Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

BRO . HUGHANS' CHALLENGE AND BRO . W . P . . BUCHAN . I am much obliged to Bro . Buchan for his friendly remarks , respecting my views as to the origin and character of Freemasonry in early

days . I do not , however , quite agree with Bro . Buchan in his references to Freemasonry prior to the " Revival . " Of course , the gentlemen who were admitted as members of Masonic lodges in the

seventeenth century were not able in consequence to be employed as operative Masons . All we contend for is that they became the possessors of whatever esoteric ceremonies were peculiar to

Freemasonry in those days . It is a fact that the lodges were " drooping" early in the last century , and that the first Grand Lodge , which was instituted 1717 , was actually the offspring of four old lodges .

To suppose that these members under the ancient regime did not preserve the former secret word or words , and signs , in the enlarged ceremonies , and the three degrees , would to my mind , be shutting our eyes to much even of the

present ritual , which is so suggestive of purely operative customs , and also refuse the testimony to these ancient mysteries being retained , which was afforded by the attendance of visiting brethren who belonged to the old system .

But all we can expect is a general agreement , and minor details will of necessity be open to criticism , as I accept the support of our Bro . Buchan , in the hearty spirit in which it is offered , and all the more because of his well-known

independent mind . W . J . HUGHAN .

PRINCE HALL . Prince Hall , a negro , Master of a Masonic Lodge in Boston ( Massachusetts ) , was born about 1738 . After the peace , a Masonic Charter was obtained from England , but it seems

that white Masons , out of pride would not acknowledge the African lodge , Mr . Hall said , " There are to be seen the weeds of pride , envy tyranny , and scorn , in this garden of peace ,

liberty , and equality . " He published two Masonic charges , 1792 , 1797 . —American Biographical Dictionary . By William Allan , D . D ., Third edition .

An Oration.

AN ORATION .

DELIVERED AT A REGULAR MEETING , ON THE 71 H J 1871-, OF ST . DAVID ' LODGE , No . 393 .

BY BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON , ( Past-Master A ' o . 393 , England . ) Worshipful Master and Brethren : —On an occasion like the present , it is natural that our thoughts should revert to the erection and dedication of

the Temple of Solomon , that great and glorious work of which the connection with the history of Freemasonry is so intimate and important . I am not inclined , indeed , to assent to the opinion which has been expressed by many , that

Freemasonry originated at the time of the erection of Solomon ' s Temple , but rather to ascribe it to a still earlier origin , an origin lost in the depths of remote antiquity . But it may very well be supposed that the system subsisting before

that date was then consolidated and improvad , so that the building of the first Temple at Jerusalem marks a great era in the progress of Freemasonry and is one of the great landmarks of its history . And now when the Temple of

Jerusalem has long since disappeared , and the very form of worship for which it was intended has passed away , when cedar forests no longer clothe the slopes of Lebanon and Tyre , whose King supplied Solomon with a great part of the materials for his

work , and from which also he obtained his master workmen , is no longer a great city , its merchant princes and its traffickers the honourable of the earth , but a scene of desolation , a [ dace for

fishermen to dry their nets , it is interesting to reflect that the institution of Freemasonry not only continues to exist , having been transmitted from generation to generation during these three

An Oration.

thousand years and extended to lands of which Solomon never heard of , and / which in his day the only inhabitants were roaming savages , but that it is still full of life , as vigorous and prosperous as in the days of Solomon and Hiram , changed in nothing but for the better , as the wisdom and

knowledge of age after age have been storedu p and applied for its improvement , its essential principles still remaining unaltered , unmodified . The dedication of Solomon ' s Temple was an occasion of special solemnity in the history of the peculiar people , and of whom he especially

avouched himself to be their God . It is impossible , I believe , to conceive aright the solemnity and grandeur of that scene , such as has never been equalled and can never be realized again in the history of the world , when the temple , which had been seven years in building , was finished ,

with its symbolical pillars , and all its furniture , its altar of burnt offering , its altar of incense , its veil and inner sanctuary , the Holy of Holies , its molten sea standing upon twelve oxen of brass , its ten layers of brass , its golden candlesticks with seven branches , its table of shew bread , its

lamps , its tongs of gold , its bowls , its snuffers , its basins , its spoons , and its censers . and " Solomon assembled the elders of Israel , and all the heads of the tribes , the Chief of the fathers of the Children of Israel , " and brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord to Jerusalem and to

the temple which , under divine direction he had built , and when the priests were come out of the holy p lace in which they had placed the ark , " the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that priests could not stand to minister , because of the cloud , for the glory of the Lord had filled

the house of the Lord , " and Solomon addressed and blessed the people and offered to the Lord one of the most sublime and beautiful of all the prayers recorded in the Holy scriptures . imploring that the eyes of the Lord might be toward that house night and day , and that all the prayers

which the people made towards it might be heard , even though from lands of exile and in distress . We have no Tig ht to expect any such divine manifestations as took place on that occasion , when we dedicate our temples ; their purpose is not especial , as that of the temple of

Solomon . and yet is a high and glorious purpose . No temple that we erect is the special selected place of God's manifestation of himself and of his meeting with his people , but every one is erected to his glory for the great purpose of maintaining and promoting the knowledge of his

name , and for the great purpose of celebrating his pure worship , than which no nobler purposes can be entertained by man . Freemasonry has entertained these purposes throughout its history ; they belonged to it when Solomon and Hiram presided in the meetings of the

brotherhood at Jerusalem , and reduced the system to an order and perfection which it had not attained before ; and they equally belong to it now . Every new temple dedicated declares their subsistence , proclaims their permanence . Let us look for the evidence of the divine favour , not

manifested by a visible cloud of glory , but manifested not less really by the evident answer of our prayers , by the evident blessing resting on outmeetings and our works . It is with just pride that Freemasons reflect on the antiquity of their system and of their Craft ,

the most ancient of all existing institutions of mere human origin . And , this is not , I think , an improper occasion for adverting to the complete failure of attempts recently made to assign to our modern Freemasonry a mere modern ori gin , a very recent date . With no little show

of learning and research , in a boastful spirit of unprejudiced inquiry and ruthless criticism , it has been "maintained that Fieamasonry was invented by Dr . Anderson , Dr . Desaguiliers , and others , their associates , by them first established in England in the year 1717 , and thence

extended over the world . It may well be deemed a conclusive argument against this opinion the 1717 theory as it has been called , that it ascribes base imposture to men who were held in hi gh respect by their contemporaries , and whose

names have been mentioned with honour from their own time to the present . To make such an assumption without the clearest and strongest evidence to sustain it is monstrous , and especially unworthy of a Freemason , contrary to all Ma-

An Oration.

sonic principles and teaching . The character of a brother is not to be li ghtly assailed , the character of the dead ought to be held even more sacred than that of the living . Dr . Anderson and Dr . Desaguiliers did not profess to introduce a new system to the world . The whole history

of their proceedings consists with the notion that they acted in good faith , and is utterly inconsistent with an opposite notion . I may observe that we have abundant evidence of the existence of Freemasonry in England at dates long anterior to the beginning of last

century . Our old constitutions and charges belong to much earlier times . But I will not dwell on the evidence afforded by these . Permit me rather , in a few words , to refer yoc to the proof we have of the existence of Freemasonry in the 17 th century , which itself is

sufficiently against the notion of its having originated in the 18 th . In Plot ' s history of Staffordshire , we find an attack upon Freemasonry , evidence enough of its existence , and all the better as coming from an enemy . Aud in the works of Roger Ashmole we find a record

of his having been a Mason in the 17 th century and that is hi ghly honourable company . Some enemies of Freemasonry have asserted that it was ori ginated by Roger Ashmole and a few kindred spirits , by way of amusement . It is an absurd guess , put forth at a venture , by men resolved

nat to acknowledge the antiquity of our system and our Craft : and is utterly inconsistent with Ashmole ' s own statement of facts as to his initiation . The enemies of Freemasonry may choose between the 1717 theory and the Ashmole theory . Both are for its enemies , not for

its friends . But they are antagonistic , and cannot be maintained together . Some have imagined that Masonrywas merely operative till its revival in England in the beginning of last century , and then ( became speculative , thus seeking to escape difficulties without

acknowled ging the antiquity of our present system of Freemasonry . It must be granted that there is a connection between operative and speculative masonry . It must also be granted that this connection was more intimate in former times than the present . But that Masonry

until the time of Dr . Anderson and Dr . Desaguil ers , was merely operative and then first became speculative , I emphatically deny We have evidence of the connection with thejMasonic body in England , in long past centuries of men of high rank sufficient proof that the fellowship of the

Masonic brotherhood was not limited to mere . operative Masons . And coming down to the 17 th century , we have a notable instance of the initiation of one who was not an operativeMason in Roger Ashmole , already mentioned , whilst the names which the records of those present at

his initiation affords proof that this was no singular and exceptional instance . And from what Tlot says in His History of Staffordshire , we see clearly that it was common in England , in his day , for country gentlemen or others , who had nothing to do with operative Masonry , to seek

and obtain admission into Masonic lodges . But now , turning our thoughts from the past with all its interesting associations , to the present and its interests and duties , to the future and its prospects , bear with me when I say that a great responsibility lies upon us . We have more in

our power for the advancement of Freemasonry than our forefathers had . This new hall adds to the power of the Berwick Lodge , and I trust that my brethren , members of the lodge , will be found equal to the occasion , and that the interests of Freemasonry will not suffer in their

hands . I look with confidence for a rapid extension of Freemasonry in this town and district . But what , after all , is the advancement of Fieemasonry ? Not a mere increase of the number of members of a lodge or of all the lodges . Increase of numbers is highly desirable , if due

discretion is exercised in the admission of candidates , and care is taken to see that those only are admitted who are worthy ; for the admission of unworthy candidates is no accession to strsngth , but on the contrary a cause of

weakness and a discredit to the Order . The advancement of Freemasonry depends most of all on the worthiness of the candidates admitted , and the worthy conduct of all thejbrethren . Let us every oqe take this to heart , and see to our own