Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—«—CONSTITUTIONS OF THE FREEMASONS' G . L . OF ENGLAND , 1776 . I am now in possession of every edition

of the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England ( London ) from A . D . 1723 to the present time , excepting the edition published in A . D . 1776 ( being those of A . D . 1767 and appendices ) .

I shall esteem it a favour to be told where to obtain this volume at a reasonable price , or shall be happy to exchange some other work or works of value for it .

W . J AMES HUGHAN . P . S . —I think of publishing a reprint of Dr . Dassigny ' s work of A . D . 1744 in a few months . Can any brother inform me of any one who has a copy besides myself ? W . J . H .

" MASONIC SKETCHES AND REPRINTS , " BY BRO

HUGHAN . I appreciate Bro . " Lupus' " kind note in THE FREEMASON for March 25 th , and thank him for so fraternally and approvingly referring to my new work . Were I

permitted to reveal the real name of the writer of the above letter , the Craft would agree with me in stating that our ancient and honourable Fraternity is more indebted to Bro . " Lupus " than to me for aiding and increasing the literature of Freemasonry .

I anticipate arranging with my publishers ere long to print a second edition of "Masonic Sketches and Reprints . " The

American edition is now preparing ( and almost ready for publication ) by the wellknown firm , " The Masonic Manufacturing Company , " Broadway , New York .

Should I issue a second edition , it is my intention to insert several more hitlicrto

unpublished MSS ., because it is my firm conviction ( as Bro . " Lupus " well observes ) that " documentary evidences are worth all the arguments and assertions of individual opinions which have everbcen propounded . "

W . J AMES HUGHAN . P . S . —Should the Craft support Bro . R . Spencer ' s reprints of the " Constitutions " as he well deserves , I intend soon after to publish verbatim ct literatim reprints of

other scarce Masonic works . W . J . H

Referring to the Statutes of the K . T , at page 62 it is stated that " the mantle of the Order ( Knights of Malta ) is of black serge , with a white 8-pointcd cross on the left shoulder . "

No allusion is made to the hood . Will you kindly tell me in your next publication if there is a hood attached to the black

mantle , and whether such hood is lined with any distinguishing colour of the silk , as is the case of Eminent Commanders of K . T . Encampments ? CONSTANS .

THE SAINTS JOHN IN MASONRV ( p . lS 6 ) . " Philetas " would make readers believe that in the middle of thc iSth century the late Bro . Dunckerley introduced into the lectures what wc now have as to the

patronage of the Saints John . I doubt not that lie may have lectured on the subject , but the title " Saints John " we find introduced amongst Freemasons long before this . A lodge ofthe name "Saints John , " dating

as far back as 1057 , is still in existence in Scotland . Other Freemason lodges we find celebrating the Festival of St . John in 1697 . And , again , in 1714 , we find a lodge laying down the following law : — " It is statute and ordained that every member of

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

this lodge duly and strictly attend the brethren on St . John ' s Day yearly for commemorating the said Apostle , our Patron and tutelar Saint , under penalty of forty shillings Scots , " We are thus carried back

to a date long before the days of the late Bro . Dunckerley , and have proof positive of the name being in use amongst Freemasons for several hundreds of years , but will not for the present further dwell until Bro . J . Evan replies .

CHALMERS I . PATON .

" THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL FORCES IN MAN" ( p . 185 ) . While the subject of morality and intellect may be discussed in a general way in the outer world , it is not the duty of

Freemasons to cause jealousy between any nation . There is no line , in a point of morality , to * be drawn between the German and French nations . What the French term " incest , " and prohibit as forbidden by

the Law of God , some of the German states consider a virtue . The good seed sown by Calvin , Coligny , Palissy , Theodore de Beze , Bossuet , Fenelon , of the Cuviers , of the

Monods , was both true and good . Let us hope it has not withered , but sunk in the earth only for a while to grow up with fresh life and beauty . A FRENCH FREEMASON .

MASONRY AT SEA . I have just had the following communicated to me by a distinguished and zealous

Mason , and forward it at once as an interesting communication for the " Notes and Queries " department . W . J AMES HUGHAN .

"A lodge of Freemasons having been founded here April 5 th , 1765 , being the Lodge of Amity , No . 160 . In this lodge is presented a memorial of one of the most striking instances on record of the prevalence of Masonic sympathy , and

which occurred in the experience of one of the brethren of the lodge . This memorial is a biscuit of coarse bread , preserved in a glass frame , and hung up in the lodge , with the following inscription : ' This biscuit is preserved by the

Lodge of Amity as a memorial of their gratitude and brotherly affection to J acquez de Bon , Captain ofthe 'Jurion , ' a French privateer of St . Maloes , who captured at set . on the 13 th December , at 11 a . m ., 1813 , in lat . 49 50 ' N . 0

long . 70 10 ' , the brig ' Oak , ' of Poole , Brother Stephen Pack , Master , belonging to Brothers G . W . Leagard and John Gosse , on her passage from Bilboa to Poole , who , after treating him and his crew with every mark of kindness ,

returned him his vessel , and sent on board a dog ( which before had been taken from a brother ) , with this biscuit suspended by a string round his

neck , signifying that he would not keep a brother's dog in bondage , nor see him want bread . '"—Copied front the " History of Poole in Dorsetshire"published in 18 39 .

"GAMMA" ON " BETA . The best answer I can give to "Gamma" is to invite him to compare his communication , on page 185 , with mine at page 57 , of THE FREEMASON , and then he will find there is not a

shadow of reason to suppose I object to fair criticism in any way ; but , on the contrary , I not only criticise myself , but am always glad to be criticised . If an error is made , let it be pointed out in a gentlemanly manner , and I shall be

delighted to acknowledge it ; only let us not descend to personalities , and blot the pages of THE FREEMASON with petty insinuations , weak subterfuges , and attempts to damage thc

statements of Masonic writers , without actually offering one fact in substantiation of the objections made . Surely , as Masons we ought to be able to give and receive light in a proper spirit , and with becoming thankfulness . BETA .

The Fair Sex And Adoptive Masonery.

THE FAIR SEX AND ADOPTIVE MASONERY .

ARTICLE ur . - ¦ ( Continued from page 187 . ) It speaks of Esther , that noble daughter of bondage , who so bravely resolved to share the fortunes of the exiles of Israel . It tells us of Martha , mourning the loss of her dearly-beloved brother .

And , finally , it thrills us with an account of that devoted philanthropist , Electa , who , above all women , suffered for her master's sake , the loss of home , family , wealth , and life itself . But before I can communicate to you the secrets of the Eastern Star degrees , whereby you can make

yourselves known to Masons , it is necessary that each of you should make a solemn pledge of honour , that those secrets shall be kept inviolably in your possession . For any one of you to go out and expose to others what we so secretly tell you here would not only be fatal to your own character for truth , but would destroy all the advantages

of the Order itself . Its great value consists in its being kept in the hands of proper persons . I am happy to inform you that , although many thousands of ladies have received it , and they scattered through every section of the country , no instance is on record of any lady having dishonourably exposed it . Nor , indeed , do we fear that such a misfortune can ever occur . A

lady who makes' us a pledge of honour , such as I require of you , pledges her very soul ; the honour of a woman is more to her than life itself . Those of you , therefore , who give us such security may safely be trusted with our most cherished secrets . The pledge that we require of you i *

in this form : So many of you , ladies , as will pledge the sacred honour of a woman never to communicate improperly the secrets of the Order of the Eastern Star , will raise your right hands . [ See that each one does it . J My brethren , I have thus far confined my remarks

to the ladies , whose coming together on this occasion we may justly feel to be a compliment to us . You know , and can testify , that all my statements as to the principles of Masonry and its advantages to its members are true , and that these ladies do stand in the close relationship to

our Fraternity that I have described . I will now explain to you that only wives , mothers , widows , sisters , and daughters of Master Masons —the sisters and daughters , if unmarried , to be eighteen years of age and upward—are entitled to receive the Eastern Star degrees , and that it

must never be conferred unless there are five or more such ladies present . So many of you , my brethren , as will pledge the honour of a Master Mason never to confer or be present at the conferring of the Eastern Star degrees , except under the restrictions mentioned , will now raise your

right hands . [ See that , each one does it ] Should a lady at any time find herself in distress , and among strangers , she has the undeniable right , and should not hesitate , to make the acquaintance of any Master Mason who may be present , by using one of the signs which I will

teach you . Each sign has its appropriate name and explanation , and each has a proper password to be given in answer to it by the Mason who recognises thc sign . The first object to which I call your attention is the signet of the Eastern Star . This is prepared with a view to assist the

memory after a person has taken the degrees . You will observe that the star in the signet is five-pointed , and that each point has a colour of its own , which are blue , yellow , white , green , and red . The names of the five characters—Jephthah's Daughter , Ruth , Esther , Martha , and

Electa—are seen in the different points , and their histories make up the degrees . The emblems—the sword and the veil , the sheaf , the crown , and the sceptre , the broken column , and the joined hands , on the same points , are illustrative of the above characters . The emblems in

the several divisions in the centre ofthe star also allude to tlie distinguished characters comprising the degrees . 1 st . 'i'heopen Bible is appropriate to Jephthah's daughter as the symbol of obedience to the Word of God . ancl . The hunch of lilies is appropriate to Ruth , as the Lily of the Valley . 3 rd . The sun is appropriate to Esther ,