2 THESSALONIANS, iii. 6---17.

"Now we command you, brethren, 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 ourfelves not disorderly among you. Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail day and night, that we might not be chargeable to any of you. Not because we have not power, but to make ourfelves an enfample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither fhould he eat: For we hear that there are fome who walk among you diforderly, working not at all, but are bufy-bodies. Now them that are fuch, we command and exhort, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word, 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.. The falutation of Paul, with mine own hand, which is the token: fo I write."

OBSERVATIONS ON THE SEVENTH LECTURE.

The lecture of this degree is divided into two fections, and fhould be well understood by every royal arch mafon. Upon an accurate ac

quaintance with it, will depend his usefulness at our affemblies; and without it he will be unqualified to perform the duties of the various ftations in which his fervices may be required by the chapter.

THE FIRST SECTION

Opens to our view a large field for contemplation and study. It furnishes us with many interefting particulars relative to the state of the fraternity, during and fince the reign of King Solomon; and illuftrates the caufes and confequences of fome very important events which occurred during his reign.

This fection explains the mode of government in this class of masons; it designates the appellation, number and fituation of the several offi. cers, and points out the purposes and duties of their respective stations.

THE SECOND SECTION

Contains much valuable hiftorical information, and proves, beyond the power of contradiction, and in the moft ftriking colours, that prosperity and happiness are ever the ultimate confequences of virtue and justice, while difgrace and ruin invariably follow the practices of vice and immorality.

A proper arrangement of the following charges, &c. is effentially neceffary to be observed in

every chapter; and their application should be familiar to every royal arch mafon.

Ifaiah xlii. 16. "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 ftraight: These things will I do unto them, and will not forfake them."

Prayer rebearfed during the Ceremony of Exaltation to the Degree of Royal Arch Mafon.

ઃઃ

Supreme Architect of Universal Nature, who, by thine almighty word, didft fpeak into being the ftupendous Arch of Heaven, and for the inftruction and pleasure of thy rational creatures didft adorn us with greater and leffer lights; thereby magnifying thy power, and endearing thy goodnefs unto the fons of men: we humbly adore and worship thine unspeakable perfection. We blefs thee that when man had fallen from his innocence and his happiness, thou didft ftill leave unto him the powers of reafoning, and capacity of improvement and of pleafure. We thank thee that amidft the pains and calamities of our prefent ftate, fo many means of refreshment and fatisfaction are referved unto us, while travelling the rugged path of life. Efpecially would we at this time render thee our thanksgiving and praise for the inftitution, as members of which we are at this time affembled, and for all the pleasures we have derived from it. We thank thee that the few here affembled

before thee have been favoured with new inducements, and laid under new and ftronger obligations, to virtue and holiness. May thefe obligations, O bleffed Father, have their full effect upon us. Teach us, we pray thee, the true reverence of thy great, mighty, and terrible name. Infpire us with a firm and unfhaken refolution in our virtuous pursuits. Give us grace diligently to fearch thy word in the Book of Nature, and in the holy fcriptures, wherein the duties of our high vocation are inculcated with divine authority. May the folemnity of the ceremonies of our inftitution be duly impreffed on our minds, and have a lasting and happy effect upon our lives. O thou, who didft aforetime appear unto thy fervant Mofes in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, enkindle, we beseech thee, in each of our hearts, a flame of devotion to thee, of love to each other, and of charity to all mankind. May all thy miracles and mighty works fill us with the dread, and thy goodness imprefs us with the love, of thy holy name. May holiness to the Lord be engraven on all our thoughts, words and actions. May the incenfe of piety afcend continually unto thee from the altar of our hearts, and burn, day and night, as a facrifice of a sweet smelling favour, well pleafing unto thee. And fince fin has destroyed within us the first temple of purity and innocence, may thy heavenly grace guide and affift us in rebuilding a fecond temple of reformation, and may the glory of this latter house be greater than the glory of the former. Amen."

Exodus iii. 1-6. "Now Mofes kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the back fide of the defert, 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 bufh: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not confumed. And Mofes faid, I will now turn aside, and see this great fight, why the bush is not burned. And when the Lord faw that he turned afide to fee, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and faid, Mofes, Mofes! And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither, put off thy fhoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou ftandeft is holy ground. Moreover he faid, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob. And Mofes hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God."

"Zedekiah was one

2 Chron. xxxvi. 11—20. and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerufalem. And he did that which was evil in the fight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, fpeaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he alfo rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, and stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart, from turning unto the Lord God of Ifrael.

"Moreover all the chief of the priests and the people tranfgreffed very much, after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerufalem.