The Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts, U. S.

ably , it is easy to contemplate what a different system of Masonic government Ave mig ht noAv be living under . At this time Virginia was the only independent Grand Lodge with an elected Master , Avith the exception of Massachusetts . Its

independence was established Oct . 3 rd , 1778 . Pennsylvania did not actually assert its independence and form a Grand Lodge upon the American system until September 25 , 1786 . Thus by the record , and by contemporaneous

history , it is fixed beyond all question , thafc the Massachusetts Grand Lodge on the Sth March , ] 777 , b y a revolution , and b y assumption of powers , duties , and responsibilities of a Grand Lodge , became a free , independent , Sovereign Grand Lodge ,

with a jurisdiction absolute , exclusive , and entire , throughout the CommonAvealth of Massachusetts , and a provincial jurisdiction in other States and countries . From the Sth of March , 1677 , to the day of this Meeting , the full and just completed

term of ninety-three years , there has never been any successful opposition to its claim of sovereignty . - " — The Mirror .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE DISTRICT GRAND WARDEN OF BRITISH BURMAH , AND A CONTRIBUTOR . Seethe " Freemasons ' Magazine , " I 7 th and 24 th September , 1870 . A member of the Grancl Lodge of England , writes thus : —The Contributor informs us that he has read

the address of the District Grand Warden of British Burmah , and he considers it simply Freemasonry on stilts . Not long after he says , ifc appears to him that an address of this sort has rather too much of the Sunday school teaching in it to be entitled "A Masonic Address . "

Next , he asks , seeing there are Christians of different sorts , which sort or sect , is the right one ? And he goes on to assert that the Eoman Catholics call the Protestants heretics and so on , consequently , the Avorthy lecturer , to be logical , should have enlightened his brethren as to what constituted real

Christianity in his view . The member of Grand Lodge here observes thafc if the District Grand Warden had done this , he would in no way have been logical , ( it is plain the Contributor knows nofc what logic is ) but would have grossly violated the Constitutions of 1723 which lace

, p all sorts of Christianity on the same footing . As to the Contributor ' s assertion thafc Freemasonry is a friend , Keligion is a wife ; and that the District Grand Warden cannot understand the

difference , and wants to make Freemasonry his Avife too ' but our Freemasonry is alike common to all , Avhilst as to his Religion , that is a different thing ; it is his Avife , which he keeps to himself—As to this assertion , a member of Grand Lodge merely refers to the communication , " A certain Contributor , No . 1 , His Friend—His Wife "— " Freemasons' Magazine" vol .

, , 23 , page 428 . Lastly , as to a Contributor ' s assertion , that as a Freemason , and standing upon the 1723 Constitutions , he can hold out the right hand of fellowship to the Hindoo or Mahommedan alike , and claim each as a friend and Brother . —A member of Grand Lodge denies that the 1723 Constitutions entitle him tc «

hold out tho ri ght hand of fellowship to a Hindoo * or even to a Mahommedan . A member of Grand Lodge ends , adopting the language used by a Contributor to our Indian friends , by Avishing " he Avould stop the nonsense as to the only genuine Freemasonry heing his Freemasonry . "CnAELEs PUKTOH' COOKER ,

MAIER—MEIER . Thanks to a young correspondent for his notes OE the "Essai d ' un nouveuu systeme sur les ames des . animaux and the " Memoires et ecrits polemiques concernant la spiritualite de 1 ' ame , sa survivance , efc son etat apres la niort . " But they are the productions of George Frederick

Meier . He has not ,. and could not properly have a p lace in Bro . John Yai-ker's list . See " Cabalism , Freemasons' Mazagine , " vol . 23 , page . 28 . If my correspondent will turn to the list he will see thafc the name is "Mayer" and not "Meier . "—Bro , Tarter ' s list .

Mayer Avas a famous alchemist . In "Eosicrucian Bibliography" 1614—1681 , in " Freemasons' Magazine , " vol . 17 page 327 , there is a tract by him . — '' Themis aurea hoc est deLegibus Fraternitatis Eosece Crucis , " 1618 , together with an English translation of it , 1656 . — CHAJVLES PUETON COOPEE .

BRO . STEPHEN GIRARD'S LAST MASONIC REQUEST . In the will of Bro . Stephen Girard , will be found the following advice , worthy of the earnest study of the Masonic Fraternity . After bequeathing the sum of tAventy thousand dollars for the foundation of a charity fund , he says : " And in order that the real and benevolent

purposes of Masonic institutions may be attained , I recommend to the Lodges not to admit to membership , or to receive members from other Lodges , unless the applicants shall absolutely be men of sound and good morals . "

PROGRESSIVE FREEMASONRY . " There seems to be a disposition manifested by some of our brethren , to urge new language and neAv modes of work , to keep pace , as they say , Avith the progress of the times . Now , so far as the system , language , work and teachings of Freemasonry are concerned , I am no progressionist , and it seems to me that any one Avho will cannot help realizing tbe fatal