Masonic Notes And Queries.

Bezaleel , opened what has been called by Masonic historians , the Holy Lodge . This Holy Lodge , opened by Moses , Aholiab , and Bezaleel , in the tabernacle , was a type of the Sacred Lodge , opened afterwards in Jerusalem by Solomon and the two Hirams ; was a type , too , of the Grand and Eoyal Lodge , opened amid the ruins of the Temple by Joshua

, Zerubbabel , and Haggai ; and , lastly , Avas a type of all the Worshipful Lodges that have since been opened where any three of the Craft have met in the spirit of brotherly lore , relief , and truth . " The tabernacle , " says Oliver , " Avas a type of a Mason ' s lodge . It was an oblong squareand with

, its courts and appendages , it represented the whole habitual globe . Such is also the extent of our lodges . 'The former was supported by pillars , and the latter is also sustained by those of Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty . They were equally situated due east and

west . The sacred roll of God ' s revealed will and law was deposited iu the ark of the covenant ; the same holy record is placed in a conspicuous part of our lodges . The altar of incense was a double cube ; and so is our pedestal . and stone of foundation . The covering of the tabernacle was composed of three coloursas a representation of the celestial

hemi-, sphere ; such , also , is the covering of a Mason ' s lodge . The floor of the tabernacle was so holy that the priests were forbidden to tread upon it without taking off their shoes ; the floor of the lodge is holy ground . " The parallel might be still further continuedand is so extended bthe learned author from

, y whom we have quoted , but enough has been written to show that in the tabernacle a Masonic Lodge will find its holy archetype . In arriving , therefore , in the course of our annals , at the . time oH its erection , we reach , it is evident , one of the most important landmarks of our Order—the erection and consecration of

our lodge , as holy ground , to the Grand Architect of the Universe . We are , hereafter , still farther to follow these landmarks , in their various developments , to the erection of the Temple , on the threshing-floor of Oman , the Jebusite , Avhich will include , among other important historical events , the second and third Grand Offerings , the sacrificial obedience of Abraham , constituting , as we have already seen , the first .

ORIGIN OE . THE TERM EREE-MASON . A writer in the " Gentleman ' s Magazine , " for 1740 , just one hundred and twenty ^ six years ago , gives the following account of the condition of Masonry in the reign of Edward III ., of England , in the year . 1327 . He advancesit will be perceiveda singular theory

, , , by ascribing the origin of Ereemasonry to this period , and for this it is worth reading as a curiosity . The article , besides , though marked with an unkind and prejudiced feeling to the Order , contains some interesting facts , Avhich give it a claim to a place in our consideration . This is what he says : —

"King Edward III . took so great an affection to Windsor , the place of his birth , that he instituted the Order of the Garter there , rebuilt and enlarged the ¦ castle with the church and chapel of St . George . This was a great work and required a great many hands ; and , for carrying it on , writs were directed to

the sheriffs of several counties to send thither , under the : penalty of £ 100 , such a number of Masons by a day appointed . London sent forty , so did Devon ,

Somerset , and several other counties ; but several dying of the plague , and others deserting the service , new writs were issued to send up supplies . Yorkshire sent sixty , and other counties proportionable , as may be seen in Ashmole ' s History of the Order of the Garter at large , and orders were given that no one

should entertain or shelter any of these runaway Masons , under pain of forfeiture of all their goods . Hereupon , the Masons entered into a combination not to work unless at higher wages . They agreed upon , tokens , & c , to knoAV one another by , and to assist one another against being impressed , and not to work

unless free , and on their OAvn terms . Hence , they called themselves Freemasons , and this combination continued during the carrying on of these buildings for several years . The wars between the two houses coming on in the next reign , the discontented herded together in the same manner , and the gentry also

underhand supporting the maleeontents , occasioned several acts of Parliament against the combination of Masons , and other persons under that denomination , the titles of which acts are to be seen in the printed statutes of those reigns . " It must be , however , observed , that the writer of

this article candidly acknowledges that the Masons themselves denied this history of the origin of their Order , and well indeed they might .

GREEN BOUND APRON AND TROWEL . Who Avears green bound , and lined , aprons and trowels ?—E . C . L . B . —[ Knts . of the Sword and East . ] LEGEND OE KING SOLOMON . What is the source of the following legend ?

"When the Temple at Jerusalem was completed , King Solomon , being desirous to transmit the society under the ancient restrictions , as a blessing to future ages , decreed that Avhenever they should assemble in their lodges , to discourse upon , and improve themselves in , the arts and sciences , and whatever else should be

deemed proper topics to increase their knowledge , they should likewise instruct each other in secrecy and prudence , morality and good fellowship ; and for this purpose he established certain peculiar rules arid customs to be invariably observed in their conversations , that their minds might be enriched by a perfect

acquaintance with , and practice of , every moral , social , and religious duty , lest , while they were so highly honoured by being employed in raising a temple to the great Jehovah , they should neglect to secure themselves a happy admittance into the celestial lodge , of which the Temple was only to be a type . "— -QTIES .

PRESTONIAN LECTURERS . Wanted a list of the Prestonian Lecturers since the foundation . It would add to its value if the places , and lodges , under which it was delivered were appended . —Ex . Ex . CONTROVERSY / .

When Ereemasonry has been attacked in my presence , I have generally silenced all detractors by saying , that individuals have passed various opinions respecting the purity and usefulness of Ereemasonry . One says it is a modern institution ,, and therefore of little value ; another terms it frivolous , and contemptible . A third calls it anti-Christian , and warns the public to avoid it as a snare . Others affirm that , it is