War.

every Freemason can point Avith pride , but Ave none the less fervently reiterate the hope that the day will soon daAvn when the sword shall be turned into the reaping-hook ,

and when those vast machines which are now used for destruction may exert their ponderous strength in the blessed cause of unity , peace , and concord throughout the nations of the earth .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—FREEMASONRY , AND THK SON OF SALATHIEL . I have been much pleased with the history , so far , by "The Son of Salathiel , "and hope that after he has finished Freemasonry in England to the

" Schism , " he will favour us with as good a sketch of the " Ancients , " as I fancy their character is not generally known , neither have their crooked ways seen the light . AV . J . HUGHAN .

LOOSE SYSTEM OF CONDUCTING FREEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND . A circular has been issued by a brother residing in Glasgow , to members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , in which he says : — " It is a fact

beyond dispute that Masons hailing from the Scottish Constitution are , by members of the Craft in the sister countries , viewed with suspicion and distrust ; and , as I believe , this arises chiefly from the loose system of admitting candidates to

our Order . " AVhat a confession ! The truth however is sometimes spoken even by those who perhaps are most careless in whom they would admit Parties in bringing forward , or in seconding motions , should first question themselves if

by the whole of their Masonic lives they have done everything which they now wish their brethren to adopt But apart from this , if the Craft in Scotland would adopt the system as in England , Freemasonry would improve in Scotland . CHALMERS I . PATON .

" THE ST . CLAIR CHARTERS , " AND " BROS . D . MURRAY LYON" AND " C I . PATON " ( p . 331 . ) I have read with some surprise Bro . D . Murray Lyon ' s remarks at page 331 of THE FREEMASON , on the celebrated St Clair Charters , defending

Bro . W . P . Buchan against the charge of inaccuracy in his statement as to the dates of these charters , in confidently assigning the year 1600 as the date ofthe one , and 162 S as the date of the other . He tells us that he has examined the

originals of these charters , and that both are without date , and adds that "though the copy of the second charter , which is preserved in the Advocates' Library , is dated 1630 , there is good ground for believing that the deed was executed

two years prior to that date . " I frankly admit that I was not aware that the originals of these charters were known to be still in existence , and I would feel greatly obliged to Bro . D . M . Lyon or any one else for information where they are

to be found , as I would be glad to take the first possible opportunity of examining them . The copies made by the industrious Father Augustine May , and now to be found in one of the volumes

of MSS . 111 the Advocate--. ' Library , alone seem to have been known to the historians of " Freemasonry and other writers on the subject to the present time .

I very much desire to comp . irc the originals ofthe charters with the charters as published Irom the May MSS . in the histories of Freemasonry . If Father Augustine May has taken the extraordinary and unwarrantable liberty of inserting a

date in his transcript of the second charter which is not in the original , what other liberties may he not have taken ? There may be interesting discoveries to be made in these valuable

old documents . I again ask , therefore , where they are . lt occurs to me , also , to ask if any reason can be suggested for what in itself I must say I deem a most unlikely thing—Father May ' s falsification

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

of his transcript by the insertion of a date ? The transcript was made before the year 1700 , or at all events not later than that year , for the volume which contains it bears that date , and I have never heard that a doubt has been expressed as

to the real date of the volume , although it has been examined by many a learned antiquary . It cannot have been from any desire to advance the interests of Freemasonry that this date was interpolated : at least I cannot see how this can

be supposed on any of the theories concerning the origin of Freemasonry . It is easy to see , however , ' that those who advocate the 1717 theory , can derive no advantage from any conclusion that may be reached as to anything done by Father Augustine May on or before 1700 .

As to the date of the first of the St . Clair Charters , it has been only conjecturally assigned to a period shortly after the accession of James VI . of Scotland to the English throne ; and if Bro . D . Murray Lyon is right in his statement

that the William Shaw , Master of Wark , who is named in it died in 1602 , then it must of course be referred to a somewhat earlier date—probably , as he says , to 1600-1 . But Bro . D . Murray Lyon fails to observe that the charge of inaccuracy

made against Bro . W . P . Buchan was for assigning a date to a charter which bears no date , and the date of which even Bro . D . Murray Lyon does not now venture to state with similar confidence .

Irepeatagam : Where are tlie original charters ? and wait for an answer through the columns of THE FREEMASON for a reply . I am busily engaged , and in a very short time hope to give proofs showing how absurd it is for

any one to suppose that our Freemasonry was invented in 1717 , but cannot refrain from taking notice ofa quotation from the National Freemason , ( now extinct , ) which I have observed , saying : " How was it that in 1429 lodges were holden

under the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury , and the names of W . M . ' s , Wardens , Fellow Crafts , and E . A . ' s given ? The actual minutes of the lodges may be seen by consulting the MS . register ot the Prior of Canterbury for

1429 . " I did not intend saying anything until I had sent my articles to THE FREEMASON , on "The 1717 theory exploded . " But did not like to lose an opportunity . CHALMERS I . PATON .

THE 1717 THEORY AND ITS CHAMPION . Bro . Chalmers I . Paton , at page 343 , is at his old work again , viz ., making mistakes . He finds fault with me for designating Bro . Buchan tlie " champion" of the 1717 theory , because he

( Bro . Buchan ) has not , as Bro . Paton tells us , yet got the victory . Now , that notion of a man requiring to be a conqueror before he can become a champion is simply absurd . My dictionary says , " Champion , a single combatant ; " that is , a

man who «¦ fighting , or who is prepared to fight —ergo , Bro . Buchan is a champion , and when he " has gained the victory , " then he will be more , viz ., a victor , or conqueror . Bro . Paton also mentions thc word " proof . "

Now , . although he takes up the affirmative , and should , therefore , be prepared to lead proof , as yet he has proved himself quite unable to do so . I refrain from saying more at present , not wishto interfere between Bros . Buchan and Paton in their present discassion . LEO .

THE HENRY VI . . MANUSCRIPT , p . 343 . At page 343 , Bro . W . G Doric alludes to this pretended Koyal MS . as being " discovered in the Uodleian library . " Will l'ro Doric sav lohcn

it was " discovered , " and wlu found it ? Mr . J . O . Halliwell , F . R S ., made a ling search in the Bodleian library for the original of this pretended MS . but could not find it ! and he considers the pretension afji ^ cry . XV . P . B .

MASONIC POETRY . I am glad to perceive , by the pa ^ cs of T . FREEMASON , that Masonic poetry is improving . I bought a " History of Freemasonry " lately ,

and the poetry in it was a collection of the merest trash , a " thread of blue " occasionally appealing here and there . We look with hope for better things in the future . LEO .

Laying The Foundation Stone Of A New Church At Drumbo, Ontario, Canada.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW CHURCH AT DRUMBO , ONTARIO , CANADA .

On the 24 th ult ., being St . John ' s Day , this imposing ceremony took place . The brethren of the mystic tie began to arrive from all directions , by rail ancl in carriages , about 11 a . m . They at once proceeded to their lodge in Drumbo , where the officers-elect for the ensuing year were solemnly and duly installed .

After which they marched in double column to the site . There was quite a large number , and they presented a very fine appearance , being nearly all dressed in black , and white gloves , with their variegated and unique regalia . First came the Tylers , with drawn swords ; then Entered Apprentices ,

Fellow-Crafts , Master Masons , Masters of lodges , Past Masters , Royal Arch Masons , Sir Knights Templars and Knights of Malta , and Rose Croix Knights , the Grand Officers bringing up the rear . On arriving at the sight the brethren opened file , crossed swords , and allowed the Grand Master and

officers to pass through . They were then joined by * the clergy , robed in surplices , hoods , and stoles , and the choir singing as they formed a large circle round the site the processional hymn , " Brightly Gleams our Banner . " Sentences of Scripture were then read by Rev . H . Cooper , Eastwood ; also Psalms 48 and 122 .

Glorias , and chant by the choir . First and second lessons ( Mai . iii ., and Rev xxi ., 9 to the end ) , were then read by Rev . J . Padfield , of Burford . Rev . Adam Townley , D . D ., Paris , then read prayers , which ended the ecclesiastical part of the

ceremony . The ACTING GRAND MASTER ( W . Mercer Wilson , Esq ., Judge of the County of Norfolk ) said : Men , women , and children , by special request , and under lawful authority , we appear before you to-day as members of an Order whose lodges are scattered

over the whole world , to assist in the interesting solemnity of laying , with our time-honoured ceremonial and according to ancient custom , the corner stone of your proposed church . The corner stone , as the foundation on which thc entire building is supposed to rest , is , of course , the most important

stone in thc whole edifice . It is , at least , so considered by Operative Masons . It is laid with impressive ceremonies , and the assistance of Speculative Masons is generally invited to give dignity to thc occasion ; and the event is viewed by the workmen as important in the construction of the edifice ,

In the rich imagery of Orientalism the corner stone is frequently referred to as the appropriate symbol ofa chief or prince who is the defence and bulwark of his people , and more particularly in Scripture , as denoting that promised Messiah who was to be the sure prop and support of all who should put their

trust in His divine mission . As , for instance , in the Psalms : " The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner ; " and in Isaiah , " Behold , I lay in Zion for a foundationa stone—a tried stone—a precious corner stone—a sure foundation . " To the various properties that

arc necessary to constitute a true corner stone , its firmness and durability , its perfect form , and its peculiar position as the connecting linkbetween the walls , we must attribute thc important character that it has assumed in thc language of symbolism . Freemasonry—which alone of all existing

institutions has preserved this ancient and universal language—could not , as it may well be supposed , have neglected to adopt the corner stone among its most cherished and impressive symbols , and , hence , it has referred to many of its most significant lessons of morality and truth . AVhile the ceremonies

connected with laying the corner stone ofa public edifice are always regarded with interest by thc public generally , they are regarded with peculiar and intelligent ' veneration by the Freemason , for he must ever remember thc time when he himself represented a spiritual corner stone . Thc corner

stone , when proved by the implements of Operative Masonry , is then consecrated by thc pouring on of coin , wine , and oil , and these elements have a beautiful significance in our symbolism , for by them we are reminded that thc cultivation of virtue , thc practice of duty , the resistance of temptation , the

submission of suffering , the devotion to truth , thc maintenance of integrity , and all those other graces by which wc strive to lit ourbodies as living stones , for the spiritual building of eternal life must , to labour successful , be consecrated by a holy obedience to Cod ' s will and a firm reliance upon God ' s provie ' ence , which alone constitute the chief corner

stone and sure foundation on which any man can build with thc reasonable hope of a prosperous issue to his work . 11 has often been my pleasing duty to act upon occasions of this kind , and it has ever afforded mc peculiar pleasure to assist in the erection of a temple which is hereafter to be dedicated to thc public worship of Almighty God . The