Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—*—THE RED CROSS ORDER . I have on several occasions stated that the Masonic Order of Constantine has never claimed connection with the ( late ) public Order

belonging to the extinct kingdom of the two Sicilies ; and as that Order has ceased to exist , in consequence of the resolve of the Italian Government not to adopt it as a national Order , there is no reason whatever to allude to it again in the

present discussion . It is well known that the claims of all Masonic Orders of Knighthood , such as the Templars and Hospitallers , are based mainly upon traditions preserved in their respective rituals , and not upon actual historical proofs ,

and the same observation may be said to apply to the Red Cross Order . The Comnenian family doubtless possessed the exclusive right to confer the decorations of the Constantinian Order of St . George , and it can be easily proved that they

exercised that right down to the time of the sale of the Order to the Duke of Parma in 16 99 , when the last survivor of the ancient house of Comnenus resigned the dignity of Grand Master , and the Order became a public one attached to

the duchy of Parma . The theory that the Abbe Giustiniani perpetuated the Order is based upon the fact that he claimed the right , as a Grand Cross , to confer it . This , I admit , is purely speculative , and does not account for its

introduction as a Masonic degree . It is , however , remarkable that the tradition of Constantine's vision and conversion is related in several Masonic rites , especially in that of Baron Hunde , which was promulgated in 1754 , and in the

Rosaic Rite a few years subsequently . It is also clearly traceable in the Swedish Rite of the present day , and , as has been stated , it was formerly worked by the Scottish Templars . It likewise formed a part of the ancient York Rite

of Heredom , many of its emblems being found on old Masonic documents and banners used in the series of chivalric grades . The Red Cross was the seventh or highest degree known in England eighty years ago , as proved by a diagram

now in my possession , and for the recovery of which the Order is indebted to the present Grand Secretary of England . I am therefore quite content to accept the alternative which " Lupus " places before me , and to acknowledge that the

Order must now " rely upon its Masonic acceptance only . " Its antiquity as a Masonic degree being at length generally admitted , the most important object of its supporters has been

attained , and its future will now depend upon the practical application of those sublime precepts which are inculcated in its several ceremonies , as well as on the Masonic integrity and general worth of its members . R . W . L .

In reply to Bro . Hughan's communication , I have only to say I never accused him personally of having claimed anything more than a mere Masonic origin for the degree of the Red Cross , but as the " Grand Imperial Senate" or

" Council" ( comme vous voulcz ) have claimed this chivalric origin , Bro . Hughan must be aware , as an officer of that Grand Body , " Qui facit per alium , facit per se . " It is for Bro . Hughan to state his authority for writing his

late communication , as in it he is in diametric opposition to the dictates of the chiefs of the Order as represented by Bro . " R . W . L . " If this article has been written permissu supiriorum , it is undeniably the amende honorable . C . F . MATIER .

PROGRESS . At page 235 Bro . Paton informs us that a lodge in which no refreshment is ever to appear will shortly be started in Edinburgh . We trust that the brethren who are taking this in hand have

the ability and pluck to carry out their intentions to a decided success . They deserve the good wishes of all real well-wishers to Masonry and to Masons . As this is a real step in the right direction , we sincerely wish them good speed . W . P . B .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

In Preston ' s Illustrations of Freemasonry , page 78 , it states , " The lodge is then placed in the centre , on a crimson velvet couch . . . the three great lights , the gold and silver pitchers , with the corn , wine , and oil , are placed on the lodge . " Can you supply me with

information as to what is intended by the lodge in this case , as it evidently does not refer to the S . Law or the C . Roll . ETA . Valletta , Malta . [ The tracing boards are technically called

the " Lodge . " In London , the term " Lodge Board " is used , and it is covered with a white cloth , upon which the vessels containing the consecrating elements—viz ., corn , wine , and oil—are placed . —ED . F ]

SCOTCH AND SCOTCHMAN V . SCOTTISH , SCOT , AND

SCOTSMAN . At page 247 Bro . " Edinburgh" remarks " Bro . W . J . Hughan says I am a Scotch Mason , should it not be Scots Mason ? " And , he adds , " Perhaps Bro . ' Leo' will reply to this ? " Now , in reply , I venture to say that both are wrong ,

for the word referred to is an adjective , and it should be " a Scottish Mason . " No doubt " Scotch " is often used , and has been for the last century and a half , but I don't like it , and think it a vulgar corruption . There is , then , the noun " Scotchman , " which I think is another

disagreeable word ; it sounds far better m my ear to say " Scotsman , " and I am happy to see a well-known Scottish historian who in his published works ten years ago used " Scotchman , " now in his last work lately issued using "

Scotsman . " As for the word " Scot , " that means a man of the Scots , and where to use Scot or Scots , and Scotsman or Scotsmen must be left to the discretion of the writer and the connection of his remarks . LEO .

GRAND MASTERS PRIOR TO 1717 . I have just glanced over the list of 51 Grand Masters prior to 1717 which " Pythagoras" has been kind enough to send you , and I for one am much obliged to him for the information ; it has confirmed me more than ever in believing

that there was no Speculative Freemasonry before 1717 . There is not a single word in their history that could lead us to suppose or believe that any one of them ever sat in the chair of K . S . as his representative ; and I may add , that if our so-called ancient Grand Masters are to be

selected among princes ( who cannot help the fortune or misfortune , as it may be , of being born such ) , or men of learning , philosophers , great soldiers , builders , or founders of monastries , cathedrals , temples , or cities , & c , and as there is a disposition to connect Masonry with such ,

and value the rust of the age in which they lived , why not place Cain first on the list of Grand Masters , and call him brother , seeing that he is the first on record who built a city , which he called Enoch ( Gen . iv ., 17 )? And why is Solomon ( apart from our Masonic legend ) honoured as being the first G . M . ? W . C . DORIC .

GRAND MASTER MASON OF SCOTLAND . Bro . W . G . Doric asks , " From what history does C . I . Paton ( page 175 ) quote that the office of ' Grand Master Mason of Scotland ' was granted by James the Second of Scotland to William , Earl of Orkney (?) and Caithness , & c . ? " W . G . Doric adds : " I read that James

the Third married Margaret , daughter of the King of Denmark , in July , 1470 , and received for her dowry the islands of Orkney , Shetland , and all others about Scotland belonging to him . Question , then , was he Earl of Orkney and Caithness in James II . time ?" W . G . Doric will find it stated in Lawrie ' s

" History of freemasonry that in the reign of James II . of Scotland " the office of Grand Master was granted by the Crown to William St . Clair , Earl of Orkney and Caithness , Baron of Koslin , and founder of the much-admired chapel of Roslin . " From whatever source

Lawrie may | havc derived his information , the statement which he makes is corroborated by the charters granted to the St . Clairs of Roslin by the Freemasons of Scotland in the earlier half of the seventeenth century , and which are preserved in the Advocate ' s Library of Edinburgh . When my present works on Freemasonry are

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

out of my hands , I will give a short history of the St . Clairs of Roslin . The difficulty which has occurred to the mind of W . G . Doric is easily explained . The Earldom of Orkney was not a Scottish peerage in ,

the time of James II . Orkney had long been possessed and ruled by its own Earls , who were almost petty sovereigns , but acknowledged the supremacy of the Norwegian Kings . William St . Clair of Roslin married one of the daughters

of Malise , Earl of Strathearn , Caithness , and Orkney , a co-heiress of the Earl of Orkney , and according to the custom of that time assumed the title of Earl of Orkney . He was afterwards created Earl of Caithness by James II . of

Scotland . Hence he is known in history as Earl of Orkney and Caithness , also as Baron ( or Laird ) of Roslin , for the Barons of Roslin were never , under that title , peers of Scotland . On his death , his possessions were divided , according to his

will , among his sons , the eldest of whom became Baron ( or Laird ) of Roslin , the Roslin estates being the most valuable ; and the second son , Earl of Caithness . So at least the Roslin family have always maintained , but the Caithness family

dispute the seniority of the Roslin branch . However this may be , it is certain enough that at that date titles as well as estates were often disposed of by will , the strict law of inheritance according to primogeniture not being carrried out as in

more recent times . It is also certain that the mere title of Earl with the right of sitting in the Scottish Parliament was not then regarded as equivalent to great estates with which no such

title was connected . The St . Clairs of Roslin held a very high place amongst the Barons of Scotland , and although never raised to the peerage , were sometimes specially summoned by the King to the Scottish Parliament .

I Ins explanation , I think , may suffice to remove W . G . Doric's difficulty . CHALMERS I . PATON .

ONENESS OF TRUTH . Like a stream , Truth passes through a variety of changes , from its fountain on the hillside , until it is absorbed in the mighty ocean—it flows along banks now verdant and covered with

flowers or with harvests , and now through stern and rocky boundaries—it goes on by the side of castellated halls and gorgeous palaces , of widespread cities resounding with the busy hum of men , or pursues its course along desert or forest

solitudes—it still keeps flowing on through whatever diversities of change nature , in all the varieties of her appearance , can produce , until at length it is seemingly lost ; and yet , through all these , it is ever one and the same . It

is the boundary of empires—it parts nations , tribes , languages , and religions , forming the limit within which they were contained in ancient times , and by which they are still marked out in modern history—it verifies the records of ancient

chronicles , and it indicates the site of ancient conflicts—it is fed through the same conduits and by the same processes . Through all its diversities there is an enduring oneness , a unitythe unity of God . W . J . Fox .

FLOWERS . How the universal heart of man blesses flowers ! They are wreathed round the cradle , the marriage altar , tlie tomb . The Persian in the far East delights in their perfume , and writes

his love in nosegays ; while the Indian child of the far West clasps his hands with glee as he gathers the abundant blossoms—the illuminated Scripture of the prairies . The Cupid of the ancient Hindoos tipped his arrows with flowers :

and orange buds are the bridal crown with us , a nation of yesterday . Flowers garlanded the Grecian altar , and they hang in votive wreaths before the Christian shrine . All these are appropriate uses . Flowers should deck the brow of the youthful bride , for they are in themselves

a lovely type of marriage . They should twine round the tomb , for their perpetually renewed beauty is a symbol of the resurrection . They should festoon the altar , for their fragrance and beauty ascend in perpetual worship before the Most High . — Maria L . Child : " Letters from Neio York . "