Kenning's Masonic Cyclopædia.

and that the delivery of the Cyclopaedia to the subscribers is now only a question of printing arrangements . Owing to the help of a very kind and valued friend , who has taken the concluding letters of the alphabet , all my own lengthened

contributions being completed , are now being set up , and from the quantity of proof I almost daily receive , I see no reason , why the Cyclopaedia should not be delivered , ( D . V . ) , during the month of January , 1878 . If any of your subscribers complain of the

length of time employed , I can only say , 1 wish fervently , that they had had the work to do , as , though I thought I had measured out my work , I was quite overwhelmed when I set to compile , by the amount of unforeseen references , which required time and toil . And the reason is

this . I began my work before the appearance of Mackey ' s great work . His- system of ample treatment required , that in any subsequent Cyclopaedia the same research should be employed . The consequence was that much of my work had to be done " de novo , " and that I

had , when I had prepared some articles , to re-open the question , and re-consider my own conclusions . But at last , I am pleased to think , that my work is ended , and that very soon , in the handsome cover you have so liberally provided , " Kcnning ' s Masonic Cyclopaedia" will be in

the hands of your many and I will add patient subscribers . They say " Finis coronat opus , " and I trust that when they receive the Cyclopaedia , our friends will not grudge the time spent over it , as if in the case of any similar book ever

published in this world , theirs will be " value received . " lam , dear Bro . Kenning , yours most fraternally , THE EDITOR . P . S . —Would it not be well to give lodges and

brethren until January to subscribe to the Cyclopaedia ? It will make no practical difference to you , but may make much to them . Let the subscription list remain open to January 3 , 187 8 , and then close finally , so that we may publish the list of subscribers . THE EDITOR .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—Iree discussion . —ED . * 1

" BELIEF IN GOD . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The Grand Lodge oi England is to the Masonic world what British territory is to thc nation ; liberty ot conscience being the prerogative of the English Freemason ; liberty of person being the priulege of the English

subject . But even as admittance into the palladium ot British rights demands subjection to the laws of the land , so tloes recepjon into the fellowship of true Freemasonry crave acknowledgment ot our creed—antl our creed is this : — " Belief in the Supreme Aichitect of the Universe—the

Most High God . " This is thc fiist laiidmaikof Freemasonry ; the '" central point to be fountl in every true anil rightly-constructed lodge , from which no true Master will stray . " Around that central point is described a circle—thc circle of the Universe—the aximatic symbol of eternity . On the uttermost North and uttermost South , the

periphery of that circle is bounded by two parallel rightlines , of which that on thc North is typical , according to the old charges , of St . John the Baptist , while that on the South foreshadows on St . John the Evangelist , in other words " the first parallel being Nature , and the second parallel Religion , Knowledge and Faith , " thc two eternal pillars of all truth-, the right lines that never meet , and

therefore never contravene , but ever coinciding , whether we comprehend their concordance or not , arising in thc infinity of eternal truth and uiuleviatingly directed to the revelation of that wisd'im is everlasting life . These are the first landmaiks of Freemasonry , without which there can be no justly constituted lodge ; and thc Grand Lotlge that endeavours to evade or ignore these

landmaiks will only succeed in taking its ground outside the pale of true Freemasonry . There is no swearing away , or ranting away , or hushing away this fn ct , that the very first landmark of Freemasonry is belief in thc Supreme Architect of the Universe , the Most High God .

You may belong to a secret society , holding ils meetings under all the forms of Masonry ; you may know your ritual by heart , and be able to interpret thc hidden meaning of all the grips , and words , and signs ; but , if you acknowled ge not the first landmark of our Craft , you arc no Freemason , anil the secret society , whose meetings you denominate as a lodge , is a mockery and a rotten shell , that

Original Correspondence.

contains -no seed , and never can bring forth aught but ashes . Yours fraternally , ROBERT LAING .

GRAND LODGES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Last Saturday you gave an interesting account of Freemasonry in Australia . At the banquet after th e installation of the W . M . of the Yarra Yarra Lodge , No . 714 , it is reported that Bro . Dixon returned thanks on

behalf of the English Constitution , Bro . T Ford for the Scotch , antl Bro . A . Halt for the Irish . All of us—English , Scotch or Irish , at home or abroad—acknowledge but one Queen and one Prince of Wales , why not one Grand Master ? Yours faithfully and fraternally , THE SECRETARY OF No . 38 .

PAST GRAND PURSUIVANT . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Thc recent letters in your valuable periodical show that a doubt exists as to whether or not the office of Provincial Grand Pursuivant carries Past Rank . I ,

therefore , beg to subjoin for publication copy of a letter received by me from the Grand Secretary in reply to my enquiry . The Grand Registrar's opinion of course settles the point beyond question . Yours fiaternally , THEO LANE , J . W . 120 , P . P . G . P ., Herefordshire .

[ COPY . ] Freemasons' Hall , Lonelon , W . C , 27 th Nov ., 1877 . Dear Sir and Brother , — In answer to the enquiry made in your note of the

20 th inst ., I beg to say that I have consulted the Grand Registrar on the point , and he is of opinion that a Provincial Grantl Pursuivai , t , under Article 2 , page 51 , Book of Constitutions , is entitled to wear his P . P . G . ! -. clothing . Yours fraternally , J HERVEY .

NOTICES OF MOTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In thc province of North Wales and Shropshire we have had a set of new Bye-laws , many of which in

the opinion of the brethren want revising , for which purpose on October 30 th , 1877 , I wrote to the Prov . Grand Secretary , asking him to place on the agenda for the next Prov . Giand Lodge , notice of motion to consider revision of Bye-laws Nos . 43 , 47 , 66 , 70 , and 71 .

NOTICES CF MOTION . No . 4 , 5 says : " It being essential to the interests of the Craft , that all matters ol business to be brought under the consideration of the P . G . Lodge should be known previously to thc P . G . Officers and Masters of Lodges ; that through them all the representatives of lodges may be apprized of such business , and by having sufficient

time for mature deliberation , be prepared to decide thereon . Every motion intended to be made shall be in writing and annexed thereto shall be the name and Masonic rank of the mover and the name and number of his lodge , and such motion shall be transmitted to the Provincial Grand Secretary not less than twenty-one days preceding a meeting of such

Provincial Grand Lodge . " On November 27 th , a Provincial Grand Lodge summons is issued for December 14 th inst , at Shrewsbury , but on this summons no notice is taken of my letter of October 30 th , which is more than twenty-one days preceding the date of Provincial Grand Lodge summons , anil it runs thus : —

42 , Broad-slrett , Welch Pool , Oct . 30 , 1877 . Dear Sir and Brother , — I must reeiuest you to place as under on the next Prov . Grand Lodge summons and oblige yours , D . P . OWEN , P . M . 098 . To the Prov . Grand Secretary , North Wales and Shropshire .

To consider revision of Prov . Granel Bye-laws Nos . 43 , 47 . 66 , 70 , and 71 . Now can any brother give me any idea of what is done in other provinces ? Again , have I neglected ( in the letter of the law ) , not putting the words " Welch Pool Lodge " instead of plain " Welch Pool" ? Also is the " Board of General Purposes " the proper place for redress ? If it is ,

by leaving out the word " Lotlge , " it is a pitiable way of getting rid of any " notices , " which I know are objected to by certain Prov . Grand Officers , and the " P . M . 99 8 " ought to be taken as sufficiently defining my Masonic rank . 1 am P . Z . of 998 , but that has nothing to do with Craft rank . Apologising , ice , Yours fraternally , D . P . OWEN , P . M . and P . Z . 998 .

HONORARY MEMBERS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I should be glad to be informed if a brother owing two years' subscription to a lodge can have them

remitted and become an honorary member in one evening , without being placed on the circular , or whether any new law is established in Grand Lodge ? I am , dear bir and Brother , yours fraternally , C . L . '

[ There is no limit to the power of a lotlge in such vo tes as you describe , except they contravene the lodge byelaws , the Prov . bye-laws , or the Book of Constitutions . It is , however , a most unusual and , we think , very un-Masonic proceeeling . If thc lodge bye-laws provide notice of motion , it is , of course , an illegal act , and would be

Original Correspondence.

quashed on proper appeal to the Board of General Purposes . There is no new law of Grand Lodge on the subject . —ED . ]

QUERIES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — May I request the favour of a reply to the fol lowing queries through the medium of the Freemason ?

1 . Would a subscribing member ofa lodge undertaking thc office of Tyler for certain remuneration become a '' serving brother " . ' 2 . Would a subscribing member , undertaking such office for payment , be compelled to resign his membership , and to cease paying his subscription ?

A P . M . [ We answer no to each query , though it is a somewhat difficult and delicate question . —Ed . ]

To the Editor of the " Freemasoti . " Dear Sir and Brother , Supposing a reverend brother , a M . M . hut not a P . M ., is invested as Chaplain of a lodge , is he legally entitled to a seat on the dais amongst the P . M's . ? A reply

to this , given in the Freemason , will oblige a number of brethren . Yours fraternally , LEX . [ Not necessarily among the P . M's ., but on the dais , on the right hand of the W . M . Mos est lex . —ED . ]

MASONIC SONG . To the Editor of the " Freemason . ' ' Dear Sir and Brother , — Can you , or any of your readers inform me where to obtain a Masonic Song , called " John Hart , he

was a Mason good ; composed and sung by Beuler ? The information would much oblige , Yours truly , C . M . J . [ We are unfortunately , unable to reply ] ourselves , but perhaps among our Humerus readers , a copy may be found with the address of the publisher . —ED . ]

Dedication And Re-Opening Of The Masonic Hall, Dublin.

DEDICATION AND RE-OPENING OF THE MASONIC HALL , DUBLIN .

On Wednesday evening last , his Grace the Duke of Abercorn , K . G ., K . P ., Grand Master of Ireland , presided at the dedication and re-opening of the Masonic Hall , Dublin . The ceremony was conducted in the presence of a large and distinguished assemblage of the brethren , who

were clothed in lull insignia of the Blue Order . Amongst those present were : Grand Officers—His Grace the Duke of Abercorn , & c , Grand Master ; R . W . Shekleton , Q . C , D . G . M . ; Robert Warren , D . L ., Grand Treasurer ; Rev . J . J . MacSorley , Grand Chaplain ; Alilerman Manning , J . G . D . ; G . Stephens , G . S . W . ; T . E . St . George , G . " Dir . of C ; G .

Moyers , LL . D ., Grand Steward ; H . Hodges , G . S . B . ; C . Grandison , Grand Organist ; H . Minchin , M . D ., G . I . G . ; Samuel B . Oldham , D . G . S . ; A . St . George , Assistant Secretary . Past Grand Officers . — Hon Judge Townsend , Rev . Dr . Wesby , C . Cameron , M . D . ; George Hepburn , R . L . Griffin , LL . D . ; F . Quin , John Dunne , Mus Doc ; D . Thorp ,

Stuart A . Lane , W . Allen . Representatives from Foreign Grand Lodges . —Maxwell Close , M . P ., P . C . Simply , M . D ., Major Davorcn , James V . Mackey , L . H . Dee-ring * , E . H . Kinahan , D . h . ; Capt . Huband , J . P . ; C C . Macnamara , J . H . Goddard , G . H . Major W . Wilkinson . Provincial Granel Officers—Sir Charles Lanyon , George

H . Smith , W . Parker , Andrew Browne , William T . Potts , George T . Tyler , W . Fetherstonhaugh , William Babington , Arthur St . George , William B . Armstrong , Colonel Cosby , B . Tiernan , M . D . ; Colonel Colclough , Captain Mostyn . Board of General Purposes . —Thomas Valentine , Hugh Leonard , Richard Harvey , James W . Fair , Major L .

Thompson , James H . Macauley , John Hill , J . R , Sutcliffe , John Gallic , F . M . Scott , John Barker , M . D . ; S . Harty , Charles Pompie , Samuel Bouchier , John Gercty , Robert Thacker , Morris Harri <* , A . Ellis , Richard Boyle , J . P . ; D . J . Field Harris , J . C . Meredith , LL . B ., Thomas Fitzgerald , T . H . Reilly , Thomas Craig , John Whyte , Wm . Curtis , T . J . Wright , A . Jacob , M . D . ; R . M . Carnegie ,

Thomas M'Govem , and Thomas Brunker . There were also present a large assemblage of Past Masters , W . Masters , officers and brethren of the Dublin lodges . On the arrival of the Most Worshi pful thc Grand Master , the Giand Director of Ceremonies arranged the procession , which moved to thc Granil Hall in the usual

order . When the procession reached the Grand Mastei ' s chair , the Grand Officers were separately proclaimed by the Grand Director of Ceremonies , as they arrived at the station ; and immediately on thc Grand Master being proclaimed , a grand march was perlormeel on the organ , during which thc procession was made three times rounet

the hall , at the termination of which the Grand Master and the other Granel Officers repaired to the seats prepared for them . The cornucopia ; and the vases , with the corn , wine , and oil , were laid on thc altar , on which was also placed the Bible open , and the square antl compasses were laid thereon , and on another pedestal

was deposited the Book of Constitutions . These arrangements having been completed , an anthem was sung . The Grand Secretary then informed the Grand Master that the fraternity desired to have the hall dedicated to Freemasonry , according to ancient usage ; upon which the Grand Master ordered the Grand Officers to assist in