Illustrations Of The History Of The Craft.

as successors of the Essenes , or some development of the " disciplina arcaiii" which seems to be the suggestion of Dr . Leeson . A modification of this view is to be found in those who connect Freemasonry with Rosicrucian adepts , with the followers of " Rosenkreutz , " if that were reall y his name .

But it is almost unnecessary to add that there is not the slig htest valid or historical evidence to be adduced in behalf of such a theory . It is purely imaginative—the "baseless fabric of a < iream . "

Neither can I speak more hopefully or encouragingly of that claim , propounded with such confidence , to consider our Freemasonry of to-day as derived from the Knights Templar . To say nothing of the intense difficulty , historically , of the transmission or preservation of any

real Templar secrets , one thing is plain , though I am sorry to say it as it may hurt the feelings of many excellent brethren of mine , the Masonic Knights Templar never had , and have not now , the slightest real connection with the old Knights Templar .

The history of the dispersion and ultimate fate of the majority of the Templars is pretty well known . The accounts we hear of Templars holding meetings at York , or Scotland , and elsewhese , to perpetuate the hidden mysteries of their secret chapters , are so opposed to the real

facts of history , as fairly come within the reproach of being " fables of the Freemasons . " Up to the present time not the slightest historical evidence is forthcoming of any prior existence of Masonic Knights Templar before 1740 . As I propose to treat in a subsequent chapter of

the connection existing between the Knights Templar and Freemasonry , I need not allude further to the subject now than to say , that the Knights Templar borrowed , if they did borrow , their secrets from Freemasonry—not Freemasonry from the Knights Templar .

There is a third view , which has of late been ulvocated with more zeal than

discretionnamely that which would limit Speculative I'reemasonry to 1717 , and would seek to contend that at that epoch the phraseology and working tools of the operative guilds were adapted and adopted for the purposes of a philanthropic and benevolent association ; but that there was no further bond of union or continuity of propose .

So far back as 1733 , in the Gentlemen s Magazine for February , an anonymous writer , untruly calling himself a brother , says we may as well call ourselves " carpenters or ratcatchers as Freemasons , " and he further asserts that the present Order is a " gallimawfry of the restorer of the society . "

This is the view , practically , which has been pressed upon us in such a variety of ways and under such different forms , with more zeal than discretion , for some time past—a view , I do not hesitate to say , most mistaken , utterly unsupported by the evidence we already possess , and most opposed to the evidence we shall

gradually obtain . I'his I hope convincingly to show in the progress of these illustrations . Having thus pointed out what I believe is not and cannot be the true history of Freemasonry , I propose in the next chapter to develope what I believe that true history is , and where it is to he found . ( To be continued . )

THE UNITED PILGRIMS AND DORIC LODU' - OF INSTRUCTION . —We recently reported a most interesting visit of the members of the "United Pilgrims' " Lodge of Instruction to that of the " Doric , " when the Fifteen Sections were worked by the members of the former lodge under the

presidency of a brother of the Doric . We arc informed that the Secretaries of the respective lodges are now arranging for the return visit , during this month , and anticipate a very successful meeting . Due notice of the date fixed for this meeting will be given in our pages , and

meanwhile we recommend to our readers in the South of London a visit to the United Pilgrims , meeting every Thursday evening at the Duke of Edinburgh Tavern , Shepherd ' s Lane , Brixton , under the ' able preceptorship of Brother John Thomas .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

<*¦ — The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . "FREEMASONRY AND JUDAISM . " ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I do not believe that Brother W . B . will consider it illnaturedly said , or interpret it as meaning anything beyond what I intend , if I express a doubt as to whether

he had wholly recovered from his long indulgence in " refreshment , " when he penned his reply to me , in your last . If one who is generally sensible and acute fails to distinguish between things that differ , we usually attribute it to some temporary

hallucination or confusion of mind , a condition , I regret to say , which sometimes exists after " ceasing from labour and going to refreshment . " But , whatever the cause , he certainly blunders as much in his opening sentence about my letter ,

as I stated he had done about church history . His "limited reasoning powers" cannot , he says , " cope with a process of ratiocination which greatly respects another ' s motives , and appreciates his intentions , but which the writer

immediately afterwards condemns . How , either directly or by implication , have I condemned his motives and intentions ? I have not done so ; but Bro . W . B . fails to discern the difference between condemning motives and intentions , and

condemning alleged facts and opinions . His motives and intentions I believe to be good , very good . His alleged facts and opinions I hold to be altogether erroneous . As much does he confound things when he says that I began

that for doing which I said he evinced a great lack of judgment . For doing what , did I attribute to him a lack of judgment ? For plunging

into a sea of Christian controversy , m the columns of TH K FREEMASON , and condemning all churches and beliefs but one . Did I "begin that ? " Have I ever done so ? Let W . B . look out for the

proof , and when he has it gibbet me upon it . I began it , he says , " for if he supposes that the pre-Messiah history , "' & c . But I suppose nothing of the kind . I have never written anything that can be so construed ; nay , t have more than

once declared the contrary , which my brother ought to know , if he has read all my papers ; if not , he is as rash in making this statement as he was in most of the statements in his former letter . Surely , I may treat of the literal

fulfilment of prophecy , without denying its secondary and higher sense . W . 13 . ' s supposititious case of the Assyrian monstrosities rests upon his if , and does nothing , therefore , towards damaging " Hro . Carpenter ' s logic . " I quite concur in what Bro .

W . B . says relative to Swedenborg s anti-sectarian teaching ; and believe it would have been well had those who adopted his theology adopted the example he set them . But they have done quite the contrary . The world has not

forgotten the scandal originated in the acrimonious dispute between the "Swedcnborgians" and "Bro . White ; " nor are we oblivious of the fact , that there are Swedcnborgian churches , Swedenborgian books , Swedcnborgian Repositories , and

many other Swedcnborgian things , which the members of the "New Church" have created or adopted , although they sometimes repudiate being called after the name of any man . But this is little more than trifling . If they do no

worse than call themselves , and their buildings , and hooks , and schools , by this distinctive name , they do not do much harm ; it is when they pronounce sentence of condemnation upon all other beliefs than their own , and declare that " the

theology of the day , or as now made up , was hardly known until the fourth century after Christ ;" and say that the history of the new church down to the third or fourUi century is as much a myth as the names of the founders of Rome or

the games of Olympia" (?) , that they are censurable . I must not permit Bro . W . B . to provoke me to alter the course I have determined upon ,

and which , 1 think , should be rigidly observed by all who contribute to THE FREEMASON . He calls upon me for proof that he has perverted facts , offering me the alternative , on my refusing

Original Correspondence.

to do so , of perpetual silence . Well , I must submit , for I not only " could , " as he does "like to avoid doctrinal discussion " UITHEFREEMASON , but am determined to do so . I am ready for a friendly controversy with W . B . in any appropriate publication , but not in this . I think , I may ,

however , without departing from the rule I have laid down for myself , refer Bro . W . B ., who alleges that the doctrine of the plurality in the Godhead , and the doctrine of the Atonement , were hardly known until the fourth century after Christ , to the writings of Clement of Rome , whom the

voice of antiquity identifies as the contemporary of Peter and Paul , whom he speaks of as belonging to " the present generation , " to C ) 'prian , Origen , Tertullian , Athenagoras , Justin Martyr , and other of the ante-Nicene Fathers , as they are called , who all lived in the first half

of the second century , for abundant proof that these doctrines were not only well known in their time , but that they cherished and taught them as the most precious doctrines of the Christian faith . Let me also refer Bro . W . B . to his Eusebius and Jortin , from whom he has quoted , in his last , but whom he totally misreads .

They arenot speaking deprecatingly of the doctrine of the " Triune God , " any more than Constantine did . They deprecated only the vain and mischievous attempt , afterwards made by the

Council of Nice , to define the mode of His existence—a thing which W . B . confounds with the Divine existence itself ! Yours fraternally , WILLIAM CARPENTER .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I have no intention of breaking a lance again with the brother who signs himself W . B . 742 , contenting myself with re-stating my opinion that discussions upon special points in theology are unsuited to the columns of a Masonic journal .

W . B . sneermgly alludes to the addition of 30 K . H . to my initials , and affects ignorance of the meaning of such , on the ground of no mention being made thereof in the " Book of Constitutions . " I should have thought cur brother would be aware that , though nothing beyond Royal

Arch is sanctioned by Grand Lodge , yet there is nothing singular in being connected with the A . and A . Rite of ^ 3 degrees , or any other rite which has a legitimate constitution . I am , Sir , vours fraternall y , W . ' L . A ., R . A . Coma . K . T ., Mark M ., & 30 K . H .

AN URGENT APPEAL . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER ,- —At the risk of its being thought an unusual intrusion upon your space , I take the liberty of bringing under the notice of your readers , and especially our brethren in the

Navy and Engineering interest , the case of Frederick Augustus Furley , No . 20 on the list of candidates for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . A more melancholy and deserving case it is almost impossible to imagine .

The father was a man of singular ability and promise ; having served with distinction in the Royal Navy as Engineer on board H . M . S . Firefly on the west coast of Africa , during the latter days of the suppression of the slave trade , and in other ships . He afterwards left the navy , and

carried on the business of an iron ship-builder , being appointed , in 1 S 64 , the manager and chief constructor to a large iron ship-building company . After only a few months , during which time his energy and attention to business never flagged , he was struck down by paralysis , which took

away his speech and the use of his right hand , leaving him totally helpless . His wife and three little children were thus entirely dependent upon friends for their support ; whilst the poor afflicted breadwinner remains a burthen to himself and those about him , although tenderly watched and cared for by his aged mother and a sister , with

whom he with two of his children reside , whilst his wife seeks her bread elsewhere by her own industry . Frequent attacks of epilepsy , too , are a cause of misery to him , and constant anxiety to those in charge of him . In the hope that some of the brethren who peruse these lines , will associate themselves with