Masonic Notes And Queries.

and extending down to the bottom of the robe ; on the front a red templar cross , six inches in width . A blue silk stole reaching down in front to within six inches of the bottom of the robes , and having on it three templar crosses of red silk . Mitre of white merino , bordered with gold , lined with green , having the red templar cross extending- to the edges , and surmounted by a passion cross three inches high . The special badge of his office is a Crozier .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . THE OLD REGULATIONS . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIB , BROTHER , —In answer to a letter in your paper some weeks back , touching who should preside in case of the non-attendance of the W . M . in lod I find

ge , in Dr . Anderson ' s work of The History and Constitutions of Free and Accepted Masons , printed by Robinson , " in the regular year of masonry 5746 "—page 153 , under the head " The General Regulations of the Free and Accepted Masons , " compiled by Bro . George Payns in 1720 , & c . the following : — OLD REGULATIONS . — " The master of a particular lodge

has the right and authority of congregating the members of the lodge into chapter upon any emergency or occurrence as well as to appoint the time and place of their usual forming . And in case of death or sickness or necessary absence of the WM ., the S . W ., shall act as W . M . pro tem ., if no brother is present who has been a W . M . of that lod before . For the absent W . M . ' s

, _ ge authority reverts to the last W . M . present , though he cannot act till the S . W . has congregated the lodge . " NEW REGULATIONS . — "On 25 th Nov ., 1723 , it was agreed that if a W . M . of a particular lodge is deposed or demits , the S . W . shall forthwith fill the W . M . 's chair till the next time of chosing and ever since in the W . M . ' s absencehe fills the chaireven though a former W . M .

, , be present . " I think the above fully answers the point in question . I beg to remain , dear Sir and Brother , Tours faithfully and fraternally , T . G . RICHARD . 21 st April , 1862 . Moira Lodge , & c .

Private Lodge Seals.

PRIVATE LODGE SEALS .

TO TIIE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER .- —With ' reference to the Booh of Constitutions , page 89 , it is stated as follows : — "Every private lodge should have a Masonic seal , to be affixed to all documents proper to be issued . " I would therefore wish you will have the goodness to call attention to this rule , as I think it is of much importance to Masonry .

I myself received a paper purporting to be Masonically official , signed by tho Secretary of Lodge No . 172 , but without the seal ; it is therefore worthless , for any jierson might write the same , and of course I cannot show it to a brother out of this locality as a legal and genuine Masonic document . I am , Sir and Brother , yours Fraternally , J . W . W . Daptford , April 4 th , 1862 .

Removal Of Lodges.

REMOVAL OF LODGES .

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND fiASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIB , BROTHER . —In thc Booh of Constitutions under the above head , it is stated that " Any lodge may be removed from one house to another , within the same town or place , at tho discretion of its members , " & c , and then it points out certain regulations to be complied with . Now supposing the members of a lodge bo duly summoned , and the requisite majority obtained for

Removal Of Lodges.

removal from one house to another , " within the same town or place , " is tho consent or sanction of the Prov . Grand Master or any other Masonic authority requisite , before such removal ? Of course a copy of the minutes musb be sent according to regulation 3 . I am aware that no lodge can be removed from " one town or place to another" without such consent .

I shall be obliged if either yourself or any of your corres 23 ondents will reply to the above . Yours fraternally , April 29 th , 1862 . P . M . [ The permission of the Prov . G . Master is not required . !;

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Magazine And Masonic Mirror.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASON ' S MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Iu No . 142 ( 22 nd March ) of your valuable Magazine , the worthy and beloved Bro . M . H . Shuttleworth , pronounced his regret that I was an adversary of the non-Masonic so-called High Grades . Allow me , therefore , if you please , a few remarks . The history of Freemasonry gives evidence that there were no High Grades in existence before 1740 ; it further

gives proof that the High Grades were the cause of innumerable errors , confusions , and controversies , and consequently of much evil . It is ! known that the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland declared themselves several times against all higher degrees ( pure ancient Freemasonry consists of three degrees and no move ) aud it cannot be denied that the universality

, of tho Craft and the equality of all its members would be abolished through the High Grades . Besides they areall grounded on false statements , as they pretend to beolder than they actually are ; they thereby contradict historical truth . For these and many other reasons I am an opponent to all higher degrees—nobody can becomemore than a Master of our royal art . If I declare

myself against them , it is with the good intention to promote the interests of the Craft and to warn youngerbrethren , but I do not wish to offend any brother . I have only the matter in view , not at all persons . Bro . A . Thory , the author of the Acta Latmnorum , although he estimated the Grand Master and other members personally , judged the modern Order of the Templars tobe " child ' s-play and sublime nonsense . "

I love Bro . Shuttleworth as well as any other brother , although I dispute that the Degree of Rose Croix was instituted in Palestine , and that the Order of H . R . D . M . was practised before 1750-60 . It would be much easier to provethat James Watt lived in 1188 in Palestine , and that the-Monitor of Ericson was built by Robert Bruce , 1314 ,. than to prove that any higher degree was invented and

practised anywhere before 1725-40 . The great " Ordensluge" of the Scottish Rite , ancient and accepted , hasbeen discovered long ago , and still it is always reiterated . Lately this falsehood has been refuted with much precision by the Grand Master of the Grand National Mother Lodge of the Three Globes at Berlin ( See Die-Bauhutte 1862 No . 17 . ) I also refer to the lately

pub-, , lished work , The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ; A full and complete Piston / . By Rob . B . Folger , MP .,. P . M . 33 rd , Ex . Seer . General . New York , 1862 . Should I have expressed myself iu terms too strong ,, the cause arises not from my heart , but from deficient knowledge of the English language , which I understand better than I can express . On my part I do not wish to

violate the motto , " Brotherly love , relief , and truth , " in the least against the brethren of the great glorious English nation , in whose bosom the pure old Freemasanry originated . I wish most sincerely that the Masonic lodges of all countries and nations may more and more combine themselves in love with one another , that the whole Fraternity become one Grand Lodge and one

may Temple of the Holy Ghost ! I am , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , BRO . I . G . FINDEL , Editor Pie Baulmtte , and Author of the History of Freemasonry .