presses. "The Laird of Gala chosen yr "The commission of five for receiving intrants Adam Clapperton continued till next St. John's Day as formerly. "The Clerk and Box Master continued till next St. John's Day. "The Box Master reports that conforme to the Order of the last meeting he has delivered to Robert Lowrie's relict 3 stones of meal, and 5 stones to Wm. Lowrie's relict. "The meeting being satisfied of the reason why the committe appointed last St. John's to adjust the Box Master's accompts and report this day, was not put to execution, do of new appoint Wm. Cairncross, George Cairncross, Wm. Craig, John Clapperton and Adam Clapperton, to meet with the Box Master and clerk at Galashiels for that effect, and Wm. Cairncross to adjust the day with the committee and advertise those concerned yrof and any yr Mason that pleases, may meet with the said committee. "The meeting in the meantime recommend to the Box Master to be diligent to gett in the deficiencies, for yt end the preses is appointed to write with him to the deficients att Eding. for part of their quoties. "The meeting appoint the Box Master to give to Margaret Vetch, Wm. Lowrie's relict 5 stones of meal, and to Christian Lawson, Robert Lowrie's relict 3 stones of meal. "The meeting considering the low estate of their Box, and the exigencies of the poor of the lodge yrby the stock may come to be soon exhausted, and thereby all further support to the necessitous rendered impractible, doe resolve that upon every St. John's Day there shall be a voluntary contribution by the members according to their abilities given in to the Box Master to be applyed conform to Order, and appoint the Box Master to apply to the absents from each meeting for their respective contributions with all diligence after each meeting. In order to which the present meeting have following: contribute in Patrick Sanderson..... In all............ "Haughfoot, 27th Decr. 1716. "After calling the rolls George Cairncross was chosen preses, John Donaldson, Clerk and the Box Master continued. Sd day reported by Adam Clapperton, John Young, John Fountain, and James Peacock, that they had admitted Alexr. Methven Chyr., upon 21st Novr. 1716 as ane apprentice, who subjected himself as to his entry money to the determination of the lodge, which being considered by the meeting they appoint him to pay in four pounds Scotts, and ordain them to be surety for the immediate payment yrof to the Box Master. And in regard they have transgressed the act of the meeting giving a commission to any five to recieve intrants. The meeting fynes each of them in 12 sh Scotts, and ordaine them to be publikly repremanded by the preses. Sd day because of the Box Master's indisposition the last year's commission anent his acmpt is continued and adds John Young to the former number, and ordaine them to report next meeting. "The meeting continues the former commission of five to recieve intrants for a year. "Sd day appoint the Box Master to pay into each of Robert and Wm. Lowrie's relicts 4 stones. of meal. "Sd day contributed as follows, viz. :— By Torsonce...... George Cairncross Willm. Craig John Clapperton.... John Sanderson John Borthwick...... - :06: -: 06: -: 03: John Donaldson............... 00:18:00:03: 00:03: : Jas. Frier "Sd day William Craig was chosen preses by the plurality of votes. "The comitee appointed last year for examining the treasurer's acfts, have reported that they accordingly met with the treasurer and ordered him to give in his accounts to the clerk in order for making up a chargo agst him, who declares that conform to their order he delivered the same to the clerk which the preses with the consent of the lodge approves, and authorises William Cairncross oldr, John Donaldson, John Young, Walter Scot, William Craig, and James Pringle, to meet with the treasurer and clerk to the effect foresd betwixt, and the fifth day of April next, Walter Scot, and James Pringle two of their number being appointed to converse with the clerk about the time and place of their meeting, who are to acquaint the rest thereof three or four days before the same, and ordain the committee to give in their report betwixt, and the 27th of Decr. next. "The same day also a motion made for continuing the yearly voluntar contribution, and agreed to unanimously, that no contribution be made this year till the treasurer's acpts be inspected, and it be known whether there will be any need for the same. "As also upon a petition given in by Margeret Vetch relict of Robert Lowri, ordered that the treasurer before clearing his acpts, give her 5 stones of oatmeal or the usual price yrof, as also John Donaldson acknowledges that he has in his hands the last years entries and contributions for which he is to be acomptable. "The former commission of five for entrants continued. "The pairties fined last St. John's Day for the ilegal entrie, who were to have payed their fines this day, and presented the person and his entry money, aledged that Torsonce took the power out of their hands, but that they were content to pay their respective fynes, which the preses and lodge having considered, they allow them next St. John's Day to end the whole matter. "Moved also that a new treasurer be elected, and thereupon the preses put in the roll John Claperton, John Sanderson, with the present treasurer, and accordingly John Sanderson was chosen by the plurality of voices. "Moved also that a former act ordaining absents to pay in a proportionall share of the reckoning besides their fynes shall continue for this year, agst the whole of the gentlemen except the Laird of Torwoodlie who sent with his excuse half-a-crown as his share yrof. "The sd day at Birkhall upon aplication made to a pairt of the lodge there present by William Clerk Mason, the preses with consent of the lodge ordained him to be fully instructed, and to pay in of entry money to the treasurer, ten shillings sterling. "Galashiels, Jany. 3d 1718. "Upon application made to five members of the lodge by Patrick Sanderson, servt to John Sanderson wright in Galashiels, the preses with consent of the other members present, ordain him to be intrusted and pay of entrie money half-acrown." MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. MASONIC UNION. There would be an easy way of effecting this if the Grand Conclave of K.T. and Supreme Council could be brought to consider the matter. The York rite of 1686 was-R.A., K.T., Holy Wisdom (being a Royal and orthodox constitution). Let the Supreme degrees-R.A., R.C., Kadish (wise, holy). There are Council require the Royal Arch, and rank these certain points of secrets common to K.T. and R.C., and H.W. and K.H. (this rite being Philosophical and Democratic, our French brethren asserting that one of the Kadosh's was founded by Cromwell).— JOHN YARKER. ROSICRUCIAN SOCIETY IN ANGLIA." Will any erudite brother kindly inform me what is the object of this association? Is is Masonic, or benevolent, or both, or neither, and does it not come within the scope of the law which we have lately heard is going to be enforced against the Rite of Memphis as an illegal secret society? My first idea was that it was a perfection of the spurious Order of Rome and Constantine, from seeing the same names prominent in both; but a brother gravely informed me that this society possessed all the secrets of the ancient Brotherhood of Christian Rosencrantz. I sincerely hope they do; but, like Miss Rosa Darle, "I only ask for information."-S.P.R.. ROBERT BURNS. Through the kindness of Bro. W. M. Bryce, of Edinburgh, an honorary member of 75 lodges in Scotland, I was shown the apron of the immortal poet of Ayrshire worn by him when in Dumfries. The flap is of the same piece as the apron itself, which is made of sheepskin. The flap is covered with silk, painted and gilt, but is so much decayed by time as not to present anything which can be deciphered. On the apron itself are represented many emblems of the Craft, evidently the work of some country painter. At the bottom we find the tessallated pavement, with the volume of the Sacred Law and the three columns and lights; above this is the square and compasses with the letter G in the centre, and on either side the sun and moon and stars. On each side of the apron is represented a column supporting a perfect arch and keystone; between the columns and the extreme edge are the working tools of the three degrees with the cross pens pendant. I fancy the arch and keystone support the evidence in favour of Robert Burns having been a Royal Arch Mason, as it is considered that in those days only Arch Masons had a right to this symbolism on their aprons.REITAM. TEMPLARS AND MASONRY. "A Masonic Student" (p. 330) says "there can be little doubt that the secreta riciptio among the Templars was taken from a Masonic pattern." There is so much doubt about it that there is not one tittle of evidence. We have no Masonic pattern so old as the time of the Templars, nor is there anything to show that Masonry alone had a secret reception. S.W. MASONRY IN HUNGARY. State assisted. The late Bro. Paget, of Vienna, was TRANSFORMATION OF OUR FREEMASONRY AT THE According to the German theory, the transformation of our Freemasonry at the end of the 17th century was effected; first, by the Rosicrucians; next, by the works of Lord Bacon; thirdly, the works of Peter Dupuy; fourthly, the works of John Amos Commenis; fifthly, the English Deists; sixthly, the blending of the non-operative with the operative Masonry, especially after the Earl of Pembroke was placed at the head of the Fraternity (1618); seventhly, the spirit of the age; and, lastly, the tendency of literature in general.-MASONIC JOTTINGS.-C.P.C. I notice with pleasure a communication from our old Masonic correspondent, Bro. Charles Purton Cooper, in the Freemasons' Magazine for last week. Its importance must be my excuse for troubling you to insert the following:-Will Bro. Cooper kindly procure a copy of the "correspondence between the Masonry in the Austrian Empire is making pro- Grand Lodges of England and Holland, from 1756 to gress. In Austria no lodges are allowed, but in 1757," lately published by Bro. Hertzvold? I have Hungary they are tolerated, and consequently a no facilities to procure such a pamphlet, and think regular Masonic system is springing up. The war- that probably Bro. Cooper's residence on the continent rants are from the Grand Lodge of Hamburgh, and will enable him to gratify me and many other of your the system followed is the German system.-NOTA. readers. Many Masonic students were much inIt is supposed that Freemasonry is not practised interested when one portion was published in these Austria. Such, however, is not the fact; as, within my own personal notice, lodge meetings have been held for several years past in Vienna (and probably elsewhere in Austria), and it is prettv generally believed that at least two of the Archdakes are not only Masons, but zealous members of the Order. Some six to eight years ago Masonic meetings were held in the Archduke Charles Hotel and also in another hotel in Vienna, at which several dignitaries of the pages some months ago, and, like myself, have since regretted not having certified copies from the originals. WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN. BRO. BUCHAN AND OTHERS. It appears useless to argue with Bro. Buchan. Having once availed himself of Professor Cosmo Innes' knowledge, to impugn the veracity of an old charter, Bro. Buchan has ever since written as if his Let mere word was sufficient to settle everything. your readers mark the arrogance with which Bro. Buchan deals with speculative Masonry before 1717. He says:-I am quite sure it was not the speculative Masonry or Freemasonry we now practise." A writer who is "quite sure on such a matter ought to be able to prove his position; but Bro. Buchan has given no proofs whatever, and yet would have rational readers accept his opinions simply because he is quite sure. Hitherto Bro. Buchan has done nothing to constitute himself an authority, if we except his having made himself the mouthpiece of Professor Innes, and no one is likely to be convinced that Bro. B. is right because he is "quite sure." Another illustration of Bro. B.'s summary mode of settling everything is furnished by his remarks on the question of "Tradesmen in Lodges." In answer to a brother who had thrown considerable light on the difficulties attending the formation of lodges in the 18th century Bro. B. writes,-"The remarks of Bro. J.A.H. are not to the purpose.,' To me and other readers of the Magazine the said remarks appeared very much "to the purpose;" and to answer facts by mere dogmatic assertions is puerile and childish. I think, before Bro. Buchan can aspire to be a Masonic authority, he must give us rather less of the personal pronoun.-J.B. BRO. J.A.H. AND FRENCH MASONRY. The following is extracted from Le Monde Maconnique, October, 1869: "We have several times presented to our readers Bro. J. A. Horner as one of the most enlightened writers of the English Masonic press. This brother has published, in the Freemasons' Magazine, some very interesting reports upon the present state of Freemasonry in most of the states of Europe. He is a K.H. of the Conseil des Gauls of the Grand Orient. Bro. H. has given a most favourable and fraternal account of the working of the French lodges which he has visited, especially those of Paris, where he received a most cordial reception. Bro. Horner is, in some degree, our guarantee of friendship with our English brethren, and he filled this office at the 100th anniversary of the Partick Lodge, near Glasgow, at which he assisted, and replied to the toast of the Grand Orient of France. The W.M. of the lodge had mistaken our sympathetic brother for a Frenchman, and told him that he was particularly happy to propose this toast, the lodge having rarely had the good fortune to receive a French brother. It is needless to add that Bro. Horner worthily acquitted himself of the honour which devolved upon him on this occasion." 3. The Masons working on a minster, or church, had no means of concealing Knights Templar. The Templars had better have taken shelter among woodcutters, miners, or with Robin Hood's outlaws in Sherwood. 4. The Masons had St. John for their patron, but this did not connect them with Templars or Knights of St. John, but did bring them in contact with the secular and regular clergy for the celebration of the festival of their Patron Saint. 5. The medieval Masons were devout Catholics and eschewed heretics, and there is no more reason for supposing they would have countenanced the discarded Templars than they would have countenanced Jews. Toleration and universality are new doctrines of Freemasonry. While there is no historical evidence to support the notion of any connexion between the Templars and Freemasonry or Masons, there is negative evidence against. There is also the fact that the chivalrous orders arose in a cloud in the early part of the last century. When this kind of knighthood begun, it may have taken its origin from the members being called Knights of St. John, as the Masonry was of St. John, and then these transpositions of Knights of St. John, of Malta, and the Temple. One thing may be held assured, that no Knights Templar gave their succession to working Masons any more than to shoemakers. This was contrary to the laws of knighthood in that latter day. How was a working Mason to be made first an esquire and then a knight, unless he had performed feats of arms, which were an equivalent ? If the Masons had been connected with the Templars they would have been persecuted likewise.HISTORICUS. CORRESPONDENCE. The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY AND THE 1717 DATE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR, Dear Sir and Brother,-In reference to the above subject, I have received the following letter from my highly esteemed and respected Bro. W. J. Hughan; it is dated October 16th, and he goes on to say: "I write at once after reading the Magazine of to-day, to say I think the correspondence of late respecting the antiquity of Freemasonry has been more on verbal grounds than aught else, as I cannot think you deny the existence of any speculative Freemasonry before 1717, but only that there was no Masonry of the character of the Freemasonry of the 18th century, before then, consisting of Grand Masters, Grand and Provincial Grand Lodges, and three distinct and separate degrees, kept wholly apart from each other, and conferred on special grounds apart from operative Masonry. You know, of course, that gentlemen were admitted many years before the institution of the first Grand Lodge, who were therefore speculative Masons, i.e., non-operative. You have evidently wished it to be understood that by "specu lative Masonry," you mean really, Masonry such as we know to have been practised since the Revival of 1717; and certainly, in that sense, I contend the operative Masonry of former years is vastly different, although not so much as to prevent our seeing sufficient points of resemblance to prove one was the forerunner of the other." I received Bro. Hughan's permission to publish the above, and I shall now comment upon it. He admits that "there was no Masonry of the character of the Freemasonry of the 18th century" before 1717; so far, therefore, Bro. Hughan has not thrown over the 1717 date, as some at pages 308 and 309 would fain imagine; further, Bro. Hughan still asserts that our "three degrees" did not exist before then. With Bro. Hughan I, of course, admit that gentlemen were admitted" before 1717; but I do not admit that they thereby became "speculative Masons" in any such sense as we now understand the term; for, before 1717, they neither received the doctrines nor degrees we now promulgate and practise; they were simply gentlemen members having a sort of honorary connexion with an operative society. Again, when non-operatives joined a Masonic friendly society, that was not for the purpose of becoming speculative Masons, so far as our degrees, &c., were concerned, for said degrees were not in existence before 1717. They had a word or countersign (as a soldier has) and a bit of "apron-washing," but that was merely something similar to the practices of other trades. Consequently, a gentleman joining the Masons' Society before 1717 became no more a "speculative Mason" thereby than his joining the old operative weavers' or cordiners' societies would haxe made him a speculative weaver or a speculative cordiner. In short, the objects and ideas of the Ma sonic members before 1717 were different from what they became after that date. Of course I admit that operative Masonry was "the forerunner of speculative Masonry; but I object to the former being called the father of the latter, for I assert that speculative Masonry was grafted on to operative Masonry. It was not operative Masonry that gradually developed itself into speculative Freemasonry-no! It was the doctrines and ideas stirred up by the Reformation which Desaguliers & Co. took hold of and made into speculative Freemasonry that constituted our present system and gave it its grand ideas; to pass these ideas into active circulation they made use of operative Masonry, herce the great change about A.D. 1717, which was not a development of, but a grafting on. It has been the not perceiving this "point" that has led to so many absurd notions regarding Freemasonry and its supposed antiquity, &c., and which enabled so many mushroom legends to spring up and spread abroad. From the above remarks it may perhaps be seen that it will take a stronger wind than any we have yet felt to uproot the 1717 date; possibly, as the wind does to a good tree sometimes, the shaking will only cause it to take deeper root. Yours fraternally, W. P. BUCHAN. THE FIRST GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR, written of late tending to undermine the faith of Dear Sir and Brother,-As so much has been the fraternity in the antiquity of our traditionary Order, a transcript of the following extract from one' of our standard works may tend to quiet the minds of those who are unsettled on the subject: "King Edward died in 924, and was succeeded by Athelstane, his son, who appointed his brother Edwin Patron of the Masons. This Prince procured a charter from Athelstane, empowering them to meet annually at York, where the first Grand Lodge of England was formed in 962, at which Edwin presided as Grand Master. Here many old writings from which the Constitutions of the English lodges were produced in Greek, Latin, and other languages, are derived."-Vide Dr. Oliver's Preston's "Illustrations of Masonry," 17th edition, p. 118. Yours fraternally, JESSE BANNING. AUXILIARY LODGES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR. Dear Sir and Brother,-A question has been raised whether an auxiliary lodge can be held under the initiating, passing, and raising candidates, the object same roof of a Masonic Hall for the purpose of being simply to aid the presiding W.M. to get through the evening without postponing any of the candidates to another day. To present the question in a somewhat clearer form, I may observe that there are three initiations, three passings, and three raisings to be completed, and, with a view of concluding all the business of the evening, the W.M. of the lodge proposes to take the three raisings with the assistance of his regular officers, and to depute P.M. of the lodge with a staff of officers to initiate and pass the others in another room in the hall, which is in every particular suitable for the ceremonies, he having the proper tracing-boards and working tools appropriate to the two degrees. It is contended that this would not be incorrect, as the whole business would be done under the same roof and within the same walls of the building dedicated solely for Masonic purposes. The proposed course is assimilated to a Court of Quarter Sessions, when the chairman sometimes requests some of his brother magistrates to open a second or even third court for the further and more speedy dispatch of business. The object will be at once apparent; the whole business will be accomplished in one night without putting so severe a strain on the physical and mental energies of the W.M. and his officers, in addition to which the lodge would be closed at a reasonable hour, thereby enabling the brethren to return to their respective homes at a very much earlier hour. I shall be glad if any of your correspondents will give me their views upon this important question, and further to say if they remember any similar event taking place, and, if so, when and where. Yours fraternally, B. |