Original Correspondence.

wards joined a Stockholm chapter , and was a frequeni visitor at other lodges and chapters , both in Sweden ant other countries . I am at present only concerned to prove the fact of Swedenborg ' s initiation and subsequent high Masonic position , so will not lengthen this letter , or mucr might be added on the subj- ct . 1 remain , dear Sir and Brother , sincerely and fraternally .

yours , KENNETH R . H . MACKENZIE , Supreme Grand Secretary Swedenborgian Rite . Hounslow , March 8 th .

INNOVATIONS IN THE MARK DEGP . EE . To the Editor of the " Fretmason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The letter signed " E . L . " in your last impression has been brought under my notice , and as I believe I know more about the installation your correspondent speaks cf than he does himself , permit me to say that the so-called

innovations have been used by me in tbe Mark installation ceremony long before any ritual was in existence . The first innovation to which the attention of your readers is called is the "borrowing a portion of the ritual known in Craft Masonry as the installation ceremony . " The head and front of this offending resolves itself into the fact that I addressed the members of tbe lodge ,

and informed them " from lime immemorial it has been an established custom , " & rc ., thus calling their especial attention to the peculiar business of that meeting . " E . L . 's" next grievance is that I supplemented the usual charge to the brethren " by adding ( thereto a portion of the charge usually de'ivered in the chapter of Rose Croix , " which he says later was " never intended to

be used for any poition of this Degree" ( the Mark ) . Most certainly your correspondent may have heard the words I quoted in a Rose Croix chapter , but they are taken from a much older book than the R ; se Croix ritual , and the writer intended them for the guidance and instruction of all men . They are from the first epistle general of St . Peter , 2 nd chapter , i ; , if ) , 17 verses , and are " For

so is the will of G ul , that wuh well-doing ye may put to silence ( he ignorance of foolish men . As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness , but , as the servants of God , honour all men , love the brotherhood , fear God , honour the king . " With all due respect to "E . L ., " these words are not used by me with the idea of appearing " very grand , " or

that they sound imposing , " but from the fact of having been so taught vihni the Alark Degree was the one predominant in my Masonic thoughts , and because I think they are peculiarly appropriate to tach and every Degree of a brotherhood whose watchwords are " loyalty and •charity . " I , for one , do not think it cither possible or

desirable to have a uniformity of ritual ; I am quite content to see a un ' . ty of essentials . While I would require absolute conformity to a fixed rule on this point , 1 would allow a large latitude in mere verbiage . Apologising for intruding on your space , I am , yours fraternally ,

REITAM . March 15 th .

LODGES OF INSTRUCTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In your last issue a "Young Enquirer" asks about the opening of a new lodge ot instruction , and 1 have much pleasure in informing him that when the

Lodge of Instruction known as the Metropolitan , No . 1507 , was removed from King ' s Cross to the Moorgate-strect Restaurant , the ceremony of consecration was rehearsed by Bro . Terry , assisted by several distinguished Masons , so that there would be a piccedent for opening a new lodge with a . similar ceremony . Yours fraternally , OBSERVER .

THE ROYAL ARCH DEGREE . To the Editor of the" Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I omitted to add to ray letter in your last issue a paragraph on the working of Royal Arch Chapters . It is evident to many companions that Principals pass through the three chairs without learning the ritual appertaining

to either , tbe work on each occasion being done by seme P . Z . of extra skill or perhaps by a visiting Principal . This neglect of duty partly arises from the limited number of chapters of instruction . We all know of those excellent ones meeting at the Jamaica Coffee II mse and

Air-street respectively , but in the suburbs there appears to be a great want of some opportunity for instruction and improvement . Take South London , for instance , with its lodges and chapt' rs , but not one chapter of instruction . Could not s'lme of the energetic Masons at the Surrey Masonic Hall s ' . ait one ?—Yours fraternally , SCRIBE .

BRO . WILSON AND THE BOYS' SCHOOL . To the Editor nj the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read " K . R . I . B . A . 's " letter in your paper of to-day ' s date respecting my account against the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and shall be obliged if you will ^ ivs me a small corner to reply . In the fust place , lie sa \ s that 1 he account in question is

not a rieu led account . Whatever may be his opinion , v . differs fiom that of every prulcssjininl man to whom I have shown it , anel he roust recollect that it is now more than s / . r -mouths since I i . fLrcil te > give every explanation winch might he ne'cc-siry through mv repress , t . itive , Mr . Paraite , and th-it Mr . Stanley , the solicitor to the Hou-e Cemiiiiitcc , I as relrained up to the present time from mak-; any appointment with him . With regard to " F . R . I . B . A . ' s " statement that " it is

Original Correspondence.

most certainly unprofessional for an architect to take out the quantities of the woik on which h ^ is engaged , and to be paiei for the same by the builder who has to work under him unknown to his client , " if he had made proper inquiry before making such an unguartled and ungenerous

insinuation against me he would have found that I had in no way depaited from the general practice , and that the House Committee were perfectly well aware in each case that I had taken out the quantities . Yours , faithfully and fraternally ,

S . B . WILSON . 27 , Walbrook , E . C , 20 th March . .

MASONIC REGALIA . To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I shall feel much obliged if you will correct a misprint which appears in my letter published in your issue of the 20 th inst . In the last line of the third paragraph instead of " chased initial emblems" read " chased metal emblems . Yours fraternally , P . M . 1 76 S , 421 , & c .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Referring to alcttcrfrom " P . M . 1768 , 421 , & c , " n your last issue , quoting from the paragraph on page 125 in our Book of Constitutions , v . hich instructs us that the emblems on the Master's and Past Master ' s aprons shall be of ribbon , " half-an-inch broad , and of the same

colour as the lining and edging of the apron , " and complaining of the prevailing disregard of these instructions , as shown at the last Quarterly Communication , where he observed about eighty per cent , of the brethren weaving on their aprons " chased initial emblems , " I should like to say a word . Tne quotation of our brother is quite correct , but upon

referring to the preceding page of the sime book will be found ( after describing a Master Mason ' s apron ) these words : " No other colour or ornament shall be allowed except to Officers and Pae-t Officers of lodges , who may have the emblems of their offices in silver or whits in the centre of the apron . " As a matter of fact ( if all aprons are made like mine *

the three emblems in blue ribbon are used , and over them the three in silver or white . Thus the instructions quoted by your corresponelent are fully carried out , and the emblem in silver or white is quite in accordance with the Book of Constitutions . Yours fraternally , JOHN G . HORSEY , W . M . 1619 .

THE APRIL ELECTIONS . Dear Bro . Kenning , — I cannot express how much I feel the kindness of many of my brethren in sending their voting papers for the deserving cases of the London Masonic Charity

Association . I would only remind some good friends of mine that the sooner they do send what they mean to give us the better for our poor candidates . Yours fraternally , A . F . A . WOODFORD . 25 a , Norfolk-crescent , Hyde Park , W .

Reviews.

Reviews .

A CATALOGUE OF BOOKS . ANCIENT AND MODERN , & c . E . W . Stibbs , 32 , Museumstreet , W . C . This is a very interesting collection of books , suitable for the general reader , anel many of which are deserving of special notice . The Hermetic stmlent may like to hear

of Lilly's "Christian Astrology , " " Mercurius Tresmegestus , " or . Taylor , the Platonist ' s , works . The historian will like to dip into numerous English chronicles and foreign " chroniques , " some rare and curious ; while the classical scholar will survev , not with indifference , the " Auctores Clas-ici , " in 136 volumes , " Autores Classici

Latini , " in 7 royal 8 vo . ; a fine copy of Homer , and many other classical works . The lover of the curious will be struck with the works on witchcraft , Palmerin of England , "The Byrth , Liffe , and Ac-its of King Arthur , " and many other rare books . In fine , we recommend our readers to pay Mr . Stibbs a visit and get a copy of his catalogue .

GREENHOUSE FAVOURITES . Groombrinde and Sons , London . This charming seiial his reached its ninth number , and no better praise could be bestowed on it than that it is

equal to its predecessors . The subjects for illustration this month are the Cypripedium Veitchianum , and Pleroma Sarmentosa , both superbly drawn and printed . The Primula and Cineraria are the " favourities " treated on in the letter press .

Her Majesty the Queen has honoured Bro . J . A . Elliott , of the Rtiyal Hanover Lodge , No . 1777 , by her gracious acceptance of . 1 copy of his pamphlet containing the history of the Civil Service writers . Lord Beacoiisficld has also accepted a copy of the same work .

We have pleasure in stating that Bro . Elliott has several times received marks e > f Royal favour both from Her Mnj-sty anel H . R . H . the Grand Ma-ter , he being 311 author , poet , and musician , besides being a member of the Civil Service .

WORDSWORTH ' S "COCA PiLLS , " the successful remedy for s ' eeplcssness , nciiR < li > ia . and Hay fever . 2 s . peer bo * . Homeopathic Chemist , 6 , Sloane-street , London . —CA DVT . ]

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

STATUTES ANENT MASONS . I have read Bro . Gould's " note " with much pleasure , as on one or two occasions personally I have touched upon the same su ' t ject , though neither so clearly nor fully as he has done " more suo . " It is to be observed that in cap . 1 , anno 3 , Henry VI ., 1424 , the words actually used are , " Whereas by the yearly congregations and ceinfederacies

made by the Masons in their general chapiters and assemblies , " & c . This is to be noted , because the unknown author of " Multa Paucis , " writing in 1763 , keeps the name of " assembly" up to his time , in which he is , however , wrong . From 1723 the word "communication " is used in the minutes of Grand Lodge , and Grand Lodge in the common parlance ( properly ) of historians .

My poor old friend , Bro . Shaw , years ago called attention to the act of Henry VII ., but it was then at the beginning of our stuffy of Masonic evidences , and he [ too hastily " look up " with the words " tokens and signs , " but which certainly did not convey a Masonic idea . Curiously enough , I cannot find the •statute alluded to by Bro . Gould as 11 Henry VIL ,

cap . 3 . — " An acte agaynst unlawfull assemblages , & c . " Theeilition I have of the " Statutes at Large " is " Keble ' s , " 2 vols ., folio , 1695 . I find a provision against " Riots , " cap . 7 , 11 Henry VIL , but nothing more . The act against " Liveries" is 19 Henry VIL , cap . 4 ., while cap . 13 , irj Henry VII ., is also' another provision against riots . Liveries are dealt with in 1 Richard II .,

cap . 7 , 1 Henry IV ., cap . 7 , 11 Henry IV ., cap . 21 , 8 Edward IV ., cap . 11 . In 11 Henry IV ., cap . 21 , the words used are , " Livery or sign of Company . " I quite agree with Bro . Gould as to the statute of Edward VI ., 2 anil 3 , cap . 15 ., as being a restrictive and prohibitory statute as regards Crafts , and note the words , " have sworn mutual oaths , " but I cannot agree with him

as to the effect of cap . 20 , 3 and 4 Edward VI . It only repealed that portion which allowed an artificer to work in a town in which he did not live , or in which he was not " free of the same city , borough , or town , " in fact section 4 , but it did not touch the tnainpoint of the Act 15 , 2 and 3 , Edward VI ., to prevent " Trades Unions " limiting

hours and fixing price ot labour . Perhaps Bro . Gould only means this , but his words seem to me to bear a wider construction , and so I call his attention to them . I am very g lad this intelligent and critical study oE our Masonic evidences continues in the Freemason , and hope often to welcome and to have the pleasure of perusing Bro . Gould ' s able " note . " MASONIC STUDENT .

SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN . The " point "as regards Sir Christopher Wren ' s connection with Freemasonry is a most impoitant one , and on it as a fact rests a great cloud of doubt and " myth . " Thanks to Bro . Gould , we can discuss the matter calmly and fully . As Bro . Gould puts it truly , there is an evidence of 16 91 , but it is only an " ut eiicitur , " and we have

no Masonic evidence of the fact until 173 8 . This is greatly amplified by the author of " Multa Paucis" in 1763 , and still more so by Preston about ten years later . There is , however , no mention of the fact at all in Wren's " Latin Hiary , " neither can I finel that there is any other direct or indirect evidence of the fact . Like Bro . Gould , as I have saitl with reference to " Locke , " the ignorance cf

the fact by Anderson in 1723 seems to me to be fatal to the claim . Smith in his" Freemasons' Comnanion , " 1736 , though he claims Charles 1 . and Charles II . as Masons , and says William III . was believed to be a Mason , only mentions Sir Christopher Wren as " that excellent architect , " as Bro . Gould fairly states . The theoiy of Wren ' s connection with Freemasonry rests on the statement of

Aubrey , IOQI , Anderson , 1738 , anel the author of " Multa Paucis . " 176 3 ; but we must note a grave contradiction in the evidences . Whereas Aubrey declares , 1691 , that on that day Wien was te > be " . nlopted " a Mason , yet" Multa Paucis " makes him Grand Warden in 1661 , which is supposed to be about the date of the Harleian , 1942 , with the new aiticles agreed on . In ifififj he writes Sir Christopher

Wren was D . G . W ., and G . W . 16 S 5 . One of the two statements must be incorrect . The evidence of the Lodge of Antiquity so far is this : The candlesticks have always been said to have belonged to the old Lodge of St . Paul ' s , and given by Sir Christopher Wren . There is a picture ot Sir Christopher Wren btlonging to the Lodge of Antiquity , though it is now sail that it is not Sir Christopher Wren .

As regareis the mallet , printed and MS . evidence shows that Sir Christopher Wren laid the first stone himself , and not Charles II . ; but , as an old master of mine in Masonic studies and researches said , " Do not despise ' tradition ;" there is always some truth in the remark . I have o'ten thought that fact may be explained , and that the mallet

may have been used by King Charles II . at some other great ceremony ir . his reign , and thus , as often happens , traditions have got " mixed . " I looked up thc account of Sir Christopher Wren ' s funeral years ago , but there was no sign , if I remember rightly , of any "Freemasons" being present . MASONIC STUDENT .

ELIAS ASI-IMOLK . Referring to the notes which have recentl y appeared in the Freemason on the subject of the Ashmolean MSS ., I am pleased to he able to say that I have at length met with information which will . be of interest to our zealous and inelefatigable brother Masonic Student , and which he may

pns-ihly he willing to accent as a solution of the question which he * propounded f . ir the investigation id your Traders . In the 3 rd series , V . ii . XL , of Notes and Queries , March 2 nd , 1867 , p . 188 , amongst the notes on books , & c , I have found the following : " Index to the catalogue of the manuscripts of Elias Ashmole , formerly preserved , in th ' e