Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

A GOD AA HO IS NOT THE GOD 03 ? ENGLISH EREEMASONEY . The letter of a brother who substitutes for his oAvn name that of a celebrated G-erraau Professor of Philosophy , describes a God who plainly Avould be " sine dominis , providentia , et causis iinalibus . " Sir Isaac Newton asserts such a God to be " nihil aliud quam Pat urn et Eatura . " Most certainly such a God is not the God of English Freemasonry . —CHAELES PURTON COOPER .

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL QUERIES . Bro . Matthew Cooke has published some queries in the FREEMASONS MAGAZINE , iSTo . 299 , about—1 . " A Short Analysis , & c , " London , 1672 ; 2 . " Observations and Inquiries , " London , 1712 , the titles of which he could not find anywhere . Bro . G . Kloss , in his standard work on bibliography" Bibliographic der

, Preemaurerei , " says , that the titles of both these works are given in his " Anual . Magazine , " by A . Boileau and remarks the existence of them as " doubtful . " After Bro . Cooke's researches it is more than doubtful , it is certain , that they never were in existence . The first of them "A Short Analysis" at least

, , could not have been printed before 1717 . As regards 3 . " The Constitutions of the Praternity , " & c , there is no doubt at all that Bro . Anderson ' s " Book of Constitutions" ( 1723 ) is meant , the years 1698 , & c , beiug " humbug . "—Bro . J . G . PINDEL , Yerte !

TRIPLETS . A brother asks in the same number— " The head of a Masonic document has the folknving letters thus disposed : TIT . . PPP . - . TTT . \ EEE . - . et III . - . PPP . . dots and all . What does it mean ?" I suppose the document contains something about the so-called high grades ; then it means : " Tres

puissants , tres eminents et illustres freres , " used by the so-called Ancient and Accepted Bite of 33 degrees , manufactured in Prance after 1740 , and from 25 to 33 degrees ; completed in America about 1802 . Prederick the Great of Prussia has signed its Constitutions . —Bro . J . G . PINDEL .

A GRAND LOEGE ARCHIVE . It is a pity that England , Avhich can be so proud of its British Museum , has no Grand Lodge archive and library . All Grand Lodge papers , still extant from the earliest time , should be arranged upon reasonable principles , and the archive be open to each Master Mason who has the intention to study Masonic

history . When in London , in 186-1 , 1 Avas very much astonished to find no archive . I am sure the PREEMASONS MAGAZINE will do its duty to assist the brethren who propose that all the papers , when removed into the neAV building , should be collected , sifted , and prepared for publication . As Scotland has the history

of Bro . Laurie , so England must have an authentic history of the first Grand Lodge . Such a work Avould eroAvn the Masonic life of the M . W . Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland . —Bro . J . G . PINDEL .

MASONIC LECTURING . The introduction of the lecture of Bro . Prancis Davidson , Sydney , is most important , and worthy of attention . Each W . M . should give instructions , as

is the case in Germany , where no Masonic meeting , no initiation , or raising takes place Avithout an instructive or edifying lecture from the W . M . or Orator . That this is a usage of ancient days is proved by the lecture of Bro . Drake at York ( 1726 ) , published at London and in the "Freemasons Quarterly RevieAv . " The beneficial results of Masonic lecturing

in Germany are—1 . That the lodge meetings become interesting and attractive ; 2 . That Masonic knowledge is diffused amongst all the members ; 3 . That on the same evening the three degrees are never worked at once . After each solemn initiation ( or passing ) there is g iven a lecture , and then follows the

table-lodge , an institution wanted in England . —Bro . J . G . PINDEL . AUSTRIA . That the Austrian empire is unrepresented in the German Logenkalinder is to be ascribed to a total want of Masonic institutions in the south-east of Germany . There are no lodges tolerated in Austria .

THE ORDINANCES OE STRASBOURG . Bro . " Studens" will . fiud a translation of these ordinances ( : ! Ordmmgen" ) in the English edition of Bro . Pindel's "History of Preemasonry" ( London , Asher and Co ., 13 , Bedford-row ) now in the press . In the appendix , will be found several interesting documentsas the Charter of Colognethe

Examina-, , tion of Henry II ., Documents relating to Templarisni and the Ancient and Accepted Bite , & c , with critical remarks . Bro . Pindel ' s History contains the origin and history of the Craft , down to the present time , a full and complete description of all Masonic events of importance in EnglandFranceGermany , America

, , , Kussia , & c . It is translated from the second German edition UOAV in the press . Each brother Mason , especially each lodge and their W . M ., should possess this standard Avork on Masonry , the dedication of which the M . W . Grand Lodge of Massachusetts has accepted with the following letter , contained in the Bauhutte :

" Worshipful Sir and Brother , — -Your highly esteemed favour of Feb . 23 is received , and the intimation therein contained of your intention to dedicate your proposed English edition of a standard Avork upoii Preemasonry , to the Most Worshi p ful Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , we deem a high compliment . "Dating as far back as 1733 the M . W . Grand

, Lodge of Massachusetts has the honour to he the oldest Grand Lodge in America . We can therefore also assure you , that it has been the practice of this venerable Grand Lodge to disseminate Masonic knoAVledge and principles , to their fullest extent . We gratefully accept the flattering honour of the

dedication . " With sentiments of the highest esteem and Masonic regard in behalf of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , I am , fraternally yours , " WILLIAM PAEKMAN , " Grand Master . "To J . G . Pindel . "

ATHEISM NO BAR TO INITIATION . It ' s a very common saying , when a question is being discussed , to hear " they manage these things much better in Prance . " Like all popular saAVs and proverbs there is often two sides to be considered , and this ia more especially the case if we couple the above