Charity.

tains becomes as nothing without charity—for " charity Clove ) envieth noi" — " thinketh no evil , but rcjoiceth in the truth "—it belongs to Masons , therefore , to so moelel t heir own lives by the principles of charity in its entirety , that they may justly bc the true exponents of that virtue , " I'hc chanties that soothe , and heal and bler-5 , Are scattered at the feet of men like flowers . "

Antiquity.

ANTIQUITY .

One would think that Masonry , reaching * back into tbe dim past , as it tbes through its descent from the old guild , wight _ c consi 'cred sufficiently venerable without borrowing anything from fancy , bul there seems to bc an ever freshly- ' ''cuning desire lo cover its poor old bald pate with antique laurels , ami notwithstanding * the rude blows which

tumbled the venerable and gentle Doctor Oliver off his linliby-horse into Ihe ditch as he ramc gently ambling over the Lincoln-road , gossiping iu bis soft-hearted Way about the lodge which Adam opened in Eden , and the two Ma-Minic pillars which Grand Master Seth built to preserve its secrets through thc Hood , wc find distinguished Masons indulging in equally preposterous talk at the present day .

Think of gravely assuming that out * Aborigines arc thc tine descendants of the ten lost tribes , and proving it by showing that they possessed several Masonic secrets especially pertaining lo thc Scottish Rite . Charles W . Moore once giavcly related a visit which he made to a lodge of Indians in Centrtil America , and declared their Masonry to be identical with ours ; and ,

although wc know that every lotlge now existing in the woiltl is a lineal descendant from thc Grand Loilge of I ' tigland , we occasionally hear of lodges which arc said to have existed from time immemorial in Asia . Then wc have Pyramid Masonry , which , rather curiously , inslca'l of being the practical rules which governed the Craftsmen ivho built the Pyramids , is the traditional history of

initiation into the ancient religious mysteries . Even Dr . Mackey giavcly argues that thc Esscncs must have been Freemasons for twelve geiod and eopcnl reasons , which he iiiiiinetates ; ami some of our Grand Commanders tell what our ancient brethren , the Templars , 'lid in the niidt'lc ages . Arc wc not in danger o' having thc world ' s people speak of us as Charles Dudley Warner docs of the camel ?

"No human royal family dare bc uglier than the camel , lie is a mass of bones , faded tufts , humps * , lumps , and sphy joints ami callosilics . His tail is a ridiculous wisp , ami a failure as an ornament or fl ) brush , liis feet arc simply big sponges . For skin covering lie has patches of oil buffalo robes , failed , anti with the li ^ ir worn off . Hi . ; v lice is more disagreeable than his appearance . With a

tipiitalioii for patience , he is snappish ami vindictive . His endurance is ovcrratetl ; thai is lo say , be dies like a sheep if he is not well fed . His gait racks muscles like the ague . " And yet this ungainly creature can its hi : ; heal in the air , and regards thc woiltl out of his great brown eyes

with disdain . I he very poise of In j bead say ? , ' I have ciiiic out of the dim past ; thc Deluge did not touch me ; I helped Shotoo build the Great Pyramid ; I knew Egypt when it hadn ' t anjobclisk nor a temple . There are three t > f ns ; the date-palm , the Pyramid , anel myself . Everything else is modern . Go to ! go to ! ' "—Token .

New Zealand.

New Zealand .

NAPIER . —Victoria Loclgo ( No . 1577 ) . —The uvular monthly meeting of this lodge was held at the M isonic Hall , Munroc-street , Napier , on Tuesday , thc 8 th April . 1 here were present Bros . De Lisle , W . M ., in the tliair ; Coombs , S . W . ; Dcigleby , J . W . •Plalford , Secrctuy ; Ituven , Treasurer ; Apchurch , S . D . ; Bee , J . D . ; Duncan , I . G . Bro . Wundram , a P . M . of the S . C . ' , was

i"i the dais , and later in the evening Bro . Bactram , ihe I . P . M ., took his seat to the left of the W . M . About thirty '" embers as well as several visiting brethren were present . I lie lo ' . ' gc was opened in due form , and the miii"tes of Hie previous rtgulai and two emergency tneclings were ad

r ¦ and confirmed . The ballot was then taken for Bro , t ' lias . Evans , of Maldon lodge , Victoria , 1047 , E . G ., and W Henry Charles Pirani , of 364 , E . C , as joining brcth"" . ami both were declared elected . The billot was then Men for Mt . Addison Newbold , who , at the previous re-E'llar meeting , had been regularly proposed and seconded

' * -1 fit and proper person lo be made a Mason . Mr . - '•e . Ybeild was declared accepted . Bro . Williams was then ¦«* = iiiiiied as to his proficiency , entrusted , and passed out . "te loelge was then opened in the Second Degree , and ""' . Hollis was examined , entrusted , ami passed . The ' y * 4 e was then opened in the Third Degree , and Bro . "His , who had been regularly prepared , was admitted

ij'W raised to the high and Sublime Degree of a M . M . he lodge was then lowered to the Second Degree , and OM . Williams admitted , and passed to the Second Degree . he lod ge was then lowered 10 the First Degree , and Mr . •iK'boId was initiated into the mysteries and privileges of ¦ V'cient Freemasonry . The W . M . then informed the bre' * - - » that , in accordance with a resolution passed at the : , ' ¦ * ' regular meeting , and of which they had been informed

/ j * circulars , he woultl send the benevolent box round in ' *' ¦¦ 'f the Kailangata sufferers . Twenty-three pounds * as collected from the brethren , and ten guineas was voted £ n the funds of the lodge in addition . Nothing further ' " ; "g for the good of Masonry , the lodge was closed in '' ' e ' , Jove , anil harmony at 11 p . m .

| h Ao . David James will take the chair at the ^ ' " j ' -fourlh annual dinner of the Royal General Theatrical

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

CAGLIOSTRO . Bro . S . Beswick , in his Swedenborg Rite , and the great Masonic leaders of the eighteenth century ( advertised in Bro . Kenning ' s catalogue ) , illustrates the connection of Caglicistro wilh thc Masonic " Philaletlies " o [ the continent , and informs us that he received thc hospitality of the Swedenborgian Society when in London . Cagliostro was very far from being a perfect man , but he had great

capacity , and 111 sonic respects he was maligned and much misunderstood . Those who know sufficient to have kept them out of the cul-dc-sac of thc Materialistic Scientist may peruse the account ot him which has been left behind by Prince Talleyrand in his recently published " Memoirs . ' ' As " Masonic Student" does not belong to the so-called high-grades , I may say that thc cypher which he gives is a variation of that of the Kadosh Degree . J YARKER .

J , EXCLUSION OF . —The exclusion of Jews from Freemasonry has always been , in our opinion , a mistake , a folly , and an injustice . It has happily never existed in England , though in some parts of Germany—owing mainly , wc believe , le ) the high grade teaching , and the theories of a mystical Christian school—that exclusion was maintaincTl in former years , and has not yet

altogether ceased . We trust , however , that thc true principles of Masouic toleration will yet prevail everywhere , and that this meaningless and unjustifiable exclusion of those who are excellent Masons will soon be a thing of th : past . It is impossible , in our opinion , to justify the exclusion ot Jews on any ground whatever from Craft Masonry . — kenning ' s Masonic Cyclnpa'diii .

FiiEiiEiucK II ., THE GREAT . —King of Prussia , born in 1712 , died in 1786 . Was made a Freemason at Brunswick , secretly , at midnight , on the 14111-15111 August , 1 7 . ^ 8 , at the Hotel de Korn . There were assembled three well-known brethren from Hamburg , belonging to the lotlge called afterwards "Absalom , "—Baron von Oberg , Master of thc lodge ; Von Bielfcld , the Secretary ; liaron

von Lowcn ; anil some brethren from Hanover—Graf von Kielmansegge and F . C . Albcdyll . Graf Albert Wolfgang von der Lippe Bueksburg , —who , it is said , had been initiated in England , first defended the Order before thc King , then Crown Prince , at thc Chateau of Loo , in II illand in the presence of the King of Holland , —was also present as well as Graf von Wartcrsleln-ii , seeking initiation .

Bielfcld is quoted by the "Haiidbuch" as saying amusingly , in one of his publishc I letters : " Nous uc comptous pas de faire encore un long sejaur a Brunswick , parcc qu'il y a ici une tele couronne ' e elc treip , qui pourroit de ' couvrir epic nous avons P'cu le Prince son Ills dans l'ordre , etmanquer dans sa mauvaisc humour de respect aux Tres Venerables . " Iu consequence e > f the disapproval of Freemasonry by the

Prince ' s father , King William Frederick I ., thc reception hail to bc secret ; anel Graf von Wartersleben , a Prussian officer and friend of thc Crown Prince ' s , was received into Freemasonry at thc same time . Baron von Oberg is saiel to have bt-en Master , Von Bielfcld Orator , and the Tyler was a scrvent of V 0 . 1 Oberg , of the name of Rabon . The work ceased at four in the morning of the icth , the Prince

receiving the Three Degrees . Bielfcld also says distinctly , " Enfin nons le recumes dans toutes les formes dues et rcquise-s . " Frederick thc Great to ak treemasonry openly under his protection the moment he became King , in 1740 , and remained its friend until his death . He opened a lodge at Charlottenburg , over which he presided in person , anil in which Bielfcld and Ionian were officers , and his two

brothers , Prince William and thc Margrave Charles , anel the Duke Holstem , Von Beck , were members . His Master ' s hammer still remains in thc Grand Lodge of the Drci Wcllkugcln , at Berlin . He was also the founder and the Proteclor of the Prussian Grand Lodge of the Three Globes just mentioned . On more than one occasion he spoke warmly of the Oreler . In 1774 he said : " Elle se fera

toujours un plaisir bien sensible de co-ope ' rer pour la puissanie proteiti -n au but principal el :: teiute vraie Francmaconntrie ctllc dc renelre les homines plus sociables , plus veitueux , et plus bieufaisants . " In 1777 he thus expressed himsell iu a lelter to Dclagaoncre , W . M . of the Lotlge De bt Royale York dc l'Amitie , at Berlin , in reply to a congratulatory letter on his birthday : " Une socie ' le ! e-ui ne

tiavaille qu'a faire germer et fruciifier toutes sortes des vertus elans mes Elats pent toujours compter sur ma ptotection . " In 1777 he also , wheu his nephew , Prince Fredetick of Brunswick , was elected G . M . of the National Multer Loge at Berlin , thus addressed the G . M . and members : " Je ne puis qu ' applaudir infiniinent a l ' esprit qui aninie tous les membres a former de bons patriotes et de

fideles sujets . " And in a Cabinet order of February 7 th , 177 8 , we find these words : " Sa Majesle * est bien aisc de l ' assurer a son tour , tju ' elle s'interessera toujiurs avee plaisir au bonheur et k la prosp & ite : d'une assemble-e qui , comme elle , met sa premiere gloire dans une propagation infatigable et non interrompue de tout-. s les vertus de l'honnete homme et du vrai patriote . " Of Frederick the

Great ' s friendly feeling and protection towaids Freemasonry , which lasted until his death , there can be no possible doubt . But a great and serious question has arisen—Did Frederick the Great also protectand reorganise the A . and A . S . Rite , whether in 1762 or in 1786 ? We fear that , despite the views and statements of some able brethren , we must come to thc critical and historical conclusion that the

documents relating 10 this alleged revision are neither authentic nor genuine . The following opening sentence of May , 1786 , always has struck us as , so to say , maele up , not natural in itself : " Nos Freelericus , Dei Gratia Rex etc ., supremus , magnus Protector , magnus Commendator , magnus Magister universalis et Conservator anti-quissima ; et venerabilis societatis , veterum , liberoium , aggregatorum

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Stiactorum et Latomorum Aggregatorum feccrunt , " etc ' " Stractorum" is , no doubt , a clerical error for ' •structorum , " but " structorum , " though of a classic use , is not of mediaeval use of Masons . Thc French reading clearly takes us back to Ramsay ' s theory of knightly and military Freemasonry . Indeed , we are inclined to think lhat the document dates from the Council of Paris , 1787 , and the French

high grades . One question occurs—Who has ever seen the original ? So far as wc arc aware , no contemporary witness of it is known to exist , nor is thc original producible . The names of the signatories are absolutely unknown , except Stark and Wollner , and there is every reason to doubt their signatures . And though , as wc have said elsewhere , we do not accept the Charleston

arrangement theory , as there is evidence of the Thirty-third Degree at Geneva before that time , we yet feel it to be our duty to say , on calm consideration , and in the interests of Masonic truth , that the document professing to be signed by Frederick the Great cannot bc upheld as a real and historical document . The documents ire French in origin and in manipulation , in our humble opinion , and though not fully

developed in 1762 , when Stephen Morin received Ws patent , were known in Europe before thc so-called addition of the eight grades iu America . That wc hold to be an utterly untenable view , and one entirely contradicted by recent evidence that might bc adduced , of the existence of thc Tnirty-thirel Gratlc in the last years of thc last century . — Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

At the last meeting of the Merchants Lodge , No . 241 , at thc Masonic Hall , Liverpool , Bro . Thomas Salter , J . W ., was elected W . M . for the ensuing year . The installation will take place on Tuesday next , the 24 th inst ., anel the banquet will again bc held at Southport in thc evening . A report will appear in due course . The brethren of the De Grey and Ripon

Lodge , No . 135 6 , gathered 111 strong force on Wednesday , thc 1 ith inst ., at theis head-quarters , 80 , North-hillslrccl , where the W . M ., Bro . James W . Williams , presided . After initiation and passing , the brethren unanimously and with great cordiality elected Bro . Alfred Woolwich , S . W ., as the W . M . for thc ensuing year . Bro . E . Paull was unanimously re-elected Treasurer , and Ihe Auditors

and Committee of thc Fund of Bw-nevoleiicc were also subsequently appointed . At a meeting of tho Society of Antiquaries of Lond 111 , held at Burlington House , on Thursday , the 12 th in * t ., liro . James Lewis Thomas , Past Grand Dir . of Cer ., was elected a Fellow . A bazaar in aid of the new chapel of the

Asylum for Fathetlcss Children was opened on Tuesday , thc 17 th inst ., by Mrs . Brassry , atthcCaimoii-strcct Hotel . Mrs . Brassey , who was accompanied by Sir Charles Reed , spoke a few words in support of the institution , after which the bazaar was declared to be opened . The bazaar is held in the large hall of the hotel , the stalls , which are about twelve in number , being ranged along thc sides of the

room . The Marquis of Hatlington will preside at the nineteenth anniversary dinner of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution , at Willis ' s Rooms , on Monday , the 30 th inst . On Saturday last the 14 th inst ., the remains of our esteemed Bro . A . C . Burrell , P . M . 1446 , were interred

in Paddington Cemetery , Willesden-lanc . Amongst those present we noticed the following brethren , viz .: Bros . B . H , Swallow , P . M . 382 , 156 ^ , P . P . G . J . W . Middx . ; W . Ough , P . M . 1446 , P . G . P . ; E . Farwig , W . M . 180 ; W . Maxsted , 180 ; A . Souttar ; Honcyman , P . M . 1238 ; T . Puleford , P . M . 1158 ; C . Hose , 1446 ; J . Detraz , 14 : ; T . Cull ,

| . W . 1446 ; W . T . Morphew , W . M . 1585 -, T . B . Docker , j . W . 1687 ; Iriuth , 1507 ; Muakloiv ; J . A . Hammond , 1563 ; H . Stewart , 780 ; E . J . Scott , P . M . 749 ; and others . A new pier has been opened at Wandsworth , it which tbe liver steamboat ! call at frequent intervals .

The current number of the Architect contains an illustiation of the new premises of Mr . Breutini , "The Popinjay , " 112 , Fleet-street , recently completed from the designs of Mr . Samuel Knight , F . K . I . B . A . Mr . Ikewer ' s carefull y selected library has been this week sold by auction by Messrs . Hodgson , of Chancery-lane , and has realised the sum of nearly £ 1000 .

The Earl of Shaftesbury will preside at the first public meeting on behalf of the Tyndale Memorial , which will be held in the Jerusalem Chamber , West , minster , on Wednesday , tbe 25 th inst . The consecration of the Marquis of Dalhousie Chapter , at 33 , Golden-square , took place on Thursday , the irjth inst . A full report will appear in our next .

The ceremony of laying the first stone of the newwingofthe Royal Hospital for Incurables at West Hill , Putney-heath , by the Piince of Wales , will take place on the 7 th July next . DR . BERNARDO ' HOME FOR DESTITUDE GIRLS . —Three new cottage homes were on Wednesday last opened , anil Ihe foundation stones of two others , in connection with Dr . Barnarelo's Village Home for Orphan ,

Neglected , anti Destitute Girls , Barking-road , Ilforel , were laid by the Princess Mary ; the foundation stone of a third cottage be ing laid by the . Countess of Aberdeen . MASONIC SONGS . —A selection of Masonic Songs , set to popular airs , written by Bro . E . P . Philpots , M . D ., F . R . G . S ., is now reaely , forming a handsome volume , bound in cloth , with gilt edges , 3-. Sent post-free from the office of this paper on receipt ' of stamps or post-office order value 5 s . 2 d . —Advt .