Masonic Notes And Queries.

a brother , the fondest enthusiast for the amelioration of the human race can scarcely dream of a condition of society , to which the enforcement of the obligation of brotherly love , relief , and truth can be inapplicable , or otherwise than a blessing ; and I glory in the conviction , that Masonry was never more extended , triumphant , and influential than at the present moment . " ANTIQUITY 01 ? THE EOSE CIIOIX DEGEEE .

"What is the date of the foundation of the Eose Croix degree , and is it of real antiquity ?—R . A . —[ Its introduction into England is coeval with Christianity . About A . D . 1314 it Avas Avell known in this country . ] MASONIC APEON . From an American paper tbe folloAving is taken -. — " "We are in possession of a Masonic apron that was Avorn at

the coronation of the Prince of "Wales as George IV ., King of England . It is a lamb skin , of Royal Arch Symbology , trimmed with blue and scarlet , ancl the triple taw cross near its top worked in silver lace . It Avas presented to us ( the Editor ) by an English lady ivhose father , Bro . John Holmes , of "West-street , Sheffield , Yorkshire , England , wore it on the occasion alluded to above . " I don't know the name of the paper from which the extract is made , bub I should like to knoiv why Bro . Holmes wore the apron , and where he did so ?—K .

PllENCII LODOE OFFICIALS . Is there any peculiarity with respect to the officers in French lodges ?—A TEAVELLEE . —[ Yes : both "Wardens are placed in the west , according to the old English custom . There are no Deacons , but in place of them IAVO Masters of Ceremonies who wear a scarf around the left arm . One year must elapse between each degree being taken , unless special permission is received from the Supreme Council ]

WHIMSICALITY" OF A . AIERICAN MASOKTC J-OUKJ . * ALISJI . As a specimen of the humour indulged by our brethren iu America in their Masonic journals , the specimen selected below may , perhaps , raise a good-humoured smile amongst some of the readers of Notes and Queries . If it tends to do so , no one will be more pleased than—Ex . Ex .

" MATEIMONY versus TEMELAEISM . " Those readers who are at all posted in the rules of tbe Ancient Knight Templars know there is a clause ivhich runs thus : ' A Knight shall not kiss a Avoman , no matter whether she be a mother , daughter , sister , or wife , for Ave havo knoivn many men fall away after doing this . ' "We know , to our sorrow , how this paragraph

exercised us . Kisses are forbidden luxuries . Bowed doivn with grief at the knowledge we had been indulging in , to our mind , such innocent recreations , we wrote a penitent letter to the sage W . B . Hubbard , S . G . M ., confessing our sin . The sage warrior aud counsellor , in answer , says : 'As we had grievously offended , but had acknoAvleclgod our crime with becoming penitence , we should receive

absolution ; but remember St . Bernard , thanks to his forgetfulness , had not propounded a rule that a Knight should not receive kisses , if they were offered becomingly , and he Avould not bo offended thereat . We aro compelled to record , with a clue sense of the dignity of the Order , that St . Bernard made a fatal error in not inserting a clause that a Kniht should not receive kisses . '

g One of the most stalwart Knights of Temple Commandery has been assaulted and compelled to succumb . The Chronicle says he fought manfully , and burled back tbe kisses he received with force aud vigour , but ivas finally defeated , being in ' extremes . ' Rescue or no rescue , he entered a bond , and signed it . Binding himself to kiss a certain woman Avhom his captor should name for the

term of her natural life , pledging himself ho will not go away from his bond . The compact reads thus .- Mr . and Mrs . John A . Goeway . J . A .. Goewey ? Tuesday Morninp , Dec . 15 , at M . M . Bond , j' No . 9 , Portland Place , Worcester , Mass . In the words of an ancient Grand Master , Ave eau only say , ' Laisser Aller Eesurgam . '"

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . KNIGHTS TEMPLAR . IO THE EDITOR OF THK FltEEMASONs' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEHOH . DEAE SIE ASD BEOTIIEE , — "Would you again permit me a few hasty remarks on this subject ? First , as toBro . Dunckerley and the Commandership of the Chivalric and Masonic Order of tho Temple . "Was

be installed a Knight at York , Bristol , or London ? In Manchester Ave find an Atbol Lodge ( Virtue , 177 ) obtaining from Mm , though a modern Mason , in 1795 , a charter for the chivalric degrees ; ancl whence arose the necessity , Avhen their warrant authorised them to confer all degrees , up to 1813 ? Again , Bro . Preston gives us , in many respects , an

excellent history of Craft or "Working Freemasonry in the South , and states that from 1485 till the period of the Reformation it Avas under the patronage of the Knights of Malta ; but he carefully avoids * allusion to any connection between it and the Free and Accepted Masons ot York , and there is no evidence that this Maltese Freebefore 1717 Avas in any way identical with

masonry , , York Templary , but the reverse . They ivere quite unconnected , dissimilar , and organised for different objects . Then , again , as to the Templar K . D . S . H . If " Scrutator " can find any early evidence of its having been a " Masonic" degree , it is more than I can . It appears , half a century or more ago , to have beeu entirely chivalric , and to have held precisely the same relation to the

chivalric degrees as the Arch , or Sanhedrim , does to Eastern Masonry , and was styled a " Grand Cross Council of the Order of K . D . S . H . " Is it not the real Order of the Temple obtained by the Maltese Encampments , together ivith the Rose Croix , from the York Masons , or is it possible these latter obtained these degrees , or either of them , from the Continental Rosicrncians , who were

another variety of Templars ? The Rose Croix is , ancl claims to be , the perfection of Masonry , and is very similar , omitting the Knightly profession , to tbe present Templar Order . Again , I do not belieA'e Bro . Lyon can find any evidence that their Masonic Templars were connected originallAvith their Order of the Temple and St . John . Is

y tho former not English Templary ? Lastly , did not the Duke of Sussex , in accepting the office of Grand Prior , after his installation as Grand Master of England , ackuowledge the supremacy of the French Order , and do their statutes of 1705 allude to the Grades they now possess ? As a K . C . T . and a member of the A . and A . R . I appeal

, , to my brothers Avhether it Avould not bo better to recognise the whole as R . A ., R . O ., K . T ., K . C , and G . C , allowing the Council of Rites the privilege of granting ad warrants above the Royal Arch degree ? I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , J _ T . Y .

The Question Of Certificates.

THE QUESTION OF CERTIFICATES .

TO THE JEJDITOB OF THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND . MASOXIC MIKH 01 :. DEAE SIE AUD BEOTIIEE , —It was in tbe first days of this month that I left Holland for the purpose of assisting at a scientific congress , held in the old city of Bruges . Once being there , and my business over , I thought I could as well go back by England and visit the Exhibition , and so I did . I arrived at London on Thursday night , and on the folloAving day , being the in

12 th , my first visit Avas to you , in order to get some _ - formation I wanted about Masonic affairs . Not having found yon , either at your residence or at your office , I went to the Grand Secretary ' s office , where I heard that , on that same evening , at seven o ' clock , a Lodge of Instruction Avas to be held at the Freemasons' Hall by the Emulation Lodge . "Well , it is the duty of a Mason never to omit an opportunity of joining the labour of his brethren ; and having by chance taken my Masonic clothing with me , I resolved to arrange everything in