Original Correspondence.

I have no doubt that in the end , some of them , at any rate , will become experienced and good Masons . I will now give you answers to the question at thehead of this letter , given by some of our Brethren experienced in the Craft , which I have from time

to time , in my readings , noted down , should you think them worthy of a place in your paper . The Rev . Dr . Oliver , in a note to his Historical Landmarks of Freemasonry , says that " Freemasonry is an institution sift generis ; no other society can be compared with it , it exists solely

of itself . It eclipses all the institutions and orders in the world , which have been on shall be ( Christianity alone excepted ) . The numerous attempts which ever have been made at different periods to expose it to public derision , and destroy its existence have all signally failed . Every

attack has produced an effect contrary to the wishes and anticipations of its projectors . The most vindictive assault has tended to enlarge the place of its tents , to stretch forth the curtains of its habitation , to lengthen its cords and strengthen its stakes , " His Royal Highness the Duke of

Sussex ( our former G . M . ) thus described our excellent institution : — " Masonry , " said he , " is one of the most sublime and perfect institutions that ever was formed for the advancement of happiness and the general good of mankind ; creatine in all its varieties universal benevolence

and brotherly love . It holds out alluivmerits so captivating as to inspire the brotherhood with emulation to deeds of glory , such as must command throughout the world veneration and applause , and such as must entitle those who perform them to dignity ancl respect .

It teaches us those useful , wise , and instructive doctrines , upon which alone true happiness is founded ; and at the same time affords those easy paths by which we attain the rewards of virtue . It teaches us the duties which we owe to our neighbour , never to injure him in any one

situation , but to conduct ourselves with justice anil impartiality ; it bids us not to divulge the mystery to the public , and it orders us to be true to our trust , and above all meanness \\ w \ dissimulation , and in all our vocations lo perform religiously that which we ought to do . "

Brother Robinson , D . P . G . M . for Cornwall , in an address to the brethren at Falmouth , thus describes our ancient fraternity : —• " Its profession , " he said , " instructs and enjoins us to worship and adore our Almighty Maker , to honour and obey the sovereign of our country , to be

peaceful and order ! ) ' in all our stations , diligent in our callings , uprig ht and honest in our dealings , obedient and respectful towards our superiors , gentle ancl condescending to our inferiors , merciful towards our enemies , considerate , mild , and indulgent in our censures , and kind , courteous

ancl obliging in all the relative duties of life . " The Rev . Brother John Russell , P . G ., Chaplain for Devon , in his sermon before the P . G . Lodge at Barnstaple , said , " The precepts of the Gospel were universally the obligations of masonry : so far from containing aught that was

inconsistent with the Gospel , the love of the brotherhood , the fear of God , and the honour of the Queen , were three of the brightest Jewels of Masonry—three of its richest ornaments—three of its first and leading principles . "

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally J . . SIIAI ' LANI ) , P . M . 421 . R . A ., 312 , and M . M . ( 9 South Moulton , July 29 th , 1 S 72

THE ANCIENT GRAND LODGE OF YORK . Bro . Jacob Norton ' s letter in the last number of the Freemason , appears to me to require a few remarks .-mil rnrtvrtinnQ

i . There never has really been any question among those who have looked into the . subject for sometime past , about the " York Rite . " They have long known that it is a complete

misnomer , in as far and inasmuch as it claims to originate at York , or to be a product of the York Grand Lodge . The York Rite , as it is called , has really nothing whatever to do with the York Grand Lodge , but is a production of the middle of the last century .

Original Correspondence.

The only degrees practised in York , were the Three Craft Degrees , the Royal Arch , and quite late in last century , about 1780 , the Masonic Kni ghts Templar Degree ! 2 . I fail altogether to follow Bro . Norton ' s argument as regards the comparative price of

wages . In the fourteenth century , the Master Mason was a person of high education and high wages , and ranked generally as a " genirosus , " or gentleman , while the Masons " ensmentarii , " and their assistants , were all very well paid , indeed , and above the average of common workmen elsewhere .

Bro . Norton falls into the mistake he has , by forgetting a very important question , the value of money then and now . If we want to ascertain to-day the comparative value of money and wages , say as regards the fourteenth century , we must add fourteen

times to the amount then , to get the present value , or some writers even say , fifteen times ! If we take this test , and study the York Fabric Rolls of 1370 , and onwards , we shall soon see that the Masons were well paid . If we descend to 1 r . 8 j , we may freely add ten

times , and about seven times to 1600 , so as to get the comparative value of wages and money . There is , therefore , really no force in the argument that the Masons were too poor to go to York to attend the Grand Assembly , as they were always ; i well paid body , and were , in

truth , the skilled artizans of those days . 3 . With regard to the earliest mention of York as the place of the meeting of the Masons , though it is not in Halliwell ' s MS ., or Matthew Cocke ' s , yet we find it in Dowland ' s copy , which represents a very old form , and that" cyte , "

mentioned both in the poem and the additional MS ., may fairly be assumed to be " York . " Dowland ' s form represents a very old original ( not yet found ) , not later than 1300 , and I see no reason whatever for rejecting the old

Masonic Legend of York being the place of meeting of the Grand Assembly . 4 . Alhelstan is mentioned in all the MSS ., and as his date was about 927 , it is hardly correct to say that nothing is found of his date until 1717 .

j . It is quite true that St . Alban is not mentioned in the poem , so far as memory serves me now , without any book to refer to , but lie is mentioned in Matthew Cooke ' s MS . about

1490 . 6 . And though it is quite true that no Charter from Alhelstan has yet turned up , 1 am not prepared to admit that such never existed , or may not even yet exist , as I have already previously shewn , the a priori probability of Alhelstan granting a Charter to the Masonic guilds . A MASONIC STUDENT .

PROFESSOR RAWLINSON AND THE TEN TRIBES . To the Editor if the Freemason .

Dear Sir and Brother , — We may be tolerably certain that when a man of piofound learning , who has many imperative calls upon his time , and who occupies , moreover , the chair of a Professor in the University

of Oxford , turns aside from his usual course , to address himself to a subject that does not properly fall in his way , it must be because he attaches some importance to it , either for its truth ancl the consequences resulting from it , or for its supposed erroneousness and the mischief it is likel y to produce .

In the " Leisure Hour" of July 6 th , which a friend lias been good enough to send to me , I find a paper , bearing the name of Professor Rawlinson , " ' author of the Five Great Monarchies , " and sundry other erudite works , some of which , especiall y his " Five Great Monarchies , " would induce one to believe that he is one of the

men most likely to throw some light on the interesting question he has chosen to dilate upon , " Where are the Ten Tribes r" And the style in which he writes , and the supercilious terms in which he speaks of those who have given to the enquiry the most diligent study , and have written the most largely and intelligently upon it , evinces , very unmistakeably , the high estimate

Original Correspondence.

he has formed of his own capabilities for disposing of the question , and the assurance he feels of being able to dissipate , by a few strokes of his pen , the delusion by which , he believes , many deep-thinking and learned men are led astray ! That the question upon which the Professor

now writes is one of much interest , he shews , in calling attention to the published literature of the subject , which " is so large , " he says , " that even a condensed account of it , would occupy more space than can be afforded to it , within the limits of this article . "

T . his is not overstating the fact , and it might be thought that a writer who thus calls attention to it , would have been restrained from speaking or writing contemptuously , not only of those who happen to differ from him in the view he takes of the subject , but of those who " waste their powers

of ratiocination upon a question that has been examined , sifted , argued out , and put away as 'done with . ' "' In like manner , the Professor speaks of a book which has received the most respectful attention and called forth expressions of profound admiration , for both its

substance and its style , from scholars , if not so deeply read in history as the Camden Professor , yet having a reputation for much learning , critical acumen , and sound judgment , as being made up of " arguments of the most flimsy and unsubstantial kind , " the book being " after a short

time forgotten , no traces of the opinions put forth in it having been adopted by any writer of any ( or even of no ) reputation "; that is , between 18 43 and 1870 . What has the Professor been doing , during the quarter of a century he speaks of ? Have Babylonian bricks and Assyrian cylinders so

absorbed his attention that he has been wholl y oblivious of what has occupied the minds and engaged the pens of hundreds of learned ancl devout men , who have been induced to adopt the opinions he writes so disparagingly of , ancl puts away as " done with " ? To be ignorant that the question has , during the years the Professor

speaks of , been treated as a topic of great interest , in the religious world , at home and ' abroad , may not be a matter for censure ; but it is a disqualification for writing upon it , ancl especiall y for writing upon it in a tone of disparagement and almost of contempt of those who " waste their time and and thought " in reading what may be written on the other side .

To enumerate the names of those who have espoused and written in furtherance of the views put forth in " Our Origin , " during the twentyfive years the Professor speaks of , would far exceed the limits within which I must confine myself , but I may mention Professor Piazzi

Smyth , Astronomer Royal of Scotland , author of several learned works on the Great Pyramid , and Ancient Egyptain Life ; Dr . George Moore , of Hastings , author of " the Use of the Bod y in relation to the Mind , " " The Lost Tribes , or the Saxons of the East ancl West . " "The ancient

Pillar Stones of Scotland , " ike . ; the Rev . Jacob Tomlin , author of " A Comparative Vocabulary of 48 Languages , " "An exposition of the Apocalypse , " ike . ; the late Rev . Alexander Dallas , Dr . Marsh , and Dr . Campbell ; Mr . R . Govett , author of " English derived from Hebrew , with

glances at Greek ancl Latin ; " and Mr . Robert Mimpriss , whose " Gospel Treasury and Expository Harmony of the Four Evangelists , " partly the work of Mr . Wilson , whose views on the Israelites pervade it , and of which there have been editions , in different sizes ,

sold to the number of more than 30 , 000 copies . These are all men of some reputation ; and it may be safely affirmed , because the proof is at hand , that during the period that Professor Rawlinson supposes thequestionof "OurOrigin "

to have been dead ancl put away as " clone with , " it was exciting a very lively interest throughout the United Kingdom , in America , where the work was republished and largely circulated , ancl in such distant regions as Syria and Palestine .

But as if awaking out of sleep , Professor Rawlinson finds that after a lapse of five and twenty years , Mr . Wilson ' s " views have been reasserted , " in a a sort of reproduction of his

work" Our Israclitish Origin—in a modern form ; " but though " the brochure is having a wonderful circulation , " it " is not , " he says , " calculated to produce the slightest effect on the opinion of those competent to form one , " but " only on the