Original Correspondence.

ment of Prov . and District Grand Masters , as ( such , are not entitled to any prefix beyond ' brother . '" The argument is directly contrary to the above-named circular , which lays down that the prefix of " Right VVorshipful " is to be accorded to Present aud Past Provincial Grand Masters . Yours fraternally , J . E . LE FEUVRE . Prov . G . Sec .

THE LORD MAYOR'S MASONIC BANQUET . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — It is not surprising , perhaps , that the outside world should occasionally get a little confused as to our Masonic titles . It is a trivial mistake to speak of the Lord Mayor

as a " VVorshipful Grand Master . " No doubt , " Grand Master ' s" Lodge should have a " Grand Master ; " but what in the name of all that is sensible does the writer of the short paragraph in last Saturday's Daily News mean when he speaks of the Lord Mayor as being " senior junior ? " Perhaps he had dined well , but not too wisely ,

when he combined the two words ! The Lord Mayor a " senior junior . " What ? If a " senior , " bow can he likewise be a "junior ? " Lord Mayors are capable of doing many things and well , and Lord Mayor Ellis is no exception ; but even he will never be able to arrive at the sublime absurdity of being a " senior junior . " Fraternally yours , A NEWLY-FLEDGED MASON .

Reviews

REVIEWS

THE CHRISTIAN CYNOSURE . This is a paper published at Chicago , U . S ., edited by a Mr . Blanchard , with associate editors , R . F . Kellogg , a Mrs . Eliza Cook , and E . D . Bailey , corresponding editor . The paper seems to be published by Airs . Eliza Cook . Pr ibably few of our brethren are aware of the existence of this professedly religious (?) paper , which is maintained solely and specially to attack the Masonic body

and all other friendly , if secret bodies , as Oddfellows , Foresters , Buffaloes , and Shepherds , Members of the Ark Knights of Pythias , & c . It's motto is a perverted text of Scripture based on ignorant or false exegesis , and its whole tone is so bad , so irreligious , according to us , that we are not the least surprised to hear that in the very town from which its magnificent thunder emanates Freemasonry is looking up , and is flourishing apace . We must

all be struck with the bitter intolerance , the absence of a meek and charitable spirit , which we have always , perhaps wrongly , associated with the developement and outcome of " true religion ; " and we do not hesitate to say , if the "Cynosure" represents the prevailing belief of any large number really of thinking beings , it is a very bad belief , utterly unworthy the acceptance of any reasonable being ; indeed , most inimical to the progress and perpetuation

of any religion whatever in the world . VVe can quite understand any one reading the effusions and outpourings of the "Cynosure" doubting gravely and seriously about everything . In England , we can hardly understand or realize such a state of feeling , such an outburst of hope-Ies « , ignorant , and reckless fanaticism . In America , where our Fraternity have had to go through the fiery furnace of direct persecution , as in the Morgan affair , brought about

mainly , as it appears to us , by a "lying spirit , " and the needs of unscrupulous caucusmongers , they have such things to endure , and , we doubt not , they will emerge from the present " vertigo" of semi-crazy fanaticism with honour to themselves and credit to the Craft , just as they did years ago . If they have nothing more to contend with , than the inane writings and childish incriminations of the "Cynosure , " if they have no

other arguments to meet than the irrational and empty bombast of an anti-Masonic faction , they will survive , we venture to predict , the pious amenities of Blanchard , and the minatory anathemata of Mrs . Eliza Cook . VVe have , perhaps , paid too much attention and afforded too much space to the " Christian (?) Cynosure , " this pretentious representative of intolerance and ignorance combined .

A LECTURE ON FREEMASONRY . By the Rev . C . E . SHIRLEY WOOLMEK , Vicar of St . George's , Ramsgate . The reverend gentleman just mentioned delivered a lecture on Freemasonry , on October l ith , to the members of the Margate Church Institute' and which appears in the " Broadstairs Gazette" of October 13 th . We do not quite know whether the reverend gentleman is a member of our

Order or not , though we rather think he is ; but whether he be so or not , he has a good deal to learn , we say it in all respect and friendliness , before he can be accepted as a guide or light in the often thorny and dubious path of Masonic history . It seems _ to us that he has made one capital mistake , namely , in selecting the EnglLh Findel as his sole expositor , and basing all his own theories and arguments on a somewhat brittle and

shallow foundation . Findel has his great merits . He is a great pioneer of authentic narrative and historical research . But Findel's too hasty induction has led him into somevery serious mistakes , as Bro . Gould clearly and incontrovertibly points out , in the first volume of his recent great work . Findel's theory , lhat there is no connection as between pre ljijandpost 1717 Freemasonry is now rejected , or that the Speculative revivors of 1717 merely adopted and accommodated certain Operative symbols , has been

proved to be untenable , inasmuch as the accumulating evidence of the 17 th century Masonry proves that Speculative Masons , non-Operative , were admitted into the only lodges so far traceable , Warrington , Basinghall-street , London , and Chester , just as now . The lecturer quotes Bro . Findel as claiming to have discovered the Sloane MS ., or Plot MS , as Findel calls it , in the British Museum . Bro . Findel had received a transcript of the MS . before he went to lhe Museum , from " Masonic Student , " with a letter to one of the attendants—a fact hc admits in his original

Reviews

statement in the " 'Mittheilungen" of the " Verein . " What Findel may properly claim is , that he discovered the name of "Dr . Plot" in that volume of the Sloane MS-.., on which he based a Plot theory , which is not credited , however , at the Museum . There is no trace of an initiation ceremony , as the lecturer states , in the MS . so discovered . It is simply a Masonic catechism , apparently

identical with one seen by Dr . Pest , and probably representing seventeenth century Masonry , about 1650 . the lecturer makes one or two other little * ' beefsteaks , " which come from a too cursory perusal , or want of careful comparison , of authorities ; in fact , a little agreeable and easy sheep-walking , 'there is no proof , so far , that the Royal Arch Degree came from France ; there is no proof

that it ever was practised in France . If Dermott be the " fautor" of it in this country , curiously enough , he got it from Dublin apparently ; and if Ramsay took it to Dublin , there might be a connection as between it and Ramsay , but all this is very problematical . VVe are inclined to think , as we have alwajs said , that it is purely English , overlaid perhaps , and partially forsrotten ,

but still existing , and developed and manipulated by Dermott to give eclat and prestige to his schism . In some form it was ^ reserved in the Modern system , though its terminology and nomenclature were more fully drawn out and proclaimed under the Antients . There is not the slightest evidence of the usage of the Royal Arch in Germany , in its adoption by Frederick the Great ; on this

point the lecturer has been completely misled by some imperfect authority . We do not know why the lecturer talks of the " spurious 33 Degrees , " unless , indeed , he has taken up the language of Findel without thought or consideration as infallible . Since Findel wrote so hastily and harshly about the High Grades , increasing evidence declares and shows that Hermetic Masonry in this country , in some

form or other , is not far off the 1717 revival , and is in all probability synchronous with it . We have thought it right to point out these little blemishes in the lecture , as we feel quite certain the lecturer meant well , and has only been misled by the apparent irrefragable authority of Findel . VVe trust that Bro . Woolmer , as we hope we may call him ,

will set to work to study the true history of Freemasonry , will consult such works as Bro . Gould ' s , Bro . Hughan ' s , Bro . Murray Lyon ' s works , and Kenning ' s and similar cyclopaedias , and then we shall be delighted to hail him among the band of Masonic students , capable from his talents to do justice to a great subject , and obtain credit for himself and our excellent and useful Order .

THE "HACKNEY HANSARD . " A new weekl y publication has just made its appearance , which we hail with considerable satisfaction , and this satisfection arises from the ability shown in the production of the work . There have recently sprung up in London and the suburbs a number of debating societies , which discuss political topics under rules similar to those ol the House of

Commons , and the value of the societies is that they educate debaters in the fair and temporate discussion of subjects , excluding and forbidding the angry and general attack , which in tavern societies ot the same kind disgrace and deform the speakers . Tbe Hansard , of which paper we are now speaking , is an imitation of the authorised Hansard of the House of Commons , for the Hackney

district , and others for other districts are about to make their appearance . They are to report the discussions in local parliaments , and the proprietors , Messrs . Walpole and Bottomley of 90 , Chancery Lane , who have gained an excellent reputation as accurate shorthand writers , have in

the Hackney Hansard in addition to the correctness of their notes , exercised great . editorial skill in making their work thoroughly acceptable , not only to the speakers they report but to the general reader . The typography is perfect , and the work produced in a form which , when bound up , will make a good library volume .

mfmSfm ^ m ^^ mmm j ^ JVta & oniC'Tfotes-and'ftuerieg ^^^ kms ^^^^^ m-1 j pEzAZj ** 11 ¦ " ¦^ fca-i-gSggWBB ^ Sfl ^ g ^ J * ^^^^ Ss ^^^ rr ^

00 ] PARS OCULI . I am asked , by a correspondent , " what is Pars Oculi ? " " Pars Oculi" is a Latin MS . poem , apparently , at present unverified . Mire or Myrc tells us in the " Colophon of his Instructions for a Parish Priest , " & c , published by the Early English Text Society , edited by Mr . Peacock

at p . 63 , that " explicit tractatus qui dicitur Pars Oculi de Latino in Anglicum translatus per fratrem ( ohannem Myrcus , " & c . "Pars Oculi" was left by William of Wykeham to Winchester College , and it is very possible that the old Latin poem is still in that library . I believe , if I remember , it is also mentioned as a bequest in the " Testamenta Vetusta . " The interest of " Pars Oculi" to

the Masonic student is this , that a portion of the ritual , directions , and hortatory passages under the "Ars Quatuor , " in the Masonic poem , are found in Myrc . Hut if " Pars Oculi " could be found , we should have the same words , nearly 100 years older , and ive might find traces of the

"Ars Quatuor , " as its position in the Masonic poem is very singular . The term " Pars Oculi" may seem strange to some , but there was a somewhat similar treatise by John de Burgo , called " Pupilla Oculi , " from which some have thought , as Mr . Peacock tells us , Myrc translated his poem . But that is a mistake , Mr . Peacock assures us . MASOMC STUDENT .

6 J _ A QUERY . Can any collector of Hermetic books put me on the track of a book sold at the great sale at Strawberry Hill , entitled , " Secrets of thc Adepts " ? ROSY CROSS .

6 Sj CHARLES SACKVILLE . Who was really the Charles Sackville commemorated on Natters' Florentine Medal of 1733 ? He is simply termed Carolus Sackville Magister , F . L ., F . U . 1733 . On the reverse is " Ab Origine , F . Natter , F . Florent . " It is quite clear , I think , that the curious statement that this

Charles Sackville was Duke of Middlesex , or Earl of Middlesex , is erroneous . But who Charles Sackville really was does not appear . So far he is not identified in Collins . Can any brother learned in pedigrees , or family history , throw any light upon the subject ? MASONIC DRYASDUST .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Durham.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DURHAM .

The annual Grand Lodge of the Province of Durham was held on Tuesday afternoon , the 17 th inst ., in the Central Hall , Darlington , under the banner of the Restoration Lodge , No . 111 , and the Marquess of Ripon Lodge , No . J 379 i the ost Noble the Marquis of Londonderry . K . P ..

ivl . VV . 1 rov . G . M ., presiding . There was a large attendance of Present and Past Provincial Grand Officers and visiting officers of other Provincial Grand Lodges , as well as an excellent gathering of the Masters and brethren of the various lodges in the province . The hall was adorned with the banners of the lodges , and the appearance of the assemblage was very imposing and

impressive . 1 he Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in due form by the Prov . G . M ., assisted by the officersof Provincial Grand Lodge . The Provincial Grand Master was assisted by the following Provincial Grand Officers : Bro . Sir H . Williamson , ¦ £ £ •?•¦*!• ' J- W . Cameron , P . G . S . W . ; J . McCuIIoch P . G . J . W . ; Rev . J . J . Brown . M . A .. Prov . G . Chap . ; horsier

J . , P . G . Reg . ; R . Hudson . P . G . Sec . ; I . Ilev P . G . S . D . ; T . Bradley , Asst . P . G . S ., P . G . J . D . ; J . " j . Clay , P . G . Supt . of Wks . ; Geo . Greenwell , P . G . D . of C ; P . G . Uavid Sinclair , P . G . A . iS . otC ; A . T . Munro , P . G . Swd . Br ; R . Dickenson , P . G . Org . J . Sinclair , P . G . Purst . ; J . lhompson , P . G . Tyler . The Provincial . Grand Master was also supported by Bros . E . D . Davis ,

P . P . G . J . W . ; and W . M . Bell , P . A . G . Dir . of Cer ! Northumberland . Among other Provincial Officers present were Bros . VV . Iyeson , 124 ; John Robson , 1274 ; J . VV . Couchman , 424 ; E . I ) . Brown , 509 ; C . Cobham , 949 , Stewards ; Babington Boulton , in , P . P . G . D . ; F . Maddison , 13 S 9 , P . P . G . S . D . ; C . S . Lane , 7 G 4 , P . P . G . J . D . ; I . M . Shepherd . i 0- ; o . P . P .

G . L . ; R . Ord , 1610 ; J . Showell , in , P . P . G . S . D . ; W . Lear , in , P . P . G . S . of VV . ; F . Tovey , 1379 , P . P . G . O . ; M . Knowles , 940 , P . P . G . S . D . ; W . M . Brignal , 124 ; I Hunton , 940 , P . P . G . J . D . ; R . B . Lutert , P . P . G . J . D . ; W . J . Watson , 141 S , P . P . G . J . D . ; VV . Liddell , P . P . G . D . j A . S . Fowler , 940 , P . P . G . J . D . ; John Trotter , 940 , P . P . % ' £ ' £ cM * Corbetf » 4 S , P . P . G . S . D . ; J . H . Jackson 940 , P . P . G . S . D . ; Wm . Coxon , 124 P . P . G . S . B .: VV . M .

VVat-, son , 509 , P . P . G . J . D . ; J . Trotter , 509 , P . P . G . R . ; G . meson , 111 , P . P . G . J . W . ; A . lley , soy , P . P . G . S . D . ; R . Richardson , 1 O 50 , P . P . G . R . ; H . E . U . Muller , 1370 , P . P . G . O . ; J . Bailey , in , P . P . G . W . ; R . J . Dent , 12 30 , P . P S- iL' ^ Vi -J * , ' *?"; ; ' ' 379 . '' ' '• G . R . ; H . B . Wright , 661 , , *^*^*' , <*; J * M * Meek > 1 * * * ' 379 * ]• 1 * -- Macnay , 1370 , . P . G . J . D . ; Captain Appleby ; and J . Terry , Sec . of the Benevolent Institution .

Among other brethren present were : Bros . 1 . G . Smith , W . M . j John VVood , I . P . M . ; R . Whitfield , VV . B . Elsdon J . W . ; VV . Dalrymple , I . G . ; K . Shewbrooks , J . D . ; and A . Rhagg , Sec . ot 4 S ; J . Hawdon , I . P . M . ; UeClare Yeld , S . VV . ; Rev . R . H . Yeld , Chap . ; and F . Turnbull , of So ; J . Smart , W . M . ; M . Frampton , P . M . ; J . Henderson , P . M . ; J . Riscborough , P . M . ; 1 . Hudson . S . VV . ; I .

Dixon , J VV . ; and John A . Rainbow , S . D . oi 94 ; I . H . Leech , VV . M . ; C . McNamara , S . W . ; J . C . Moor , J . W . ( breemason ); E . Clarkson , I . G .: T . Twizell , P . M . ; and 1 . M . Watson , P . M . of 97 ; Geo . Porteous , W . M . ; B . Swain S . W . ; J . G . Kirtley , J . VV . ; and J . Crisp , of 949 ; T . Tillman , W . M . ; VV . Brandt , P . M . ; and VV . H . Craven , of 13 S 9 ; G . S . Shotton , VV . AI . j J . H . Wilson , l l

. P . M . ; J . H . hompson , S . W . ; and T . Burke , J . VV . of 240 ; Thos . Coulson , W . M . j J . G . Athey , P . M ., S . W . ; and Wm . Davidson , J . W . 1970 ; H . Colder , VV . M . ; A . McDougall , P . M . ; J . Hickman , S . VV . ; J . Sedcole , I . W . ; G . H . Dexter ( Mayor ); I . Ponder , P . ' . VL ; and J . Armstrong , J . D . of 1119 ; S . Wilson , W . M . ; Bousfield , S . W . ; T . Bell , P . M . ; VV . C . Blackett , P . M . ; Fenney , P . M .

and Malcolm , P . M . of 124 ; Wm . Gray , VV . M . ; and Barnes , P . M . of 1334 ; Wm . Bewick , W . M . ; George Hardy , P . M . ; and S . Chadwick , J . W . of 1643- VV . Mayson , W . M . j and J . Stonehouse , S . VV . of 74 G ; E . If $ ' i -A * " $ ¦ * V- H , - £ P ° ff ° rth , of 5315 T . Shepherd , W . M . ; R . Candhsh , P . M . ; J . Richardson , P . AI . ; I . Sinclair , P . M . ; S . Cockburn , P . M . ; and I . Avre . P . M .

ot Got ; W . J . Young , VV . M . ; and R . VV . Simpson , J . VV . of 1 SO 2 . The whole of the other lodges in the province were well represented . n . ^ j *** , UD !* ON , Prov . Grand Sec , read the minutes of Vj ? , 'od j-e-s held during the year , which were confirmed , the treasurer ' s reports were read by Bro . T . Bradley , Assistant Secretary , which showed the funds to be in a

highly satisfactory condition . Bro . Hudson . P . G . S ., read the report of the Fund Committee , presided over by Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , in which it was stated that the committee had that day voted £ 60 to live applicantsj and it was further recommended that £ 52 ios . be given to the Royal Masonic Institution tor Boys , £ 52108 . tothe Royal Alasonic Institution for

Girls , and £ zG 10 s . each to the Aged Masons' Institute and the Aged Widows' Institute . It was likewise proposed that £ . 25 be subscribed to the Provincial Education Fund . Sir Hedworth Williamson moved the adoption of the report , which was carried . The Charities Committee reported the successful working of the Committee , and the new educational scheme in the province . Bro . C . S . Lane moved and

Bro . AI . Corbett seconded the adoption of the report , which was carried . After some conversation respecting the promotion of the Royal College of Alusic , in which the M . W . Grand Alaster , H . K . H the Prince of Wales , takes a deep interest , it was decided to invite the lodges to take the matter up . The roll of the lodges was then cal ' ed by Bro . Geo . Greenwell , of when the VVorshi

D . C , pful Masters of the following reported progress in funds and membership , and continued harmony in working : —Industry , 48 , Gateshead ; St . John s , So , Sunderland ; Phcenix , 94 , Sunderland ; Palatine , 97 , Sunderland ; Restoration , in , Darlington ; Marquis of Granby , 124 , Durham j St . Hilda , 240 , South blueldsj Lambton , 375 , Chester-le-Street j Borough , 424 , Gateshead ; Tees , 509 , Stockton ; St . Helen's , 531 , Fawcett 601

Hartlepool ; , , Seaham ; Harbour of Refuge , ? w V Hartlepool ; Philanthropy , 940 , Stockton j Williamson , 949 , Sunderland ; St . bede ' s , nin , Jarrow ; Wear Valley , 1121 , Bishop Auckland ; Barnard , 12 3 0 , Barnard Castle ; Earl of Durham , 1274 , Chester-le-Street ; Norman , 1334 , Durham ; Marquis of Ripon , 1379 , Darlington ; Fen wick , 13 S 9 , Sunderland ; Fraternity , 1418 , -tocktonj Perseverance , 16 43 , Hebburn j Rose of Raby , 1050 , Stamdrop ; iStranton , 1862 , West Hartlepool :