A Reminder For G. Lodge On The 6th.

A REMINDER FOR G . LODGE ON THE 6 TH .

The following notice of motion has been given : — " That whilst this Grand Lodge recognises the private right of every brother to belong to any extraneous organisation he may choose , it as firmly forbids , —now , and at any future time , —all brethren , while engaged as salaried officials under this Grand Lodge , to mix themselves up , —in any way , —with such bodies as The

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ; the Rites of Misraim and Memphis ; the spurious Orders of Rome and Constantine ; the schismatic body styling itself the Mark Grand Lodge of England ; or any other exterior organisation whatever ( even that of the Order of Knights Templar , which is , alone , recognised by the articles of Union ) , under pain of immediate dismissal from employment by this Grand Lodge . "

Notes And Queries For Free-Masons.

NOTES AND QUERIES FOR FREE-MASONS .

Rosce Cruris a Templar Degree . Yon appear to assume that Knights Templar have a right to give the Rose Croix . Will you afford proof or explanation ?—PAX . [ That the matter may be placed beyond question we append

a copy , taken from the original , of the Warrant of the Observance Chapter of Encampment ,- and some extracts from its books : — " Tho : Dunckcrley . " Initium Sapientire Amor Domini . In " the Name of the Grand Architect '' of the Universe .

© " In the East of London a place o f " Light , Where reigneth silence " and peace ; but the darkness " comprehendeth it not . " To those whom it may concern GREETING :

"Know Ye that we Thomas Dunckerley , of Hampton Court " Palace , in the County of Middlesex , Most Eminent and " Supreme GRAND MASTER of the Royal Exalted , Religious , " and Military Order of H . R . D . M . —K . O . D . H . Grand Elected "Knights Templars of St . John of Jerusalem , & c . Under the " patronage of Flis Royal Highness PRINCE EDWARD , having

'' received a petition from Sir William Hannam , and several " noble Knights residing at London of Y . e Chapter of Observance , * Humbly requesting a Patent of Constitution to " open a Conclave or Chapter of Encampment under our " Sanction at London , aforesaid . We do hereby constitute and " appoint the said Sir William Hannam our Deputy for opening '' and conducting the said Conclave or Chapter of Encampment ,

" at the Unicorn Tavern , Fountain Court , Strand . And do " hereby grant to the said Sir William Hannam , and the other " Noble Knights petitioners , and their successors full power and '' authority to assemble on the last Tuesday in every month to " Install Knights Templars , & c . at their Field of Encampment "aforesaid or at such other time and place as they and their " successors , with the consent of us and our successors , for the

" time being , shall appoint . With such powers , privileges , " prerogatives , and immunities , as do from ancient usage and of " right belong to regularly-established Conclaves or Chapters , " and to Noble Knights of the Order , subject nevertheless to the " Ancient Statutes , and Ordinances of our Predecessors , or that " - * Interpolated , in another handwriting , " Of time immemorial . "

'' may hereafter be enacted by us , and our successors in a Grand " and Royal Conclave . " Richard Walker Whalley , " Given at London afore" Grand Chancellor . " said in our Grand Field of " William Earle , "Encampment this nth '' Principal Grand Scribe . " day of March , Anno Lucis

" S 79 S > Anno Domini 1791 , " Anno Ordinis 673 , Anno " Cadis 477 . " William Hannam , Acting Grand Master . " The signature and minute-books of the Observance , prior to the year 1824 , are not forthcoming , so no documentary evidence

can be adduced from 1791 to 1823 . Between 1824 a . w & 1829 the signature of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , with G . P . affixed , occurs on some three or four occasions , when he was a visitor . In the minutes of the I Sth of March , 1824 , it is recorded that " The Eminent Commander directs that the Knights be summoned for 4 o ' clock for the next meeting , and that his

intention of holding a Chapter of the Sovereign Order of Rosa Crucis at 7 o ' clock in the evening be inserted in the summons . " In the signature-book certain meetings are headed "Rosa Crucis , " and the minutes show that two special meetings were set apart—one in summer and the other in the winter of each year , —for this purpose . The minutes state that Sir Knt .

William Stuart , —the present M . E . and S . G . M . of K ' s . T . was proposed on the 19 th of Deer . 1833 , and Installed a K . T . on the 16 th . of Jan . 1834 . It also appears he took the "Rosa Crucis " at the earliest opportunity for the minutes of the 26 th of May , 1834 , bear witness that "The undermentioned Sir Knights of the Chapter of Observance being Knights Architects aged 33 years , all being examined and found duly qualified , and

having been regularly proposed , seconded , and approved , were respectively introduced by the Master of the Ceremonies in the three points of the Order . Sir Knt . Lord Monson , W . Stuart , W . D . Dick , W . D . Clieland , C . Hobson , I-I . S . Hodges , H . Fraser . All business being ended the assembly of Rosa Crucis was adjourned with due solemnity . " Now , take particular notice of the dates and put the following items against each other and we think your bewilderment cannot exist a moment after .

The Observance was constituted " a Chapter of Encampment " in 1791 . The A . and A . Rite was established after 1802 . That gives the Observance eleven years' priority . But the A . A . Rite was not inaugurated in England until 1845 , so the Observance is its senior by fifty-four years . Now carefully consider the action taken by the A . A . Rite . About i 860 , or a year or two later , — the exact dates are not to hand , —the rulers of the A . A . Kite

had so worked upon some members of the Observance that it was determined , after a hotly-contested discussion resulting in a majority of one in its favour , to seek from the Sup . G . Council of the xxxiii ° a warrant for a Chapter of xviii ° , or Rose Croix ! Well , the majority of one got a warrant to form a Chapter , — which the Observance had been from its commencement in 1791 , —and to work the degree of Rose Croix , —a privilege it had

enjoyed from its first foundation . This was so displeasing to many of its old members that they refrained from being present at any but the Templar meetings of the Observance , and , in consequence the Encampment is lying dormant at the present time . The instrumental members who introduced the schismatic innovation have one by one ceased to take all interest in the matter and , to crown all , the Rose Croix meetings under the

xxxiii having ceased for some two , or three , years the Sup . G . Council have given notice that it has withdrawn its warrant . If this is not a veiy pretty specimen of the way to shelve an older and legitimate body by a new and usurping power any process of demonstration must fail to produce conviction . J