Masonic Notes And Queries.

all our principles of religion and morality , our duty towards God and our neighbour . —From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts . —CHAELES PUBTON COOPEE . ENDORSING THE DIPLOMA OF AN UNWORTHY BROTHER .

From the following decision it would seem that it is justifiable to endorse the diploma of a brother who may he considered to he unworthy of relief , or whose statements are proved not to he founded on fact : — At Glasgow , —Sheriff Murray presiding , — George Leopold M ortoncivil engineerMonte Video

-, , , pres ently residing at Glasgow , sued James Wallace for £ 12 damages . From the statement made for pursuer , it appeared that the defender , on October 28 , took " advantage of the production of the diploma of pursuer , who had been raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in the Lodge Australian Kilwinning ,

Melbourne , holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , for his being a free and accepted Mason , to the committee having charge of the Benevolent Fund of the Grand Lodge , along with an application for relief , and , without warrant or authority , maliciously endorsed on the hack of said diploma , "Diploma 269 , 19 th October , 1870 . Glasgow . George L . Morton

received from the province of Glasgow £ 2 7 s . 6 d . ; also £ 1 from Liverpool—unworthy . James Wallace . " —which was untrue , and rendered the diploma useless . The defender admitted that he had put the endorsation on the diploma , hut pleaded that he was privileged from his position , and hy authority to do

so . The pursuer first made his appearance in the province about the 14 th of last month , and applied for relief from the Benevolent Fund . An investigation was made by a committee appointed for the purpose , and so satisfied were they that he was not a suitable person for relief , that special instructions were given

the treasurer ( defender ) to mark the diploma as stated . Several statements he made were deemed by the committee to have no foundation iu fact . It was explained for the defence that the endorsation was only intended lor the members of the Craft , ancl not for the general public ; it was to prevent the brethren heing imposed upon , but not to render it impossible for him to get relief from the outside world . Mr . Wallace made several statements to the effect that

pursuer was not the owner of the diploma exhibited , and that he had received znoney in Liverpool , though he represented the contrary . " One witness for the pursuer spoke to having examined some papers , and found them correct . For the pursuer , it was contended that the proceedings of the committee and the defender were totallirregular and maliciousSheriff

y . Murray , after the conclusion of proof , said there was strong prima facie evidence for the committee to act as they had clone , and it was open to the pzirsuer to get a new diploma from the Grand Lodge . The Secretary had proceeded quite justifiably , and he would therefore assoih ' ze him , without costs .

A CERTAIN CONTRIBUTOR , No . 1 . A bundle of papers , each entitled "A Certain Contributor " has just reached me from Oxford . The suh-; oined is a verbatim copy of the first . There are some of them , I suspect , which it will not be proper to make public without considerable previous modification . His FBIEND , His WIJTE . A certain contri-

Masonic Notes And Queries.

butor to our periodica ] , disjoins his Freemasonry and his religion , and calls his Freemasonry his friend , and his Religion his wife . Now our Oxford brothers hold Religion to he a necessary part of true Freemasonry , and think that they cannot he separated . The separation of them is the immediate extinction of true Freemasonry . A certain Contributor should hasten

to re-unite his Freemasonry and his Religion , and cease to call the former his friend , and the latter his wife ; or he will possibly be told that he knows as little of true Freemasonry , as he takes the trouble of showing us , almost weekly , that he knows of its surroundings and its history . —A PASO ? PEOVINCIAI

GEAND MAS TEE . IDIOSYNCRASY . Bro . W . S . N ., —There is , in some members of the Craft , a sort of idiosyncrasy , which makes them eagerly adopt , without examination , any absurd and unfounded theory that may be brought to their notice . —A PAST PEOVINCIAI , GEAND MASTEE *

Masonic Sayings And Doings Abroad.

MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD .

At the meeting of the Detroit Conference , one J . Livingston introduced a series of resolutions declaring Freemasonry to be an institution of the most corrupting character , & c . The presiding elder , Baker , declared himself to be a member of the Fraternity , and that his spiritual brother Livingston didn't know anything about it . The resolutions were tabled . — Evergreen .

Before the year 1440 , the Masonic Society was known by the name of John's Brothers , but they then began to be called Free and Accepted Masons , at which time , in some parts of Flanders , hy the assistance and riches of the brotherhood , the first hospitals

were erected for the relief of such as were afflicted with St . Anthony's fire . Although in the exercise of charity we neither regard country nor religion , yet we consider it both necessary and prudent to initiate none into our mysteries , except those who profess the Christian religion . — Charter of Cologne .

A Masonic picnic was held on the Greenshurg Pike , Pennsylvania , midway between Ligonier and Latrobe recently , which was visited by the venerable Alex-Johnston , father of Ex-Governor William F . Johnston , now in his ninety-eighth year . This venerable man is the oldest Mason in the United States , having

entered the Order iu Ireland , in 1795 . He is yet quite hale , moves about briskly , and is an example of sauvity of manner .

£ . The interesting ceremony of conferring the 33 rd degree took place at the house of 111 . Bro . Dr . John Wolverton , 33 rd degree , G . Sec . of the Chapter , and P . G . Commander of K . T . of New Jersey , at Trenton ,