Original Correspondence.

Lectures on Masonry , p . 14 , published in New York in 1 S 20 ) . At this time it was strictly " Christian and Trinitarian "—declared to be so and continued between that date and 1721 . It then comes from the hands ot Anderson and Desaguliers another thing altogether , its Trinitarian character abolished , and in its place the Religion of Nature substituted . As early as the year 600 Masonry was known as purely

Christian throughout , although it is an established fact that the ritual in the course of time had been forgotten and that in 1717 there was but one degree and that the Apprentice . Yet in 1723 , six years afterwards , it is presented to us as having two degrees and the Master's part , or that which appertains to the chair , and it comes from the hands of Anderson and Desaguliers , with its Christian character destroyed , and in its place the natural religion of the world

or " Deism . The "degree" of Master was manufactured and added to it in 1725 . Now , it would be very strange , if there % yere any brethren among those who professed the old doctrines of the Templar Order , that such should submit to this fatal innovation , but would have a strong desire to perpetuate all the ancient rituals among themselves . That there were brethren professing these Christian doctrines among them at

that period , 1 think will not admit of a doubt , inasmuch as the vestiges of the Christian Order of the Templars are found frequently in the cemeteries , the graves , the symbols on the monuments , the sanctuaries & c . ; the fact of the discovery of the " small white stone "in old Templar graves , besides the skeleton , is enough of itself to establish this assertion . The quotation by me concerning the " cross-legged

Masons" at Stirling in 1550 is made , as far as I can recollect , from "Addison ' s Early Hi .-torv of Knights Temlars" and from "Lawrie ' s History of Freemasonry" ( last edition ); but from the loss last year by the fire which destroyed my residence and nearly all my valuable Masonic books of reference and copious MS . notes , I . am frequently now at a loss and cannot quote positively . " Mesouraneo " was the word intended ; the clerical error

in the final letters arose ( with several others ) from the printer not sending in time the " Allocution " for correction before the meeting of Great Priory . From this word hence the term " Masonry . " The very name of our institution appears to have been a source of error as extensive as the English language . Why , it has been asked , are we styled "Masons" or " builders , " if architecture was not at least our principal employment ? We answer that the words

"Mason" and "Masonry" are but corruptions of other words having no relation to edifice . ( "Dalcha ' s Ahimon Rczon . " page 143 ) . " Mason " is by some derived from the Greek words " Mai" and "Soan" ( query , "Saloum "" I desire life or salvation " ) , and is supposed to allude to the situation of the candidate during some part of the ancient ceremonies ; the term " Masonry " seems but a slight

variation of the Greek " Mesouraneo" ( " Esse in medio cceli "— "To be in the midst of peace" ) . There are others , however , who derive the modern term "Mason " from the ancient " Mayson , " or "devotee of the goddess of justice or of the creative power . " With the Greeks " Maio " was the deity of perfect rectitude and eternal wisdom , of that wisdom who presided in the creation of the

universe . It is highly probable that it was in France that the term " Mayson " was first applied to the worshippers of " Maio , " the "first cause . " In view of either of these derivations a " Mason " may be regarded as an aspirant after immortality , and a devoted worshipper of the god of wisdom and of truth , whose throne is in the centre of heaven . See "Greenleaf ' s Lectures on Masonry , " 1 S 20 ; "

Hutchinson's Spirit of Masonry , " page 15 ; " Rees' Cyclopaedia , Art . Mayo , " and the German work " Usber die Freimaurer Ord ., " 17 S 0 , or thereabouts . Greenleaf observes , at page 17 , "That there is nothing to be found in ' Ancient Masonry , ' that has any relation to Monkish legends , nor to chivalry , nor to crusades , it breathes another spirit ; its traditions have no exclusive and necessary references to war , nor to the

second building of Solomon's Temple . They are more easily and naturally referred to the religious ceremonies of earlier ages . " Greenleaf was of Danish connections , and was a most cultured man . He held the office District Deputy Grand Master of the State of Massachussetts , U . S . of America , 1 S 15 to 1820 , when he published his lectures to the Craft , which were at that time esteemed the best that

had been delivered in the United States of America . "Masonic Student" has taken a great liberty with the character of a highly-cultivated scholar , the late Bishop Miinter of Copenhagen , who was the spiritual director of a large and numerous religious sect , and was esteemed to be amongst the most learned men of that kingdom . He was intimately associated with the reigning King , and with Professor " Phenger , " Prince Karl of Phillipstash , and

many others of like character and attainments , and most highly honoured by all who were acquainted with him . His work upon the "Templar Order ' was pronounced to be a very able one . He is long since dead , as well as many others who were associated with him in the early period of the present century . Who the learned German editor " Masonic Student " speaks of is I do not know , but presume him to be of a

like rationalistic nature with himself , who believe in "just what they can see with their eyes and handle with their hands . " His strictures on the valuable work of Bishop Miinter as a literary " fabrication " are not critically sound or historically correct . —1 am , dear sir and brother , fraternally yours , WM . J . B . MAC LEOD MOORE , Great Prior Dom . of Canada . St . John ' s East , Prov . Quebec , Canada , 1 ith October . ~

A grand Masonic bazaar , under distinguished patronage is to be held at the Town Hall , Salford , on the 13 th inst ., and two following days , to meet the expenses incurred in the re-construction and the furnishing of the Freemasons' Hall , Adelphi-street , Salford . It will be opened at 12 o ' clock by Bro . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie ,

Provincial Grand Master of Last Lancashire . The Champagne Vintage . — " The report of this year's vintage is , we hear , satisfactory both as regards quantity and quality , Messrs . Muct and Chandon have made of their own growth 6000 hogsheads ( 2200 of which are the produce of their celebrated Ay Vineyards ) , which with their purchases from other growers of fine wines , form 9 . total of close upon half-a-mil ! ion sterling . "

Reviews

REVIEWS

THE FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND POCKET BOOK . W . Spencer , 23 A , Great Queen-street , W . C . An old familiar friend puts in its appearance for iS 3 , warmly welcomed by all members of the English Craft . It has of late years received much of careful attention and editing , and is alike creditable to the Calendar Committee and the publisher . As the authoritative publication of Grand Lodge , it gives us all the information concerning

Craft Masonry , which it is either needful or useful for English or cosmopolitan Freemasons to master and to realize . We might desiderate for it , perhaps , a gayer binding ; we might wish that it had a portrait of some distinguished brother as an effective frontispiece , but as it is it gives us a great deal of valuable and interesting information , and forcibly appeals to the support and patronage of our English brotherhood and Craft Masons everywhere .

POLAND : HER GLORY , HER SUFFERINGS , HER OVERTHROW . By HERBERT WOLKSHI . Kerby and Endcan . Just as we qould not do justice in any sense or shape to Mr . Collette ' s " Luther Vindicated , " owing to religious questions , so we cannot , from political considerations , properly review this well printed and interesting work .

Freemasonry is a" Neutral Zone , " " via media , " as . between the two debateable lands of sectarian controversy and sectional discussion . No doubt the history of Poland itself is very important for the student of the past , who realizes what Poland once did for Europe as regards the Turkish invasion of that continent . To day that once historic country is blotted out from the mapof Europe , though we think it right in these

honest pages once for all to express our humble opinion , that in the ever clearly avenging Nemesis of retributive justice , all departures from national and international laws of equity , comity , the "jus patriae , " or the "jus gentium , " those who remove their neighbours' landmarks , those who create unjust wars or countenance unrighteous aggressions , will

sooner or later suffer themselves . We cannot say more , we cannot propound less , and we therefore leave Messrs . Kerby and Endean ' s brightly covered and agreeabl y printed volume , with its historical contents , to the appreciation of that class of readers amongst us who are always enquiring for something "new , " " moving , " and "lit to read . "

CHRISTMAS NUMBER OF TRUTH . Truth , stern , unbending Truth , compels us to say that we find this Christmas number forced and inane in marked measures . We should despair of the taste and intellect of the age in which we live if we were to accept such to be the normal outcome of its real literary or artistic proclivities . It seems to us a sad waste of time , thought , and effort .

THE CHRISTMAS GRAPHIC Is , as usual , most striking , and will , no doubt , attract a very large number of readers of all classes and ages . Air . Caldicott ' s drawings are , as usual , most effective , and we commend our Christmas friend to the notice of all who admire artistic excellence or can realize literary effectiveness .

THE MAGAZINES . The magazines are here , and one or two Christmas numbers , and we think it well to allude to them briefly . "The Christmas Number of the Monthly Packet , " edited by Miss Yonge and published by Walter Smith , 34 , King-street , London , is a remarkable two shillings ' worth of 256 pages . We can recommend it to all our young folks , to all careful and maternal providers of youthful

literature in this reading age , as within these salutary pages none of the enervaiing and vitiating teaching of our most materialistic days can find an enhancer or will meet with approbation . " Longman ' s Magazine" claims the approval of a large circle of readers . We still confess to a feeling of disappointrr . ent "anent" it . Mr . Haweis contributes an interesting paper on "Liszt , " and "At the Docks" is veiy

amusing . " Temple Bar" gives us the sad ending of " lone Stewart , " a sensationalistic continuation of " Belinda , " and several amusing articles . " Inter alia" we note "Wraxall ' s Memoirs , " "Marshal Berwick , " "A Highland Healing , " and " The Lament of the / Esthetic Young Lady . "

" The Century" appeals to us with the " Fairest Ceunty in England , " " Echoes of the City of the Angels , " "The Silverado Squatters , " " George Fuller , " "The Pretenders to the Throne of France , " and " Original Documents of the New Testament . " " The English Illustrated Magazine" is still improving , and contains a very well-written account of Luther . " The Armourer ' s Prentices " is continued . We can commend

"Some Forgotten Etchers" and "The Story of a Courtship . " "AH the Year Round" is still a little below its usual form . We like "Jenifer , " "A Drawn Game , " "A Kaffer Toad , " and " A Boarding House Romance . " " The Antiquary and the Bibliographer . "— " Arcades ambo" claim the attention of all Masonic and other students with archxological proclivities and dryasdustian inclinations .

MADAME TURSAVU ANB SUN ' S EXHIBITION . —Portrait Models of H . R . H . the Duke of KDlNliUltGH , M . Ferdinand de Lesseps , President Grevy , Mar'in Luther , The Orleans Princes , Captain Webb ( taken from life ; . Costly Court Dresses . Also Marwood ( taken from Mttings ) . —Admission is . lixtra rooms , 6 d . Openfrom 10 till 10 . — [ AmT . J HULLUWAY ' S PILLS . —Sudden changes , frequent fogs , ana pervading dampness sorely impede the vital functions , and conduce to ill health . The remedy for stieh d sorders lies in some purifying

medicine , like these Pil . s , which is competent to grapple successfully with the mischief at its source , and st . im it out , without fretting the nerves or weakening the system , Holloway ' s Pills extractfrom the blood all noxious matter , regulate the action of every disordered organ , stimulate the liver and kidneys , and relax the bowels . In cnr ' n . g chest complaints tl ^ e Pills are remarkably effective , especially when aided by a free local application of the Ointmert . This double treatment will ensure a certain , steady , and beneficent progress , and sound health will soon be re-established , —tAuvr . J

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

269 ] DR . PLOT'S EVIDEXCE . I wish to put on record here that Dr . Plot ' s evidence of i ( 5 S 6 places theantiquity of Freemasonry in the seventeenth century higher than some of us - seem to realise . On looking over a fine copy of his work the other day , these three points in it are salient and unmistakeable : 1 . That this curious body of Freemasons , which evidently attracts

the old doctor's admiration , despite his denunciation of its " fables , " is of very great antiquity , though not so eld as it professes it to be . 2 . Speculative Masons of the " most eminent quality did not decline to be of this fellowship . " 3 . That the " custom was spread more or less all over the nation . " If this be so , there is for us an evident

importance attaching to the study and searching out of all old Masonic records , as we shall perhaps arrive at the true history of seventeenth century English Freemasonry . Dr . Plot does not like the Freemasons , and wishes them to be punished and suppressed , no uncommon outcome ol ignorance , which is always either servilely superstitious or fanatically persecuting . DRYASDUST .

270 ] THE ROYAL LODGE ( EXTINCT ) , CHESTER . Bro . J . C . Robinson , P . M ., has kindly placed in my hands the old volume of minutes of the above lodge from 1743 to 1767 , which has been so graphically described by Bro . T . B . VVhytehead . I have carefully examined the valuable book of Records , hoping that some stray fact may have been omitted by Bro . Whytehead in his sketch of the

old lodge , but my trouble has been in vain . I here is however one point of consequence which appears to have escaped the attention of Bro . Whytehead ; at least , it appears to me to be worthy of note , and must be so , if I am correct in my surmise . According to the Book of Constitutions of A . D . 175 6 , the first Prov . G . M . for Cheshire was not appointed until the Grand Mastership of the

" Marquis of Carnarvon , " when 'Mohn Paste , of Hawthorn , Esq ., for the county Palatine of Chester , and the city and county of Chester , " 1754-5 , received his patent . 1 find a similar record in the Book of Constitutions , 1717 , & c , so it is evident that so far as Grand Lodge ^ registers are concerned , John Page was the first Prov . Grand Master . In the Freemason of Oct . 27 th , 1 SS 3 , it will be seen that Bro .

Why tehead mentions the election by the lodge of " Robert Newton , Gent ., " as Prov G . M . so early as St . John ' s Day , 1743 . Now , although things were done rather differently some century and a half ago than now , it is quite clear for such elections to have been legal in this country a Prov . G . M . must have been originally appointed by the Grand Master . I have introduced the question of the annual

elections by the lodge just now ; hut as the first legal appointment according to the Book of Constitutions was in 1 754-5 , it islikely that Bro . Newton ' s Prov . G . M . was " ultralicitum . " I shall be glad to hear what Bro . Whytehead thinks on this point , and so our genial Bro . Robinson , to whom we are both indebted for the p-jrusal of this old and valuable minute book . Bro . Robinson must continue his researches , for the mine is not yet exhausted . W . J . HUGHAN .

271 ] LEWIS . Mr . Britton observes that Lewis "isan instrument said to have been used in England by the builders of the middle ages , " & c . It is now in common use , having been revived by a French artisan during the reign of Louis XIV . See " Arcbrcologia , " x ., 12 c . Felibien alludes to it as in commoa use about 16 S 0 , but calls it " Louve , " and the side wedges " Louveteaux . It seems to be quite clear that its use was known to the Romans and to Vitruvius , though so far its classical name has not been verified , as far as I know . The word " Forceps" or Forcipes" cannot apply to it . MASONIC STUDENT .

272 ] SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN . In reference to the inquiry of " Antiquity " I may say that in the collection of the Eboracum Lodge , No . 1611 , there is an engraved portrait of Sir Christopher Wren by Godby , after a painting by Cipriani . The great architect

is represented as holding a pair of compasses in his right hand and a design of St . Paul ' s under his right arm . His left hand rests on a pedestal on which is unfolded a ground plan of the cathedral . The York Lodge , No . 236 , has , I think , a similar engraving . T . B . WHYTEHEAD .

Presentation Of An Address To Bro. The Lord Mayor.

PRESENTATION OF AN ADDRESS TO BRO . THE LORD MAYOR .

The following address , exquisitely illuminated on vellum , has been presented to Bro . the Lord Mayor . " Lansdowne Lodge of Unity , No . 62 G , "Town Hall , Chippenham ,

" November , iSSj . "To the Right Hon . Robert Nicholas Fowler , M . P ., the Lord Mayor . " My Lord , —The elevation of your lordship to your present high office was not allowed to be passed by without special notice on the part of the brethren of the Lansdowne Lodge of Unity , No . 62 G , over whom you have so ably presided and with whom you have for so many years been

on terms of such fraternal accord . " I have the honour to inform you that the following resolution was unanimously adopted at the last lodge meeting : — " 'Resolved that the sincere and fraternal congratulations "' of the brethren be offered to Worshipful Bro .

'" Robert Nicholas Fowler , M . P ., Senior Grand " ' Warden of Wilts and a Past Master of this lodge "' upon his elevation to the dignity of Lord Mayor ot "' London , together with their hearty good wishes fnr " ' his health and prosperity during his year of office . " With all respect I subscribe myself on behalf uf the brethren of the Lansdowne Lodije of Unity , No . 626 .

" Your lordship ' s faithful servart t , nd brother , "EDWIN EYRES , " Secretary "G . L . Lopes , W . M . "