Chinese Secret Societies.

cretion . Then comes the oath of good faith . It is administered by the President and is excessively minute and rigid , and so lengthy that its reading occupies two hours . The candidate is next handed over to the care of some of the brethren , who

instruct him in the pass-words and secret signs . The ceremony concludes with a sumptuous repast , cooked according to certain prescribed rules .

Masonic Jottings, No. 65.

MASONIC JOTTINGS , No . 65 .

BY A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER . ENGLISH FREEMASONRY AS A PARTICULAR FREEMASONRY , AND AS A UNIVEKSAL FREEMASONRY .

English Freemasonry , as a particular Freemasonry , acts in alliance with all Christian Churches and sects ; and , as a Universal Freemasonry , it acts in alliance with Natural Theism , Jewisb Theism , MahommedanTheism , andParsee Theism .

THE FOUR OLD LONDON LODGES . Before the revival , the four old London Lodges were separate independent lodges . They had no Head Lodge ; they had no subordinate Lodges . DESAGULIERS AND ANDERSON .

Brother , —Desaguliers is said to have been a Calvinist , whilst Anderson Avas a Preacher in the English High Church . —FINDEL . EVIDENCE . The man who can look into , who can analyse

his OAvn mind , wants not evidence of the existence of Masonry in all countries and in all ages in Avhich civilization was advancing .

THE EDWIN LEGEND , PRESTON . Brother Findel is right in stating that Preston disputes the historical value of this legend , and declares it opposed to Athelstan ' s character , citing in evidence the Biog . Brit ., pages 182 and 133 . — See Preston , page 121 , Dr . Oliver ' s Edition . The reference to the Biog . Brit , is , however , omitted .

AULDBY . Auldby , near York , is said to have been the residence of Prince Edwin . A short notice of it given to the Past Provincial Grand Master for Kent , by an antiquary , lately deceased , when employed by the Record Board is now in Lincoln ' s Inn Library .

Masonic Jottings, No. 65.

YORK . There is every reason to believe that York was deemed the original seat of Masonic government in England . —PRESTON . REPUTATION .

I have known many Masons who have laboured all their lives to obtain a reputation , which , after all , was but the proof of the bad use made by them of the talent which the Great Architect of the Universe meant , should be employed for the

amelioration of their fellow-men . MASONRY . TENDENCY . Contemplative and Meditative Masonry has a tendency to Mysticism , and Mysticism has a tendency to Pantheism .

"THE UNIVERSE AVILL DIE . " The Jotting , respecting which a brother enquires , occurs in Freemasons' Magazine , vol . xxiii , page 231 .-r- " Peradventure Science teaches that the Universe will die . '"'

THE DARAVINIST . The Darwinist is not an Atheist . The door of the lodge ought not to be shut against him .

The Privilege To Visit The Lodgeroom.

THE PRIVILEGE TO VISIT THE LODGEROOM .

There was a time in the history of Masonry when no one would have thought to question the right , Avhich every brother in good standing had to visit any regularly constituted lodge . It is true , it Avas always then the prerogative of the Master

to refuse admission to any one not a member of his lodge ; but this prerogative he Avas expected to use Avith great discretion—more particularly so because no one Avas competent to call him to account for it .

While the essential forms and ceremonies of Masonry have not undergone nor admit of any change , we all know that its internal organization , and , to some extent , its government have been , materially altered .

In our OAvn country , more particularly , we have sought to adapt the latter , as far as possible , to our civil government . Hence the number of independent Grand Lodges—one for almost every State or Territory . The result of all this has been that Masonry , as far as its internal government is concerned , has lost its unity . The Freemason