Correspondence.

Sir , years rolled on , and I—an older , and , perhaps , too , a sadder man—at least , I was more seriously occupied—I met with during my contact with diplomatic personages in Paris a striking resemblance to my old friend the Prince in a photographic portrait forwarded by the Prench police to the Embassy .

It was , indeed , my long lost friend and former travelling companion—older , and slightly stouter than formerly , true , but still the same princely man . A very curious history was obtained of his career by that highly intelligent but inquisitive body of men , the French police . I ascertained from them that the

noble Prince was believed not to be a Preemason , though he professed to be everything and anything . I thought it better to know nothing of and to inquire nothing more about H . E . H . the Prince , for the motto which you use , and I then considered as a maxim worth remembering and putting in practice—Audi ,

Fide , Tace . But I did afterwards hear what became of the Prince , but with that I need not trouble you nor your readers , and except that this brief recital " may point a moral and adorn a tale , " should certainly feel bound to apologise . Is , then , H . E . H . Prince Scanderbeg a Preemason ?

I stick to my first question . If he is not , pray do not consider me rude if I add a word of advice to your correspondents , leave him alone in peace , let him continue to use medals , aud , if he likes , vellum and wax too , and have generals , colonels , and counts also by the dozen . Tours fraternally , AN OLD DIPLOMAT .

Freemasonry And Christianity.

FREEMASONRY AND CHRISTIANITY .

TO TllK EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —I feel it an ungracious duty to differ from Bro . PL B . AVhite , and to maintain that Preemasonry is not founded upon Christianity . The rituals of the first three degrees may have been prepared by Christians , but the Eoyal Arch , Clavel

insists upon , was concocted last century by three Jews . The spirit of St . John ' s Preemasonry , however , was in active operation among great minds long before the Christian era ; it animated the proceedings of the ancient Egyptians , the followers of Elensis , and the Essenes . it forms , indeed , the doctrines of

Confucius , which may be summed up in his words : " I teach you nothing but what you can learn for yourselves ; viz ., the observance of the three fundamental laws of relation between sovereign and subject , parent and child , husband and wife- and the ' five cardinal virtues—universal charitimpartial justice

y , , conformity to ceremonies and established usages , rectitude of heart aud mind , and pure sincerity . " Of course everyone is aware that , before the year 1813 , the two Saints . John were the patrons of our Order in Christendom , but will Bro . White answer me why Jews were received into the Order before

that period , and how they got over the difficulty ? In Scotland a Jew takes the obligation hat on head and standing , which I presume is the custom in other countries . I am not aware whether the Musselnian brethren acknowledge these patrons , but perhaps Bro . Hyde Clarke can tell us ; and some brother from the far East may enlighten us relative to the admission of

Freemasonry And Christianity.

Hindoos and Chinese . It is a most difficult question altogether , and one which , for the sake of Preemasonry , should be set for ever at rest , although the first charge to a Preemason given in the Grand Lodge Constitutions , " concerning God and religion , " leaves no doubt in my mind as to the teachings of the Craft

, which require in every candidate for its mysteries the tongue of good report , a belief in a Supreme Being ,, and of the immortality of the soul . . There its requirements end , and the candidate must then follow the faith he believes in , out of lodge , whether it be that of Christ , Vishnu , or Mahomet .

I would receive a Mahomedan , a Chinese , a Hindoo , and a Jew , for I believe both the Grand Lodges of Scotland and England have many of each denomination on their roll ; and I should swear them severally , according to their different creeds , upon the Koran , the Works of Confuciusthe Vedasand the

, , Old Testament , these being the " unerring standardsof truth and justice " to them . I have seen a Eoman Catholic sworn upon a crucifix , for he could not believe in our translation of the Bible . We lmisfc

bear in mind that , while as Christians , we believe the-Hindoos and others follow blind faiths , they entertain the same opiuion of us , and finite wisdom will be judged by Infinite wisdom . It is at this point we must then stop , insisting that our candidates shall be moral , truthful , and peaceable men , believing in a

Supreme Being , and in the immortality of the souL To say that Christianity is the original of Preemasonry , is to proclaim the Order sectarian and not universal , limiting its members only to Christians , Besides , who is a true Christian ? for only a true Christianaccording to Bro . Whitecan be a true

, , Preemason . The Eoman Catholic Church declares herself to be the only true Church , and all others dissenting to be heretical . So does the Greek Church - Protestants entertain the same views . The Churr . h

ot Christ has been split into so many sects that each appears the shadow of a shaving of a splinter . Bro . White asks me , "Is Christianity truth ? " but he does not tell me what he means by Christianity . I believe the teachings of Christ to be truth—not the teachings of a sect arrogating the title of " the only true Church . "

" What is Preemasonry ? " Preemasonry may be said to be a temple where men of every rank , nation , and religion ( i . e ., that inculcates a belief in a Supreme Being , the immortality of the soul , and teaches morality- ) , who possess moral worth aud fair abilities meet upon a level for the cultivation of virtue and

peace , it is a ground of equality where all can meet and where neither political nor religious topics can be introduced , and , in my opinion , the very discussion of a presumed Christian ori gin of Preemasonry is against all Masonic teaching and law , and has arisen within these few years among brethren whose zeal for

the cause of the Cross makes them intolerant to the claims of frail humanity . It is the hei ght of arrogance to assume such an ori gin for our Order , and there is amongst us many a Hindoo , Chinese , Mahomedan , Jew , and Unitarian whose faithful and benevolent discharge of his Masonic duties puts to the blush the indifferent Christian brethren .

In conclusion , would Bro . White kindl y look at the charge concerning " God and reli gion , " aud tell me if the doctrines therein contained were not known to