Red Cross Of Constantine.

we want . It is in this way most of the impostures in Masonry have heen attested , and a consequence of this individual bail , if it comes to no more , is that the controversy degenerates into a personal quarrel between the disputants , and the main issue is lost sight of in these personal issues . In this way the

writer before us recites the question that the rituals are alleged to be compiled by Bro . Little , as if , on the one hand , any one would declare that Bro . Little is incapable of writing the rituals , or as if they would be any the worse for his having written them , or any the better .

The questions really under discussion are very important to Masonry , and the way in which they are decided by your correspondent by the evidence of facts and documents is the only real test . If an Order and ritual stated to be ancient can be concocted

under our noses in the present day , it will be a very great reflection on the intelligence of Masons . Old traditions , though bearing the internal evidence of not being historical , become tolerable because they are old , and belong to the domain of antiquity . This is the case even with regard to Jeffrey of Monmouth ]; butthough Tennyson may gracefulladopt his

, y legends as subjects for poetry , it would not do to start a new history of Britain in the same style . It is , therefore , of great service to establish the authenticity of the Order of Constantine . This is done by the attestation of the " monarchical succession" from Lord Rancliffe to Lord Kenlis . Seventy

years is already a respectable antiquity for a private Masonic society . I would , however , beg to point out to the writer that he has not got far enough to explain a new difficulty which arises , from his having proved that the Order is a Masonic institution , and is not connected with the ehivalric Order . He has

now to explain how a Masonic Order of the epoch of Lord Rancliffe or before , limited , as he had shown , to England , can he the ancient Order founded by Constantine . This he will have no difficulty iu proving from documents . Another temporary difficulty , subject to his explanations from the documents at his disposalis

, consequent on the proof that the Red Cross is not connected with the Templar Orders ; aud that is the reason or prerogative for giving under the Red Cross the Orders of St . John , of the Holy Sepulchre , & c , which are Orders of the Holy Land . It is readily comprehended that the Templars claim

jurismay diction over the other Orders of the Holy Land ; but the case of the Knights of the Red Cross , until explained , appears to be different at the time of its first foundation at Constantinople by Constantine . There were no Knights of St . John or the Holy Sepulchre in tbe Holy Land , and at the time of its

second foundation at Constantinople hy the Byzantine Emperors these latter had not a rood of land or any jurisdiction in the Holy Land , and never exercised any jurisdiction over the Order of St . John or other Orders of the Holy Land . This objection strongbut documentary

appears ; evidence will dispose of it , as it has already of other objections , and which does not prevent me from pointing out that as yet the evidence has not been brought forward for the rituals of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre , of St . John , and of the numerous degrees recorded in pages of the Freemasons' Man a-

Red Cross Of Constantine.

eine- The conclusive evidence as to the ritual of Knight Grand Cross in 1812 only settled that ritual for some date subsequent to 1812 . The ritual is most likely a translation from some very ancient document ; but the date of the copy , though it may be 1812 , is just as likely to be 1 S 13 , 1815 , 1818 , 1822 ,

or any year in which paper with the water-mark of 1812 remained in use . After all , the ritual of " 1812 " can only be the translation of some ancient Greek ritual , and not the original ; and the original , in the lapse of ages , may have been lost or forgotten . It would be unreasonable to expect oriinals of Greek

g documents to be in English . With the present state of the numerous other rituals , their water-marks , orthography , handwriting , & c , as " Audi Alteram Partem" well says , it does not require an " expert " to settle these matters . It will be quite sufficient to give the same account of ten or a dozen only of

these rituals as is given of the one with the watermark " 1812 . " Some points may occur to other brethren ; but these are a few simple deductions from the principles laid down by " Audi Alteram Partem . " He has in a candid way offered himself , his witnesses , and his

documents before the tribunal of the readers of the Freemasons' Magazine , and he might have refused to discuss the matter at all ; but , now that he has taken this course , he will cheerfully abide by the decision of the court to which he has appealed for fair play . Imitating his example , I beg to sign this letter , Yours fraternally , PAIS PIAT .

East Lancashire.

EAST LANCASHIRE .

TO TUB EDITOR OP TUB FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND BUBONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —The Province of East Lancashire is , I believe , worked as well as any province , and I often wonder I never read any of its proceedings recorded in your valuable MAGAZINE . Surely there can he no objection . I heard of a most enthusiastic meeting recently at Oldham , but have in

vain searched your columns for a report of it . Can't you , Mr . Editor , obtain the services of a " Special Correspondent ?" Yours fraternally , A SMALL VOICE EEOII A REMOTE COENEE . P . S . —My wishes have reference to the Provincial Grand Lodge meetings .

PRESENTATION OP A TESTIHONIAI , TO BEO . DB . RICHARDSON , F . R . S . —The [ testimonial to our esteemed and highly distinguished Bro . Dr . Richardson , 2 P . M . S ., was presented by Mr . Paget , iF . Ji . S ., at a meeting of the subscribers and friends , ou Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., at Willis ' s Rooms , King-street , St . James ' s . The subscribers numbered about seven hundred ; a very large attendance of the friends and admirers of this

muchrespeated J brother . The subscription amounted to over a thousand guineas , scarcely a department of literature , science , art , or commerce being unrepresented ou the list . Bro . Dr . Richardson ' s original and valuable contributions to medical and general science aro well known , but to the general public his name is more especially identified for his important discoveries in genera . 1 and local anesthesia , and the application of the ether spray for the latter purpose . The testimonial consisted of a handsome piece of plate and a purse of 700 sovereigns . Mr . Ross , of Welbeck-street , prepared a microscope to accompany aud form part of the testimonial .