Correspondence.

Bro . Haye asks me to afford your readers the satisfaction of knowing my name , my Masonic attainments , and my work in connection with the Craft . As I have no particular desire to advertise myself as the poet laureate of a lodge , or the author of " Vara Queer , " let it suffice that I am pretty well known in

the Craft , that I have written for the Freemasons ' Magazine and other Masonic publications for some years , and that I have taken some of the higher degrees . I think I may add that I trust I am as much respected in my own neighbourhood as the P . M . of St . Stephen ' s . Further than thisI have

, not been blackballed for the Royal Order of Scotland , nor refused admission to the Rose Croix degree , nor did I get up a spurious IS and 30 ° , and initiate brethren at £ 1 a head .

With reference to Bro . Haye's repeated statement that all the Knights Templar entered the Society of the Hospital on the abolition of their Order , I merely quote the following paragraph from " Secret Societies of the Middle Ages , " a decidedly non-Masonic work : " On the suppression of the Order a great number

were received into the Order of St . John , on the same footing as they had stood on in their own Order , a strong proof that the guilt of the Order of tho Templars was not by any means regarded as proved . Gradually , as the members died off or merged into other Orders , the name of the Templars fell into

oblivion , or was only recollected with pity for their unmerited fate . " Probably , however , Bro . Haye considers himself a better authority on the subject than the author of " Secret Societies )' Bro . Haye requires me to give an instance of a Templar being in existence as such in England or

elswhere after the publication of Pope John ' s Bull in 1319 . My answer is , that some were found at Storlitz , in Prussia , after that date . Bro . Haye ridicules the higher degrees , and yet is careful to dub himself KM . K . Cal . ( whatever that may be ) , Knight Templar , Scotland , & c . ; and if this he not vanit

y , at least it is inconsistent . Purton Cooper , Hyde Clarke , Donald Campbell , Murray Lyon , or Hyde Pullen are names which would give importance to any communication addressed to the readers of the Freemasons' Magazine , but I am afraid the name of Oneal Haye does ' not carry with it that weight which its owner desires—I cannot say deserves . Yours fraternally , , P . S . I enclose my card . > j < 1 S ° .

EREEMASONRY CONSIDERED . TO THE EDITOR OF TnE FREEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND 1 TASOSTC MIHEOK . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —I owe Bro . Haye an apology , I cannot prove that he is the ' self-constltuted President General of the Masonic Literary Union . The very generally received opinion amongst those who know

him best is , I admit , no proof , as Bro . Haye ' s knowledge of the law will tell him , and I am glad to learn that it was greatly against his wishes that Le took the office . Will Bro . Bairnsfather , the Secretary General of the M . L . U ., kindly inform us how months he has been

many a Mason . « -rT ' ¦ Haye is hypercritical , and objects to the Encyclopaedia Metropolitans " for speaking of the Provincial Grand Master 'of Auvergne , and demurs to the titles of Grand Commander or Commander . My answer is , that much confusion existed at the

i time of the suppression of the Order with regard to titles ; that I am perfectly well aware that Grand Prior or Preceptor Avere those most in use , but I gather from my small reading on the subject , that Great Priors , Great Preceptors , or Provincial Masters , were synonymous terms . Under the Provincial

Masters were Priors , Bailiffs , or Masters , and under these Preceptors . De Molay , in urging his objections to the union of the Templars and Hospitallers , admitted that one good result would probably follow , inasmuch as many Commanders might he suppressedand some saving

, affected thereby . Bro . Haye proves nothing except that the writer of the article in the "Ency . Metro . " may have erroneously spoken of the Grand Prior of Auvergne , as Grand Master . Granted , for the sake of argument , that the story quoted cannot be substantiated , does Bro . Have think that the modern

Knight Templars claim no other descent from the Order which Clement illegally , and iu secret council , abolished , than that through the Knights of St . John ? Is he aware that the Encampment of Baldwin , which was established at Bristol by the Templars who returned with Richard I . from Palestine , still

continues to hold its regular meetings , and is believed to have preserved the ancient costume and ceremonies of the Order ? This encampment , with another at Bath , and a third at York , constituted the three original encampments of England . Prom these have emanated the existing encampments in the British Islands , and in the United States , so that the Order as it now exists in Britain and America , is a lineal descendant of the ancient Order .

So much for the absolute connection betv ' een the Knights Templars and Knights Hospitallers , and the absurdity of calling them two degrees . Iu France , likewise , the Order has descended to the present day , independent of the Knights of St . John . If Bro . Haye will condescend to read " Mills ' s History of

Chivalry , " he will there learn that Jaqnes de Molay , iu the year 131-1 , in anticipation of his speedy martyrdom , appointed Johannes Marcus Lormemus to be his successor in his dignity . This appointment was made by a regular well authenticated charier bearing the signatures of the chiefs of the Orderand it is

, still preserved at Paris , together with the statutes , archives , banners , & c , of the soldiery of the Temple . There has been an unbroken succession of Grand Masters down to the present time , amongst whom are to be found some of tho most illustrious names in Erance . Bertrand de Gueschin was Graud Master

in 1357 ; Henry de Montmorency in 157-1 ; Philip , Duke of Orleans , in 1703 ; Louis Henry Bourbon in 1737 ; Sir Sidney Smith in 1 S 38 . Signer . Rosetti , an authority of whom Bro . Haye appears to be ignorant , also strongly asserts that the Knihts Templar were a branch of the Freemasons

g , without any reference to the Knights of Malta . Why Bro . Haye attacks tho Templars I am at a loss to know , unless it is that he has failed to get admission to the 30 ° . He says he could teach me more of the Knight K . II . than I am ever likely to know . I am afraid his teaching will hardlbe appreciated

y either by myself or any other candidate for the ineffable degrees . My learned brother characteristically concludes his letter by saying that my productions , together with