Masonic Notes And Queries.

To those verses printed in italics , Holdsworth and Spence , quoted by Warton , remark : —" The fan , or van , the instrument that separates the wheat from the chaff , is a proper emblem of separating the virtuous from the wicked . In the drawings of the ancient paintings by Bellori , there are tAVO that seem

to relate to initiations , and in each of them is the yannues . In one , the person that is initiating stands in a devout posture , and with a veil on , the old mark of devotion ; while two that were formerly initiated hold the van over his bead . In the other , there is a person holding the vanwith a infant in it .

, young " Whose fan is in his hand , and he shall thoroughly purge his floor , and will gather the wheat into his garner ; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire . "—Luke iii . 17 .

_ I should like to know on what grounds A bases his opinion that Virgil was not initiated in the mysteries of Eleusis . The Georgics , I think , are a work that thoroughly breathes the purest Masonic spirit of antiquity . —pALiEOPHiios .

SIMEON ' S IDEA OS EEEEMASONET . In yours of the 5 th inst ., under the above head , your correspondent refers to the laying of the foundation stone of Christ Church , Lancaster , on the occasion of _ which " one of the trustees protested against mixing the rites of Preemasonry with those

of the Church . " The foundation stone was laid on the 9 th of October , 1827 , now nearly thirty-nine years ago . The W . M . of the Doneaster Lodge , then a much more important body than is unfortunately the case at jiresent , Avas the late Sir Wm . Bryan Cooke , Bart ., or perhaps he only acted as such in laying the

stone . The trustee who cavilled at the proceedings yet survives , " a prosperous gentleman , " viz ., Mr . Eoberfc Baiter , of the firm of Baxter , Bose , and Co ., the eminent solicitors , of Westminster , London . The objection gave rise to a neAVspaper controversy , in which the objector ' s opponent Avas likewise a solicitor , and a non-Mason . I was present on the occasion , as a juvenile spectator , and can well recollect the circumstance . —DANUJI , P . M .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The 'Editor is not responsible far the opinions expressed by Correspondents , THE LATE BEO . STEPHEN BAETON WILSON . 10 THE EDII 01 ! OS THE lEEmrASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC IIIKKOS . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —At the meeting of the Whittington Lodge of Instruction , held May 3 rd , at

Hick ' s Hotel , Fleet-street ; Bro . Long , Hon . Secretary , in the chair , it was unanimously resolved — " That the members of the Whittington Lodge of Instruction are deeply afflicted at the death of our lamented Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson . His zeal in Preemasonry and his readiness in imparting

instruction to the brethren of this lodge will ever be remembered by them , and they feel that they and the Craft in general have suffered an irreparable loss . That a copy of this resolution be fonvarded to the relatives and to the FEEE : J : ASONS' MAGAZINE . " Yours fraternally ,

WM . LONG-, Hon . Sec . Whittington Lodge of Instruction . 38 , Carey-street , W . C .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

*«* All communications to be addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street , " Strand , London , W . O .

Masonic Mems.

MASONIC MEMS .

CONSECRATION OF THE GKEY FEIARS LoDftE , BEADING ' ( So . 1101 ) . —Referring to the announcement Avhich appeared in our last , and the further particulars which we promised to give , we are informed officially that the consecration will take place at the Masonic Hall , Grey Friars-road , Heading , on the 17 th inst . The lodge to be opened at one o ' clock p . m ., and the ceremony

of consecration will then be performed by the R . AV . P . G . M . of the province , assisted by Bro . J . R . Stebbing , P . G . D . of England * and other Graud Officers . After which the WM . Elect , Bro . W . P . Ivey , will he installed by Bro . W . Biggs , P . Prov . S . G . W of Wiltshire . Fully detailed particulars as to the banquet , the train arrangements , and every information for the guidance of the brethren will be found in the announcement in our advertising columns .

Royal Freemasons' School For Female Children.

ROYAL FREEMASONS' SCHOOL FOR FEMALE CHILDREN .

The seventy-eighth anniversary festival of the Royal Free * masons' School for Female Children was celebrated on Wednesday evening , May 9 , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , and with its usual success . Although the last in the list of the Masonic Charity Festivals for the year , the occasion is always one that is anticipated with

the greatest interest , inasmuch as it is the first in point of date of those noble institutions Avhich are the grace and ornament of the Craft , and not less in importance is the fact that it provides a home , education , and comfort for those Avho are the deepest objects of solicitude , who are the most helpless , but at the same time the most exposed to temptations from the

unprincipled of the outer world . In this splendid Institution they receive a sound , moral , and religious instruction , to which are added the practice of those duties , which are required to fit them for any station in future life , and make them not merelyornamental but useful members of society .

Bro . John Havers , P . J . W ., occupied the chair , and there were present : Bros . Earl of Dalhousie , D . ProA ' . G . M . ; Colonel Bowyer , Prov . G . M . Oxford ; Colonel D'Albian , Prov . G . M . Sussex . ; . Eev . J . Huyshe , Prov . G . M . Devon ; F . Pattison , P . G . W . ; A Perkins , P . G . W . ; R . Cunliffe , P . G . W . ; Eev . E . Moore , P . G .-Chap . ; JE . J . M'Intyre , G . Reg . ; W . G . Clarke , G . S . ; J . M , Clabon , S . G . JO , j 13 . S . Snell , S . G . D , ; W . Gumbleton , J . G . D . j

J . Savage , P . G . S . ; J . S . Hopwood , P . G . D ., and President of Colonial Board ; B . Head , P . G . D . ; J . Udall , P . G . D . ; J . S „ Pullen , P . G . D . ; G . Plucknett , P . G . D . ; G . Cox , P . G . D . ; A . W . Woods , G . Dir . of Cers . ; T . Fenn , G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; J . Symonds , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; N . Bradford , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; S . Nutt , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; J . . Mason *

G . S . B . ; A . A . Le Veau , P . G . S . B . ; R . J . Spiers , D . Prov . G . M * Oxfordshire ; W . Young , P . G . S . B . ; W . Farnfield , Assist . G . Sec . ; and R . Havers , P . Prov . G . W . Oxford . The cloth having been cleared grace Avas sung , the principal parts by Madame Parepa , and Miss Julie Elton , under the direction of Bro . Wilhelm Ganz , Org ., P . M . 435 . The CHAIRMAN , said : Brethren in all assemblies of English-