Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

" Afterwards the Society , which in reality is but a set of Mountebanks , began to multiply , but durst not appear publickly ; and for that reason was surnamed the Invisible . The Inlightened ' of Spain proceeded from them : both the

one and the other have been condemned for Fanaticks and Deceivers . We must add , that fohn Bringer et printed in 1615 a Book in Germany which comprehends two Treatises , entitled The Manifesto and Confession of Faith of thc

Fraternity of the Rosecrucians in Germany . It was dedicated to Monarchs , States , and the Learned . These persons boasted themselves to be the Library of Ptolemy Philadelphus , the Academy of Plato , the Lyceum , & c , and bragg'd

of extraordinary Qualifications , whereof the least was , That they could speak all Languages and after , in 1622 , they gave this Advertisement to the Curious : We , deputed by our College the principal of the Brethren of thc Rosecrucians

to make our visible and invisible abode in the City , through thc Grace of the Most High , toxuards whom are turned the Hearts of the fust : We teach without Books or Notes , and speak the Languages of the Countries where-evcr 7 t * e are ,

to draio men like ourselves , from the error of Death . This Bill was matter of merriment ; in the meantime the Brethren of the Rosecrucians have disappeared , tho' it be not the Sentiment

of that German Chymist , the Author of a Book entitled , De Volucri Arborea * and of another who hath composed a Treatise stiled De Philosophia Pura . Sponde . Gautier . "

I beg to say , with Bro . C . G . Forsyth , that no disrespect is meant to the worthy brothers of the present Rosicrucian Society . W . G . DORIC .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents ( To the Editor of The Freemason . )

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you kindly allow me a little space in your columns , in order to call the attention of some of my Masonic brethren to an advertisement which appeared in your last issue ? The advertisement I refer to

contains a touching appeal from a brother Mason , a clergyman of 15 years' standing , begging some influential brother to appoint him to a living , however small . Surely if the Craft acted up to the principles it professes , such appeals as this

would be unnecessary ! May I not say impossible ? It seems to me that those of our number who are patrons of livings—however much they may practice the Masonic virtues of "Relief and Truth , "—sadly forget "Brotherly Love ! " If

not , how could they reconcile it to tlieir consciences to pass over the claims of needy clerical brethren in favour of those " who are not Masons ? " I humbly conceive that no surashowever large—which may be given to Masonic ,

or other charities , atone for such a breach of one of the first principles of Masonry . If we really mean to act up to our O . B ., and " prefer a M . M . in our dealings , " ought not such preference to be shown to our clerical brethren—at least as

much as to others ? I do not hesitate to say that if the sublime principles of Masonry were carried out as they ought to be , we should have no more unbeneficed Masonic clergy of 15 years '

standing ! Hoping that this subject will be taken up by some abler pen than mine , I am , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , "A LODGE CHAPLAIN . "

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Please to give me a little space for some remarks on your article " The Masonic Press and its Privileges , " as I wish you may do justice to "the reasoning faculties of the Teutonic race . " Why you like

to make any difference between the " Teutonic " and the " Anglo-Saxon " race , I cannot understand ; we used to oppose only the Roman race to the Germanic or Teutonic , of which the Anglo-Saxon and the German ( or Teutonic ) are branches of the same spirit and the same blood .

Original Correspondence.

I am fully on your side in defending the liberty of the Masonic press , and I hope with you , " that the day is for everyone by for restrictive legislation with regard to the press , as it is a policy which has long been abandoned in all enlightened States . " Therefore I very much

regret the remark of the M . W . Dep . Grand Master relating to THE FREEMASON , but at the same time I am convinced of his right to censure your paper for the publication of the " exaggerated picture of rage" and the " fierce unreason" of the letter and protest of Bro .

Delfraisse without any editorial remarks . As you have done your duty as editor of a Masonic periodical , when you have inserted the citation of the Parisian lodges , and on other occasions , it must astonish every reader of your paper that you have published the protest of Bro .

Delfraisse without deprecating " this foolish act . " To be silent , says the proverb , is to concede ( is to be in accordance ) . This publication , without any editorial remark , especially at a time when the political press of your country was full of hatred against Germany , seemed to me a sign

that you also had begun to introduce party discussions into the " tyled precincts " of a Masonic paper , and that you are in accordance with the calumniator of our venerable Emperor and Brother , William . A publication of such a nature in THE FREEMASON , " published with

the special sanction of the M . W . Grand Master of England , " bore evidently a hostile character against all German brethren and Grand Lodges , and—principiisobsta—it seemed a duty to protest against such a publication . Well , the " obscure individual "—the " nameless

correspondent —from Leipzig , was the undersigned , who wrote a simple , not at all " furious , " epistle to the highly-esteemed Grand Secretary , Bro . Hervey , explaining only the facts , and hoping that THE FREEMASON would be disavowed , as not in accordance with Masonry and with the

M . \ V . Grand Master , as has been done in last Grand Lodge . I have written my letter without " authority , " but , I am convinced , in accordance with all German Masons , who are now satisfied with the declaration of the M . W . Dep . Grand Master . If my letter seemed " furious , " this is

only caused by the circumstance that I cannot write your language as fluently and correct as I should like . Such a tone of my letter was not intended , and I regret it . If our royal art is a reality , and not a mere child ' s-play , then every brother is obliged " to

cultivate brotherly love , avoiding all wrangling and quarrelling , all slandering ancl backbiting , nor permitting others to slander any honest brother" ( Old Charges , 1723 ) . You cannot deny , clear brother , that you have permitted others to slander an honest brother , King William , the

light and pride of Germany , and a true exponent of our royal art . I hope your high opinion of the reasoning faculties of the Teutonic race will not become diminished so much , after having taken a step

to defend our national honour , to secure peace between the English and the German Craft , and to uphold the purity of our institution—violated by the introduction of party discussions . Fraternally yours , J . G . FINDEL .

Leipzig , 13 th March , 1871 .

The Saints John In Masonry.

THE SAINTS JOHN IN MASONRY .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I confess to being highly amused by so much of Bro . C . I . Paton ' s response to Bro . S . Evans' article as appears in THE FREEMASON on page 51 . If that response , when completed , shall be proportionate to the

introduction , as given in No . 99 , 1 will regard it as the most exhaustive treatise on the subject with which Freemasons have ever been favoured ; and I take this means of directing particularly the attention of the Fraternity , your readers , to it . The difference , so far apparent , between Bro .

Evans and Bro . Paton appears to abide in this , viz ., that Iiro . Evans , if not an iconoclast in the broadest sense , certainly is not a believer in saints or their merits , while Bro . Paton is not a disbeliever in cither . He , it is so far evident , can find no more history to support the statement that either of the Saints John was a patron of Freemasonry than can Bro . Evans .

The Saints John In Masonry.

The story or fancy recounted by the former in your columns some months since , and strictures upon which formed the matter of the latter ' s article or criticism , comprised little beyond the fancy that has a place in our " lectures " as Freemasons ( and that little , I believe , no better supported ); all very pretty

and pleasing I will admit , to believers in saints and angels , but very rubbish to those who are not , while certainly not historic , so far as yet proved , to any extent , no more than is dozens of other pretty fancies in those lectures . The practical mind of Bro . Evans would eliminate this fancy as a whole , as at this

day mischievous in its tendency , for the reason that disbelievers in saints and their merits are as readily admitted into our lodges as those who are not , and everything that is not of real value , if offensive to such disbelievers , he believes should be removed and be replaced by truthful matter . In the middle of

the 18 th century , when , it is said , the late Bro . Dunckerley introduced into the lectures what we now have as to the patronage of the Saints John , such introductioncould give no offence , asuone but Christians were made Freemasons . But , as 1 have said above , that condition no longer obtains , and it is due to

ourselves to govern ourselves in such manner as to give no offence to any member ofthe Masonic family , provided we can remove the cause of offence without offending . Should Bro . Paton , however , prove that either of the Saints John could in their lifetime by

any possibility have been patrons of Freemasonry ( he very pertinently remarks that they could not at any other period be such ) , I believe a good work will be done worthy of Bro . Paton ' s talents and ability , and this vexed question be set at rest . Fraternally yours ,

PHILETAS . THE ANTIQUITY CHAPTER ROSE CROIX , BATH , AND THE SUPREME GRAND COUNCIL , 33 .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —Early in February last a pamphlet was published ( of which a copy was sent you ) which contained , besides some explanatory introductory remarks , what , as far as the writer then knew , now knows , or could , or can ascertain ,

the whole of thc correspondence between the Antiquity Chapter Rose Croix , Bath , and the so-called Supreme Grand Council , 33 , in reference to the suspension of thc former by the latter . To the pamphlet were attached the names of all the members of the Antiquity who at thc time were " within

hail" as vouchers for its accuracy . Theprsl copies ( except proofs ) issued by the printer were addressed by mc to the leading members ofthe S . C , and duly posted by the printer . I have just received from a kind friend and brother a manuscript copy of a printed circular

which purports to be issued by the S . C , and to be a reply to the pamphlet . No name is attached to the circular , but the evidence of its parentage is too conclusive to admit of its being deemed spurious . As it is essential in the cause of truth , honour , and honesty that some notice be taken of the

circular , and as the facts are of some importance to every member of our Order—and I happen to know that your readers are very numerous and very influential—I beg to be permitted to explain thein in your valuable publication ; and , as I cannot hope to be allowed to trespass largely on your space , I

will confine my remarks to the really essential points of the controversy . Should any of your readers wish for further particulars , he may , by sending a single stamp , with his name and address , to Bro . G . J . Parfitt , F . A . S ., Terrace Walks , Bath , obtain the letters and pamphlet herein mentioned

by next post . In order to avoid repetition , I beg to be understood by " pamphlet" to mean the statement published by the Antiquity Chapter ; and by " circular , " that published by the S . C . in reply thereto . Although the circular denies the accuracy of the

pamphlet , and has , I am told , been extensively circulated , not a single copy of it has been sent to any of those whose names are attached to the pamphlet . This attempt to keep thc persons whose veracity it impugns in ignorance of the circular , is so flagrant a violation of thc simplest rules of common

courtesy , decent propriety , Masonic honour , manly integrity , honest and honourable warfare , controversy , or whatever else we call it , as , it might be hoped , even occasional intercourse with gentlemen would teach any person not instinctively and incurably addicted to meanness to avoid . Now for

thc facts : — Thc circular calls the statement published by the Antiquity Chapter a "defence of the action it has taken in withdrawing from the A . and A . Rite , " and adds : " It becomes incumbent on the S . C . to

expose the causes which led to the suspension of that chapter . " These statements contradict each other . The circular says : — " When , however , - ' ocuments have been published and circulated containing only part of thc truth "—and artfully and with apparent candour adds— " what can be more dangerous than