Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—?—SELECT MASTER . This Degree is the perfection of Ancient Masonry , and without which the history of the Royal Arch Degree cannot be complete . It

rationally accounts for tho concealment and preservation of many essentials of the Craft which were discovered and brought to light at the erection of the second temple , after they had been concealed from the Masonic eye tor a period

of four hundred and seventy years Many interesting particulars relative to those few who , for their superior skill , were selected to complete an important part of King Solomon ' s Temple are also explained .

ARCANA . In the secret arcana of ou i mysteries a series of valuable truths are preserved which correspond with the teaching of Christianity , and point to the appearance of a Saviour in the world , to

atone for human transgression and carry us from earth to heaven ; and being the conservator of such valuable mysteries , it is not surprising that in these days of superior piety and intelligence it should so rapidly increase in public estimation

and be p ractised by the wiseand good , not merely as a source of rational amusement , but as a means of promoting the blessings of morality and virtue amongst mankind and augmenting a respect for the institution of relig ion . —Dr . Oliver .

MASON . The speculations of many Masonic writers respecting the orig in and derivation of this word are too puerile to be repeated . It is evidently the German " metzen , " to cut . In Germany , the

operative masons were called " steiu-inetzen , " stone-cutters , and sometimes " mauern , " wallbuilders . The term Mason is simpl y the German word anglicized by softening the tz sound . — Macoy .

Consecration Of The Warren Lodge, No. 1276. At Egremont Cheshire.

CONSECRATION OF THE WARREN LODGE , No . 1276 . AT EGREMONT CHESHIRE .

A new lodge , called tbe " Warren" Lodge , intended to be held at the AVorkmen ' s Institute , Tobin-street , Egreiuont , Cheshire , was consecrated on Friday 22 nd inst . In the absence of Bro . the Right Hon . Lord deTabley , R . W . P . G . M . of Cheshire , Bro . Captain

Cope , W . P . G . S-B . of England and P . G . S . W . of Cheshire , performed the ceremony . Among the brethren present were Bros . Hy . Bulley , P . J . G . AV . ; J . P . Piatt , P . P . J . G . W . ; The Rev . —Terry , P . G . C . ; Thos . Piatt , P . P . J . G . D . ; H . Griffiths , P . G . S . ; AV . Bulley , P . P . J . G . D . ; John Twiss , P . G . O . ; Jas .

Hanier , P . G . Treas ., Lancashire ; Robt . AVylie , P . G . D . C . West Lancashire ; J . H . Johnston , P . G Stwd . ; Joseph Sillitoe , P . G . Stwd . ; Capt . AV . C . Bathgate ( 48 ) , R , Williams ( 1091 ) , J . T . Lea , P . M . ( 605 ); J . W . Baker , P . M . ( 220 ); Healing , P . M . ( 294 ) ; R . AVilson , P . M . ( 241 ); T . Shepherd , P . M . ( 1035 ); H . Thornton , AV . M . ( 1182 ); E . Friend

P . M . ( 1013 ) ; J . B . Robinson , AV . M . ( 1013 ) ; Chisworth , AV . M . ( 724 ); Cain , S . AV . ( 724 ) ; J . C . Baker , Sec . ( 241 ) ; S . Peek , J . J . Knight , Jas . Thompson , Halton , Purcell , and Nash ( 241 ); Wensley ( 823 ) , Pemberton , S . W . ( 12 G 4 ); AVilliams ( 605 ) , Ball , P . G . Tyler , AV . L . ; and others numbering upwards of fiftv hrethren .

The warrant having been read , the ceremony was proceeded with in due form , after which the following brethren were invested the first officers of the lodgo : —Bro . C . II . Hill , W . M . ; Bro . Jas . F . Jones , S . AV . ; Bro . Matthews , J . AV .: Bro . W . P . Mills ,

Treas . ; and Bro . C . Dilworth , Sec . Twenty-one brethren were proposed as joining members , and three candidates for initiation , so that the lodge will start at its first regular meeting with thirty-live members , aud every prospect of a steady increase .

After the lodge was closed a first-class banquet was given at Stokes Hotel , Seacombe , attended by all the Prov . Officers and a numerous company of the brethren , who cordially united in wishing prosperity to the new lodge . Bro . Hill , AV . M ., in the chair .

Tho New Vade Mecum ( invented and manufactured by Charles H . Vincent , optician , of 23 , AVindsor-street Liverpool ) consists of a telescope well adapted for tourists , 6 c , to which is added an excellent microscope of great power and first-class definition , quite equal to others sold at ten times tho price . Wonderful as it may seem , the price of this ¦ ngonious combination is only 3 s . 6 d ., and Mr . Vincent sends It ( carriage free ) anywhere , with printed directions , upon receipt of post-office order or itamns to the amoun * . of *••10 d . —ADVT .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . " ] PROPOSED TESTIMONIAL .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER Brother the Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . M . and G . Chaplain , being about to leave tbe province of Gloucestershire , where he has done so much to promote the interests and spread the principles of Freemasonry , it has been deemed desirable to

present him with some lostimonml of the esteem and respect in which he is held by the brethren . A joint Committee has been appointed by the Royal Union and Foundation Lodges , the Royal Arch Chapterand the Cheltenham and Keystone Lodge of

, Mark Masters , to carry out this object . This Committee has appointed Bro . E . AVilliams , W . M . 82 , Chairman and Treasurer , and I am directed to solicit Subscriptions to the Testimonial , to be forwarded either to him or me .

I am , Dear Sir & Brother , Yours fraternally , WILLIAM FORTH , J . AV . 246 , Hon . Sec . Masonic Hall , Cheltenham , Oct ., i 860 .

Jurisdiction Of Grand Lodges.

JURISDICTION OF GRAND LODGES .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) MR . EDITOR —In America the doctrines that Grand Lodges have exclusive jurisdiction in their several territories , has become so firmly established , that all attempts to change it in practice are useless . It would seem , indeed , that this doctrine so commends itself to the sound judgment of the Craft that no such attempts

would be made . Two distinct civil governments could exist in the same territory , as well as two distinct Masonic governments . Both are impossibilities . It follows as a necessary consequence to this doctrine that no person made a Mason in any state by any authority other than the Grand Lodge of that state , can be recognised in that state . He is held to be

irregular and clandestine . It further enevitably follows that the Scottish Rite must commence at its fourth degree , and that its degrees can be conferred only upon Master Masons of the York Rite , or else that there must be no recognition between the two Rites . A York Rite Mason would recognise a Scottish Rite Mason made under

authority of tho Supremo Council as a Mason , no sooner than he would an Odd Fellow , as a member of any other organisation . The Rite , whether wisely or unwisely has chosen the former alternative , and accordingly tho Constitution of tho Supreme Council 33 ° of tho Northern Jurisdiction expressly provides that the degrees shall be

conferred onl y upon affiliated Master Masons , this has given rise to a question of Masonic law , which has been much discussed , viz .: — " What is the effect of an expulsion , by a lodge , of a possessor of tbe hi gher grades ? " Let it be remembered that there is no appeal beyond the Grand Lodge , and that the higher degrees " cannot in any manner interfere in the trial . "

The higher bodies of the York Rite , which build upon the Masters degree precisel y in the same manner as the bodies of the Scottish Rite , have often decided this question . They hold that when the foundation is destroyed , the whole structure falls . If the Grand

Master of Templars in the United States should be expelled by his lodge , and the expulsion confirmed b y the Grand Lodge , he ceases to be a Master Masou , Royal Arch Mason , or Knight Templar . The same rule is applied in the Scottish Rite , and we can as well maintain that a structure will remain

in its position after its foundation has been removed and destroyed , as that a man can be a Mason of the thirty-third degree without being a . Master Mason ! The same doctrine of exclusive Grand Lodge Jurisdiction is the foundation of the complaint of the Grand Lodgo of Louisiana , against tho Grand Orient of France , tho Grand Lodge of Louisiana so far as she is

concerned , docs not inquire whether Chassaignac ' s Council is spurious or not , she holds that a lodge of Masons formed in the state of Louisiana by any other authority whatever than her own is an irregular and spurious lodge , and all its initiates clandestine Masons . But she finds that this Council has undertaken to establish lodges in her territory , and that the Grand

Orient of France has recognised those lodges . Those lodges were in existence , were held by her to be spurious , were also held by the Grand Orient of France to be spurious for years before they admitted persons of colour into their membership . But when they proclaimed that they admitted . Allisons without regard to race or colour , the Grand Orient recognised them , the logical proposition embodied in tho

action of tho Grand Orient is , that a spurious lodge by admitting members without regard to race or colour thereby becomes regular !! _ If Chassai ' gnac ' s lodges admitted only such candidates as other lodges , they would be held spurious equally as now , the character of tho initiates has nothing whatever to do with the question .

Jurisdiction Of Grand Lodges.

The same rule is applied in the case of the lod ge established by the Grand Lodge of Hamburgh in the-State of N ew York . In that Lodge , the Grand Lodge cf New York ( as well as all the other American Grand Lodges , ) holds to be irregular without regard to the character of the membership or initiates .

The action of the Grand Orient as shown in the Bulletin for July , is based upon an utter misconception of the question . It was assumed that the Grand Lodge of Louisiana , and the Supreme Councils in the United states hold those lodges to be spurious , because they initiate persons of colour , this is not so . The

Grand Lodgo of Louisiana ( in accordance with the general Masonic sentiment in the United States ) holds , as its published record shows , that lodges have the right to receive candidates of any race or colour . It seems impossible that the Craft in general will fall into the error of the Grand Orient . Yours fraternally ,

DELTA . THE JEAVS NOT A NATION OF BUILDERS

( 7 b the Editor of The Freemason . } DEAR SIR AND BISOTIIHR . —At page 190 of your issue of 23 rd of October , I find your correspondent Bro . D . Stolz , rating me for stating that the Jews were Not a Nation of Builders , he considers I am wrong in saying so , and after frightening me with a

Latin quotation , goes on to tell us about certain parties , whom he says were connected with the Jewish history , and " were builders , '' such as Cain , Noah , & c . ! I must confess n-, y ignorance before this of the above "connection . " Although a Scotsman myself , I always supposed that I had about a 3 much claim to

Noah as an ancestor as the Jews or any others , and as for Cain I have no desire to claim any lvlationshiD with him , more , I would suppose , according to Jewish history , that the posterity of Cain were anniliatated by the flood . Then as to Abraham , the Ishmailites , and the Edomites could claim him as their ancestor as well as

thr > Jews , and Isaac was as much tho father of Esau as he wns of Jacob , so that the Arabs of to day arc as much the descendants of Abraham , as are the Jews . Cain is therefore disposed of , Noah built a wooden house , while Abraham , Isaac , and Jacob , gather a fo , w stones together and "builded altars . " Tbe Masonic

efforts were therefore rather on a small scale . While the Jews were raising as a nation in Egypt , they saw some real building , and were forced to learn some of the Egyptian arts , hence tbe capabilities of" Bezaleel " in the wilderness , but to prove that the Je »\ s themselves were Not a Nation of Builders , we find that for

the long period of 400 years alter they possessed Canaan , tbeybuilt no temple for their worship , and when about n . c . 1012 they did set about erecting one , they had to get strangers to do it , as per 1 st Chron ., 22 nd chap ., verse 2 , " And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel ;

and he set Masons to hew wrought stones , to build the Honse of God , " and at chap . 27 , we read of store-houses for grain , vineyards , olive trees , herds and Hocks , but nothing about Masons . The building of Solomon ' s Temple , which would have been a mere " flea-bite " to the Egyptians was ; i

great matter to the Jews , it was something extra , hence the way it is detailed and gone about . And as for Hiram , tho architect , it was not his widowed mother , ( " a daughter of Dan , " ) who taught him , of course not , it was his father , who was a man of Tyre , hence Hiram learned his cunning in Tyre not in Israel .

Again the Jews- -something like our merchant gilds five hundred years ago . more or ICAR—rather looked down upon handicraftsmen , as we may partially see by their making tho Gibeomitcs " hewers of wood and drawers of water , " and as [ show above they employed strangers as Sfnsonx . The Jews dealt more

iu merchandise , herds and flocks , wheat , oil , & c , and their craftsmen were generally " strangers . " ' Then when Solomon did build the Temple ho had to send to the King of Tyre for men , and David ' s palace before then was a wooden one , and ns at the building of the second although they might have through

necessity and the force of circumstances , a spirt at building , that was only an exception . I think that I need say nothing more to show that tho Jews worn not a nation of builders . No ! Their forte was rather different , and so was their real glory . The Jews built a spiritual temple ! for just in so far as the Egyptians

and Greeks excelled the Jews m slone edifices , just so much did the Jews excel them in their religious ideas and worship . Greater Glory therefore I give to the Jew for upon Him we build all our hopes of Eternity , and it is through Him we hope to find a place in tho Grand Lodgo above . The Bible of the Jews is worth a thousand times more to us than all tho buildings ,

rank and pomp of antiquity piled together . Hence I love sincerely to hear of the breaking down of our bye-past unworthy prejudices against the Jews . I love to hear of Jews being Freemasons , and therefore brethren in our fraternal bond . And I consider that our British Parliament honours itself , as well ns bestows honour , when it admits Jews to its membershi p . I am , yours fraternally . LEO .