Masonic Notes And Queries.

had to be the first man made , it was just as likely to be him as another ; ergo , if the above assertion is not a practical joke , the first man who was introduced into Speculative Masonry through onr ceremonies and degrees was Dr . William Stukeiey , F . S . 8 . Of course the question rises , Where did those who gave him his degrees , & creceive their own knowledge from ? To

, which I ansAver , They were the manufacturers or doctors ; lie their first customer or patient . I trust this subject will be properly investigated , as it deserves . — W . P . BUCJIAK .

MASONS' MARKS . Brother W . C . L . —I was not present last month at the Masonic Colloquy ¦ * * * , but looking at a long communication which has just reached me from Paris , I find that the only two references to publications on the subject of Masons' Marks were two

references supplied hy myself . They were produced by Monsieur * * *—Freemasons' Magazine , vol . xviii ., page 51 , and vol . xxii ., page 223 . —CHARLES PUETON COOPER .

CABALISM . Lest "A Past Provincial Grand Master" should misunderstand me , I would mention that I have just gone over the pages on Cabalism in vol . vii . of the Magazine , and state that I do not agree with the writer ' s estimate of gnosticism , and its connection with Freemasonry has not been shoAvn by him . As the

" Correspondent" UOAV knows something of Cabalism proper , he may take the Zend Avesta ; but let him study LitUi , Paracelsus , Agrippa , F . ' udd , Boelnne , Maier , Andrea , and the other Theosophists and Rosicrucians who asserted a system of secret degrees derived from the East , immediately after the destruction of the Templars , And in reply to his inquiry whether Cabalism " can be shown to have existed in our Ereemasomy in the 17 th century , '' I reply that eminent Rosicrucians and Thccsophists * were then

connected with the fraternity of "Adopted Masons , " and that in a printed work of one of them dedicated to the Grand Lodge of England iu 1721 , the higher degrees are mentioned , and their ceremonials indicated under the identical jargon used by the Rosicrucians . Even the male and female principle appears under a figure of speechand the connection of

, our Lord and his apostles is asserted . The term used in 1721 , as UOAV , for this system of degrees is " Masonry . " There is similar procf of our existence in 1 G 4 S . —Jons YARICER .

THE vraos , A . D . 1813 . Brother ' ¦¦ ' ¦¦ *—The important part of the proceedings on the occasion of the Union , A . D . 1 S 10 , are thus recorded : — " The two Grand Masters ( the Dukes of Kent and Sussex ) Avith their respective deputies and Wardens , then advanced to the Ark of the

Masonic Covenant , prepared under tlie direction oi' the W . Bro . John ( Sonne , JZ . A-, Grand Superintendent of the Works , for the edifice of the Union , and in all time to come to he placed before the throne . "The Grand Masters standing in the East , with their Deputies on the ri ght and left—the Grand Wardens in the West and South—the square , the plumb , the level , and the mallet were successively delivered to the

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Deputy Grand Masters , and by them presented to the two Grand Masters , who severally applied- the square to that part of the said ark which is square , the plumb to the sides of the same , and the level above it in three positions , and , lastly , they gave it three knocks Avith the mallet , saying , "May the Great Architect of the Universe enable us to uphold the Grand

Edifice of the Union , of which this ark of the Covenant is the symbol , which shall contain within it the instrument of our brotherly love , and bear upon it the Soly Bible , square , and compass , as the light of ow faith , and the rule of our works . May He dispose our hearts to make it perpetual . '' And the brethren said , "So mote it be . "—CHABEES PUETOJV COOPEE .

CHAETEK oi- COLOSSE , page 12 . The internal evidence of this charter condemns it . It is quite modern . Instead of 1535 , 1775 would he much nearer it . The assertion , " The Templars , who undoubtedly used all our symbols , " is rather Jesuitical , and tends to suggest that the Templars practised

our ceremonies , & c , which is wrong . The Masonic Templars' sodality is only about one hundred years old , and neither they , nor the Speculative Freemasons , could ever have had anything earthly to do with the old Knights Templar . Further , I should like to know Avhere , when , under what circumstances , and in Avhat connection did the Templars use " all our symbols . "— W . P . -B D - CHAX .

"Fano Ne Profano."

"FANO NE PROFANO . "

COBEESPOIWENQR The Editor ia not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents

TO THE EDrCOE OE THE PREE-UEASOEN-S' SIAGAZIXE AEN'D 31 ASOXIC MIEEOB . Dear Sir and Brother , —I am painfully affected by the profane nonsense of the " Charter promulgated by authority of Lord Eaucliffe , " in which the third commandment is so offensively set at nought . " The charter of the Grand and Eoyal Ark granted from Grand JVoaliand now under the command of

, Lord Eaucliffe , & c , and then held on Mount Ararat . Avhen it Avas Handed down by Eaithfull Noah , and Hi en under the Almighty Grand Commander * of the Universe . " This statement being absolutely untrue , I am indeed shocked at the bringing in of Tlie Name that

' ¦ shall not be taken in vain" to giA'e effect to the farce ¦ —a name , be it remembered , Avhich even a Mahommedan will avoid even touching irreverently , lest it should perchance be Avritten on any stray piece of paper in his path , and which , when the Indian of " untutored mind" hears pronounced , he covers his mouth

and casts down his eyes . And yet here Ave have It bandied about , not only profanely but in the worst of had taste . I feel assured that if the question were fairly put to the present Grand Master of England—a shreAvd man of business , and one conversant Avith current ideas—he would at once say that Ereemasonry loses rather than gains b y burlesque reli gion , and that it Avould be for the good of the Craft to suppress the