Freemasonry.

Master , an office Avhich he filled AYith much ability and zeal until 1830 , when he Avas succeeded by the present Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , under Avhose rule the Craft has increased alike in prosp erity and numbers . The supreme power is vested in the Grand

Master , who is elected annually , he being assisted in his duties by a number of lieutenants , generally one for each county or district , called Pro-Arincial Grand Masters , Avho govern the Craft within their respective jurisdictions . The proper style of the Craft is the Ancient Fraternity of Free

and Accepted Masons—that is , persons AVIIO have received the freedom of the corporation , and have been duly accepted or initiated into its mysteries ; and when a person is once made a Freemason , he remains a Freemason for ever . For dishonest

actions or improper behaviour , he may , however , be turned out of the lodges of wliich he is a member . When a regularly constituted body of Freemasons assembles for Slasonic purposes , the place of meeting is called the lodge , although the term is also applied to the Freemasons themselves ; just

as Ave use the word church to apply equally to the building in AvMch the worshippers congregate , as well as to the congregation itself . No lodge can be formed Avithout a charter or warrant of constitution from the Grand Lodge , obtained on petition to the Grand Master . The

lodge having been properly formed by virtue of such warrant , it is then consecrated in a solemn and impressive manner by some skilful Deputy of the Grand Master ; a procession is formed ; the Chaplain offers up a prayer ; and a variety of other formalities having been obsei'vedthe Deput

, y Grand Master then solemnly dedicates the lodge to God , to Masonry , and to benevolence and universal charity . The Hallelujah chorus appropriately closes the ceremony . ( To be concluded -in our next . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

METALS—WEAPONS OF WAR . The ensuing . copy of a note , " Caillot , Annales Maconniques , " Tome 3 , p . 85 , is an answer to a brother ' s first question : — " On sait que le recipiendaire macounique doit deposer tons ses inetaux , avant de se presenter a l ' initiation . Les auteurs

qui nous out transmis cet usage Pythagoricien , sont Diogene Laerce , lib . 8 ; Aulu-Gelle , lib . 1 , cap . 9 ; Jamblique Vit . Pyth ., cap .- 17 . Ajoutons que lorsque les progres de 1 'Eleve ne repondaient pas aux soins de Pythagore , on lui remettoit le depot qu'il avoitconsigne a son arrivee , et on le faisait sortir cle 1 institut

' . " The references contained in the foregoing note I have no opportunity of verifying . My communication , "Weapons of War—Instance of one heing _ worn in Lodge , " FREEMASONS MAGAZINE , vol . XI ., p . 28 , will be found to furnish an answer to a brother ' s second question . — CHARLES PURTON VOOPER .

CHRISTIANITY AND EREEMASONRY . A learned brother at Oxford is happily both a Christian and a Freemason I wish that the surpassing zeal manifested by him for the religious aud moral amelioration of mankind were more common Christianity and Freemasonry ,

he rightly says , are the two principal- instruments for this noble Avork ; but then , suddenly losing sight of Freemasonry altogether , he sighs and exclaims that Christianity " can never pervade the Avhole earth . " . . . . He has written a long letter , and in much of . it he seems to have forgotten his favourite

Dialeetus . He should , if he desires to be thought consistent , urge all those Avho may be engaged iu the great and good undertaking of civilising their fellowcreatures throughout tbe Avorld , to use their utmost efforts that Freemasonry may penetrate and arrive there , where , from any inscrutable cause , Christianity fails to come . —CHARLES PURTON COOPER ,

IA MORALE INBEPENDANTE . The letter of a brother making inquiry upon this subject has just reached me . A few passages , casually occurring in recent reading on A'arious matters of philosophy , have furnished all the information possessed by me concerning " La Morale

Independante . " Supposing such passages rightly understood , then in " La Morale Independante" there is a recognition of the moral laAV , hut there is not necessarily a recognition of the Great Architect of the Universe . —CHARLES PURTON COOPER .

spiNozisir . My communication , "The Spinozists , " a brother will find in the FREEMASONS MAGAZINE , vol xiv ., p . 488 . By some inadvertence the Index omits it . Spinozism is the subject of a little hook by a learned and' able writerMonsieur Nourissonwhich came

, , out a few days ago . I have read it , aud I recommend my brother to folloAv my example . The title is . " Spinoza et leNaturalisme Contemporain . "—CHARIES PURTON COOPER .

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR , I have made a careful search in all the Cyclopredias to be found in the library of tlie British Museum , and to my great astonishment I find that all of them spell " Knights Templars . " Thus , the Encyclopaedia Parthensis " ( Edinburgh , 1816 , ) vol . xxii ., p . 200 , has

the following : — ( 1 ) . TEMPLAR , n . s . [ from the Temple , an house near the Thames , anciently Belonging to the Knights Templars , originally from the Temple of Jerusalem ] ; a student in the law . ( 2 ) . TEJIBLAES , TEHEEEKS or Knights ofthe Temple , a religious order instituted at Jerusalem , in the beginning of the 12 th century , for the defence of the holy sepulchre and the protection of Christian pilgrims . In vol . vi ., p . 461 , of the Encyclopedia Edensis , I find : —

The order of the Templars was instituted at Jerusalem about the year 1119 , and their professed object was the same as already described . The chief founders of this order were Geoftroy of St . Omcr , Hugh de Paganis , and other pious individuals , who , deeply moved by the oppressions lvliicb Christian pilgrims suffered , milted for their defencej and also erected an hospital near the Temple of the Sepulchre , and called themselves Knights Templars , and sometimes Knights ofthe Sepulchre .

The same orthography is adhered to in the Cyclopedia Metropolitans , Hees's Cyclop & dia , the Pantologia , the London Cyclopaedia , & c . In most mono-