he falls, like autumn leaves, to enrich
our mother earth. The SCYTHE is an emblem of time, which cuts the
brittle thread of life, and launches us into eternity. Behold! what
havoc the scythe of time makes among the human race; if, by chance,
we should escape the numerous evils incident to childhood and youth,
and, with health and vigor, arrive to the years of manhood, yet
withal, we must soon be cut down by the all-devouring scythe of time,
and be gathered into the land where our fathers had gone before us.
The THREE STEPS, usually delineated upon the Master's carpet, are
emblematical of the three principal stages of human life, viz.: Youth,
Manhood, and Age. In youth, as Entered Apprentices, we ought
industriously to occupy our minds in the attainment of useful
knowledge; in manhood, as Fellow Crafts, we should apply our knowledge
to the discharge of our respective duties to God, our neighbors, and
ourselves; so that in age, as Master Masons, we may enjoy the happy
reflections consequent on a well-spent life, and die in the hope of a
glorious immortality.

Q. What are the second class of emblems? A. The spade, coffin,
death-head, marrow bones, and sprig of cassia, which are thus
explained: The SPADE opens the vault to receive our bodies, where our
active limbs will soon moulder to dust. The COFFIN, DEATH-HEAD, and
MARROW BONES are emblematical of the death and burial of our Grand
Master, Hiram Abiff, and are worthy our serious attention. The SPRIG
OF CASSIA is emblematical of that immortal part of man which never
dies; and when the cold winter of death shall have passed, and the
bright summer's morn of the resurrection appears, the Son of
Righteousness shall descend, and send forth his angels to collect our
ransomed dust; then, if we are found worthy, by his pass-word we shall
enter into the Celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of
the Universe presides, where we shall see the King in the beauty of
holiness, and with him enter into an endless fraternity.

Here ends the first three degrees of Masonry, which constitutes a
Master Mason's Lodge. A Master Mason's Lodge and a Chapter of Royal
Arch Masons are two distinct bodies, wholly independent of each other.
The members of a Chapter are privileged to visit all Master Mason's
Lodges when they please; and may be, and often are, members of both at
the same time; and all the members of a Master Mason's Lodge who are
Royal Arch Masons, though not members of any