Notes And Queries For Free-Masons.

during his father ' s life , and paid no attention to the craft afterwards . SINCERITY .

DERIVATION OF SIGNS ( NO . IV . p . r 6 ) . I AM afraid GNOSIS is going rather fast . He appears to have yet to learn that mere resemblance , which in thousands of cases is purely accidental , can never prove relationship . Imagination , no doubt , can do wonders , but it can never supply the place of real proof , while the critic who wishes to deal with facts is bound to give a wide berth to mere dreams and fancies .

The following will serve as a specimen of my reasons for saying so as applicable to the business in hand : —In . the Aberdeen Burgh Records , under date 1530 , it says the "haill toun maks oath be thair hand uphaldin in jugment , the holy croce tuichit , euery man be himself , to obserue and keep all and sindrie the ponts and artikilles forsaid , " & c . Now if GNOSIS were to see an old picture of this transaction he would be ready to imagine

that a certain portion of one of our masonic degrees was being given ; but if so he would be wrong , as the business in hand was quite public , and the " haill toun " . engaged in it . An old form in the fifteenth century shows us that after a burgess or gildbrother had taken the oath '' he ought to kiss the provost and the brethren , if he be a brother of the gild . " Then in a charter of King Robert IL . A . D . 1373 , we read : — "The same Holy Gospels by each of them touched , swore their bodily oath . . . and each raising his hand after the manner of faith-sjiviiiG ., in

token of the universal consent of the whole clergy and people , publicly expressed and declared their consent and assent . " The custom of raising the hand and looking up was an old posture of prayer , as per Ezra ix ., 5 , & c . W . P . BUCIIAN . [ BRO . BUCIIAN appears to assume that GNOSIS has to learn BRO . B . 's system of synthesis but , if the latter will turn to page 16 , we think he must see that GNOSIS makes a suggestion of

points which strike him as worthy of observation and says , he "fancies " thai the derivation of our masonic signs " may " be traced to a " veiy higtrantiquity . xjis ^—a-aifreremr - rmng ftomconfounding resemblance with relationship . —ED . MAS . Ex . ]

THE TRANSFIGURATION . What authority had the late Bro . Dr . Oliver for asserting , or from whence could such a notion have been derived , the Transfiguration to have been a lodge of perfection ? Is not such an assertion the height of irreverence ? XIV . [ Dr . Oliver wrote more sound'truth than any other Free-Mason . At one time we thought as you do , but living and

learning , —we hope we may say never losing sight of our Faith , —we have come to believe he was right . But Dr . Oliver only followed the early fathers of the Church , in that avowal , and was fortified in it by the writings of many medireval brethren . It is a subject we do not care to ; enter upon in print but shall have no objection to go into with you , quietly , next time you come to town . —ED . MAS . EX . ] .

Notices To Correspondents.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS .

To THE PUBLIC PRESS , BOTH ENGLISH AND FOREIGN . —The reservation of the rights of reproduction , or translation , which we claim for our contents , we desire may be construed in the most liberal manno : If our contemporaries can fud via tier , in our pages which ihey would transfer to their own , so long as iiiiy will quote it as extracted from THE MASONIC EX ARIINER , they are heartily welcojne to republish it and will have our thanhs for so doing . We promise reciprocity .

Whei-e we quote we' will always mention our informant by its recognised title . Our reservation of rightst-xtends only to those who would use our information , and deprive us of the credit of . its publicity , by inserting such matter without acknowledgment . A MASONIC STUDENT . The number is complete . Arrangements are being made by which it is expected important services will . be rendered to Free-Masonry _ through the COUNCIL OF MASONIC EXAMINERS . YOU , in common with the Craft , will know all in due time .

Notices To Correspondents.

A NINETIETH .. We cannot profess to advise about matters of which we have no knowledge . The plan of THE MASONIC ' . EXAMINER is to afford those interested in Un-recognised ' degrees a fair hearing , under the conditions printed in every number , but we cannot undertake to advocate , Editorially , any usage of which we are ignorant , or disapprove . A fair field and no favour will be afforded if you choose to avail yourself of it .

J . L . Eat your leek in privacy : the fragrance of the process is not savoury to the nostrils of by-standers . AN OLD-FASHIONED MASON . We have not identified ourselves , in any way , with the thing you mention . If you would see the true character of the- men , misleading some of our most cherished friends , turn to Pomeroy ' s Democrat of September the i 6 lh . and the 14 th . of the present month .

The revelations they contain should be a caution to every English Gentleman . C S . Go to a lodge of Instruction . We do not discuss points of ritual in our columns . M . M . Call . We shall be happy to see you . B . No . The suggestion is valueless .

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