Templarism Is Masonry.

while not officially recognised as such by the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , the Order is by both permitted to be worked , and so pre-eminently and tacitly recognised as much of a Masonic degee as is that of the Holy Royal

Arch . Both have a common parentage , a common origin , and both have been engrafted on , or rather , as tbe horticulturists would say , budded into the system of Ancient Craft Masonry . Every action in all modern Masonic

history of Grand Bodies which goes to make the Royal Arch degree a part of Freemasonry—not , of course , Ancient Graft Masonry—can find a full and complete counterpart in such legislation touching the Order of the Temple save and alone the act of the Union of the Grand

Lodges of England in 1813 . Not one of all the fifty-five American Lodges makes a

particle of difference in their Masonic and constitutional acts between Chapters and Commanderies . Both alike have the same recognition—same in laws , same in edicts , and all by their every-day procedure in life . If the

Commandery is not a Masonic body , then the Chapter is not ;

and , so far , no one has been found foolhardy enough to assert the latter . And no one well read in the history of Masonry in Lodges , Chapters and Commanderies can successfully deny our proposition that Templary is Masonry .

Several of our Grand Lodges have constitutional enactments forbidding the use of their Lodge halls by any other than Masonic bodies , and snch are in all cases occupied by Chapters and Commanderies , which proves that such Grand

Lodges recognise Templary as Masonry , and the united wisdom of such a Grand Body of Master Masons is surely worth more than the ipse dixit oi a single Mason , even though he be for the time being an editor of a Masonic

Journal . Knowledge of Masonry , its history , its laws ancl usages , comes only by reading and stndy , and not by election either to an office in a Grand Body , however grand ,

or by self-appointment as an editor . For years we were of the same belief as some who now controvert our position ; bufc two or three years of study and laborious research among tbe records of the old and the new National and

State Grand Bodies , as well as all accessible information from abroad , has convinced us that noio we " know whereof we affirm . "—Freemason ' s ' Repository .

Masonry—Probationary, Progressive, And Instructive.

MASONRY—PROBATIONARY , PROGRESSIVE , AND INSTRUCTIVE .

WHY probationary ? First , to afford the Fraternity an opportunity to satisfy themselves of the fitness and worth of the applicant , not only for admission , but also for advancement . Second , to afford the applicant an

opportunity to inquire into , and learn something of ( so far as he has advanced ) the principles and teachings of Freemasonry , and thereby satisfy himself whether he desires any further advancement . This inquiry

ought to be enforced in every degree in Freemasonry , yet we fear that too often this inquiry is neglected , and sometimes entirely ignored , and applicants for advancement are rushed through with lightning speed ( so far as

regulations will permit ) from an Entered Apprentice Mason to so-called " high degree" members , without knowing anything of the why and wherefore of what they have received and passed through , or being able to give a correct

answer , or any intelligent information , in reference to any degree they have had conferred on them . Indeed , should they ever desire to make a fraternal visit , they could not

do so , unless some Brother were present to vouch for them . This is not progression , this is not Masonry , and we are very happy to know that there are many exceptions to

this deplorable condition of facts .

Masons , to be progressive and intelligent , must not only stand in fche old ways to inquire for the good and right paths , but they must also read , study and think . This , we fear , too many fail to do , they having the impression that

all it is necessary for them to do is , to learn ( parrot-like ) to repeat the work of the Lodge , never thinking of the necessity to prepare themselves for any emergency that may arise ; consequently they are unprepared for anything

but the regular work of the Lodge , and should any special occasion arise , or special duties be required of them , they are unprepared to meet them , and in their actions and decisions frequently make mistakes . Hence there are so many reversals of the action of Lodges by the Grand Lodge ,

Masonry—Probationary, Progressive, And Instructive.

We say , Masons should read , study , think . Ifc is nofc sufficient when they enter the Fraternity to have a copy of fche By-faws of the Lodge presented to them , to carry home , and lay away as a memento ; they ought to read it

and mako themselves familiar with its requirements . Every Mason should own a copy of the Ahiman Rezon , and not only own ifc , but should carefully read and study

it , thafc they may know and understand the laws under which they live , and by which they must be guided , controlled and work .

We have heard the remark , " I do not have to read Masonic papers to learn Masonry . " This is true , for there is much to learn in Masonry which can never be learned from books or papers . Nevertheless , while Masons must

learn Masonry in the only way ifc can be learned , and shonld read and be familiar with the By-laws of theLodge , and the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge , they must , if they would be progressive and intelligent Masons , read and

study Masonic history , Masonic biography , Masonic newspapers and periodicals , from which they may acquire valuable and important information concerning the Fraternity , in the past , the present , and from all jurisdictions

throughout the world . Then , too , every Mason should own and study a good Masonic Encyclopedia , and also some reliable work on Masonic Jurisprudence , when we should not hear so much of "parliamentary law" in

Masonry . Then Masters would be prepared not only to perform the work of the Lodge well , but also have the business of the Lodge done in accordance with Masonic usage and custom , and the Lodge governed with justice

and equity . This last observation covers a broad field . It does not only mean to preside over the Lodge while it is opened , but also while it is closed . Ifc is not merely to preside over those who are present , but also those who are

absent . It does not mean only fco look after those who attend tho Lodge , but especially to look after ancl care for the sick , to seek out and assist the destitute and needy , and to seek and follow after the wayward aud erring , so as

to reprove , counsel and admonish them . We make these remarks not for the purpose of censuring any one , nor to unduly elevate the standard of Masonry , but in the hope that Masons will be incited to measure up to the high

standard that Freemasonry has set up , to seek after the beauties and moral virtues in Masonry , and to know , understand and faithfully fulfil the threefold obligations Freemasonry imposes on them . —Keystone .

The Swansea Freemasons And The Jubilee.

THE SWANSEA FREEMASONS AND THE JUBILEE .

To THE EDITOR OP THE CARDIFF DAILY NEWS . SIR , —la one of your issues of last week you published a letter , signed " A Freemason , " who takes upon himself to deny in toto the intention of the Swansea Freemasons to do honour ( at one time ) to her Majesty in the way suggested by a correspondent in a contemporary . Allow

me , as another Freemason , to correct and , at the same time , inform "A Freemason " that he must have been asleep , or ou the Continent , when the question of erecting the proposed monument was first suggested . I may also tell him that not only was it suggested , bnfc unanimously carried , at the jubilee committee ( of which there were

several ) that the magnanimous otter of Bro . Burr be graciously accepted . Your correspondent may be surprised to know that each subsequent committee was presided over by the Worshipful Masters of the three Lodges in the town , and were strongly supported by their Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of their respective

Lodges . I may also inform him thafc the offer of supplying the black marble column by Bro Bnrr to the Swansea Freemasons was made through Bro . Robert Capper , the then Worshipful Master of the Talbot Lodge , and farther , it was decided fco mount the column when ready on a massive granite base , to which a brass plate was

to be attached , bearing a suitable inscription referring to the illustrious event which it was to commemorate . I may still further enlighten your correspondent that at one of the committee meetings Bro . T . P . Martin , architect , submitted a very beautifully executed colonred sketch of the intended monument , standing in a park . This

sketch was much admired by the majority of the brethren , but ifc was not pressed by Bro . Martin , as there was another brother architect present and on the committee who did not appear to favour its appearance , and it was withdrawn ,- and finally the committee decided that a certain number should wait upon the Mayor and

Corporation with a view to select a suitable site for the column , but whether they did so I cannot say , bufc this I will , that everything else proceeded in apple-pie order , even as to the question of cost , estimated at £ 100 to £ 150 . Therefore it has been a matter of

surprise and wonder to the Craft and public of Swansea that steps have not been taken long ere this to ascertain the cause of delay . Perhaps Bro . Robert Capper ( who knew the whereabouts of the colnuin at thafc time ) or the present W . M . of the Talbot Lodge will enlighten the darkness of many besides A SWANSEA FREEMASON .