Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE CRAET AND ITS LEGENDS . " Does not nature overlay the naked rock with the velvet moss ? Does she not entwine the knotted and gnarled trunk of the lofty oak with creeping tendrils of the dainty ivy ? And why should not we adorn the rock of Masonry in a similar manner ? The

Craft does not depend for its support upon any one of the legends with which it is associated , any more than the rock is supported by its mossy covering , or the lord of the forest sustained by the clinging arms that wrap him in manifold embrace . Whatever may be one ' s belief in the connexion between Masonry and

the romantic stories of bygone times , they cannot fail to arrest the attention , enlist the sympathies , and excite the admiration of all educated and thinking members of the fraternity . —From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts—C : HABI .,: ES PTTBTOI * COOPEE .

THE ENTER'D 'PRENTICE'S SONG . This song which begins . — " Come let us prepare , We brothers that are Assembled on merry occasion . Let ' s drink , laugh and sing ,

Our wine has a spring , Here ' s a health to an accepted Ma-a-son . " seems to me to be little better than a low bacchanalian ditty . It mi ght be good enough for last century topers ; but it is to be hoped that Masonry now-adays is aiming at a far higher platform . —W . P . B .

THE GOOD TEMPLARS . The "Observer" says , "It is stated that a newsociety has been started under the name of ' The Good Templars , ' with the purpose of enlisting Freemasons in the cause of temperance . What would De Quincy have said to this ? No Freemason himself

, he yet claimed to know all about the parentage and growth of the Craft whose origin he would place no further back than 1629 . We have upon his authority that the first password given to the initiated candidate is ' Fork Out , ' which he has to do , the second word being ' Brandy , ' which they all proceed to

discuss . How then can temperance connect itself with Freemasonry ? Certainly the two things have not hitherto been conneete J in the popular idea , which has always supposed the ' labour ' of the brethren to be by no means co-extensive with the ' refreshment . ' Indeed , the preservation of Masonic secrets has been

partly attributed to the genial character of the Masonic supper . " [ Our contemporary somewhat misunderstands the objects of the Good Templars , which , as we understand , are not to " enlist Freemasons in the cause of Temperance . " It is a vast Temperance organization , originated in the " United States , and now about to be introduced into this country .

MASONRY . —THE BIBLE . "The wisdom of Masonry is exemplified in establishing her basis on the unmutahle foundation of truth . Her cardinal principle is belief in tbe existence of God . All other truths co-relative with belief in the Deity , have a place in her system . The Bible , as the source and standard of truth , is exalted on her

Masonic Notes And Queries.

altars as her first great light , and all her moral teachings are but beams of its brightness . "While Masonry makes no pretensions as a system of religion , least of all , prefers a claim to be a substitute for Christianity , she humbly walks by its side in a strict alliance as far as she goes . In her speculative form she is as exact

in her teachings of moral truth as was operative Masonry in mathematical science . Her propositions admit of no dispute . She confines herself to simple , absolute , and acknowledged truth , ancl leaves no margin for controversy or contradiction . " —From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts— CHARLES PtritTOir COOPEE .

OUR FREEMASONRY IN 1783 . Bro . E . B . L ., —the passage to which I called your attention a few days ago occurs in a well-known book " Smith ' s Use and Abuse of Masonry , " 1788 . According to the entry in my Common-place Book , it is as follows : — " The members of our society at this

day , in the third stage of Masonry , confess themselves to be Christians the veil of the temple is rent ; the builder is smitten , and we are raised from the tomb of transgressors . Hence , how Mahomedans , Tewi =, & c , can prevail on themselves to be initiated into the society , is to me a surprise . "—CHAELES PUBTOH ' COOPEE .

TWO JOTTINGS—CEREMONIES , SYMBOLS , LITURGY . See the Jottings " Ceremonies and Symbols , " and " Liturgy and Symbols of Modern Masonry , " Ereemasons' Magazine , Yol . xxii . pages 348 and 349 . In the first jotting it is stated that German writers began about the year 1857 to consider the question

whether the ceremonies and symbols of modem Masonry proceed directly from the Mediteval Building Corporations , or whether their origin is to be sought for elsewhere . In the second jotting it is stated that German writers have lately shown that the modern Masons inherited their Liturgy and

Symbols from their forefathers , the Masons who preceded them . " A metropolitan brother makes some critical remarks upon these jottings , to which , having for some months ceased to have access to works upon this particular subject , it ia not in my power to make any satisfactory answers*—A PAST PEOYINCIAE GRAND MASTER .

Masonic Sayings And Doings Abroad.

MASONIC SAYINGS AND DOINGS ABROAD .

TEMPEAE ESCAHPHEST . —From the " Freemason , " of St . Louis , Missouri , we learn that the ConiRiauderies of Knights Templar in Missouri went into camp near Columbia on the 26 th of Mtiy last . Iu honour of M . E . Sir "William Sewell Gardner , Grand

Master of Knights Templar of tho United States , the camp was named " Camp Gardner . " General and special orders were issued by the Grand Commander , aud the most rigid discipline was maintained . The following was the general routine of duty in Camp : — sunrise , reveille , signal to rise ; seven