Masonic Jottings.—No. 11.

greater expansion of Speculative Masonry , and the total extinction of Operative Preemasonry . UTILITY . Before the end of the l 7 th century the utility of the Operative Masonry Lodges , like that of

some other mediseval institutions , had ceased . A . D . 1717 . Organisation renewed ; Masonry revived ; little Operative ; much Speculative . —Old Craft Memoranda .

STONES OP DEMOLISHED OPERATIVE LODGES . The stones of the old demolished Operative Masonry Lodges were taken to build up the new Speculative Masonry Lodges . —From MS . of last century .

A FORGERY . In historical research a forgery must not always be disregarded . A forgery may afford evidence that at the time when it was effected a tradition existed , and in some cases such evidence is all that is requisite .

THE GRANDIDIER THEORY . —THE GERMAN THEORY . The Grandidier Theory relates to Organisation only . The German Theory relates to organisation , and also to that for which organisation was invented—that is to say , to Speculative Masonry .

- BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY . The question principally discussed b y German Masonic writers , at the beginning of the 19 th century , was whether Freemasonry ori g inated in an order of Chivalry , or in the Building Fraternities of the Middle Ages .

ASHMOLE AND HIS LITERARY FRIENDS . A learned brother , who by no means adopts the statement contained in Chamber ' s Encyclopaedia , nevertheless thinks that an increased developement of English Speculative Masonry , which

seems to have taken place in the 17 th century , must be ascribed to Ashmole and his literary friends .

ENGLISH AND SCOTCH MASONIC TRADITIONS . The accounts , which have come down to us of the proceedings of the earl y German Lodges , should make us pause , before we set aside English and Scotch Masonic Traditions for any such reasons as are commonly brought forward .

TnE Committee of tlio Metropolitan Free Hospital , thankfully acknowledge receipt of a donation of ten guineas from tlie Worshipful Company of A'intners .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE HINDUS AUD J ? EEEMASONEY . On looking into my papers I have come upon memoranda of four documents , which a Metropolitan Brother will find useful in the inquiry he is prosecuting : — First—An article in the Indian Freemason ' s Friend

, ( September , 18 G 3 ) , entitled " Whether Hindus ought to be Initiated ? '' and announcing that at the Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal , to be held on the 22 nd of that month , a question would be put for discussion as to " whether the admission of Hindus into Preemasonry is consonant

with the principles of the Order , as inculcated by the Grand Lodge of England . " In this article are inserted opinions of the Duko of Sussex and of Dr . John Grant , Provincial Grand Master of Bengal . Next—Extract from the Indian Freemason ' s

, Friend , containing the Debate in the District Grand Lodge of Bengal ( Quarterly Communication ) , 22 nd September , 1863 , on the above stated question , A vote being called for , the result was unfavourable to the initiation of Hindus . Thirdly , —The correspondence between the Hindoo

Prosonno Coomar Dutt aud the Grand Secretary , our late Bro . Gray Clarke , November , 18 G 3 , and April , July , and November , 1 SG 4 . Taslly , —The Eeport of the President and "Vice-President of the Colonial Board , " on the eligibility of Hindus to be admitted to the mysteries and privileges of Preemasonry" Aug . 2 nd 1864 ' .

, , These four documents are contained in vols . 9 . 10 , 11 , and 12 of the Freemason ' s Magazine . The pages I have not noted . The only communications made by me to the . freemason ' s Magazine which are likely to assist v . rj brother are the following : — " The Pantheism of the

Hindus , " vol . xv ., p . 150 ; " The Hindu , tho Polynesian , and the English Ereemason , " vol . xv ., p . io 8 ; " The English Ereemason and the Hindu Pantheist , " vol . xv ., p . 251 ; "Hindus admitted into English Preemasonry , " vol . iv ,, p . MS ; "Hindus--i-ieir "Written Declarations previously to Admission into

English Eremasonry , " vol . xvi ., p . 406 ; "Hindustheir admission into English Ereemasonry , " vol . xvii ., p . 70 ; "Brother Khetter Mohum Gangooby , " vol . xviii ., p . 5 ; aud "Vishnu , " vol . xviii ., p . 505 . — CHAULES PUETON COOPEE .

ENGLISH MASONS . . At page 65 of Eindel ' s "History of EreeiEnsnr . ry , " 2 nd edition ( in my opinion the best history yet i-jsuod ) , the author says : — "Though by degrees English Alasons gradually sank to the grade of mechanics , yet they kept their ceremoniesso that when the

preup , sent fraternity of Ereemasons was established , these were still in use , and needed only to have a dillbrent signification attached to them . " JSTow I challenge that statement , and deny that they kept up our ceremonies , or that those we have were still in use before 1717 . They had their bit of apron -washing , but that

was rather different from our ceremonies , rituals , and degrees . . Further , English Masons were , of course , mechanics . I wonder what else they could be ? Gentlemen , ^ eh ? Did they wear white kid gloves and silk