Masonic Notes And Queries.

But now I'm free from Masonry , Once more outside the door , Sir , And while I have my senses five , I'll enter it no more , Sir . Chorus . Z 7 jj . n-aterr . ally yours , N . P . D . —Ex . Ex .

THE SEVEN PRECEPTS OP NOAH . The shebang mitzoth oeni lYoaJi , or " seven precepts of the Noachidse , " are thus laid doAvn in the Geinara or Commentary on the Jewish law : — 1 . Abstain from idolatry . 2 . Do not blaspheme .

S . Commit not murder . 4 . Commit not adultery . 5 . Do not steal . 6 . Administer justice . 7 . Abstain from eating flesh taken from a live animal .

The Eabbins say that the first six Avere given by Adam , and that the seventh was added by Noah . Collected they composed the " Book of Constitutions " of the primitive Freemasons . —E . C . L . B . THE THREE P 01 JNDATIONS .

The foundation of domestic happiness is faith in the virtue of woman ; the foundation of all happiness , temporal and eternal , reliance on the goodness of God . —P . M .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

S'he JSdiior is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents THE MASONIC CHAEITIE 8 .

SO TUB EDITOR OF THE EEEEHISOS'S' JIACUZIltE A 2 TD JIASOITIC ItiniiOS . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —Everyone must be delighted with the excellent speech of the Eight Hon . Lord de Grey aud Eipon as Chairman of the late Eestival of the Benevolent Institute for Aged Masons - and their Widows , which I would commend to the

• careful perusal of every brother in our Masonic world ; and more particularly ' the latter portion , where he alludes to the comparative " inadequacy of the results . " One thing , particularly , has struck me in looking

over a few old reports of several of our " Charities , " viz ., the commission paid for collection , including the amount raised at these annual festivals . 'While I Avould have every man paid , and well paid , too , for work done , I must protest against the sum of more

• than £ 100 being paid out of the sums collected at such festival , where , as far as my knowledge goes , the collector ' s services are not required . There are one or two other items connected with these Charities which I should like to see altered , but at present I

will content myself by calling attention to the above . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Tours fraternally , A SUBSCRIBER .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

METROPOLITAN . ROBERT BUEXS LODO-B ( No . 25 ) . —The annual meeting of this excellent lodge was held at the Freemasons' Tavern on . Monday last , when Bro . Matthews , AV . M ., opened the lodge at half-past four o ' clock . Bro . Tom Abercrombie Hedley , of Lod 33 was unanimouslelected a joining memberBros

ge , y . . C . Xong , C . A . Dong , E . \ A . Long , and Schreiber were raised to the sublime degree of Master . Masons , and Corker passed to the degree of Fellow Craft . Bros . John Thomas Nicholls was installed Worshipful Master by Bro . Watson , P . M ., father oif the lodge . The Worshipful Master appointed tho following brethren to their respective offices : —Bros . Newall , S . AV . ; WelchJ . W . j FarmerP . M . Treas . j John AV . LyonP . M . Sec . ;

, , , , , Hartley , S . D . ; Tuck , J . D . ; Eeadwin , I . G . ; Watson , P . M . AVine Steward ; Dawes , Deputy Wine Steward ; Caulcher , P . M ., Dir . of Cers . ; Dalton , Collecting Steward . Messrs . AValter Ford and T . Payne , who had been balloted for , and unanimously elected , were initiated into Freemasonry . The visitors present were Bros . . / Eneas J . Mclntyre , G . Eeg . ; J . Llewellyn Evans , President of the Board of General Purposes ; J . Savage ,

P . G . D . ; G . T . States , G . Stewards' Lodge j Potter , 11 ; Nicholson , 59 ; Piatt , 144 ; E . Abel , 55 ; H . Dalwood , 40 ; T . Gooderhand , 177 ; John Denton , AV . M . 1001 ; Charles Sloman , Jafce , 25 ; George Rhodes , W . M . 157 ; P . Duff , St . John ' s Lodge ; Patterson , late No . 25 ; E . F . Wright , 23 ; Joseph Scott , 901 ; Caulfield , AA . M . 141 . At eight o ' clock a very elegant banquet was served under the direction of Bros . Shrewsbury and Elkington , the only drawback to enjoyment being the attendance . On the

removal of the cloth , the toasts of the " Queen and the Craft , " and the " Most Worshipful Grand Master" were duly honoured ; afterwliich the W . MASTER gave "The Health of the Earl de Grey and Eipon , Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers . " He had no doubt that there were many brethren present who had heard the noblo lord , at the late Festival of the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and their AVidows , eloquently and forcibly advocate the claims of the Charities to their support , and who must have been gratified at the earnestness with which he discharged his

duties . The noble Earl , though zealously performing his duties to his country as Minister of A \ ar , had shown himself no less a minister of peace by the interest which he had taken in all matters regarding Freemasonry . He could not give the toast without noticing the fact that they were honoured that evening by the presence of the Grand Registrar ( Bro . M'Intyre ) , the President of tbe Board of General Purposes ( Bro . Evans ) , Bro . J . Savage , P . G . D . all of whom held distinguished positions in the Craft

, , and were deservedly respected by all who had the honour of their acquaintance , and tlieir old friend , Bro . Farmer , P . G . Purst . —The toast having been received with all due honours , the GEA ^ R EGISTEAE said he felt it a high privilege to be called upon to return thanks on behalf of the Deputy Grand Master and the other Grand Officers . Those who had experience of the good ... work and attention of the Deputy Grand

Mastercould bear testimony to the zeal and ability with which he discharged his duties . He had now held office for some time , and lie had set a bright example to the Craft hy showing them , notwithstanding his public avocations , how well he could discharge the duties required from him by the Craft . He was sure the Deputy Grand Master felt it a high honour to be connected with a body of men who could so well appreciate his

services ; and ho would advise all young Masons to endeavour to emulate his lordship in the manner in which he discharged his Masonic duties . With regard to the other Grand Officers , he could truly say that they endeavoured to discharge their duties so as to deserve the approbation of their brother Masons . He had on his right a distinguished brother , the President of the Board of General Purposes , who had most onerous duties to

perform , and who was sometimes brought into a most invidious position with the members of the Craft ; for whilst in the discharge of his duties he was called upon to castigate those who did evil , he had no power to reward those who did well . But such was the courtesy and talent with which he performed his duties , that he believed that no Mason went before the Board over which Bro . Evans presided but felt , even when the decision was against him , that he had been fairly dealt with by the Board , Of