Positivism And French Freemasonry.

log ic- and the ri ght meaning of words , but , in p lain speaking , such an attempt seems to point jo an obliquity of the " moral vision , " to an utter impossibility of discerning the difference ( , e tween truth and falsehood , right and wrong , what even men are accustomed to consider honest and fair dealing . It is , in our view , but a

" crowning , so to say , of those most intolerant proceedings , which have sought to change the old , reverent , and believing French Freemasonry , which drew its vital breath and happier impulses from the open and manly teaching of our

English Grand Lodge , into a hopeless Nihilism on the one hand , or rampant Positivism on the other , and to give to our great and goodly religious cosmopolitan Order the name and the character ofa childish philosophy , a political faction , of an unbelieving craze .

A Pious Fraud.

A PIOUS FRAUD .

We are indebted to our excellent contemporary for the following amusing tale of a " pious fraud " and some poor Masonic victims . Listen , kind friends , as Bro . J . P . McCalla so well puts it , as to how some of the Freemasons of Toledo

were sold : On Wednesday , the 14 th May , says the Toledo Bee , a gentleman of pleasing address , polished exterior , and captivating as a conversationalist , registered at the Bood y House , under the name C . C . Burt , hailing from Jackson ,

Michigan . With him was associated a gentleman who passed by the name of Streight . This was , we venture to presume , on the modern principle of a " strai ght tip . " But to our tale : Mr . Burt was assigned to room No . 137 . It was not long

until this gentleman of pleasing address ingratiated himself in the good graces of quite a number of the leading spirits of the Masonic fraternity , and to whom he produced what were deemed honest vouchers that he was empowered with

due and lawful authority to confer the Egyptian Masonic Rite of Memphis , or Ninety Degrees in Masonry ! His indorsement , as his papers pretended , came from no less a personage than V . L . Herbert ( sic ) , Grand Master ofthe United

States Kni ghts Templar , and others . The Ninety Degrees were to be imparted for the insignificant stipend of ten dollars , and all to be conferred in thirty minutes by the watch . Such a rare opportunity of obtaining so high a grade in

Masonrywas not ignored , or to be passed li ghtly by—and then , too , for the small sum of 11-19 cents a degree ! This was a big consideration in these times of monetary stringency . The thing was •talked up , and twenty-three of the brethren of

the mystic tie—some of whom have been honoured with the hi ghest positions in the Craft in the State ( says the Bee ) —agreed to be initiated in Ihe Sublime Ninety Degree Rite , and accordingly paid their ten dollars each , in solemn conclave in

room 137 of the Boody , where the obligation of the degree was solemnly administered ! In appending their signatures to the paper , they were required to acknowledge him , the said C . C . Burt , as Grand Master for life I The

money—230 dollars—was all paid , and the obligations taken , and what yet remained , and still remains , was the conferring of the degrees . The suave gentleman , with the blandest smile , fixed Monday as the day for conferring the degrees and

installing the officers , as he should be compelled ' 0 return to Jackson at once , on account of sickness in his family . He left the city last Saturday , and was to return on Monday without fail , "is family is probably very sick , for he has not

put m an appearance yet , and the " select twentywee" are still watching and waiting , with their Agrees unconferred andjtheir officers uninstalled . And now let us listen to the sequel , not , we "ncy , unexpected altogether bv our readers .

s " -ce the amiable gentleman ' s departure , circ . wstances have developed some strong suspic * ons that the twenty-three have been the vic'" •s of a stupendous sell . The name of the ^ rand Master of the United States K . T . is not

g - tj . Herbert . This , we believe , was told Mr . . H but he passed the matter over by saying '¦ " he was known as Vincent Lombard , the al tDe of his wife . Letters have been received s ° from several sources—among them from had an ' * nc-uana- anc- * -Illinois—saying that he •J P ' . ayed a similar game elsewhere , and warns '"ends against the swindle . A letter has

A Pious Fraud.

also been received from G . S . N . V , Herbert ( ? Vincent Lumbard Hurlbilrt , M . D ., Grand Master of Templars of U . S . ) , in which he denies that he ever endorsed Mr . Burt , or that he has had anything to do with the gentleman , denouncing him as an impostor . "Two for five or nine for a dollar , " will not soon be forgotten in the

Masonic circles of " The Future Great . " Is not this simple story a warning both against Masonic credulity , the readiness with which plausible impostors are received among us , and that craving for ineffable but worthless degrees , which are for the most part ineffable nonsense , which is leading so many worthy men and good Masons astray ?

Communique.

COMMUNIQUE .

The interment of Prince Louis Napoleon on Saturday last was a most touching scene , suggestive of many afflictive yet affecting memories . It was , indeed , both startling and yet subduing in the highest degree , to realize the almost astounding fact that English soldiers were

carrying the Prince Imperial to his grave , and that a descendant of Napoleon I . was mourned so deeply and truly by the entire English people , among all classes and conditions , from the highest to the lowest in the land . The presence of our Queen and the Royal Family was significative

and symbolical of the intense national grief for that gallant boy , who lost his life wearing our uniform and sharing the dangers and the hardships of the English army . It seems well to remind our readers that on the gold wreath deposited on the coffin , written in the Queen ' s own

hand , are : " Souvenir de vive affection , d ' estime , et de profonds regrets de la part de Victoria Reg . " The Princess of Wales wrote , " A token of affection and regard for him who lived the most spotless of lives and died a soldier ' s death fighting for our cause in Zululand . From Albeit

Edward and Alexandra , July " , 1879 . " Wo more sad and solemn scene has been witnessed in our land , amid its stoiied annals and stately episodes , than that which Saturday beheld at Chislshurst , when the late Prince Imperial , the head of the Napoleonic Family , was committed

to his honoured grave , amid the tears of thousands , amid the open grief of the Queen and the Royal Family , the unrestrained sorrow of loyal , and gallant , and faithful friends , and , above all , the heartfelt affection , sympathy , respect , and regrets of the entire English army , of which the

gallant portion on duty at Chislehurst was a true type and representative . In the pages of the Freemason it is almost impossible to dwell at length on events which , however striking or sad in themselves , belong more to the region of the political or the passing than to interests purely

Masonic , and we can only note this most sublime and moving episode , and record it in our truthful and tolerant columns , filled as we are with deep admiration for that soldier-death of the inheritor of a great name , and penetrated as we are with heartfelt sympathy for that gracious

lady who has borne adversity and sorrow with such a noble heart , and now has witnessed the greatest blow which can ever fall here below on a mother ' s pride , a mother ' s hope , and a mother ' s love . May T . G . A . O . T . U . sustain her in these sad hours with the benign strength of His Divine consolations .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

{ Wn do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in 1 spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

CAGLIOSTRO . Dear Bro . Kenning , — Bro . Yarker's letter docs not , in my humble opinion , throw any more light on the question , inasmuch as he only puts forward opinions , and leaves the facts of history to take care of themselves . There is not the slightest evidence that Swedenborg , though a " mystic , " was a Mason ; and as for the "

Illumines , " it is very doubtful when they werc introduce *! into Paris . The original sect , pernicious as it was , only existetl four years , antl whatever form it took in Paris it was also short-lived there . That Swedenborg was an Illumine there is no evidence either . The allusions to the ritual of Cagliostro are , after all , only suppnsittous , anil the agreement of Marconis with any supposed ritual would be , to my mind , fatal to its reality , No one professes ever to have seen a ritual , ( Ragon does

Original Correspondence.

not ) , and if it existed , or exists , it is probably still in the A ' atican Library . As for Cagliostro ' s " invocations , " and " crystal , " and " potable gold , " ( query portable ) , let us dismiss all such nonsense , and , like reasonable men , seek after Masonic truth in history ancl criticism . Surely the time of " muthos " has passed away from recmasonry Yours fraternally , THE EDITOR OF YOUR CYCLOPEDIA .

MASONIC CHARITIES v . PICNICS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " D ; ar Sir and Brother , — Your valuable paper cf this day contains some severe strictures by Bro . H . S . Alpass , P . G . Sec . of West Lancashire , upon the custom , now very much in vogue , of lodges holding picnics on the occasion of the installation

of the VV . M ., and I think it very desirable that the question should be well ventilated , as there is a great deal to be said tin both sides , with a view to establish some general principle by which the brethren and the lodges should be guided , and tbat even Grard Lodge should lay down some rule in regard to these meetings . In my humble opinion I believe theie is much good done by these generally happy

and social gatherings of Freemasons , their wives , daughters , and friends , and by the company they keep and the war they conduct themselves before the general public so will Freemasonry be judged by the outword world . Of course I do not advocate extravagance in the matter , but surely such wholesale condemnation of them as Bro . Alpass has indulged in is hardly right . If Freemasons arc not to

mett together round the social board or indulge in picnics , how are they to effect the first grand object of Free , masonry , "Brotherly Love ? " If it continue " Relief" must follow and "Truth " prevail . If this is done away-with the sooner the lodges are shut up the better . For although Chaiity is good , you will not get men or Masons to form themselves into Relief Committees . I have always

understood that Masonry was not a " benefit society , " and those who joined its ranks were to be free men , and not dependent , or to look forward to a participation in its Cnarities , except for some unfort seen misfortune or calamity ; therefore , whilst not omitting to provide liberally , and to

support all worthy Charities , let us do all that is right and reasonable to promote good feeling and good fellowship , and be merry antl wise . Yours fraternally , J . W . Liverpool , Saturday , July 12 th , 1870 .

CHARITY REFORM . To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I am a great enemy to " sensation " merely as such , and when not justified by circumstances , but it is o ' ten p cferable to " stagnation , " especially -when the latter covers a multitude of unhealthy organisms .

In your fair and temperate article on " Charity Reform " you speak of it bring 1 " sensati inal subject , " and you hope in the first paragraph " that it may be long before any such discussion interferes with the peaceful progress of our great Masonic Institutions ; " while , in your last paragraph , you delicately but clearly intimate a "little blot , " about which we may and have " need to trouble

ourselves . " Curiously enough , though you say I have " not hit *' this blot , I have been hitting at it for the last five years as hard as I could , and though the scope of my last letter did not admit of my specifying this blot , you will find in former communications I have particularly " hit " thc " want of proper investigation of claims . " But the points

of reform I have named all relate immediately to the admission of candidates , and not to the Charities themselves or their management j nor have 1 advocated , much leas proposed , the abolition of the vote or the appointment of any " strong Central Committee . " I must not , therefore , have words and proposals put into my mouth that I have never uttered . This misrepresentation , though no doubt

quite unintentional , is still an utter misrepresentation . One thing is quite cleas from the numerous letters and utterances in the Freemason and other Masonic organs , that there are serious complaints as to the mode of election to our Masonic Charities—some complain of ; one thing , some of another , and even you have detected a . " little blot . " All this dissatisfaction and unquiet point

tothere being " something rotten in the state of Denmark , " and the sooner the disease is looked into fairly and fully the better . Be assured , dear sir and brother , you could not confer a greater boon on Masonry than to initiate this reform , and at least begin with " the little blot , " which , in the eyes of Masonry , is very big— "big , " not " with mercy , " but with injustice and pauperism .

The recent combinations in the provinces , and now in London , indicate a condition of feeling in the Masonic mind anything but content with the present haphazard system of election . This movement seems an effort of nature to throw off some of the morbid accretions which have lowered tho Masonic constitution , but , I fear , they will prove rather symptoms of the presence of disease than remedies for its

cure . The " hard words " yaw assert I use are directed not against any man or body of men , but against a system which has grown up and which is eating out the vital power of true charity . I wat- for many years an involuntary and unconscious suppoi ter of it myself , and many much better and far abler men . than myself are now

tolerating if not actively upholding ft ; but a " good time is coming , " antl I hope you wilt speed it on , when the " hobby , " or " crochet , " cr " sensation " may become , like many other reforms , a public priat * i ., ple and an acknowledged fact . . * - •-. Yours fraternally , B- J- SIMPSON .