Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—•—THE ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND AND ITS ANTIQUITY ( p . 599 ) . THE FREEMASON of September 23 , 1871 , contains another letter on the question of

the antiquity of the Royal Order of Scotland , in reply to mine , which appeared in THE FREEMASON of September 16 th , 1871 . "X . Y . Z . " rejects " with disdain , " as he is p leased to say , my offer to give him all the

information he can desire , and to adduce satisfactory proofs of the existence of this Order long before the establishment of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1736 , because I stipulate , as a necessary condition of so

doing , that he shall come forward openly , giving his name , that it may be known if he is really a Mason in good standing , to whose view Masonic documents , not proper to be laid before the general public , may , with

propriety , be admitted . I adhere , however , to my offer , but still on the same terms on which , it was made , and this , I think , will appear to most readers of THE FREEMASON to be all that can reasonably be expected

of me . " X . Y . Z . " seems to think it a strong point against me that , whilst finding fault with him for writing anonymously , I write anonymously myself . He fails to observe how entirely different the case is .

In what I wrote , I merely gave what I believe , and still believe , to be a true account of the Royal Order of Scotland and its history . In so doing , I made no imputation against any man or body of

men . " X . Y . Z ., not content with expressing doubt of the sufficiency of the evidence as to the antiquity and origin of the Royal Order , did not scruple , in his first letter on this subject , to impute to the

members of the Royal Order , both of thc present and of former times , wilful imposition and falsehood , accusing them of putting forth for the Order a claim to respect on the ground of antiquity , which they knew to be unfounded . He who makes such

accusations is not entitled to do it anonymously , but is bound to come openly forward and accept the responsibility which is involved in the making of them . It was on account of the grave character of the charges

brought against the members of the Royal Order by " X . Y . Z . " that I said he was liable to prosecution for libel . He has ventured to defame thc character of every member of the Order ; and the disdain

which he now expresses may well be regarded with contempt . An honourable man ought surely to be ready either to express deep regret for having hastily written and sent to the press assertions of

so injurious a kind as those of " X . Y . Z . were , or to stand forward and maintain their truth . Anonymously to accuse au individual of wilfully imposing upon thc public is always deemed a serious matter . Is it less

so when the accusation affects a whole body of men , all of them in good esteem as members of society—and not only touches the reputation of the living , but of thc dead , of all who have belonged to the Royal

Order formore than 100 years ? "X . Y . ' / .., " indeed , now seeks to screen himself by saying—after pleasantly and elegantly remarking that I may light my pipe with my libel —that , " as to the members of the Royal

Order believing in its pretensions , they may very possibly do so , at least generally ; but if they do so on an imaginary or false foundation , that only shows their credulity . " Here , however , he really makes the case worse instead of better ; for his qualifying

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

clause , " at least generally , " leaves it to be inferred that he regards some of the members of the Royal Order as guilty of wilful deception and falsehood . As for the references which " X . Y . Z . "

makes to authority , I care nothing for them . As for Findel , his work is , from beginning to end , evidently that of one who has a particular theory to maintain , who enters

upon his subject with a foregone conclusion , to which everythingmust be accommodated , not that of an unbiassed and impartial inquirer into the facts of history .

I thankBro . Randolf Hay for the support he gives me in his letter in THE FREEMASON of September 30 th . I will not again reply , until such time as " X . Y . Z . " gives up his name as a proof of good faith in his own assertions .

AN EDINBURGH MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND .

THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM . The subjoined eccentric translation of the 23 d Psalm is by a distinguished doctor of divinity , who used to employ his leisure hours in making similar free translations of thc Bible : —

" Deity is my pastor . I shall not be indigent . " He causeth me to recumb on verdant lawns . He conducteth me beside the unrippled liquidities .

" He reinstateth my spirit ; heconducteth me in the avenues of rectitude , from the celebrity of his appellations . " Indubitably , though I perambulate the

glen of the sepulchral dormitories , I shall not be perturbed by appalling catastrophes ; thy crook and thy wand insinuate delectation .

" Thou positcst a refection for me in the midst of inimitable scrutations ; thou perfumest my locks with oderiferous unguents ; my chalice exuberates ; unquestionably ,

benignity and commiseration shall continue all the denturnity of totality , and I will eternalise my habitance in the metropolis of nature . "

FREEMASONRY AND UNITARIANISM . The philosophy of Freemasonry and the doctrines of Unitarianism , proper , have so many things in common , that the two are almost identical . Both believe in God as

thc Great Architect of the Universe , while belief in the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man are necessary adjuncts . Both aim at

universality , and in their own spheres . What is to hinder both from being universal ? I know of nothing , unless it be faithlessness to the truth . W . P . B .

Fratres Rosicrucians Societatis In Anglia.

FRATRES ROSICRUCIANS SOCIETATIS IN ANGLIA .

The quarterly meeting of the Metropolitan College was held on the 12 th instant , at the Freemasons' Tavern , when the following fratres were present : Col . F . Burdett , Hon . V . P . ; J . Brett , M . G . ; R . W . Little , P . M . G . ; C . H . Rogers-Harrison , D . M . G . ; IT . G . Buss , T . G . ; W . R . Woodman , M . D ., S . G . ; W . B . Hambly ,

J . Weaver , W . Carpenter , and E . Stanton Jones , Ancients ; W . J . Ferguson , T . B . ; G . Kenning , M . ; E . H . Finney , A . S . ; S . H . Rowley , Past S . G . ; J . Willing , jun . ; Major E . H . Finney , D . M . Dewar , F . H . Gottlieb , J . S . Banning , S . Rosenthal , W . Roebuck , T . W . White , J . Boyd , and T . Burdett Yeoman . Frater Gilbert occupied his position as Acolyte .

The mystic circle was duly formed , after which the minutes were read and confirmed . Ballots were then taken for several aspirants to the grade of Zelator , and the following being

Fratres Rosicrucians Societatis In Anglia.

in attendance , were severally introduced , and having passed the required tests , received as fratres of the Brotherhood : Captain Arthur B . Donnithorne , James Lewis Thomas , Moses Mawson , and Joseph B . Robinson—the last two brethren being admitted on behalf of the college at Manchester .

The balance-sheet for the past year was then read , and showed a handsome balance in the Treasurer-General ' s hands . The circle was then dissolved , and the fratres separated .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . BRO . CARPENTER AND BRO . BUCHAN .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am not at all anxious to take part in the controversy which has arisen between the two above-named brethren , as , not only do I think such controversies most

useless and hurtful in themselves , but utterly unsuited to the pages of THE FREEMASON . I feel bound , however , as an old Chaplain of our Order , to protest against the tone and tendency of Bro . Buchan's ill-judging

communications , especially of that one which appears in your pages of October 14 th . I cannot conceive anything more likely to shock the minds of all right-thinking Masons , or to do more harm to those without our Order , than such a discussion ,

conducted in such a spirit , and , above all , the utterly irreverent and reckless manner in which Bro . Buchan thinks well to treat the most cherished sympathies and the most sacred convictions of the vast majority of his brethren .

As for any large number of Freemasons holding the same mournful views , as Bro . Buchan seems to intimate , I feel convinced that such an idea is an entire delusion . I know the Order , from long experience , pretty well , and I make

bold to say that the overwhelming majority of Freemasons would utterly repudiate such opinions , and would join " ex animo " in the protest I venture to make on their behalf and my own , to-day .

Much , no doubt , will be said by Bro . Buchan as to the right of free discussion , and his undoubted privilege , as a Freemason , in this free country , to state his opinions openly and fully . But I venture to think that there must , after all ,

be a reasonable limit to this abstract right , and that it cannot be fitting , at any rate , that in your pages Bro . Buchan should abuse the well-known toleration and liberty of our Order . He is not , surely , warranted , as a brother of our kindly

brotherhood , m advancing propositions and hazarding statements which , he well knows , must hurt deeply the feelings and shock the earnest belief of thousands of his brethren . If Bro . Buchan really holds the views he does not

hesitate to propound , I venture to think and to say , that he had better keep them to himself , as such topics ought not to be made matters of controversy among Freemasons , or be ostentatiously promulgated in a journal like yours ,

which is intended for the information , improvement , and edification of the Universal Brotherhood . From the pages of THE FREEMASON , I repeat , and I know the great majority of your readers will concur with me , all political and

religious discussions should be carefully excluded , and nothing should there appear which , in any way , would tend to foment that " odium theologium , " which has already done so much mischief in the world .

Hoping that I may never be compelled to read again such irrelevant and ill-timed assertions , which will deeply pain very many besides myself , I am , dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours ,

AN OLD CHAPLAIN OF OUR ORDER . THE PURPLE IN WEST LANCASHIRE .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —Another year has passed since I addressed you on this subject , and the provincial grand honours , notwithstanding a