Masonic Notes And Queries.

THE OKDEH OP THE TEMPTJB . With reference to the proposed amalgamation of the various branches of the modern Order of the Temple , might I suggest that the Grand Masters of England , Scotland , and Ireland should assume the

title of Grand Prior of each country , and that H . E . H . the Prince of Wales should be elected the M . E . and Supreme Grand Master of the cosmopolitan Order in the three kingdoms . The Chapter General could be held in London , Edinburgh , and Dublin iu rotation , once in every year—sayon the 11 th Marchthe

anni-, , versary of the immolation of Jacques de Molay . This would bring about a triennial visitation of each Grand Priory by the Chapter General . I do not think any Knight could object to an arrangement of this sort , from whatever lacgue he might hail , and however impressed with the importance of his own national

cLii ; ns . _ Above everything , we must abolish theahrurd Masonic element , and eliminate all the nonsense of Encampments , Conclaves , First and Second Captains , Prelates , Captains of Lines , & c , none of which titles have the ghost of a claim to historical accuracy . Instead of the and senseless title of " Royal

pompous , Exalted , Religious , and Military Order of Masonic Kni ghts Templar , " let us be simply called " The Religious aud Military Order of the Temple . " The Grand Conclave will then be the Grand Priory of the Langue of England , a Provincial Grand Conclave will be a Priory , and the Prov . Grand Commanderthe ] S oble

, and Yenerable Prior ; while subordinate Encampments will be transformed to Preceptories , and the Eminent Commander will assume the style of Noble Preceptor . The officers under him would be Sub or Yice

Preceptor , Mareschal , Chaplain ( not Prelate , which is ridiculous ) , two Aides-de-Camp , Registrar , Treasurer , Almoner , and Hospitaller , with a Man-at-Anns to guard the out posts of the Preceptory . The grades of the Order as now practised in Scotland should also be adopted . The first is Kni ght , created by Preceptories , the second

, Kni ght Companion , who receives ; f patent from the Grand Blaster , and the third grade is Knight Commander , with a commission from the same eminent authorit y . With respect to the costume and tho forms of reception , I do not think it possible to improve on those now in use in Scotland , and which are

recognised by and may be found iu the statutes of the Chapter General of ' the Order in that country . I believe both are as nearly in accordance with the ancient customs of the Knights Templar as tiie modifications of the present age will permit . The jewel of the Order is but of secondary importanceand the

, choice will , in all probability , lie between tho badges of the French Ordre du Temple , the Portuguese Order of Christ , and the Cross of the Order , as now used in Scotland . I myself incline to the last . It is a black

cross with a white orle , charged witli a red cross , thus representing both tiie Beanse . mt and the Vexillum Belli . I nmst , however , distinctly state that in all this I do not make the slightest claim to a direct descent from Hugo de Payens and his worthy aud honourable successors , nor do I believe we possess it . We arc simpltheir descendants badoption we

y y ; bear the same name , and wear the same habit , and , let us hope , still pursue the object of the ever glorious founders ; constantly keeping ' before our eyes and hearts the Cross and the Crucified One , and so acting before the world and the brethren , that when a man

Masonic Notes And Queries.

is said to be a Knight of the Temple , thai may be a guarantee for his purity of life and uprig htness of conduct and behaviour . We cannot be too eclectie in our Order , or too careful about the character , both moral and social , of our aspirants , who should be , each and all , integer vitw , scelerisqiie purus . —EQUES TEMPLI .

WOODEN CHUECHES IN 12 TH CENTUEY ( pp . 69 & 130 ) . " A Masonic Student" must for himself turn up the Magazine for Sept . 12 th , 1 S 6 S , page 210 , and find what " first-class authority" is there mentioned . However , I may also add that Mr . James Fergusson , the celebrated writer upon architecturementions the

, former Glasgow Cathedral being of wood . Then Tytler , in his " History of Scotland , " alludes to the " large and magnificent buildings in timber frame work , " built " during the 10 th , 11 th , and 12 th centuries . " Further , I could give other good authority if necessary . There are no remnants of stonework about Glasgow

Cathedral yet seen so old as the third decade of the 12-th century . Lastly , I am upon the ground , and speak from what I know and see personally . In England in the 11 th century , many wooden churches were erected , and magnificently decorated , ancl I believe they were not altogether superseded by stone in the 12 th : while we know that wooden houses were generally used in the 17 th century . —W . P . B .

GLASGOW ST . JOHN ( p . 130 . ) " A Masonic Student" would be partly checkmated by my remarks at page 131 . The laws of 1598 were for general use , and the portion or " item " referred to was not for " a particular occasion" but for all occasions of a similar nature . I am not as

yet quite satisfied about the status of the " Fellowof-Craft" but I considered it to mean an operative who was a freeman of his Craft , that is one who after having served 7 years as an Apprentice , and also worked other 7 years as a Journeyman , was admitted as a brother of the guild whether he desired

to bo a Master or not . A Blaster again was one who was in business for himself . From the foregoing we see that a Journeyman was not necessarily a " fellow " indeed he could not be so , generally speaking , until after working as a Journeyman for 7 years . We

therefore seem to have 4 classes here , viz ., Apprentices , Journeymen , Fellows-of-Craft , and Masters . Foremen , who had the oversight of Apprentices and Journeymen , would be probably " Fellows-of-Craft . " However , these are only suggestions thrown out partly from reading the Constitutions of the German Masons in Bro . Findel ' s "History of Freemasonry . "

And there might be local differences in working . But be all that as it may . seeing Apprentices were bound to be present at the reception of all Masters or Fellows-of-Craft , there could be no "degree" in the case , as tho Apprentices saw all that was done when the new Master was admitted . Sir F . Palgrava

did not possess the knowledge we now have , for the division of the Order into three "degrees" is a production of tho ISfcli century . Then again , if Master aud Fellow were equivalent , ' * we would iu order to get three classes , have to say—Fellow , Journeyman , Ap-