Masonic Notes And Queries.

November 1 st . —The new Book of Constitutions ordered . One guinea was sent to the general charity in addition to the regular dues . November 15 th . —A subscription entered into to provide the Army in Flanders with warm clothing . December 20 fch . —A report was made that the lodge had sent eighty-four pair of shoes to Flanders , through

S . Barker , Esq ., High Bailiff of Birmingham . Bro . Evans re-elected AV . M ., Bro . Sketchley seconded a candidate , showing thafc , though removed from the ecretaryship , he still attended the lodge . 1794 . January 17 fch . —Bro . Sketchley resigned frgjn his low finances and was made an honorary member , but to have no vote . He presided on the 21 st of Febnary and on the 2 nd of May . On the latter occasion the lodge was in mourning , that evening only , on account of the death of Bro . Vale . —NOTES BV AN OLD P . M .

INDIAN NATIVE HUSOES AS MASONS . What native Indian Princes are Masons ?—P . B . — [ Those of our Indian Empire it is supposed our querist means . AA e cannot furnish him wifch a list , but shall be glad to receive such names as our brethren may know . ]

MASONIC PAMPHLET . AVanfced the loan of a Masonic pamphlet entitled Documents on Sublime Freemasonry , by Joseph McCosh , G . Sec , S . G . C , 12 mo ., Charlesfcown , 1822 . Any brother having a copy of ifc in his possession , and being willing to oblige by the loan of ifc for a week or two , will confer a favour on—OEDO AB CHAO .

THE ORDER OF CINCINNATUS . In reading a pamphlet I came upon the following : — " As Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General , 33 ° , John Mitchell , a native of Ireland , a Justice of the Peace , and a Notary public , late Lieut .-Colonel in fche American Army , a member of the Order of Gincinnatus , " & c . AVhafc is or was this Order?—ORDO AB OUAO .

OBIGIN OP TIIE GEAND LODGE OE PEANCE . What is fche origin of the Grand Lodge of Prance ?—ALT . —[ The first lodge in France was constituted in 1725 by the Grand Lodge of England , in the York Rite , and a Grand Lodge was formed there , and called the " English Grand Lodge of France , " which existed until 1756 , when ifc took the title of " Grand Loge du Eoyanme . " The Count de Clermont ; ivas elected G . M . of the first mentioned G . Lodge when it was working under the English charter , and ifc declared itself independent in 1756 . ]

MASONIC BUTTONS . Is fchere any regulation pattern for Masonic buttons ?—I . V . —p ?" - AVe are inclined to think the querist has not got " all his buttons . " ] MASONIC DISHES . 'What are the proper Masonic dishes to bo served afc a lodge banquet?—I . . V . —[ Can I . V . be serious ? If so , a plain dinner , where love and harmony are the cliief dishes ; then will " good digestion wait on appetite , and health on both . " ]

EARLY GHAND ENCAMPMENTS . AVhere do any of the earlj r -Grand Encampments hold their meetings ?—P . E . C . THE EMPEROR , OP Rl ^ SSIA A BROTHER . Is there any truth in the following extract , from a daily paper ? _ " " Russia . —The Emperor Alexander has not only recognised Freemasonry in his dominions , but has himself become a member ofthe Craffc . "—DUBIOUS .

COWANS . The following extract from the Minutes of Mother Kilwinning of date 1705 , is confirmatory of the definition of Cowan given by " P . T . A . " : — " The same day , by consent of the meeting , it was agreed that no masson shall imploy no Cowan , which is to say vnthov . i tiie word , fco work if there be one masson to be found within 15 miles—he is not to imploy ane Cowan under the payn of 40 schillings Scots . "—D . M . L .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

PLAIN SPEAKING . On drawing the attention of a brother who worthily nils the chair of one of our oldest Scottish lodges fco fche series of extracts upon ancient lodgo minutes afc present ; appearing iu THE MAGAZINE , he rehearsed one which is well worth " a place here . An abstemious official thus records in the lodge minute book his protest ; against the

way in which ifcs exchequer had been emptied : — "This lodge might have been worth hundreds , had ifc not been for fche guzzling propensities of certain unworthy brethren ; and I beg to denounce them as scoundrels aud unworthy brethren , as witness mv hand , McC . "D . M . L . LODGE DECORATION .

An Ayrshire lodge commifcfcee appointed in 1778 to " improve the lodge in such manner as they shall judge proper , after fche model of some of the most respectable lodges in Edinburgh and Glasgow , " submit fco their constituents the result of their inquiries regarding the expenses of "canopy and chair . " "A platform wifch three steps to the front , and two on each side , and Indian

canopy with a gilded bell and gilded mouldings on eaclx corner fco fche top and back to carry the canopy from the platform . The paunels of the canopy painted white , fche bottom of the canopy covered wifch cloth that the inside may not be seen , will cost Five pounds ten shilling sterling . Ifc would be more elegant not to cover the bottom of the canopy , but to paint the inside of ifc the same

colour of the cloth wifch a gold goloss running up each corner , on the inside to the top , and a piece ornament hanging down in the middle ; the outside paunels painted green , with a fesfcoon hanging from the top in each hollow pannel , with gold moulding aud gilded bells on each corner as above , will cost 81 . sterling . An elegant chair in the modern tastefinished in white and goldcovered

, , with crimson damask , may be had afc 41 . sterling , " The above estimate was procured from Messrs . Boyle and Scott of Glasgow ; but ; the expense appears to have frightened the commifcfcee into "delay in fche execution of their commission . "—" D . M . T J .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents , PROVINCE OF BERKS AND BUCKS . SO 1 HEE EDITOR OEP THE FREEMASONS illGAZIXE AXED ilASOHIC ^ IIHHOK . SIR AND BROTHER , —I have read wifch much pleasure in your valuable paper of Saturday , the 1 st insfc ., the report of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held afc AVindsor ,

on fche 28 th of October . There is , however , one part of the day ' s proceedings almost passed over , that I deem deserving of notice , namely , fche music afc the lodge , the church , and the banquet , which was the fcheme of general admiration , and was referred to by the S . AV . Grand Master more than once during the day .

At fche opening oi' the lodgo the Anthem ' ' Behold howgood and-joyful a thing it ; is , " was sung by Bros . Marriott , Tolley , and AVhitehouse , of the Castle Lodge , and at fche close of the lodge ' - 'Brothers , ere to night we part , " a most charming anfchem , or rather hymn , set hy one of fche brethren of the Castle Lodge to a lovely iece of musicby Haydnwas btho same

p , , sung y brethren , and Bro . Dyson , also of the Castle Lodge and Asst . G . Dir . of Cers " . The prayers afc church were read , not intoned , and the choir consisted , not ; of the choir of St . George ' s Chapel , but of Bro . Marriott , Mr . Adams ( alto ) , Bros . Dyson , Tolley , and Mr . Bransoine ( tenor ) , Mr . Lambert , member ol the choir of St . George ' s Chapeland Bro . AVhitehouse

, , of Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey ( bass ) , who , without the permission of any one , most ; kindly gave their valuable assistance . The whole of the boys from Sfc . George ' s were , by permission of the authorities , in attendance and of course added greatly to the effect of