Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—»—" QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION . " In considering Bro . Longstaff's questions , which appeared in your issue of the 25 th November , many will , no doubt , admit the

force of his arguments ; but none can admit that it is in the power of any man , or body of Masons , to absolve them from their OB ., which , in my opinion , forbids the plan Bro . Longstaff advocates .

The authorised books which we have already , such as Dr . Oliver ' s " Book of the Lodge , " & c , afford quite as much information as any brother could expect , or wish to obtain , outside the lodge .

I understand Bro . Longstaff would leave out certain important matters in the ritual he proposes . Still , if he -will seriously consider his OB ., he will admit that the secret

mysteries of Freemasonry can neither be printed nor written , in whole or in part , in any way that would be intelligible to any one , even to the writer only .

Let it be understood that I only , apply this to the actual secrets of each degree and the manner of conferring , the degree , and

not to all the charges , lectures , & c . —a number of which have been published many years , and some of them are printed in the Book of Constitutions of Ireland .

If Bro . Longstaff will carefully examine his OB ., he will cease to advocate a printed ritual . . W . G . HOWARD , P . M . 215 ( Ireland ) .

I consider it a duty incumbent on every Mason to oppose , to the utmost of his ability , so serious an inroad on the ancient landmarks as would inevitably result from a realisation of the suggestion of Bro .

Longstaff respecting the ritual . In these days of educational progress and enlightenment , to acknowledge that wc are unable to conduct our rites and ceremonies without the assistance of an aide-memoire , such as

our predecessors never required and would most certainly have spurned , would argue but indifferently for the intellectual condition of the members of our Order . The approach to a Master ' s chair should be no

Royal road—diligence and patience , integrity and understanding , are the true characteristics of an able Mason , and to such the oral acquirement of the ritual can present no insurmountable difficulty ; and

the time employed in committing to memory the high morality , lofty aspirations , and comprehensive Scriptural knowledge so beautifully and impressively symbolised in our ritual , can never be considered wasted

or misapplied by any man who looks forward with a firm but humble confidence to the inevitable moment when the last dread summons shall arrive . During a Masonic career of upwards of twenty years , I have

had frequent opportunities of visiting many colonial lodges , and the manner in which the different degrees are therein conferred is worthy of the highest commendation . I believe this is mainly due to the excellent

custom of allowing the Wardens , or any volunteer , an opportunity of proving practically to the members of the lodge their ability to conduct the ceremony in the first , second , or third degree . This is done

either at a lodge suinmonedrtY ^/ W , or at the regular meetings , when time will permit . This is a practice which should form an

essential prelude to the annual election . After all , the remedy for incapacity in the chair lies even in the hands of the lodge . Let it be thoroughly understood that the

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

chair of any lodge can be reached by merit and ability alone , and candidates Masonically fit and able to fill that important position will always be forthcoming . J . BALFOUR COCKBURN , I 8 ° , & C . Gibraltar , 25 th Nov ., 1871 .

There have been one or two letters in THE FREEMASON lately respecting an authorised ritual . Will you allow a country Mason to say a word or two on the subject ? I think those who oppose an authorised

ritual show an unpractical spirit , even if not a narrow one . How , let me ask , are country Masons to learn the ceremonies , lectures ,

& c . ? By oral tradition ? That is impossible ! Who is to teach them , and where are they to find a teacher thoroughly to be depended upon ?

Even those who have learnt their work orally differ from one another , and there arc plenty of Masons who by no means allow that the work of the Lodge of Improvement is the best or most correct .

What practical harm , then , can be in having an authorised ritual issued by Grand Lodge , the secrets being suppressed , I cannot see . It is sure to come , sooner or later , and the

obstructives are like those old fogies who still persisted in posting , when they could travel more comfortably and quicker by railway . P . M .

PROV . GRAND LODGES IN SCOTLAND . The actual members of a Prov . Grand Lodge consist of the Master and Wardens in the district or county . The most of the office-bearers are commissioned by Prov .

Grand Master , who has the right to choose and appoint by commission , from time to time , a Depute , Substitute , two Wardens , a Secretary , and Chaplain . All of them must be a Master or Warden , de facto , of

some lodge in the district , none other arc qualified to hold the offices . Such other office-bearers as may be deemed necessary , as Treasurer , Senior and Junior Deacons , Inner Guard , and Tyler , are elected annually

by the Prov . Grand Lodge , and in every case , except that of Tyler , they must also be , de facto , a Master or Warden of some lodge in the province . CHALMERS I . ' PATON .

The new Grand Lodge of Spain lias elected Bro . Manuel Ruiz de Zorilia , Grand Master . Wc do not know whether this is the eminent statesman or not ; but , probably , some of our Spanish friends can inform us .

Lodge Of Benevolence.

LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

The monthly meeting was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , the 20 th inst . Bro . Gabon , the President , was in the chair , supported by the Vice-Presidents , Bros . Nunn and Brett , and a fair number of

other brethren . Grants having been confirmed to petitioners from the previous meeting , the following sums were awarded by the Lodge : —Bros . T . C , Lodge 193 , £ 10 ; H . T . P .,

611 , £ 5 ; F . W ., 878 , £ 10 ; S . W ., 15 , ^ 20 ; J . B . N ., 55 , £ 20 ; G . H . 0 ., 228 . £ \ o ; T . J . T ., 45 , £ 5 ; I-:. H , 274 , £ 3 ; J . F .. 441 , £ \ Q ; and to the widows of Bros . J . B .,

L , oclgc 1098 , i , 10 ; 1-J . S ., 306 , ; 620 ; I . 11 ., 152 , £ 30 ; J . H . Y ., 106 , £ 15 ; and W . ' F . S ., 186 , £ 25 . The remainder of the petitions were either dismissed or deferred .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

—« . — The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by CorresDOndents .

SCOTCH MARK MASTERS . ( To the Edithr of The Freemason . ) SIR , —In the account in your last issue of the consecration of another aggressive Scotch Mark Masters' lodge in England , by brethren who have no business whatever on the south of the

Tweed , I noticed that one of the Scotchmen present assured the meeting that the Grand Chapter in Edinburgh was very anxious to place the Mark Degree in England on its proper footing !

Of course , we all know that , since the days of Camiie Jamie , the proper footing for Englishmen is to be under the beneficent rule of Scotchmen . But what I do not think that English Mark Masters who are foolish enough to allow

the representatives of the G . C . of Scotland inside their lodges can be aware of , is , that these same Scotch brethren are at this moment plotting to destroy English Mark lodges altogether , and to get the Mark Degree reduced to the position of

a mere pass into the Royal Arch ( its inferior in antiquity , as well as in merit ) , like the Excellent and Super-Excellent Masters' Degrees . And , yet , it is by such as these that our English

brethren are being at once gulled and sold . Yours fraternally , AN ENGLISH MARK MASTER . MASONIC CHARITIES .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR . —In the very able and talented weekly letters by " Errol , " appearing in your journal under the heading of " The Philosophy of Freemasonry , " I was much struck by a

remarkin last week ' s number ( page 706 ) as to the Masonic Body not having amongst them many boards of relief one of "Employment . " This admirable suggestion , according so much with my own views , has induced me to intrude on

your valuable space with a few remarks , hoping that others who are of the same opinion , but better able to express their ideas than myself , may take the matter up , and be the means of bringing the subject before the Hoard of

Benevolence and the rulers of the Craft . I trust I may be pardoned for saying that , in my opinion , this is the one thing wanting to carry out our grand and sublime principles of Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth in their entirety ; for , whilst

there are amongst us many thousands who are reduced to the lowest depths of poverty and distress , to whom pecuniary relief is absolutely necessary to stive them from starvation , it is an undeniable fact that there are also many

thousands ot deserving brethren , of all grades in society , possessed of every qualification for occupying positions of trust and responsibility , who are unable to procure employment , and on whose behalf 1 beg to endorse your talented

correspondent ' s views , who has so eloquently brought the subject before your readers ; and J sincerely trust the Board of Benevolence maybe induced to add to their existing noble Charities a ' •Board of Employment , " to whom distressed

Masons of the above class could apply , and if , after due investigation and inquiry , found deserving , should ( supposing immediate employment could not be procured for them ) be supplied with a testimonial of merit and a

recommendation according to their capabilities , which would be a passport , as it were , and be of invaluable assistance to them in procuring employment , more particularly amongst Masons I am , dear Sir , Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

A P . M . J'HK PHILOSOPHY OF FREEMASONRY .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DICAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Allow 111 c to express my high appreciation of the remarks of your contributor " Errol , " as expressed at pages 720 and 721 . In my opinion , they are worthy of careful consideration , and ought to bring out