Masonic Notes And Queries.

continuing the alphabet , making a stand for b , b for c , and so forth . The sentence will read thus : — " & ., " that is , the late Bro . Goldsworthy , " and others meet in Clerkenwell and , as representatives of the York Masons , give several degrees no longer worked under the Grand Lod" Having read riddlenow

ge . your , oblige us , in our turn , by ascertaining the date when this was written . The writer could not have been a York Mason , because they were pledged never to say from whom , or where , they obtained those degrees , and here is both person and place mentioned . ]

HERMETIC EREEMASONRX . Who gives the best account of Pernety , and his system of Hermetic Freemasonry ? By the way , most guide-books , lexicons , & c , spell his name Pernetli , when it was Perneiy . —E . C . L . B .

CHRONOLOGY OE EREEMASONRY . Whence is the date Anno Lucis derived ?—X . Z . — [ The practice amongst Freemasons in fixing the era known as Anno Lucis may bo arrived at by an extract from Brother Dr . Anderson ' s History and Constitutions of tlie most ancient and honourable

Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons , 4 to . "In the vulgar year of Masonry 5746 . " At page 2 there is the following note : — "The first Christians computed their times as the nations did among whom they lived till A . D . 532 , when Dionysius Exiguus , a Roman Abbottaught them first to compute from

, the birth of Christ ; but he lost 4 years , or began the Christian era 4 years later than just . Therefore , tho' according to . the Hebrew chronology of the Old Testament and other good vouchers , Christ was truly born in some month of the year of the world or A . M . 4000 , yet these 4 years make 4004

Not before tlie " birth of Christ but before the Christian era , viz 1737 For the true Anno Domini or year of Christ ' s birthis 1740 But the Masons being used to compute by the vulgar Anno Domini of Christian era ... 1737 And adding to it not 4004 as it ought but the strict yeai-s before Christ ' s birth , viz .... 4000

They usually call this year of Masonry 5737 instead of the accurate year 5740 . " The reason for introducing the date 5737 as being "this year of Masonry , " is by reason of Bro . Anderson's preface to the edition being signed " From my study in Exeter Court , Strand , 4 Nov ., 1738 . " How that

date is to be reconciled with "the vulgar year of Masonry 5746 , " at the foot of the title , we shall not ¦ attempt to offer an opinion . ]

TO SWEDBNBOEGIANS . I shall be very happy to meet with any brother who is a professed Sweclenborgiau . Such an one would confer a favour if he would be kind enough to appoint an interview with—MATTHEW COOKE .

BEQUESTS OE GIFTS EOR MASONIC RELIEF . As it was justly said in the pages of the MAGAZINE , no one ever gives , or leaves , funds to the Lodge of Benevolence for the relief of the distressed . They do these things better in America , as the following extracts will prove . —Ex . Ex . — "To . relieve the distressed

is a duty incumbent on all men ; but particularly on Masons , who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection . To soothe the unhappy ,

Masonic Notes And Queries.

to sympathise with their misfortunes , to compassionate their miseries , and to restore peace to their troubled minds , is the grand aim we have in view . On this basis we form our friendships , and establish our connections . " This is the sublime lesson imparted to the Mason upon the first visit he the lod

pays ge . These precepts , expressed in the forcible language of Preston , are still further enforced in part , by a ceremonial admirably contrived to impress the duty of benevolence or almsgiving upon the young brother ' s mind . The whole leaves indelible traces of the

Masonic chisel . But how best , how surely , how most systematically to do the work of charity—how to avoid the impostors who swarm around us , while we neglect not the worthy poor who shrink modestly from our gaze—these are problems which have exercised the minds of our wisest and most experienced , nor yet received a proper solution . The most

successful effort , however , yet set in motion is the establishment of Relief Lodges , from which all the Masonic benefactions of a community may emanate , and whose experience in the examination of applicants will enable them to guard the fraternity against unworthy objects . Of this sort are those now in existence in

New Orleans , New York , San Francisco , St . Louis . Buffalo , and Louisville , each established for the sole purpose of dispensing Masonic charity , in the most economical and systematic manner , and each having a history of its own , which affords encouragement for perseverance ancl imitation . The general plan

involves a Committee of Examination , who look carefully into an applicant ' s antecedents and present condition ,- a Financial Committee , who have an eye to judicious supplies of money for current demands , and stated reports to the lodges , & c , represented therein . The practical results are to lessen the number of impostorsdraw larger sums from the of the

, purses brotherhood , ancl suitably dispense them to the reduction of human misery , and the honour of the Masonic institutions . The millionaire , Stephen Girard , upon his death ( Dec . 26 , 1831 ) donated an amount which in a few years , by arrears of interest , made an aggregate of thirty thousand dollarsand

, which by his will he ordained as a perpetual fund , the interest upon which should be for ever appropriated to the relief of distressed worthy Masons . This bequest yields an income of thirty-three thousand dollars per annum , all of which is faithfully appropriated as designee ! by the giver .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hy Correspondents . INSTALLATION OF THE W . M . OF THE WHITTINGTON LODGE . 10 THE EDIIOIt OU THE EHEElIiSO ^ S' MAGAZINE AUD 5 IAS 03 TC JIIUEOB . DEAR SIR AND BEOTHEE , —Allow me the privilege

of informing the Craft generally , through the medium of your next publication , that I am not the brother alluded to in your report of the installation of the W . M . at the Whittington Lodge , on Monday , Nov . 21 st . Yours respectfully ancl fraternally ,

H . SIDNEY WARE . 63 , High Holborn , London , Dec . 1 st , 186-4 .