Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

GEAND SECEETABYSHIP . The appointment of Grand Secretary is the Prerogative of the Grand Master , the " Book of Constitutions , " small edition , 1855 , at page 35 , states as follows : — " 1 . The Grand Secretary is to he appointed hy the

Grand Master , and continue without re-appointment during the pleasure of the Grand Lodge ; he may have a clerk or clerks , who must he Master Masons , hut are not , by the appointment , members of the Grand Lodge ; and , therefore , if not otherwise members of Grand Lodge , cannot attend therein without

l eave , or speak therein without special permission . But if any assistant or clerk be in any capacity a member of the Grand Lodge , he is not , 'by his appointment , deprived of his rights or privileges as a member of the Grand Lodge . " 2 . The Grand Secretary may , under the authority

¦ of the Grand Registrar , affix the seals of the Grand Lodge to such patents , warrants , certificates , and other documents as shall be specified in any such authority ; his duty is to issue summonses for all meetings of the Grand Lodge , its boards and committees , * and to attend and take minutes of their

proceedings , to receive the returns from the several lodges , and enter them in the books of the Grand Lodge ; to transmit to all the lodges the accounts of the proceedings of the quarterly communications , and all other papers and documents which may be ordered , either by . the Grand Master or Grand Lodge , *

to receive all petitions , memorials , & c , and to lay them before the Grand Master or other proper authority ; to attend the Grand Master , and to take him any books and papers he may direct ; and generally to do all such things as heretofore have been done or ought to be done by a Grand Secretary . "E . E . D .

ALBEET OE STBASBOUEG . In compliance with the request of an antiquarian brother , I have looked through my memorandum books , bufc can find nothing respecting Albert of Strasbourg , except the subjoined passage , taken from the " Dictionnaire des Sciences Philosophiques , " " On

attribue a Albert de Strasbourg , l'un des fondateurs de la Francmaconnerie , une doctrine , scientifique , morale , architecturale , ou les nombres jouent un grand r 61 e , soit comme principes , soit comme symboles . " —CHAELEB PUETON COOPEE . THE EOYAL AE 0 H DEGEEE .

Considerable confusion is created by the differences which exist between the practices of several Grand lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and some inconvenience and annoyance recently arose from the ¦ refusal of the Grand Scribe E . of England to recognize the eligibility of an eminent Scottish E . A . M . for

the first chair of a London E . A . Chapter , as is thought by eminent Masons , upon frivolous grounds . At any rate , uniformity of proceedings should be arrived at , and there is much yet to be done by zealous and right-minded members of our Order to effect the much-desired union and active co-operation between the various Grand Lodges acting in Great Britain . The present state of things is a disgrace . The Grand Officers of Great Britain know as

little of each other as if they were 5 , 000 miles apart , and did not speak the same language . In Ireland and Scotland they think our Grand Lodge folks are far too stiff , cold , and formal . It is much to be regretted that there is not a closer communion between those bodies , as a frequent interchange of civilities would be very useful . —As OLD E . A . M .

SCOTCH MASONIC TEADITIONS . A correspondent at Paris makes inquiry as to evidence confirmatory of Scotch Masonic traditions The subject is one upon which I possess no information . —C . P . COOPEE .

THE MAHOMMEDAN OEDEE OE THE SIKCEEE BEETHEEN " . I have received the letter of a learned correspondent respecting the Mahommedan Order of the Sincere Brethren . The only information iu my possession that can be in any way useful to my

correpondent consists of some passages taken a few weeks ago from a supplemental part of " Chamber's Encyclopedia , " which accidentally caiae in my way . The ensuing are the passages : — " Sincere Brethren , or True Friends , is the name of a semi-religious , semiscientific Mahommedan Orderthe beginnings of

, which are shrouded in obscurity , bufc which , about A . D . 970 , manifested its existence by one of the boldest and most comprehensive literary undertakings , viz ., an encyclopoedic treatment of philosophy , theology , science , ethics , and metaphysics , in a series of no less than fifty-one treatises . " " Silentlyand by

, small degrees , this new and mysterious union of the Sincere Brethren arose . Though widely spread , their schools , their houses of assembly , their rules , their doctrines—everything remained for , we do not know how long , a profound mystery and apart from that which they themselves thonght fit to reveal of it ,

neither ancient nor modern investigation has been able to discover many traces of their inner organization and activity . " — " Before speaking of the treatises themselves , we shall briefly summarise what can be gathered as to the mutual relation of the Brethren of this secret lodge , and the aims of their association . There is special mention made of the ' secret doctrine ' which the Brethren should communicate to each

other in their houses of assembly at those ' stated periods' at which no stranger was to be admitted on any condition . " — "The speculations of the school extend simply to all things—the sensual and the intellectual—from the moment of their beginning to their end , according to their outer and inner

lifethat which is clear and palpable about them , and that which is hidden and secret—the Truth , in fact . For the true essence in everything is derived from one primeval orgin and general cause , since there is but one world and one supreme mind , to which all the most manifold henomenaspecies and kindsand

p , , divisions , are to be traced back . " — " With these words the encyclopoedic tendency of the lodge and their essays is best characterised . " — " The supreme ( outward ) duty of the Brethren was to support one another in case of need . " — " The encyclopaedia of treatises which this secret association has left as the

monument of its existence , was first compiled at Basrah , aboufc A . D . 1000 , but has ( save one often reproduced chapter , called ' the Contest between Man and Animal' ) never been printed . "—C . P . COOPEE .