The New Year.

the path of truth . We entertain a very lofty idea of the influence Avhich should appertain to the Masonic Press , provided it be conducted in a spirit of kindness and

brotherly love . No doubt there are times when chastisement must fall upon those Avho deserve it , but upon the whole we deprecate the use of invective as not only

unkind but unnecessary . For the unexampled favour Avith Avhich THE FREEMASON has been received Ave must again express our thanks , bespeaking ; from our friends a

reneAval of their confidence during the HCAVborn year , and promising them in return that our exertions shall be redoubled to maintain this journal upon the high pinnacle

of success to Avhich their partiality has raised it during the past year . In this , the first number of our third volume , AVC give an earnest of our desire to make THE

FREEMASON a first-class paper both in a typographical and Masonic sense , and Ave feel convinced that the result Avill be , to paraphrase the Avords of the poet , that " those

Avill read Avho never read before , AA'hile those AVIIO ahvays read will read the more . " Readers and Masonic brethren generally , Ave heartily Avish you all A Happy NCAV Year .

"At Home And Abroad."

"AT HOME AND ABROAD . "

WE have received the following letter from a gentleman , Avhose name Ave suppress , respecting the statements made in our article named as above . We may refer W . H . H . to our leader in the present issue

as to the real doctrines of Freemasonry , which he Avill also find given at length in the Ancient Charges prefixed to the Book of Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England . We advise W . H . H . to read the

works of our great Masonic Avriters , and he will then clearly see that the Order i . founded upon the purest principles of piety and virtue , and desires only to promote the happiness of tlie human race . We gladly greetW . H . H . as one ofthe many intelligent

readers , Avho are not Freemasons , that AVC are proud to number as our supporters : — DEAR SIR , —YOU will , I trust , forgive the liberty I take in addressing this letter to vou ; for your remnrks in the article "At Home ' . ind Abroad " have opened my eyes to a fact I was not aware of

before , namely , that there does seem to be a difference between Continental and English Freemasons . Will you allow me to tell you that havin ° - been brought up in Germany ( my father is a native of the Grand Duchy of Baden ) , I was ahvays made to believe that " Masons are banded together in an

unholy alliance against all laws human and divine . " The same remarks hold good with regard to what 1 heard in France , where I spent several years . In 1866 I came over to England as a private tutor in a clergyman ' s family , and at present I am studying theology with a view of going , in about a year ' s

time , most likely to Africa . If you would kindly help me to acquire right views concerning your great Order you will very greatly oblige me , ' for this I have endeavoured lo do ever since my arrival in England , but I have not yet succeeded .

Assuring you of my best wishes ancl sinceiest intentions , and begging you once more to treat with indulgence this step I have taken in troubling you with these lines , Believe me , very sincerely yours ,

^ , . W . H . IT To the writer of the article "At Home and Abroad , " page 250 .

AVE are informed that the Earl Percy , S . G . AV ., has been appointed Provincial Grand Master for Northumberland , vice the Rev . E . C . 0 "le deceased . ° '

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

4 " LANDMARKS" BEFORE 1717 . There are UOAV so many records of meetings as Masons in Lodges , and at which

"Landmarks" were evidently acknowledged and respected , long before the above date , that it seems difficult to know how the fact can be made any clearer than it is .

On the basis of the old landmarks , Freemasonry was revived A . D . 1717 , as a purely speculative order , although such period was not the commencement of speculative Freemasonry , as many gentlemen Avere admitted in the former century . W . T . HUGHAN .

BRC . E . GOTTHEIL AND THE LAAVS OF THK LAND ( P- 273 ) - I am pleased to learn that Bro . "E . Gottheil " is of the same opinion as myself , so far as that is

known to me in matters of Freemasonry , and trust Ave shall continue to fight under the same banner for the upholding of the Landmarks of our ancient Order in their integrity . OPES .

SCOTTISH TEMPLARS ( p . 273 ) . On line thirteen , the word " few " is a typo graphical error , it should read Jew . OPES .

ROUGH AND PERFECT ASHLARS . The \ A-ords "A \ e have too many ' rough ashlars , ' too many warped and Avorm-eaten planks , in the building there are individuals in the Masonic Order UOAV Avho ought never to have been

admitted , " are Avords of truth * but it is not the fault of the Avhole Fraternity if a complaint is brought against a brother , and that complaint not enquired into , and judgment delivered thereon , Avhether guilty or not guilty , but simply dismissed . OPES .

BROS . " CIPES , " " , " AND THE SCOTTISH TEMPLARS , ( p , 273 . ) Bro . " Cipes " is entirely mistaken in supposing that an individual " AVIIO is not a Freemason at all" has either the same opportunities , or is

likely to be able to make the same use of tlie sources of information which exist , as one Avho is a Freemason . Tlie latter from Avhat he knows may fairly infer a good deal more than Avhat he has actually seen ; however , it is easier to speak

upon this point than to write about it , i . e ., in regard to the rituals of the so-called Scottish Knights Templar ; but as regards the age of this Masonic degree and pretended Order of Scottish Chivalry , that is a question of evidence ,

and if Bro . "Cipes , " instead of shirking the point and raising a little smoke to cover his retreat , can prove it to be so old as , and older than , the second quarter of last century I shall

be glad to admit it whenever he gives the proof . Further , the use of the word " revival" in connection with the last century institution of Knight Templary , I look upon as an attempt at impositi on . LKO .

BROS . " CIPES , " " , " AND THE MAIMED , _ ETC ., ( p . 2 73 . ) In an exceptional case where a gentleman has lost his limbs and retains his tongue , and his eyes , he ran " uphold the recognised modes of

recognition" in a manner which any sensible Freemason , who himself kneAV the recognised modes , could easily take up and appreciate ; in fact , I can quite easily fancy a maimed brother so situated being so Avell posted up that he would be allowed to

pass into the lodge , while others , their arms and legs included , would be kept out . The only difficulty being where a brother minus his limbs , comes into contact with a foreign brother when the one may be unable to understand what the other says . j , | .

THE " LANDMARKS " OF SPECULATIVE FREEMASON'RV . In reference to the above , I find Bro . "Cipes " throws up the sponge himself , and applies a little " admirable and honourable soft solder" to Bro . Hughan , in order to get him to fight his

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

battles . Not bad that ! It is to be hoped he is also ready to settle all damages . LEO .

IRELAND . Of the early history of Masonry in Ireland so little is knoAvn that it AA'Ould be folly to attempt in this late day to discover the footprints of its existence upon that ancient soil . Bro . Michael

Furnell , than whom no living Masonic Avriter is better acquainted Avith the history of Masonry in Ireland , says— " I furnish a brief abstract of the historic constitution of the Masonic Order in Ireland , and though possessing irrefutable records

and data shoAvmg the existence of the several self-designated 'Grand Lodges' in past centuries , and though the Lodge No . i on the present legitimate registry claims an uninterrupted descent from an independent lodge Avhich existed from

time immemorial , and retains many quaint old documents in her archives , and is by many styled the ' First Lodge of Ireland ¦ ' yet I leave the task of research into the hazy mist of the past ages to some more erudite antiquary , taking

for granted that those gone-by powers Avere but by assumption or prescription . The constitution of the present Metropolitan Grand Lodge dates from the year 1729 , Avhen the entire fraternity united in electing tlie Right Hon . Lord Kingston

Grand Master of Ireland . " Since that time many gentle of noble birth have occupied the chair and directed the affairs of Masonry Avith substantial effect . The Ancient York Rite is tenaciously adhered to by this Grand Lodge . In

1809 a charter for the establishment of a Supreme Council ofthe 33 rd degree Ancient and Accepted Rite Avas granted by the Supreme Council at Charleston , South Carolina , and created his Grace the Duke of Leinster Grand Commander

ad vitam . In 1 S 20 a Council of the Rite ot Misraim AA-as instituted Avith the Duke of Leinster as the supreme head . This organisation had a very brief existence in this country . The present Grand Master of the Grand Lodge is the Duke

of Leinster , AVIIO has held the office since 1813 . Within the body of the Grand Lodge is a Grand Conclave of Knights Templar , a Supreme Grand Council of Rites , and a Grand Royal Arch Chapter . —Macoy's Encyclopedia .

TEMPLARS . Itwas the Duke of Leeds , among others , I think , AA'ho A \* as made a Scots Templar , Avithout being a Mason . The comic history prefixed to the statutes , was an excellent piece of fooling on

the part of the late Professor Aytoun , then Grand Prior . The custom of receiving Non-Masons was found , however , injudicious , and was discontinued . There is not one single document or historical reference ( of dates betAveen

1232 and 1700 ) , Avhich indicates the existence of a Templar ; al \ A * ays excepting the members of the Middle Temple , London . The direct successor of the martyred AVilliam de la More is the new Master , Dr . Vaughan . If I remember

right , Scotland was under the jurisdiction of England ' s Grand Prior or Master , as Avell as Ireland . What end after all does it serve , even if it is proved that tlie present Masonic Templars are descendants of the ancient , except that the

Scots Templars would again be the SoA'ereign ' s body guard , instead of thc archers , as in the days of David I . ? In all matters of historical dispute , the dependance of fact upon legend , instead of document , is tantamount to the

assertions of fable . Moreover , Goethe well expressed the custom of a certain class of disputants who fancy they answer their opponents , by ignoring their statements , and simply reiterating their own . Answer , clo not reiterate . ERROL .

ROBERT BURNS A ROVAL ARCH MASON . Robert Burns , after being appointed Poet Laureate of the Canongate Kilwinning , proceeded with his friend and brother , William Ainslie , on a tour , during which they came

across the worthy fraternity of Eyemouth in Berwickshire . The minute book is still extant wherein it records his exaltation to the R . A . free of charge on account of his remarkable poetical qualities , Ainslie paying the usual fee ; ERROL ,