Masonic Jottings.—No. 30.

the Apologue as a pleasant vehicle of the moral doctrine of the Craft ; and that consequentl y Jotham in the famous apologue ( Judges , chap . 9 , ) was not an inventor , but only a successful imitator .

PHILOSOPHY . —GREEK AND EOMAN ARCHITECTS . Philosophy was one of the sciences studied by the Greek and Roman Architects . Now Philosophy is no part of Operative Masonry , but it is an essential part of Speculative Masonry .

INTOLERANCE OE CERTAIN BERLIN GRAND LODGES . A correspondent mistakes . The intolerance of certain Berlin Grand Lodges has frequently come under my notice . My corresponpent should look

into the FREEJIASONS' MAGAZINE , Preston ' s Illustrations , and Bro . Findel ' s History , above all he should read some communications in the las !; volume of our periodical pages 442 , 462 and 483 . For many reasons those communications deserve

-attentive perusal . CONGREGATIONS OP GOOD MEN . In all civilised nations , in all ages , there have been congregations of good men desirous to acquire knowledge ancl to ameliorate the kind .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

TOEriCnEN-KILWINNING LODGE ( No 13 ) . The following preamble precedes the " Rules of theTorphichen-Kilwinning Lodge of Freemasons and Friendl y Society , Bathgate . " Printed , 1850 : — " Preamble to the Original Rules . " The Lodge of Torphichen-Kilwinning was formed

at Mid-Calder at an early period of the ei ghteenth century , under the patronage of Lord Torphichen , from whom it derives its title . It continued at Mid-Calder till the year 1734 , when , the brethren from the west becoming numerous , it was agreed in the said year to remove the lod ge to Livingstone-Kirk . It

continued to be held there till the year 1744 , when the brethren from the west and north still increasing , and those to the east of Livingstone-Kirk decreasing , it was agreed in the said year , for the convenience of the brethren , to hold the lodge one year at Livingstone-Kirk , and two years at Bathgate ; and on St .

John ' s Day , 1754 , it was agreed to by the lodge that if the brethren from the east did not prove more numerous than the brethren from the north and west of Livingstone-Kirk for three succeeding years , then the lodge was to be removed entirely to Bathgate . Accordingly on St . John's Day , 1757 , the roll being

called over , there appeared only one member from the east of Livingstone-Kirk , all the rest of the members being from the west and north ; consequently the former agreement was put in force , and the lodge was brought to Bathgate the same day , and got the title of ' Torphichen-Kilwinning Lodge , held at

Bathgate , ' where it still continues . In the year 1760 , the members feued a piece of ground from the Kt . Hon . the Earl of Hopetoun , in order to build a lodge ; but the funds being rather inadequate to accomplish such an undertaking , the members agreed to g ive each ten shillings and sixpenceor sis days' worktowards the

, , building . But this being still insufficient , they had to borrow money to accomplish the work . In the year 1763 it was finished , and in the year 1766 they received their charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland . " We are also informed that for a long time after the

lodge was established at Bathgate , its members consisted only of those operatives who were connected with the building trade , such as operative masons , wrights , slaters , & c . About 1815 , however , this rule was relaxed , so that latterly any person of good character & cwas admitted . In 1849 their funds

, , amounted to about £ 600 , beside their building , valued at about £ 200 . It has struck me that perhaps this " lodge" was originally merely a friendly society , which afterwards adopted our SneculativeFreemasonrv

after it had spread into Scotland from Eugland about the end of the first quarter of last century . The Masonic Calendar gives the date of the origin of this lodge as 1707 , but upon what data I know not as yet . At page 453 of the Freemasons' Magazine for Dec . 5 th , 1863 , Bro . D . Murray Lyon gives the date of its

charter from " Mother Kilwinning" at 1729 . The rule of the Friendly Society in connection with this lodge is that no person who has not first joined the lodge can be admitted into the Friendl y Society . There is one good clause in their rules anent the election of the Master , viz ., "All of whom to be eligible to be

chosen Master must have officiated as Wardens of the lodge . " They might , however , have improved it by adding , " and be capable of performing the duties of the office . '' I have seen what I trust is a rare sight , viz ., the ft . W . M . of a lodge seated in the chair , and surrounded by a whole bench of Past MastersDepute

, and other Masters , & c , and not one of the whole lot had ever performed the ceremonies pertaining to their offices ! Yet there they sat , each as proud as a cock on a hillock , a most amusing though rather melancholy sight—Speculative Freemasons with a witness . —W . P . B .

NINE TZRVZE EEEEIUSONKIES . FIVE THEISMS . Dear Brother * * * , —The communications to the Freemasons' Magazine now engaging your attention , will be found to show nine true Freemasonries , the elements of which are five theisms , the term "Theism" being understood in its hilosophical

p sense . Of these nine Freemasonries , four are particular Freemasonries , and live are universal Freemasonries . Each of the four particular Freemasonries is called a true Freemasonry . Each of the five universal Freemasonries is called

the true Freemasonry . Hour Particular M-eemasonries . 1 . The Freemasonry of which the reli gion is Christianity . 2 . The Freemasonry of which the religion is Judaism . 3 . The Freemasonry of which the religion is Parseeism .