Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

MASONIC NOTES AND EXCERPTA .

BY BRO . A . F . A . WOODFORD , P . G . C . The following MS . collection of Bye-Laws of 17 , 31 , is made still more so by the names of the brethren attached to them . Orders , Rules , and Ordinances . To be observed and kept by the Lodge of Free & Accepted

Masons , held at ye House of Brother Francis Papworth , known by ye signe of the Three Tuns , in West Smithfield , London . Began on Thursday , Deer , ad ., 1731 . Continued on the 15 th , and Constituted the 17 th . The Rt . Honble . Lord Lovel , Grand Alaster .

Thomas Batson , Esq ., D . G . AI . George Douglass , M . D . ) „ , , T ° „ . =-. ., ;• Grand Wardens . James Chambers , Esq . ) Impr . —That a Lodge be held every first and third Wednesday in the Month , the Brothers to meet

at the Hour of Six in the Evening from Aiichaelmas to Lady Day , and at the Hour of Seven from Lady Day to Aliehaelmas , and tbat no Brother presume to call for Wine , & c , until the Alaster of the Lodge , or , his Deputy assume the Chair .

ancl . That no Brother ( Alember or Visitor ) , Do enter ye Lodge Room Disguised in liquor , or behave indecently towards the Alaster , Wardens , or any Brethren in the Lodge , on pain to be admonished by the Master for the first offence ; and if after

being being twice admonished , he or they do not mend , or return to his or their Duty , the Alaster for the time being , is hereby empowered ancl Authorized to dismiss and exclude any such Alember or Alembers from belonging to ye said Lodge , & Entirely deprive him of any benefit or privilege therein .

, 3 rd . That every Brother who is , or shall become a Member of this Lodge , shall pay Twelve Shillings on ye first Lodge nig ht of the ensuing Half Year , into the Hands of the Alaster for the

time being , towards the necessary Expenses of the Lodge for Wine , & c . And also to Contribute to all and every other just Expenses of the Lodge , so long as he or they shall Continue members thereof .

4 th . That no Person be Suffered , or admitted to be made a Free and Accepted Alason in this Lodge ; or if a Alason to be a Alember thereof ; unless well known to one Alember , or more , to be a Man of Virtuous Principles , and known Integrity , and not a bond Alan , but Such as by their

own Consent are desirous to become a Brother ( it being Contrary to our Established Constitutions to persuade or Engage any Person thereto . ) Ancl it is hereby recommended to every Good Alason , ancl particularly to the Brethren of this Lodge , that they be Careful Avho they recommend to be made Alasons that they may not bring any Scandal or Disreputation on the Craft .

, 5 th . That all & every Person or Persons recommended as above be first proposed in a regular Lodge , & Ballotted for the next Succeeding Lodge night by ye , Brors . then present , and if

accepted by Ballot then to be Registered in the Book kept for yt purpose ; but if ( on Ballotting ) two Negatives doth appear , ye Person so Ballotted for shall be Dismissal & not accepted as a Brother or Member of this Lodge .

6 th . That all & every Person , or Persons recommended & accepted as above , shall pay for his or their making the Sum . of Three pounds three Shillings , And for their admittance the Sum of five Shillings , and every Brother who shall pass

the Degrees of F . C . & M . shall pay the further sum of Seven Shillings and Six pence , and every regular Brother who desire to become a Alember of this Lodge , shall pay the Sum of One pound One Shilling on his being so admitted ; and both

new made Brethren ancl admitted Alembers shall be subject to all & every of these Rules , & c , ancl to any other By-Laws that shall be made by the Majority of the Brethren of this Lodge , for the better Regulation of the same .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

7 th . That A Master & two Wardens be Chosen once in half a Year , Vizt ., on the next Succeeding Lodge Night after Christmas & Midsummer ,

& that Especial Care be taken that the Brother who is Chosen Alaster be Rt . Worth y & Capable of Exercising & Discharging that High Office , and that it shall be in the power of the AIaster only , to Nominate & Chuse his AVardens .

8 th . That the Alaster shall be Chosen by Ballott , 8 c that no Brother be put up for Alaster or Warden unless he hath serv'd One of those Offices iu

A regular Lodge , or have been an Accepted Alember of a Lodge Six months , to the end that the Brother Chosen as above may be duly Qualified according to the Strict Rules of Alasonry .

9 th . That ye Alaster Wardens & ye Brethren of this Lotlge do Consult the Good and Benefit of this Lodge whilst in y e lodge before any private Interest , & if any Brother thereof hath any matter or tiling to propose for ye good of Alasonry in

General or for ye Benefit of this Lodge 111 particular , that then he apjily himself to the Alaster , who shall jiroclaim silence so that Brothers proposing may be heard & understood , & if agreed to & comply'd with , ye Secretary shall Alinute it Down in ye Lodge Hook .

ioth . That all Presents made to the Lodge shall be entred in ye Lodge Book with the Brother ' s name who gave it , in token of his or their Esteem

of Alasonry in General & of his Love to this Lodge in particular , & also that ye Alaster for the time being or his Secretary for him , take care to engross the same accordingly .

1 ith . That it shall be in ye power of the Alaster by ye Consent of his Wardens , & the Brethren at any time jiresent , or by a Alajority of the Brethren present to make any Such other by-laws as for ye better regulating the Lodge or the affairs thereof shall seem most necessary and convenient .

12 th . That these Orders Rules & c . after liaving been read & : agreed to by ye Alaster and Wardens , & Brethren of this Lodge be fairly Transcribed in the Lodge Book for any of the Brethren to peruse

any time in Lodge Hours , k that they be subscribed by all & every of the Alembers of this Lodge ,- S : that they be read to , and Subscribed by every new made Brother or admitted member ol" this Lodge , to ye end that no Brother may be unacquainted therewith .

1 . 3 th . That if any Brother or member of this Lodge do propose any Gentleman to be made a Free & Accepted Alason therein & ye said Gentleman do afterwards Decline and refuse to be so made , then that Brother who did propose any snch

gentleman shall pay the same sum of money to ye Alaster of ye Lodge ( for the use of ye Lodge ) as was to have been [ laid by ye gentleman so refusing to be made to the Intent tbat ye Lodge be not Impos'd on or ye Master jmt to any Extraordinary Trouble or Expence .

Amen So Alote it be . January 5 U 1 17 , 31 . Alemoraiicliim , These Orders were Accepted to b y the Alaster , Wardens , & Brethren of this Lodge & Subscribed by ye Members present , & Order'd to be Ingrossed .

January 5 th , 17 , 31 . Subscribed By Edward Haines , Mr . Edwd . Elliot , 1 ,., , r o •i 1 Wardens . Jno . Bristow , ) [ os . Howard .

Thos . Stagg . John Field . Patt . Routh . Richard Flatter . Zach . Cave .

jno . erasing . E . Kneesba . W . Evans . Danl . Delvalle . J ohn Bradley . John Cromptor . Fra . Papworth .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

ORATION BY BRO . REV . J . HALFORD .

( Ta lite Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — Allow me to take the earliest opportunity of adding my testimony to tbe many who will congratulate the worthy Prov . Grand Chaplain of

Leicestershire , on delivering so excellent a "Consecrating Oration . " I have not the pleasure of our Rev . Brother ' s acquaintance , so I must thank him for his model AIasonic Oration , through the organ of the British Craft .

I do so most sincerely , because it appears to me that a more suitable and ajipropriate discourse on Freemasonry has not been delivered for a long time , and if we as Alasons take rightly to heart ,

the suggestions and recommendations of the oration , we shall certainl y learn all the better " to subdue our passions , and make further progress in Alasonry , " as our " lectures " informs us we should .

Av . J AMES HUGHAN . P . S . The members of tbe " Commercial Lodge" would do well to insert the excellent Oration as a preface to their By-laws .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — Herewith I send you an extract from a letter written under date 19 th April , 1872 , by a Lancashire brother Alason who has recently been called to Scotland b y his professional employment .

He says , If lam to continue a practical Alason I must join some good lodge , and I write to ask if you can by any possibility obtain letters of introduction whereby my entrance into a good AIasonic society may be faciliated . I say good Alasonic society , because , I have already found

average Alasonry in Scotland to be a farce . It is made a trade of in many lodges . This is easily exjilainable b y reason ofthe low entrance fees , and the absence of subscriptions . Lodges have to get as many new members as they can , in order to meet tlieir working expenses . The consequence is that

any ruffian stands a chance of initiation into the mystic art . I want to avoid this class , and knowing your love of Alasonry , ancl your acquaintance with so many brethren , I ask you , for the sake of the art to do me the favour , if it be in your power .

Dear Sir , I have no intention or desirej if I had time , to interfere in the affairs of , or try to remedy the evils in , our Brothers' system of working Alasonry across the Tweed , and therefore content myself by sending you the extract , and asking , can it be trhe in a country that lays claim

to such an ancient ancestry 111 Alasonry , the brethren can be so lost to the true principles of the Craft or the Alasonic usages or method of working out the principles of the order . For the sake of ventilating this matter , and in

the hope that some brother will give your readers some account of the working in Scotland , I shall be glad if you will publish this in your next . I am , A SUBSCRIBER .

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

BRITISH , FOREIGN , AND COLONIAL . The Committee of the Masonic Ball , held at Rochdale on the 27 th December last , on behalf of the " Royal Alasonic Institution for Boys , " report that the sum of forty guineas was realised

on the occasion , ancl the Committee feel that but for the unfortunate illness of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , which affected the whole country , and the death of General the Hon . Sir J . Yorke-Scarlett , K . C . B . whicii had its

effect on this neig hbourhood in particular , the proceeds would have been much larger ; they however , are thankful for the result , and for the patronage bestowed , and look forward to the Ball becoming a great annual event on behalf of the charities .