Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

enveloped in a particularly damp and uncomfortable shroud . There is a long narrow hole in the ground , in the middle of the room ; beside it , a coffin . The neophyte receives a solemn lecture from a grim-looking fellow , who stands with folded arms above the grave , and then is compelled to step into the coffin and lie flat on his back .

The ropes which pass under it are grasped , the coffin is swung , and then with a slow swaying motion it descends into the grave . All of a sudden there is total darkness , a board is placed over the top of the hole , and our poor freshman , for the first and last time in his life , experiences what it is to be buried alive . If he has in his childhood

been the victim of nurse ' s ghost stories , his situation is really terrible . It lasts , however , but a moment : he is drawn up again , and passes on to other trials of his courage . The next thing is to take him into a room brightly illuminated by torches , where a kind of high court has been organised . On a raised platform , disguised , sits the judge who is to ' put him to the question . ' All sort of ridiculous

queries are put to bim , some of which he would rather not answer , but is awed into submission . Then a cloth is raised just below the judge ' s chair , a coffin is discovered , and in it a corpse , with a gash across its forehead—a corpse , however , of wax only . The forehead of this ghastly object the freshman is forced to kiss ; and that ends his initiation . "

KNIGHTS OF PATMOS OR ORDER OF PHILIPPI . I have seen a certificate of the above Order on which are the words " AA ' e meet at Philippi !" Is anything known of the Order ? SIGMA . [ It was formerly conferred on Knights Templar , and its history was derived from the Apocalypse . The emblem was a serpent with its tail in its mouth , emblematical of eternity . —ED . F ]

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for tlie opinions expressed by Correspondents . COMP . BRETT AND THE CHAPTER OF PRUDENT BRETHREN . ( To tlie Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —AVith reference to certain letters which have appeared in THE FREEMASON , respecting the part Comp . Brett took in the consecration of thc "Prudent Brethren * ' Chapter ,

I believe every one then present will admit that he performed the duties which devolved upon him in a most admirable manner . I take this opportunity of placing upon record extracts from letters received from three distinguished members of the Craft , as examples of about forty others , on the occasion of

the recent Testimonial Dinner , in which just testimony is borne to Comp . Brett's Masonic services . Colonel Burdett , Prov . Grand Master for Middlesex , in regretting his absence from the Testimonial Banquet , expresses his "extreme gratification to find that his ( Comp . Brett ' s ) Masonic worth , ancl

unceasing exertions for the benefit of thc Order , have been acknowledged by thc brethren , "and adds , " that no brother could have worked more zealously or in a manner more worthy of general approbation . " Bro . Hervey , thc Grand Secretary , states that "There is no brother in the Craft for whom 1

entertain a higher respect than I do for liro . Brett ;" and further pays a merited tribute not only to our brother's ability as a Masonic preceptor , but to the kindly manner in which he communicates instruction . Bro . Hughan , Prov . ( hand . Secretary for Cornwall , writes respecting liro . Brett , * " * His

devotion to Royal Arch Masonry in particular has won the admiration ofthe Order , ancl his preceptorship has been thc means of instructing thousands He richly deserves a grand testimonial , address , and banquet . " Testimonies like these from recognized authorities

in the Order far outweigh any feeble meed of praise that may fall from my pen , but I may add that in the company of Bro . James Urctt , 1 have acquired most viluable Masonic instruction , especially in the ceremonies ofthe Royal Arch degree , ancl in staling

this 1 am but echoing thc sentiments of a host of brethren in the Metropolis . Yours fraternally , R . AVENTAVORTH LITTLE , P . Z ., lion . Sec . Brett Testimonial .

MASONIC ASSERTIONS . ( To the Editor of Tlie Freemason ) . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I perceive at page loo of your columns , Pro , Chalmers I . Paton stating that , " The present method of Scottish Freemasonry has been handed down from very

ancient times . " Now that is a simple mistake , for said "present method" was never practised in Scotland before thc fust quarter of last century , whatever less , and as yet there has never been produced any proof of its being so old in Scotland as 1720 .

Then , as to this " Masonic Tobacco-box , " alluded to at page 117 , and which I find has been thrown * at my head in " Notes anil Queries" of January 29 th , I should like lo see it before admitting the age of the emblems to bc " 1670 . " The Uescriptionof

Original Correspondence.

them given by Bro . Horace Swete is of no value as to their age ; to form any opinion upon the age of the engraving per se one would require to sec it ; therefore , if Bro . Swete can see his way to send me the box per book post—registered for safety—I shall examine it , and immediately thereafter safely

return it . If , however , he cannot do so , perhaps he could send a careful rubbing ofthe top and bottom , and Bro . "Leo —with whom I am acquainted ^ and I will feel obliged . For myself , I have seen so many " cock-and-bull " Masonic stories ending in smoke , that I have learned to be cautious before admitting anything .

I am , yours fraternally , AA ' . P . BUCHAN . 151 , AA ' est Nile-street , Glasgow .

HURAM ABIF . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I cannot accept the explanation given by " D . Stoltz , " in your issue of Feb . 26 th , respecting the discrepancy in the two accounts of the lineage of Hiram Abif in 1 Kings

and 2 Chronicles . It strikes me as more natural to refer the statement in Kings " of the . tribe of Napthali" to the widow father , than to Hiram ' s father , who was clearly of Tyrian descent . AA ' e would thus have the widow , Hiram ' s mother ,

descended by her father from thc tribe of Napthali , by her mother from the daughters of Dan , ancl this widow of purely Jewish descent , was married to Hiram ' s father , of purely Tyrian descent , and thus a blending ofthe two races in Hiram Abif . E . M .

A DISTRESSING CASE . ( To thc Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —AVill you allow me , through the columns of your journal , to draw the attention of the Craft to the case of Eliza Buswcll , who has been totally paralyzed for ten years . Her

husband , Charles Buswcll , died about two years since ; he was a P . M . ofthe "Industry" Lodge , 186 , and a Companion ofthe Lily Chapter of Richmond , 820 ; he was employed by thc South AA ' estern Railway Company , but , owing to the affliction of his wife , was unable to make any adequate provision for her , and f he is now nearly in a stale of

destitution . An effort is being made lo procure her admission to the Royal Hospital for Incurables , Putney Heath , but it seems almost a hopeless task , unless funds sufficient can bc raised to purchase thc necessary

number of votes . Donations on behalf of this object ( or proxies for votes in the above Institution ) , will bc thankfully received by , Yours fratcrnallv , JESSE OWENS , Finsbury Lodge , S 61 . 40 , A ' orley-road , Junction-road , Upper Holloway , N .

AN APPEAL TO THE CRAFT . ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Through your kindness , I beg to make an appeal to the Craft for sonic assistance , to enable me to emigrate to Canada . Thc circumstances of my misfortune are , about two

years ago , after being out of employment and not beingable to obtain anything to do , 1 was compelled , much against my inclination , to adopt the calling of an omnibus conductor , which was a living , and kept to it till the 4 th December , 1869 , when through an accident that befel me in October , by being

knocked off the omnibus of which I was conductor I was spitting blood from the lime of thc accident till I was forced to give up , although 1 could not afford to do so , having previously lost my child and having had my wife ill for some lime afterwards , and of course had to incur expenses which I wished

to have paid but had lo give mat last . When myeloctor saw me , he said I had broken a blood-vessel , and must obtain some lighter employment . I wrote to my employers and told them how I was situated , asked them for some lighter employment , when they

informed me it should have immediate attention , and all that has been done for me , after eleven weeks , is by their informing me that they have nothing they can appoint me to , and gave me one sovereign .

After waiting some time , I asked them to reinstate me as odd man , and they said they " cannot keep pensioners . " Although 1 met with my misfortune in their service , ancl by another omnibus belonging to the same company , through which I have been brought down to the present time

penniless , having hatl to pail with all I possessed for support through the arbitrary power of the company , and having been a conductor , 1 have great difficulties in obtaining anything else . If the Craft will kindlv answer the appeal of their

distressed brother they will always have his heartfelt thanks . I am , clear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , R . A . GOSSET , Lodge 164 , Old Aberdeen . 90 , White Lion-street , Islington .

Original Correspondence.

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —As a constant subscriber to your paper , will you be kind enough to give me your opinion on the following case * . — A gentleman was initiated in Lodge 376 in the year 1859 , from which time he has never attended his lodge , his excuse being that it would cost him

£ 50 . In the year 1 S 61 he was proposed as a joining member , and on a ballot there appeared for him three white balls , against him twenty-two black . In May , 1 S 6 9 , he was again proposed , when a long discussion took place , and a Board of General Purposes was summoned to discuss the question , consisting of the AV . M ., his AVardens , and the P .

Masters , at which meeting two old P . M . ' s stated that they had heard thc candidate in a public room divulge as much of his preparation and part of the ceremony as he could recollect . Can he claim to be passed and raised in the same lodge , or is he a fit and proper person for further honours in the Craft ? AN OLD P . M . [ Certainly not . —ED . F . ]

THE "YORK" LODGE , No . 236 . ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR , —I thought the following act of grace ofthe Earl of Zetland , M . W . G . M ., relative to the York Lodge would interest you , and perhaps your readers . For the reasons explained [ in the enclosed

memorial , the brethren at York had long expressed a desire to change the name of the lodge . At the commencement ofthe present year , and in view of its being the last year of office of the noble Earl , ( who is our oldest subscribing member , having been a member for upwards of twenty-five years , ) it was felt the time had come to ask for permission to

make the change ; accordingly I gave notice in open lodge , and to every brother by circular , that I should read a form of memorial to that effect at the next lodge . The draft was so read , a vote was then taken and carried unanimously to adopt it ; and that it should be signed , and forwarded to the G . M . through the Grand Secretary . The following is the reply : —

" Freemasons' Hall , London , "Sir and Pro ., —Your memorial to thc M . W . Grand Master , praying permission to change the name of your lodge . His lordship has been pleased to accede to the application , and the lodge will therefore in future bear the name of ' Tlie York Lodge , ' No . 236 . " I am , Sir and "Brother , yours fraternally , "J HERVEY , G . S . "To Pro . J . C . Swallow , Sec ., Lodge No . 236 . "

These documents have been entered upon the minutes of thc lodge , and thc change of name is now an accomplished fact . I am , dear Sir , yours fraternally , JOHN CHAS . SAVALLOAA ' , Sec . of Thc York Lodge .

corv oi * MEMORIAL . " To the Right Honourable the Earl of Zetland , K . T ., Most Worshipful Grand . Vaster . " Wc the undersigned , the Master and Wardens of the Union Lodge , No . 236 , meeting in the Masonic Hall , Duncombe-place , York , in pursuance of a resolution passed in open lodge at a regular lodge , held on "Monday , the

seventeenth of January , A . L . 5 S 70 , A . n . 1 S 70 , humbly request your Lordship to grant permission that the name of this lodge may bc changed from lhat of Union , to the York Lodge . "It has long been the wish ofthe biethren oflhe lodge lhat it should be more closely connected with that of our ancient city , and with the Masonic glory with which it is

associated . " Our early traditions inform us , that from thc time of Prince Edwin , A . D . 926 , when the first lodge was held in the Norman Crypt of York Minster , under a charter from King Athelstan , a Grand Lodge existed in an uninterrupted stream , until about the year 17 S 0 ; and although the York Grand Lodge then died out , from the growing imporlanccof

Masonry in the South of England , yet , Masonry itself continued lo lloiirisli in the North , and gave birth lo the Provincial Grand Lodge for Yorkshire , and from which sprang the Union Lodge in the year 1777 , one of the most influential lodges in ihe province . The Provincial Grand Loilge was always held at York until the year 1821 , when it was divided into separate provinces . On the 14 th of

August 1 S 21 , the first Provincial Grand Lodge , under thc title of North and Kast Ridings of Yorkshire was held in the ' Grand Lodge Room , ' in the City of York , and there regularly until the year 1 S 30 , and it was not until ihe year 1835 lhat the Provincial Grand Lodge was held out of the city . Since which period , it has been held in various towns in the province , and at York in 1 S 36 , 1838 , 1 S 4 I ,

18 43 , 18 4 S , 1851 , 1856 , and 1 S 6 4 . Thus the importance of York as having taken a prominent place in thc History of English Masonry ; the charges and regulations it has framed under the title of the York Constitutions , and the present appellation still given to those working under them'of Antient York Masons , ' entitle us to your consideration to make the required change .

"That the name of our lodge should bc distinctive is by the brethren desired , as there arc already two Lodges of the Union in London , and nine in the country , beside eight ofthe same name in foreign parts . " For the desired name of York lo distinguish our lodge by in the future , we call your Lordship ' s recollection to the fact , that thoroughout the world , this city has been