Black And White Freemasons.

fare against the rights of the black man , and which clashes with the fundamental principles of Christianity . Those who espouse the heresy of a ' white man's government / have no right to prate about fraternity , or sing of brotherhood . Their words

are a mockery . " It is needless for us to assure the National Antislavery Standard that the Freemasons of England have no sympathy whatever with any prejudices which may exist among American craftsmen against

persons of colour as such . Our Order , which has included Brougham and other great anti-slavery philanthropists in its ranks , is restricted to persons of certain qualifications , who may be of white , red , copper , or yellow complexions , as the case may

be ; and we hope that the day is not far distant when our Transatlantic brethren will have eradicated every vestige of intolerance towards the negro . In America there are numerous lodges of coloured Masons whom we regard as our

fellowcraftsmen , and therefore entitled to all the fraternity which we should accord to white brethren . Wherever prejudice against colour exists among Freemasons it is a libel on our Ancient Order , and in the fullest sense un-Masonic . —J . A . H .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

A " CEEDO " AHD A " CEEDO . " The young brother , sceptically disposed , whom a correspondent names , has not written to me of late . My recommendation to him was that he should draw up a " Credo " of pure Christianity , and a " Credo " of Atheismand carefull and consider the

, y compare two . * * * The holy Jesus . * * # Demoeritus . * * * Fenelon . * * * Diderot . —C . P . COOPEE . BBOTHEB MUEEAT ITON . The communication respecting which a Devonshire

correspondent inquires is aptly entitled "Masonic Honour . " He will find it in the Freemasons' Magazine , vol . 7 , page 208 . —C- P . COOPEE - OEIOIN 01 ? THE WOED " l-EEEMASOa " - ' ' Seeing that Bro . Buchan has admitted he is but a

new beginner in " Masonic Research , " we can readily understand his giving vent to his opinions , in the Magazine of August 1 st , anent the origin of the term ^¦ Freemason , " evidently in ignorance of tho copious information upon the same subject already given in the Magazine in reply to correspondents ; and it may

¦ therefore he excusable to occupy a little of the valuable space of these pages in giving Bro . Buchan , in return for his candour , a rather more " enlightening " answer than is afforded by the laconic note from B . T . ( August Sth , page 109 ) . Thus , Bro . Buchan will find on reference to the back volumes of the

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Magazine , in vol . 6 for 1859 ( old series ) p . 335 , a lengthy dissertation upon tbe origin of the words " Mason " and " Freemason , " in the course of which he will find it stated that the prefix "" Free " to the word " Mason " " originally signified that the person so called was free of the company or guild of

incorporated Masons . It does not appear that the compound name came into general use until Sir Christopher Wren ' s time , when non-operative , or free and accepted Masons were admitted into the Order , & e . '' Again , though it may seem rather odd to refer a Scotchman to his History of Scotland , I commend to

Bro . Buchan ' s careful perusal " Tytler ' s History , " vol . 2 , p . 276-8 , hearing directly upon the subject of his speculations , and including extracts from Sir James Hall ' s "Essay on Gothic Architecture , " and Sir Christopher Wren ' s description of the corporations of architects of the middle ages in his " Parentalia " as referred to in the Magazine for I 860 , vol . 2 , new series , pp . 386-7 , under the heading of " Gothic

Architecture and Freemasonry . " I have been induced to make these remarks , being under the impression that Bro . Buchan ' s real object was not , as the wording of his note would make it appear , to launch forth his opinion as a dictum , hut rather to elicit the views of the Craft upon the remarks he contributed

to the Magazine , evidently not having perused what had already been written in these pages upon the same subject and I may here remark , en passant , with the view to assist Bro . Buchan in his researches , that , in connexion with his studies in architecture , archaeology , and eeclesiology , and the hearing of these

subjects upon Freemasonry , he may read with advantage the following articles in the Magazine of 1858-9 , viz .: " Freemasonry and Architecture , " "Masonic Antiquities , "" Masonic Literature , " "Fragments and Documents relating to Freemasonry , " " Masonry in the Middle Ages , " "Basilica Anglicana , " and the " Architectural Chapters , " formerly a featuiein the Magazine . —BUTE .

BEOW 2 TS DEBVISHES , OE OEIEHTA 1 STIEITTJAMSil . My knowledge of this work consists of sundry scraps , in great part coming from the perusal of two notices of it , one in the Westminster Sevietu , January , 1868 , and the other in the Freemasons' Magazine" The Dervishes and Masonry , " page 1 of the present volume . The said scraps enable me in no way to answer the many inquiries of a brother who writes from Meudon . —C . P . COOPEE .

THE HIGH IlEGEEES A . NB BEO . HATOINOHAM :. Referring to the translation of which Bro . Findel speaks in his letter upon the above subject , appearing in the Magazine of the 15 th inst ., we are pleased to announce that the suggestion meets with a ready response from one of the corresponding members of the German Masonic Union , who promises the translation for an early issue of the Magazine .

SOME THEISTS EXPRESS CONSIDEEABLE SUEPEISE . Some Theists , Members both of Metropolitan and Provincial Lodges , express considerable surprise at the statement contained in a letter which lately appeared in our periodical , that " Theists , Atheists , and Deists are equally repugnant to the feelings , common sense , and religious opinions of English Freemasons . " —C . P . COOPEE .