Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ Announcements of Births , Marriages , and Deaths relating to the Craft , or their families , will be inserted , free of charge , if properly authenticated j BIRTH . Goocu . —On the 11 th instant , at- Drunimond-cottage , Bournemouth , the wife of Bro . George Goocu ( Sec . 195 ) of a son .

DEATH . MUXTZ . —Accidentally killed by a fall , at Guernsey , Bro . William Henry Muntz , soi of the late G . F . Muntz , Esq ., M P . for Bii'miiigham . —[ Brother Muntz was initiated in the Dovle's Lodge of Fellowship , No . 81 , Guernsey , on

the 12 th duly , 1 HIJ 7 , and installed as a hnight of the Order of Constantino at the formation of the Uoylc Conclave , No . 7 , on the 20 th July , 1868 . As a token of sorrow for his melancholy end both the Lodge and Conclave were draped in black at their meetings last week . — En . F . - }

Books Received.

BOOKS RECEIVED .

•' My Own Philology , " by A . Tuder . 41 Masonic Monthly" for April , lios ' . on , Mass ., U . S . A . " Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada . " ** Annual Report of Grand Chapter of Scotland , '* per Comp . Huglian , an Hon . Member . "The Freemason , " St . Louis , Mo ., U . S . A ., for 1 May .

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We are sorry that pressure of matter obliges us to still further defer the continuation of Bro . Emra Holme s ' tale , and other interesting communications .

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%\tJncnutsflit, SATURDAY , MAY 22 , 18 G 9 .

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THB FniinuAsos is published on Saturday Jfornings in tirao for tho early trains . The piico of Tim FREmttsoN is Twoponeo per week ; quarterly subscription ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annual Subscription , 12 s . Subscriptions payablo in advance . All communications , letters , Ac ., to be addressed to the EDITOII , 3 Si 4 , J . ittlo llritain , i ; . 0 . The Kditor will pay careful attention to 011 MS 3 . entrusted to him , but cannot undertake to return thorn unless accompanied by postago stamps .

The Negro And The Craft.

THE NEGRO AND THE CRAFT .

Foil some time past our brethren in America , and especially in Massachusetts , have been debating and agitating the question , " Can a negro he a Freemason 1 " and " Are the members of

coloured lodges in the United States entitled to recognition as brethren 1 " These who take the negative side in the debate affirm that the negro lodges are clandestine and spurious , inasmuch as they are not

chartered by any of the existing Grand Lodges in America . An unprejudiced statement of the facts of the case may therefore' bo deemed opportune , and , from the broad humanitarian point

of view , we are satisfied that their disclosure will add another laurel to tho chnplct which adorns the brow of our venerable Mother Grand Lodge , which has over been the champion of toleration , of justice , and of ficedoui .

In the year 1 7 SI the Grand Lodge of England , in the exercise of its undoubted powers , granted a charter to Bro . Prince Hall and other coloured men , residents in the City of Boston , and State of Massachusetts , empowering thein to meet as a

rpgnlnr Lodge , under the distinctive title of " The African Lodge , No . 159 . " The Lodge was established , and worked successfully for many years under Bro . Hall , who appears to have been a thorough Mason , and a

man of groat intelligence . It is well known that , after the conclusion of the War of Independence , and , in one instance , during its progress , tho Provincial Grand Lodges in tho United States disclaimed all allegiance to ( he

foreign grand bodies from which they derived their existence ; and , in taking this step , they were perfectly justified , not only by the exigencies of the political situation , but by every princi ple of international Masonic law . The

The Negro And The Craft.

question , however , arises , and Canada furnishes recent illustrations of the doctrine , " Are lodges to be considered spurious or clandestine because the members prefer working under their original warrants from a foreign Grand Lodge to joining

a newly erected Masonic jurisdiction in the state or dominion in which such lodges may be situated ? " or , in other words , " Was the African Lodge bound to surrender its warrant from the Grand Lodge of England , and to apply to the

Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for authority to work as a lodge' ? " We contend it was not , and hold that the Alma Lodge at Quebec , aud other -lodges in Canada , owning allegiance at the

present day to Ihe Grand Lodge of England , notwithstanding the existence of the Grand Lodge of Canada , might , with equal reason and equal justice , bo denounced as illegitimate . We have now before us a charge delivered by Bro .

Prince Hall , Right Worshipful Master , to the African Lodge , on the 25 th June , 1792 , from which we deduce the melancholy conviction that if our coloured brethren had , at that period , sought recognition or support from the

Grand Lodge of Massachusetts they would not have obtained it , so powerful was the demon of prejudice in those days , and so invincibly rooted was the senseless antipathy to the oppressed children of Africa . Wc must next consider a

point of vital importance , and . if our negro brethren can offer a satisfactory solution , we apprehend that their position as Masons will be legally demonstrated beyond the possibility of doubt .

[ n the first place , ' •Can they prove the continuous existence of the African Lodge from its formation in 1781 down to the union of the

two Grand Lodges of England in 1813 , at which latter period the lodge was undoubtedly borne upon tho roll of regular lodges \ and has the lodge been working independently ever since ?" As far as our own information extends we

believe that the lodge has hud an uninterrupted existence since 17 S-I , and its non-afliliation to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts does not in anywise affect its Masonic status or legitimacy ; indeed , its rig ht to exist independently is

illustrated by the fact that , m Boston itself , the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , originally chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland , for many years remained aloof from the territorial jurisdiction of

Massachusetts , until , at length , its members sought admission into the State fold , and were joyfully received , without any ugly question being raised as to the legality of tlieir previous position .

The whole subject in dispute , we greatly fear , is the eligibili y of negroes to the privileges of the Craft , and upon this view of the question we side at once with the nicu of colour . Caste has

been beaten down by the influence of Freemasonry , liberty of conscience has been secured by the steady adoption of Masonic principles , and » hnll we now deny to men of different hue A participation in those rites which are

symbolical of the thousand triumphs of right over wrong , or those glorious teachings which proclaim to nil mankind brotherly love , relief , and truth ? Happily , on this question , the whole moral power of English' Freemasonry is in

accord with the action taken by our forefathers iu 1781 , when they chartered the African Lodge , and tho claims » t' our coloured brethren

in flic United Stales will never be ignored by Knglish brethren , or , wc may add , by any " true and worthy Freemason , of whatever country , colour , or clime , throughout the universe . "

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—Chapter Centenaries . —We hear a . great deal now-a-days about lodges celebrating their centennial anniversaries , but as yet I have not heard of any chapters having claimed the privilege of * wearing the

centenary jewel What are our friends of the Chapter of the Nativity , No . 126 , Burnley , doing , for instance , or those of the Cana Cliapter , No . 116 , Colne , both of which , I have an impression , were founded in 1769 ?—AN'TIQUAIUUS .

The Rite of Misraim . —A brother latel y enquired in T HE FKEEMASOX respecting the rite of Misraim . Any "Tuileur" of the "Ecossais" degrees will g ive him the signs , words , and "

attouchements , " and a work is , I believe , published in New York which fully explains the bizarre pretensions of the system . There are only two members of the rite existing in Ireland , and it may be said to have died a natural death in that country . — VIATOR .

Excerpts From A Masonic Scrapbook.

EXCERPTS FROM A MASONIC SCRAPBOOK .

BY WM . . TAMES HUG HAS , P . M ., No . 131 , TRURO . No . 1 . —MASONIC KNIGHTS TEMPI . AHS . Although the degree of Masonic Knights Templars is virtually a Christian organization , and recognizes the " Prince of Peace " as its Chief Captain , the following letter from its first Grand Master to worthy knights , is confirmatory of the fact that the

Order had , notwithstanding , a considerable amount of warlike enthusiasm about it , which , though contrary to tho spirit of Jesus Christ , was after all but proving them to be genuine followers of the old Knights Templars , whose delight was in battle , and whose courage was only surpassed by their zealous attachment to Christianity .

Kxtrart of a circular letter fron the Grami Master of the Peligiott * and Military Order of Knights Templars in Eiujhind , to the Chapters of that Confraternity . Dear Brother and Knight Companion , —As the nation is preparing to guard against an invasion of our enemies , if iliey should have the temerity to make tin attempt , it is become my duty , at this important crisis , to request and

require that such of you as can , without prejudice to your families , do hold yourselves in readiness ( as Knights Templars ) to unite with , and be under the command of the officers of the military corps stationed iu your respective counties , as may be most convenient , taking ( lie name of " Prince Edward ' s Koyal Volunteers . ' When the important moment arrives , I shall oiler iny services in the navvor

army •, and , whenever I have the honour to be received , shall inform you of iny address and , although we arc prevented by adverse circumstances from assembling together , where I might hat o had tlic honour and happiness of commanding in person , yet . our hearts will be united iu the glorious cause , in conformity to the sacred obligations we are under . Let our prayers be addressed to the Throne of Grace , that , as Christ ' s

faithful soldiers and servants , we may bo enabled to defend the Christian religion , our gracious sovereign , our laws , lib- 'rtics , and properties , against a rapacious enemy . Let the word of the day bo "The "A'ill of God ; " and let ns remember that a ilav—an hour—of virtuous liberty , is worth

a whole eternity of bondage . The Knights Companions are required to wear Ihe uniform of the corps in which they serve as volunteers , with the Cross of the Order of the Knights Templar * , on a black riband between two button-holes , on the breast of the waistcoat .

Your faithful Brother and Knight Companion , THOMAS DU . VI'KICIII . KV ( G . M . ) The following is the copy of a letter from Redruth , in Cornwall , in answer to the preceding . Southampton , April 11 tit , A . D . 17 ! M . A . O ., 07 G . Most Kmiiiciit and . Supreme Grain ! . Master , —Agre » . iblc to your desires . rigi , ili , il in me by your esteemed favour of the

31 til ultimo , 1 held a Conclave , of Ihe Order of Knights Templars in our field cd' Knc . impment , at this place , on Monday the L'SlIi iilliino . where ! laid your letter before the Knights Companions . 1 have the happiness to inform you th . it I found thein stedfast in their religious principles and unanimous in their loyalty and patriotism to tlieir long and country . Two of the Knights Companions are ofliccrs in the lVnrvn Volunteer Corps an I will foll . nv your directions

in weiring the Cross ol' the Order , Sic . The rest of the companions , residing at a distmic from any established COIJH , will be ready on any emergent occasion to unite with lliem ; and they have entered into a subscription ( as Knights Templars ) to be applied towards the defence of the country ; and as lliern is a general subscription at llodmin , fur the county , and several volunteer corps on the coast for local defence , we beg your opinion and advice how to apply the money we have subscribed .

1 am ( M . K andS . OM . ) , Your faithful and all ' ectiomito Ilrothcraud K . C ., Iicdruth , 3 rd May , 17 'Ji . •' K— . Thos . Duuelieily , I ' . f . ii ., Hampton Court Palace .

MA SONIC Ai : cu . i : oi . o ( iic'Ai . IN STITUTH . —The last meeting of the s . ssion will be held on Friday evening , L'Kih May , sit eight o ' clock , when a paper will he read b y Hrother Hy de Clarke , I Ion . Treasurer , on "The History and Kc ' . al ' ur . is of iMVe' . misonry in I'Vance . " Masons not members inayupply to Ibolher W . T . Marchiini , Hon . Sec , 103 . Creat ' Russell-street , \ V C . — Advt .