Masonic Notes And Queries.

IRISH 1 LAS 0 NIC EE 3 IALE ORPHAN SCHOOL . When was the Irish Masonic Girl ' s School founded ? —A . V . P . or THE ENGLISH SCHOOL . —[ In 1795 . Its title is the Irish Masonic Female Orphan School . In 1851 the school was removed to a commodious house , built at Burlington-place , Upper Baggot-street , on a plot of ground leased , to the Governors , by the late Lord

Herbert of Lea , at ; a nominal rent . It was commenced in February and opened in the first week of the following-September . On the 9 th of October , Her Excellency , Ihe Countess of Eglinton , paid it a visit and expressed her high satisfaction at the beauty and cheerful appearance of the children , as well as the excellent general arrangement of the Institution . On the previous 28 th

of April a Grand Masonic Ball was given at the Rotunda , Dublin , which was attended by tho Lord Lieutenant and the Countess of Eglinton , in state , and by all the leading nobility and gentry : the surplus proceeds arising from it were appi-opriated by the Grand Lodge of Ireland towards the building of the school . ]

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . KNIGHTS TEMPLAE . TO THE EDITOK OP THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC AlIEHOR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have observed that several correspondents of TIIE FREEMASON S ' . 'MAGAZINE are in doubt as to the exact position which Bro . Dunckerley held as Grand Master of the

Order of Knights Templar in England , and as I am in possession of many old documents connected with the warrant still in this lodge , I venture to annex a copy of an original letter from Bro . Dunckerley , in answer to a letter from the encampment ( which was then held at York ) , desiring to be received under the Grand Conclave , which he had formed or was forming . I am , yours fraternally , THE SEC . OF MINERVA LODGE ( No . 311 ) .

"Hampton Court Palace , March 22 , 1791 . "Most Excellent and Exalted Knights Companions of the Encampment of Redemption ( being No . 5 of England ) , held at the Golden Lion Inn , in the City of York . " I accept with gratitude the confidence you place in me as Grand Master , by the will of God , of the Most Noble and Exalted , Religious and Military Order of Masonic Kni

ghts Templar of St . John of Jerusalem . I must request that as soon as possible you send to me the names , ages , profession , and residence of all the knights of your encampment , as I intend to have a regular register of our Order . Being Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons at Bristol , I was requested by tho Knights Templar of that city ( who have had an encampment from time immemorialto

) accept the office of Grand Master , which I had no sooner complied with , than petitions were sent to me for the same purpose from London , Bath , the first regiment of Dragoon Guards , Colchester , York , Dorchester , and Bidefbrd . "I suppose there are many more encampments in England which , with God ' s permission , I may have the iness to

happ receive and assist . It has already been attended with a blessing , for I have been but two months Grand Master , and have already eight encampments under my care- I shall form a few statutes for regulating our Order as soon as I have appointed the Grand Officers of the Grand Encampment of all England , to be held on the 2-lth of June , annually , at London " The submit

following I to your consideration : — " 'That every regular Encampment be constituted by wax-rant , signed by the Grand Master , and witnessed by the Grand Scribe , for which one guinea is to be paid—10 s . 6 cZ . for furnishing robes for the Grand Master , 10 s . 6 d . for engrossing the warrant . ' " ' That every knight pay five shillings , for which he

Correspondence.

will receive a certificate , signed by the second Grand Scribe , of his being registered in the Grand Chapter . ' "' That no knight be installed for a less sum than one guinea for the use of that encampment , and five shillings for his certificate from the Grand Chapter . ' "I have given No . 5 to your encampment , though Dorchester and Bideford petitioned previous to your

application ; but as no dispensations or warrants are yet made out , I shew every preference in my power to the second city in the kingdom . If these regulations meet with your approbation , signify the same to me as soon as convenient , and I will send you a dispensation till the warrant is made out . —Your most affectionate Comp ., "THOS . DUNCKERLET . "

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

-EO 1 HE "ECHOR OTJ THE TREKiXASOH ' S MAGAZINE AND MASONIC 3 IUtEOK . DEAN SIR AND BROTHER , —An answer to a correspondent in your last week ' s MAGAZINE , recalled my attention to a subject concerning which I have for some time past intended addressing you . I refer to the reply as to the fee for taking the Royal Arch degree in Freemasonry . Previously to my initiation I purchased the Booh of

Constitutions , in the preamble of which I found it laid down that " pure ancient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more , viz ., those of the E . A ., the F . O ., and the Master Mason , including tho S'upreme Order of the Holy Eoyal Arch . " Having ascertained what fee I should have to pay for initiation , I enquired how far that fee would meand was told to the degree of a Master Mason

carry , . "Was it unnatural to suppose that without additional expense I should be entitled to all that was included in the Master Mason ' s degree ? I must confess that I was deeply disappointed . when having taken the third degree , I ascertained , that before 1 could attain to that , which by the statute book of the Order I had been informed was

included in it , I must not only go through a fresh ceremonial of being proposed , & c , but must actually pay an additional fee of at least three guineas , and I know very many who have experienced similar disappointment . Had I been told that I must make myself perfectly proficient in the degrees already conferred , before arriving at their consummation , I shoidd have felt neither surprise

or disappointment , after having read that promotion was to go by merit . But the finding that money was an all powerful and all needful element of success in tho Masonic science , caused somewhat of a chill to my ardent aspirations . I think one of two alternatives should be adopted , either the farce of stating that the Royal Arch is included in the Master Mason ' s degree should , be

discontinued , or the statement verified in actual practice . I would make the following suggestions , not as . likely to have the slightest weight coming from so insignificant a source , but as embodying my own views on the subject . The Royal Arch should actually and practically be included in the third degree , and should be conferred on all M . M . s who have attained a certain prescribed

proficiency in the former degrees , and the degree should be worked in every lodge under the English Constitution . The Arch degree should be the passport to the chair , insteadof the chair to the Arch , as in Scotland and Ireland . If this were the case , and a bond fide examination in proficiency had to be undergone before the Supreme degree was conferredwe should have fewer instances of WM ' s

, .. of lodges being unable to fulfil their duties in propria persona , as is now too often the case ; nor does it seem unreasonable or inappropriate that he who sits in Solomon ' s seat , should be possessed of that knowledge which was the necessary consequence of the G . M . holding that exalted position . I do not see how a single landmark would be infringed bthe adoption of the course which I have

y suggested , and it appears to me thai much unnecessary - expense and complication would be avoided . I am , dear Sir and brother , yours fraternally , 17 th November , 1862 . EXCELSIOE .