Masonic Notes And Queries.

1 TATEEIALISM AND FEEEMASONET . A long letter on this subject lately came to hand . My answer must be short . In the last century the Materialists were , for the most part , Atheists , as La Mettrie and the Baron D'Holback . In the present century the case is , as I believe , different . Oabanis

and Broussais did not exclude God from their systems . A candidate for initiation into Ereemasonry , Avho is knoAvn to be a Materialist , ought not , in my opinion , to be rejected , unless also known to be an Atheist . — ClIAELES PlJETON COOPEE . VIETirES .

Every virtue gives a man a degree of felicity of some kind . Honesty gives a man a good report ; justice , estimation ; prudence , respect ; courtesy and liberality , affection ; temperance , health ; and fortitude , a quiet mind , not to be moA'ed by adversity . — J . J .

AHOLIAB . It is rumoured in art circles that Mr . Holman Hunt has consented to execute a picture for the series of decorations now in progress in the upper arcade of the south court , South Kensington Museum . The subject will be the figure of Aholiab , the companion of Bezaleel in the decoration of the Temple . —

MAHL-STICK . AAIM . "Wanted , references explanatory of the Hindoo ATJM , which appears to have an affinity to certain Eoyal Arch words . —* * * . —[ See Higgins ' s Anacalgpsis , and the Reverend 0 . "W . King ' s The Gnostics and their Gcms . ~\

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . KNIGHTS TEMPLAB . 10 ran iiDYicra on itis mramiAsoiss' likGkiisB am 5 £ \ soi 5 i . c ninnon . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —Your correspondent who signs himself "A Mason but no Knight" in the

EEEEJIASONS MAGAZINE of the 20 fch inst ., takes exception to the proceedings of the Eoyal Kent Encampment of Knights Templar on the occasion of their anniversary meeting on Good Eriday last , as reported in your issue of April 22 nd .

The communication in question did not emanate officially from the encampment , and , had the writer previously submitted his report to me , I should have been most unwilling for it to have appeared , as the proceedings are reported more in the spirit of the

festivals of Craft Masonry than in that in which our meeting was really conducted . The " banquet , " to which so much prominence is given , was but such refreshment as the members , many of them coming from long distances , were fairly

entitled to , and was partaken of in our own lodge room . The "toasts" were confined to our drinking to the good health of the chiefs of our Order and the rulers of the encampment , while the " speechifying ''

was but the feAV words of thanks that appropriately followed . The " harmony and good-fellowship which alivays , " & c , was that harmony only thafc allows no discordant feelings to arise , and the " good-fellowship " such as naturally appears amongst members of a community

who seldom meet except upon this or similar occasions . I can fearlessly assert that the Sir Knights of the Eoyal Kent Encampment ivill yield to none in their veneration for the sacred principles of then-Order , or of respect for the day upon which their

anniversary is held . In conclusion , I would remind your correspondent that the " odd ( not to say silly ) designation Sir Knight" is the one , history informs us , that was borne by our predecessors from the foundation of the fraternity , centuries ago ; and the Knight Templar of

the present day can scarcely be blamed ( much less held up to ridicule ) if they prefer to retain it . Trusting that you may find space for this reply , I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours truly and fraternally , EOBEET J . BANNING , M . D ., Registrar of the Royal Kent Encampment of Knights Templar . Newcastle-upon-Tyne , May 31 st , 1865 .

MASONIC FUNERALS . 10 THE EDITOE OF THE rKEEJlASOJTs' MAGAZINE AHD MASOXTC JtlKHOII . DEAR SIE AND BEOTHEE , —In a few remarks on Masonic funerals , " Christian Charity" last week said a reply had been sent from Jersey to an inquiry in your number of May Gthcontaining a reference to

, what had been done " on one occasion" which was "totally beside the point . " If this correspondent will again examine the query and the reply , he will perhaps come to a different conclusion . In the latter he will find mention made of four occasions of Masonic funerals under circumstances which varied much

, and it is conceived that in one or other oi these will be found the information " Z . A . Z . " required . Eirst , he Avanted to hear of some brethren who had "seen a Masonic funeral ; " secondly , " to know if the Masonic burial service , when used , supersedes the beautiful liturgy of the Prayer-hook ; " thirdly , "if the

clergyman ' s consent to use the Masonic ritual was obtained or not . " As the trouble of examining the four references given appears to be too great for " Christian Charity , " who certainly ought to look into the matter before he condemns so flippantly " H . IL , " Avho took his pains to search out the cases , must undertake it

for him , and endeavour to make the result clear to his intellect . Eirst , " H . H . " had seen several Masonic funerals , namely , those specified . Secondly , in the case recorded at page 622 , on March 30 th , 1859 , the deceased was a Roman Catholic , the service of his church Avas

performed at the house in which he had resided by a priest , and with the consent of his friends , the body was then handed over to the Ereemasons , who joined in the Masonic ritual , first at the lodge rooms and afterwards at the grave , which was in consecrated ground , or in the portion set apart for Roman Catholics , and therefore presumed to be so . In the second case , recorded at page 178 , on March 3 rd . 1860 ,