Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—In the Critic of October lGth , 1854 , p . 555 , there is a notice of a volume of selections from the Diary of Sebastian Giustinian , ambassador from the Venetian llepublic to the Court of

Henry VIII . Can Brother Yarker inform us whether this personage was an ancestor of the Abbe Giustiniani , to whom allusion is made by Robson in his sketch of the Order of Constantine ( History of Knig hthood ) 1 ENQUIKER .

I cannot see the drift of those who pretend to under-rate the antiquity of Freemasonry , or to under-value the traditions it preserves . Among the ancients a dim , undefined respect for the Hebrew worship of one God prevailed to a very

great extent ; witness the reverence shown by Alexander the Great to Jaddua , or Jaddus , the high priest , when the latter came forth from Jerusalem , dressed in his pontifical robes , to meet the renowned conqueror . It is to me a

strong internal evidence of the antiquity of our ceremonies when we find them based upon the historical records of the Jews- -a race , as I have stated , better appreciated of old than during the middle ages or any subsequent era . It is

assuming an impossibility to allege that the ceremonies and traditions of the Craft could have been invented by men who despised the source from whence they professed to derive them , and contempt was the feeling of Christendom towards

the Jews until a comparatively recent period . I am perfectly willing to admit that Freemasonry has undergone many modifications and many organic changes in its system and government , but the idea of an universal bond of

brotherhood can be traced in the various ages of the world ' s history , developed , as doubtless it has been , under different names , and assuming various phases ; and this grand idea is the germ of modern Freemasonry . THE SON OP SALATHIEL .

Pope Pius the Ninth ' s tirade against Freemasonry is but one of a series issued by the dignitaries of Rome . I rememember , when stationed at Malta in 1 S 43 , that the Archbishop of Khodes , Monsignor Caruana , who was also

Bishop of Malta , issued a pastoral in which he strongly denounced the Order . Among tho choice , expressions he used were , " the diabolical creation of this lodge , " " that pestilential centre of iniquity , " " common sewer of all filth , "

" monsters of iniquity , " ifcc . Ho also referred to the anathemas of Pope 3 Clement XII ., Benedict XII ., Pius VII ., Leo IV . and Gregory XVI ., and excommunicated all who even accorded " common salutations" to the Freemasons , much

less hospitality . The funny part of the story is , that at the very time the prelate was cursing the Freemasons , he was a frequent guest at the table of an English officer of rank who belonged to the proscribed Order , aud who was a constant

attendint at the "infernal tribunal , " as the Bishop called tho lodge in Senglea . I believe tho brethren made some stirabout it at the time , but as I left Malta with my regiment soon afterwards , the finale is not known to me , unless we

may take the present prosperous condition of Masonry in tho island as a sufficient refutation of the Archbishop ' s calumnies . On the other hand , I have met two or three jolly priests at

Masonic banquets , who were thorough gentlemen and good Masons . One more especially , Father Peter Macnnmara , who lived not a thousand miles from Ennis , in the county Clare , was a diamond of tho first water .

A . L ., late Colonel II . M . service . " ANCIENT MASONRY AND TEMPLAR JOTTINGS . " I have read Brother Yarker ' s remarks at page 177 , but his special pleading won ' t do . Wo want real evidence , not useless " it is said ' s , " or " I

have heard , " & c . Point to the substance , and never mind tho imaginary shadow . Then , Bro . Reitam ' s remarks , as quoted by Bro . Yarker , are

worth nothing . The plans of Roslyn Chapel did not come ' from Home , " the style of the building is Spanish , and the pretended " gash on the apprentice ' s forehead" is simply a streak o

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

red chalk drawn across a sculptured head by some wag . So much for that silly would-be legend . If , instead of talking nonsense , our brethren who have the opportunity would examine and publish the records of the Mason societies , or

corporations , before the middle of last century , it would be doing real service . And if the old records of other trades or crafts were published , we should thereby know their customs , and what peculiarly small differences existed amongst the old co-existing crafts . LEO .

Royal Masonic Institution" Foe Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION" FOE BOYS .

A Quarterly General Court of the Subscribers and Governors of this Institution was held on Monday last , in the Board-room , of Freemasons Hall . The chair was taken at twelve o ' clock , by Bro . JOHN HERVEY , G . S ., V . P . There were

also present : — Bros . Raynham W . Stewart , P . G . W . for Essex ; H . Browse , P . G . J . D . ; W , Young , P . G . S . B . ; Benj . Head , Samuel May , W * . Watson , Geo . M . E . Snow , Prov . G . W . for Kent ; John Symonds , P . G . D . ; J . Finch , W . Bramwell

Smith , Major B . B . Nelson , F . Gotto , E . 11 . Patten , P . G . S . B . ; F . Webb , John Udall , P . G . D . ; J . R . Sheen , H . Massey , Thos . W . White , James Stevens , Braekstone Baker , F . Binckes ( Sec . )> Henry Smith , Bichard Spencer , Edward Cox >

Edward Harris , Charles Swan , F . \ v alters , A Pratt , K . M . Haig h and W . H . Warr . Bro . BINCKES ( Secietary ) read the minutes of the Quarterly Court of July , and of the different committees which had met since . The minutes

which required confirmation were confirmed , and Bro . JOHN UDALL brought forward the motion of which he had given notice , " That the right to a perpetual presentation of a properly qualified boy for admission to this Institution may be

purchased on payment of a thousand guineas , no votes being exercised in virtue of such payment . " In introducing the motion , Bro . Udall said that he had satisfied himself that the interest of the money would pay tho expense of maintaining ,

educating . aud clothing one boy in the Institution , aud he hoped that if the Court passed the resolution , some friend would come forward and pay the the money down . The CHAIRMAN enquired whether the

correspondence which had taken place between the solicitors of the school and the solicitors of Bro . Blair , as to the deed which was to be executed , coming under the Charitable Trusts Act , had cleared away all doubt on the point .

Bro . BINCKES replied that it had , and that the deed was in course of preparation , and would shortly bo ready for execution .

Bro . UDALL said that a rule , similar to that contained in his proposition , was in force in the Royal Asylum of St . Anne ' s Society . Bro . BENJ . HEAD seconded the motion .

Bro . JOHN SYMONDS gave his support to the proposal , but he wished to mention that it was a pity Bro . Udall had not given notice of a similar motion for the Quarterly Court of the Girls ' School . Committees of both Institutions had

recently been at great pains to assimulate the laws of the two schools , and this motion would make them different . He suggested that another meeting should be got together to place this rule if carried , among those of the G . rls' School .

Tho motion was put and carried immediately . Tiie election of six boys out of an approved list of fifty-four was proceeded with , and the scrutineers named to examine the votes , were Bros . Raynham W . Stewart , F . Walters , E . M .

Haigh , J . Robins , W . H . Warr , F . Webb , John Udall , II . Empson , James Stevens , B , R . Nelson , Alfred Pratt , and H . Browse . When the poll was declared , at five o ' clock , tho following boys were found to be the successful candidates : —

Lane , Charles 13 GG Birks , Maurice l . 'J-Al Bush , Henry Charles 1834 Whiteley , Alfred Bayldon 1284 Newman , Herbert Horace 1253 Beaumont , William 1052

Royal Masonic Institution" Foe Boys.

Bro . W . WiNN , 657 , inproposingavoteofthanks to the scrutineers said that their labours had been of no ordinary character , because the votes recorded for an many as fifty-four candidates had to be examined . He had himself at times been a scrutineer , and knew practically what the labour was .

Bro . H . GARROD seconded the motion , which was then put to the meeting , and carried unanimously . Bro . H . EMPSON would not at that late hour , ( a quarter past five ) , detain the Court with any lengthened observations ' , but in responding to the

vote he could honestly say that the scrutineers ' work was to him , and the brethren associated with him , a labour of love . They went into the scrutineers' room , and worked hard all the time they were there . He know the brethren were satisfied with the scrutineers' efforts , for he had

heard only one slight murmur , if murmur it mi ght be called , whore a brother , when the candidate had polled 1366 votes , said he had polled fourteen more . ( Laughter . ) Bro . JOHN SYMONDS moved a vote of thanks

to Bro . JOHN HERVEY , G . S ., the chairman , in acknowledgment of his fraternal attention to the business of the day , a motion which he was sure expressed tho feelings of every one present . Bro . HENRY SMITH seconded the motion , which was put and carried .

Bro . JOHN HERVEY : It affords me great satisfaction if at any time I can be of service to the Craft , and I am glad that my performance of my very light duties to-day has given you satisfaction . ( Laughter ) The Court was then dissolved .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . THOMAS JONES , Q . C . Wo regret having to announce the death of Bro . Thomas Jones , Q . C , Past Grand Deacon of

the Grand Lodge of England , a gentleman who was held in high estimation by a large circle of friends . Bro . Jones was initiated on the 20 th

June , 1 S-I 5 , in the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 259 , in which he served the office of Master , and continued a member to the time of his decease . He was appointed Secior Grand Deacon in April

1856 , and on the 14 th June following joined the Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , the membership of which is restricted to Grand Officers . Bro . Jones was exalted in the Prince of Wales Chapter on the 2 nd June , 1854 .

Order Of Memphis.

ORDER OF MEMPHIS .

Tho following is a coi ' . y of the circular issued by Grand Lodge , ten years ago , with reference to the Order of Memphis : — " Freemasons' Hall , London , 24 th October , 1859 . " Dear Sir aud W . Master , —I am directed to inform you that it has come to the knowledge of the Board

of General Purposes that there arc at present existing in London and elsewhere in this country , spurious lodges claiming to be Freemasons . I herewith furnish you with a copy of a certificate issued by a lodge calling itself " The Reformed Masonic Order of Memphis , or Rite of the Grand

Lodge of Philndelphes , " aud holding its meetings at Stratford , iu Essex . " I am directed to caution you to be especially careful that no member of such hody be permitted , under any circumstances , to have access to your lodge ; and that you will remind the brethren of

your lodge that they can hold no communication with irregular lodges , without incurring the penalty of expulsion from the Order , and the liability to be proceeded against under the Act 39 , George III ., for taking part in the meetings of illegal secret societies . " 1 am further to request that you will cause this

letter to be read in open lodge , and the copy of the certificate to be preserved for future reference in ease of necessity . " I reraaiu , dear Sir and Brother , " Yours fraternally , WM . GRAY CLARKE , G . S .

" N . B It is to be observed that the original certificate contains various emblematical devices which it has not been deemed necessary to have copied . "