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ffiontertts . PAGE . Our Brethren the Jews—By Pictus 141 Illustrations of the History of the Craft—By A Masonic Student 342 The Haughfoot Lodne and Speculative Masonry—By R . S 144 Masonic Jottings—No . 8 145 The Grand Masonic Allegory 145 The Stuarts and Freemasonry 148

Alasonic Notes and Queries 151 Correspondence 153 Masonic Mems 1515 General Committee of Grand Lodge 155 CRAPT LODGE MEETISGS . — Metropolitan „ , 155 Provincial 156 Scotland 15 S

Masonic Festivities 158 Obituary 158 A Lecture—By Bro . James Frederick Spun- 158 Scientific Meetings for the Week 159 List of Lodge , & c . Meetings for ensuing week 1 GO To Correspondents ICO

Our Brethren The Jews.

OUR BRETHREN THE JEWS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 19 , 1870 .

By PICTUS . In the MAGAZINE for February 5 th , I perceive it stated that -Jews " are refused by the Prussian Grand Lodges , '" I am both astonished and ashamed at this . To other nations we may owe our knowledge of the art of building and other arts and sciences , but to the Jews we owe our

theology , the oldest and noblest of all the sciences . The bible is a Jewish book and was written by Jews ; Christ was a Jew ; His mother and brethren were all Jews . A great portion of our Masonic rituals refer to Jewish works , yet withal , although Freemasons owe so much to the Jews , we find

those bearing the name drinking deep of the waters , bub absolutely refusing to acknowledge the fountain ! What a specimen of Freemasonry ! In the second commandment ( Ex . xx . 5 ) ,

we read of God " visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation . " Aye ! says Prussian Masonry , but we can improve upon that , for we will persecute the children until the

fifth and sixth thousand generation . Although we have beams in our own eyes , we still can cast stones at the motes iu our neighbours . What care we although the landmarks of our Order state that all " good men and true" are , irrespective of

their particular creed or nationality , to be admitted ; we only take up as much as suits ourselves , we reject the grand idea of universal fraternity , we

Our Brethren The Jews.

are too young for that , our minds are not ripe for such an idea ; Poor Prussia ! I am afraid that Freemasonry has been but a hothouse plant within thy borders . With such narrow and sectarian views what can we do but pity thee ?

We can do more however , we can hope that more light , and better and more charitable thoughts will enable thee to cut out this blot upon thy fair fame . Of all ancient nations the Jews ought to excite our interest ; instead of persecuting

them with the instinct of the savage we ought to love and respect them with the charity of the Mason and of the Christian . Is there no sympathy in the breast of Prussian Masonry for that scattered people who have been so often passed

through the fire , whose temple is cast down , and its site degraded , while they are strangers in the land of their fathers ? Surely it is only thoughtlessness that makes them so act , we hope they will think over their mistaken and un-Masonic course and alter it .

At pages 63-6 o for Jan . 22 nd , we also read about more unmasonic conduct , this time in America and in New York . The Jewish brethren there ask for bread , and " James Gibson , Grand Master of Masons in New York , " gives them a stone ,

with a long sermon , or rather " grace , " appended ! We wonder if Bro . Gibson ever read the 2 nd chap , of James ? In case not , we quote from it the following for his careful consideration : — " If a brother or sister be naked , and destitute of dail y

food , ancl one of you say unto them , Depart in peace ; be ye warmed aud filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful

to the body ; what doth it profit ! Even so faith , if it hath not works , is dead , being alone . " Therefore Bro . Gibson had you given your suppliants a little less of sophistry and a little more of what was needful for the supply of their wants , it would

have been more to your own honour , as well as to their benefit . The Jews did noting his case seek to set up a sectarian lodge ( and if such were done the said lodge could bo suspended ); "they only desire to start a lodge wherein all who may apply at the

door shall receive proper Masonic treatment ; a lodge which shall judge of candidates by their moral character , and in which religious faith or sect shall be no bar to admission . "

It is right that such unmasonic practices as the above should be shown up ; they sap the foundation of all true Freemasonry , being in direct opposition to its principles .