The Templars And Freemasonry.

lt was cosmopolite- The Democratic branch might have many heads , and was , ere long , carried by Freemasons to England and Ireland , and ultimately found its way to North . America ; but it seems never to have been much fostered except in these

countries . " Again , at chap , ii ., p . 32 , we read : — " There is but one Chapter-general and one Grand Master for the whole world ; and from tlie Order laving been suppressed in 1309 in all countries , except Scotland , it shall always be held in that

Langue . " These are very positive statements , and constitute grave and extensive claims ; they ill ¦ consort with the equally positive assertions of Morison , and seem to require that the search for evidence should not sleep . There seems to be no

¦ doubt that at the commencement of this century the Masonic Templars of Scotland were meeting under Irish warrants , and that in 1811 these warrants were abandoned in favour of a charter , dated the 19 th of June in that year , and granted by the Duke of Kent as chief of the Masonic Templars In England .

It appears to me that such searches in the English records , as I have before suggested , are of the highest importance . It would be most desirable that similar searches should be made in Scotland , and that the results of these

investigations should be preserved in print . I have thought it my duty to place these few facts , dates , and . doubts before your readers , in the hope that some of the first may receive additions , some of the last be solved , and that the united power of your many Intelligent correspondents may dissipate the mystery which now surrounds the Masonic Templars .

The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

THE LODGE OF GLASGOW ST . JOHN .

By Bro . W . P . BUCHAN , Past . S . W . No . 3 bis , Grand Steward , Grand Lodge of Scotland . ( No 7 , Continued from Page So ) In 2 nd Feby 1858 . " Bro . Cruickshank read

a letter from Bro . Ramage of Edinburgh on the subject of a claim made on behalf of the Aberdeen Lodge , No . 34 to be put No . 3 on the Roll of the ¦ Grand Lodge of Scotland , having held that No . in 1741 , but which claim was rejected . "

Where status is given on account of antiquity of operative lodges , the old lodge of Aberdeen has . good reason to claim No 4 at the least . 9 th Feby . 1858 . " Convened the R . W . M . —

The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

Bro . D . Campbell acting—the Wardens and a number of the brethren" & c . A brother was passed and raised . 13 th April 1858 . " Brother Goold moved that the Bellow Craft Mark and Chairingon , the

Master Degree , be given to all brethren of this lodge who desire it , Brother Ramsay seconded the motion which , was unanimously agreed to . Brother Goold proposed and Bro . Craig seconded that a meeting be held on Tuesday the 20 th inst .

to carry out the object of Bro . Goold ' s motion . " " Brother Goold proposed that the brethren who occupy any of the offices in the absence of the officials , their names be mentioned or recorded in tho minutes * Bro . Bamsay made an

amendment , that the minutes be closed as formerly , which was carried by acclamation . On 20 tb . April 1858 . Bro . Winton , Dep . M . in the chair , inter alia " The lodge Avas then raised to the degree of Master Mason , and the following brethren were chaired in Master Degree ,

vizt .: Bros . Gavin Pai-k , John Goold" and 4 others . This minute gave rise to a strong contest with the Prov . G . Lodge , Avho wished it expunged , and the lodge declared to be in the wrong for doino ; so , however the St . John's resisted the

P . G . L . and the case went before Grand Lodge , which held St . John ' s to be duly warranted in doing as it had done . In its ( St . John's ) petition to Grand Lodge , amongst other "blarney" we find the following which would possibly help to

produce the effect intended . " Secuudo . The Grand Lodge of Scotland recognised the Mark Ritual in connection with the Fellow Crafts in the laAvs passed at Holyrood House dated 28 th Deer . 1593 , and no law has been since promulgated

altering the system of Masonry , which has eA ^ er been held to be complete in the three degrees of Apprentice , Fellowcraft and Master " & c . As the Grand Lodge of Scotland did not exist till 1736 , nor our "three degrees" and rituals till after 1716 , I shall leave it to some better sophist