Masonic Jottings.—No. 56.

revised by Anderson , and slig htly amended by the Revival Committee . SPECULATIVE MASONRY COMING INTO EXISTENCE . The mind which knows not that Religion is a necessary ingredient in Speculative Masonry , will never comprehend its coming into existence .

DE , PLOT'S SOURCES . As to two sources from which Dr . Plot obtained his information respecting Freemasonry " A Cor ' respondent" may look at a note in Bro . Findel ' s History , page 125 , First Edition .

THE OLD WARRINGTON LODGE . The old Warrington Lodge probably became ¦ extinct in Ashmole ' s life-time . The only Lodges known in 1717 to exist , both in the North , and in the South of England were , I believe , the old York Lodge and the four old London Lodges .

¦ " A Correspondent" should write to Bro . H . B . White , to whom , it may be mentioned , that the Craft is indebted for many valuable communications to our periodical .

A BELIEF FIXED DEEP IN THE MIND . The Mason finds thafc comparatively all in this world has dwindled into insignificance , when he has fixed deep in his mind the belief that the day must come on which the good done by him will lit ) pud lofco out ; Bottle of tho lm . la . ncA jm < 3 tho oval

done by him into the other scale , and the Great Architect of the Universe may say that the latter outweighs the former .

THE CHARGES OF 1738 . As respects Christianity , the Charges of 1738 ¦ made no innovation . —Old M . S . THE HENRY VI . EXAMINATION . Lessing was the first who declared it to be counterfeit .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

" THE ORDER OF WHITE CROSS KNIGHTS . " — « THE SAINT LAWRENCE DEGREE . During a brief stay in Rochdale , I came across a local calender of Masonic meetings in East Lancashire , compiled under the authority of the E . W . Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Grand Lodge , " Jin which I find the above "Order" and included

" degree " amongst the Masonic bodies meeting in Eochdale . Can any of your readers ¦ enli ghten me as to the meaning of the so-called order of " White Cross Knights , " and the " St . Lawrence Degree . Have they , or either of them , any connection with fche Order of Knights Templars ? or , with any of the degrees or bodies , recognised by the Supreme ' Grand Council of the Ancient aud Accepted Eite ? If not , under

Masonic Notes And Queries.

what warrant , charter , or other authority do they claim to have a status : Perhaps one of the " Knights or Saints , " will enlighten the darkness of "' a Sinner . " HOW MASONRY CAME TO BE CALLED FREEMASONRY A PECULIARITY OF HUMAN NATURE . " Undoubtedly in its origin Masonry was an

association for the preservation and improvement of the useful arts ; and in the first stages the name was a descrip tive one . It came to he called Freemasonry , because those studying its sciences , and being on account of high attainmentraised to the honourable position of masters of its arts , became free from the

necessity of servile labour , and able fco devote themselves to the study of those highest matters which have been treasured by them , and handed down to us , " It is a fact attributable to a peculiarity of human nature , thatitisgenerally those whohavepossessed high qualificationsand made high attainment in any art or

, science , who have jealously guarded the results of their labours , and transmitted them only to those who , by a like apprenticeship to that fulfilled by themselves , had become fitted to appreciate and wisely to use the discovery of the masters . In an appeal to history , even the history of the last century , as well as to the

customs of many countries in the present day will prove this ; and we find the secrets of every Craft carefully treasured by its members aud defended by law ; none being permitted to engage in the practice of art or profession , until the term of apprenticeship or study had been faithfully served . " From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts . —CHARLES PUUTON COOPEB .

LODGE BYE LAWS . As a preface to the * hyp . laws of a lodge in Cornwall we find the following : " A EECOJIIIENDATIOX . " " In order to avoid as much as possible fche unpleasantness attendant on the black-balling of a candidate , it is strongly recommended that any brother who shall have good grounds of opposition to any gentleman proposed

for initiation , or to a brother wishing to join the lodge , shall previously to the ballot , communicate his objection privately to the Worshipful Master , so that the candidate ' s name may be withdrawn , " Does not this defeat the object for which the ballot was instituted ? To the following , which appears in the same bye laws , there can be no objection ;

" A CAUTION . " " As it is of the highest importance that Masonic business should not be made the subject of loose or idle conversation out of the lodge , brethren are cautioned against so serious an error , and warned tnat to be found so transgressing will subject them to the severest strictures of all prudent brethren , and to be deemed unworthy members of the fraternity . " " DELTA . "

SMYRNA , —R . A . CHAPTER . A Chapter is about to be worked under a Scotch warrant , Comp , O'Connor , First Principal , Comp . Captain Stab , Second Principal . SMYRNA JEWISH LODGE . Ifc is stated that a Hebrew Lodge is being

constituted at Smyrna under an English warrant , Dr , Levy ( who was educated in England ) , W . M . The Jews are the ouly community in Turkey not having a lodge . There are many Jewish Masons under fche English , French and Italian jurisdictions .