Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

FREEMASONRY AND SYMBOLISM . "As a Speculative Order , Freemasonry is preeminently distinguished for the cultivation which it has given to the science of Symbolism , a science which once pervaded the ancient world , and was closely connected with all the religion and poetry of antiquity . "Whatever may be the contending opinions on the

subject of the historical origin of Freemasonry , no one who has attentively investigated this subject , can , for a moment , doubt that it is indebted for its peculiar mode of inculcating its princi ples to the same spirit of Symbolic science which gave rise to the sacred language of the Egyptian priests , and the sublime

initiations of the Pagan philosophers . For all the mysteries of the ancient world , whether they were the Druidical rites of Britain , or the Cabeiri rites of Samothrace , whether celebrated on the banks of the Ganges or the Kile , contained so much of the internal spirit and the outward form of pure and Speculative Masonry as to demonstrate the certainty of a common origin to all . " From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts . —CHARLES PURTON COOPER .

BIENSEANCE . A reader of the "Freemasons' Magazine , " member of the Grand Orient of Paris , remarks that language has got into our Masonic discussions which is an unseemly violation of all the rules of " Bienseance . "—A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER ,

LITERARY CONTROVERSY . Those unused to literary controversy , as it ought to be carried on , are but too apt to employ against others language which they would deem highly offensive if employed against themselves . —A PAST PROVINCIAL GKAND MASTER .

IP IT IS NOT SPIRITS , WHAT IS IT ? I have been a member of the Masonic fraternit y for thirteen years , and in June , 1864 , it was our good fortune to have a visit and a course of lectures at Susanville , CaL , from Mrs . Emma Hardinge . During h er stay , we were privileged to receive her as a guest at our home .

The 21 th of June was celebrated by tho Masons , and while making preparations , I had some Masonic emblems in our parlour ; and Mrs . Hardinge became partially controlled , and , while in that condition , and during a running conversation , she gave me two Masonic signs and two words , in a manner that was not observable by herself or anyone else present .

For the time 1 was very much surprised , it bein g the first Masonic signs that I had ever received from a spiritual source . " When the influence left her , I asked her if she would meet with a few Masons in our parlour , and see what the spirits would do . She said she was willing to give her time . I invited some

twelve or fifteen brothers from Lupen Lodge , No . 149 ; among them were the Master and " Wardens . They met in our parlour , and the family retired to another part of tlie house . The doors were locked and the window-blinds closed . We all being seated around the room , Mrs . Hardinge became entranced , and to all

appearance perfectly oblivious to surrounding conditions . She acted in the capacity of Master ; went through the work of opening the lodge in the

first degree of Masonry . She gave all the lectures , signs , and words pertaining to the degree in regular order ; closed in that degree ; opened in the next , giving everything in regular order ; and so on , through what is known as the Blue Lodge . After closing on the Master ' s degree she gave us a very impressive address on the morals and teachings of Masonryand

, remarked that she would like to have gone on through higher degrees , but she saw that it was as far as any of us had gone ( which was the case ) . This I give upon the honour of a man and a Mason . I say , let the sceptic deride . I know all the resources that Mrs . Hardinge would be likely to have to gain Masonic

secrets and knowledge ; and then , when we take into account tbe hi gh moral character , and consider howfar it would he from her , even if it were possible for her to have gained this knowledge from any other than a spiritual source , she would never have used it and claimed it lobe from spirits . I cannot account

for it upon any hypothesis except that she was entranced and controlled by a spirit tbat knew more Masonry than all of us combined . I am thoroughly convinced that , in her normal condition , she knowsnothing of the secrets of Masonry . During the whole course of my investigation of

Spiritualism , I have tried to account for many of thetests I have received in some other way ; but when I lay aside the agency of spirits , it is all a mystery . — P . Gliamherlin , in tlie " Banner of Light . "

DR . ZERPFI ON ORNAMENTAL ART . This celebrated professor says ( page 124 of the ' "Building News" for February 17 th . ) "Savagesuse generally only geometrical figures iu the ornamentation of their vessels , weapons , oars , clubs , crossbeamsor door-posts . The trianglethe squarethe

, , , circle , are applied in a thousand different forms , windings and combinations . As soon as man frees biinsell from the savage state he takes his motivesfor ornamentation from the vegetable kingdom . " W . P . B .

THE ROMAN CATHOLICS AND SECRET SOCIETIES . In the Lentun Indult of his Eminence of Dublin nothing is directly said on the question ; but the following passage seems to have been , as usual , carefuily prepared to give offence in certain quarters : — " As secret societies are the cause of great evils ,

tend to promote impiety and infidelity , and are injurious to the public good , the Roman Pontiffs , Benedict XIV ., Pius Til ., Leo XII ., and others , have excommunicated all who engage in them . Hence ,. Catholics , if Freemasons , Ribbonmen , or Fenians , cannot be admitted to the Sacraments . Our beloved

Holy Father Pius IX ., by a decree of the Holy Office of the 12 th January of last year , declared the Fenians subject to tbe same censures enacted by his predecessors against Freemasons . Hence , no Fenian can be absolved or receive the Sacraments of the Church until he shall have separated from the Fenian

organization , and abandoned all attempts to promote or assist it . It is to be hoped that all who are engaged in secret societies , availing themselves of the facilities afforded by the Jubilee , which still continues , will abandon their evil connections and reconcile themselves with the Church of God , out of which they cannot be saved . "