Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

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

ALPHABETS , NUMEBALB , AND DEVICES OE MIDDLE AGES . The hook respecting which a brother inquires was published h y Bohn in 1 S 57 .- " Henry Shaw—Alphabets , numerals , and Devices of the Middle Ages . "—A PAST PEOAATNCIAL GEAND MASTEE .

EKEEMASONRY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH . If Freemasonry were unknown before the seventeenth century , how did Queen Elizabeth in 1506 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 Canterburyaud the names of "W . Ms ., Wardens

, , Fellow Crafts , aud E . As . giveu ? The actual minutes of the lodges may be seen hy consulting the MS . reg ister ofthe Prior of Canterbury for 1429 . —National ' Mreemason .

DANISH EEEEMASONEY EEOM ENGLAND . At page 49 of this Magazine , Bro . Denton , of Leeds , who was replying in the Zeruhabel and FrederickLodge 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 by so saying Bro . Denton is , whether consciously or unconsciously , a supporter of the 1717 theory , as I have been upholding it . — "W . P . BUCHAN .

GEEMAN ELEMENT AMONG THE ENGLISH MASONS . A correspondent will find the ensuing passage in Bro . Findel's History : — "The German element had already been introduced among the English Masons when the Normans became masters of the country , aud the Danes aud Saxons had usurped all crafts ancl trades . This peculiarity became even still more marked

when the Gothic ( Saxon ) style Avhich , 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 AVHICH AEE INCONSISTENT WITH THE EEEEMASONEY AA HICH IS UNFVEESAL ABSOLUTELY ( page 50 ) .

Freemasonry is not a religion . More , it is not the Christian reli gion , and never can be ; consequently 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 aud 6 , they ought not to come into a Masonic lodge as ecclesiastical dignitaries , but as men aud Masons . Hence , although eecleciasticsthey should noton 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 PEAYEE . 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 thou my frail footsteps here below ; Aid me to support the rising passions of my breast , That I may gain a sweet and holy

rest-Hail ! Sublime Craft , under whose powerful sway - The shapeless rock , a symmetry obey , Compass my hard heart , restrain its wild control , And square the longings anil 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 by me now . — ? J 4 H . B ., in the Masonic Hecord of Western India .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents ST . PAUL'S CATHEDEAL .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE -FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AUD MASO-SIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —A few days since a great meeting was held , as many of your readers know , to consider how to raise further funds for the decoration and completion of St . Paul ' s Cathedral . Many ofthe great public companies haA r e given handsomely

towards 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 iu 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 Antiquity in particular was actually concerned in that vast undertaking , and still possesses amongst the most cherished relics of its connection Avith operative Masonry the mallet used on the occa-