Her Majesty's Theatre And Bro. S. May.

held by the various classes of the community amongst whom he has so Ions ; and so worthily laboured . "That , the committee now appointed be authorised aud empowered to arrange with managers who may be inclined to place their theatres at the disposal of the committee , for benefit performances , ancl with

professional ladies and gentlemen who may be willing to give their services , and to take such steps as they may deem desirable for the collection of private donations .

" That an account be opened at the London and County Bank ( Oxford-street Branch ) , under the name of the ' May Testimonial Fund , ' in the names of Bros . Ledger , Beard , and Udall . "

Committee ( with power to add to their number ) : Adams , S ., Philharmonic Hall , Islington . Arliss , H . T . I ., Cancnbury . Bain , Robt , Fore-street , Lambeth . Beard , Thos ., 10 , B . isinghall-stroefc ( Hon . Sae . ) Berri , D . G ., 3 G , High Holborn .

Binckes , F ., Freemasons' Boys' School . Buckstone , J . B ., Theatre Royal , Haymarket . Oreswick , AA ., Itoynl Surrey Theatre . Cos , Edward , 102 , Chancery-lane . Gary , Henry , 5 , King-street , Covent-gardeu . Cottebrune , 3 lr . C . A ., 29 , Dean-street , Soho .

Creaton , Major , 7 , Sidney-street , Brompton . Davis , E . D ., Theatre Royal , Newcastle on-Tyne . Glover , Albert , \ A al _ immstow . Hale , William , 100 , Drury-lane . Head , Benjamin , 37 , Edwards-square , Kensington . Lamb , F . AA ., AA ' ood-groen . Ledger , Frederick ( Ireas . ) , Era office .

Leared , Arthur , AA ' cod-green . Littlewood , George , Drury-lane . Ough , AA ., Bclvidere-road . Robinson , J ., 7 , Park-lane , Piccadilly . Eingrose , Basil , Wood-green . Sheen , J . R ., 20 , Upper St . Martin's Lane . Sinclair , H ., St . George's Hall , Bradford .

Sothern , E . A ., Haymarket Theatre . Smith . K . T ., Royal Lyceum Theatre . Smith , John , Bow-street , Spencer , Richard , 2 G , Great Queen-street . Todd , B . T ., Aldermanbury . Udall , Jolm , 3 S , Milk-street .

Watson , AA ., Umry-lano . Warr , AA . H ., 17 , Feathcrstone-buildings . "Weedon , AA i ! iiain , Fore-street . Wynne , AA ... Burr-street . The next meeting of the committee will be held at Freemasons' Tavern , on Tuesday next , the 21 st inst ., at two o ' clock in the afternoon .

FEI . ILS OP RESMCTABrxiTY . —AA'hile open sin kills its thousands , v .- .. i-U ! ly respectability kills its ten thousands ; it is an inclined phme of' unsuspected danger ; it is covered with green grass ; yes , enamelled with lovely flowers to the very edge of the precipice , ending in eternal ruin . "Why wiil you send money for that which is not bread , and labour for that which satitfieth not ?"

Masonic Notes And Queries

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES

TUB ANTIQUITY OP TIIE KOYAIi AP . CH . Bro . B ., " A Masonic Student , " has favoured your readers with a reply to m } r communication of the -Ath inst ., and I hasten , although busy , to acknowledge that we aro evidently approaching an agreement as to the question at issue . Permit me also to thank " A

Masonic Student " for the fraternal manner in whhh he alludes to my views , aud for the evident attention he has paid to my remarks , notwithstanding they do not accord with his opinions . We admit that the clue to the real history of the E . A . degree is in the division of the third degree , and as that is the whole

point of "A Masonic Student's" argument , viz ., " That the Eoyal Arch , as wo have it , is identical in substance with the secoud part of the master ' s degree , " so far I quite coincide with him . There can be no doubt as to the fact that the Eoyal Arch degree is " the completion of the third , " and that an

English Ereemason is but half a Mason , unless he has been exalted in an English Eoyal Arch Chapter , and thus been brought acquainted with the sublime principles of that interesting and imposing degree . All these statements , and others iu the two letters referred to , £ can fully endorse , and yet hold the opinion that

the Eoyal Arch of England cannot he traced before 17-10 . " A Mason Student , " in Freemasons' Magazine ,. 2 Sth ult ., says it is " clear that Dermott aud his associates extended the second part of the third degree , until they made it a fourth degree , and gave it the name of the Eoyal Arch . " This fact is also clear to me , aud to mv mind quite conclusive that the English Hoyal Arch—as a degree or in name—did not

existbefore 1740 . Hence , although I believe the third degree existed before A . D . 1740 , there does not appear to be any evidence for the existence of the English Eoyal Arch before that year . When time permits , I promise to refer to the subject at more length . Dr . Oliver certainly alludes to the "Rite Ancien de Bouillon " in the origin of the English EA ( 1867 )

.. as being the nucleus " and the " first faint glimmerings of the Eoyal Arch degree " ( pages ix ., & c , 85 ) ,. and what is more , distinctly states that this " Eite A . de Bouillon " was the " First E . A . Ritual , " styled by "its fabricators the fourth degree , " ancl was "the first germ of the degree " ( as it was designed by the

brethren who seceded from the Constitutional Grand Lodge in 1739 ) , which was imposed on the brethren as " ancient Masonry . " Dr . Oliver likewise styles it an " unsatisfactory jumble . ' ' We wish all the subscribers would procure this work from Bro . Spencer , Great Queen-streetLondonand read for themselves

, , . They will then see whether if Dr . Oliver—the greatest modern light of Ereemasonry—ever contradicts himself throughout the learned work . To me , the reissue of so valuable a history reflects great credit on the enterprising publisher , Bro . Eichard Spencer , as surely we should endeavour to know what is really

ancient aud what is modern of Ereemasonry . The author never varies from the first edition of 181-7 on any important point , and in both editions he uniformly ascribes the origin of the Eoyal Arch degree to the " seceding brethren ; " he also states that he cannot find any mention of the degree before 17-10 . "A Masonic Student , " as yet , has not made known to us any proof to the contrary . With Bro . the Eev ,