The Restoration Of Worcester Cathedral.

unceasing testimony to the skill of the ancient Craft guilds , and the unchanging excellency and beauty of the noblest of arts , the most benign of labours—Architecture .

Mr.Cuffe.

MR . CUFFE .

The Rev . Mr . Cufle , Military Roman Catholic Chaplain to the troops at Chatham , thought it well in the exercise of his spiritual duties , " pousser si loin , " sa " charite chretienne , " as Moliere says , so as to deny even the rights of

burial to a Roman Catholic soldier , Bro . Sergeant Johnstone , simply because he was a Freemason . This reverend and charitable representative of the Roman Catholic Church grounded his intolerant refusal to perform the last sacred duties

of religion to a fellow religionist , on this most absurd reason , that , by becoming a Freemason , Sergeant Johnstone ceased to be a Roman Catholic . We stated at the time , that , such a " dictum , "

however dogmatically announced , was utterly indefensible and untenable , even on the authority of the Roman Catholic canon law itself , that the reverend gentleman had no valid ecclesiastical authority of his own for the

course he pursued , or the opinions he put forth , and that in so acting , while he violated every precept of our common Christianity , he was not upheld even by any actual Roman Catholic pastoral , or decree , or bull , or law , on the

subject . We are glad to have our views confirmed by no less an exalted personage than the present excellent and benevolent Pontiff himself , Pius

the Ninth , of infallible authority , remember , to RomanCatholics , whether speaking " ex cathedra Petri , " or presiding over an oecumenical council . We ask our Masonic brethren to read a letter

of his , which we take from thc Chaine de l'Union of April , the letter having appeared in a Roman Catholic paper of Florence , the Journal

de Florence , and having been quoted by the National of March 16 th , this year . The was addressed to Monsignor Freppel , Archbishop of Angers , in France .

Venerable frere , salut et benediction apostolique . Par votre lettre en date du 27 du mois dernier , nous avons vu qu ' en publiant parmi vos diocesains , par le mandement que vous nous avez

envoye , Notre Encyciique rccemment donnee , vous avez juge necessaire de leur rappeler les constitutions apostoliques par lesquelles les societes dites des Francmacons sont condamnees

par le Siege apostolique , et les tres-g raves censures encourues pour ceux qui en font partie . Nous louons tres-fort , venerable frere , le zele que vous avez montre ii ce sujet , et qui est tout ii fait digne de la charge episcopate que vous exercez .

Nous deplorons aussi , venerable frere , que de cette source , meme des sectes condamnees soit sortie , pour la perte des times , une autre societc pernicieuse appelee Ligue de . lienseignement , travaillant ii extirper radicalement , surtout de

1 ame des enfants , la foi catholique , et s eftorcant d ' exercer impunement par toute la France les industries de son iniquite . Bien que nous sachions que dans votre diocese vous vous etes empresse d ' appliquer votre sollicitude pastorale

il combattre un pareil fliiau , cependant , en raison de la gravite de cet objet , nous ne voulons pas omettre de vous exciter dans le Seigneur il perseverer dans les efforts de votre zele , pour Ia garde de notre troupeau , en persistant ii stimuler la vi gilance de vos fid-ties , et en voas appliquant

Mr.Cuffe.

avec ardeur il arracher du champ qui vous est connu ces deplorables plantations que cultivent les enfants des tenebres . Pie IX , pape .

We need hardl y translate this remarkable letter , as the French is alike so easy and so simple ; but we quote it , mainly for the purpose of pointing out , how very different is the

position assumed by the most reverend Pontift ' and the combatant Cuffe , and how advisable it would bc for the latter intolerant and unsound divine to study his own canon law , before he again

ventures to put forth the childish and unwarranted dogma , that , all Roman Catholic Freemasons cease to be Roman Catholics , being , as we see , entirely contradicted by the Infallible head of his own Church .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We dn not hold ourselves responsible for , ov even as appvovin *^ of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but WJ wish , iii a spirit of fair play to all / to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —Lu . J

EARLY GRAND ENCAMPMENT IN SCOTLAND . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , Having but lately become a member of the Early Grand Encampment , I am therefore

ignorant of the true history of the rival bodies of Knight Templars at present existing in Scotland , and should feel obliged if some brother would kindly give me information on the following points , or state where I may obtain the same : —

1 . Was the Early Grand Encampment recognised as legal in Scotland , prior to the formation of the Chapter General ? 2 . If recognised as legal then , by what right do they declare its members to be illegal and spurious Knights Templar now ?

3 . How many of the Encampments were present at the formation of the Chapter General , also how many ofthe Encampments have since that date joined the Chapter General ? 4 . Have the Early Grand Encampments at present in existence in England and Ireland any

Grand Councils in connection with them ; if so what ir their time and place of meeting ? Hoping you will find space for this in your valuable paper , I remain , Yours fraternally , EARLY GRAND .

To ( he Editor oj the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In your last impression Bro . W . F . has again fallen into what I will still call " unintentional error , " for I have no wish to make " short work either of the E . G . Encampment or its

members . " On the contrary , I would do all that I could to forward their best interest , which I conceive lays in union . W . F . asks me to quote the passage referring to Royal Arch Chapters acting under the Chapter General of K . T ., saying that he " don ' t clearl y

see any reference to the Supreme Chapter and the Chapter General . W . F . does not quote me correctly . I never used the word Supreme when speaking of the chapter , but used instead the letters R . A . Chapter , and now to quote the passage on which 1 was commenting . *— "Bro .

I ' . A . Barrow and his office bearers are also members of the Royal Arch Chapter and Knight Templar Encampment , acting under the Chapter General of Scotland . " If this passage of" Fiat Justitia" or W . F . ' s is not very clear , it is the writer ' s fault , and not mine : it bears the

construction I put upon it , for there is nothing in it to disconnect the Royal Arch Chapter spoken of from the Knight Templar Encampment referred to . It is also borne out by the context "They" ( namely Bro . Barrow and his oflice

bearers ) " have but recently become connected with the Chapter General themselves . " He then goes on to describe the offices held by Brother Barrow , ending thus : — "He is also Supt . ofthe Royal Arch Chapter in the province and also holds a position in the Encampment . " It was in

Original Correspondence.

reference to this part that I explained that he was Superintendent of all the chapters of the province , but he held no position in the Encampment , he never having been even a member thereof .

I can understand how this confusion of ideas has arisen in the mind of F . J . and W . F ., as under the E . G . Encampment , the R . A . degree is given as well as the K . T . While I lay no claim to the title so kindly given me by W . F . of being " The Champion of

Legality in Scotland , " I am an advocate for union , and should like to see all legal bodies that are at present unrecognised , united upon equitable terms with those supreme heads of

orders that are recognised b y all the grand bodies in the Masonic world . Yours fraternally , G . W . WHEELER .

FATHER CUFFE . To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , —

I see in page 207 of The Freemason , April 4 th , a letter from " P . M . " upon the subject of the Roman Catholic Army Chaplain , Priest Cuffe , refusing to bury the remains of Bro .

Armourer-Sergeant Johnston , because he was a Freemason . " P . M . " is surprised that no notice has been taken at Chatham upon this painful subject . I took the matter up in your journal Febuary 14 th , at the same time I wrote an account of it to one high in authority in Grand

Lodge , stating the reason why Priest Cuffe refused to perform the service over the remains of our Bro . Johnstone , leaving it to be completed by the Protestant Chaplain , who could have no scruple in doing such a charitable service to an upright man , where the only crime was that of

being a Freemason . I strongly requested that the subject might be brought before Grand Lodge of England , and if nothing could be done , that at the least Grand Lodge should notify to all Provincial Grand Lodges that the W . M . ' s of the lodges in their provinces should inform every

Roman Catholic that before joining our Craft he should be informed that the act of becoming a Freemason would subject him to " the greater excommunication . " I received a reply from another officer of Grand Lodge , to the effect that the subject

could not be entertained by Grand Lodge , Thus , as a loyal and obedient Freemason , I felt myself bound to proceed no further in this matter . Still I think lodges 20 and 1174 might most effectually lay the subject before the Masonic

public ; and , I am sure the Freemasons in the northern provinces will join them in any Masonic step they may lawfully take . I am painfully aware how much indignation is felt in these provinces that such an uncharitable act should be allowed to pass without some protest from the Masonic body in England . It

would appear that we tacitly and tamely submit to the decree of a foreign prince who has no jurisdiction over the subjects of this land of freedom ; and long may dear old England know , and duly appreciate her high privileges . I remain , yours fraternally , AUGUSTUS A . BAGSHAWE , M . A .

P . S . G . W . of Derbyshire , and P . P . G . Chaplain , I . P . M . Phcenix Lodge of St . Ann , 123 , 5 . April 15 th , 1874 . MASONS' MARKS .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Bro . Paton would fain get out of his difficulties in connection with this subject by telling us that he was only dealing with Speculative Mark Masonry , per se , and that he had

nothing to do with Operative Mark Masonry . But it so happens that , however he puts it , my remarks at page 174 , were perfectly justifiable on account of the mistakes he made in dealing with his subject , and even to-day , at page 221 ,

in p lace of keeping clear of further errors , he persists in adding a slip or two more , e . g . he says , p . 221 , " a mark ought to have an odd number of points , and this I maintain is what has been taught in lodges for more than one