Masonic Notes And Queries

A . E . A . Woodford , ' 'I cannot see the use or tendency to strip our old traditions of their value ancl importance . " But what old tradition mentions the Eoyal Arch degree ? We much regret that "illhealth has for a time" compelled him to defer publishing the valuable Masonic collection he has made .

We hope soon , however , he will be able to give us the henefit of his researches as to the antiquity of the third degree . As there is no MS . marked L . in the appendix to Bro Findel ' s " History of Ereemasonry , " I cannot "look at it . " Perhaps "A Masonic Student" refers to appendix C . Yfould the latter MS . prove that the Master's degree was unknown to those of the first and second ? According- to the

Eook of Constitutions , A . D . 1723 , it would not , as the E . A . and F . C . were present at the installation of the Master ancl Wardens ; and we have no record of any other grade but these three before A . D . 1717—viz ., Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master . The latter , though not a secret degree , or , in fact , not a

degree at all , but simply a rank conferred on a F . C , or lond fide employer of Masons . I am sorry that numerous engagements will prevent my considering the statements of " A Masonic Student " at greaterlength just now . He may , however , understand that so long as he admits that the Eoyal Arch degree was

a term given to the second part of the third degree by the " ancients " about A . D . 1740 , 1 can fully agree with him in anything he may say that would tend to exalt the Eoyal Arch , as that admission alone is what I have contended for , and not the sublime nature of the degree . The antiquity of the third degree is quite

another question , as it existed when Eoyal Arch Masonry was unknown . I take this opportunity of thanking Bro . C . P . Cooper for his very accurate and useful epitome of the first part of my humble efforts to elucidate facts on Ereemasonry . —W . J . HUGHAIT .

THE EOYAL AKCH . I see one or two obvious typographical errors in my last letter , which I wish to request your readers and Bro . Hughan kindly to alter . The MS . is marked " 0 , " not "L , " as by misprint , ancl is at page 691 appendix . The word "immediate" stands for " numismatic ;' ' and in the 9 th line " he " should be tit . "—A MASONIC STTOESTT .

IHEEMASONEY IS THE MOOS ' . " G . D ., " thanks for the copy of the comic paper upon this subject . It is plain that the work after which . the facetious author asks is Gruithuisen ' s "Treatise on the Moon , ancl Traces of its being Inhabited . ' " Your witty friend should ascertain what has become of this treatiseIt prepared in

. was 1825 , but , from Gruithuisen's desire of greater completeness , it remained in manuscript iu 1830 . Perhaps it has now seen the light . G-ruithuisen is famous amongst astronomers for his excellent lunar observations , from which , however , he has made some fanciful inferences . First , he considers some of the clefts

moon ' s as indications of animal existence , and looks upon others as being probably broad , straight clearings through forests , and forming connections of the nature of roads through all the fertile regions of its surface . Next , although he owns we could hardly expect to see the " Selenites " themselves individually on their journeys , yet he does not think it impossible tJKit large bodies of them ( peradventure a Masonic

procession ) might be detected in these roads by their difference of colour , especially if meeting and separating again . Lastly , he inclines to the idea that certain regular straight ri-: ! g- ? 3 are the roofs of longinhabited halls ( maybe Masonic ) , and opines chat some minute crater-chains are dwelling-places . The words inserted above as parentheses are the additions of a sister , Grand Mistress of a Lodge of Adoption . —0 . P . COOPEE .

3330 . 31 . B . WHITE ON F IlEEMASONKY AJ . 3 CHRISTIANITY . I am sure that the pleasure afforded me hy the perusal of the interesting article on " Freemasonry and Christianity , " by the indefatigable Mason , Bro . H . B . White , must have been the happy experience of numerous subscribers . Much good has already been

done to the Craft by the labours of such Masons as Bro . H . B . White , as their researches have culminated in placing the keystone of revelation in the arch of the Craft . To . Bro . C . P . Cooper ( P . Prov . G . M . of Kent ) we are also much indebted , who has almost exhausted the subject as respects the belief in

the Great Architect of the Universe required of candidates for membership . I presume the curious diagrams , so neatly engraved , are by Finch ( copies of which I have ) , who published his works in the early part of the 19 th century . —W . 3 . HUGHAN .

BHO JIOBBIS , Or KENTUCKY . That excellent Mason , Bro . Morris , of Kentucky , will visit the British Isles next month . The ensuingpassage on the value of the Bible is from his pen : — " The Bible may well be prized amongst Masons and Masons' wives , for ifc has banished idle worship ,

abolished infanticide , put down polygamy , exalted the condition of women , raised the standard of public morality , created for families a home , and caused benevolent institutions to spring up as with the wand of enchantment . Oh ! let the Bible be in the centre of lod honouredopenedaccessible to all . "

your ge , , , This statement is , I am convinced , amply sufficient to ensure Bro . Morris a fitting reception in every English , Scotch , and Irish lodge . Read , however , what his friend Bro . Murray Lyon has written , Ereemasons' Magazine , Ho . 441 , page 461 . —C . P . COOPEE .

MASONIC MAUKS . In addition to the information afforded in Bro , John Yarker's communication of the 11 th inst ., the subject is also considered in the admirable " History of Freemasonry , " by Bro . W . A . Laurie , W . S ., Grand Secretary of Scotland ( SpencerLoudon 12 s .

, , , I think ) . Indeed , there is not another work on Freemasonry , which so fully treats of Masonic marks * as this one mentioned , ancl it is well illustrated with marks from various old buildings in different parts of the world . It may be as well to state that the Grand Lodge of Scotland recognises the mark degree ,

and not the Eoyal Arch , and hence Bro . Laurie , as the G . S . of that important body , is well calculated to speak authoritatively on tho subject . Apart from the valuable article on Mark Masonry , the work contains au accurate epitome of the reasons that induced this Grand Lodge to exalt the mark degree . Although it is styled the second edition of " Laurie's History of Freemasonry , A . D . 1 S 01-, " in many respejts it is a neAV work , and quite unique . —W . 3 . HctHi . vsr .