Masonic Notes And Queries.

riches , gave only place and distinction to the person who received them . " - Webster also says that the word honorary signifies " possessing a title or place without performing services or receiving a reward , as an honorary member of a society . " In these views honorary membershi p is a pleasing token of the

estimation iu ivhieh a distinguished brother is held , and is conferred honoris causa , or for the sake of the honour which it conveys , without bringing with it tbe ^ acquisition of any rights or prerogatives . All societies , literary and professional , have adopted this , system of rewarding those who have laboured in thenrespective vineyards ; ancl there are no valid objections against , but many goocl reasons why , Ereemasons should adopt the same course . ]

AS " IKKELIGIOITS EIBEETISE . " _ What is the meaning of the term "irreligious libertine" as used in the old Constitutions ? Are not all libertines irreligious ?—STITDEXS . —[ They are . The word libertine , used in the Old Charges , bore a somewhat different significationin 1722 to that which we

, , now attach to it . Bailey , in his Universal Etymological Biclionarg , 1737 , defines libertinism to be " a false liberty of belief and manners , which will have no other dependence but on particular fancy and passion ; -a living at large , or according to a person ' s inclinationwithout regard to the Divine laws . " An "

irre-, ligious libertine" may , therefore , be taken to be a rejector of all moral responsibility to a Supreme poiver , and may be readil y supposed to deny the existence of -a Supreme Being and a future life . Such an one is , therefore , unfit for initiation into Preemasonry . ]

ACAS 0 X 1 . C EUIiEEAES . Iu can't find any brother who has seen a Masonic funeral , and I want to know if the Masonic burial service , when used , supersedes the beautiful liturgy of the Prayer-book , or is supplementary to it , ancl iu addition thereto ? I hope some brother , who lias

assisted at such a service , will reply and also inform me , if the clergyman ' s consent to use the Masonic ritual was obtained or not ? The query is one of great importance , as on the question itself a . host of ecclesiastical legal decisions depend , and a case might bo drawn if the exact usage in such matters can be ascertained . —Z . A . Z .

PEESTOA ' S LEGACY . What becomes of Bro . Preston ' s legacy when no lecture is given for the year ? Does it accumulate for the next lecturer , or lapse , or is it added to the principal stock ? —STUDENTS .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents , " THE POLITE LETTER WRITER" POR MASONIC STEWARDS . 10 TKK EDITOK OP THE rMElTigO ^ s' MAGAZINE AXD ItASOXIC llIRKOB . DEAR SIE AXD BEOTHEE—The P . M . of No . 21 ,

, has an emulation to be known as the father of the literary bantling I held up to Masonic criticism . No one who was not the actual progenitor would have written such a letter in defence of the offspring

Correspondence.

of another ' s brain . The original Polite letter is in evidence showing bow a classical scholar may offend against bis mother tongue in knocking off a batch of paragraphs ivithout due reflection . I previously gave my reason for questioning the good taste of introducing the word " truly . " as applicable to one Institution in particular . If there

is one which is more " truly " a Masonic Institution than another it must bo that for Aged Masons and their AVidows . If I adopt the P . M . ' s law m .-vsim I hope I shall not offend him by understanding that " bad grammar " is "the unvitiated charter" of the Stewards for the

Girls' School aud , deeply sorry as I am , for- both the chartered aud the charterer , 1 have great pleasure in affording him a slightly modernised reading in support of his theory;—¦ " 'Tis a fl-lorions clmi-tei- ! deny it ivho can ? " JB : ul grammar that's writ by a classical man . I am , Dear Sir aud Brother , Yours truly and fraternally , A LOYEE . or PI _ AIIT ENGLISH .

Wilful Damage To The Craft.

WILFUL DAMAGE TO THE CRAFT .

TO THE EDITOU Or THE IT . EEltiSOSS' _ , _ . YRAxIjS . ASD IIASOXIC J . IKXOP .. DEAE SIE & $ n BEOTHEE , —The following correspondence appeared in the Standard of Monday , the 1 st inst . : —

THE AJIEEICAJT ASSASSIN . To the Editor . SIE , —Your "leading contemporary" has established a reputation for a most complete ancl convenient oblivion of its own opinions aud assertions . It is almost equally distinguished by a less convenient

ignorance of more important matters . A letter from " Ereemason , " printed in its largest type , sneers at Mr . Mason for " appearing to suppose" that the name of Caisar ' s murderer was Junius Brutus . Some few of your readers , who do not affect to be acquainted with Latin , may be as ignorant as your

pretentious contemporary and his impertinent correspondent . Eor their benefit please observe that Junius was the name of the clan of which the Bruti were tho principal branch . The expeller of the Tarquins and the destroyer of Cresar were both named Junius Brutus , though better known bj r their

respective personal ( or , as we should say , Christian ) names . Inclioosing their Gentile name for his son , the father of Junius Brutus Booth probably intended to testify his equal admiration of the revolutionist ancl the tyrannicide—of Lucius Junius Brutus ancl Marcus Junius Brutus , as well as of the modern hero , ivho

proved that the pen can be made to serve tho purposes of the assassin almost as effectually as the dagger . I need waste no more of your space in proving that Mr . Mason is not quite such an ignoramus as your contemporary and his correspondent . Your obedient servant , An EXTEA . Here is the letter I allude to : —

" To the Editor of Ike ' Times . ' " Sir , —The article in the Times of to-day upon the subject of the assassination of President Lincoln worthily and nobly expresses the feelings of Englishmen ; or , to quote the words of Lord Derby , ' the feelings of every man , woman , and child in her

Majesty ' s dominions . " I write , however , not for the purpose of offering