Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—DATE OF MOTHER KILWINNING LODGE , NO . O . ( page 127 . ) Bro . " Leo" has settled a question so far as at present I wish—that Mother Kilwinning Lodge

"claims to date from the foundation of Kilwinning Abbey in 1140 . " As to proofs of this , I do not in the least dream of them . This then , I understand , is the furthest back date that any lodge holding charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland claims

to be . It would seem that Bro . " Leo" is a Scotsman , as he tells us of a work his friend is engaged on . Can he throw any light on the work , "History of Mother Kihoinning" ? Where is this to be got ? is it published , or will it ever be ?

The words used by Bro . "Leo are sound sense : "As to the pretension of 'Mother Kilwinning ' being the mother lodge of Scotland , all the others being offshoots from it , that is simply nonsense . "

What does his esteemed friend Bro . D . M . Lyon say to this ? I confess that I would like to see a communication to THE FREEMASON from Bro . Buchan , of Glasgow , to the same effect as that of Bro . " Leo . " ONE WHO WISHES FACTS .

A MASONIC TRUTH . The jurisdiction of lodges of Freemasonry in many of the states of America take cognizance of a man in his everyday life . For example , a Freemason known to have committed any crime

in violation of the laws of the country , or in violation of the laws of morality , or even doing that which may be termed improper , is at once taken before his compeers in lodge assembled and dealt with as they think the case deserves .

A SCOTTISH TOURIST THROUGH THE STATES .

BRO . "LEO" AND " MOTHER LODGE KILWINNING . Iii proceeding to decide the date of institution of " Mother Lodge Kilwinning , " Scotland , Bro . " Leo , " a most indefatigable writer and Masonic correspondent , falls , I think , into an error which

he will be one of the first to acknowledge when the mistake is pointed out . No one , to my knowledge , has ever pretended that " Mother Kilwinning is the mother lodge of Scotland , all the others being offshoots from if . "

Certainly " it is one of our Masonic dreams ;" and , strange to say , the warmest objector to such a course , and actually the dreamer , is " Leo " himself ! Well , after this , I shall not despair of even ' •Leo" sometimes falling into the same

customs as many adopt now in Masonic discussions—viz ., imagine , and then confute . However , it is not his usual character , and tlie letter otherwise is substantially correct , although I believe the missing minute-book was dated as far back

as the sixteenth century . This grand old lodge was the mother of very many lodges , not only in Scotland but elsewhere ; and hence , from being one of the oldest , and most certainly the parent

of more lodges than of any other six independent lodges before the institution of Grand Lodge or since , it may be justly termed the "Mother Lodge Kilwinning . "

I write these few hurried lines because the historian of this lodge , Bro . David Murray Lyon , is now engaged in writing the history . of the Lodge of Edinburgh , Mary ' s Chapel , and finds his task

consumes all his spare time , and will require some months yet of hard work . With " Leo , " I anticipate much from the labours of Bro . Lyon , as his past warrants a deal more for the future . W . J . Hue HAN .

BRO . R . W . LITTLE AND THE MARK , ETC . I am very glad to see the remarks by the accomplished Mason , Brother Little , in THE'FREEMASON for March the 12 th , respecting the Ark Mariners' degree . The draft of a warrant for

working the Mark and other superior degrees , though mentioned , is not , however , presented . Likely it will be next week , as certainly anything respecting the Mark degree before this century

is of importance , now that its claims to rank as one of the oldest degrees of Freemasonry seem to be so generally admitted . I wish my friend Bro . Little could manage to

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

find time to publish the documents concerning the "Red Cross Degree , " and its connection with other chivalric degrees ; especially as these records abundantly confirm all that has been written about the degree being under the

authority of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex . I have seen a paper , signed by His Royal fli ghtless , which refers to the degree before the " Union , " and which also conclusively proves the connection of

so distinguished a Mason with so celebrated an Order . We ought to have them printed for the information of all . W . J . HUGHAN . [ The draft shall appear next week . —ED . F . \

MASONIC DRAWBACKS . Masonry suffers much less from the attacks of those without , than from the non-earnestness and want of honesty of far too many of those within . LTCO .

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF ENGLISH ARCHITECTURE . A . D . A . D . 1 . Saxon Period ... ... 1066 2 . Norman Period 1066 1145

3 . Transitional Period ... 1145 1190 4 . Lancet Period 1190 1245 5 . Geometrical Period ... 1245 1315 6 . Curvilinear Period ... ... 1315 1360 7 . Rectilinear Period 1360 1550

The above is extracted from Mr . Sharpe s "Seven Periods of English Architecture . " As for Scotland it would be rather behind England in changing from one style into another , and not until long after the Norman Conquest ( 1066 ) did

the Scots do much in the way of building stone churches . From the latter part of the 12 th century to the latter part of the 13 th was the principal era of Scottish architecture . The Scottish

war of Independence , hovyever , disturbed the intercourse between England and Scotland , and in and after tlie 14 th century the Scots adopted Continental customs and models . W . P . B .

THREE CLASSES OF MASONRV . In the 15 th and 16 th centuries we had Operative Masonry in Masonic lodges , in the 17 th century we had Social Masonry , and in the 18 th and 19 th centuries we find Speculative Masonry . W . P . . 13 .

THE YORK RITE . For the information of your readers , will Bro . Yarker give a definition of the phrase he uses , " The York Rite , " and also say how old he considers it ? KNQU 1 R ER .

THE MANN INC . HAM LETTER ( page 12 i ) . This letter is of no value as to proving that our present system existed before 1717 . It is possibly a forgery . The idea that Royal Arch Masonry "is older

than 1717 " is purely imaginary . No proof can be given for any such assertion . The date " 1686 " in connexion with "Earl y Grand Templars" or "Holy Wisdom" is of equal

value with the date " 1057 , " assumed , 64 years ago , by the Lodge of Glasgow , pretension being the foundation of both ; Truth being rather at a discount in far too many Masonic quarters .

I do not know what "the present Rosicrucian Society in England" may lie founded upon , but it appears to me that the foundation of the 17 th century Rosicrucians had about as much to do with " English Ancient Free and Accepted Masons" as I had . LEO .

"THREE years ago this autumn I had a severe attack of gout , to which I had been subject twentytwo years . After being confined to my room under treatment two weeks , I was induced try your Pain Killer , and in little more than a week was able to be at business . Two vcars before I had a similar

attack , which , with the best treatment I could get , laid mc up over four months . —T . PERRY , Red Lionsquare , Nov . 10 . 1868 . —To Perry Davis & Son , London , W . C . " The New Vadc Mccum ( invented and manufactured by Charles II . Vincent , optician , of 23 ,

Windsorstreet , Liverpool ) consists of a telescope well adapted for tourists , & c , to which is added an excellent microscope of great power and first-class definition , quite equal to others sold at ten times the juice . Wonderful as il may seem , the price of this ingenious combination is only 3 s . 6 d ., and Mr . Vincent sends it ( carriage free ) anywhere , with printed directions , upon receipt of post-office order or stamps to he amount of 3 s . iod . —[ Advt . ]

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

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

THE YORK LODGE . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At page 128 of your columns I read as follows : — " Our early traditions inform us , that from the 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 1780 . " Now it stands to reason that if said lodge was really held in said "Norman Crypt , " that could not be until said Crypt was built ; but according to the

Chronological Table of English Architecture , which I elsewhere give , the Norman period does not even begin until 1066 , viz ., until 140 years after the date of this pretended 926 affair ! Ergo , that id « a is inconsistent . Then as to this " charter , " granted by King Athelstan to this " first lodge " of Masons

—where is it ? It is purely imaginary ; charters were neither so plentiful nor so easily got in those days . The idea is simply a pretension . And as to the 926 " Grand Lodge , " that is another mistake ; the 1717 Grand Lodge , held in London , is the oldest in England or elsewhere . And the

pretended Grand Lodge of York , got up afterwards , was simply a York pretension . The " uninterrupted stream" is therefore simply an unfounded dream , promulgated by York Masons to bring grist to their own mill at the expense of the Grand Lodge of England .

I understand that as to York Cathedral , " the earliest portions now remaining are the foundations of the early Norman one . " The transepts being Lancet or Early English , the nave of the Edwardian period , and the choir somewhat later . However ,

not to go too far back , if the so-called Grand Lodge of York can prove its existence in 1716 , then by all means give it the priority—only produce the proof first . I am , yours fraternally , W . P . BUCHAN .

THE GRAND MASTER AND THE GRAND MASTER-ELECT . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have been much delighted in reading your excellent article entitled " The Grand Master-Elect of England ? as , also in perusing the capital biographical sketch of this distinguished and really noble Freemason , the

Right Hon . the Earl de Grey and Ripon , K . G . Many Masons anxious to know more of his Lordship's career than has been inserted in the pages of any Masonic publication , will be highly gratified on reading the account you have given of the M . W . the Grand Master-elect as a Mason

from A . D . 1853 , and will be all the more interested as it is patent his Lordship has really earned and become entitled to so eminent a position , by first of all , skilful Mastership of the Lodge of Truth , No . 521 , Huddersfield , by being actually the Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire for many years ,

and finally the Deputy Grand Master of England , in all of which eminent stations his Lordship has proved himself a most diligent , skilful and firm ruler of the Craft . I write this much , also to express a hope that we shall be favoured with a

sketch of the revered M . W . Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , as I am persuaded another such biographical notice of this beloved nobleman will be highly esteemed by the fraternity . Yours fraternally , WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN .

"UNIFORMITY OF WORKING . "

( To the Editor of The Freemason ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —So "uniformity of working" has been shelved . I do not wonder at it , for it has not been judiciously handled . Experienced Masons , who have made the ritual their study , are not likely to accept the dictum of those who in all

probability possess only a superficial knowledge of the work . It may , however , be doubted whether even a committee , composed of our most intelligent preceptors , would be successful in effecting the desired consummation . I am inclined to agree with Bro . Havers , " That to effect an uniformity of

working is p hysically impossible , and would join in his warning that " all men ' s memories arc not alike , " and add , that all men ' s perceptions can never be alike . If , however , " uniformity'' is impracticable and beyond our reach , I am sure most will

confess that " efficiency" is , and if the former question has been quietly put aside , I trust the latter will not be so readily consigned into oblivion . In corroboration of the statements advanced in my former communication , I would direct attention to the remarks of J . H . in THE FREEMASON of