Masonic Notes And Queries.

Dr . Oliver's works are frequently cited , from which several questionable statements are made . " For instance—the Doctor says that the original Encampments of Bristol , ' York , ' and ' Bath , ' are encampments of Baldwin , but he gives no authority , aud I doubt the accuracy of the statement . The

encampments at Bath and York are called Baldwin Encampments . The former was the' Antiquity , ' of seven degrees , the latter the 'Redemption . ' "Again—Gourdin's statements respecting the ' Observance' Encampment , London , and the Duke of Sussex ' s connection therewithare incorrect . So is

, the statement that the Baldwin Encampments do not send representatives to the Grand Conclave . At the first Grand Conclave , after Col . Tynte's election , the Grand Commander and another frere from the

Baldwin encampment did attend . From 1701 until about 1 S 35 , the Baldwin Encampment regularly paid dues -to the Grand Conclave ; but as no account was rendered , and no Grand Conclave held , they , with many other encampments , refused to pay dues afterwards . " Now , as to the Baldwin Encampment—which it

is certain is very ancient—to insist that it was founded by Baldwin , King of Jerusalem , or a delegate from him , merely because it bears that name , is illogical . Yet I believe the Bristolians have no other ground for it . Neither' are there any grounds for the old , extinct Dermott Encampments of Bath and York

being called encampments of Baldwin , save Dr . Oliver ' s authority . They are not so called in the list of encampments printed in 1806 , or 1837 . The '' York Encampment' there is styled 'Redemption , ' and the ' Bath' Encampment ' Antiquity . ' _ " It is difficult to determine why , upon the authoof Frater

rity Nash , the ' Observance' Encampment , London , should be called ' The original encampment of the Duke of Sussex . ' For this encampment had an existence long before the Duke of Sussex was initiated . He cannot mean the duke was initiated in that encampment , because ( as Gourdiu says ) the ¦ duke was initiated in Paris , and it is doubtful if he

was ever a member of the ' Observance . ' "Again—It is incorrect to say that there is no ceremony for the Knights of Malta . I have a beautiful one , supposed to have been given to the Templars on admitting them to the Order after their suppression at De Molay's martyrdom . Many parts of the

ceremony I had translated from the Latin statutes , taken from the old Knights' library at Malta . The truth of the matter is the Order of the Temple got jumbled up with that of St . John , " and the black costume , & c , is taken from that . "I observe that there is , in the United States , a banner of StJohn

. , a cross of nine points—I understand it as a star—with a motto . Wow , I . think I * : now that no such cross or star ever existed . The Maltese cross is of eight points , aud white ; but the star is altogether a modern and Masonic innovation . In the Templar they have it of nine points , we of seven ; but , with us , it is strictly ( I may call it ) a Masonic commemoration of the vision of Constantine , With cross in the centre .

1 » eight-pointed white cross was worn on the left shoulder , on a black mantle ; while a white cross was worn on a red surcoat , both on back , breast , shoulders ; and this is the true cross of St . John . I nave in my possession some-of the old crosses .

" I give you an heraldic description of the Seal of the Provincial Grand Conclave of Knights Templar of Canada , under the Supreme Grand Conclave of England and Wales : — ' On a cross patee gules ( red ) a shield quartered ; 1 st and 4 th argent ( white ) . The Templar cross ( patee gules ) 2 nd and 3 rd ( quarters ) . The Beauseant ( party fesse sable and argent ) on

per au escutcheon of pretence , by the old Templar Arms . Argent , a plain cross , gules and ( brochant sur le tout ) the Holy Lamb bearing the banner of the Order , surmounted by a red cross . A sword of State and Abacus en saltier behind the shield . The whole surmounted by a ducal coronet . ' This is from a

design of my own , as also is the following seal of Geoffrey de St . Aldemar Encampment , at Toronto , Canada West : — " On a cross patee alise gules , and within the mystic Templar Triangle , tkree greater , nine lesser lights , viz ., or ( gold ) twelve lights ' gules . ' An

escutcheon of the arms of St . Aldeman , viz ., azure ( blue ) , a fesse or ( gold ) in chief . The Templar cross . The large cross patee charged with the sacred Templar symbols , viz ., the dove descending over the cross of Calvary . The Holy Lamb , the Cock , and the emblems of mortality , all argent . Outside the upper arms of the cross patee the emblems of the Craft and Royal Arch Masonry , or . '

" The true seal and banner of St . John ( or of Malta ) is thus sketched : —¦ ' Gules , a plain cross argent , surmounted by a crown , Domus Hospitales S . Joannis Sierosol . in Anglia . ' " Tbe cross of Knights of Malta , ' British langue , ' is a white enamelled cross of eight points set in gold . Four lions of England joining the arms of the cross

, the whole surmounted by the coronet of the Grand Master , attached to a black ribbou , and worn on the left breast or round the neck . The mantle was black , with white linen , eight-pointed cross on left shoulder . The surcoat or tunic red , with plain white cross on the breast , back , and shoulders .

" The points of the Maltese cross , or St . John of Jerusalem , denote the Fight JBeatitudes ( Matt ., 5 th chap . ) iu the hearers thereof , and are also symbolical of the eight languages of the Order . " The true Templar cross is the cross patee alise , that is , the cross patee with a crural inwards on the

outside of the arms , instead of being made up of four equilateral triangles . "The Patriarchal cross , worn by Eminent Commanders of the English Order , is a perpendicular line , crossed twice , to denote the work of redemption , which was wrought on the cross , and extended both to Jews and to Gentiles .

" In relation to the Scotch Orders of the Temple and St . John , I would say , to the list of Orders of Knighthood iu Great Britain and Ireland may he added two ( though not strictly State Orders ) which exist as corporate bodies , under Royal Letters Patent , holding upon the Crown its heirs and successors for ever . 1 st . The Religious and Military Orders of the Temple

was founded A . D . 1118 , and from that time to the present never has ceased to exist , although so much persecution and cruel o 2 mression have been heaped against them , and their sixteen thousand lordships taken from them by Royal decree . The Order is now flourishing in Scotland : it consists of three degrees , G . C . T . ( Grand Cross of the Temple ); K . C . ( Knight