Original Correspondence.

satisfactory or reliable evidence has been offered by anyone . " The Pope , notwithstanding his bulls and fulminations against Freemasonry , I have always understood , and have seen it more than once stated , was a member of our Order ; and , although I do not now remember on what

authority , that he at one time belonged to one of the lodges in Palermo , as mentioned by Bro . Gumbleton . My impression on this subject is confirmed by the enclosed paragraph cut from the Milwaukee Sentinel , one ofthe most respectable newspapers in the North Western States of

America , and is published by that paper on the authority ofthe Voice of Masonry , a well-known American periodical . If this authority is to be relied on , it would appear that Pope Pius IX ., whose name is Mastai Ferretti , was a Freemason , and , for his perjury , was expelled from

the Order on the 27 th March last , by a decree of the Grand Lodge of the Orient at Palermo , which decree , it is said , was signed by King Victor Emanuel , the Grand Master of the Orient of Italy , and was published in an official Masonic paper at Cologne , with the minutes of the lodge

in which he was initiated . Trusting that this information may lead to the discovery of the " reliable evidence " sought for , I am , yours faithfully , 3 . BROUGHTON . Bradford , 10 th Nov ., 1874 , W . M . 302 .

"THE POPE EXCOMMUNICATED . " The Voice of Masonry publishes the following -. At the semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Masons , Scottish Rite of the Orient of Palermo , Italy , on the 27 th of March last , Pope Pius IX . was excommunicated from the

Order . The decree of expulsion was published in the official Masonic paper at Cologne , Germany , and is preceded by the minutes of the lodge in which he was initiated , and is as follows : ' A man named Mastai Feretti , who received the baptism of Freemasonry , and

solemnly pledged his love and fellowship , and who afterwards was crowned pope and king , under the title of Pio Ninth , has now cursed his former brethren and excommunicated all members of the Order of Freemasons . Therefore , said Mastai Ferretti is herewith , by decree of

the Grand Lodge of the Orient , Palermo , expelled from the Order for perjury . ' The charges against him were first prepared in his lodge at Palermo in 186 . *; , and notification and copy thereof sent to him , with a request to attend the lodge for the purpose of answering the same . To this he made no reply , and , for

divers reasons , the charges were not pressed until he urged the bishops of Brazil to act aggressively towards the Freemasons . Then they were pressed , and , after a regular trial , a decree of expulsion was entered and published , the same being signed by Victor Emanuel , King of Italy , and the Grand Master of the Orient of Italy . "

Masonic Legends.

MASONIC LEGENDS .

BY BRO . WILLIAM J AMES HUGHAN . In continuing my communications on the above subject , and as to some being in all probability the adoption of legends originally unconnected with Freemasonry , I have much

pleasure in presenting the following extract from an old work which has been kindly lent me for perusal by my esteemed Bro . W . Clarke , jun ., of Shepton Mallet . The title is , " An Historical Catechism , containing ingenious answers to many notable

questions of several wonderful matters in antient history , as , What is the opinion of all our historians about the apple Old Mother Eve tempted Adam withal : Why the devil should take the shape of a serpent : Of the building of the Tower of Babel , & c , & c .

PART I . Register'd in the Hall Book oi the Company of

Stationers . The size is i 2 mo ., and the pages are numbered 1 to 24 . There is no date now on the titlepage , but evidently was printed 1700 , or earlier . The two questions of importance to our present enquiry are ( pp . 10—n ) —

Masonic Legends.

Q . " Was there ever any attempt made to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem ?" A . "Yes . Julian Apostate , Emp . of Rome , who was once a Christian , but afterwards return'd to idolatry , resolved to rebuild the same in despite of Christ , and that this prophecy

might not prove true , that one stone shall not he left upon another but when the workmen were laying the foundation a dreadful earthquake happened , and fire issued out of the earth and destroy'd all the men and dispersed all the stones , so that there was not one stone but was separated from another . "

Q . " What happen d at their laying a Foundation ?" A . "There was a stone which slipt from its place and discover'd the mouth of a Cave cut in a Rock . The overseers of the work not being able to see to the bottom of it let down a

Labourer by a Rope , being come to the bottom , he was up to the Ancles in Water , and found the place Four-square , and laying his hand on a little Pillar above Water he met with a Book wrapt up in a clean Linnen Cloth , being drawn up the Spectators were amaz'd it should be so fresh lying in such a dark Hole .

" The Book being open'd surpriz'd both the Jews and Grecians that were present : they found in the beginning of it these words writ in Capital Letters— 'IN THE BEGINNING WAS

THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD AND THE WORD WAS GOD . " "And indeed , saith the Historian , that Scripture did manifestly contain all the Gospel which the belov'd Disciple St . John had declared . "

With respect to the date , I should say that the little pamphlet is bound up with two others , the first being " Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs , The Sons of Jacob , Translated out of Greek into Latine by Robert Grosthead . sometimes Bishop of Lincoln—and out of his copy

into French and Dutch by others , and now Englished . To the Credit whereof , an ancient Greek copy , written on parchment , is kept in the University Library of Cambridge , ( Woodcut ) . London , printed for T . Milbourn for the Company of Stationers . 16 99 .

Then follows the Catechism , and finally the "Holy Disciple , or the History of Joseph Arimathea , Being a true Account of his Birth and Parentage , his Country , Education , Piety , his beggingof Pontius Pilate , the Body of our blessed Saviour , and burying him in a Sepulchre

of his own . How he came to England and first preached the Gospel at Glassenburtj , in Somersetshire , in iiiemnr * of which there is still growing the Noted White Thorn , that buds every Christmas Day , in the morning , blossoms at noon , and fades at night ; with his Life , Death ,

and Burial ( wood cut ) . " Lower part of title page is gone . Size is also 1211 ) 0 ., and pamphlet consists of 8 pp . We give the above to assist in the date being decided of No . 2 , as they were evidently issued about the same time . Those who , interested in the

account of the " Miraculous Thorn , " should consult its history , which has been written lately by Bro . Thomas Sampson , F . R . H . S ., of Preston Road , Yeovil . But to return to the Catechism of , say , A . D . 1 7 , in which we have printed a legend

which has been incorporated in " the Royal Arch Degree . " I wrote my friend Bro . Walter Spencer respecting its contents , and received from him a quotation from Godfrey Higgins' ' * Anacalypsis , " vol . 1 , which is said to have been taken From

a work by Nicphorus Callistus , Lib . % ., cap 23 ( presumed to be a Byzantine writer ) , which , strange to say , is almost identical with the extract from the " Catechism , " and for the transcri pt of which I am much indebted to Bro . Spencer , to whom—and to Bro . Clarke—I

beg to express my thanks for such fraternal assistance in my researches . " 1 he time the foundation was laid one of the stones to which the lowest part of the foundation was attached was removed and

showed the mouth of a cavern in the rock . Not being able to see to the bottom , the overseers let down a workman by means of a rope . When at the bottom he found himself up to his ancles in water , and , on examination , by feeling , he

Masonic Legends.

found the cave to be square . On searching nearer the opening he found a pillar little higher than the water , and upon it a book carefull y folded in clean linen . This he secured and was drawn up . The book seemed fresh and untouched , to the astonishment of the beholders .

Both the Jews and Greeks were amazed to read ' In the beginning was the word , and the word was with God , and the word was God . ' To speak clearly , the writing here discovered did most evidently contain all that Gospel which was uttered by the divine tongue of the virgin disciple . "

May I ask the assistance of my good brother , the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , in determining the date of issue of the Catechism , and likewise to dee'de when the legend was first promulgated , or when it can first be traced in MS . and print ? I shall continue my researches , and anticipate further revelations soon , in response to our united and energetic examinations of Records and old MSS .

Consecration Of The Bertie Lodge (No. 1515) At Oxford.

CONSECRATION OF THE BERTIE LODGE ( No . 1515 ) AT OXFORD .

On Friday , Nov . 6 th , a meeting was held at the Apollo University Masonic Hall , for the purpose of consecrating the Bertie Lod ge , No . ijjij ,, The University Lodge had been kindly lent for the occasion b y R . W . Bro . F . P . Morrell , of the Apollo Lodge .

The brethren assembled at the lodge about half-past three o ' clock , and shortly afterwards the procession of Prov . Grand , and Past Prov . Grand Officers entered the lodge . As the procession was entering the following verses were chanted b y the brethren , under the direction of Bro . Hallewell : —

" Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it . Except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain . It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise tip early and so late take rest and eat the bread of carefulness , for so He giveth His beloved sleep . "

The presiding officer , W . Bro . R . J . Spiers , F . S . A ., P . G . S . B ., D . Prov . G . H . of Oxfordshire , who had been appointed by the Acting P . G . M ., R . W . Bro . IE . J . Mclntyre , Q . C , Grand Registrar in charge of the province , to undertake the ceremony , then took the chair , and with Bro .

Pickard , P . M ., as S . W ., the lodge was opened in the first degree . The P . S . G . W . Bro . Morrell ( W . M . of the University Lodge ) then addressed the presiding officer , stating the object of the meeting and the wishes of the brethren . After the Secretary had read the petition and warrant ,

and the brethren of the new lodge had signified their approval of the officers designate of the Bertie Lodge in the usual manner , the new officers , who were , Bros . Galpin , Mayor of Oxford , W . M . designate ; Jason Saunders , S . W . designate ; Eagleston , J . W . designate .

The lodge was then consecrated in acient form by the Presiding Officer , after which came an anthem from Psalm 133 , " Behold how good and joyful a thing it is , brethren , to dwell together in unity , & c . "

The customary offerings of corn , wine , and oi ! having been made , the lodge was constituted , after which Haydn ' s Hymn , " The spacious firmament on hi gh , " was sung with great effect by the brethren .

The installation of the W . M . designate and the investment of the new officers followed . Bro . Spiers conducted the whole ceremony with judgment and ability . In the evening the brethren dined together .

The banquet was held in the Council Chamber of the city of Oxford , a fine old room , decorated with portraits of some of the Sovereigns of England , and of municipal benefactors and city magnates , and it was well worthy of the occasion . The chair was taken by the new

W . M ., the Mayor of the City , and there were present the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . R . J . Spiers , who had performed the duties of Consecrating Officer of the new lodge , and had installed the W . M . and officers- by the Treasurer , Bro . Round , who , singularly enough , has subsequently ( on the oth inst . ) been unani-