MASONIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 772, 17 December 1886, Page 6

MASONIC.

Having re-opened the Masonic column in the Mail, under the supervision of a Master in the Graft, we shall he glad to receive from Secretaries of Lodges, and brethren generally, short reports of Lodge meetings and _ Masonic events of all kinds likely to be of interest to members of the craft. All correspondence for this column to be addressed to the Masonic Editor, Nevt Zealand Mail.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. F.M.—Your suggestion is a very good one. We are afraid, however, that it would not work in this Colony.

Greytown.—You will get the information in Vol. IX of the Liberal Freemason, page 303. , , L.V.N.—The Egyptians embalmed the dead in order to ensure their eternal existence. Part of their religious belief was that, as a reward of a well spent and virtuous life, their bodies, after death, should exist and remain for ever undecayed in the tomb. Winchester. —The year is 1843. G.M.M. —It represents the keystone of an arch.

FAVORS RECEIVED. London Freemason, Sydney Freemason, and Victorian Masonic Review.

LEINSTER LODGE.

The regular monthly meeting of this Lodge took place on Wednesday, Bth instant, and there was a good attendance of members and visiting brethren. Bro. Mason was passed to the Second Degree, the Ritual being impressively rendered by Bro. J. W. Ellison, the W.M. Hearty good wishes having been tendered by the visitors, an adjournment of the Lodge took place at 10 p.m. THE MASONS OF PERU. The Masons of Pern have been forced into a defensive, as it were, aggression upon their avowed enemies, the Jesuits of South America, and consequently the Revi.-ta Masoniea, organ of Symbolic Masonry in Peru, an able and handsomely printed magazine, published gratuitously in Lima, is illuminating the popular mind of that republic by reproducing original documents, emanating from the Vatican, in antagonism to the black-coated militia of Loyola, ineluding the bull of Pope Clement XIV. issued for their extinction in 1773. To unveil the true nature of the Society, which, curiously enough, has been founded upon a similitude to that of the Saracenic Bein-ab. Hassan, with its patriarchal chief, by the Europeans erroneously interpreted ‘ The Old Man of the Mountain.’ the Revista is likewise publishing the Jesuits’ Secret Institutes, most edifying for even true believers, unconscious of Loyclaistic ways and means. Of course, the weak-minded and still weaker kneed of the Fraternity in this region may be tempted to regard any assault upon Jesuitism as being an interference with religion, but these liberalists in no wise comprehend the temper of the present generation of the Latin race in countries of their -nativity, literally priest-ridden until within a few years past, when a series of fortunate accidents afforded opportunity for theoverthrow of a bigoted Church party. Upon Masonry the people of South America have placed their hopes for intellectual emancipation, and with them the Blazing Star shines as much of a guiding light as it did for the pilgrim Magi. FREEMASONRY AS A SCIENCE. As the student of cur Order delves deeper into the mines, and toils harder in the quarries, he soon becomes convinced that he is only upon the threshold of the Order, and that to fully comprehend it, there is something more to do thaD taking and giving degrees, and learning with exactness many rituals. He learns that Freemasonry is a science, at once progressive and liberal. It is this broad, catholic spirit that has made our Order of the present day such a power in every civilised land. It is the hand-maid of science and philosophy, and twin sister of religion in her purest and noblest form. How important, then, it is that brethren should not only teach their younger brethren, but comprehend themselves the nature and character of our institution. HISTORICAL. York Rite Masonry, the most ancient, simple and scientific, derives its name from the city of York, in the north of England, where in 926 the First Grand Lodge of England was organised by Prince Edwin, the brother of King Athelstane, of whom he purchased a free charter for the masons. Prince Edwin summoned all the Masons in the realm to meet him in congregation at York, who came and composed a general lodge, of which he was grand master, and brought with them all the writings and records extant, some in Greek, some in Latin, French and other languages, from the contents of which that assembly framed the constitution and charges of an English lodge, and made a law to preserve and observe the same in all time coming. This rite originally consisted of the three primitive degrees, entered apprentice, fellovvcraft and master mason, under the title of Ancient Craft Masonry. To the above in modern times have been added four other degrees, viz : Mark master, past master, most excellent master and the royal arch. GEORGE. WASHINGTON. In the Masonic Record we find the following interesting particulars about this distinguished statesman : «George Washington’s initiation into Masonry was during his minority, and was had under authority of the Grand Lodge of

Scotland, -which admits minors of 18 to its mysteries. He was made a Fellow Craft March 3, and a Master Mason August 4, 1753. While Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge he received the Royal Arch Degrees, according to the custom of those days, as a compliment to the Master. General Washington never forgot Masonry when a soldier. He encouraged and visited camp Lodges and participated in their labor, frequently officiating as Master. It was at the old Freeman’s Ta\ern, on the green of Morristown, N. J., in 1777, that General Washington himself made General Lafayette a Freemason.’

MASONRY IN SOUTH AFRICA. A movement commenced in 1881 has proved to be un fait accompli in the constitution of a District Grand Lodge, English Constitution, for Natal, Free State, Griqualand West, and Transvaal in South Africa. There are few towns where Masonry flourishes as healthfully as it does in Cape Town. Masonic buildings in that section compare well with some of the handsome structures in other countries. The Grand Lodge has instituted a Masonic Board of Education, which is in its fourth year, and out of a treasury of £4OO spent £2OO for education.

LOST SECRETS. A part of the secrets of the Freemasons of the Middle Ages seems to have been lost. The secrets of a Mediaeval Lodge consisted of a thorough and profound knowledge of the rudiments of those arts and sciences by a successful combination of which superb edifices were erected to the honor of the living God. These principles were preserved in symbolic form, as no written drafts were allowed, and were composed principally of geometrical elements, for instance, of the right angle, triangle, quadrangle, pentagon, sexagon, octagon and circle.