The Good Effects Of Freemasonry.

whose name will long live m connection with one of the proudest structures of this renowed city—were pining in want , aud with a modesty characteristic of genuine worth , liked ill to make their wants known . Bro . Kerr procured a form of petition to the Committee of the Fund of Benevolence in connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , produced it at ono of our meetings here , and I had tho satisfaction of appending my name to it . The committee took it

into consideration , and at onco voted a donation of £ 5 . ( Cheers . ) But this is not all . Bro . Kerr stated the ease of the widow and her children to several brother Masons -of bis acquaintance . Their hearts were touched , their purses were opened , and their subscriptions liberal , so that Bro . Korr has told me , since we came into this hall , that he had this day poured a handsome offering into the lap of the

poor widow , which had made her heart and tho hearts of her children to rejoice . ( Cheers . ) I will just give another instance . William M'Crono , a brother of this lodge , having fallen into bad health , most likely caused by his trade , that ¦ of an operative-Mason , a short time ago emigrated to Australia with his family , in tho hope that a change of climate and employment might prove beneficial . In this he

was disappointed . He never recovered . He lingered on for sometime , and died at Sydney , in September last , leaving behind him a widow and several children in utter destitution . You can imagine their condition , placed iu a far distantland , surrounded by strangers , and suffering from want . The widow , iu the extremity of her distress , recollected that her husband had been a Freemason . She therefore petitioned the Lodge St . Andrew ( No . 358 ) , at Sydney , for a little help , and laid before the brethren a certificate , which is now in my possession , and which is signed by myself , and tho principal

office-bearers of our lodge . The numbers of the lodge at ¦ Sydney were wholly unacquainted with our deceased brother ; his indisposition had prevented him from , ever appearing . amongst them . They acted , however , as Freemasons ought ¦ ever to act ; they spurned not away the humble petition , but instituted an inquiry into the circumstances arid ¦ character of the widow , and having received ample satisfaction in both respectsthey set on foot a subscription for her

, ( behoof . Mrs . M'Crono expressed a wish to return to her native country , so tho Follow Craftsmen of her deceased husband raised a sum sufficient to pay-tho passage of herself and her children to England , and accordingly they loft . S ydney in the ship Speedy , in October last . Previous to her departure , she consented that the brethren of the Lodge St . Andrew should transmit the sum which they had raised to

the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , to be paid . to her on her arrival . Bro . Lawric , the Grand Secretary , was , _ therefore , agreeably surprised , a few days ago , at receiving a packet from Australia , containing tho Masonic certificate or di ploma to which i have referred , an explanatory letter from the brethren of tho Lodge St . Andrew , aud . a bill of exchange for £ 20 19 s ., the sum contributed by them

for behoof of the widow and her children . ( Cheers . ) These individuals have not yet arrived , but when they do this sum will bo handed over to them , aud thus they will bo placed above want till such time as arrangements can otherwise be made for their support . Such are the good fruits of the principles of the Order to which wc belong . They arc not solitary cases , but merely specimens of conduct which arc every clay occurring in ail parts of the civilised world , and which contribute not a little to throw a g low of radiance over the most dismal and distressing scenes of human life .

The Bishop of Durham , writing to tho A cn . Archdeacon C'oxe , thus characterises the Essays and llecieu-s now making' such a ferment in the country : — "A more heterodox volume could scarcely have been produced . The cautious stylo of the writers may possibly render it difficult to frame out of this work a . case for direct legal investigation ; hut no candid reader can be blind to the fact that , inferenfciallythe atonement is deniedmiracles are

ex-, , plained away , prophecy is east aside , inspiration , in the only real meaning of the term , is rejected . " Professor AVheatstone has recently made some very important improvements in the mode of transmitting telegrams , which will very much facilitate the sending- of messages , and also afford better security for secresy .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

CUAHTMiV LODGE 01 ' EOllTITUD } :. In an inventory attached to tho by-laws of the Cliart-lcy Loclge of Fortitude , there are mentioned "Four Crownheaded Staffs . " What are their uses ? Also , besides the rough and perfect Ashlars , "Three Masonic Stones . " What are their uses ?—A . H . G .

S 0 EE 0 W LODGES . The American prints often speak of Sorrow Lodges . What are they ?—HEX . —[ They are in memory of those brethren who have died since the previous Sorrow Lodge , which is generally an annual affair . On the continent " of Europe , tho period of holding them differs from once a year to once in ten years . They are much thought of abroad , because they open a field for eloquent addresses " by the orators and , in many instances , political allusions which it would be unsafe to utter elsewhere . !

| _ CUEIOUS KX 1 GIIT TEMPLAB , S CASE . A very curious case was submitted to the Grand Conclave , some years ago , which is interesting , as showing how matters wore formerly carried on . The whole of the following is in the band-writing of W . H . Goldwyer— " Case : In tho year -y— , a -warrant to hold an Encampment of Masonic Knights Templar ,, under tho title of the Encampment of True Friendshipwas granted by tho Grand Conclave of England

, to Edward Gale , George Godby , and one other , to meet at an Alo-House , the sign of the Three Tuns in Lewins Mead , in the city of Bristol . Soon after , Gale dies , Godby flics the city , and the other is now not forthcoming , and those made under that warrant cease to meet . Mead , the keeper of another Ale-House , purchases this warrant , takes it to his house , and Knihts are installed under it . Mead

diesg when the warrant is again sold , to Serjeant , keeper of an Ale-House also , who congregates Knights , and again makes Knights under this warrant . * In 1813 , S ir B . Plomer , of the Grand Encampment of England , removes this warrant , and deposits it with tho Provincial Grand Master of the City and County of Bristol , and 'Superintendent of Masonic Knights Templar of the City and County aforesaid , being forfeited ,

having been twice sold yt and that without notice given , to , or authority received from , the Grand Conclave of England , or its Superintendent here in Bristol , and also from their making and installing as Knights , persons unworthy the honour and dignity of the Order . Serjeant , the last purchaser , demands tho warrant as ' his property , honcjld andpo . id for , ' and employs law to enforce the delivery . The opinion

aud orders of the Grand Encampment are requested in disposing of this warrant , whicli accompanies this case . — W . H . GOLDWYER , Superintendent of the Camp of Baldwyn and Kni ghts in Bristol and Glostershiro . Bristol , March 1 st , 1814 . "—What became of tho legal proceedings alluded to in the above ?— II . If . II , Bristol

THE GATES OF THE TEMPLE . Where were tho gates of tho Temple situated ? In some places we are told " there was no door on the North side ; others state there was agato or door on the North , and none on the West , because the Sanctuary was built there ? Which is right , and why ?—EL . Tit .

. THE Wl'TV-TlIEEE DEGREES . Dr . Dalcho , in his Oral ions , states , " I have had the honour of receiving all the Masonic degrees which arc known , and which are , in number , 53 . "—Who can tell us what they were?—C . A . and F . F . S .

LODGE 01 ' r-ElU'ECTrOX . When such lodges arc hold , what is the extent of theii jurisdiction ?—F . —[ Seventy-five miles . ] THE I 1 ALDWYX EXCAMEUEXT AND THE BLiKK OS SUSSEX , The following may bo of interest to your Templar renders : — ' 'Jin-amentum Fidclitatls et Obediential Kuiinentissimi Superintendentis Ordinmn Sancti Jobannis et feinplnriornm , sfationum

ISristoliic et Glosteri , pi-fostafcum in Conventu nostro annuali in 1 ' aracDve , Anno Domini 1 S 13 . " Ego Guilielmus Henricus Goldwyer , Ordinum Hospitaliorum Sancti Toluumis et 'i ' emplin-iorum Snner ' mtendeus efc smnmus