Masonic Red Cross Order.

boast of having claimants for its Grand Mastership in the Emperor of the French , the ex-King of Naples and even King Victor Emmanuel according to Lupus . " The late Duke of Sussex and Lord Kenlis are again paraded , as the stalking

horses of the spurious Order , and the reader is referred to " the admirable history inserted in the Statutes , " a critical opinion quite in harmony with the writer ' s general ideas on the subject . Lupus UOAV points out that , " Ave are now told

that the Masonic Red Cross Institution does not boast any connection with the Parmese Neapolitan Order , " and that therefore " the question is reduced to the poAver and acts ofthe Abbe Giustiniani and any evidence of them . "

At this stage of the discussion * is given another claim which had been currently reported in the neAvspapers , viz ., that of " Antonio

Lascari-Comneno , " " Grand Duke of Epirus , " & c , " by right of hereditary transmission , Grand Master of the Supreme Constantinian Order of the Knights of St . George . " Against this , Ave have the protest of H . I . H . the Prince Rhodocanakis . f

A few months later J another correspondent indignantly remarks , '' The Supreme Council has endeavoured in every possible way to oppose the Red Cross Order , " "but such men as Bros Hughan , Little , and others of like calibre , will

never be extingnished by the thunder and small beer of any clique ! " A neAV Avriter now comes on the scene , § and expresses his opinion freely on the promoters of the imposture . " Attempts , " says he , " have been

made to establish as a Masonic degree , or in connection Avith Freemasonry , the Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantino . . . and I

am not a little surprised to find , what appears to me a series of grass deceptions , attempted to be practised on Englishman . . . . May I suggest to those Avho are interested iu foisting this spurious Masonic Order upon the public , before

they attempt to maintain the ground they have taken , although they -appear by the correspondence to have been shifting about , whilst promulgating the Order as legitimate" "toascertaia Avhether

Walter Rodwell Wright . . . Avas not a selfdelusionist and fancied falsehood to be truth . " But the gentleman referred to , after all , can scarcely be charged with the promulgation of the spurious statutes .

The historical accuracy of Bro . R . W . L . is now * impeached by another correspondent ( Bro . Matier ) , who at the same time claims to have identified him " Avith the author and founder , or at least the chief corner-stone , of the Masonic order Avhich .

has usurped tlie title which it assumes , " and commenting on the " ridiculous absurdity of the whole thing , " he continues , " As , liOAvever , Bro . Little has mixed np with his fiction certain facts mentioned in standard works of history , I have considered it my duty to prove the utter fallacy of his historical statements . "

It Avould be tedious to recapitulate the whole of these corrections , which are patent to all , and to expose errors , certainly not such as we should expect , ofthe founder of an institution ; and AVO are not a little surprised that Walter Rodwell Wright ., the reputed " scholar , " should have been implicated in such blunders .

R . W . L . j folloAving up his previous communications , proceeds to historical grounds untrodden by Gibbon , repeats the story of the vision of Constantine , aud quite overlooking Licinius , introduces to ns to " the poAver of Maxentitts ,

" the Viceroy Eusebius , " & c , and finally informs us that the " duties " of the generals of the order in question " are chiefly symbolic . " Another historical scholar , and who is also a Knight of Constantine , pursues the same course ,

and adds the Aveight of heraldry to the argument . " As this degree , " he observes , " has attracted great attention of : late years both in Europe and America , it may be right to state that it Avas one of those conferred under the Ancient York Rite .

The seal of Heredom Templars bears the arms of King Arthur , the reputed grandson of Constantine !"

Such deep research amongst the Romances of the Round Table , is creditable to tho genealogist , and proves that his knowledge of tlie feudal heraldry , is quite on a par with his acquirements in Byzantine history .

But R . W . L ., quite overlooking his OAVU sarcasm on Lupus' assumed desire to raise " an international question , " at length promises us a report