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Contents . — PASS FEEEMASOX -S' MAGAZINE : — Recent Deviations from the Masonic Landmarks 81 Distribution of Honours in the Grand Lodge of Scotland 82 Masonic Curiosities , No . l 83 Notes on American Freemasonry 85

Masonic Education 86 The Moral of Silence 86 Masonic Jottings—No . 55 8 ? Masonic Notes and Queries 88 Masonic Sayings and Doings Abroad 89 MASONIC MIEKOB : — Masonic Meuis 90 North-Eastern Charitable Association 90

CKAET LOUSE MEETINGS : — Metropolitan , 81 Provincial 913 New South Wales 93 India 95 ROTAL Aitcir . —Grand Chapter 96 Metropolitan 97 Mark Masonry 98

Masonic Festivities 98 Poetry 99 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 100 Notice to Correspondents 100 ZONDON , SATURDAY , FBBBUAHT 4 , 1871 ,

Recent Deviations From The Masonic Landmarks.

RECENT DEVIATIONS FROM THE MASONIC LANDMARKS .

Our pages have contained of late , frequent protests against the increasing tendency on the part of a section of the Order to forsake the established and recognised degrees of Freemasonry , for what may be considered to he nob

merely quasi-Masonries , but some of these organizations being actually under the category of spurious and so-called Masonic ordez-s directly clashing with and p laced under the legitimate ban of already existing Masonic bodies .

We continue to receive letters deploring this tendency to diverge from the strai ght and even path , and more especially so when the circumstances are aggravated , from the fact of the charges , brought to bear by our correspondents ,

against the paid servants of Grand Lodge , as being the parties who have taken the initiative in " promoting" the various parasitical offshoots from the genuine Masonic tree . The complaints made are of too grave a

character to be allowed fco be passed by without comment . Endorsing the remarks of some of our Correspondents , we say unhesitatingl y thafc the English Craft looking to Grand Lodge , and more especially to the Board of General Purposes as their

Legislative Body , have a rig ht to demand that this subject should receive a most searching examination ; the money of tbe Craft paid in the shape of salaries to the officials in the Grand Secretary ' s Office , is certainly being diverted from its intended purpose , if as is stated by our Correspondents the

time which ought to be devoted to their duties in connection with the Craft , is spent , to a large extent , in a propagandaism , directl y in violation of the terms of their engagement . And we can fully enter into the feeling which is gaining

ground so widely that the time has como when a searching investigation mustbe made with a view to the general organization and working- of she Gran d Secretary ' s department beino' "out upon , a mare satisfactory footing , apart from the special charge

now brought , of promoting the growth of spurious Masonic orders . One of our correspondents draws our attention ! . o the fact that the late Grand Secretary , Bro . Clarke , in 1859 , issued a special circular i . o alt

lodges upou the subject of spurious Masonic degrees , of which we append a copy , together with that of the 'di ploma of the spurious Masonic decree referred to .

It is therefore much TO be regretted that those ID the Grand Secretary ' s department should now stand charged with- encouraging thai ; vvlrica lias been brought under the ban from the very same department , comparatively so recently .

Freemasons' Hall , London , 2-ith October 1 S 59 . Pear Sir and "W . Master , —I am directed to in Fern ; you that it has come to the knowledge of the Board of General Purposes that there are at present existingin Loudonand elsewhere in this countryspurious

, , , lodges claiming to be Freemasons . I herewith furnish you with a copy of a certificate ! issued by a lodge calling itself "Tho lieformed Masonic Order of Memphis , or Eite of Iho Grand Lodge of Philadelphia , " and holding its meetings at Stratford , in Essex .

I am directed to caution yon to be especially care ful that no member of such bod y be permitted , under any circarastances to have access to r . inr lodge , and that you will remind the brethren of your lod-je that they can hold no communication w < r i ir ? e 7 iilav lodges without incurring the penalty of expulsion

from the Order , and the liability to be proceeded against under the Act 39 , George III ., fur taking part in the meetings of illegal Secret Societies . I am further to request that yon v / iiI cause this letter to be read in open lodge , and the copy of the certificate to be preserved for future reference , in ocwe of necessity .

I remain , "Dear Sir and Brother , Toura fraternally , ' ' , / - >! . tiilcAr Ci . i : ; . { £ ; , G . O . N . B . —It is to be observed that the original certificate contains various emblematical devices , which it lias not been deemed necessary to have copied ,