Hermetic Masonry.

HERMETIC MASONRY .

Much interest has been attracted to the "Dedication to Long Livers " printed in extenso in the October " Masonic Magazine . " We have read it ourselves with much attention , and its statements require a good deal of thought , and careful consideration I f its assertions are

correct , and ther e seems no reason to doubt them , Hermetic Masonry of some kind was known to the Craft in 1721 . We are informed that to our worthy Bro . W . J . Hughan , of Truro , wellknown for his zeal in Masonic Archaeology , the editor is indebted for the loan of this somewhat

scarce work . Bro . Albert Mackey called attention to the same work in the "Voice of Masonry " a short time back , and we understand that Bro . W . J . Hughan mentioned the existence of the book oriainally to Bro . Albert Pike , a

distinguished member of the American High Grades , and that he gave Bro . Mackey the information about it , which led to the publication of it , first of all in the '' Voice of Masonry . " It was at Bro . W . J . Hughan ' s suggestion that the "Dedication " was printed in the "Masonic Magazine . "

Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT .

We call attention to the advertisement in another page of the annual festival of this distinguished and most important lodge , It appears that at the meeting this yearour very distinguished Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master , will preside , and that our worthy and able Bro .

G . S . John Hervey , who has been Treasurer for thirty years , will take the chair of the lodge . Thirty-six Present and Past Grand Officers have consented to act as Stewards , and among those who will work the "Sections" we find the names of some of our most distinguished brethren and Masonic workers . It will , therefore , be a treat

of a very high order for metropolitan and provincial Masons . A handsome silver inkstand , designed by the eminent architect , Bro . J . Gibson , Deputy Master of the Prince of Wales Lodge , will be presented to our much esteemed and excellent Bro . John Hervey , in commemoration of the occasion . We shall recur to this very interesting anniversary .

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( Original ( fowrapttfrctta .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of iheopinions expressed by onr correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 3

ULTRAMONTANE VIOLENCE . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Allow me , as a Mason of sonic year ' s standing , to express my disapprobation of the interference in religious questions which has for some time marked the columns of the " Freemason . " Some of the opinions

advanced have been most offensive to myself and others , as I know from private correspondence . If Freemasonry is a religion , or pretenis to be so , it is false , and aU the attacks of the Roman Church upon it are fully justified . If , as I always have been taught , it is simply " a system of morality " from which religious and political controversy is on principle carefully excluded ,

then it is a system which all [ men , Romanists included , may fairly join , without either betraying their own faith or having their religious or political feelings wounded . The way to meet the attacks of the Romanist is to show that they arc unmerited . But to attack the Roman Church for its conduct towards non-Masonic Protestants is to justify their charge that we are politico religious

revolutionists . What on earth have wc Masons got to do with the Bishop of Minorca and the Spanish Protestants , any more than with the Protestant and infidel persecution of the IRoman Church in Prussia ? Such questions would never be allowed to bc discussed in lodge , and I venture to think that the same rule should

apply to Masonic periodicals . Your fraternally , A P . M . or 30 YEARS' STANDING . [ In reply to a Mason of thirty years' standing , the Editor , as a Mason of thirty-four years' standing , hopes that he does not require to be taught by any one , what Freemasonry forbids or allows in free , fair discussion , lie openly

denies the allegation that the pages of the " Freemason " are in any way sectarian or political , and above all , that any attacks are made on Roman Catholics qua Roman Catholics , or that there ever has been any interference in religious matters in the naces of the " Freemason . " The

attacks of the Roman Catholic authorities , or rather the Ultramontane party , on Freemasonry have been so many and so virulent , that it is the duty of all good Freemasons openly to protest against them and repudiate them . The story of the Spanish Protestants at Minorca , is not in itself and by itself a Masonic question ,

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but in this particular it is one of several acts , which go to make up a bright specimen of Roman Catholic intolerance . When a Christian Bishop gives to Protestants and Freemasons" the epithet of " putrid" he lays himself open to the just animadversions of all Masonic writers . The " Freemason " has always advocated openly the just rights of Roman Catholics , as our correspondent must well

know , and always will advocate them ; and no one paper has so manfully upheld the great principle of toleration as the " Freemason . " But the violence of Ultramontanism just now is undeniable , and must be resisted openly . If the tolerant and Masonic views of the " Freemason " are not realized by a " Mason of thirty

years' standing , '' the fault does not belong either to the editor or the publisher . We are a little amused to note that our good correspondent , who blames us for saying anything , actually takes a distinct and not very moderate part himself in the great German contest . —EDITOR " FREEMASON . " ]

PROV . G . MASTERS . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Private lodges elect their Masters yearly , Grand Lodge elects its Master yearly , Provincial Grand Mark Lodges elect their Masters every three years , and Prov . G . Craft Lodees are not allowed to elect their Masters at all

—he is elected by the Grand Master , and not yearly , but for life , and the members of the lodge have no voice in lhe matter . Can this be right ? If Grand Lodge elects its Master yearly , why should not the numbers of Provincial Grand Lodge have the . same privilege ? I should be glad ilsome brother could tell me . Yours very fraternally , As Ou > P . M ., ONE , Sec .

FREEMASONRV IN VENEZUELA . To the Editor oj the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Bro . R . J . Simpson ' s letter in your last suggests many considerations , political , historical , and Masonical , if I may use such a word . With the political we have in the " Freemason " nothing

to do , and you would not allow mc to dilate upon them . I will therefore confine myself to the historical and Masonical . I am a little inclined to think that our good brother the Provincial Grand Chaplain has allowed the fervour of his " cloth" todilate a little too much on the purely controversial question in respect of the Sec of Rome , as a claim to

Masonic admiration . President Blanco ' s acts must of course be judged by the circumstances and necessities of the case , and can hardly be fitly commented upon by us at this great distance from the scene of action . But abstractedly , the " suppression " of " monasteries " nnd " convents , " and even the quasi " independence" of the Church of Pvome , do not in themselves necessarily constitute a claim to

Masonic admiration . With all such matters Freemasonry proper has nothing to do , and ought not to be associated with , pro . or con ., as Freemasons in all such questions arc , very properly , neutral . All I think that can be fairly said is , that they are praiseworthy if a protest , so to say , against overweening intolerance , if they lead to a diffusion among a Roman Catholic population

of the blessed principles of toleration . For it is one thing , bear in mind , simply to suppress " monasteries" and " nunneries , " and " religious foundations " from a desire for " confiscation , " " plunder , " and the like , to add to the income of a State , it is quite another and a very proper thing to say lo a religious body like the Church of Rome , "You arc forming an ' Impcrium in Impcrio , ' you have no

patriotic interest in the well being of the community , and are only careful of the behests of an alien power , and therefore ' pro bono publico , ' wc affix a minimum to your numerous establishments on the one great principle of self defence and the safety of the State . " But religious bodies of all kinds have a right to have brotherhoods and sisterhoods if they think fit , and it is a denial of general

religious freedom , entirely or arbitrarily to suppress them . Masonically , President Blanco ' s inauguration of a Masonic temple is highly commendablc , ( though 1 could have wished it to bc independent of the State ) , and his anxiety to consider the interests of the bondholders is greatly to be lauded

commercially . So let us hope ( keeping , however , first principles always before us , not secondary ones ) , that this " enlightened" ruler will happily progress in a cause of evenhanded justice and legality , and pave the way for a pleasant future of peace , order , and religious liberty among the tuibulent republics and suffering populations of South

America . I am , yours fraternally , Tol . liltATloN

To Ihe Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — There is hardly a Mason , I feel sure , that will fail to rejoice with Bro . Simpson in the improvements , moral and social , carried out in the distant state of Venezuela , but I deem it a duty , in the interests of that Freemasonry to which he ascribes these and other actions of President

Blanco , to take most serious exception to a portion of the letter , which I think fraught with mischief to the Craft s well as calculated to mislead those who , though not of us , are still I hope not against us . Let me , to prevent misconception , state once for all that I write in no captious spirit , and that I am actuated by no

partiality lo either party in question , for 1 am ignorant of the meiits of the case , but that I must protest against any action taken against any body of religionists as being such religionists , in the name of Freemasonry , or against any action of the kind b , cing wrongly ascribed to it , as may be the case here . It may be that our worthy Bro . Simpson has inadver-

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tently obscured his true meaning by mingling actions prompted by different motives , such as inaugurating the Masonic Temple and freeing the Church together , and so have made both come under the heading of "Freemasonry in Veenzuela , " in which case the sooner '•a correction is made the better ; or it may be that President Blanco stung by the onslaughts of Ultramontanism upon

Freemasonry , have ascribed his actions to a wrong mot ive namely , to his Freemasonry , and thus , ° whilst following out a course of procedure perfectly legitimate and proper in itself , have placed Freemasonry in that position which it never has held , and never can hold—an opponent to a reli . gious system . It is quite possible that President Blanco may have

found the Romish authority in Venezuela opposed to the march of modern progress , quite as possible that he may have considered the monasteries and convents as so many abuses needing suppression , and with this view he may have suppressed them . Even further than this , he may have deeply resented the attitude of the Roman Church towards Freemasonry , and in its name have proceeded to

extremities of retaliation , but here Freemasonry must be held to have given no consent to such a use to its name . Freemasonry may be wrongfully blamed , and will clear itself . Freemasonry may be attacked and ward off the blow ; but an aggressor , or even avenger , in such a contest as this Freemasonry can never be . There is but one strife in which Freemasonry can ever engage , and that is

in warring against ignorance and vhe . Freemasonry is a system of morality , but not ( although the embodiment of the vital principle of all true religion ) a form of religion ; so far , therefore , from interfering with any man ' s creed , it carefullj respects ( and herein lies its strength ) , every man ' s religious belief provided it acknowledge the Almighty Father of all .

Hence , whilst Freemasonry may support and rejoice in the peace-working rule of President Blanco , so soon as he embarks in a crusade against any religious system whatever , Freemasonry stands aloof , as having no interest iu the issue , let the motives of the contest be ever

so good in themselves aid ever so urgent for the welfare of the state . Pray pardon the length to which this vindication of Freemasonry has extended , and believe me , dear Sir and Brother , with fraternal greetings , Faithfully yours , W . T .

A NEW LADY FREEMASON . To the Editor of Iht Freemason . Sir , — Although I do not come under the class termed brethren , yet as I am a brother ' s wife 1 hold a slight claim on the society , and venture to give my opinion on the subject of the initiation of the Countess Hiidick . I

consider that the W . M . and the Lodge of Hungary have set such a good example to England which would be well for all Freemasons to follow . You , as a body of men , pretend to give all honour to women . You may in word , you do not in dee I ! This lady is described as being highly educated , and well versed in Masonic literature especially . Now , where on earth lies the objection to her

being a Freemason ? No man ever governed a country as does our Queen , and a woman is as capable of keeping a secret as any man . For my own part , 1 respect Freemasonry in all things except its secrecy , and the way the women are treated , such as being termed blind , profane , and not fit to be trusted with a secret . How much better would it be , and more conducive to real happiness , if a man

and his wife could converse freely on such a good subject , help and aid one another in Freemasonry as in all other things . I do not ] say a woman should attend lodge meetings ; no , her place is at home ; but when her husband attends the meeting he would , were there no secrets between them , feel more litrht-hcartcd . and have a better conscience

were he to confide in his wife , and hasten home to tell her how well they were prospering ; and every Freemason that has a good wife knows he would then meet with her most hearty approval . Trusting you will acknowledge this , I remain , yours most respectfully , A KIIEEMASON ' WIFE .

THE FUNDS OF GRAND LODGE . To Ihe Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — " Is it not lawful for mc to do what I will with mine own ? " applies as well to the " United Graud Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England " as to any individual member of that same kingdom . This

being lhe case , we need no more expect to find it make a law that it may spend its money at any future time in any specific way it chooses than to find the British legislature solemnly putting upon the statute-book that Parliament shall hereafter have the power to dispose of the public money in such a way as shall seem to it desirable . The only restrictions we find in the Book of

Constitutions are ( 1 ) that the Board of General Purposes , which has " charge of the finances of the lodge , " shall not " incur any extraordinary expense without the previous sanction of the Grand Lodge , " ( " Board of General Purposes , ' 10 and 19 ); and ( 2 ) that " no motion for a grant of money . . . . shall be made until » ommunicatcd to tl " General Committee .... nor until it shall have

been handed up in writing to the Grand Master . Alt " having been perused and found by him not to contain anything contrary to the ancient landmarks of the Oraeti the motion may be proposed , and , on being seconded , tlie question shall be put thereon . If carried and confirrne " it becoffl

at the next ensuing meeting of Grand Lodge , " law , " ( " Grand Lodge , " 8 . ) . The purposes which come within the " ancient latw ' marks " are evidently here not confined to " charity , which a special fund is devoted ( " Fund of BeneV ' lence" 1 ) .