Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

The Editor is not responsible for llic opinions expressed by Correspondents . LODGE ST . JOHN , MELROSE ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —I observe that there is a copy of a " Report of the Historical Committee appointed by the Lodge of St . John , Glasgow , to inquire into the historical evidence and data of the antiquity of said lodge . " Appearing in your

columns , this document is signed by Bro . AV . P . Buchan , as Convenor , in which it is said : " It was reported that the Masons of Melrose , St . John Lodge , held documents of very ancient date , but the oldest they could show to your deputation was an old Minute Book , beginning in the year 1674 . "

Now , in regard to the books of the Lodge St . John , Melrose , I beg to say , clearly and distinctly , that anything coming from Bro . AV . P . Buchan does not come from him in an . authorised manner from the Lodge St . John , Melrose , and are merely words of his own . No authority has ever been given by

this Lodge to Bro . AV . P . Buchan to inspect their books , nor has he yet seen them all , as there are older books in their possession . The fact is simply this : Bro . Buchan paid a visit to Melrose , and called on the Secretary , who showed him some of

the books of the lodge ; but finding him very curious , did not show him everything . In regard to the history of the Lodge St . John , Melrose , I shall not say anything further in the meantime than , I believe it to be older than any other lodge in Scotland . I remain , yours fraternally , CHALMERS I . PATON .

LABOUR VERSUS REFRESHMENT IN THE LODGE . ( To the Editor of Tlic Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the "far north , " there has been for some time going on a desultory

sort of warfare amongst the members of some of the lodges as to whether a Masonic lodge should be held sacred to " Labour "—that is to the due performance in a solemn and respectful manner of our beautiful ceremonies ( beautiful when well done , but disgusting to every true Mason when blundered

through in a slovingly , careless , or ignorant manner ) , or whether these ceremonies should be merely looked upon as a necessary evil , and by delay thereby adding zest to the grand business of tlie evening—Refreshment ! that is toddy and tumblers ad lib . This latter view might have been excused

in Masonic meetings , previous to 1717 , before our system of Freemasonry was instituted , and when the members met for a "jolly blow out , " and to have some fun ; but now that Speculative Masonry , with its interesting ceremonies , beautiful rituals and sublime teachings , has been adopted things arc entirely

different . Before 1717 , there was little or nothing to particularly interest the members of Masonic lodges or friendly societies in thc intellectual way , any more than amongst other co-existent Craft societies or social clubs , but now all this is altered ; a lodge when constituted is " consecrated " and its

members pledged to do all in their power to advance the interests of the Order , it is expected of them that they will do nothing to lower its status , but on the contrary by example as well as by precept show that they appreciate and value the noble principles inculcated . A desire to carry out these

latter ideas in their integrity naturally leads to an antagonism between thc fiiends of " Labour" in the lodge and the partisans of " Refreshment . " The former find that any good . r : \ . 'ct which is produced by the noble ideas and sublime teachings of the ceremonies is almost or altogether , soon thereafter ,

nullified by thc scenes , incidents , or effects of " Refreshment . " They see the best of their candidates come up , get made—then disappear ! How is this ? they ask , and thc answer is—wc admire your ceremonies and principles , but wc cannot lend our countenance to your drinkingctistoms ; wc are not

tea-totalters , but thc tone of . society is now happily altered for the better , hard drinking being rather at a discount , and we consider it altogether inconsistent for a Masonic lodge whicb has been dedicated to thc honour of the Great Architect of the Universe , and in which prayer and praise has been

offered up to llim , to be in a few minutes thereafter systematically desecrated by being turned into a sort of half-licensed shebeen , or a temple of Bacchus ! Allow me to quote a few words which show an episode in the warfare , " If Bro . had his

way , the ceremonies would be conducted so solemnly that we could not with any good grace go into refreshment in the lodge afterwards at all . " This remark was really made in open lodge about three years ago , and giving the rein to our fancy , wc can easily imagine thc response such a remark would meet with in many quarters . Thc cry would

Original Correspondence.

soon get up , more or less audible as the case might be , " Refreshment for ever , long life to the old landmarks / " Then " General AVhisky , " smiling benignly upon his supporters , bravely unfurls his standard , and rallying his votaries around him , duly pledges them in the very best Glenlivet ; earnestly charging them to stand true to their colours and boldly face

the advancing foe , manfully challenging all and sundry , who even dare to attempt to deprive them of their glories and ancient privileges , then waxing warm with the spirit of his dram he breaks out into the soul-inspiring refrain of '' AVe are 11 a foil , we ' re no that fou , But just a drappie in our ee ;

The cock may craw , the day may daw , An' aye we'll taste the barley bree . " I am yours fraternally ,

LEO . A MASONIC RELIC . ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —AVhen I was in last Scotland I visited the St . Mark's Lodge , Glasgow , and bad the pleasure of seeing a very old carved oak Masonic chair in that lodge : but I could not

obtain the history of it . I believe it belongs to the sixteenth century , and was found in St . Mungo ' s Cathedral Church . As your columns are open on the subject of Masonic antiquities , perhaps some of the Scotch brethren would give me the history of this veiy interesting relic . Yours fraternally , ISAAC BANKS , AV . M . Lodge 73 . . H . K . T ., I . C .

A QUERY . ( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Can you or any of your North Country brethren tell me who was Vicar of Newcastle on the 10 th of August , 1 S 14 ? It is recorded that " a grand Masonic procession took place in Newcastle ( on that day ) on account of the Union of the Athol and St . Nicholas Lodges .

There were about 600 in procession , amongst whom were Sir J . E . Swinburne , Bart ., P . G . M . ; Sir M . W . Ridley , Bart ., M . P . ; Cuthbert Ellison , Esq ., M . P . ; AA ^ illiam Lorraine , Esq ., Isaac Cookson , Esq ., the Rev . John Collinson , Rector of Gateshead ; the Rev . Mr . AA ' asney , & c , & c . The then A ^ icar of

St . Nicholas ( Newcastle ) having refused the use of his church for divine service , the procession marched to Gateshead Church , where , after service , , £ 112 16 s . lod . was collected for the benefit of the Newcastle Infirmary . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , TAURUS .

AFFILIATION . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have perused with some interest the letter of Bro . Hughan in your impression of thc 16 th inst . lie calls attention to the greater facilities being given m thc method of affiliating and obligating brethren in Scotland than

in England . As it may lead to something more satisfactory , take my own case , for instance : I was made a AA ' . M . last year in Scotland during a visit , and am naturally anxious to affiliate myself to a lodge in town , but have no means of ascertaining the joining fee and subscription , and at a loss for a proposer , for I am informed that the members of a lodge have a reluctance in proposing a brother

made in Scotland . If such is the case , it seems to me out of harmony with what thc Order inculcates . I contend when once a Mason , no matter where made , every facility should be given to affiliate onc ' s-self to a lodge in whatever town that may best suit you , in th . e absence of which , it makes me reluctant to forward my mite ( as I should have done ) towards thc Life Boat Fund . 1 am , Sir . vours fraternally , RECIPROCITY .

London April rrolh . 1870 , FREEMASONS' LIFE BOAT . ( To the Editor of The freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I see in THE FREEMASON a good deal of correspondence about the Masonic Life Boat Fund .

At page 35 of Vol . A II . of thc Journal of the National Life Boat Institution , you will find among thc Life Boat Funds in progress the acknowledgment of the receipt towards the Masonic Life Boat of the sum of £ 52 iSs . 6 d ., received from Clarke ancl Smith , 1 S 6 9 .

In the Freemason's Magazine of April 16 th , there is also a further list of subscriptions towards thc same f ' Mu \ . If this were made known to those brethren who are getting up a distinct fund for the same purpose , it might induce them to make one common fund towards thc Masonic Life Boat , although the subscriptions may be collected by different committees . Yours fraternally , II . CLERK , P . M . Royal Arsenal , April 25 , 1870 .

Original Correspondence.

( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is quite refreshing to read the straightforward , business-like , and gentlemanly letter that you published in your last edition , emanating from the pen of P . M . 200 . He does not beat about the bush , but comes to the point at once , by stating that his lodge sent / 10

3 s . 6 d . to " AV . Smith , Esq ., " who , upon subsequent inquiry , acknowledged receiving the same , but refers him to " Bro . Hyde Clarke" for further information . " Bro . Clarke , " in reply , states that " he has a slight recollection of receiving such an amount , " & c . I think with him that those persons should be

made to give an account of their stewardship . P . M . went the proper way to obtain it , by asking those who acknowledged having received the money . But upon what grounds P . M . can endorse the letter of AV . M . in respect of Bro . Gottheil furnishing particulars or rendering assistance in a matter of which he is entirely ignorant is a puzzle to me

and to many other readers of his letter . Is it because that gentleman kindly devotes his time and energy to this movement that he is to be made a target for such implications as are conveyed in the letters of AV . M . ? Bro . Gotthiel , as well as myself , distinctly denied having had any knowledge of a previous movement in this direction , or of the

persons connected therewith . A statement to that effect was duly published in your columns . AVhen suchan assertion remainsuncontradicted , it then becomes simply an insult for any individual , as in the case of AV . M ., who has the pertinacity in his letters to endeavour to convey the idea that we were responsible for the doings or misdoings of the

former committee . As the leader in the present movement , I heartily thank P . M . for the opportunity he has given me to point out that it was in consequence of rumours respecting a previous movement , as stated by him , that this committee thought it advisable to insert in their circulars that we had no connection with anything of the same

kind that might have been previously attempted . In reply to the couplet of P . M ., I have only to remark , if" he has found his old love false he will find his new love true . " In conclusion , I beg leave to state that we court inquiry . Our committee room is open to the visit of any brother , and I shall be pleased to meet P . M .

and AA . M . there on thc 5 th of May next , when they will have an opportunity of judging for themselves what has already been done by us . I feel assured that they will regret as men and brothers having deviated from that excellent injunction , " Do unto others as you would have others do unto you , " and whicb maxim , in my humble opinion , has not been

applied to thc case of Bvo . Gottheil . Hoping you will excuse the length of my letter , but with your usual kindness insert this in your next impression , I have thc honour to remain , clear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , S . DAVIS , 141 , Hon . Treas . to Committee .

SOLOMON'S TEMPLE . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — AA'ho were the masons that prepared the stones for the building of King Solomon's Temple ? Thc scriptural part of this subject is to me a great difficulty . Moses commanded the children

of Israel in building to God that they were not to use any iron tool to the stones ( Dcut . xxvii . 5 ) . No doubt Solomon obeyed that command , for wc read ( 1 Kings vi . 7 ) , " Ancl the house when it was building was built of stones made ready before , " & c . pj ^

Thc Hebrew words arc yD ^ ^ pN " the whole stones as drawn , " which means as they took them out of their places , without any preparation ; but the question is , How and by what means had these stones been hewn out of thc mountain if iron was not to be used on them ?

The Jews bave a tradition that when God finished creating the world , on thc last day ( Friday ) before sunset , * Hc created ten things extra . One of them

is an insect called "VTiAUn hasmir , to engrave the names in the stones of the Ephod ( Ex . xxviii . 9 , n ) and to hew the stones for King Solomon's Temple ( see Talmud , book Aboth , chap . 5 , page 20 ; book Jobba , c . 9 , p . 48 ; book Gittin , c . 7 , p . 68 ) . Rabbi Jarchi and Kimchi believe in the story and explain the passage that the " insect" was laid on thc stones

and split it , and was sent down for the building of the Temple nnd no iron lool was used at them at all , and since the destruction of thc Temple that little "insect" is lost . Thc passage in 1 Kings v . 18 , they explain that those stones were used in the building of Solomon ' s own house only ( see v ' u . 8 , 9 ) . Now we have no such "insect " in Masonry , how were those stones in 1 Kings vi . 7 hewn , as the

Hebrew word ^ DD means unhewn stone ? We have it in the English version " made ready before it . " Yours fraternally , D . STOLZ .