Notes On The Temple And Hospital.

course I don ' t know what the letters are he has seen ) to prove that the Duke of Sussex was not appointed Grand Prior of England by the Emperor Alexander . As to the Emperor ' s right to appoint him , that is quite another matter .

Multum In Parbo, Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , Masonic Notes and Queries .

ORDKR OF ST . JOHN' IX ' EXGLVNl ) . I beg that " A Masonic Student" will not for a moment suppose I considered his courteous communication indicated a desire to interfere with a discussion in which I resrret to have been

compelled to play ray humble part . I am glad that the " Student" concursin my view that the Order of St . John has been improperly brought into Bro . Holmes' lecture and speech to Grand Conclave . I protest against it as beino - a p-ratuitous attack on an Order which contains

amongst its limited numbers a large proportion of persons distinguished not only for position and rank , but for good work , high deeds , and literary and scientific attainments ; an Order which has made its mark in the world for good and beneficient objects , and is doing its utmost

to ameliorate the ills ol suffering humanity ; and an Order of which every member and associate would scorn to forward any sptirioi' . s claims , whilst they would be just as unlikely to accept any premeditated insult . I am most happy to

g ive the Student any miorniatton in my power . , but as I had not intended , and have still no intention , to discuss the English Langue , I shall bt ^ g lad to hear from him privately ; but as his present queries have been publicly asked , I will endeavour to reply briefly and directly .

r . I do claim , distinctly , that the Order of St . John of Jerusalem in England , of which IT . G . the Duke of Manchester is the present Prior , and of which the members mostly belong to the national church , is a lawful branch of the genuine Order of St . John .

2 . If the act of the miscellaneous body of Knig hts in Russia , when they elected a new Grand Master during the life of the old one , is accepted , as is the fact , as a la A i ' ul proceeding , can it be disputed that the five out of the seven remaining langues could give legitimate

sanction to the resuscitation of a branch of the Order in England ? Most of the divisions of the Order are now acting as independent sections . Sir Bernard Burke , who is our modern authority on Orders , says that the Order of St . John exists in Austria , in several Italian Duchies , and in

Bohemia , Russia , and Poland , and in Spain , " though under a modified constitution , and in separate bodies . " 1 say that no other reason why the conventions could legalise the Order in England , is wanted , than that which enables the refugee Knig hts to elect the Emperor Paul ,

when they alleged " the impossibility , in our present circumstances , the members of our Order being generally dispersed , of preserving all the forms and customs prescribed in our Constitution and Statutes . " If the will of a majority of the langues shall not prevail , what else can ?

, ; . The English ( sixth ) langue was an original division of the Order . 4 . The convention in Paris representee ! the three langues of Fiance and those of Spain and Portugal ; they thus acted as a large majority of the Order . As a " Commission" they derived

under the powers declared by a Chapter General of the French Knights , which was assembled at Paris , in 1814 , under the presidency of Prince Camillc de Rohan , Grand Prior of Acquitaine . The Commission was confirmed by a Pontifical Bull , on the 10 th of August , 1814 , and was

recognised as representative of the whole Order on important historic occasions . 5 . The Order of St . John was essentially a republic , which was called into existence by the will of its own original assembly . It is not , and

never was , as Bro . Holmes has asserted , a Papal Order , but was the offspring of the small hospitaller association which formed its humble beginning at Jerusalem . Why not , then , a great majority of this republic authe-iisc the re \ i ' , ,: l ol

Multum In Parbo, Masonic Notes And Queries.

a branch here , or elsewhere ? I am not aware that Bro . Holmes has attempted to prove a direct succession for the Freemasons through the English langue , of which the last information is in 1 K z ' o . If he has , I will venture to say he has

lamentably failed . 6 . The acknowledgment of the Secretary General of the French langues is only of effect as disposing of any question that the convention was made by a fictitious body or that the documents were not genuine .

7 . I have already said that the proceedings in the Court of King ' s Bench were quite apart from the revival under the conventions with the French Knights , but I may explain that it was at that time believed that the Corporation of the Order , under tlie Letters Patent to which the " Student " has before referred , could be by this proceeding re-ennstitnted . Sir Robert Peat ' s action was

taken at the instance of Sir Lancelot Shadwell , then Yice-Chancellor of England ( who soon afterwards became a member of the Order ) , and it was no doubt considered right to adopt the recommendation of so distinguished a legal functionary . This explanation I have no doubt is

correct , as the oath taken by Sir Robert , which is signed by Sir Thomas Dcnman , and still in existence , alludes to the Letters - Patent . There may be circumstances surrounding the subject , which would require a judicial decision to

determine the value of this proceeding , but the subject , s not worth discussing , as the reviva . of the Order is not dependent upon it , and it may be as well simply looked upon as a marked public and legal notice that the banner of the Hospital was again raised in England .

And now a word on brother Holmes s boastful announcement . I believe that his terrible " document" from Rome , repudiating the English Langue , is very well known to me , has been published more than once , and has even been printed by myself . It is about as valuable and

useftu as would be a similar document from London repudiating the Roman claims ; and it had origin , if 1 correctly anticipate the terrific fulmination , in a piece of curiously under-hand dealing , of which I am happy to say I possess the history . I would have had pleasure in makinsr this interestinsr " document' known

over again , had I been aware that Bro . Holmes desired it , and hael 1 also any intention to discuss the English Order . As it is , I simply reserve to myself the right ( which 1 shall regret to exercise , as 1 hoped my task was ended ) to make a few comments upon the overwhelming repudiation which Bro . Holmes seems to have so long nursed . "Parturiunt monies . "—Lui'us .

. I ) -MASONIC HOOKS . I feel quite certain not one of the many readers of The Freemason will consider " Masonic Student ' s" budget te > be too long , but rather not long enough , for anything from his pen has never yet proved dull or uninteresting to all

lovers of the Craft and its history . I hope out brother will succeed inlnicinghislost " Pritchard , " and that it will prove to be the first edition . In my last communication the edition in my possession is stated to be of 183 7 m error . It is of 17 , 57 , just seven years after its first appearance .

The French History ol 1 745 in the " Masonic Student ' s" last budget is the 2 nd . edition ol Yarrentrapp ' s valuable little book of A . D . 1742 ( A Francfort stir le Meyn , small 8 vo . , 30 pp . \ 28 , 3 ) and apparently was edited by " Le Frere de la 'Fierce . " The discourse is in it of J 740 , and

though in one volume , it really consists of two parts . Much in it , as in the second edition , it would be well to ha \ e translated , especially the Oration of 1 740 , if some good brother would undertake that task . The collation of 2 nd edition so far as is given by Dr . Bloss is as

follows . "Ed . II . a L Orient chez G . de l'Etoile , etc , 2 Tomes , 1745 . 8 . T . I . p xii . 311 ; T . 11 . p . xii , , 322 . 2 . The particulars as to the one of 1 742 agree with the copy in my library .

The 2 nd book of 1 745 , viz ., Les Secrets eie L'Orelre eles Francs-Maeems . A Amsterdam 1741 ; . 1 have a copy of it , and believe it to be very scarce . "Masonic Student" speaks of " two interesting prints . " There are , however , sewn , and all are most interesting . The work I is bv " L ' Abbc 1 'erau . " J know this because e-f

Multum In Parbo, Masonic Notes And Queries.

a cypher which concludes the " Epitre , " and from the key given at page 174 it is the name as above . " Le Mot de Maitre" is especially curious , but of course inappropriate to be considered in this place . " M . L'Abbe Perau " also had his " Les Secret des F . M . " in Paris , 1744 , and at "Geneve , "

at first we believe 111 1742 . I have not the work of 1747 , and should like to know if it agrees with the one , of 1745 , by Perau . The Songs about 1772 , 111 MS ., is likely a copy from a book about that period . The Earl of Kelly was Grand Master of the " Athole Masons " from 1761 to 1767 . —W . J . HUGHAX " .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

STATUS OF PAST MASTERS . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In reply to a " North Country Mason , " I beg to say that , in my humble opinion , until a

Scotch or Irish P . M . has served as a Warden , and been installed in the chair of a lodge under the English Constitution , he cannot preside over that lodge , even in the absence of the W . M . and all the Past Masters .

Though a Past Master in the lodge , he is not of it , and not having been installed under our Constitution , he is ineligible to take the chair .

This may seem a regretable anomaly but , it arises from the difference of working under the three Constitutions as many Irish and Scotch Masons " Pass the Chair , " as it is called , though not actual W . M . ' s , and are then denominated Past Masters .

My own opinion long has been , that all actua Past Masters , whether Scotch or Irish , that is to say , those who have been installed W . M . ' s bona fide and presided over a lodge twelve months ,

should on formal certificate of the same , issued by their Grand Lodges , when they become subscribing members of a English Lodge , be eligible to [ election as W . M ., like all other P . M . ' s , and be effective for all the duties of a P . M . in the

lodge . This a matter which could be easily adjusted by a little mutual concession on the part of all the three Grand Lodges respectively . There can be not doubt , but , that our own Grand Lodge is perfectly correct both on the

ground of ancient usage and common sense , in the strict regulation it has hitherto laid down on the subject . " Passing the Chair" ought to be given up , both by the Irish and Scotch Grand Lodges . Such an enactment as I have now suggested , would place all actual W . M . ' s on an equality ,

and prevent many of those questions which constantly arise , to the annoyance of an Irish or Scotch Past Master on the one hand , and to the regret of our English brethren on the other . I hope I have now satisfactorily answered the questions of a " North Country Mason . " I am / yours fraternally , As- OLD P . M

I'HE MASONIC CHARITIES

'Jo the Editor 0 / The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Perusal of the leading article in the Atheiiwiim of Saturday , February the 1 st , has brought to my mind a conviction formed long ago , one too which becomes more confirmed as

circumstances increasingly occur tending to show that there is substantial ground for it . The paper to which I allude is based on several publications having reference to " The Royal Hospital for Incurables , " and therein the writer strong ! )' condemns the method of obtaininsr admission for

patients , by which " those who are elected are not so much those who reall y stand in need of help , as those who have influential friends , who can afford a considerable outlay in printing , postage , kc ., and who can collect a hundred pounds or so to purchase votes . " The facts

mentioned 111 support of this opinion are so strong that one can hardly conceive any person who carefully considers them persisting in advocacy of the present system . Tlie plan adopted in the above and many other institutions of similar character is exactly the same as that pursued b y