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Contents . — PAGB FBEEMASONS' MAGAZINE : — Bastard Masonry in England 121 Pius IXvs . Bible Societies and Freemasonry 122

, AProfane's Idea of Freemasonry 123 Non-Affiliated Masons 124 The Mason ' s Grave 125 The Ancient and Accepted Rite in America 125 Answers to the Memorial of the Lodge of Glasgow St . John ' s No . 3 Ms 128 Masonic Jottings—No . 57 132 Masonic Notes and Queries 132

Masonic Sayings and Doings Abroad 133 MASONIC MIRROR : — Masonic Mems 108 Committee of Grand Lodge and Board of Benevolence 135 CRAST LODGE M EETINGS : — Metropolitan 135 Provincial 136 Scotland 138

Notes on Music and the Drama 138 Poetry 139 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing-week 140 Notice to- Correspondents 140

LONDON , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 18 , 1871 .

Bastard Masonry In England.

BASTARD MASONRY IN ENGLAND .

We have just received a Transatlantic Exchange , " Pbmeroy ' s Democrat / 3 containing under the above expressive , if not very elegant heading 1 , the following pungent expose of this latest innovation—the Rite of Misraim . As supplementary to

our already strongly expressed opinion in connecwith this subject , Ave cannot do better than allow our readers the advantage of perusing our contemporary's article in externa . If the signs of the times do not deceive us

greatly , France , that hot-house of Masonic socalled degree manufacturing , will be outstripped by some of the crack-brained degree-mongers in England . It is not many years since that the

socalled " Kite of Memphis " was tabooed by authority in England and the effort to establish it failed . The desire for novelty , however , was not thus to be squelched , and not long since under the file - leadership of Bro . Robert

Wentworth Little , a yonng Mason , possessed of some literary ability and a cacoeihes scrihendi , revived as he termed ib " The Ecclesiastical and Military Order of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , " as a kind of oppositionif not a substitute

, for the long established " Religious and Military Order of Knights Templar . " Why the Order of Eed Cross , which is based on the fiery Cross , which Constantine saAV in the Heavens , should

Bastard Masonry In England.

have the prefix of " Ecclesiastical , " we cannot imagine , for it has no religious test—Christianity —as has the " Order of the Temple , " but passing' that by , it has made considerable her . dwfl . y . and Avould appear to be gaining ground , its

Sovereign Grand Master , being that very enthusiastic and active Mason , the EaiT of Bactive , better known as Lord Kenils . Not satisfied , however , with the success v ' uoh has so far attended the establishment of fhj 0 or < =

sfcantinian Order , the desire for further novel ';; , ' it would appear , has seized upon tho leader ,-. ? oP tho same , and , as will be seen from the following , they have annexed to it the . bastard " li-i !;; > - ;!' Mizraim" with its 90 ° , aud of which the yyflry-. mate Rite of Memphis was an offshoot , Says the London " Ereemason " : —¦

"An assembly of the Conservators General of the Rite of Mizraim Avas held at i ' ree .-nr-. sons '' Tavern , Great Queen Street , on Wednesday , the 28 th inst ., for the purpose of opining th' : ' ' : ' ; . -: - tive' Sanctuary , of Levites , the oo of tho R-.-o , n

Supreme Council General of the 90 ° iiavi . ;;^ b ; : ea . regularly formed under the authority eonvc ; ' € -i , ' . in a diploma granted to the 111 , Bro . Cremi- ; -.- ;; , o ' - ' r ofthe Eite Ecossais , and a member of fchrf " ' ir' -uil College of Rites in France .

"The sanctuary having been formally .. n . t-n & el , between eighty and a hundred brethren wore duly admitted by sevens at a time , and obligated as members of the 33 ° , and that number , large as it may appear , would doubtless have been still

greater had it not been for the extreme inclemency ofthe weather , and the absence of many brethren from toAvn for the Christmas holidays . In our next Ave will furnish more particulars of this interesting meeting , merely audi . no- I ;! - ; -. . ; -., : u-

though the Rite isnoAV attached to the Red Cross Order for administrative purprsee , ancl the 'thirtyseven conclaves on the roll are authorise- " " ; :: >>' - ¦ ferit , yet all non-Christian Master Mai-xv . r : a :-e ; eligible for reception into the Order .

The Right Hon . the Earl of Bective is ¦/¦ ¦ ¦ .. . yy - ereign Grand Master ( nominate ) , aud the :-: o' .:. (; n-o officers ere also Provincial Grand Masters vn tli > - Craft , as well as distinguished member's of o-i-t : branches of Freemasonry . Under such auspices

the Rite is destined to attain a very high position in the Masonic world , and we heartily Avish it every success . "