Freemasonry In The United States.

FREEMASONRY IN THE UNITED STATES .

To the Editor of The Freemason . New York , Oct . 21 , 1874 . Dear Sir and Brother , —

I have just finished the reading of your ast interesting paper , and I am surprised not to find in it a single item from the United States . I wish that our Brethren here might read your paper more , as it even in one number gives us a better idea of Masonry than all our papers here combined .

Permit me to offer myself as an " occasional" correspondent . Last evening I visited Commonwealth Lodge , No . 409 , located at Brooklyn . This body was organized June 3 rd , 1856 , with only twelve charter members , and to-day the roll of membership exceeds six hundred . It is the best working

lodge in the neighbourhood , as well as the largest in the country . The meetings are held every Tuesday evening , and it is a rare thing that there is no work . The lodge-room is fifty feet by forty , with a seating capacity for about one hundred and fifty Brethren . The walls and ceiling are

handsomely frescoed , the floor carpeted , giving the room the appearance of a handsome parlour . The walls are adorned with the pictures and paintings of past officers and distinguished Brethren , and in the back part of the room stands a large church organ . At seven o ' clock the Brethren began to congregate

, and when the gavel sounded , at the expiration of the next half-hour , to open the Lodge , every seat was filled . The opening ceremonies were fully observed , then followed the usual routine of business , which consists of balloting on and receiving petitions for membership , hearing reports of

sickness and distress , and other matters . A lodge of " F . C . ' s" was then opened , when an " E . A . " was admitted and initiated . Labour was again resumed on the third degree , and , no further business appearing , the minutes were read , the Lodge closed , the lights extinguished , and at ten o ' clock each

Brother had disappeared . The Master is Bro . Henry S . Knapp , who , although a young man , yet he possesses a rare ability , both as an executive officer and worker . He is held in such high esteem that he has received during his term of office quite a number of

testimonials from the Brethren . At the recent meeting of the Grand Lodge , he was also appointed District Deputy Grand Master for Brooklyn . This brief account of the largest Lodge in the United States may be read with interest by my Brethren across the water . AJAX .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

The following advertisement appeared on Saturday , the 31 st October , 1 S 74 , in the Scots man , which I need hardly tell you is a newspaper of very large circulation . "THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AGAINST FREE

MASONRY . —I . The Christian Church is antagonistic to Freemasonry , because the institution of such an association as Masonry is a direct libel on the Catholicity of the Church , which as the one Divine Society , suffices for all the spiritual and temporal requirements of mankind .

"II . The Church contends with Freemasonry , because Masonic ceremonies , prayers , and ritual generally , are at the best merely Deistical in their nature—not Christian—that is , Freemasons , as such , do not adore God the Father through

Jesus Christ Our Lord by the Holy Spirit , and also ignore the blessed Virgin and the Saints . " III . The Church opposes Freemasonry , because Masons are frequently leaders of Episcopalians , Presbyterians , Socinians , and other sects of carnal invention .

' IV . The Church is against Freemasonry , because Masonry , as an anti-Christian institution , has necessarily a debasing influence over its adherents , by subverting the general principles of candour , sobriety and regularity of life , so that no conscientious man can be at once a Christian and a Freemason .

'Published by the local agent , Christian Church . Inquirers , can address No . 9414 , Scotsman Office , Glasgow . " . Reading this , I thought at first of the

Christian Church in the proper sense of the term . But on looking more closely , I found that the " Christian Church , " whose " Local Agent " issues this advertisement , is merely a small sect having a few hundred members in Britain , who

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

arrogate to themselves this title , and denounce all Episcopalians , Presbyterians , & c , & c , as sects " of carnal invention . " These people may be allowed to indulge their own harmless fancy , without interference so long as they mind only

their own affairs and exercise only their liberty , happily enjoyed in this land , ot worshipping God according to their conscience . But if they attack their neighbours , the case is altered . I believe , however , that their attack on

Freemasonry is not worth much notice . 1 hey are too insignificant to deserve a great amount of attention . Their name , which they have already taken to themselves of " the Christian Church , " may , however , mislead some . They object to

Freemasonry , as " a direct libel on the Catholicity of the Church , which , as the one Divine Society , suffices for all the spiritual and temporal wants of mankind . " This is nonsense . The Church never was meant to supply the temporal

wants of mankind . And what do these few poor sectaries know of the Catholicity of the Church ? What is their notion of Catholicity ? It is like the three tailors of Tooley-street calling themselves the people of England . But " the

Church ! ' contends wit A Freemasonry , because Masonic prayers , & c , " are merely Deistical . " It is true that Freemasonry requires nothing more than the profession of every candidate for admission into the order , that he believes in God

and m a future state . But it is true also , that the religious services of Freemasons in this country are conducted in accordance with the Christian faith of the great body of the people , and they do adore God the Father , through

Jesus Christ our Lord by the Holy Spirit , they worship Father , Son , and Holy Ghost , and pray to God in the name of Christ . However , we find it further found fault with Freemasons that they " ignore the

Blessed Virgin and the Saints . " They do . But what of this ? Is the worship of the Virgin and the Saints a part of the doctrine and practice of those who delight to call themselves " the Christian Church . " Are they affiliated to the

Church of Rome ? Have the Jesuits set them on to issue their present advertisement ? Perhaps some of your readers may be able to throw a little light on these points . I remain , yours fraternally ,

CHALMERS I . PATON . [ It is but fair to remark that when Bro . Paton says " this country , " he means Scotland . In England , as a general rule , the prayers arc universal , and have been so since 1817 . There may be Christian prayers used in England , but they are the exception not the rule . —ED . ]

HUGHAN'S MASONIC MEMORIALS . I have to acknowledge with fraternal thanks , a review of my " Memorials of the Masonic Union of 1813 " in the Freemason for October 31 st , and beg to reply to the question therein addressed to mo .

The frontispiece , —representing the Arms of the Grand Lodge of England , according to the old constitutions ( " Ancients" ) , and those of the " operative , or stone-masons "—is a fac-simile of the plate in " Ahiman Rezon" for 1764 . There can be no doubt as to the former , but the latter is , to say the least , questionable as to

accuracy . Bro . Laurence Dermott in his Book of Constitutions "Ahiman Rezon , " p . xxxiv . edit . 1764 , declares that " the Freemasons' Arms in the upper part of the frontispiece of this book , was found in the collection of the famous and

learned Hcbrewist architect and builder , and Bro . Rabi Jacob Jehudah Leoni . " Of the operative arms , Dermott says that the ( regular ) Grand Lodge of England adopted them , and that they ( stone-masons ) being a " goodnatured company , has permitted them to run to this day . "

These arms are an amplification of the hand some fac-simile of the arms of the Masons

Company , which forms the frontispiece to the Masonic Magazine a short while since , and which should be in the hands of every Masonic student . Bro . Dermott however , was not responsible for the correctness of these arms in a

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

heraldic sense , for he simply gave a copy of those adopted by the regular Grand Lodge of England (" moderns" ) until 1 S 13 , when the arms of the both Grand Lodges were blended as we have them now . The crest appears to have varied ,

as some copies we have , evidently represent a raven . Dermott ' s orig inally was a "dagger , " and below the square and compasses , surrounded by the inscription , " Virtue and silence , Grand Lodge of London , " Subsequently altered to

the ark of the covenant AVe presume Dermott refers to the Masons ' Company of London , as he refers to that body in his " Ahiman Rezon , " and affords his readers similar information to that contained in the

orig inal grant of arms . W . F . HUGHAN . AVe understand that Bro . Hughan has purposely kept a few copies of his " Memorials of the Masonic Union of 1813 , " for Lodge

libraries , and we therefore advise the librarians of these excellent institutions to apply at once to that indefatigable brother for copies . The cost is only ten shillings and sixpence , and they will find in the work , what cannot be obtained

elsewhere , no matter at what cost , for the list of Lodges is unique , and so is the reprint of Dr . Dassigny's Enquiry of 1744 , apart altogether from the value of the original matter to be found in its pages . Our Irish brethren should lose no time in securing copies of their Irish author ' s work of

1744-LORD DALHOUSIE'S DEFINITION OF FREEMASONRY .

Extracted from " | Grand Lodge of Scotland Reporter , " p . 314 . " The princip les of Masonry consisted in love , in obedience , and in universal charity to the brethren , and to mankind . In love , first of all ,

to the Great Architect of the universe for all blessings which they enjoyed , and next in exhibiting their gratitude in return for those blessings by showing to their poorer brethren the love which they bore them and the charity which they owed them . . . . There was

nobody in the country so loyal as a good Mason . He was loyal to his sovereign , he was loyal and obedient to the laws , and to the craft to which he belonged . If a man was a good Mason they might rely upon it that that man was in every respect also a good citizen . "

" Grand Lodge Reporter , " p . 548 . " Permit me to say that in the dark days , when civil liberty and religious truth were both endangered by tyranny and superstition , the

lodges of Masonry were the receptacles and protection of both . Tyrants have dreaded Masonry because Masons are the patrons of freedom . Superstition has denounced Masonry because Masonry is the friend and protector of truth . "

Flcbhfos.

flcbhfos .

CALENDAR OK THE PROVINCIAL PRIORY OF LANCASHIRE , 1873—1874 . AVe have received this well-arranged littlepamphlet , and have thought it well to " make a note" of some of its details .

It appears that there now are nineteen Preceptories in Lancashire , two of which date from last century . Of the rest five were founded in the first two decades of this century , eleven before 1870 , and one after 1870 . AVe had always understood , though it now

appears that we were quite in error , that there had been a considerable movement in Lancashire in favour of Templarism since 1870 , but the truth is , we believe , and long may it continue to be so , in the full free working of the Craft system , our good Lancashire brethren , at least , the great majority of them , find their best Masonic aspirations rewarded and fulfilled .

AVe say this m all friendly feeling , to our many worthy brethren of the Order of the Temple , wishing them , as we sincerely do , all peaceful prosperity , and union and good in their large and important organization ,