Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

A zealous brother in the west of England , whose ' . earch after Masonic knowledge lias brought him in connection with many curious things relating to ancient Craft Masonry and other matters pertaining thereto , has stumbled over a scrap of Masonic correspondence Avliicli possesses sufficient interest to be

given here . Perhaps some learned member of the Craft , gifted with a knowledge of the style of correspondence employed amongst the brethren some fiftytwo years ago , -will be able to decipher the following letter , and give the readers of this MAGAZINE the benefit of his study . The letter of Bro . Andrew

Cox is here reproduced in type as accurately as we can give it , verbatim et literatim : — London may 15 1815 Dear Br

I greet you well all is in health with me hope with you the same I am on the Black Checque the foul wind of adversity has drive me far from the white marks of prosperity but still I hope the wind one day or other the Avind will shift and give me an oppertunity of getting iuto good anchorage again or

perhaps our Universal and Great grand master will give me a toAV my anchor of hope is still left but my Cable of Fortitude is nearly stranded an if it should give way I know not what I shall do for I have not a sail left

dsg dszg blf ivyfxry

nzwv feby 16 th izrtvw gsvurihg gfvhwzb nil nzkr i ru blf xzm trev nv z orgov rmhgifxgrlmh lu gsv dliprmt hrmxv gsv fmrlm R hslfow yv nfxs lyorwlv gf blf uli rg zkkzrih gszgzoo gsv chip rn zvgvi AV gsv fszb R hslfow yv olhg zg rg mid Give my love to all the Brethern Greet them for me

Andw Cox

NB derect for me sign the angel to be left mr Castle Eotherhith Stairs WHAT DOES IT MEAX ? As explained by the editor , the diagram has nothing to do with Masonry , but he is somewhat out in his to its

guess as author . The diagram is one of the first class in the Sosicruciau doctrines , although it is incomplete as given hy "Enquirer . " Between the upper points of the pentagram there should have been a dove with expanded wings , and at the angle S . A . H . across . It is a figure of the Trinity , and the words Salve refer to

" Agape" the sublime love of the Creator for His creatures , who areemblemisedby the pentagram , which is an image of the live senses . God is represented by the Sun , Christ by the Cross , aud the Holy Ghost by the Dove . There is an elaborate lecture upon this diagram which forms a portion of the stud

, y of the third class of initiates . Another diagram of the same degree is this : — D E + TJ S .

The cross here stands for LVX . —or light , for it contains these letters within it . Deus , Lux , is thus God , Light . There are a great number of these diagrams still extant , although , from the manner of preserving the secrets in hieroglyphics and cypher , many are sealed to the present age . Perhaps

"Enquirer'' will be good enough to give some account of the manuscript , the nature of its contents , and how it came into his possession . A great number of manuscripts , many priceless in value , were lost at the time of Derwentwater ' s rising , and it would be exceedingly curious if the manuscript in question

should he one of these . The ISth degree , Rose Croix , is often confounded with the Rosicrucian Society , but they have no relationship , the name Rosicrucian being derived from Ros-dew , and Crux , a cross , the emblem of Light . —A NTHONY OXEAL HAVE

THE GLORIOUS ARCHITECT OP HEAVES AST ) EAETH ,. —EEEATA . See my communication "The Glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth , '' page 90 of the present volume . It is not surprising that this communication puzzles a foreign brothersince an English

, brother , with critical pretensions which I will not gainsay , has actually understood it as making " the commencement of a pocket edition of the Constitutions " the locality of a lodge . See page 110 of the present volume . There is not , however , in my communication the misprint of a single wordbut

, merely some inaccuracy in the punctuation , which I will now set right . Line 3 , for "lodge at" read "lodge . At , " and line S , for " occasion . There" ' read " occasion , there . "—CHAELES PUETOX COOPER .

EEEEMASOXRT WITHOUT THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UXIVERSE . A brother at Oxford is right . His words aptly express my thoughts . What Christianity would be without Jesus Christ , that Freemasonry would be Avithout the Great Architect of the Universe . — CHAELES PURTOX COOPER .

DIVEES POSITIVE EELIOTOXS IX LODGE . Dear brother * * * you are deceived . My Avords have always been that where in lodge brothersare assembled professing divers Positive religions ,, there is , so long as they continue in lodge , a temporary merger of those religions in their common , source , natural religion . —CHAELES PUETOH COOPEB ,.

THE JEAN'S . In ' answer to the inquiry of a correspondent , I say that in my late province of Kent there were , im my time , no better Freemasons than the Jews . — CHAELES PUETOX COOPEB .

OUR LODGES . Brother . . . Plato ' s "Laws" I now possessonly in a French translation . On looking through this translation , I have come upon a passage which , I have no doubt , is that cited by me in the conversation you mentionDenton Courtsummer of 1853

, , , in reference to the useful and happy fusion of ranks in our lodges . The original Greek Avord I have tried in vain to recall . The French translation I subjoin : " Les grandes pierres ne s ' arrangent jamais bien sans les petites . " CHAELES PUETON COOPEB .