Masonic Notes And Coteries.

mation of mankind , but will add new laurels to a science which is rapidly spreading over the whole face of tho globe , aud exercising its genial influences to tho poor and needy of every climate , religion , and colour . One great purpose of Freemasonry is the practice of the above virtue ; and b y this it is distinguishing above every other existing institution in the number and excellence of its charities . Charity is its true basis . —Ex . Ex . FROM E . M .

THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE . Some of our brethren wear a throat jewel which represents a double-headed eagle with a sword between its claws . The propriety of its adoption as a Masonic ornament I do not question , but venture to inquire from whence is it derived ?—J . H . —[ The

double-headed eagle is the jewel of the 30 th and superior degrees . It pertains to the Holy Empire , and is inherited by all Supreme Grand Councils . Its history is told thus—The German emperors for a long time bore but the single eagle , but this was in remembrance of the Eoman Cassars . They afterwards

assumed the two-headed eagle as a symbol of the double empire of Rome and Constantinople , Otho IV . being the first to engrave it on the imperial seal , and Sigismund , in the fifteenth century , adopting it as the foundation of all the heraldic mysteries of the empire . The Russiansas their power increasedgrew jealous

, , of this emblem , and the Czar Ivan III ., having married the daughter of Michael Palaeologus , Emperor of the East , considered himself entitled to the same blazon , in virtue of this alliance . He ordered a double-headed eagle to be engraved upon his coius , in every respect similar to that of the German and

Greek emperors ; but instead of being represented with expanded wings , like the eagle of the Ca ^ ars , its wings were folded . Ivan had no sooner ascertained this distinction between the Muscovite and the German eagle than he caused the designers and engravers of his coins to be hung . The Muscovite eagle remained with folded wings , but in its flight it has nevertheless equalled , and even distanced the eagle of the Germans . ]

DEMIT . In American Masonry a brother is said to " demit " if he resigus . What authority is there for the use of the word?—P . M . —[ Iu Anderson ' s "Book of Constitutions , " edit . 1738 , p . 138 , in an account of a Grand Lodge held on Thursday , April Gth 1 / 3 Sit

, , states : — " Nathaniel Blakerby , Esq ., the Treasurer , having justly cleared his accounts , demitted , or laid down his office . " From which it will be seen that the term is au English one , now obsolete with us , yet still in use amongst-American Masons . ]

" GRAVE MEASURES . " In . an old minute-book of a provincial lodge the following entry occurs , about 17 ( JG— " Resolved , that , unless Bro . John F . Baldwin carries himself more in accordance with the spirit of the lodge for the future , grave measures be had recourse to against him . " What was known a hundred years ago' as Masonic " grave measures . "—P . M .

BRO . W . C . CLARKSON . Who knows anything about a Bro . W . C . Clarkson , a Freemason in 1825 ? Any fragmentary hints would be of much service to—f | f .

CHRISTIANITY OE TnE MARK . If the mark is Christian , how can it belong to the second degree ?—X . T . Z . —[ Perhaps you are confounding Mark Masonry with a degree better known as Knights of the Christian Mark . The former is an operative legend , and , if it be true at all , must be

Jewish . The latter is chivalric and Christian . The text quoted proves nothing . Mark Masonry is very pretty , but not instructive . The new ritual which we have seen , as authorised by the Bedford-row authorities , is a sad jumble . It tends to widen the breach between all Mark lodges but their own . Act like a man who has taken a solemn oath and respects it . ]

THE SEVEN-BRANCHED CANDLESTICK . Where can I see an early representation of the seven-branched candlestick ? I am dissatisfied with all the modern pictures , and want a genuine reference . —ARS CAN . —[ The best is on a Jewish shekel of silver , for which see Madden's book on the Jew ' s

Coinage , just published . We cannot add the full title , but everybody knows what is meant if asked for as above . It is the only one in English . ]

PHOTO GRAPHING THE GREAT PYRAMID . Mr . Piazzi Smith , Astronomer , Scotland , is about to , or has , by chemical agency photographed the interior of the Great Pyramid . He says the vessel in the middle chamber is the depository of the standard of measure of the E gyptians . Some of us Freemasons

know better ; and my note i 3 intended as a reminder to ask any one , when he hears these photographs are ready , to communicate the intelligence through these pages to—THE SPHINX . —[ We also await these pictures with much anxiety . Not for the result of Mr . Smith ' s laboursbut because they willif carefull

, , y taken , prove beyond a doubt the use to which the socalled sarcophagus w as applied . Belzoni , Deuon , and the Class . M . have set the question of its application to the Mysteries and Freemasonry at re 3 t for ever . We gave a . review of Mr . Smith ' s book in the last volume of the MAGAZINE . He has now gone to

photograph the chamber , and , we hope , its approaches , the result of which will be highly interesting . The Sphinx may rest assured our attention will be on the alert , and , perhaps , that of our readers in general . ]

THE ENGLISH OP THE CRAFT . Will "P . Prov . G . O ., P . M ., aud P . J ., " & c , kindly send me , per post , what he believes to be the original draft of the E . A . charge ? It shall be safely returned to him . —MATTHEW COOKE , 43 , Actou-street , London , W . C .

THE R 0 XAL SOCIETY AND EREEMASONRX . I have been very much surprised to find that a very large number of the members of the Royal Society were Freemasons during the first half of the ei ghteenth century . How is that to be explained?—F . E . S . —[ By both societies frequently meeting at

"The Swan , " in St . Paul ' s Churchyard and a system of lectures in lodge regularly given on some geometrical or philosophical subject . At the time cited , if Freemasonry was not a real science , it numbered scores of scientific men amongst its disciples . Now we call it a science , but have few , if any , scientific brethren . ]