Masonic Notes And Queries.

numter quatuor supremi magistri vacarii , supremam protestatum eminentiam et amtrutatem saper universain ordinem salvo jure supremi magistri habentis qui vicarii magistri apud seniores secundum professiones seriem eligantur quod statuteme commendato mihi et fratribus vato sacrosaniti supra dicto venerandi beatissimi

que magistro nostri martyris cui honor et gloria . 6 . I consider that the fact of the charter being written in the modern hieroglyphic of the Order , the key to which exists in the modern Maltese cross , makes against the authenticit y . As I have not seen the charterI t the current description

, accep . 7 . It would be easy to string together such a list of Grand Masters as is given . I will not , however , lay any stress upon the fact of Du Guesclin being unable to write , because since this was pointed out it has been discovered that he only made the cross which is attached to his name .

8 . Dr . Burnes states that in 1682 there existed in Pans a profligate society calling themselves Templars . I place little reliance upon the adjective , perhaps a calumny ; but it is quite consistent with the character of Philip of Orleans that he should have belonged to such a society . 9 . A mistake made in naming the standard is clearly the blunder of a revivalist .

10 . I confess that the look of the charter would lead me to date it about 172-1 , but the probabilities , I think , are that the Due de Duras would be required to sign it not later than his abdication of the Grand Mastership in favour of the Duke of Orleans in 1705 ; added to this two members of the Order—a

Scotchman and a Portuguese , the first a man of recognised abilities , and able to conduct such an inquiry—assert that the charter was forged by an Italian Jesuit named Bonanni , in 1705 , from which time they assert the authenticity of the Order . The foregoing indicates my belief that the forgery , instead of being clearer , is really a very clumsy one ; at the timetrust readers

same , I your will understand that I have no personal objections to the French Order , and should like to see the authenticity , or otherwise , of the charter firmly established , as that would assist us very materially to a correct understanding of the position of the Masonic branch of the Order . It would be easy to print the Latin of the charter in your pages , and on this take the opinion of a fen- competent experts . —JOHN YARKER .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Corresjwndmtt FREEMASONS' BOYS' SCHOOL . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FMHBIASOirS' JTA GAZI . VE AND M . VSOSIC 3 I 1 BEOH . Dear Sir and Brother , —Will you allow me , through

the medium of your widely-circulated paper , to ask for any spare votes that your readers may possess on behalf of Henry Charles Eade , an orphan without friends , and who is a candidate for the Boys' School . Bro . Snell , Albemarle-street , P . M . No . 5 , has 300 girls' votes , which he is willing to exchange .

Yours fraternally , G . R . PORTAL , P . M . 10 . Albury Rectory , Guildford ,

UNMASONIC OUTRAGE . TO THE EDIEOE OF THE FREEMASONS * 2 IAGAZIKE ' AUD MASONIC HZSEOB . Dear Sir and Brother , —It is with pain and feelings of deep regret I ask you to devote a space in your valuable Magazine to recount an outrage , unheard of

in the history of Freemasonry—an outrage perpetrated in our private lodge-room , in broad daylight , by one of its members , and an old Mason of an adjoining town . It is not necessary to publish names ,, but by a few remarks to show the brother and those helping him that such unmasonic acts are not passed over

without publicity Our brother ( not an officer ) obtained the key of the lodge-rooms , proceeded upstairs to the ante-room , thence to the lodge-room , where they ransacked everything movable—the emblems of mortality , lodge jewels and regaliaa Past Master ' s jewels' in

casethen-, ; breaking open the "W . M . ' s pedestal , of which I have the key , took the wine left from the last installation : in August , drinking it , and leaving the empty bottles , the motives being base and very unmasonic—to ascertain if certain jewels belonging to a Past Master were in lodge , who , at an examination , under close

pressure ,, admitted his jewels viere in lodge-. But the brother above alluded to , forgetting his obligation , and actuated by mean and petty influences ( being a creditor to the small amount of 9 s . 7 d .,. out of an estate of £ 6 , 000 , took strangers- into lodge to overhaul the lodge propertyand commit other abuses unworthy

,, of mention . If yon would give publicity to these few facts you will oblige , Youra fraternally , T . HOLLAND , IP : M . Stour- Valley Lodge .

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY .

TO THE EDITOE OF THEjFnEBltASOHS' MAGAZIHB : i » D MASOHIO MIEBOBil Dear Sir and Brother , —At page 249 I use thewords , " In fact , the energy which brethren ought to devote to further the carrying into practice the nobleprinciples of Craft Masonry is altogether wasted upon these useless high degrees . "' Now 1 did not expect

, so soon to get an example of this . However , at page 257 of the same paper we behold a specimen , almost a blasphemous one ,-elevating this farthing candle and sprig , alias the " burning bush" degree , higher almost than religion itself . Verily , Excelsior ! Excelsior !' Excelsior ! is a worthy finale to such a pumpod-up

address . No wonder so many respectable and sensible people hold aloof from us . Masonry and religion are two distinct things , but the latter is the higher—it is tbe latter which gives real life to the perforraance of our duty to God , and , remembering his blessings to us , enables us to perforin more readily our duty to

our neighbours , not forgetting , either , that we have to work out our own salvation . Hence , in this short short life , any man earnestly strives to perform his duty ae a Craft Mason , he will have enought to do in the Masonic way , without wasting his time and money upon any so-called higher degrees , with tfieir

pretentious adjuncts . Yours fraternally , W . P . B UCHAN .