Masonic Notes And Queries.

or a Knight of Christ . I do not put tho foregoing forward as instruction to others , but with the desire of obtaining instruction , as I have not had much opportunity of comparing books on the subject . —A-

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The JEditor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hy Correspondents . WANT OF CHARITY . TO THE EDITOl : OP TILE FREmtASOXS' _ I _ . G--7 . ZX 1 C A _ . II -USOXIC _ rIK _ . 0 _ .. DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Having been absent from home during the Avhole of the last fortnight , I have only

to-day seen your MAGAZINE of the 26 th ult ., which contains a letter headed as above ; and I have no doubt that my lodge is the one referred to . The resolution that no part of our lodge funds should be given to the brother in question was arrived at very unwillingly after a long and painful discussion ; and , personally , I fully coincided in it . Your foot-note to the letter points out the

proper course for tbe brother to pursue , and I trust that the Board of General Purposes ivill have an opportunity of pronouncing their opinion of our conduct . I am . Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , THE W ' . M . OP 581 , LATE 81 , 7 . Manchester , October 6 th , 1863 .

Can A Warden Initiate, &C.

CAN A WARDEN INITIATE , & c .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE J . REEJIASO _ . S _ IAGAZ- _ . I- AJ . D _ J . ASO _ . IC AIIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Can a Warden initiate ? Certainly not . The genius of Masonry , the letter and spirit of the "Book of Constitutions , " equally forbid such a thing . Complaint has been made that too many O . B . 's are taken in tho Order . A careful student ivill , hoAvever ,

observe that each O . B . has a distinct character—tho pledge in each is specific and applies strictly to its special degree . There is no rite Avithout its special O . B ., no secret Avithout its attendant pledge . A Warden is appointed Avithout a concomitant ceremony ; he is placed in his chair-Avithout a pledge . Is it so Avith the W . M . elect ? He must pledge himself to a

strict performance of his duties before he can receive from his predecessors the benefit of installation . What are some of those duties , the importance of which requires a pledge , AA'hich Avas not exacted from him , or even alluded to when he Avas made a Warden ? Read tho " Summary of the Antient Charges and Regulations to be read by the Secretary to the Master elect , prior to his Installation into the Chair of a Lodge , " and then read

Rule 2 , '" ' Masters and Wardens of Lodges . " Can it be supposed that anyone may initiate , pass , and raise until he has solemnly given thoso pledges ? Can anyone explain to me hoiv the " landmarks of the Order , its antient usages , and established customs , " can be violated other than by meddling with our ceremonies , and the intervening time before granting a higher degree . Then , if

a Warden may perform the ceremonies , why ivait for tbe pledge until he shall be made W . M . elect ? It is palpable that only those who have taken the O . B . of an installed Master can make , pass , or raise . Those who contend that " a Warden can initiate , " rely solely upon Rule 9 , " Private Lodges , " Rule 6 , " Masters and Wardens , " and Rule 1 , "Removal of Lodges . " These

rules prove tbe fact that a "Warden cannot initiate . " The " Book of Constitutions " is divided into several chapters , which at the beginning of the Book are called " Table of Contents . " These chapters are subdivided into sections , Avhich are numbered . The chapter on " Private Lodges " treats solely as to hoiv the lodge shall "G internall y governed , the management of its pecuniary affairs , its duties and responsibilities to the Grand Lodge ,

Can A Warden Initiate, &C.

and its dealings with the Craft in general ; and No . 12 emphatically states that brethren must consult another chapter as to " making , passing , and raising . " In Chapter " Of the Masters and Wardens of Lodges , " the social duties and behaviour of these officers are mainly alluded to , and a provision made in case of the lodge being deprived of its Acting Master by a

dispensation of Providence . In Chapter " Removal of Lodges , " no argument can be draiA-n as to the privilege of making , passing , or raising . To violate the above chapters is not a violation of the "Antient landmarks and established customs of the Order . " Any departure from the tenets contained in these ivill entail peril ; but they all are subject to

modification , and have been modified by Grand Lodge in modern times , and , therefore , cannot be called " antient and established . " I think it is very plain that the Chapters " Private Lodges , " " Masters and Wardens of Lodges , " and " Removal of Lodges" have nothing whatever to do as to makingjiassingand raising .

, , Wo HOAV come to the Chapter " Of proposing Members —Making , Passing , and Raising , " and here Ave are met with a- most solemn warning and a stringent foot-note . Is it not as plain as tho noonday sun that making , passing , and raising can only be given in strict accordance with the rules laid doivn in this chapter ? No dispensation can be granted to do anything contrary , for it

would be a dispensation to violate the antient landmarks of the Order . And , pray , Avhere in this chapter is the authority for a Warden to take upon himself the duties of the Master ' s chair ? The word "Warden" is only once mentioned in the chapter , and then not specially , but in common with the rest of the members . If the " Constitutions" had contemplated allowing the Warden to

act in the absence of the W . M . and the P . M . 's , it Avould have been so expressed in this chapter , and other instructions given . As the "Constitutions" stand , a Warden , daring to perform a ceremony , subjects himself and his lodge to the penalty contained in the exordium to this chapter . There is much restlessness in the Masonic world at

the present time—an itching to make innovations in the landmarks of tho Order . The Grand Lodge must be watchful , or the ancient rite and established customs ivill become so modernised , as to change altogether the character of Masonry , and the ceremonies will become unmeaning and indefinite ; for , if the ceremonies are to be dispensed by thoso who have taken no O . B ., to

preserve them inviolate , ivhat confusion may not folloiv ! Each Warden may do that ivhieh is right in his own eyes , and our antient landmarks and established customs ultimately fade aivay . I am , Sir , yours fraternally , WM . BLACKBURN , P . M . Crystal Palace Lodge ( No . 742 ); Sec . Dobie Lodge , Kingston ( No . 889 ); Prov . G . S . B ., Surrey . Surbiton , Surrey , S . W .

On The Christianity Of Freemasonry.

ON THE CHRISTIANITY OF FREEMASONRY .

TO TIIE EDITOR OP TIIE riiEI . SIASO-N'S' MAGAZINE AND 1 IASOXIC MIRROR . "Him who denies mc hefove men , him will 1 deny bcl ' ove my father which is . in heaven . " DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The Mosaic writings might with equal justice be assailed as anti-Christian as Craft Masonry : both prepare tbe ivay for the higher revelation shadoived forth by the great Hebrciv prophets and poets .

Blue and Eed Masonry are but dramatic representations of tivo important epochs in the history of the Jewish people—tho building of tbe first and the commencement of laying the foundation of the second temple ; but , in Masonic language , the drama is but a picture of the struggle of human nature to emancipate itself from tho trammels of sin and ignorance , and the human mind is