The Ancient And Accepted Rite.

fully decide between them . Hence Freemasonry invites within its portals the Christian , the Jew , the Moslem— -every one

who will lead a truly virtuous and moral life , love his brethren , minister to the sick and distressed and believe in the One , All-Powerful , All-Wise , and Ever-Present God .

We must postpone our remarks upon the 30 , or Knight Kadosh , until we can devote as much space to the degree as its

importance in the Rite deserves , premising that the 30 is the first of the Templar grades in the system of the Ancient and Accepted Rite .

Royal Masonic Benevo-Lent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVO-LENT INSTITUTION .

WE are delighted to find that at a meeting of the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution held on Tuesday , the 25 th inst , it was

unanimously resolved to cancel the law by which one-third of the life subscriptions (?) was bound to be invested . The Institution has now funded property to the amount of

nearly forty thousand pounds , and it is quite time that the claims of the present generation of Masons should be considered . Now that the compulsory investment rule

is rescinded , the advantages of the Institution can be extended to every deserving brother , and there is also no reason why surplus funds , if any accrue , from time to

time , should not be invested as heretofore , if considered advisable or necessary . The Institution is a most valuable one , and deserves every support .

The Rosicrucians.

THE ROSICRUCIANS .

A branch of the London College of Rosicrucians has recently been established for the northern counties by Fratres C . F . Matier , M . G . ; John Yarker , Prov . Sec . Gen . ; Rev . J . N . Porter , Cel . ; J . D . Moore , M . D . ; P . J . Graham , M . A ., LL . D . ; Prince Rhodocanakis , Szc . The

number is limited to 36 , and these to be Master Masons of literary ability and intellectual culture . The degrees , as in the ancient brotherhood of Rosy Cross , ate nine in nvnwber . The -Association was very popular in Germany at the beginning of the last century , but receded before

the English Templar Rite of Baron Hunde , 1754 , and the pompous rite of 29 degrees called the " Empire of the East and West , " 1762 . Old Ephraim Chambers , who published his " Encyclopedic " in 1727 , says : " Some who are no friends to Freemasonry make the present

flourishing society of Freemasons a branch of Rosicrucians ; or rather the Rosicrucians themselves under a new name or relation , viz ., as retainers to building , and it is certain there are some Preemasons who have all tlie characters of Rosicrucians ; but how the aera and origin of

Masonry as traced by Dr . Anderson , and that of Rosicrucians here fixed from Naudaeus , who has written expressly on the subject , consist , we leave others to judge . " A standard German writer , of 1818 , states that the German Rosicrucian endeavoured to

enlist the more able of the freemasons , which latter believing that they were joining an institution which would enable them to extend their charitable principles , gladly sought initiation in the nine degrees of the Rosicrucians . — The Httlme ami Stretford Express .

BOOTS of the Period at BLAKEY ' , Lime-street Liverpool ( under the Alexandra Theatre ) . —[ Advt . ]

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

If D is the first Master of a newly-consecrated lodge , and appoints B to occupy the Past Master ' s chair , does B rank as a P . M . of the lodge after the expiration of the year ? [ No . —ED . F . ]

In a lodge three or four years old who takes precedence as the oldest P . M . ? [ The first Master , if a member . —ED . F . ]

Would B ( first proposed question ) occupy any rank whatever , not having sat in the chair of that lodge ? ( R . H . D . J . [ None , except by courtesy . —ED . F . ]

Is it necesssary for an honorary member of a lodge , who wishes to become a subscribing mem ber , to pay the joining fee ? H . W . [ We should say , certainly not . —ED . F . ]

DATE OF THE UNrVERSALITY OF FREEMASONRY As it appears to me , if anything were wanting to prove that the 1723 Constitutions promulgated the idea of Masonic universality , we have it in the view taken by the Bull of Pope

Clement XII ., issued m April , 173 S , which , inter alia , says : " A certain society has been formed , under the name of Freemasons , into which persons of all religions and all sects are indiscriminately admitted . " Now , while it must be

admitted that the words " has been formed " mean , or imply , has been recently formed , it cannot be admitted that they mean formed in 1738 , for , although in that year certain

Constitutions were issued , the " society was " formed " in 1717 , and issued Constitutions in 1723 , which 1723 Constitutions , among other things , were the cause of the Pope ' s attack . W . P . B .

As the old " George and Blue Boar" Inn , Holborn , was a noted Masonic house until its demolition a few years back , the following narrative will doubtless interest some of your readers . VIATOR .

" CROMWELL AND KING CHARLES . " At the Blue Boar Inn , London , is said to have occurred the event which decided Cromwell to finally break with that faithless and utterly unreliable king , Charles I . Ireton and

Cromwell having intercepted a letter from Henrietta Maria , then in France , reproaching her husband , whom she ruled , with having made unworthy concessions , knew that the king's answer would tell everything and disclose his

whole policy . It was to be sewn up 111 the skirt of a saddle , and the bearer of it was to come , carrying the saddle on his head , to the Blue Boar , in Holborn , at ten of the clock on a certain night , to take horse for Dover . The messenger himself

would not know the treasure thesaddle contained , fortliose were ticklish times . Cromwell and Ireton , at Windsor at the time , were prompt men of action . They at once resolved to dress as troopers , and with one faithful Ironside to go to

the inn , placing their man sentinel at the wicket . Then they shouted for cans of beer , and sat drinking in a stall till news came that the man had arrived , and was leading out his saddled horse . They instantly drew their swords , and went up

to mm , temng him they were ordered to search all who went in or out of tlie inn ; but , as he looked like an honest man , they would only search his saddle , and then dismiss him . They upon this ungirt the saddle , and carrying it into

the stall where they had before been drinking , ripped open the skirt , and found the fatal letter . It contained the king's declaration that he would keep no faith with the rogues who , in due time , ' instead of a silken garter , should be

fitted with a hempen cord . ' Cromwell frowned ; lie was a man of truth—that was enough . No more parley with the king ; but the sword of the Lord and of Gideon to be drawn , and never resheathed . They delivered the saddle again to the innocent man , said he was an honest fellow ,

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

and bade him go about his business ; so off he rode to Dover , innocent of all foul play . Lord Orrery tells this story ; and Lord Orford , according to Richardsouiana , assured Lord-Bolingbroke that he had read , that very letter , and even

offered , £ 500 for it . It is very likely true ; but it is false that Cromwell had ever consented to restore Charles to power on a promise of the Garter , ^ 10 , 000 a year , and the earldom of

Essex . Cromwell was not the man to look back when he had once set his hand to the plough . This part of the story is a mere Cavalier slander , and false as one of Charles ' s promises , "

THE ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND AND ITS ANTIQUITY . In reference to this Masonic degree , permit me to observe that the only evidence hitherto produced by "An Edinburgh Member of the

Royal Order , " at pages 377 and 425 , is the evidence of his own credulity . Shakespere's tragedy of " Macbeth " is hound to be S 30 years old because Macbeth is mentioned in it ! The " Royal Order " must be 557 years old , because

the names Robert Bruce and Bannockhurn are made use of in it ! Surely , this is internal evidence with a vengeance ! Any respectablyeducated Englishman who has his attention properly drawn to the matter , and who is

acquainted with Scottish history , cannot but perceive that the childish pretensions put forward by " An Edinburgh Member of the Royal Order , " at page 377 , are utterly at variance with the history of Scotland , the history of

Freemasonry , and the real origin of the "High Degrees . " So long as the members of the "Royal Order" kept their pretensions to themselves little perhaps might be said ; but when they publish these openly to all the world , justice

to all the other chivalric degrees demands—What evidence in support of its superexcellent pretensions can the " Royal Order" produce ? And for answer we get—None ! Of course , we get affirmations by the score : but substantial

evidence is entirely wanting , simply , in my opinion , because it does not exist . Were any " proofssatisfactory" really extant of the existence of the " Royal Order" so early as the first quarter of last century , they would have been

brought forward long ere now . The " Royal Order of Scotland , " notwithstanding its highsounding title , is simply a Masonic chivalric degree , and not one of its nature anywhere can prove an antiquity of so much as one hundred

and fifty-four years , like the Grand Lodge of England , As to giving my name , I have no intention of doing so , nor of appearing before any inquisitorial convocation of the Royal Order anywhere to answer for my want of faith , or

liberty of speech in this matter . What the readers of THE FREEMASON have a right to expect , under the circumstances , is not my " name , " but his ( and its ) " proofs satisfactory " that the promulgated pretensions of the " Royal

Order " are really " facts " ? So far as we have yet seen , we are justified in believing that these " proofs satisfactory , " like Royal Charlie , will be Iang o' coming , and of very little use when they

do come . If , however , any such be produced I may then not only give my name , but also the amende honourable to the fullest extent of my power . X . Y . Z .

ST . JOnN S DAY . St . John ' s Day marks the centre of the year , and was celebrated in old times with many ceremonies and formalities long since grown obsolete . In England it was tlie custom for the people to

keep watch through the towns during the whole of Midsummer Eve , and tlie fashion was kept up at Nottingham until the reign of Charles I . ; the common people paraded the streets with torches , and the watchmen were supplied with

barrels of tar which they hung on the ends of their staves and kindled when the darkness came on , In 1510 King Henry VIII . came incognito to one of these festivals of the people ,

and was so delighted with what he saw that he attended a similar gathering on St . Peter ' s Eve , and was present in public withJQueen Katharine and his retinue . The Eve of St . John , which falls