P.M.'S And The Working Brethren Of Lodges.

havethe same course carried out in all lodges in every province , so that I may not be the only P . M . placed under such disability . _ An alteration in the wording of the law , with a view to render it more explicit , somewhat similar to the one made not long ago in reference to D . P . G . M . ' s

, would be the best course . I may add that in the Book of Constitutions of the Eoyal Arch Chapter ( Art . 14 , p . 16 ) , it is expressly stated that under certain circumstances the chair mav be taken by "any past or present first Principal of the Order" and if this course be adopted in one case

, , there appears no reason wh y it should not be so in the other . Tours fraternallv , H . H . P . P . G . S . W ., P . M . 43 & 958 , P . Z . 5 S 7 , Z . 710 , < fcc .

"Sans Ceremonie."

"SANS CEREMONIE . "

10 THE EDITOR OS THE EREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AMD MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —I was much pleased with the ceremonial at the inauguration , the admirable arrangements , and the excellent oration of the V . W . Bro . Grand Chaplain , and the well-timed speech of Bro . Havers . The M . W . Bro . Earl DalhousieMWGMScotland

, .. .. , on his arrival was received with great honour , and it was gratifying to witness the reciprocity between the two great and ancient bodies of Masons . There was also a representative of the other ancient body of Ireland . What I did not understand , was the finish of the

ceremony with the representatives of the sister Grand Lodges . As it appeared to me , after the departure of the M . W . G . M . in state , the M . W . G . M . of Scotland , and the representative of the G . M . of Ireland , were left to get to the banquet , if they had tickets , as best they could , in the ruck , without a guide , Director of Ceremonies

, or Steward . ThebrethrenremainingintheHall recognised Lord Dalhousie , and cheered him loudly . I should like to have some explanation of the ceremonial used with our illustrious brother . Tours fraternall y , P . M .

Masonic Persecution.

MASONIC PERSECUTION .

tlO THE EDITOR OF THE EREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —A contributor to Notes and Queries in your Magazine of the 10 th inst . ( p . 289 ) , thinks , that in attributing the persecution of Freemasonry by the Romish Church to its dread of Preemasonry , lest its abuse of the mysteries might must

transpire , I be joking , as he bad not before heard that cause assigned , or had never read thereof in ecclesiastical history . As a general rule , the motives of men ' s actions , good or bad , do not appear on the surface . Indeed , one might as well expect thieves to chronicle thefts

, or criminals their crimes , when committed , as to expect men to chronicle the causes which led them to do evil , or to persecute their fellow men , even unto death . It is when such persecution continues lonoafter the causes originated , that there exists strong

presumptive evidence that the gravity of those causes must have been of some extraordinary nature , and , when that is traceable , then it not unfrequently happens that punishment overtakes the persecutorthe evil-doer .

In reference to ecclesiastical history , a celebrated scholar observes that the Romans burnt the books of the Jews , of the Christians , and of the Philosophers ; the Jews burnt the books of the Christians and Pagans ; the Christians burnt the books of the Pagans and Jews ; aud , to crown all , Bro . Melville discovers that ancient dates are astronomicaland not mundane

, as was supposed , so that events resting upon similardata must be o £ similar character . Is it therefore , likely that during the fanaticism of sectarian burning of sectarian books , any ancient record whatever would have been suffered to exist of the fundamental causes which led to the continuous

persecution of Freemasonry by the Romish Church ; or is it at all credible that the Romish Church would leave unburnt any record touching its connexion with Freemasonry ? Happily for mankind there is still extant evidence to show that such connexion existedand even still

, exists , inasmuch as the Romish Ohiireh , at the period when it sprung from Preemasonry , not only materialized its symbols , but its appertinent mysteries by converting those symbols into household keys , for the Romish badge , and by abusing the use of those mysteries in such a manner as to ensure and strengthen

its power , spiritual and temporal , over the peoples of the earth , and so effectually , so fatally has that power been weikled , that the numerous tumuli adjacent to Rome , seemed , to an intellectual traveller , as the graves of so many nations aud kingdoms that have

succumbed to , and been entombed , fir-uratirely , by the Romish Church . It is a remarkable feature of the evidence referred to , that its value is greatly enhanced by the unexpected circumstance that corresponding symbols do not appear to belong to any order of Freemasonry on tho Continent . A Paris brotherof high degree

, , when repudiating the symbols , derisively observed , " Oesont des inventions Anglaiscs . '' Although English Freemasonry sustained the loss of the mysteries during the revolutionary times and changes of past ages , it has , to its imperishable glory , preserved intact the symbols or keys of those mys"

teries , without whichsymbols Bro . Melville could not have re-discovered the mysteries , nor could he have brought to light those few , yet immutable laws which regulate the use of the symbols on celestial planespheres . Let brethrenthenwho for " more light "

, , pray , seek the knowled ge which Bro . Melville has garnered for their weal ; aud let ail those who are striving to enlighten their darkness also seek him in the temple , where , it is devoutly to be hoped , the sacred mysteries will be taught by him as they were in the beginning , so that all who enter there may offer up

thanksgiving to the Great Architect of the Universe for having , in his own time and way , made them acquainted with the use of "THE ICET OF KNOWLEDGE , " without which the Masonic fathers have said , nothing is known . Tours fraternally , W . N . CEAWEOED .