Matter—Force.

MATTER—FORCE .

My only answer to a young brother writing upon "Dynamics , '' more diffusely than exactly , is that we do not know what matter is , and consequently we do not know what Force is . The '' Correlation of Forces " is , I believe , uow called the "Transformation of Energy . " —0 . P . COOPER .

A THEIST'S BEEYIAEY . A correspondent is thanked for the information conveyed by his letter . It is generally known that the brother whom he names is a devout Theist . He once showed me the manuscri pt entitled " A Theist ' s Breviary . '' The contents were arranged under heads ,

of which I was permitted to make a memorandum . After a long search in my collections the memorandum has been found . It is as follows -. —¦ " 1 . Thanksgivings ; 2 . Praise ; 3 . Confession ; 4 . Prayer for Forgiveness ; 5 . Prayer for Virtue . " Our brother told me that the entire Breviary was compiled from the

sacred writings of the Jews . The original Breviary was iu Latin , and the work of a German professor of philosophy who lived in the last century . The existing Breviary is a translation of it into English , with some small alterations and additions , made by our brother ' s grandfatherwhilst student at the Uni

, a - versity of Berlin . " When I saw the Breviary a slip of paper , with some lines of Juvenal in our brother ' s handwriting , was pinned to the page where the pray o for Virtue begins . —C . P . COOPER .

THE EEEEMASONS . The Freemasons are now believed by many to be descendants of the building ( or operative ) fraternities of the middle ages . However , I would refer here more to the ori gin of the term " Freemason . " Some have said this term arose because the Masons were " free-stone Masons ; " thenby omitting ( for

short-, ness ) the word " stone , " it gave "Free-masons . " Others may consider that because " anciently no slave was eligible to be made a Freemason , " the word free was prefixed to the calling of the members of the Masonic fraternities , showing that they were freemen , in contra-distinction to slaves . For several

reasons I am not satisfied with either of the above explanations , but consider that the members of the building fraternities were called Freemasons , not because they were free-meu , but because they were Free-Masons ; that is to say—that being Masons , and

having granted to them , as such , the king ' s peace , or freedom of his kingdom , they were free-as-Masons to work anywhere thereiu ; but they were not altogether free , apart from that character , for as men they were not free to intermeddle with the politics or other affairs of the country ; but as members of the building fraternities their presence was needful in the kingdom

for the purpose of carrying on the buildings , and iu order to encourage and protect them , the Masonic fraternities received , by charter or otherwise , the protection of the " king ' s peace , ' ' which entitled them to be held Free-as-Masons from all molestation , and being employed on the magnificent buildings

then erecting for the Church , they therefore received the protection of the Church also . Hence , having the freedom of their country iu their Masonic capacity , and the protection of both Church and King , they were doubly free , no noble , nor anyone , daring

Matter—Force.

to insult , attack , or enslave them , because they were " the Freemasons . "—W . P . BUCHAN . ROBERT BRUCE . See my communication " Robert Bruce , " Freemasons' Magazine , vol . IS , page 489 , a communication "Mother Kilwinning , " signed "W . P . B . " and an-

other communication , "Robert Bruce , '' signed "L ., ' ibid , page 505 . See also Bro . Murray Lyon's communication "Mother Kilwinning , Scotland , " ibid , vol . S , page 425 . The w-ords taken from oue of my note books are— "The ancient Grand Lodge of Kilwinning is said to have been governed by Robert

Bruce as Grand Master . " The words of Bro . Lyon ' s communication are— " It is confidently asserted that the Royal Order having originally its chief seat in Kilwinning , was , along with the ancient Grand Lodge of Kilwinning , governed by the same ^ Grand Master , Robert Bruce . "—C . P . COOPER .

THE TRUE FREEMASONRY OF MY COMMUNICATIONS . In compliance with the request of an esteemed correspondent the ensuing brief description of the true Freemasonry of my communications is sent to the periodical in which they are all contained . —The true Freemasonry of my communications : —First , it is

universal , the word universal being understood as defined by me . Next , its religion is natural religion . Thirdly , it is commonly Christian , and where not Christian , it gladly receives Christians into the lodge . Fourthly , it receives Jews , Parsees , and Mahommedansinto the lodge . Fifthly , it does not receive into

, the lodge Atheists , Pantheists , Polytheists , or Fetichists . Lastly , it desires the dissemination of its doctrines . —C . P . COCPER . HORACE .

In his favourite Horace , " W . R . E . will find some lines ( metaphorical Craft expressions being not altogether wanting in them ) which better describe our Brother * * * than the two stanzas taken from an anonymous German poet" Quisnam igitur liber ?" [ A learned friend present , whilst I write , translates

these words— " AVhat manner of man , then , is the Freemason ? " ] " Sapiens , sibi qui imperiosus . " " Responsare cupidinibus , contemnere lionores Fortis , et in se ipso totus , teres atque rotundas , Externi nequid valeat per leve uioruri , In quern manca ruit semper fortuna . " C . P . COOPER .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . EOYAL . NAVAL LODGE . TO THE EDITOB Of THE FBEEJIASOJfS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC 1 IIBE 02 . Dear Sir and Brother , —Subjoined is a copy of a very old Masonic certificate , granted to my late father

—can you inform me whether the Grand Lodge would grant me a Grand Lodge certificate , as my brothers , resident in this country , also Masons , are desirous of possessing one ? Will you also kindly inform me whether the Eoyal Naval Lodge , No . 57 , is now in existence . I should