Notes On American Freemasonry.

of the United States ; its use since the organisation of that Grand Lodge being in our opinion the only argument iu its favour . " " It is freely admitted there exists a marked difference between the Pennsylvania " work , "

, d that of some other jurisdictions in the United . 'States ' , -ft not unfrequently happens that visitors . 'from them our lodges comment on it , and make ' criticisms whioJ might tend to depreciate the value which Pennay Jvania Masons attach to the

-ancient ceremonial . T & 8 jurisdiction authorises the work as it is givea , because it is the most ancient on the American continent ; . J-here is hardly to be found an educated Masonic scholar who does not admit we are nearer the true

standard in our esoteric teachings than other Grand Lodges . We claim it is the ancient work of the Craft . It is sublime in its simplicity . It avoids the dramatic and modern attractions which have become , it would seem , in some places ,

necessary to arrest the attention ; or are used in the vain hope of impressing the intellect . It would be an anchronism , too glaring for justification , to assert that scenes and surroundings , Avhich were formerly unknoAvn , could have then been part of

the Masonic ceremony . It may please those who delight in modern novelties , to cavill at our severe simplicity , but in order to show error in us , let the testimony be produced which interpolates into

Masonry show for substance , and covers the significance of the symbol with the drapery of the display . When we look back to the Constitution of the Craft as it was organized at the completion of the Temple , it will be most difficult to believe

that the stern necessity which created the order diluted its ceremonials by any recitation of unnecessary or unmeaning fables . " Whatever , then , trenches on the line which separates the essential and severe , from the

unessential and adventitious , is to be rejected . This is the rule in Pennsylvania , and here this rule will be enforced and cheerfully obeyed , for the pride of Pennsylvania Masonry is its accordance with the ancient and the true .

' In the review of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina the report of the Committee on " Work , " adverse to the use of any key or cypher is given . Many Grand Lodges had been consulted on the subject , and all are opposed to their use , except that of Rhode Island . A reference to the subject of work as stated in the body

Notes On American Freemasonry.

of the report , under the several Grand Lodge proceedings , Avill shoAV that there is in many jurisdictions much dispute about the matter . Whilst in Pennsylvania , owing to the simplicity of the ceremonial , there is none—here on that subject all are agreed .

Masonic Jottings.—No. 54.

MASONIC JOTTINGS . —No . 54 .

BY A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTEE . A LODCSE THE EREEMASONRY OE AVHICH IS UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR . In a Lodge the Freemasonry of which is boffi

Universal and Particular , the Religion * is Natural Theology and one of the four Positive Religions ; and on the occasion when Natural Theology takes possession of the Lodge , the Positive Reli gion ia supposed to withdraw for a time .

UNITY OE MASONRY , Although there may be Christian Lodges , Jewish Lodges , Mahommeda n Lodges , and Parsee Lodges , yet by virtue of Natural Theology which is the essence of Christianity , Judaism , Mahommedanism , and Parseeisni alike , the unity of Masonry is preserved .

RELIGION OF ENGLISH EREEMASONRY IN THE YEAR 1689 . A learned brother thinks that in the year 1689 the Christianity of the Church of England , with Toleration of the Christianity of certain sects , was the Religion of English Freemasonry , and that it continued to be the Religion of English Freemasonry down to the year 1723 .

PANTHEISM—POLYTHEISM . A Correspondent has sent me two very learned papers . In the one it is contended that the oldest Masonry is that of which the Religon was Pantheism , but in the other that of Avhich the Religion was Polytheism .

THE WAR . Dear Brother I . L . P . —¦ That peace may speedily return to her accustonie cl dwelling amongst the nations , all Masons pray fervently , but those , probably , pray the most fervently , who see

the horrors of the war in their reality , or Avho read the harrowing descriptions daily placed before us , having a fulness aud exactness altogether unknown to our forefathers .