Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

ENGINEERS' LODGES . What lodge in London is chiefl y composed of working engineers ?—CE . LODGE CUSTOMS . What are the peculiar dishes favoured by any

lodge , and considered as lodge dishes ?—INQUIRY . LODGES OF INSTRUCTION . A charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Scotland about ei ght or ten years ago for holding a Lodge of Instruction in Glasgowwhich was ably

pre-, oided over by Bro . C . M . Donaldson ( now of the Cosmopolitan , Shanghai ) , and met regularly for about two years . As there is great need of such in Glasgow , can that lodge not be resuscitated ?—P . M .

MASONIC TESTS . It is a well-known fact that in many English lodges the candidate requires to be well posted in his first degree before he can attain his second , and requires to rehearse the ceremony of both degrees before he is

raised _ to the sublime degree and show himself an adept in the Craft , following after the manner of the ancient mysteries- It is a pity that such tests are not required of candidates tor the chair—i . e ., R . W . M . ' s for Scottish lodges . The manner that some lodges are wrought is very apt to leave a poor

impression on the mind of the candidates , and as first impressions are the most effective , for the honour of the lodge and the benefit of the Craft generally , members should be careful of nominating for the chair only brethren who are capable of doing their duties . If this was given more attention to in Scotland , it would have a tendency to elevate Scottish Masons above their present level . —ASIMI .

SIGNATURE TO DECLARATION . A report has reached me , for the truth of which I cannot vouch , but considering its source lam inclined to think that it is probably correct , namely , that in a certain lodge a person has been received b y initiation who can neither read nor write . If it be true , it is

difficult to believe that he has complied with the regulation which requires a signature to a certain declaration , unless his hand was guided while doing so . It suggests an important question as to the legality of such a proceeding . With respect to its impropriety there can hardly be two opinions . — H . H .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The ' Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE I'REElTASOIfS' MAGAZINE AXD MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —It is with some pleasure I find myself called upon to ask permission to trespass upon your space , and I trust you will assist me , in my endeavour to remedy an act of injustice to our interests by complying with my request . A reference to the report of the past year will show that we spoke in hopeful terms as to the result

Correspondence.

of the Cambridge Local Examination held in December last , for which six candidates from this school were entered . The official announcement , received by the Head Master , Mr . Furrian , at the end of February , showed that three out of the six had passedi . e ., " satisfied the examiners , " three having

, been rejected . With our short experience of these examinations , and brief preparation for them , this result could not be considered a failure , but it certainly fell short of our anticipations , and infused something of distrust as to the future . I am happy to state , however , that we have

temporarily suffered in our own estimation , whatever we may have done in that of others , by an error , whicli is corrected in the "Report of the Syndicate pre sented to the Senate March G , 1 S 6 S , " just to hand , from which we find that one boy , Henry Lawtou Saunders , passed in honours , class 3 , having satisfied the examiners in every subject in whicli he was allowed to be examined—viz .,

Preliminary—Rudiments of Faith and Religion , English , Latin , German , French , and Mathematics ; aud that . a second boy , William Edward Henty , would have similarly passed , but for a misunderstanding as to his mathematical paper , which was completed , but presented live minutes too late and rejected . In class 1 , 58 passedof whom 36 had the

advan-, tage of previous examination . In class 2 , 94 passed , of whom 46 had the advantage of previous examination . In class 3 , 124 passed , of whom 37 had the advantage of previous examination . Total passed , 276 . 539 Satisfied the examiners . Total , 815 . 349 failed : 35 absent ; 1 , 199 total entered .

This explanation will , I hope , prove as satisfactory to our supporters and friends , aud to your readers generally , as it is encouraging to the Head Master , his assistants , and the Executive of the institution . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

FREDERICK BINCKES . Secretary . Office , 6 , Freemasons' Hall , W . C . 13 April , 1868 .

Historical Masonry.

HISTORICAL MASONRY .

_ . TO THE EDITOR ON Till ! t'UHEMASONS' MAOAV . INK AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —For the information of my brethren I wish to give the following facts in the work I intend publishing , entitled " Historical Masonry , " illustrated by Masons' Marks , and dedicated by permission to the Rig ht Hon . the Earl De

Grey and Ripon , D . Grand Master of England and Prov . Grand Master of West Yorkshire . There will be 5 , 700 Masons' Marks , and the normal plan of the Pyramid at Gizeh , and nearly 70 cathedrals , each on the scale of 100 feet to one inch . THE WORD FREEMASON USED .

A . D . 1396-97 . —Freemasons 6 d . per day . William Foundyng and William Gervys , lu-eemasons , the former had a salary of £ 1 6 s . Sd . Exeter Cathedral , A . D . 1427 . —John Wolston aud John Harry , Freemasons , were sent from Exeter to Beere to provide stone .

A . D . 1434 . — William Horwood , Freemason , of Fotheringay , chapel contract with the Duke of York . A . D . 1507 . —William Yertue , along with John