Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

? " THE FREEMASON . " Some of the Fraternity have lately been regretting the fact of THE FREEMASON occasionally being smaller in size . Well ,

I regret the circumstance with them , but what have they done to improve matters ? I have made it a point to introduce it to the brethren in lodges , and found that many have gladly subscribed , through their

booksellers , not having before known that there was such a publication . If each subscriber obtained one subscriber more for the neiv year , instead of the paper being lessened in size , we should , no doubt ,

induce the proprietor to afford us four pages more for articles relating to the history of our beloved Order . The members of lodges might also induce the W . M . to subscribe

for the paper , and introduce it to brethren at the meetings . This would be much better than closing directly the minutes are read , because of " no business , " 333 ° .

APEX . A very beautiful jewel , ascribed by the owner to "Apex , " has just been shown to me , and , if for no other reason , its artistic peculiarities may interest some .

Aglobeof crystal , bisected by an accuratelycurved line , one half being pure white and the other blue , is girded by a golden zone , about half an inch broad , enamelled

bloodred , and divided into 49 degrees , in every seven of which is represented a grey bird . The zone is at right angles to the plane of the curved line .

Springing from the opposite sides of this zone are two golden rods , which unite a little above the crystal globe , in thc manner of an astronomical parallax . At this point appears an eye , from which are nine radii .

The continuation ofthe parallax is abruptly terminated by a cross bar , thus forming an equilateral triangle ) , which serves to attach the jewel to a crimson , gold , and white

ribbon of a design really indescribable . Suffice it to say , that it is like no other ribbon , and is covered with Sanskrit characters .

Can you , or any of your readers , explain the symbolism of the design , and to whom the jewel originally belonged ? OUERCUS .

« The writer has been much interested in the recent disputes regarding the S . G . C , and he has come to the deliberate conclusion , that thc S . G . C . ought to be supported . It is a fait accompli , and represents an

existing government , therefore anything urged against it is treason . If this Masonic government is supported by the majority of members ofthe higher degrees , the minority

must give way . 1 he question is not one of argument . The power of S . G . C . is matter of fact , and , as a recognised power , it must be supported loyally . CONVERT .

" QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION . Leaving the desirability of again revising our ritual as a question more or less of

opinion , I will , for a moment , confine myself to making a few remarks on the desirability of our having an authorised printed version of it .

As matters of fact , I maintain : — Firstly , that we have had in circulation for more than a century — certainly , ever since 1724 ( when was published " The Grand Mystery , & c" )—a plentiful supply of incomplete , incorrect , and faulty rituals ,

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

which have been used , more or less clandestinely , to a much larger extent than many appear to be aware of . Secondly , that the only effectual means of preventing what all Masons admit to be

their objectionable continuance , is to make it worth no one ' s while to print them . As long as there is a demand for them , somebody will print them , especially if he can make a larger proportionate profit than

byprinting anyother book ; but the moment a proper authorised ritual can he bought , no one will buy a faulty one at any price . Thirdly , that the adoption of the course I propose by the Grand Lodges of

Scandinavia and Germany — the most truly Masonic countries of the world—has not tended "to afford a premium to idleness , ignorance , and incapacity , " and has not checked " the zeal , " or deadened " the

energies of numbers of young , active , and intelligent Masons ; " nor has it proved " unwise , uncalled-for , very objectionable , and most prejudicial to the welfare of our Order . "

I prefer appealing to a few facts than to a multitude of crude ideas , and am prepared to be met with objections from those who , no doubt , love the letter better

than they comprehend the spirit , of Freemasonry . Not liking anonymous " Notes and Queries , " I again sign myself , LL . W . LONGSTAFF .

In replying to Bro . Longstaff ' s " inquiries , " I answered a portion thereof as if it had been upon the question of proficiency instead of uniformity of working , an error which arose in consequence of my letter

having been written during the late hours of thc evening , when I was unable to give that time and attention to my " copy " which the important nature of the subject required . A YOUNG MASON .

BRO . C . E . AMOS . —Our agricultural friends will be glad to know that the services of our countryman , Bro . C . E . Amos , are as highly appreciated abroad as at home , he being a " fondateur " de la Societe * des Agricultettrs dc France , and an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Agriculture of

Sweden since 1862 . In August last , when acting as a president of a jury ( Class Agriculture ) at the International Exhibition held at Gothenburg , his explanations and assistance enabled the jurors to work a dynanometer which had been in the country some years , unused , and the results were so

satisfactory that at the request of the jury he was presented with the gold medal . The King of Sweden has also been pleased to confer upon Bro . Amos an order of knighthood . We have seen the very handsome "insignia" and we insert a copy of the brevet : " Wo , Charles , by the grace of God ,

King of Sweden and Norway , the Goths and the Vandals , make known : That , whereas the meritorious accomplishments by which the consulting engineer to the Royal Agricultural Society of England , Charles Amos , has at all times distinguished

himself , have come to our knowledge , wc have as a token of our royal grace and favour herebyappointed him , Charles Amos , to be a knight of our Order of Wasa , of which we outselves arc the Grand Master , of which all whom it concerns take notice . In

further confirmation we have had this signed by our Chancellor of thc Order , and impressed with the zeal of our Order of the Seraphim , at Gothenburg , in an Extraordinary Chapter of thc Order , 9 th August , 1871 . Signed , G . A . SPARRE , Chancellor of the Order , K . Wachtmcister . " Bro . Amos acted

as consulting engineer to thc Royal Agricultural Society of England for twenty-three years , and on his retirement in the beginning of this year , his late partners , Messrs . Eastons , Amos , and Anderson were elected his successors , he still remaining a

member of the council , and holding the sinecure position of honorary consulting engineer to the society . — The Wisbech Advertiser . —[ Uro . Amos is a P . M . of the 410 , E \ vell , and a Past Provincial Grand Officer for Surrey . ]

THE BEST FIRST . —Turner's Tamarind Cough Emulsion for the Throat ancl Bronchia , iy / z <\ . and 2 / 9 per hot . —All wholesale houses in London and Liverpool , and any respectable Chemist . —[ Advt . ]

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

Thc Editor is not responsible for the opinions ezpreiced Correspondents . MASONIC PRIVILEGES .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —I am not aware how far liberty of speech and custom are permitted south of the Tweed , but as these stand in jeopardy north of ita I take the opportunity of bringing

the proceedings of last meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow before your readers . I dare say , all of them have heard of the Malcolm Canmore Charter , which is now consigned by all , with the exception of the Lodge St . J ohn ,

3 , S . C , to the tomb of impudent forgeries . Foremost amongst the denouncers of this document Bro . Buchan holds a place , and for this reason does not stand in peculiar good odour with the brethren of his mother lodge , the

3 aforesaid . Lately , 3 attempted to extort certain privileges from Grand Lodge upon the misstatement ofthe genuineness of this charter , a charter which , by the way , does not belong to them , and which Grand Lodge has

systematically ignored . Thematter came before a Quarterly Communication of G . Lodge , when Bro . Baird , the R . W . M ., was snubbed , and Bro . Buchan , who took him in task for making statements not in accordance

with truth , received the approbation of Grand Lodge . Here , one would have imagined , the matter would have ended ; but Bro . Baird , finding the Supreme Tribunal indifferent , or rather averse to his voice , resolved to have it out with

Bro . Buchan , on his own dunghill . Hurrying home to Glasgow , he summoned the Lodge St . John together , and , after sundry proceedings , suspended Bro . Buchan for five years ! for unmasonic language towards him in Grand

Lodge ! ! Now , one would reasonably suppose that the venue would have been Grand Lodge , wherein to try such a question , the alleged offence being committed within its walls , and in the presence of the Grand Master , and that Bro .

Baird should then and there have called Bro . Buchan to order . Bro . Buchan appealed first to Grand Lodge , and , by its direction , to the Provincial Grand Lodge , against the sentence of

suspension . Here is , first , the liberty of speech denied Bro . Buchan , for it must be remembered that he spoke not as a member of 3 , but as a proxy representing another lodge , and in the interests of his constituents .

The matter came before the Provincial Grand Committee , and Bro . Wallace , P . G . S . D ., moved the reversal of the suspension , when Bro . Barrow , the Prov . Dep . G . M ., discovered , for the first time , that Bro . Wallace had neither seat nor

vote in this Committee , although Bro . Wallace , who was the instigator of the creation of that body , had sat and voted on it from its commencement ; but , as a brother very naively remarked , it was the first time Bro . Wallace had

differed from Bro . Barrow . The whole affair came up before the Provincial Grand Lodge , when the appearance of Bro . Barrow was characterized by an absence of Masonic dignity and courtesy , and which only the tact , urbanity , and

forbearance of the Provincial Grand Master , prevented from calling from the indignant brethren something more than a protest . Now , Bro . Wallace ' s name is a household word in the West of Scotland . In Grand Lodge he is

listened to with a respect which his rectitude of purpose , hatred of humbug and shuffling , and desire to keep pure the stream of Freemasonry demand . For Bro . Barrow , with all due deference , we never heard his name coupled with

much that was for the benefit of Freemasonry , save as the holder of some honorary oflice , while Bro . Wallace's services are at all times at the disposal of the Craft . By use and wont , from the creation of the

Provincial Grand Committee , the Senior and Junior Deacons are members of it , and every Mason knows , or ought to know , that Freemasonry has written laws , and also unwritten ; and so little ground had Bro . Barrow to cavil at , that , in the minutes of the Provincial Grand