Bro. Manningham And The High Degrees.

BRO . MANNINGHAM AND THE HIGH DEGREES .

TO THE EDITOR OE TEE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRHOK . Dear Sir and Brother , —Some of tbe points requiring investigation and explanation in the Netherlands documents are the following : — 1 . Why Manningham refers to the Knights of the Trowel , of' tlie Eagle , of the Holy Land , and not to

other degrees popular in 1757 ? 2 . What he meant by saying he had introduced three foreign gentlemen to the Grand Lodge and the Grand East ? 3 . How it is he does not appear to know that in his time there were a great many orders and societies in England in 1 lis time ? 4 . Why it is G . M . Payne was introduced in the letter ?

5 . What is the explanation of the knowledge of tho Bro . of 90 , initiated say in 1690 , who had seen no change in Masonic ceremonies in his time ? 6 . Why he should assume that the G . M . of Scotland should be held the head of all these degrees ? 7 . Why on hearing of this novelt y , which a man

so conversant with the continent mi ght have heard of before , he should express himself in terms suited to the present stage of the controversy , and not to that of his day ? 8 . Why he should state in opposition to Ashmole that lodges heretofore consisted of operative not

speculative Masons ? 9 . From which of the then existing translations of Don Quixote he took the title of the Knight of the Brazen Helmet ? 10 . Why he uses the expression " the Constitutions already granted by us , I presume your G . M . will

not disapprove- their titles and places of meeting our Constitution Book will inform you ? " At that time , too , there was a list of lodges published , but it was not called the Constitution Book . 11 . Whv Manningham should sign this letter as D . G . M . instead of Bro . Eevis . Yours fraternall y , E . Y .

Sectarian Masonry.

SECTARIAN MASONRY .

TO THE EOITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —Myself , my father , grandfather , aud great grandfather , like many of our coreligionists , have been members of the Masonic fraternity , and we have always enjoyed in Masonry libertyof consciencenor have we ever found

-^ , any thing in Masonry contrary to our consciences or the strict dictates of our religion . To Masonry we owe that we were able to meet on a footing " of social equality , and to enjoy even the distinctions of Masonry at a time in France when we were denied all political privileges , our ri ght to hold land was

questioned , and we were excluded from every public ancl municipal office , ancl the exercise of many professions . Our admission among Masons on a footing of perfect equality , and our own bearing , we believe powerfully contributed to raise up many friends to Jewish emancipation and greatly to promote that cause .

Sectarian Masonry.

At length , after many years of political emancipation and participation in legislative privileges and honours , we find ourselves assailed in Masonry , and are told by old Masons like Eosa Crucis that , not being Christians , we have no right to be Masons any more than Atheists . Can this doctrine be true that

neither his father nor ours ever knew or practised for this hundred years . Shall onr children , the Hebrew Lewises lose their birthright in Masonry . Yours fraternally , A HEBREW .

Masonic Progress.

MASONIC PROGRESS .

TO THE EDITOK OF THE FREEMASON'S' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIKEOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —In continuation of my lastcommunication , I now proceed to lay before your readers a few figures , which will show not onl y the proportion that exists between Masonic halls or private rooms and taverns as the places at which lodges are held , but also the which has been made in the number of

progress lodges during the last 20 years . I have taken three periods , 1848 , the year of my initiation , and the first for which I have the Calendar ; 1864 the year in which the list was revised , and the present year 1868 . As the Canadian lodges were taken out at the revision , I have entirely omitted . them from consideration from the first . I find that in this 's Calendar nine such lodges

stillyear remain ; but as I do not know the reason of this , I have not included them in the account : — 1818 . Lodges . Iu England , Wales , avid the Channel Isles ... 594 Of the above meeting at halls or rooms apart from hotels , & c 89

Attached to regiments 8 Meeting at taverns or hotels 497 594 Under English Warrants abroad 146

740 Thus tho proportion of lodges in taverns , & c , to the number of lodges is 83 per cent . 1864 . Lodges . In England , Wales , and the Channel Isles ... 728 Of the above meeting at halls or rooms

apart from hotels , & c 214 Attached to regiments 6 Meeting at taverns or hotels 508 728 Under English Warrants abroad 271 999

Thus the proportion of lodges in taverns to the number of lodges is 69 per cent . 1868 . Lodges , In England , Wales , and the Channel Isles ... 841 Of the above meeting at halls or private rooms apart from hotels 345

Attached to regiments 6 Meeting at taverns or hotels 490 841 Under English Warrants abroad 337 1178

Thus the proportion of lodges in taverns to that of the number of lodges is 58 per cent . A reference to the Calendar will show that the last number on the list , 1196 does not agree with the above 1178 . The discrepancy is caused by the omission of