Masonic Notes And Queries.

FREEMASONS * BALLS . Cardinal Cullen has again distinguished himself by an onslaught upon our balls . In 1 SG 3 he broke forth against such of the Romish faithful who should presume to attend such in a manner not unworthy of the Cardinal Archbishop in " The Jackdaw of Rheims : "—

" He cursed him at board , he cursed him in heel ; From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head . He cursed him in sleeping , that every night He should dream of the devil , ancl wake in a fright ; He cursed him in eating , he cursed him in drinking , He cursed him in coughing , in sneezing , in winking ;

He cursed him in sitting , in standing , in lying ; He cursed him in Avalking , in riding , in flying ; He cursed him in living , he cursed him in dying ! . Never was heard such a terrible curse ! But what gave rise to no little surprise , Nobody seemed one penny the worse ! "

This is the 19 th Century , the age when Reason has taken the place of gross Superstition . Yet here we have a man , who , from his position in the Church , we presume has some little education , holding himself up , in nonsensical tirade , to the laughter of the enemies of the Papacy , and the scandal of Rome .

What can there be in a Masonic Ball so fearfull y destructive to the morals of Roman Catholics ? Why does Father Paul not forbid his faithful children to forego dealings with Freemasons ? Surely , if a hall is bad , commercial dealings must be worse . While we pity the senile ravings of the Vaticanas the

vitu-, peration of a poor old silly man , contempt is all Ave have for Paul , Cardinal Cullen ; for ignorance , falsehood , bigotry , and blasphemy only merit contempt . It is a notorious fact that no other Bishop has followed the insane conduct of Cardinal Cullen , and that many condemn it . —A . 0 . HATE .

MASONS' MARKS . It is generally understood that these were the marks denoting the labour of individuals when working under bondage . At 'W olomolloo , near Sydney , is a A'ery extensive building , and on almost every stone can he seen Masons' marks : some are monogramsbut

, generally they are hieroglyphics , such as AnclreAvs ' cross , the Roman cross , the square , the triangle , double triangle , & c . The antiquarians of Sydney ( for there are antiquarians even there ) are sadly puzzled to account for these marks . Some -10 odd years backwhen residing at the MauritiusI visited

, , Sydney , and there actually saw the Avorkmen at Avork , and marking the stones as described . They certainly were under bondage , and had regular task work , and each Mason when he had dressed or squared a certain number of stones , had the surplus time for his own benefit . All were mark ' s men . There were

very feAV of the children of Israel among the number , for in those ancient times the Jews had little inclinato manual labour . The greater number were children of Erin , of the Emerald Isle . —HEXRY SAXELBT .

MASONIC MEMORABILIA . ¦ W . P . B . says ( p . 2 G 9 ) , — "Yaluable manuscripts burnt hy c ;« scrupulons brethren , 1720 . " Is he aware that a burning is being prepared at Freemasons' Hall of old MSS ., there called " rubbish , " which mi ght give good results to investigators . —K . S .

HERALDIC BADGES . When I used the word " cavillists , " T used it in a strictly " Pickwickian " sense . " Lupus , " who is a celebrated antiquarian ancl herald , besides being one of our best read Craftsmen , is one to whom , in strict languagesuch a term cannot apply . I may state

, , however , that he and I are , Avhile agreeing or differing , arguing from different epochs of history . The shield of the original Hospitallerr was a white cross on a black ground , but upon the suppression of the Templars , they assumed the red cross . I think Addison , in his " Temple Church , " states this to he

tlie case . I have not the work by me at present to verify . A blue cross is Avorn by the Eoman Knights at present , and Bro . Mackersy , G-. S . E . Scotland , when in Rome , saw several so decorated . Everything changes , decorations as Avell as manners , and Avhile the crosses of the officers of the present Knights of

Malta are white , subordinate crosses are blue . But Bro . Mackersy doubtless can supply " Lupus '' with information on this point . I may add that on the question of Heraldic Badges I am shaky , not having given the subject much attention , and in writing my first note , it was more with the intention of obtaining information than imparting it . —A . 0 . HAYE .

MASONIC PERSECUTION" . Freemasonry is considered by many to he a mysterious science , therefore any writing anent it should be in a mysterious manner , Avhieh I suppose is the reason why a commonplace or simple individual , such as I am , can find so little definite in Bro . Crawford ' s letter at page 332 . At page 2 S 9 I asked him " to mention the date he refers to' '

when the " Romish Church bva \ Ached off from Freemasonry ? " but , so far as his letter is concerned , I am no wiser than ever . The idea of the " Rotnish Church branching off from Freemasonry ! " It would be a large " branch . " If they Avere ever connected , it would be more like it to say that Freemasonry branched oft * from the Church of Rome .

In the 13 th and former centuries the Church of Rome was in many respects a goodly tree ; but it got rotten at the core , and many of its branches dropped off , striking roots into the soil for themselves . Luther was a Roman branch , but he dropped off . However , he that as it may , there was no

Freemasonry , such as we now have it , previous to the Reformation ; in fact , Freemasonry ( which is a different thing from operative Masonry ) is a new institution of about the beginning of last century , which when it sprang up was condemned by Rome—not in "dread of its abuse of the mysteries" (?) but—for

the reasons I formerly stated at page 207 . As a proof of the UBAV existence of Freemasonry , AVC find that the Pope Clement XII ., A . D . 173 S , in his Bull , saying , " AVe have learned , and public rumour does not permit us to doubt the truth of tho report , that a certain Society 7 / as been formed under the name of

Freemasons into which persons of all religions and all sects are indiscriminately admitted , " & o . These words of Clement with other things , contain good evidence of the then neAvness of " Freemasonry . " The Roman Church had little to fear from the old operative freemason alias freeman-mason , per se ; but when Freemasonry , or speculative Masonry , as some call it , arose about a century ancl a half ago , Rome