Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

BltO . WOODFOED . Bro . Woodford is said to be not less courteous than he is known to he learned aud zealous . He possesses , I believe , transcripts of some Sloane manuscripts , and upon fitting application made , he will probably furnish the information which a correspondent in the neighbourhood of Liverpool desires . —CHARLES PUHTOTSt COOPEE .

ALPHABETS , NUMEEALS , AND DEVICES OE MIDDLE AGES . The hook respecting which a brother inquires was published hy Bohn in 1857 -. " Henry Shaw—Alphabets , numerals , and Devices of the Middle Ages . "—A PAST PEOYINCIAL GUAM . MASTEE .

EEEEMASONEY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH . If Freemasonry were unknown before the seventeenth century , how did Queen Elizabeth in 1566 send an armed force to break up the Grand Lodge and arrest its members ? How was it that in 1429 lodges were holden under the patronage of the Archbishop

of Canterbury , and the names of W . Ms ., Wardens , Fellow Crafts , and B . As . given ? The actual minutes of the lodges may be seen by consulting the MS . reg ister ofthe Prior of Canterbury for 1429 . —National JPreemason .

DANISH EEEEMASONEY EEOM ENGLAND . At page 49 of this Maqazine , Bro . Denton , of Leeds , who was replying in the _ Zerubabel and Frederick Lodge at Copenhagen for the Grand Lodge of England , observes : — "As they all would acknowledge , Freemasonry was transplanted from England to the

Continent during the last century—to some kingdoms earlier than to others . " That is perfectly correct , and hy so saying Bro . Denton is , whether consciously or unconsciously , a supporter of the 1717 theory , as I have heen upholding it . —W . P . BUCHAN .

G-EBMAN ELEMENT AMONG THE ENGLISH MASONS . A correspondent will find the ensuing passage iu Bro . Findel ' s History : — "The German element had already heen introduced among the English Masons when the Normans became masters of the country , aud tbe Danes and Saxons had usurped all crafts ancl

trades . This peculiarity became even still more marked when the Gothic ( Saxon ) style which , as we have shown , was originally the peculiar secret of the German stonemasons , began to be adopted in England . There is now scarcely a doubt that a large proportion of German workmen were employed in the

construction of the Gothic edifices of England , erected during the 14 th century , and it is even supposed that the principal architects were German masons . "—A PAST PEOVINCIAL GEAND MASTEE .

SOME THINGS WHICH AEE INCONSISTENT AVITH THE EREEMASONET AA HICH IS UNIVEEDAL ABSOLUTELY ( page 50 ) . Freemasonry is not a religion . More , it is not tho Christian reli gion , and never can he ; consequentl y those who are striving to Christianise Freemasonry

are only inserting the thin edge of the wedge for the overthrow of the latter . Further , they are going dead against the objects and intentions of the founders of our system of Speculative Freemasonry . The

Masonic Notes And Queries.

nine paragraphs under the above heading which appear at page 50 are worthy of serious consideration . As to the parties alluded to under Nos . 3 and 6 , they ought not to come into a Masonic lodge as ecclesiastical dignitaries , but as men and Masons . Hence , although eccJeciasties , they should not , on account

of their position in the outer world , be debarred from holding any office in the lodge to which they may be appointed . As to No . 7 , 1 should like it cut up into several parts before speaking upon it . The others I intend to think over . Perchance it may be presumptuous in me , who have never passed through the gates

of Oxford or Cambridge , to say so ; nevertheless , we must just strive to make the best use of what privileges we have had . It is somewhat curious , however , that while England possesses both an Oxford and a Cambridge , it has not , as yet , managed to produce a first-class , truthful , and honest history of Freemasonry . How is this ?—W . P . BUCHAN .

E . A . ' S PEATEE . Perhaps if you will publish the following few lines , some of your numerous readers will be able to inform me from whence they are taken , and perhaps be able to supply what is wanting . Entered Apprentice ' s Prayer .

" Hail ! Sacred Masonry , Divine I know , Guide tliou my frail footsteps liere below ; Aid me to support the rising passions of my hreast , That I may gain a sweet and holy rest . Hail ! Sublime Craft , nuclei- whose powerful sway ¦ The shapeless rock , a symmetry obey , Compass my hard heart , restrain its wild control ,

And square the longings and aspirings of my soul . Preserve me from this cold world's scorn , To know , not feel how others are undone . " Here my transcript abruptly ends . The above came into my hands some years ago through an accident in looking over the records of a lodge now extinct . I know not the writer ' s name , or from where he extracted it , neither have I the original hy me now . — ? J * H . B ., in the Masonic Iiecord of Western India .

St. Paul's Cathedral.

ST . PAUL'S CATHEDRAL .

CORRESPONDENCE . The Editor is not responsible for the opinions , expressed by Correspondents

TO TIIE EDITO-t OF THE EREE-irASOI-S' STAGAZINE AND MASONIC jUIEHOB . Dear Sir aud Brother , —A few days since a great meeting was held , as many of your realers know , to consider how to raise further funds for the decoration and completion of St . Paul ' s Cathedral . Many ofthe great public companies have given handsomel

toy wards the object , and no doubt our brethren will contribute in their private capacity , but I have failed as yet to discover that the Grand Lodge of England has done anything in the matter . We all- —at least such of us as do not take Bro . Buchan ' s ipse dixit anent the 1717 theory—profess to

believe that Sir Christopher Wren was our Grand Master , that the Freemasons had a good deal to do with the building of our noble metropolitan cathedral , that the Lodge of Autiquity in particular was actually concerned in that vast undertaking , and still possesses amongst the most cherished relics of its connection with operative Masonry the mallet used on the occa-