The Freemason

Formerly , when the Grand Treasurer / ship entailed grave responsibilities on the brother entrusted with its duties , the said brother by his mere acceptance of the office conferred honour on Grand Lodge , and Grand Lodge in its turn by annually re-electing him , so long as he desired re-election , reriprorated that honour . Now all is changed , and the office being purely an ornamental one , the brother who is

elected to fill it receives , but no longer confers , honour . Hence Grand Lodpjc , whose power of rewarding merit is limited to ( lie bestowal of this one collar of Grand Treasurer , has no alternative between annually re-electing the same brother for a term of years—to the continuance of which policy I believe no objection has been raised , at least by the friends and supporters of Bro . Allcroft , though

it restricts the already limited powers of Grand Lodge . within still narrower limits—and annually electing some new brother , whose services to Freemasonry deserve some such recognition at its hands . To the latter of these alternative principles or policies the most determined opposition is being offered by the would-be oligarchy I have already referred to . Hence their circular . Hence , too , the angry

terms with which their partisans keep bespattering Bro . Marshall ' s supporters , that is , the supporters of the "one year" principle . H-V , say they , are no party , and have no party motives . You , who are only the commonalty of Freemasonry , arc " a clique , " "a caucus , " " a cabal , " and your claim to a voice in the election of Grand Treasurer , though it is sanctioned by the Constitutions , is an

"impudent flirtation" to Grand Lodge . Our object is " solely the welfare of the Craft generally . " We " wish for peace and harmony "; w" claim for Grand Lodge liberty of aclion , independence of voting " ; rtr are " most anxious to preserve Grand Lodge from falling , whether into the domination of a clique , or from becoming the battlefield of a faction . " But as for you and your detestable principle of

introducing new blood every year , why it is your ' * unprecedented coi-r-c of action "—in selecting a candidatefor office " after a gord dinner "— " which threatens to create a most untoward stale of affairs , and to lead to consequences alike dangerous and destructive of the honour , freedom , and prestige of Grand Lodge . " But 1 have quoted enough of these " gentle courtesies "

which arc disturbing what otherwise might be made a friendly and instructive discussion . I , for on-. ' , say let us have done with what , if I were not a Mason writing about Masons , I should not hesitate to describe as Pharisaic cant , which declines to sec anything but what is dangerous and objectionable in those who are not within its immediate circle of friends and supporters . I protest against being dubbed

one of a "clique or "caucus , " or any other kind of association which is held to be offensive , merely because 1 happen to think Bro . Marshall will fill a sinecure office as well as Bro . Allcroft or Bro . Creaton . I decline to be charged with attempted "impudent dictation" to Grand Lodge , because I happen to prefer the principle of annually clectinga new brother to that of annually re-electing the same

brother . 1 refuse to think so ill of my brethren in Grand Lodge as lo attribute to them sinister motives for their line of conduct : while as regards the studied arrogance of " Obsta Principiis , " 1 venture to suggest it will not be by the adoptiuii of his language or tone of thought that Grand Lodge will be preserved from " consequences alike Uanijcroiis and destructive" of its " honour , freedom , and prestige . "

On only one point dare I venture to congratulate "Obsta Principiis . " The choice of his pseudonym does him infinite credi ' , so well does it accord with the character of his correspondence . "Obsta Principiis" will bear to be translated , and that without any wrench of meaning , "Set yourself resolutely in opposition to Principle ; " or briefly , "Down with Principle . —Fraternally yours , TkNAX PROPOSITI .

To the Editor of the "Ireemason . Dear Sir and Brother , In reply to a letter signed " Provincialis , '' he will find the whole of the information he requires respecting the two brethren named in some recent numbers ot the Freemason . I am also a provincial brother ; but I post myself on all matters of importance by reading a threepenny newspaper once a week . May I suggest to " Provincialis " to go and do likewise ? KENT .

THE STEWARDS FOR THE BENEVOLENT FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , 1 must take exception to some of the remarks anent the Stewards to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival for the 2 Gth inst ., and do not imagine

that it has been from any want of sympathy with that Institution ibat has caused only 24 s brethren to send in their names . I attribute it to the following causes : 1 st , the difficulty Bro . Terry had in securing a Chairman ; 2 nd , the times are bad and most people have suffered greatly during the past year , either directly or indirectly , from bad trade , failures , & c . 'That every Mason has the interests of this excellent institution at heart goes without saying ,

and ] feel certain that the amount contributed this year will fully equal if not excel that gathered at the last festival . 1 must say on my own part that your comments have rather dampened my ardour for this charity , as they seemed to cast a stigma even upon the 24 S who had consented to become Stewards , but possibly 1 may err io my interpretation ; indeed , I hope 1 do . —Yours fraternally , SPES .

A MYSTERIOUS INSCRIPTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In compi ing a history of my lodge , Prosperity , No . G 5 , I hive been engager ] upon the earliest of our old minute books , which was begun in 1823 , upon the outside of which is a leather and gilt label worded thus : LODGE 01

„ , A „ M „ 5 P 23 Could any brother learned in the Craft give me its meaning ? lor it has hitherto baffled some of the most eminent brethrt n to whom I have applied . The label is so carefully d me that I cannot easily believe that the P has

been allowed lo remain as a blunder for S , and it is also too far away from the 23 . I may state that it is an old Atholl Lodge , but presuming that the initials mean Anno Mundi or Atholl Masons , the 5 P is at present a mystery . —Yours fraternally , C . E . FERRY , P . M . 65 . 14 , Rcdcliffe Street , South Kensington .

The Freemason

THE HUGHAN TESTIMONIAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly insert the enclosed letter from our distinguished Bro . Charles E . Meyer , of Philadelphia . — Yours faithfully and fraternally , February , 5 th . GEORGE KENNING .

" Philadelphia , Jan . 23 , 1 SS 4 . "My clear Bro . Kenning , —I have the pleasure of sending enclosed a few subscriptions to the testimonial to our good Bro . Hughan . The subscriptions are as follows—Five dollars each : —Charles E . Meyer , G . Sec , G . Chap . ; Mark Richards Muckle , G . T . G . Com . ; Chas . VV . Packer , P . M . ; Charles Roome , P . G . M . ; Theodore S . Parvin ,

P . G . M . ; Ihomas R . Patton , G . Treas . ; Clifford P . McCalla , G . J . VV . ; John L . Young , P . M . ; making in all 40 dols ., for which 1 enclose a draft on J . S . Morgan and Co ., London , No . A 2295 , for £ S 3 s . 3 d . sterling , payable to your order , which , I hope , will reach you safely . 1 shall try and send you more ere the subscription list closes . " I am requested by the subscribers above to tell you of

the pleasure they feel in thus being able in a small measure to testif y their htgb appreciation of the inestimable value of the services rendered to Masonry by Bro . Hughan . The deepness of his research , the accuracy of his conclusions , and the impartiality of his decisions have made hosts of friends for Bro . Hughan in America . Wishing you every success , —I am , yours fraternally , " CHARLES E . MEYER . "

PROVINCIAL HONOURS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I fullyagrcewithyourcorrcspondcnt"Companion " in last week ' s issue that it is high time the selection of brethren for the purple and gold was taken cut of the hands of Provincial Grand Secretaries . What more proper

and just than to confer with the Past Masters of lodges in the province , and let them send up to the Provincial Grand Master the name of some brother who is fairly entitled by merit to honourable distinction . ' It ought not most certainly to be a question of money , but merit . Under the present system I know of some who have been loaded with provincial honours who could not even open and close a lodge ,

whilst old and worthy brethren , Masons of years standing , who have worked the various degrees with credit to themselves and honour to their lodges , are passed by unnoticed . I trust we shall have no more of these unfair and unjust selections , and that those brethren who bid for office will be given to understand that honour will be conferred upon those brethren who have justly earned it by long and faithful service and excellent working . —Yours fraternally ,

JUSTICE . ROYAL ARCH QUERIES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Can you oblige me with authoritative answers to the two following questions ? ist . It having been resolved by the companions in a new chapter that a founder ' s jewel might be worn by' those

whose names appeared on the warrant of constitution : Would this jewel be allowed to be worn in Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter ? 2 nd . Is it pcrmissable for a Third Principal to give the Second Principal ' s lecture as well as his own , or for a Second Principal to give the First Principal's lecture under any circumstances ? Yours fraternally , Luton , Feb . 4 th . CHILTERN .

THE CONNECTION OF KING SOLOMON WITH FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — " Founded by a God fearing King "— "built upon historic facts of the Testament history "— " pre-Christian it is "—vide Canon Tristram ( sermon at Durham . )

Permit me to ask you , sir , or the ardent Student , or Canon 'Tristram , where any evidence appears to connect Freemasonry with Solomon or Jerusalem ? Not the slightest proof of such was found by Warren or any of his successors in their explorations either above or below ground . I have often asked the question but have never been able to obtain any "fact "—but only the old "hearsay story . " — I am , & c , R . W . HOLLON , 236 . York , February 5 th .

THE MILITARY SERVICE AND MASONRY . — A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I should be glad if any biotbcr could inform me whether the Grand Lodge has ever sanctioned a bye-law prohibiting brethren serving in the Army below the rank of

Serjeant joining any lodge as a member . 1 was initiated into the Craft in the Khyber Lodge , No . 5 S 2 , in 1 SS 1 , being then a non-com . officer in the corps of the Royal Engineers , but , unfortunately , since then , for a slight infringement of military discipline , I have been reverted to the rank of sapper , and now I am not allowed to be proposed as a joining member of a lodge at this station , being under the rank of a Serjeant .

Now , Sir , I think this bye-law is a very hard one , and does not carry out the spirit of the Fraternity , for , in the usual course of promotion in the Engineers , it would take quite five or six years to attain the rank of Serjeant , during which time 1 am debarred from joining any lodge as a member . I have attended lodges here as a visitor , but am not allowed to be proposed as a joining member . By inserting this in your valuable paper you will greatly oblige

ONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW , M . M . 582 , M . M . M . 204 . Portsmouth , February 4 th .

HISTORICAL CHAIRS . ' To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir . —Will you kindly enable me to ask , through the coloumns of your journal , for descriptive particulars , with engravings , drawings , or photographs , of celebrated chairs in family residences of the nobilitv and ccntry ; with

information also of notable chairs in cathedrals , churches , colleges , clubs , town halls , lodges of the Craft , and public institutions at home or abroad . I am preparing an illustrated account of historical chairs from available literary sources , but knowing that there are many interesting ones which have escaped my search , as well as some others in private

The Freemason

possession , but little known , and wishing to make the proposed work as copious as possible , I thus beg your esteemed assistance on that behalf , with my best thanks for such valuable favour . —Ycurs truly , C . B . STRUTT . 34 , East Street , Red Lion Square , London , W . C .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

The Magazines for February are very good reading . "The Century" is , as usual , Ai . and to our mind is unapproachable in artistic effect , while it is most interesting and improving in literary merit . It seems to us to stand on the highest level of contemporary serial literature . Wc

can specially commend the articles Lieut .-General Sheridan , " " Gustave Courbet , " " Merinos in America , " " How ' Edwin Drood ' was Illustrated , " " The Cruise of the Alice May , " " Dante , " & c . " Temple Bar " has much agreeable matter . " Out of the Season " is most amusing . We also commend " Old Mr . Biuney , " "An Australian Poet , " "The Message . " The two stories " Peril " and " Zero " are progressing , " cosi , cosi . "

"All the Year Round" has some very interesting papers , among which we may mention " Little Sisters , " "A Scientific Experiment , " " Our French Fruit Garden , " " Flyaway Jack , " " Legends of the Synagogue , " " Some London Clearings , " "A Drawn Game" will please some ;

the ending of "Jenifer" will gratify more . " Longman ' s Magazine" brings before us " Jack's Courtship" and "Madam , " "The Lovely Fanny" is amusing , and " Lord Lyndhurst" able . " The Illustrated Magazine" is clearly advancing . "An Unsentimental lourney through Cornwall . " "The

Post Office , " " TheCharactcr of Dogs , " "The Humming Bird ' s Relatives , " "The Campagna , " "The Amourer ' s Apprentice , " and "Julia" all deserve consideration and demand perusal . " The Bibliographer , " contains much interesting matter , though we wish that weary bibliography of Sachcvcrell was at an end .

"The Antiquary " is full of valuable information . "The Genealogist" has " A Striking Eduction of Recondite Facts for the Disciples of Old Guillim . " The Chaine D'Union is full of thought for French readers ,

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

SEVENTEENTH CENTURY MASONRY .-AN OLD 294 ] TOKEN . In tVic volume of the " Freemasons' Quarterly Review " for 1 S 37 , PaKe W 3 > wc " " id * statement that at Christ Church , Hampshire , when widening Milham Bridge , a token was found the size of a fourpenny p iece , the obverse of which is " In Dorchester , R . C ., " and six five-pointed stars ; and on the reverse Richard Cheney , surrounded by some Masonic emblems . Where is this token now ? MASONIC STUDENT .

295 ] THE HEBREW TARGUMS . It has been said that in the Hebrew Targums on the Book of Kinc ; s and Chronicles reference is made to King Solomon presiding over meetings of the Masons to settle differences , & c . It is also said that names of the workmen are mentioned , such as "Joel , " & c . Can any Hebrew student or Rabbi confirm this statement . MENATCHCH 1 M .

296 ] OLD LATIN MASONIC CHANT . Can any old brother favour enquirer with the words of the old Latin song sung in London some years past b y Bro . Bellamy and others , at one lodge in particular , " Pocufutn quam bonum . " The late Bro . Fourdrinier mentioned to the writer that he had often heard it . MASONIC STUDENT .

297 j CURIOUS OLD BOOKS . Kloss , at page 175 , mentions as among the earliest Rosicrucian works a " Raguaglio di Parnasso , " published at Venice 1612-13-14 . He tells us also that a German edition was published in 1 G 17 , and subsequent ones in 1 G 41-44 and later . 'This book is very scarce , and I have never seen a copy of the 1 G 12 edition ; but 1 have lighted upon an Italian edition , printed in Amsterdam in 1669 , by a misprint in the

catalogue 16 99 , which is said to be the tenth . Kloss ' s correctness is thereby again proved as to the book itself , though its connection with Rosicrucianism is " nil . " It talks of Alchemy as a vain science , " sophistical " and " false , " and a congress of Literati and Virtuosi at Florence , and of Alchemical Literati . But more than this I cannot find ; I should , however , be happy to lend it to any brother who is proficient in Italian . MASONIC STUDENT .

29 SJ HISTORIES OF LODGES . I am indebted to the following brethren for copies of their histories , viz .: Bros , the Rev . P . H . Newnham , M . A ., Lodge of Hcngist , No . 195 ; H . C . Levandcr , M . A ., P . G . D ., St . Thomas ' s Lodge , No . 142 ; and to Bro . George

Iaylor , Prov . G . Sec , & c , of Worcestershire , for the history ( and supplement ) of the Worcester Lodge , No . 280 . There are a few copies I am still in want of to complete my set , for which I shall be glad to forward the published prices , or reciprocate in any way possible . Torquay , Devon . VV . J . HUGHAN

I'R UI ' TURES . "—WHITE ' S MOC-MAIN -LEVER TRUSS is the most effective invention for the treatment of Hernia . The use ot a steel spring , so hurtful in its effects , is avoided , a soft bandage bcine ; worn round the body , while the requisite resisting power is supplied by the Moc-Main Pad and Patent Lever , fitting with so much case and closeness that it cannot be detected . Send for descriptive circular , with testimonials and prices , to J . White and Co . ( Limited ) j > 8 , t'iccadtlly , London . Do not buy of Chemists , who often sell an IMITATION of our Moc-Main . J . VVhite and Co , have not any agents , —[ ADVT . 1