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Article Multum in Parbo, or Masonic Notes and Queries. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 →
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Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
or , rather , that his teachings were not worth a fig . What I would ask Bro . " Cipes" to do is to furnish the brother's name who made the assertion , also the name of the brother who was on the throne and the names of the brethren who
were in the H . S . and L . W . I think this information is very desirable , as the daughter lodges could from that information instruct their Masters and Wardens , or proxies , how to act at the next annual election . I think what is law for the poor should be law for the rich , more especially in a
Masonic Lodge ; and if any office-bearer or member of any lodge does infringe these laws , they should be meted to the brother born with a silver spoon in his mouth in the same measure as to the brother born in the reverse , and via versa . I trust , therefore , Bro . "Cipes" will give me the desired information in your next . RUSTICUS .
THE A . AND A . RITE . The so-called constitutions of Frederick the Great of Prussia are a myth . Frederick ceased to take any active part in Freemasonry in 1 744 , and in 1762 , the date of the fabricated statutes
of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , the King was engaged in his third Silesian campaign . In 1786 , when it is alleged he confirmed the " Constitutions , " Frederick was dying at his palace of Sans Souci , and no trace of any such transaction has
ever been found by the Masons of Berlin . Frederick the Great was a free-thinker , and the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Rite would to him have been nothing but gall and wormwood . VERITAS .
SUSPENSION SUBJECT TO APPEAL . It is admitted by most Grand Lodges , and supported by our great Masonic authorities , that a sentence of suspension is subject to appeal , and , whilst it is pending , the rights of every
Freemason remain intact . The following legal opinion on this subject I quote . Sir Frederick Pollock , in the case of " Wood , Crucefix , and Stevens , " said : — "I am of opinion that parties under sentence of
suspension may , pending the appeal , exercise their Masonic rights and privileges until the final decision on their respective appeals has pronounced them either innocent or guilty . By the constitutions an appeal is given , and it is thc essence of an appeal that
it should stay execution of thc judgment appealed against , and this may be supported by analogy from every existing code of laws . In most cases a contrary doctrine would lead to thc greatest injustice and the grossest absurdity , as if a judgment affected life and limb . The case of Mr . Stevens , in an
inferior degree , is a specimen of the same sort ; thc punishment will have been suffered before the justice of it can be enquired into , unless it be held that the appeal suspended all proceedings under the judgment , which , in my opinion , it docs . " CIPES .
ALLEGIANCE TO GRAND LODGE . Allegiance to the Grand Lodge is not to he renounced without strong cause . But such cause is found when it sets at naught its own laws , and does violence to the essential principles
of Freemasonry , more particularly when this is perseveringly and systematically done . The obligations are reciprocal : those of the Grand Lodge to the daughter lodges and to the members , those of the daughter lodges and members
to the Grand Lodge . If the tie is broken , the blame lies with those who first disregard their obligations and act contrary to them ; not with those who therefore declare it to be broken , by renouncing the allegiance which they would have delighted in still continuing to render . —CIPES .
Was Sir Christopher Wren a Rosicrncian ? X . Y . Z . [ Yes . He was initiated into the mystic science by Peter Sthael , who also numbered tlie
celebrated Boyle amongst his adepts . I here is more in Rosicrucianism than ordinary Masons dream of . Read the works of Cornelius Agrippa for instance , and other curious books of the fifteenth and succeeding centuries . —ED . F ]
TWO GREAT MEN . Washington was initiated on the 4 th November , 1752 , in the lodge at Fredericksburg ; and Wellington in a lodge at Trim , Ireland , on tlie 7 th Dec , 1790 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Ever since I first had the pleasure of belonging to Freemasonry , the history of our Master Hiram Abiff has always been dear to me ; from him every true Mason has to learn
Tlie Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . HIRAM ABIFF .
his lesson—in his foot-path to step . But 1 have often asked the question , and even ask now through the medium of your valuable paper , where is Hiram Abiff ( the builder ) to be found in thc Bible ? Your correspondent " H . M . " ( page 68 ) , after having
been in the habit of studying his German Bible , would make us believe that thc English version does not give us the ' true translation , but it is to be found in Martin Luther ' s translation . But I would really beg of him to read it a little more
carefully before he makes such statements . I beg to trouble your readers with a careful examination of the passage quoted by " H . M . " from the 2 nd Book of Chronicles , 2 nd chapter , 13 th verse , and ask them to mark thc difference
of thc spelling of thc words Huram and Hiram , in Hebrew , English and German . Your readers will soon see that " Huram " ( the King of Tyre ) is not " Hiram " ( thc builder ); and ' Abiff ( father ) is no name at all . Now says the ist book of Kings , vii . 13 , "
and King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram ( Hebrew , D"Vn ) ( German , Hiram ) . In thc 2 nd book of Chronicles , chapter ii ., verse 11 , King Huram writes a letter to King Solomon , and in the nth verse Huram tells him : "And
now I have sent a cunning man , endued with understanding of Huram my father , " ( Hebrew " -IN DTI ) " !/) , ( German , " So sonde ich nun eincn Wciscn Man , derfcrstandhat , 7 Z * r-vr **; Abiff" ) . Again , " H . M . " says that Luther uses Huram thc King's
name , not Hiram the Builder ' s . He really would not use Hiram thc Builder , as the Hebrew of it is , Q-yin , not DTP ! . But how it is that in thc 4 th chapter in the nth ancl 16 th verses wc find Hiram called Huram with the van , I shall explain by ancl bv .
We see the passage in German , Huram Abiff is thc Hebrew word , " -IN Q"V } n , which the English version gives the literal—translation of this Hebrew word '' of Huram my fathers . " " 11 . M . " is mistaken to think that Luther meant Hiram Abiff to be his real
name . If he willexaminc his German or Swedish Bible , he will find Huram the King ' s name , not Hiram thc Builder ' s—Abiff , from "ON , my father . Now , the question is asked , where is Hiram Abiff to be found in the Bible ?
C To be continued ) . Yours fraternally , Clapham . S . W . I ) , STOLZ
UNIFORMITY OF RITUAL . ( To the Editor of ' The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am very much pleased to find that at length the question of " Uniform Ritual"' is in a fiir wav to be decided .
The letter of "A Provincial Brother '' ' in your issue of tlie 5 th inst ., is most pertinent to the subject . That the committee will consist solely of London Past Masters , could not for one moment be supposed ; indeed , Bro . Stevens' request ( which
appeared in your journal a few weeks ago ) that the Provincial P . M . 's would co-operate and send up their names , that they might be placed upon thc committee , effectually disposes of such an idea . Now , it is of little use a brother ' s name belli "
placed on the committee , unless he attends its meetings , and if he does attend he must incur considerable expense ; consequently thc question of " A Provincial Brother , " who is to bear those expenses ? must be immediately settled by the Provincial
lodges . I believe this subject will at our next regular lodge be brought forward , and I think I not too precipitate in saying that the requisite funds will be voted out of the lodge funds to pay the expenses of thc brother or brethren whom the
members may elect to represent them at the various meetings . 1 sincerely hope that all the Provincial lodges will take up the question , and set vigorously to work to carry out this most desirable design . One suggestion I should like to make is , that I do
Original Correspondence.
not think it absolutely requisite that every meeting should be held in London , but it would be an encouragement to us Provincials , if the committee could sometimes be convened in such places as York , Liverpool , Hull , Leeds , or other large towns
in the provinces . Of one thing I am certain , such an arrangement would materially augment the attendance . I am , dear Sir ancl Brother , Yours fraternally , P . M ., 200 .
( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is with great pleasure that I have read Bro . Gottlieil ' s letter in your issue of February 5 th , and cannot help thinking it is most lamentable in the present age , and the progress Freemasonry has of late years made , there
should be so few really perfect workers , much less those who know anything at all . And when we think of the thousands of Masons who range under its banners , the number who give their time to it is few indeed . Judge of my surprise the other week at an
installation meeting , a brother visitor was there , bedizened with a bran new Master ' s apron , who informed me he was the present W . M . of his lodge , by no means a new one . Happening to be short of a Master at the Board of Installed Masters , he was asked to take the J . W . chair . Judge of my disgust—oh
horror of horrors!—when the lodge was resumed to the second degree , lie knew nothing of the J . W . work . In opening in the third degree , he got perfectly confused with the signs , and made the most lamentable hash I ever saw made by a Mason in my life .
Bro . Gottheilisqmtcright . How often it is followed up by rotation , simply because he is " a jolly good fellow I' - ll was only the other day I visited a lodge numbering some seventy members , and I believe it to be a very old one . After scrambling through the
first ancl second degrees , the W . M . vacated the chair in thc third degree—not because he was not up in the most beautiful of all ceremonies , "but he always got tired when he came to the third ; " the reason is obvious . Another lodge 1 visited at , where some of the members wanted to place the S . W . in
the chair of K . S ., who it must be owned to his credit , refused thc honour , told mc in the course of the evening , that he never went into a strange lodge , he could not remember thc S . S . There really ought to be some notice immediately taken of Bro . G . ' s letter , as 1 feci certain , though only
myself a young Mason , it is sadly bringing Freemasonry into disrepute . My humble opinions are , that no member ought to be installed till he has passed an examination in one of the three degrees , sav the third degree , ancl it ought to be one of the
most important bye-laws in all lodges , that no member is eligible to fill any office till he is competent to do so to the satisfaction of the lodge . Apologising for the length of my letter , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , J . H .
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS . ( To the Editor of The Freemason ) . D EAR S 1 R AND BRom ER , —Many thanks for your article on "A Step in the Right Direction , " in THE FREEMASON of February 12 th . To 111 c it seems that no Mason can fairly take exception to it , for
the spirit which it breathes , ancl thc object at which it aims , are accordant with the true principles of Masonry . I confess that 1 have occasionally felt some pain at witnessing thc fastidiousness prevailing amongst Masonic brethren , in making any allusion to Christianity as the distinctive , dearly-prized and
cherished creed of many of us—that upon which our faith and hope rest , anil which we would die rather than abjure . Why should this be ? Surely , no conscientious Jew ( Hindoos and Parsees are not numerous enough amongst us in these realms to render it necessary to refer to them ) could take
offence at the avowal by any brother of his Christian convictions , or of his readiness , if need be , to stand up in their defence ; that is , always supposing that it is not done unnecessarily or in an offensive manner . If a Jew is a lew from conviction , having
seriously examined the foundations of his faith , he can feel it no reproach for a Christian brother to speak of himself as a Christian—nor if he even went beyond that , and expressed his conviction of the infinite value of the Christian religion—anymore than thc Christian who knew in whom he believed from
a rational conviction of the ground and reason of his faith , could feel it a reproach to be spoken of by a Jewish brother as a Christian . It has been my happiness to be intimate with Jews , out of Masonry ; one in particular , with whom I have conversed for
hours upon our religious convictions—Judaism and Christianity—in a calm and kind spirit , each stating his convictions without reserve , and increasing thereby our attachment to each other . If" brotherly love" and "truth" are both cardinal virtues in
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
or , rather , that his teachings were not worth a fig . What I would ask Bro . " Cipes" to do is to furnish the brother's name who made the assertion , also the name of the brother who was on the throne and the names of the brethren who
were in the H . S . and L . W . I think this information is very desirable , as the daughter lodges could from that information instruct their Masters and Wardens , or proxies , how to act at the next annual election . I think what is law for the poor should be law for the rich , more especially in a
Masonic Lodge ; and if any office-bearer or member of any lodge does infringe these laws , they should be meted to the brother born with a silver spoon in his mouth in the same measure as to the brother born in the reverse , and via versa . I trust , therefore , Bro . "Cipes" will give me the desired information in your next . RUSTICUS .
THE A . AND A . RITE . The so-called constitutions of Frederick the Great of Prussia are a myth . Frederick ceased to take any active part in Freemasonry in 1 744 , and in 1762 , the date of the fabricated statutes
of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , the King was engaged in his third Silesian campaign . In 1786 , when it is alleged he confirmed the " Constitutions , " Frederick was dying at his palace of Sans Souci , and no trace of any such transaction has
ever been found by the Masons of Berlin . Frederick the Great was a free-thinker , and the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Rite would to him have been nothing but gall and wormwood . VERITAS .
SUSPENSION SUBJECT TO APPEAL . It is admitted by most Grand Lodges , and supported by our great Masonic authorities , that a sentence of suspension is subject to appeal , and , whilst it is pending , the rights of every
Freemason remain intact . The following legal opinion on this subject I quote . Sir Frederick Pollock , in the case of " Wood , Crucefix , and Stevens , " said : — "I am of opinion that parties under sentence of
suspension may , pending the appeal , exercise their Masonic rights and privileges until the final decision on their respective appeals has pronounced them either innocent or guilty . By the constitutions an appeal is given , and it is thc essence of an appeal that
it should stay execution of thc judgment appealed against , and this may be supported by analogy from every existing code of laws . In most cases a contrary doctrine would lead to thc greatest injustice and the grossest absurdity , as if a judgment affected life and limb . The case of Mr . Stevens , in an
inferior degree , is a specimen of the same sort ; thc punishment will have been suffered before the justice of it can be enquired into , unless it be held that the appeal suspended all proceedings under the judgment , which , in my opinion , it docs . " CIPES .
ALLEGIANCE TO GRAND LODGE . Allegiance to the Grand Lodge is not to he renounced without strong cause . But such cause is found when it sets at naught its own laws , and does violence to the essential principles
of Freemasonry , more particularly when this is perseveringly and systematically done . The obligations are reciprocal : those of the Grand Lodge to the daughter lodges and to the members , those of the daughter lodges and members
to the Grand Lodge . If the tie is broken , the blame lies with those who first disregard their obligations and act contrary to them ; not with those who therefore declare it to be broken , by renouncing the allegiance which they would have delighted in still continuing to render . —CIPES .
Was Sir Christopher Wren a Rosicrncian ? X . Y . Z . [ Yes . He was initiated into the mystic science by Peter Sthael , who also numbered tlie
celebrated Boyle amongst his adepts . I here is more in Rosicrucianism than ordinary Masons dream of . Read the works of Cornelius Agrippa for instance , and other curious books of the fifteenth and succeeding centuries . —ED . F ]
TWO GREAT MEN . Washington was initiated on the 4 th November , 1752 , in the lodge at Fredericksburg ; and Wellington in a lodge at Trim , Ireland , on tlie 7 th Dec , 1790 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Ever since I first had the pleasure of belonging to Freemasonry , the history of our Master Hiram Abiff has always been dear to me ; from him every true Mason has to learn
Tlie Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . HIRAM ABIFF .
his lesson—in his foot-path to step . But 1 have often asked the question , and even ask now through the medium of your valuable paper , where is Hiram Abiff ( the builder ) to be found in thc Bible ? Your correspondent " H . M . " ( page 68 ) , after having
been in the habit of studying his German Bible , would make us believe that thc English version does not give us the ' true translation , but it is to be found in Martin Luther ' s translation . But I would really beg of him to read it a little more
carefully before he makes such statements . I beg to trouble your readers with a careful examination of the passage quoted by " H . M . " from the 2 nd Book of Chronicles , 2 nd chapter , 13 th verse , and ask them to mark thc difference
of thc spelling of thc words Huram and Hiram , in Hebrew , English and German . Your readers will soon see that " Huram " ( the King of Tyre ) is not " Hiram " ( thc builder ); and ' Abiff ( father ) is no name at all . Now says the ist book of Kings , vii . 13 , "
and King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram ( Hebrew , D"Vn ) ( German , Hiram ) . In thc 2 nd book of Chronicles , chapter ii ., verse 11 , King Huram writes a letter to King Solomon , and in the nth verse Huram tells him : "And
now I have sent a cunning man , endued with understanding of Huram my father , " ( Hebrew " -IN DTI ) " !/) , ( German , " So sonde ich nun eincn Wciscn Man , derfcrstandhat , 7 Z * r-vr **; Abiff" ) . Again , " H . M . " says that Luther uses Huram thc King's
name , not Hiram the Builder ' s . He really would not use Hiram thc Builder , as the Hebrew of it is , Q-yin , not DTP ! . But how it is that in thc 4 th chapter in the nth ancl 16 th verses wc find Hiram called Huram with the van , I shall explain by ancl bv .
We see the passage in German , Huram Abiff is thc Hebrew word , " -IN Q"V } n , which the English version gives the literal—translation of this Hebrew word '' of Huram my fathers . " " 11 . M . " is mistaken to think that Luther meant Hiram Abiff to be his real
name . If he willexaminc his German or Swedish Bible , he will find Huram the King ' s name , not Hiram thc Builder ' s—Abiff , from "ON , my father . Now , the question is asked , where is Hiram Abiff to be found in the Bible ?
C To be continued ) . Yours fraternally , Clapham . S . W . I ) , STOLZ
UNIFORMITY OF RITUAL . ( To the Editor of ' The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am very much pleased to find that at length the question of " Uniform Ritual"' is in a fiir wav to be decided .
The letter of "A Provincial Brother '' ' in your issue of tlie 5 th inst ., is most pertinent to the subject . That the committee will consist solely of London Past Masters , could not for one moment be supposed ; indeed , Bro . Stevens' request ( which
appeared in your journal a few weeks ago ) that the Provincial P . M . 's would co-operate and send up their names , that they might be placed upon thc committee , effectually disposes of such an idea . Now , it is of little use a brother ' s name belli "
placed on the committee , unless he attends its meetings , and if he does attend he must incur considerable expense ; consequently thc question of " A Provincial Brother , " who is to bear those expenses ? must be immediately settled by the Provincial
lodges . I believe this subject will at our next regular lodge be brought forward , and I think I not too precipitate in saying that the requisite funds will be voted out of the lodge funds to pay the expenses of thc brother or brethren whom the
members may elect to represent them at the various meetings . 1 sincerely hope that all the Provincial lodges will take up the question , and set vigorously to work to carry out this most desirable design . One suggestion I should like to make is , that I do
Original Correspondence.
not think it absolutely requisite that every meeting should be held in London , but it would be an encouragement to us Provincials , if the committee could sometimes be convened in such places as York , Liverpool , Hull , Leeds , or other large towns
in the provinces . Of one thing I am certain , such an arrangement would materially augment the attendance . I am , dear Sir ancl Brother , Yours fraternally , P . M ., 200 .
( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is with great pleasure that I have read Bro . Gottlieil ' s letter in your issue of February 5 th , and cannot help thinking it is most lamentable in the present age , and the progress Freemasonry has of late years made , there
should be so few really perfect workers , much less those who know anything at all . And when we think of the thousands of Masons who range under its banners , the number who give their time to it is few indeed . Judge of my surprise the other week at an
installation meeting , a brother visitor was there , bedizened with a bran new Master ' s apron , who informed me he was the present W . M . of his lodge , by no means a new one . Happening to be short of a Master at the Board of Installed Masters , he was asked to take the J . W . chair . Judge of my disgust—oh
horror of horrors!—when the lodge was resumed to the second degree , lie knew nothing of the J . W . work . In opening in the third degree , he got perfectly confused with the signs , and made the most lamentable hash I ever saw made by a Mason in my life .
Bro . Gottheilisqmtcright . How often it is followed up by rotation , simply because he is " a jolly good fellow I' - ll was only the other day I visited a lodge numbering some seventy members , and I believe it to be a very old one . After scrambling through the
first ancl second degrees , the W . M . vacated the chair in thc third degree—not because he was not up in the most beautiful of all ceremonies , "but he always got tired when he came to the third ; " the reason is obvious . Another lodge 1 visited at , where some of the members wanted to place the S . W . in
the chair of K . S ., who it must be owned to his credit , refused thc honour , told mc in the course of the evening , that he never went into a strange lodge , he could not remember thc S . S . There really ought to be some notice immediately taken of Bro . G . ' s letter , as 1 feci certain , though only
myself a young Mason , it is sadly bringing Freemasonry into disrepute . My humble opinions are , that no member ought to be installed till he has passed an examination in one of the three degrees , sav the third degree , ancl it ought to be one of the
most important bye-laws in all lodges , that no member is eligible to fill any office till he is competent to do so to the satisfaction of the lodge . Apologising for the length of my letter , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , J . H .
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS . ( To the Editor of The Freemason ) . D EAR S 1 R AND BRom ER , —Many thanks for your article on "A Step in the Right Direction , " in THE FREEMASON of February 12 th . To 111 c it seems that no Mason can fairly take exception to it , for
the spirit which it breathes , ancl thc object at which it aims , are accordant with the true principles of Masonry . I confess that 1 have occasionally felt some pain at witnessing thc fastidiousness prevailing amongst Masonic brethren , in making any allusion to Christianity as the distinctive , dearly-prized and
cherished creed of many of us—that upon which our faith and hope rest , anil which we would die rather than abjure . Why should this be ? Surely , no conscientious Jew ( Hindoos and Parsees are not numerous enough amongst us in these realms to render it necessary to refer to them ) could take
offence at the avowal by any brother of his Christian convictions , or of his readiness , if need be , to stand up in their defence ; that is , always supposing that it is not done unnecessarily or in an offensive manner . If a Jew is a lew from conviction , having
seriously examined the foundations of his faith , he can feel it no reproach for a Christian brother to speak of himself as a Christian—nor if he even went beyond that , and expressed his conviction of the infinite value of the Christian religion—anymore than thc Christian who knew in whom he believed from
a rational conviction of the ground and reason of his faith , could feel it a reproach to be spoken of by a Jewish brother as a Christian . It has been my happiness to be intimate with Jews , out of Masonry ; one in particular , with whom I have conversed for
hours upon our religious convictions—Judaism and Christianity—in a calm and kind spirit , each stating his convictions without reserve , and increasing thereby our attachment to each other . If" brotherly love" and "truth" are both cardinal virtues in