Masonic Notes And Queries.

turiesuponceuturiesbefore guilds were what they were . The quotations sent us we have printed before . There is nothing hut the most superficial skimming in the address you point out . It is neither the work of an earnest inquirer nor an honest one . Party-spirit , party-feeling , and a suppressio viri are its chief distinctions . ]

THE TEMriiATl ' S A 3 ? R 0 N DOOMED . A Sir Knt ., most exultingly , said to me the other day , " The apron is doomed , Ave wont have it , and that ' s enough . The Grand Master must give in . " What is it doomed for , and who are the judges that have pronounced sentence ?—A K . T . —[ AVe have

heard the same , almost verbatim , but don't believe it any the more . The criminals , not judges , that have decided against it are out of court by their own wrong-doing . They did not wait to known if they might abolish it , but did so , and then came aud asked that they might be permitted to continue to infringe

the law . Discipline and order require a full and entire submission fh-st—a laying by of the objectionable garments and an appearance in statutable costumebefore the subject can be discussed . There can he no treating with rebels , headed by a Templar milliner , until they return to their duty . Don't be alarmed ,

they are not the only Templars under the G-raud Master , who is much too wise and politic to place himself in a false position , either for an apron or a white chemise . ]

THE BLACK ROSE . What is meant to be conveyed by the symbol of the black rose used in the eighteenth degree , and from whence does it originate ?—II . * 5 < . PHILOSOPHICAL DEGREES . Which are popularly called the philosophical

degrees?—J . WILSON . MASONIC DEGEEES . How many Masonic , or reputed , Masonic degrees are there ?—ENUMERATOR . —[ It is impossible to say with precision . We know—i . e ., we have the names of—fourteen hundred . ]

" ' S SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE rs . " Here's a scrap which may induce some of us to look at ourselves from a stranger ' s point of view . It is headed"MASONRT IN LONDON . —A member of Charter Oak Lodge in this city , writing from Londonto the

, editor of the lYeiv JTorJc Dispatch , says : ' As an American Masou , I expected to see something extra in visiting English lodges , hut I confess I was rather disappointed . I have visited several here , but , so far , I have not seen one that can commence to work like " Kane" or my own " Charter Oak . " English

, lodges usually meet at four o ' clock p . m ., and at six or half-past . They always " call off" to the "banquet , " which costs each member , on an average , 1 clol . 50 c . each communication . For my part , I don ' t believe in spending money thus uselessly . Yery few lodges meet more than half a dozen times in the course of

the year . In addition to the regular lodges , there are a number of what are called " Lodges of Instruction , " which generally meet once a-week at some tavern or brother ' s house . The Avork is gone through

with fhe same as m a regular lodge , though , as it is an informal meetiug , any one can talk or smoke his cigar , or do anything else he pleases . I am sure Bro . John W . Simons would not allow any such proceedings in New York . ' To which we remark , in the language of the immortal Leatherstocking , ' The Great Prophet of the Delawares never spoke a truer word . ' " Ex . Ex .

THE LATOMIA SOCIETY . Several queries have been made , at various times , as to the orig in and purport of the Latomia Society . The following extract will , perhaps , he acceptable to those interested in the subject : — " Almost every day furnishes inquiries as to its existence , locality , and objects . That the demand for 'light'may be

abundantly supplied , and other lodges follow this noble example , we give a brief history of the association . Members of the fraternity will always find a hearty welcome at the regular meetings of the society ; and we shall be pleased to hear of the organisation of similar societies throughout the country . The '

Latomia , ' or Masonic Historical Society of Atlantic Lodge , No . 178 , was founded by a few members of that lodge in October , 1858 , for the purpose of encouraging and promoting the study of Freemasonry , by a free discussion and investigation of its origin , history , and principles , and by the collection of a

Masonic library . The experiment proved successful , and the society now numbers some thirty members . Its meetings are held at the rooms of Atlantic Lodge on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month , and members of other lodges are admitted as visitors . A library has been commenced , and already contains

some rare and valuable works , manuscripts , & c . The society is established on the basis of the Masonic Historical Societies of Germany , which have been in existence for more than fifty years , and to whom is mainly owing that true appreciation and practice of genuine Masom-y which is now being manifested throughout Germany . " —Ex . Ex .

" TAUGHT TO BE CAUTIOUS . " An incorrigible joker , on his way to represent his lodge in Grand Lodge , in eccentric mood feigned deafness as he stepped into the stage , aud great was the sport experienced thereby . At almost every town a neAv batch of passengers would be taken up , whom

the driver would notify that the old gentleman was " deefer nor a post . " The result was that they talked of the most confidential matters , as though none but themselves were present . A pair of lovers , a little on the other side of matrimony , gave him great amusementespecially when the female partner

blush-, ingly intimated , " 't would be necessary to borrow mammy ' s cradle at first ! " A group of boardingschool girls yielded a crowd of tender confidences . But at last there entered a couple of delegates , bound , like himself , to Grand Lodge , and one of them , regardless of the presence of the deaf old gentleman , asked

the other to take advantage of the time and give him some lectures . To this the elder made this striking reply . "I wouldn't utter the secrets of Masonry before him , if he were deaf , dumb , bliud , and drunk I wouldn't lecture on the secrets of Masonry , in the presence of a corpse , though hermetically sealed in au air-tight coffin ' . "—Rob . Moris ' s Freemasons ' Almanack . ^ A