Masonic Notes And Queries.

full of Masonic lore , if the sub-officer of the Gentlemen-at-Arms of Her Majesty's Court—or some other learned brother take the trouble to enlighten your readers . —ROSE > < . GRAND LODGES BEEOEE 1717 . As Craftsmen and merchants several centuries ago

had certain general assemblies for the purpose of settling trade disputes , tariffs , & c , we had better call all these meetings or assemblies Grand Lodges (?) . — W . P . B .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents BRO . "W . P . BTJCKATf .

10 THE EDITOE OP THEE EKEEHASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASOKIO MIBBOB . Dear Sir and Brother , —Bro . Buchan reminds me of the anecdotes of Pox and the Voter . The voter admired Pox ' s honesty , but was anything but complimentary of his politics . Pox retorted by commending the voter ' s honesty , but rebuking him for his lack of good manners .

My letter in reference to the " Mason ' s Square in Gloucester Cathedral" went to prove that only a Preemason can explain the position of the figures upon the bracket . " On the square , " will W . P . Buchan condescend to argument instead of rushing to assertion ? With this hope I will , in a few posts , send to

you a photograph copy of the " square , " * and it may probably then receive other attention than the curt courtesy of Bro . W . P . Buchan . His free and easy style may be very characteristic of the man , hut it hardly sits well , I think , on a brother of the Craft . I will not doubt the erudition of Bro . Buchan , but in his Masonic

researches and his praiseworthy endeavours to enli ghten the brethren , I hope he will not deem me as taking a liberty , having tAviee passed the chair , and now W . M . of a lodge in this province , if I presume to direct his attention to the position of the square and compasses in the first degree , and to remind him of the moral teachings of the latter . Yours fraternally , Gloucester , Peb . 23 , 1870 . HEUKY JEFFS I

Curious Old Document And Bro. F. H.

CURIOUS OLD DOCUMENT AND BRO . F . H .

TO THE EDITOH OF THE EliEEMASOITS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIIMOH . Dear Sir and Brother , —I , too , had made notes respecting Bro . Faulkner ' s communication of Peb . 19 , but on comparing with Bro . Past Master P . H . ' s letter I do not find there is any essential difference , so will not give them UOAV . We are indebted to Bro .

Faulkner and Bro . P . II . for their letters , and I think brethren in possession of curious or old documents of interest should go and do likewise . In the present instance , however , it cannot be said that anything scarce or valuable has been produced , as the address & cmay be found in several works

, , published during the present century . I discovered it in the work Bro . P . H . alludes to , and also in " Masonic Miscellanies , " by Stephen Jones , London , 1797 . x

Curious Old Document And Bro. F. H.

The " Freemasons' Memento" was evidently a diatinctproduction , and apart from the "Address" in question , although at page 154 of the Freemason ' s Magazine they appear as one . Yours fraternally , W . J- HUGHAIT .

Good Templars V. Knights Templar.

GOOD TEMPLARS v . KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EEEEHASOKS * MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIBEOB , Dear Sir and Brother , —We have heard a good deal of the Knights Templar , but what will Masonic Knights do now , when they are to have such strong opposition with "Good" or Teatotal Knights ? I enclose a report held here of a meeting of the latter , showing how they are copying Masonic dress , titles ,. & c . Yours fraternally , "W . P . BTJCHAIT . £

Soiree Of The Independent Order Of Good Templars.

SOIREE OF THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF GOOD TEMPLARS .

The first soiree of this Order was held last night in the City Hall , Bro . Councillor Simpson in the chair . The hall and part of the lesser hall , were filled , about 1800 sitting down to tea . On the platform were Rev . Bros . Fergus Ferguson and T . H . Tennant ; Bros . Jabez Walker , Thomas Mackie , W . B . Garvie , John Neill , jun-, James Lyle , Bobert Thorn , Hugh Baxter , H . Wyatt , W . Dale ,

R . Hunter , R . Stevenson , H . Kirkwcod , J . Paterson , J . H . Waterson ( Edinburgh ) , and Macgregor ( Paisley ) . The hall presented a gay appearance from the number of red and white scarfs of the Order worn by those present . After tea the chairman said they had to-night inaugurated the first soiree of the Independent Order of Good Templars , an Order which had its origin some nineteen

years ago in New York , and had since spread over the United States and Canada , and now numbered about 500 , 000 members . * The friends of this Order on the other side of the Atlantic , in keeping with tho principles of philanthropy advocated by them sent one of their members across to plant the Order in Glasgow . About six months ago he had planted tAvo or three small lodges , and since then what had been the effect and progress let tho present crowded and brilliant meeting testify . In looking for the cause of this unprecedented success ,

he could only attribute it to the fact that while they had been applying to the ministers of the city , the magistrates , and the city members for aid in putting down the grand curse of the city—the liquor traffic—they bad boldly to state that the platform they held was the only one to deliver the country and the city from the gigantic evil . This was , on the part of every member , a life-long

abstinence from everything that intoxicated , and the creation of a public feeling that would effectually prevent the manufacture of everything in the shape of intoxicating drink . In conclusion , the chairman called upon every one of them to go on in their warfare till they had accomplished the glorious object for which they were united , and hoped that when the time came they would

all be found at their posts . Addresses were aftenvards delivered by the Rev . Bros ; T . H . Tennaiit and Fergus Ferguson . In the course of the evening Bro . Jabez "Walker , who had recently been raised to the office of Worthy Chief of the Grand Lodge , was presented by Bro . T . Mackie , in the name of the lodges , with an address and an

embroidered scarf as an insignia of office . The presentation was suitably acknowledged by Bro . "Walker . An excel * lent programme of music and recitation Avas rendered by Miss Robertson and Bros . Hawthorne , Gillies , Dunn ,