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  • Aug. 29, 1863
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Aug. 29, 1863: Page 7

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    Article MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Page 7

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Masonic Notes And Queries.

BURNING A REVELATION . Amono-st those works which profess to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry , many of which were published 111 the last century , there is one entitled , Solomon in all his Glory ; or , tha Master Mason . The end of a very long title runs thus : — " Translated from the French original , published at Berlin , and burnt by order of the King of 8 Lond

Prussia , at the intercession of Freemasons , " vo ., ., 1766 . What authority is there in any life of Frederick the Great for this statement ? If this had been a known fact , it seems incredible that Carlyle , in his recent life of -that king , should not have noticed it , as be more than once sneers at the king's initiation , and in his own peculiar stylo , makes fun of Baron Bielefield and the other Freemasons who were about the person of that monarch . —Ex . Ex .

HARMONY AT LODGE BANQUETS . Every Craftsman is supposed to make the liberal arts and sciences a study , and it is much to be desired that this study was more real than suppositious . It is a very common occurrence in the pages of THE FREEMASON ' S MAGAZINE to find that Bros . Blank and Co ., favoured the lodge with some delightful harmony when they really

only sang songs . Harmony is produced by two or more voices or instruments , or both combined , engaged io performing music in different parts . Melody is where one voice or instrument or hundreds of each produce the same identical strain . To call a song harmony is a vulgarism which Craftsmen should avoid , for if they would onlrepeat to themselves the formula" Will Bro . ¦

y , favour ns by singing a little harmony ? " it would be evident how great an absurdity they would be uttering . Let us hope then that , for the future , we shall read no more of Bro . 's harmony , except when he takes part in apiece of music composed for several voices or instruments as the case may be . —Musicus .

X __ SC _ S OP THE ANGELS . Iii reply to P . M . 841 , 1 beg to inform you that he will find the names of the angels round the Zodiacal plate in Alexandre Lenoir's La , Fvanchc-Ma $ onnerie vendue a , sa veritable Origine , ou VAntiqit . ite de la Franche-Maconnerie prouvee par VExplication cles Mysteres Anciens et Modern .-4 to . Paris 1814 . There are several large

,, , folding plates in the volume . In Cornelius Agrippa ' s Occulta Philosophia , of which there are numerous editions , there will be found several tables of the various names of God , from the simple Jod to the twelve lettered name , and in all these there are the names of the angels . In the works of the mystics and Alchemists , such as Jacob Boehmen , Dr . Doe , Fludd , Joan Lead , and Law , there are

innumerable references to the various angels by name , and many invocations for aid , made to them . The Mishna , too , contains a long list of them , but there is no English translation of it , and the usual copy consulted is a Latin version , printed at Amsterdam , about 1715-20 . There is , however , a work in English by Thomas Hey wood , the dramatist , entitled , The Hierarchic of the Blessed Angels , ihek Orders

names , , and Offices . The Fall of Lucifer with Us Angels . Folio , London , 1635 . This work is well known for its charming language , aud although a rare book , in private hands , copies will be met with in most of the public universities , cathedral aud collegiate libraries throughout the country . Perhaps the most accessible work is Ragon ' s Maconnerie Occult , 8 vo . Paris , 1853 , but it is not comprehensive on the subject of the angels , merely giving some two or three pages of names ¦ classified under elemental governances . —MATTHEW COOKE .

" SERVANTS OP THE WISE SOLOMON . " In the Annals of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , against the year A . D . 782 , is tbe following entry . — " Alfred the Great promoted the Order , and the art much prospered . According to Bede , Alfred was initiated at the college in Mayo ; and the letter of Eric , a celebrated philospher of

Auxerre , to Charles the Bald , about the middle of the 9 th century , designates the Irish philosophers as ' Servants of the wise Solomon . '" Where is this letter of Eric printed ?—PILGRIM , TESTING AN OPERATIVE KASON . Ths following extract shows that even the operative

Craft require a test from those who would be held as Masters of the Craft : — " A curious , and I believe peculiar custom , still exists ab Antwerp among the guild of ( operative ) Masons . Henri Conscience , the great Belgian writer , who was perambulating the town with me , informed me as we passed their hall , that whenever a new Master Mason was to be elected , it was necessary , that ,

previously to being initiated into his somewhat important position , ho should prove himself worthy of the dignity about to bo conferred upon him by pulling down and re-building , with his own hands , the facade of one portion of the building , which has , consequently , been re-erected innumerable times , though the remainder of the edifice is sufficiently venerable . If the candidate shrank from his trial , there was no alternative but to yield his claim . " —Flemish Interiors . —Ex . Ex .

STATISTICS OP MASONRY IN GERMANY . The number of lodge members in all the German lodges in 1852 amounted to 21 , 675 , of whom more than half , 12 , 180 , belong to lodges in Prussia , and they are classified as follows . Of the Princely houses . 19 ; in the learned professions and classes , 5 , 457 , judicial , state , and other public officers , 3256 ; in the military , 1280 ;

merchants , book-sellers , music dealers aud manufacturers , 5552 ; artists , 1774 ; foresters , 191 ; miners , 194 ; hotel and restaurant keepers , 338 ; agents , 113 ; farmers , 1289 ; students , 50 ; farriers , 47 ; navigators aud sailors , 129 ; mechanics , 1243 ; having no particular occupation , 713 . The average number in each German lodge is 86 ; but there are 11 lodges numbering less than 30 , and 10

numbering more than 200 . Though it is not specifically stated in the protocol , we believe there are 9 Grand Lodges iu the Germanic States , viz ., Saxony , Hamburgh , Hanover , the Three Globes , Darmstadt , Grand Landes Lodge , Eclectic Union , Royal York , and Beyrentb . It is proposed to renew those statistical tables at stated intervals of ten years , and it would bo very interesting to compare the statistics of 1862 with those of 1852 . —Ex . Ex .

CURIOSITIES OP AMERICAN PREEMASONRY . From time to time I propose to send you certain extracts from American documents , which , 1 think , both amusing and instructive . Hero is one , heading and all : — " A Pogus Dispensation . "A numher of Masons residing at Lake Charlesparish of

, Calcasieu , being desirous of forming themselves into a lodge , had associated themselves together for that purpose , and obtained , through the instrumentality of one James K . Belden , what they supposed to he a Dispensation from our late Grand Master Adams , and under this authority met regularly as a lodge during part of the year 1858 , and until the assembling of the Grand Lodge , in February , 1859 , when , desiring a Charter , the members

placed the Dispensation , under which they had heen working , with a copy of their proceedings , in the hands of the said Belden , furnishing him , at the same time , with the requisite funds for that purpose . After waiting a considerable time the brethren became impatient , and addressed letters of inquiry to Past Grand Master Adams and to the Grand Secretary , when , for the first time , it was discovered that the

pretended Dispensation was a forgery , and that no such document had ever heen issued by the Grand Master . Pinding themselves in this unpleasant position , the brethren at Lake Charles made a full representation of these facts , and applied for a Dispensation to open a regular lodge , procuring the recommendation of Tunica Lodge ( No . 63 ) , and a warm personal recommendation of Bro . Thomas H . Lewis , "Having satisfied myself fully of the correctness of these

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1863-08-29, Page 7” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 20 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_29081863/page/7/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD. Article 1
MOTHER KILWINNING. Article 2
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 6
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 8
GRAND LODGE. Article 8
THE FREEMASONS' SCHOOLS. Article 10
METROPOLITAN. Article 11
PROVINCIAL. Article 12
AUSTRALIA. Article 13
WESTERN INDIA. Article 14
INDIA. Article 17
ROYAL ARCH. Article 18
MARK MASONRY. Article 18
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. Article 18
ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 18
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Masonic Notes And Queries.

BURNING A REVELATION . Amono-st those works which profess to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry , many of which were published 111 the last century , there is one entitled , Solomon in all his Glory ; or , tha Master Mason . The end of a very long title runs thus : — " Translated from the French original , published at Berlin , and burnt by order of the King of 8 Lond

Prussia , at the intercession of Freemasons , " vo ., ., 1766 . What authority is there in any life of Frederick the Great for this statement ? If this had been a known fact , it seems incredible that Carlyle , in his recent life of -that king , should not have noticed it , as be more than once sneers at the king's initiation , and in his own peculiar stylo , makes fun of Baron Bielefield and the other Freemasons who were about the person of that monarch . —Ex . Ex .

HARMONY AT LODGE BANQUETS . Every Craftsman is supposed to make the liberal arts and sciences a study , and it is much to be desired that this study was more real than suppositious . It is a very common occurrence in the pages of THE FREEMASON ' S MAGAZINE to find that Bros . Blank and Co ., favoured the lodge with some delightful harmony when they really

only sang songs . Harmony is produced by two or more voices or instruments , or both combined , engaged io performing music in different parts . Melody is where one voice or instrument or hundreds of each produce the same identical strain . To call a song harmony is a vulgarism which Craftsmen should avoid , for if they would onlrepeat to themselves the formula" Will Bro . ¦

y , favour ns by singing a little harmony ? " it would be evident how great an absurdity they would be uttering . Let us hope then that , for the future , we shall read no more of Bro . 's harmony , except when he takes part in apiece of music composed for several voices or instruments as the case may be . —Musicus .

X __ SC _ S OP THE ANGELS . Iii reply to P . M . 841 , 1 beg to inform you that he will find the names of the angels round the Zodiacal plate in Alexandre Lenoir's La , Fvanchc-Ma $ onnerie vendue a , sa veritable Origine , ou VAntiqit . ite de la Franche-Maconnerie prouvee par VExplication cles Mysteres Anciens et Modern .-4 to . Paris 1814 . There are several large

,, , folding plates in the volume . In Cornelius Agrippa ' s Occulta Philosophia , of which there are numerous editions , there will be found several tables of the various names of God , from the simple Jod to the twelve lettered name , and in all these there are the names of the angels . In the works of the mystics and Alchemists , such as Jacob Boehmen , Dr . Doe , Fludd , Joan Lead , and Law , there are

innumerable references to the various angels by name , and many invocations for aid , made to them . The Mishna , too , contains a long list of them , but there is no English translation of it , and the usual copy consulted is a Latin version , printed at Amsterdam , about 1715-20 . There is , however , a work in English by Thomas Hey wood , the dramatist , entitled , The Hierarchic of the Blessed Angels , ihek Orders

names , , and Offices . The Fall of Lucifer with Us Angels . Folio , London , 1635 . This work is well known for its charming language , aud although a rare book , in private hands , copies will be met with in most of the public universities , cathedral aud collegiate libraries throughout the country . Perhaps the most accessible work is Ragon ' s Maconnerie Occult , 8 vo . Paris , 1853 , but it is not comprehensive on the subject of the angels , merely giving some two or three pages of names ¦ classified under elemental governances . —MATTHEW COOKE .

" SERVANTS OP THE WISE SOLOMON . " In the Annals of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , against the year A . D . 782 , is tbe following entry . — " Alfred the Great promoted the Order , and the art much prospered . According to Bede , Alfred was initiated at the college in Mayo ; and the letter of Eric , a celebrated philospher of

Auxerre , to Charles the Bald , about the middle of the 9 th century , designates the Irish philosophers as ' Servants of the wise Solomon . '" Where is this letter of Eric printed ?—PILGRIM , TESTING AN OPERATIVE KASON . Ths following extract shows that even the operative

Craft require a test from those who would be held as Masters of the Craft : — " A curious , and I believe peculiar custom , still exists ab Antwerp among the guild of ( operative ) Masons . Henri Conscience , the great Belgian writer , who was perambulating the town with me , informed me as we passed their hall , that whenever a new Master Mason was to be elected , it was necessary , that ,

previously to being initiated into his somewhat important position , ho should prove himself worthy of the dignity about to bo conferred upon him by pulling down and re-building , with his own hands , the facade of one portion of the building , which has , consequently , been re-erected innumerable times , though the remainder of the edifice is sufficiently venerable . If the candidate shrank from his trial , there was no alternative but to yield his claim . " —Flemish Interiors . —Ex . Ex .

STATISTICS OP MASONRY IN GERMANY . The number of lodge members in all the German lodges in 1852 amounted to 21 , 675 , of whom more than half , 12 , 180 , belong to lodges in Prussia , and they are classified as follows . Of the Princely houses . 19 ; in the learned professions and classes , 5 , 457 , judicial , state , and other public officers , 3256 ; in the military , 1280 ;

merchants , book-sellers , music dealers aud manufacturers , 5552 ; artists , 1774 ; foresters , 191 ; miners , 194 ; hotel and restaurant keepers , 338 ; agents , 113 ; farmers , 1289 ; students , 50 ; farriers , 47 ; navigators aud sailors , 129 ; mechanics , 1243 ; having no particular occupation , 713 . The average number in each German lodge is 86 ; but there are 11 lodges numbering less than 30 , and 10

numbering more than 200 . Though it is not specifically stated in the protocol , we believe there are 9 Grand Lodges iu the Germanic States , viz ., Saxony , Hamburgh , Hanover , the Three Globes , Darmstadt , Grand Landes Lodge , Eclectic Union , Royal York , and Beyrentb . It is proposed to renew those statistical tables at stated intervals of ten years , and it would bo very interesting to compare the statistics of 1862 with those of 1852 . —Ex . Ex .

CURIOSITIES OP AMERICAN PREEMASONRY . From time to time I propose to send you certain extracts from American documents , which , 1 think , both amusing and instructive . Hero is one , heading and all : — " A Pogus Dispensation . "A numher of Masons residing at Lake Charlesparish of

, Calcasieu , being desirous of forming themselves into a lodge , had associated themselves together for that purpose , and obtained , through the instrumentality of one James K . Belden , what they supposed to he a Dispensation from our late Grand Master Adams , and under this authority met regularly as a lodge during part of the year 1858 , and until the assembling of the Grand Lodge , in February , 1859 , when , desiring a Charter , the members

placed the Dispensation , under which they had heen working , with a copy of their proceedings , in the hands of the said Belden , furnishing him , at the same time , with the requisite funds for that purpose . After waiting a considerable time the brethren became impatient , and addressed letters of inquiry to Past Grand Master Adams and to the Grand Secretary , when , for the first time , it was discovered that the

pretended Dispensation was a forgery , and that no such document had ever heen issued by the Grand Master . Pinding themselves in this unpleasant position , the brethren at Lake Charles made a full representation of these facts , and applied for a Dispensation to open a regular lodge , procuring the recommendation of Tunica Lodge ( No . 63 ) , and a warm personal recommendation of Bro . Thomas H . Lewis , "Having satisfied myself fully of the correctness of these

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