Masonic Orders In England.

and Council of the 33 ° , all flourish in the States . Let every man exercise his own judgment , and provided the paramount

claims of the Craft are not neglected , we are quite prepared to say that he may join all the Knightly or Sovereign Orders in existence . But the duties inculcated in

the " Three Degrees are in reality the foundation and glory of Freemasonry , and the principles Avhich should guide our

conduct through life must ever be those taught at our initiation— " Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . "

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Qurries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Qurries .

•» THE DATE OF SPECULATIVE MASONRY . At page 685 , Bro . C . G . Forsyth has the following passage : — " But it appears that Speculative Masonry—to which alone -

Freemasonry' is now applied—Avas scarcely known before the time of Sir Christopher Wren , and that it was engrafted upon Operative Masonry , "

& c . Will Bro . Forsyth kindly say whether this alludes to the period of Wren's birth ( 1632 ) , or his death ( 1723 ) , and how it so appears ? LUPUS .

ALFRED NUTT ' S CANDIDATURE . I am very glad to notice the advertisement in THE FREEMASON of to-day respecting the above , as his case has only to be generally known to secure election . In fact , I am persuaded that ,

Avere the Craft brought acquainted with all the circumstances of the case , the late respected Bro . John Nutt ' s son would be an inmate of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys from the April election . The father was a r . ontributor

to the Craft—a generous supporter , in fact—for upwards of twenty years , I believe ; and it was only through misfortune—and that entirely unavoidable and unforeseen—that his decease left a widow andyfivi ? children totally unprovided

for . The little son of the afflicted widow has already received 579 votes in his favour , and though I do not wish to prevent any other candidate being successful , I do say that few , if any , have greater claims on the subscribers for

election than has Alfred Nutt . Tlie support of Bro . William Kelly , Prov . G . M . Leicestershire and Rutland , ought to ensure a satisfactory result

—the province , however , is small , and hence appeals to the Craft . W . J AMES HUGHAN . Truro , Cornwall , 31 st Dec , 1870 .

MASONIC MSS . . At page 657 "A Masonic Student" says : — " I am , I confess , much astonished to see that Bro . Buchan again ventures to fix the date of the ' Halliwell MS . ' at 1500 . If there is one

point more clear than another , it is that that MS . belongs to the close of the 14 th centuryfrom 1370 to 1400 . " Now , there are two mistakes here . First , I did not say " at 1500 , " for , as per page 642 , I said , " between 1400 and

1500 , or near 1500 ; ' and second , I consider that it is not " clear" that this " Halliwell MS . " is between " 1370 to 1400 , " for Mr . Bond , keeper of the MSS . British Museum , informed me that it was " of the middle of the 15 th

century . ' And Dr . Kloss also places it in the fifteenth century . So that I fear " A Masonic Student" is wrong upon this point , as I greatly fear he also is upon several others . I shall give some remarks upon Masonic MSS . in a week or two , if spared to do so . W . P . BUCHAN .

SOLOMON S TEMI'LK AND A GOTHIC CATHEDRAL . At page 653 , first column , a remark is made upon this subject , Now at page 451 of The Building News , of 16 th inst ., it is stated that a Roman basilica exists at Treves , and " in it we have the type after which the earliest Christian

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Qurries.

churches were built * and , indeed , it Avas simply by modifications of , and improvements upon , these basilica that the mediaeval architects arrived at their noble cathedrals . W . P . B .

HEBREW POETRY . It is Avorthy of remark that Hebrew poetry , notwithstanding its grandeur and the lofty tone of exaltation to which it is often elevated , by the charm of music scarcely ever loses the restrains

of measure , as does the poetry of India . Devoted to the pure contemplation of the Divinity , it remains clear and simple in the midst of the most figurative forms of expression , delighting in comparisons which recur with almost rhythmical

regularity . The poetical literature of the Hebrews is not deficient in A-ariety of form ; for Avhile HebreAV poetry breathes a tone of warlike enthusiasm from Joshua to Samuel , the little

book of the gleaner , Ruth , presents us with a charmingand exquisitely simple picture of Nature . Goethe speaks of it as " the loveliest specimen of epic and ideal poetry which we possess . "Humboldt .

The Statute of Labourers , 25 EdAV . III ., stat . 1 ., cap . iii ., enacts as folloAVS : — " Item qe carpenters masons teglers & autres coverours des mesons ne preignent le jour pur lour overeygne forsqeen manere come ils soloient

cest assaver mestre carpenter 111 d . & autre 11 d . mestre mason de franchcpeer iv d . & autre mason iii d . & lour servant- i d . ob . teguler iii d . & son garceon i d . ob . & autre coverour de ros & estreyin iii d . & son garceon i d . ob . "

Does not the above designation " Master Mason of Free Stone" solve the question as to the derivation of the prefix " Free " in " Free Mason " ? H . M . G ., 804 .

After-Dinner Orations.

AFTER-DINNER ORATIONS .

Bv W . H . P . ( Concluded from page 687 , vol . 3 . ) The second great consideration was to con ciliate the brethren owing allegiance to Scot

land , so as to induce them readily to join the ranks of the Grand Mark Lodge , Avhen the time arrived that Scotland surrendered her authority over them . This Avas also done mainly by the

untiring and self-sacrificing zeal of one to Avhom this Grand Mark Lodge owe a deep and lasting debt of gratitude—Bro . Frederick Binckes , who is thoroughly appreciated and liked in

Lancashire . A great deal is also due to the gentlemanly courtesy shown on all occasions by the English Provincial G . M . M ., Bro . W . R . Callender , jun .,

S . G . D . England . Although many of us believe that an obligation willingly entered into is binding until a release is given , still several of the brethren

( Scottish ) attended the Provincial G . M . Lodge held at Manchester , for the purpose of showing their respect to Bro . Callender . We are informed , their presence was

acknowledged most gracefully by that brother , and sincere and hearty aspirations for union prevailed . This is what Bro . Portal is pleased to call " the great raid on Scottish Mark Masonry , " surely a

term more applicable to the Border AYurfare of our semi-civilised forefathers than to a friendly re-union of brethren bound by one common-tie , and having one common purpose .

He says , "We showed the Scottish Mark Masters conclusively how hopeless it was to think they could hold their ground in

Lancashire . Well , it may he so ; we have held our ground for a good man years now , and were quite content togooninour Philistine indifference

After-Dinner Orations.

to the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , which Ave can remember was for some time called the " Bon Accord Lodge , " exalted on a pedestal of its own manufacture . We held our ground in Lancashire Avhen the

St . John's Lodge of Bolton had candidates from far and near , having advanced among others the English Prov . G . M . M ., the D . Prov . G . M . M ., the Prov . S . W ., the Prov . G . M . O . and J . O ., the Prov . G . S . D . and J . D . There was no lodge then

holding from tne self-exalted Bon Accord . Certainly several autonomous lodges were in existence ; some still survive the infliction of the London Body on the degree , some have been absorbed .

Our organisation in Lancashire is complete , we increase in strength and numbers daily , and we only wish to be let alone . Our Avants are few , our income is sufficient , but Ave have none to spare for London men and mendi =

cants . Bro . Portal tells us the " raidof Lancashire , " or to be locally correct , so as to enable the

historians of the future to chronicle this hostile advance , the " raid" of Manchester , Avas the great inducement for the Supreme Chapter of Scotland to " come to terms . "

The rev . brother must surely be speaking off his book ; the conference was agreed to before even the Provincial Grand Mark Master was

appointed , but the Supreme Chapter has not yet come to terms , nay perhaps never will . I fear Bro . Portal has been trying to induce his no doubt sympathetic audience

To swallow gudgeons ere they ' re catched , And count their chickens ere they ' re hatched . It is no means certain , even were the Supreme Chapter of Scotland to throw us over ( which Ave do not anticipate ) that Ave should hand in our

allegiance to the Body over which Bro . Portal presides . It would then become a question for us as to whether Ave Avould not rather preserve our autonomy , than be merged into the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters . In such case Ave

should establish ourselves as the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters for England North of the Trent . We do not wished to be forced into this

procedure , but we certainly shall not hesitate to accept the gage of battle , Avhich , by his illtimed speech the Grand Mark Master has thrown at our feet .

For the sake of that love and harmony Avhich theoretically always characterises Freemasons , Ave are willing to be coerced only by love , to be ruled over only by gentle treatment and delicate handling , and to submit to authority when

declared constitutional , lfwe are treated as brethren , estranged if you will , but not hostile . Bro . Portal cannot do better than follow the advice old Isaac Walton gives the angler , " Put the worm on the hook tenderly , and as if you

loved him ; and we sincerely trust that in his next oration , whether delivered before or after dinner , he will not try to evoke that malevolent

spirit of discord and antagonism which can so easily be stirred up by an insult or a slight . Wc desire peace and concord , but we are equal to cither fortune .

Wc . beg to acknowledge the reports of lodges 9 , 172 , 1 S 8 , and 192 , London ; 303 , Teignmouth ; 315 , Brighton ; 581 , Ardwick ; 995 , Ulvcrstone ; 1045 , Altrincham ; also several Scotchlodgc reports , and other news , which will appear next week .

1111 : audit meeting of the Domatic Lodge , No . 177 , was held on Friday evening , the 23 rd of December , at Anderton ' s Hotel , when there were present : Bros . Foulger , AV . M . ; AValford , AV . M .-clcct ; J . Smith , G . P . P ., Treas . ; II . Thompson , M . Haydon , Brett , F . Smith , and Tanner , P . M . ' s ; Ferguson , J . AV . ; Kent , J . D . The auditors present Mere : Bros . R . Montagu , Kent ,

Ferguson , Hancock , and Charles K . Thompson , S . AV . 115 S , besides one or two other brethren . After the accounts had been carefully audited , it was found that there was a balance to the credit of the lodge . The maimer in which the accounts and books had been kept reflected the highest credit upon Bro . Tanner , thc Secretary . The business being concluded , the brethren adjourned to refreshment , and a pleasant evening was spent .