From A Lodge Of The Saints John.

those of Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , denominated Saint ¦ John ' s Masonry , " ancl Bro . Dr . Oliver says that the following occurs in the obligation used iu the fourteenth century : " that you will always keep , guard and conceal , and from this time you never will reveal either to M . M ., F . C ., or Apprentice of Saint John ' s Orderwhat our grand intent is . "

, An instance of this early connection of Saint John the Baptist with the Operative Craft is found on the walls of the old Melrose Abbey , built in 1136-46 , where is found engraved the following invocation : * I : pray : to : God : and : Mary : baith And : sweet : St . : John : keep : this : holy : kirk : fra : skaith :

It will have been observed that John the Evangelist was not honored as one of the patron saints by the early Masons ; the expression everywhere used was a Lodge of the Holy Saint John , and not Saints John . The celebrated Cliarter of Cologne , whether genuine or not , gives some information upon this subject . f It commences : " We , the elect Masters of the Venerable Society sacred to Johnor of the Social Order of Freemasons" ancl in the

, , body of the document occur such phrases as : " Brethren belonging to this Order of Freemasons , or of John ; " " the Society of Freemasons , or order of brethren attached to the solemnities of St . John ; " " the Masters of this community are called brethren dedicated to John , following the example and in imitation of John the Baptist ; " " it is by no means clear that this association of brethren prior to the 1440 were known by any' other

year denomination than that of brethren of John ; " " we celebrate , annually , the memory of St . John , the Forerunner of Christ , and patron of our community . " If this document be genuine , we have evidence of the Masonic practice in this respect early in the sixteenth century .

The revival of 1717 was effected on St . John the Baptist ' s Day , | and it was not for ten years thereafter that the Evangelist ' s Day was celebrated by the Grand Lodge . Many documentary evidences can be produced to show that it was long after the sixteenth century before the Craft made the dual dedication , and many instances can be cited to demonstrate that the dual celebration occurred previous to the Revival of 1717—evincing that transition

which is so difficult a problem for Masonic students to solve . No intelligent Mason believes that we honor the Saints John because they were eminent Freemasons , duly initiated , passed and raised ; we honor them as types of Masonic virtues , as parallels of Masonic rectitude , as examplars of Masonic conduct ; and while they are imitated as specimens of Masonic manhood , it is indeed impossible that we shall materially err .

The Freemasons of Northern Germany observe a beautiful custom on the festival of the Baptist , which might well be imitated by their brethren of other lands . On this day they wear three roses—a white , a pink and a dark red—tied together with a sky blue ribbon . The symbolism expressed is—¦ innocence by the white , purity of heart by the pink , remembrance of death by the dark red , and constancy and faithfulness by the blue ribbon . With bunches of these flowers the graves of deceased members are decorated , thereby demonstrating , in a substantial manner , how Masons love one another .