(No. 12).—Truth Stranger Than Fiction.

to find the excellent brother with whom he had spent an agreeable evening to be the identical editor . Of course satisfactory explanations ensued , and the result was the formation of a valuable friendship . Then we may remark that until quite recently , duelling was thought highly honourable in Ireland , and it will

be remembered that a few years ago The O'Donoghue , M . P ., feeling aggrieved hy a speech made by Sir Robert Peel , M . F ., sent the honourable baronet a challenge to fight a duel , which was afterwards the subject of an amusing scene in the House of

Commons . In the general statutes of the " Order of Knights of the Eagle and Pelican , Pnnces Grand Rose Croix in Ireland , ' there is the following clause , the necessity for which was no doubt apparent when it was adopted : —

"It is strictly prohibited , under pain of degradation , that a Prince Mason should challenge or provoke to combat a brother of the Order . " As a further illustration of the curiosities of Freemasonry , we may mention that it is within our

knowledge that an Englishman who went over to America to personally observe the civil wars , having been captured during General McClellan's raising of the siege of Richmond , subsequently obtained his freedom from the Confederates , through being a Mason .

Moreover , Freemasonry was extensively practised among the negro population in America previous to the abolition of slavery , and was sometimes of great service to escaping silaves . Bro . the Eev . J . Sella Martin , an escaped slave , well known in England as a writer in " Good Words , " was an accomplished

Mason long before he obtained his freedom . We do not know how far coloured Masons obtain recognition among lodges of white men in the United States ; but we hare unquestionable authority for what we have stated . Bro . Dr . Morris , of Kentucky , in the

Freemason ' s Magazine for November 16 th , 1867 , stated that the American negroes have " more than one hundred lodges of their own , contained in some twenty Grand Lodges , the whole forming a national organisation that meets trionnially . " The account of

how Masonry was introduced and spread among these people will add a most interesting and remarkable chapter to the history of the Craft . Bro . P . L . M . Nicolle , of Doyle ' s Lodge of Fellowship , Guernsey , writing to the Freemason ' s Magazine of May 9 th , 186 S , under the signature of "Aproned , " relates a curious circumstance that occurred while he

was travelling in Australia . Still more singular was the experience of our Bro . General Bulharyn , of Jersey , who , when travelling in the interior of Asia , was admitted to the sacred temples by giving the Masonic signs . The whole course of our reading and study of

(No. 12).—Truth Stranger Than Fiction.

Preemasonry induces us to believe that the signs and symbols are much older than the ritual . We are convinced that , whoever originated the modera system , it was simply adapted , not invented . J . A . H .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE KNIGHTS TEJISLAES . The third and fourth hooks of the history being now completed , and in the hands of the publishers , I shall be greatly obliged by receiving from any of the members accounts of the Templar Chapters in England working in connection with Freemasonry , so as to perfect the fifth book . —ANTHONY ONEAL HATE .

" J . A . H . " AND BEO . HIT SHAN . I am perfectly satisfied with the explanation given by " J . A . EL , " the accomplished Mason and writer of " Masonic Worthies of Jersey , " and beg to thank him for his very courteous reply to my communication , fn the fullest sense I have much pleasure in

withdrawing any remarks of mine that would tend to throw a doubt on the accuracy of the information afforded by " J . A . H ., " as the fact is now clear , viz .: That a copy of the Book of Constitutions of A . D . 1784 was actually in the Masonic library , presented by the erudite Bro . Dr . Hopkins to Jersey , although

" the brethren were in ignorance of its existence ' until it was discovered by " J . A . H . " Again permit me to express my unqualified admiration of the various articles by " J . A . H ., " and a hope that we shall soon be privileged vrith several more from so interesting an author . — . WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN .

BED CEOSS 03 ? HOME AND CONSTANTINE . In reply to " Fair Play" ( although much engaged , and therefore must be brief ) , I am glad to find that he is pleased with the " clear and explicit letter of 'Audi Alteram Partem . ' " Perhaps he has the advanof and knows the writer of that article

tage me , personally . Although " Audi Alteram Partem" wrote mostly in favour of the views advocated by some friends and myself , he surely might as well have appended his name . I am not aware of " having been made to vouch" for a ritual ; neither has the

accomplished Mason , Bro . Hyde Clarke , " been made to vouch for the succession of the Order . " I do not say that the present Red Cross of Rome and Constantine is the Order founded by Constantine , but simply a revival of that Order during the eighteenth century , and confined to the Masonic body—just like

the Masonic Templar degrees is not the veritable Order of the Temple , but a revival only of the last century . No Masonic chivalric degrees are of any great antiquity , and few , if any , existed before the latter part of the eighteenth century that are in existence

now . I agree with the remarks of " Pair Play'' in many respects , but not with the foregoing . —W . J . HUGHAN .