Masonic Jurisprudence.

Masonic Jurisprudence .

[ Under this head , in future , wc purpose answering correspondents on Masonie law . ] ANGUS SMITH . —No . Dues to the Fund of Benevolence are not payable for honorary members . MIRFIELD . The resit-nation of the brother having

been accepted and entered on the lodge minutes , cannot be revoked . He must bo proposed and seconded in due form , and balloted for as a rejoining member . S . D . The use of the black-ball is commendable when no other means can bo tried to insure the rejection of an unworthy candidate , but when adopted

for purposes of annoyance or spite , blackballing is simply abominable . A lamentable case recently occurred in America , resulting in the sacrifice of two lives throngh tho misuse of the black-ball from political motives . The ballot-box is a necessary safe-guard to the Order , and should be the honourable , though secret , mouthp iece of a Freemason ' s opinion .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—The Evangelists were emblematically depicted in the early ages of tlie Christian Church as follows St . Matthew by a man , St . Mark by a lion , St . Luke by a bull , and St . John by an eagle . —ASTIQUAUIUS .

In Anderson ' s Constitutions , edition 173 S , page 70 , it is rccoidcd that John de Spoulce , who , as one of the deputies of Edward III ., assisted in rebuilding Windsor Castle , was called the " Master of the Ghiblim . — ANTIQUAUIUS .

In the ancient York lectures there are several legends referring tothe cubic stone , or " Alasonic stone of foundation , " which is said to have been in the possession , of Adam in Paradise . It is understood to symbolise Divine Truth . —V IATOII . Ragon , in his " Orthodoxie Maconnique , " page

200 , enumerates among the chivalric orders in England tolerated though not recognised by the Grand Lodge , 1 st , the Knig hts of the Red Cross ; Snd , the Knights Templar ; 3 rd , the Knig hts of Malta ; 4 th , the Knights of the . Holy Sepulchre . —SESOSTRIS .

It is a curious and suggestive fact that one of the earliest It . A . chapters formed under the "Modern " Masons of England bore the , title of "The Chapter of the Nine Arches of Enoch ; " an old R . A . ritual in my possession also refers to the . very singular tradition associated with the above name . — ANTIQUARIUS .

Melchisedec . —The following extract from Dr . Adam Clarke ' s commentaries on " Genesis" will be interesting to members of the Priestly and Princely grades of the Red Cross of Constantine : — " Melchisedec had preserved in his family and among his subjects the worship of the true God , and the primitive

patriarchal institutions ; by these the father of every family was both king and priest . So Melchisedec , being a worshipper of the true God , was priest among the people , as well as king over them . ' '—VERITAS . Past Masters as Preceptors . —Few letters of more importance have cau _ ht my eye of late than the ono in THE FREEMASON of last week under the above

title . Unless something is done , and that quickly , I am persuaded that uniformity of ritual will be but a " dead letter , " in some country lodges , and soon regularly-initiated brethren will scarcely know whether they arc in a lodge or not in somo places I need not mention . I could say , but forbear at present , hoping the evil will be remedied . —W . J . IIUOHAN .

A convention between the Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Germany was coneluded in 177 !) , at which period there were 25 lodges under the jurisdiction of the latter body . Where can I learn the names of those lodges , and also ascertain whether they are still in existence ?—ALPHA .

Royal Arch Degree . —I should esteem it a personal favour to bo furnished with extracts from minutes of Koyal Arch Chapters , anterior to 17 G 0 ( if any ) held in London . —WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN .

1 HE EASTERN EMPERORS . —ihe liomau Senate has lately inscribed in thc Golden Book of the Patriciate the name of the sole descendant , in a direct line , of the Eastern Emperors and ofthe last of the Lasearis , known before 178 'J , that is to say , Antonio Lasearis Ooinncno , (' rand Duko of Epirus , Larissa , . Media

and Macedonia , Prince ot the Peloponnesus , and perpetual Grand Master , by right of hereditary transmission , of the Supremo Constanlinian Order of the Kni ghts of St . George ( or Red X ) . The descendant of this illustrious family was living unknown in Piedmont , when one day he conceived the idea of

collecting his genealogical documents and claiming his rights , i'ho Lasearis having belonged to the Roman nobility , he addressed himself to the senate , and that body , after having verified the authenticity of his titles according to the documents in the archives , has reinstated him in his honours and privileges . The Prince is about to leave Turin to fix his residence at Rome—Weekly Dispatch , March 27 , 1860 .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ The Editor is not responsible for tho opinions expressed by Correspondents . J OPERATIVE LODGES .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . " ) BEAK SIR AND BROTHER , —I am perusing Brother Hughan ' s papers with very great p leasure , and he i . s doing good service by bringing the old Operative Freemasons' Lodges of Scotland under our notice . I would like tlie opportunity of remarking that there was possibly considerable , difference in practice

between tbe two countries , whieh if examined may lessen one ' s scepticism as to the existence of any craft degree but thc first before the Revival of 1717 . The Grand-Mastership of Scotland was hereditary , audit General Assemblies of the Craft were ever held there , they must iu later times have fallen into abeyance . Not so in England , as they would seem to have been

regularly held during the 17 th century , whilst the Stuarts remained on the British throne ; and the Order was so far speculative in KiO'l that the Annual Assembly then declared that all the lodges should be ruled by one Grand Master , and made a compulsory law that there should for the future be two operatives in every lodge of five members , to render an initiation legal .

Unfortunately there are no minutes of these meetings , but in their absence we are scarcely justified in asserting , contrary to all tradition , that no degrees were ever possessed by them . In the first place , we are expressly informed that all degrees beyond the Apprentice were in the gift of these Annual Assemblieo ;* and , secondly , it has ever been a fundamental princi ple

of the Order that the possessor of an inferior degree must not pry into the secrets of a hi gher , or the possessor of a hi gh degree communicate any information to the holder of an inferior degree . The Arch degree no doubt has sceu many changes , and probably bears but little resemblance to the original compilation , but if the appended note , t from

a printed attack upon a member in 172 , 5 , does not allude to thc degree , I shall be glad if Bro . Hughan will inform me to what it does allude . The present degree seems to represent the continental Red Cross of Babylon or Knight of the Sword and of the East , and to have been styled the Red Cross , or Ark , by the Stirling Rock Chapter , regarding which Dr . Burnes ,

K . H ., states : —" 'Jhere are some records to indicate that , so early as _ 151 ) 0 a fow of the brethren ( of St . John ) became mingled with the architectural fraternities ; and that a lodge at Stirling , patronised by King James , had a Chapter of Templars attached to it , who were termed •Cross-legged Masons . ' "* j * I can myself see little objection to the date of 1 GSG

claimed by the degree of Holy Royal Arch , Knights Templar Priest , to which was added thc Rose Croix * , and was informed by a late Deputy Provincial Grand Commander that he had in his possession an ancient Bristol Bitual of 17 * 15 of the K . T . P . This date , 1 GSG , is also the only one which removes all difficulty regarding the Stuart Chapter of Arras , ( he

excommunication ot Pjnlip of Orleans about 1705 , Baron Ilunde ' s Templar theory , and the English schism of 17 . 9 . With regard to the omission of the Templars from the system of the Arras Chapter , that must have arisen from thc ground being occupied by the . Ordredu-Tcmple . The K . T . P . which appears iu 171 ) 1 on Brother Duiikeilcy ' s seal , is the 17 th degree ofthe A . and A . rite .

rraternally yours , Manchester . JOHN YARKER . * "Apprentices must he admitted l ' ellow Craft and Masters only here , unless by a dispensation from the Uraiul Master . " - Itejidadons of the lkxiscd Grand / . ml ye of 1717 . " This is a very ancient regulation , but seldom put ill practice . "—Athol Cotutitutions .

t "lie ( Dr . Ilawliiison ) makes wonderful brags of being of the fifth order . . . . Tho Doctor pretends lie has found out a mysterious hocus-pocus word , and that against whomsoever lie ( as a member of tlio fifth order ) , " _ t \ , & c—Sco Freemasons' Magazine , 1857 , page 700 . " This is tho case of all those who think themselves Koyal Arch Masons without passing the chair in regular form according to the ancient custom of the Craft . "—Ahiman Jtezon . t " Sketch of the Templars , " by liro . Kd . Woof , F . S . A . Jaincs Coombs , AVorcester . THE TOLERANCE OF FREEMASONRY .

( To the Ediior of The Freemason . ) DEAU Sin AND BROTHER , — Of the phrases and expressions which are commonly used with regard to Masonry and religious toleration , it seems to me that many are erroneous , many inaccurate , and many ambiguous . In the hope of obtaining a clearer insight into the true principles of our Order . I ventum

to suggest a few reflections for the consideration of your readers . If any of my suggestions are not perfectly adjusted by the square , I shall be glad to receive correction and instruction . Freemasonry , then , is not a reli gion . It may possibly require us to confess the existence , personality , and supreme power of God ; but it docs not bind us to any particular belief concerning His nature and

Original Correspondence.

attributes , or enjoin any particular method of external worship . Not being itself a relig ion , it is not opposed to any religion . It does not contradict the dogmatic teaching of any church , or school , or sect . It excludes none : it includes all . Whether Catholic or Protestant , orthodox or heretic , Mahometan or Jew , any just and

upright man may be admitted into it without renouncing a single tenet of the creed which he conscientiously holds . When he is once admitted , whatever that creed may be , all true Masons will recognise him and treat him as a brother . Herein consists the true beautv of our 'Craft—that it establishes a bond of

fraternity between those who are otherwise separated by race , by rank , or by religion . But as Masons are not compelled to regard all races as equally civilised , or all ranks as equally noble , so neither are they compelled to regard all religions as equally true and acceptable in the sig ht of Heaven .

If I am a sincere Jew , I must look upon Christian worship as idolatrous . If I am a sincere Christian , I must consider Mahometanism an imposture . Honest faith in any definite creed amounts , of necessity , to a denial of those other creeds which are opposed to it . entertaininsr such an honest faith I am not censured

by the principles of our Order , much less am I excluded from a participation in its privileges . By the fact of my initiation I am in no way pledged to abjure the distinctness of my previous belief ; I am only bound to exercise Masonic , charity towards all my brethren , and to keep Jiasonic meetings free from

religious discussion and jealousy . A bigot may be accepted and find standing room amongst us , provided that ho allows not his bigotry to interfere with the fundamental rules of brotherly love , relief , and truth . He is not required to change his theological opinions and to regard the doctrinal variations which

distinguish him from others as trifles of little or no importance . For Freemasonry is open to men of all theological opinions . Its object is not to make our faith indefinite , or our hope vague ; but to widen our charity , and to give it scope to expand in the exercise

of a universal , an ungrudging , and a large-hearted benevolence . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , Norwich , March 2-1 , 18 G 9 . ASHLAR .

CHAIR DEGREE . (_ 'o thc Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR Sin AND BROTHER , —Permit me to give the following explanation regarding Installation and the chair in Scotland , in so far as it has conic , under my own observation . In the "Laws and Constitutions of thc Grand

Lodge of Scotland " the following occurs at page 47 : — " 'Fhe installation of thc whole office-bearers of a lodge , including the Master , shall be held in a just and perfect lodge , opened in the Apprentice degree , where at the least three Masters , two Fellow Craft , and two Apprentices must he present ; or , failing

craftsmen and apprentices , the same number ot Masters , who for the time being shall be held to be of the inferior degrees . " In Scotland , the new R . W . M . docs not require to pass the chair , or to " receive thc secrets of an installed Master , " previous to his being duly

acknowledged and unanimously received as R . \\ . M . However , in some lodges in Scotland ( old ones ) au individual ( who may have no intention of over being an officebearer ) who has received the three first degrees , afterwards gets for a small extra fee the Mark , and after that the Chair . That is to sav—in Scotland a

brother , in about a month a fter receiving his first degree , may also have passed the chair . Such chairing , however , gives him no extra privileges ; he is now merely possessed of certain secrets—word , sign , grip , & c . In short , it is a sort of side degree , which some lodges practise , and which said lodges consider their It . AV . M . ought to possess to be complete . When the

chair is given , a dozen or so ( moro or lets ) receive it the same evening . In Scotland , therefore , a brother must have been R . AV . M . of a lodge before he is acknowledged as a P . M ., and there are It . AV . M . ' s there who have been chaired ( on the blue ) , while there are others who have not . Sec Lawric ' s " History of Freemasonry , " page 423 .

The query , therefore , is — Are Scotch 1 ast Masters who have received the secrets of the , chair admissible to a board of " regularly-installed Masters " in England ? Yours fraternally , LEO .

THE CITY OP LONDON W ORKINO CLASSES INDUSTRIAL EXIUIHTION—AVe have great pleasure in announcing that Bro . Reeves , tho lion , treasurer of the above-named excellent undertaking , was presented by the members with a very handsome time-piece in recognition of his energetic services in the cause . The secretary , Bro . Ramsey , also received a silver claret jug . The presentations took p lace on Monday evening , at the '' Griffins , " Now Meat Market , Smithfield .