Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents .

MASONIC WORKING . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I think I see indications , here and there , of the revival in Freemasonry of the desirability of which I , some weeks since , expressed a conviction . And I am not sure that our long vacation , now being entered upon ,

may not be a favourable time to promote and intensify it . The thing to be desired is the raising up of Masonry from a mere formality , and the revivification of the whole body of our ceremonials . These may be regarded as the skeleton , into which has to be breathed the breath of life , to make it exist to

any purpose . Of what use were the very many dry bones which the prophet Ezekicl , when carried out in the spirit into the midst of the valley , saw lying before him ? They were so dry , that when the prophet was asked if they could live , he knew not what to reply , and only said , " Oh Lord God , thou knowest . " But they did live , when , as commanded ,

he prophecicd upon them . " As I prophecied , " says he , " there was a noise and a shaking , and the bones came together , bone to bone , " and then he beheld " all the sinews and the flesh come up upon them , and the skin covered them above . " Nevertheless , there was no living breath in them . They were still inanimate . Then he was commanded to

prophecy still further , and he did so ; " and the breath came into them , and they lived , and stood up upon their feet , an exceedingly great and living army . " We cannot conceal from ourselves the fact that there are dry bones , very many in number , to be seen in Masonry—not in one valley but in

manybones so dry that some may think it doubtful whether they can be clothed with muscle and flesh , and have life breathed into them so that they may become a large living army . But let us not despair , further , at least , than the prophet did . He could hardly think it possible that the dry bones he looked upon should live again , but he did not refuse to

prophecy— once , twice—and wait until he saw them reanimated , and stand up an exceeding great army . So must we , who . desire to see the Masonic dry bones reanimated . In various localities wc find erudite and zealous brothers who feel that Masonry is nothing if it be but a cold and lifeless form , as it is in too many places—a lame and

limping form that scarcely hobbles along , over even the shortest level space—giving up much of their time , and labouring patiently and perseveringly , and prophecying over the dead bones , and invoking the spirit of life that it may enter into them and raise them up ns intelligent beings , with understanding opened to receive light and truth in the love thereof ;

making , in fact , what Dr . Mackey , in THE FREEMASON a week or two since , rightly called esoteric Masons , " no longer content with thc knowledge received at the pedestal , but pressing onwards to pass beyond thc porch of the Temple , acquiring those lessons which adorn the path of life , and cheer the bed of death . " All honour to those so

engaged , and so strenuously working ! Let them not be discouraged , because the success they desire may not always accompany their labours . Let them continue to " prophecy , " again and again ; and success must follow . The work to be accomplished is a great one , and it is not to be accomplished all at once . By-and-bye , they will think of

Wordsworth—Great is the glory , for the strife is hard . Even I , who have passed the extreme of thc years allotted to the life of man , look forward to thc time when wc shall no longer find brethren vacating thc chair of K . S . because they cannot work the ceremonies , or , what is worse , so working them as to deprive them of all instructive and impressive

power ; but everything being done decently as well as in order , our beautiful doctrines and ritual will become a living force in , the heart and conscience , and Masonry exercise its proper influence upon the world around us . May I here advert to the " open night'' of the Chapter of Prudent Brethren , repotted in the last

number of Tnn FREEMASON , as a great step in advance of anything heretofore attempted , as far as I know ? Nay , they not only attempted a great thing ; they carried it out in perfection . Wc had not only thc three clauses of the first section of Royal Arch Masonry admirably worked , and thc historical , symbolical , and mystical lectures most

beautifully and impressively given , but the address and charge of the section , with an illustration of the symbolism of the Royal Arch jewel and thc Platonic bodies , and the closing address and charge to the third chair and the exordium , address , ancl charge to the second chair , with an illustration of thc trowel , ribbon , and four principal banners and ensigns , all given by Companion Brett in a

Original Correspondence.

manner to call forth vehement expressions of satisfaction and delight from all who listened to him . Nor must I omit to notice the opening oration of Companion Wentworth Little , and the closing address of the indefatigable Brett , all enlightening the mind and elevating the feelings to an extent

which cannot fail to be productive of much and permanent good . Why should this be a solitary " open night" ? AVhy should not the example set by the Prudent Brethren Chapter be followed by other chapters , and by lodges , also ; so that the Prudent Brethren

may be referred to—not as singular , but as having been the pioneers in this new and most useful path ? I have a notion , moreover , that these " open nights" might become something like general convocations—not to trench upon the prerogatives of Grand Chapter , but as auxiliary thereto , in which ,

in addition to the working of some parts of our rituals and ceremonies , both Arch and Craft , useful suggestions might be made and useful questions be calmly and competently discussed , greatly to thc good of Freemasonry . I could not pretend to suggest anything like a

programme for such mghts ; I leave that for better informed and cleverer heads . I merely throw out the suggestion , in the hope that it may be taken up and made something of by brethren of knowledge and influence , in both Arch and Craft . A good

beginning has been made . Thc time seems come for following it up with some success , and I respectfully and deferentially invite those who feel as I feel , but can work better and more effectually than I can , to " keep the ball a rolling . " WILLIAM CARPENTER .

ANTIQUITY OF FREEMASONRY . ( To thc Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At page 177 of last week ' s FREEMASON , I perceive a rather curious letter from a Brother under the signature of " Montra . " If he is not joking , I consider his letter

to be the most wonderful piece of Masonic assertion that ever appeared in your columns . He states that " Bro . C . I . Paton openly declared that ' Freemasonry was in a flourishing condition in the year 1136 , 111 the northern part of Great Brl '„ t ! ii . ° No answer in thc negative has been given to this ,

nor do 1 think it possible for any one to do so . " (' . ) Wonderful , if true ; however , let " Montra" turn to page 128 ( March 12 th ) , and he will their perceive that an answer "in the negative" has been given to this imaginary idea , thc words being "said present method ( of Scottish Freemasonry ) was

never practised in Scotland before thc first 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 . " However , to thc point ; allow me to throw down thc gauntlet in thc following terms , viz : —1 , William Paton Buchan , Master Mason of

thc Lodge of Glasgow , St . John , No . 3 bis , Grand Steward Grand Lodge of Scotland , eco , hereby and forthwith challenge Bros . Chalmers Izett Paton , " Montra , " and all other Master Masons thoughout Great Britain , as well as thc world at large , to prove the existence of our Freemasonry , or

Speculative Masonry , with its system of three degrees , ceremonies , rituals , and secrets , before A . D . 1717 , much less "in thc year 1136 , " or " the year 926 . " That is my challenge ; who will dare to take it up and prove me to be wrong ? There arc many lodge records still extant long before 17 / 7 , but 1 have

never as yet heard of anything in them to set aside this 1717 theory , but quite the opposite . As to " 926 , " Bro . " Montra" can read my remarks at page 139 ( March 12 th ) . And as to the date " 1136 , " that is the year Melrose Abbey was begun , but it is also the year when a former Glasgow Cathedral

was so far finished as to be dedicated , hence what value is there in this " 1136 " date ? More , both of these early structures , 1 am inclined to think , were built almost , or altogether of -wood . And as to the stone-work of our Glasgow Cathedral , with the exception of a small remnant of about A . D . 1190 , the

older portion , or thc line Crypt or Choir , are , I believe , about the middle of thirteenth century and after 1532 . While , as lo Melrose Abbey I am not aware of any portion that can be pointed to as being so old as the time of Robert the Bruce , or A . D . 1329 . While , therefore , 1 admit that there were Operative

Masons , as well as Operative Freemasons , long before A . D . 1717 , just as there were operative carpenters , or operative glaziers ( colouring of the glass and working out the designs was surely as much a glazier ' s mystery as working stones was a mason ' s ) , and while I admit that these operative masons

admitted non-operatives as honorary members , or as members of their friendly society , with permission to attend their social gatherings and enjoy the "fun and frolic " then and there dispensed , yet 1 deny that any of these Craft societies . Masonic ov otherwise , practised orproniulgated our Freemasonry with its doctrines , noble itleas , degrees or ceremonies . Drs . Desaguliers , Anderson and Co ., the manufac-

Original Correspondence.

turers of Freemasonry , about A . D . 1717 , simply made use of the old operative Masons , their societies and their nomenclature , just in so far as served their purpose . They mixed operative Masonic ideas , Rosicrucian lore , Egpytian and Jewish legends , & c , and

so made up that system winch has been , and may yet be , as thc old 1723 Constitution says , "the centre of union , and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must have remained at a perpetual distance . " I am , yours fraternally , W . P . BUCHAN .

THE " MASONIC TOBACCO-BOX . " ( To thc Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —My letter at page 176 being sent off for March 28 th , I was unable to include the opinion of my friend Bro . D . M . Lyon , which I have since received ( viz ., on ist inst . ) I shall therefore feel obliged if you will allow me to

give it now . It is as follows : — " Dear Brother Buchan , —I have examined the photo , of the engraving which is traced on the lid of the ' old tobacco-box . ' The design of the etching , with its Elizabethan scrolls and ribbon-suspended jewelsand implements , & c ., is of the same elaborate character as that which we find employed in Scotch Masonic diplomas of the last half

of the 18 th century . Thc emblems belong to modern Freemasonry , and could have had no meaning in the eyes of the members of Scotch lodges of 1670 , for at that period they knew nothing of ' the three degrees . ' To render the engraving of any use in proving existence in 1670 of the system of which it is a beautiful and comprehensive illustration , it would be necessary that

unquestionable evidence should first be produced of its having been executed at the date in question . "D . MURRAY LYON . " It will be seen that Bro . Lyon ' s opinion corresponds with those of Bros . " Leo " and Hughan and myself , which all point to thc latter half of last century being nearer the true date than 1670 . Perhaps

some of your correspondents will allow me to call their attention to the mantling round the Drummond arms , also to the Louis Quatorzc ornamental scolls which arc depicted at each end of the engraving of Masonic emblems . The period of the two

do not seem exactly to correspond ; perhaps the copyist was not careful enough when manufacturing l . lo de-ign ? If thc intention was to pass off these Masonic emblems as being engraved in " 1670 , " then I simply consider thc thing a downright forgery . I am , yours fraternally ,

W . P . BUCHAN . P . S . To the remark at page 176 , " No cadet of Drummond had any right to these arms , " add the words—without the brizurc . AV . P . B .

A JEWISH LEGEND . ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your readers ' attention was called by AA' . T . B ., page 164 of your valuable paper , in a quotation from Dr . AA'illiam Smith ' s Dictionary of the Bible to a Jewish legend relating to " Hiram , " of which AAM' . B . remarks " that ' s a nut

for Freemasonry to crack . " I am not aware in what Jewish book this " legend " is to be found , but even if there exists such story , we , as Masons and Christians , need not to believe it , for even Maimomdes , the great Jewish writer , in his book Morch N'bochim , or Guide to the Perplexed , strongly condemns all thc absurd fables contained in the Talmud . Surely

we ought to do the same , but wc have some veiy valuable , instructive , useful Masonry in the ancient Jewish writings . Even Christian commentators have explained passages from their writings , and , to use Bro . Carpenter ' s words , " it is' always important to ascertain the truth , and desirable to be

able to attach more definite meaning to any ritual wc may use . " I beg you to allow me space in your excellent paper to quote thc opinions of thc following learned Rabbis and historians , explaining thc meaning of some of the passages used amongst Masons . 1 shall commence with " Hiram . '' As we

have had some controversy on thc subject and passed our opinions about him , it might be interesting to your readers to hear what those Rabbis have explained . Perhaps it might be as well to give an account of the years those Rabbis I intend quoting from lived . Rabbi Saadiah Goan , who was born at Tithom ,

in Egypt , in £ 92 , was chief of the college at Sara . Rabbi Solomon Jarchi , born at Luncl , 10 30 . Rabbi Abraham Abcn Ezra , in 1100 , who was skilled in many languages , and a great traveller . Rabbi David Kimchi , said to have been born at Narbonnc , in 1190 . Thc celebrated late Dr . M'Caul says of Kimchi ' s Commentary— " Though written six hundred years ago , it will bear a comparison

with any that has appeared even in the 19 th century . A ^ aluablc in itself , it has other points of attraction for the Christian student , and has been one of thc sources / zviw which commcntatorx , $ \ ncethe Reformation , hair drawn most valuable materials . " Don Isaac Aberbanal , was born in Lisbon , 1487 , his son embraced Christianity , and wrote eleven works , besides his Commentary on thc Bible . Rabbi Moses Bur Main , commonly known