Masonic Notes And Queries.

mysteries of our Order , and divulge them to the anti-Masonic world ? Morgan ' s expose can be had for one dollar , Stone ' s for two ; the curious can have the choice of being Moryanized or Stonized at very moderate expense . Two hooks for three dollars , ivill certainly make one Mason . Take both books , read them , let all distinctions be done away , the gridiron thrown away , and Othello ' s occupation ' s abandoned . If our secrets beas we contenda blessing to those who

under-, , stand them , no one need be ashamed of doing good ; if , on tbe other hand , they be wicked and of dangerous tendency , every honest citizen and true patriot should aid in expressing their faults and follies to public condemnation . Ifc was natural for the ignorant and the wicked to impute the abductiofT and murder of Morgan to the society , to involve the ivhole in the calamity of a few guilty members ; and it is quite natural that

politicians should endeavour to keep up the excitement , to make use of ifc for their own elevation ; and when we hear our society charged with promoting by its doctrines so heinous a crime , we are tempted to ask how our adversaries can entertain so absurd an opinion of a society , many of whose members have been among the most illustrious men of the most enlightened nations of the earth ? Upon the subject of Masonry and anti-Masonry

I have thought much . I have carefully examined what has been sold ancl written against the institution from the earliest ages of the world , down to the time I became a member of the society . I have carefully reviewed Masonry in my own mind , and have applied its principles to the common transactions of mankind , and I see nothing in tbe institution to condemn , bufc much to approve , as a pure system of morals , as an auxiliary to ion

relig , and as being in perfect accordance with our republican form of government , which guarantees to ali men liberty of conscience . I see no sound reason fer abandoning the most permanent moral institution with which I am acquainted . "

ANTIQUITY OP IHE EOSE CROIX DEGREE . The assertion that the introduction of the Eose Croix degree in England is coeval with Christianity is one of those historical fables with which ignorant Masons are deceived . Nobody can prove by authentic documents that " about 1314 it was well known in this country , " as asserted in a report published in THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE 1862 page 330 . The Society of Eosicrucians—quite

, , another thing than the so-called Masonic degree—originated in the year 1610 , and was well known in England in 1616 , when Eobert Fludd defended this alchymical and theosophical society . The Eose Croix degree , a Masonic bastard , was invented about 1760 , and cannot have been introduced into England before that year . — J . G . FINDEL .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . THE EOYAL AEOH . 10 IHE EBITOK OF IHE FKEEJrASOJIS' JIASAZIXE AJTD 3 IASOXIC 3 IIEEOB . It appears from your MAGAZINE , of the 2 nd August last , that certain chapters , in Victoria , are trying to persuade the Grand Chapter to declare that the word

" Actual Masters and Past Masters of a Craft lodge , " which occur in Art 7 . p . 15 , of the General Eegulations , apply to the Masters and Past Masters of Scotch ancl Irish lodges . Of Irish lodges I know nothing , but , I trust , for the folloiving reasons those words will never be held applicable to Scotch lodges . By a " deliverance " of the Grand Lodge of Scotlands

pronounced at ifcs Quarterly Communication of the 3 rd May , 1847 , and published in Laurie ' s History of Freemasonry , p . 270 of the edition of 1859 , it was ruled to the following effect : — I . That every Master Mason is qualified to be elected to , and to fill the chair of Master of a Scotch lodge without having previously served as a Warden for a Tear . II . And that the installation of the Master of a Scotch dge , shall take place in a lodge opened in the Entered

Correspondence.

Apprentice degree , and no chair secrets shall be communicated to him . Ifc is quite clear then that no Master or Past Master of an English lodge can , without violating his O . B ., admit into a board of Installed Masters the Masters or Past Masters of Scotch lodges ; therefore , in the English acceptation of the terms , the latter are neither Masters

nor Past Masters . Again the framers of Art . 7 , p . 15 , of the General Eegulations , being English Masons , never could have meant by the words " actual Master or Past Master , " one Avho had neither served a year as a Warden , nor received the secrets of the chair in a Board of Installed Masters .

Further by the preamble to the General Eegulations , p . 1 , " In all cases , which are not specially provided for , " English Eoyal Arch Masons " shall be considered as bound by the constitutions . " If , then , it is contended that this is a case not specially provided for , then we must fall back ou the constitutions , which define a Master to be a Mason ivho has served as a Warden of a warranted

lodge for a year , been elected Master , and installed in ancient form , and a Past Master to be such a Master , after he has faithfully performed the duties of Master for twelve calendar months . Now the Masters and Past Masters of Scotch lodges do not come under either of

categories , therefore , they are not included in the words " Actual Master or Past Master , " in Art . 7 above quoted , and the Grand Chapter cannot include them wifchout removing our ancient landmarks . In the next place it would be very unjust to our own Masters aud Past Masters , to declare those words applicable to the Masters and Past Masters of Scotch lodges , for ,

all other things in the race being equal , a Scotch Mason would be qualified to be elected Third Principal of an English Chapter one year sooner than an English Mason could be , on account of his nofc being required to serve as a Warden for one year before he could be elected Master . Lastly , ifc would be highly improper to place a Master

or Past Master of a Scotch lodge in the chair of any Principal of an English chapter , because it would be liable to mislead English Masters and Past Masters , and cause them to violate their O . B ., by improperly disclosing the secrets of the chair to such Masters and Past Masters of Scotch lodges ; for , knowing them to be Principals of English Eoyal Arch Chaptersand knowing

, also thafc under Art . 7 , above referedto , none but Masters or Past Masters can afctain that rank , they would naturally conclude that such Principals had received and AVere entitled to the secrets of the Master ' s chair . Tours fraternally , PAST PEINCIPAL J .

Lancashire Distress.

LANCASHIRE DISTRESS .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE IttEEMASOil ' s HAGAZIlfE Atn > MASONIC HIimOB . DEAU SIR AND BROTHER , —At the last meeting of the Wellington Lodge ( No . 1086 ) , Deal , ifc was agreed that the members should contribute a small sum Aveekly for the relief of distressed brethren in the counties now suffering from the cotton famine ; and that such sums , Avhen collectedshould be transmitted to some lodin

, ge Lancashire , or Cheshire , to supplement the funds of such lodge for the purpose of aiding those brothers who require such aid . I mention this in the hope that other lodges , with larger means , may be induced to take some similar step , and that , if the movement be at all general , some central Masonic committee may be formed in Londonto receive the monthlcontributions of such

, y lodges as are willing to aid , and remit the proceeds of such collections to the Lancashire or Chesire lodges , according to the need of each district . I am , Sir , yours fraternally , T . L . G .