, in mercy, direct thy holy angels; whom thou hast stationed at the four corners of the earth, to restrain the four winds of the earth; (or every evil influence) from operating to the injury of any of thy faithful workmen, until they be called off from all their earthly labours, to receive the wages thou hast promised them, and be sealed in their foreheads, and receive that

white stone, in which there is a new name, that none knoweth, save him who receiveth it.

And to thee, our great Creator, and gracious redeemer and benefactor, we will ascribe, as in duty bound, all possible "blessing, and honour, and glory, and power," now, and for evermore.. —Amen.

The ceremony of closing a lodge in this degree, when properly conducted, is peculiarly interesting. It assists in strengthening the social affections; it teaches us the duty we owe to our brethren in particular; and the whole family of mankind in general; by ascribing praise to the meritorious, and dispensing rewards to the diligent and industrious.

CHAPTER XIII.

The Fifth, or Degree of Select Master.

For the following elucidation of this most beautiful and explanatory degree, I am indebted to the pen of my worthy and esteemed brother, the M. E. H. P. of Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2, Baltimore, by whose exertions, aided by those of the Most Eminent Past Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of Maryland, and District of Columbia, not only the Degree of Royal Arch, but also all the important intermediate degrees have been brought to a state of perfection, in this City, heretofore unknown.— COMPILER.

We know of no degree in masonry, that has a more needful, or more important connexion with another, than the Select with the Royal Arch. It fills up a chasm, which every intelligent Royal Arch Mason has observed, and without it, it seems difficult, if not impossible, to comprehend clearly some of the mysteries that belong to the august degree of Royal Arch.

It is strange, and it is also unfortunate, that very few have received the useful knowledge made known in the Select; and, indeed, such is the nature of the degree, that we cannot feel freedom to allude remotely to the nature of its secrets. We may, however, pronounce it the key to the arch.

There is reason to believe that this degree was in use long before those of Most Excellent, or Mark Master; yet why it has not been more generally introduced can be accounted for, only in the severe duty it imposes on individuals who would work in it to retain its manner, method and history. Yet it is exceedingly interesting in all its parts, and calculated to produce the most happy impressions preparatory to receiving that of Royal Arch.

Though this degree is known to some persons in many parts of the United States, we are not informed that it is fully worked in, any where but in Baltimore. We have been told that a regular chapter of the Select, was held at Charleston, S. C. many years ago; but believe it has declined.

The following extracts from holy writ, shed a bright ray of light on some of the mysteries in this degree, which may not be written:

1 Kings, ii. 42.-And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

43. Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

44. The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45. And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.

46. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoida; which went out and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings, v. 17.-And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

18. And Solomon's builders, and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stone-squarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

1 Kings, vi. 14.-So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

15. And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

16. And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, EVEN FOR THE ORACLE, EVEN FOR

THE MOST HOLY PLACE.

19. And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

20. And the oracle in the fore-part was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

21. So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

36. And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

37. In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif:

38. And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

1 Kings, vii. 13.-And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.

14. He was a widow's son of the tribe of Napthali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

51. So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord.

1 Kings, viii. 12.-Then spake Solomon, THE LORD SAID

HE WOULD DWELL IN THE THICK DARKNESS.

13. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.

27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

28. Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to-day.

29. That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

30. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

31. If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:

32. Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.