Masonic Rites.

to this programme for many years , the Grand Orient now acknowledges not only the 33 degrees , but the Rite of Misraim ,

the Rite of Memphis , and all the other impositions that have been shamelessly palmed upon the Fraternity within the memories of living men .

Germany has also been a great field for Masonic charlatans , and ritual-mongers , Fessler , Schroeder , Zinnendorff Hunde ,

Bahrdt , and Rosa are a few of the most prominent names , and in this country the infidel order of the " Illuminati" was first instituted .

At present , although great diversities in practice still exist , Freemasonry in Germany is well conducted , and has obtained a high place in the estimation of the people . To

Holland the same remarks apply , but in Belgium the Order is in fierce conflict with the pretensions of the priests , and to

such an extent is this feeling carried that many Freemasons are sworn not to accept the ministration of religion even on their death-beds .

Spain and Italy have but recently awoke from the ignoble trance of slavery and superstition ; and although Freemasonry is gaining ground in both countries , it is

so imbued with political principles , and so thoroughly identified with purely national aspirations , that we cannot class it with the Freemasonry which is familiar to

English or American brethren . In the Northern States of Europe , the Masonic Institution flourishes under the protection of the State . In Sweden , the King is

Grand Master , and the degrees worked arc twelve in number , constituting what is denominated the Swedish Rite , of which the three highest arc termed " Brethren of

the Red Cross , and are said to be identical in tradition and ceremonial with the three grades of the " Red Cross of Constantine " now worked in England . It will be remembered that the Prince of Wales was

received into Freemasonry in Sweden , where he attained the seventh degree , which is known by the name of "True Templar , " " Templar Master of the Key , " or the " Favourite Brother of Solomon . "

His Royal Highness also received the Cross of the Order of Charles XIII ., which is conferred only on brethren of high rank . The ceremony of initiation in Sweden is

very impressive , and in no other country is the Masonic Order held in such hi gh repute . Wc have thus indicated a few of the many Masonic Rites now existing

throughout the globe , and our readers will perceive how tremendous would be the labour , how herculean the task to reconcile their manifold dissimilarities . However ,

we have one great consolation left , —that in every system the three degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , form at once its basis and its

bulwark—upon the common platform of Craft Masonry , brethren from the North , East , South , and West , can meet and greet each other as members of one universal famil yand while we retain this basis , it

Masonic Rites.

matters little whether A comes before B , or D before F ; while we recognise the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man , it is a secondary consideration

whether we place our wardens in the West or the South ; from that ancient and illustrious source we all spring ; from that

mighty centre we allradiate ; and it is by deeds , not words alone , that we can perform the true work of Freemasonry , and aid the progress of the whole human race .

We have received the following letter from Bro . T . W . Boord , and can only say that the " Item " referred to was furnished by a regular contributor , who copied it from the Echo newspaper . We regret , however , that the Masonic titles , which Bro . Boord disclaims , should have

been appended to his name : — ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I have to request you to insert in your next number , a statement that you copied the

advertisement which appears in your impression of to-day under the head " Births , " from the Times of the 30 th ult ., without my sanction or knowledge ; the Masonic additions being your own . Yours fraternally , T . W . BOORD . Distillery , Bartholomew-close , 1 st Jan ., 1870 .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS , An Order known as the "Knights of Pythias " appears to be spreading fast in the United States . The presiding Officer is called "Worthy

Chancellor , " and he is assisted by a Vice-Chancellor , Scribes , Bankers , Trustees , Guides , and Stewards . There is also a Venerable Patriarch , who seems to be a superior Officer . There are now 500 lodges cf this Order , with

an estimated membership of 70 , 000 ; their receipts for 1 S 69 are said to be half-a-million dollars . Dr . Abram G . Levy is the Grand Chancellor of New York , and is having what our cousins

of that city call a "high old time of it going about "instituting" new lodges . The Supreme Chancellor is a gentleman named Sam Read . VIATOR .

BRO . J . BALLANTYNE AND BRO . CHAMBERS

CYCLOPEDIA . Bro . Ballantyne in quoting an extract from Bro . Chamber ' s Cyclopedia , seems not to be aware of his belonging to our ancient and honourable Order . Bro . Chambers , the

publisher of the Cyclopedia , has been a member of the Craft for many years , and is at present a member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; and in a recent matter of Masonic interest showed

great prudence of thought . He is respected and held in great esteem by the Scottish Craft . No doubt Bro . Ballantyne will be delighted , as well as others of the Craft in England , to hear of this . CIPES .

ST . JOHNS DAY . The article appearing in Tin * . FREEMASON of December 25 th I endorse so far . Would the Craft throughout the world , who call themselves Christians , inform me what they would think of

a brother calling himself a Christian who would stand up in a Grand Lodge and declare that we had nothing to do with the principles of St . joint the Baptist , and his teachings to us were not worth a fig ? CIPES .

THE PROVINCE OV MIDDLESEX . As an old Mason I am delighted to hear that Colonel Burdett has been appointed P . G . M . for

Middlesex . No more popular appointment could have been made , as the gallant brother is a thorough Mason , and will sl / oro it in his administration of the affairs of the Metropolitan Pro-

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

vince . His appointment affords another proof that the Grand Master values the opinion of the Middlesex brethren , as they recommended Colonel Burdett to Lord Zetland without a dissentient voice . EGO .

WILLIAM PRESTON . The Masonic certificate of this celebrated man can now be seen framed and glazed in the Grand Secretary ' s office , Great Queen-street . It

was found amongst the effects of the late Bro . Thiselton by Bro . E . Harris , who , greatly to his credit , lost no time in sending it to head quarters . ANTIQUARIUS .

THE MASTER OF A LODGE . The remarks of " Cipes , " ( p . 277 ) , are , generally speaking , both good and useful , so also are those at P . 2 S 3 . A good Master is a good thing for a lodge , an incompetent Master is a disgrace to all concerned . LEO .

AN " ECHO" ( p . 2 ) . "Echo" has certainly had his " growl , " but getting startled at the sound of his own voice takes to his heels , as he informs us , never to come back again ; such being the case , we can only wish him good speed . LEO .

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY . Where the style A . L ., or Anno Lucis , is adopted I am afraid that the figures " 2515 " give a highly erroneous idea of the period which really elapsed from the creation of Adam to the Exodus ; 4 , 000

would be nearer it . For anything that happened between the time of Abraham and the time of Christ it is much better to say it happened so much "B . C . " By doing so such debateable eras as those of the deluge , the creation of man , & c ., are steered clear of . LEO .

" LANDMARKS" BEFORE I 7 I 7 ( p . 7 ) . Seeing speculative Freemasonry did not exist before 1717 , but was then manufactured by Messrs . Desaguliers , Anderson , and Payne , who were none of them operative Masons , so far as

I am aware , I should like to know how anyone can assert that before 1717 the old operative Masons practised speculative Freemasonry ? Although gentlemen were admitted into the old operative Masonic societies , & c , before 1717 ,

they did not thereby receive our doctrines , degrees , ceremonies , or secrets , for these were not in existence until after 1716 . It must also be remembered that other trades as well as the Masons had their apprentices , fellows ,

masters , & c ., & c , also that other tradesmen wore aprons as well as the Masons , and got them washed too ; the Plumbers have a custom of wearing their aprons when working with the wrong side of the cloth out , but when walking

they tuck it up round their waist and show the blue and white stripes . Mahommedanism ori ginated about the beginning of the 7 th century , yet if we adopt the Masonic style of reasoning we might prove it to be centuries

older by showing that it contained ideas belonging to Judaism ; however , it simply copied so much of these ideas as suited its purpose , so acted Speculative Freemasonry with Operative Masonry . LEO .

The British Museum has just received two remarkable stone statues from Easter Island in the Pacific , which exhibit on the backs a marking like that of the crescent and triangle , so common on the sculptured stones of Scotland .

A fragment of about Soo lines of an early " History of the Holy Graal , ' ' in alliterative verse , has been found in the noble Vernon MS . in the Bodleian , by the well-known editor of Early English texts , the Rev . Walter W . Skcat .

The New Vade Mccum ( invented and manufactured by Charles II . Vincent , optician , of 23 , Windsor-. street , Liverpool ) consists of a telescope well adapted for tourists , & c , lo which is added an excellent microscope of great power ami first-class definition , quite equal to others

sold at ten times the price . Wonderful as it may seem , the price of this ingenious combination is only 3 s . 6 d ., and Mr . Vincent sends it ( carriage free ) anywhere , with printed directions , upon receipt of post-office order or stamps to the amount of l « . iod . — [ Advt . ]