Habits Desirable Por Masons' Sons.

GOOD TEMPEAES . Having been called upon by Bro . Hughan to address the readers of the Freemasons' Magazine , and give my opinion , I think it right to say that a society like the Good Templars , that abstains from

intoxicating liquors , and wages Avar against drunkenness , is anti-Masonic . Such a society is not according to the landmarks , but the watermarks . If we drink water will the worth y and worshipful hosts let us meet in public houses , whicli is one of the ancient privileges of Freemasons ? Would not the miserable remnant be compelled to erect Masonic halls and buildings of their own ? " Give me again my public house—my glass of grog , and liberty . "— W . HABEIS .

GEAND LODGE OPPICEES . Will any of your readers be good enough to state their opinion , for the information of myself and others , on the following subject : "The precedence of Grand Lodge officers as laid down in the ' Book of Constitutions' page 17 small edition—should that

, , govern the precedence of officers of Provincial Grand Lodges . At' page 51 , par . 3 , it states that no brother can he appointed a Provincial Grand Warden unless he he the Master or Past Master of a lodge ; nor a Provincial Grand Deacon , unless he be a Warden or Past Warden of a lodge . ' ' ' Now , the Secretary ,

Treasurer , and Registrar may be appointed from Master Masons , I presume ; and as at page 45 , par . 2 , the Provincial Grand Master is empowered to appoint , for his province , a deputy , two Wardens , and two Deacons , and other officers , why should the Grand Registrar of a provincefor instanceand for whom

, , no previous qualification is stated , rank above a Grand Deacon , as the Registrar has not the duties to perform as the Grand Registrar of the Grand Lodge of England , whose qualification must be a Master or Past Master , and who may be appointed by the Grand Master to preside over any province vacant . —A PAST MASTEE .

A THEISTIC BEOTHEE . The strong opinion expressed hy a learned and popular writer upon Natural Theologv , by no means convinces me that " a Theistic brother" will do wrong if he acts in regard to Christianity as Socrates acted in regard to Paganism .

_ IIEACLP . S . Bro . " M . J . L , " the Christian Masons to whom you allude , put forward no reason for withholding belief in miracles , except lack of satisfactory evidence . — C . P . COOPEE .

BBO . HAYE AND BEO . HUGHAN ON EOYAL AUCH MASONEY . My friend Bro . A . 0 . Haye has favoured me with his opinion on that part of the " Analysis of Ancient and Modern Freemasonry " which refers to the Royal Arch , and has endeavoured to prove that a Master

Mason , under the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , can le complete without taking the Royal Arch , as " that whicli was lost can only be found beyond the veil of time . " He also states that such is the opinion of every aged Mason with whom he has conversed . The latter statement , to my mind , is a most extraordinary one , because Bro . Haye ' s Masonic acquaintances are " very

numerous , and many are very well informed on Masonic history . If ' what was lost can only he found beyond the veil of time , how is it that in the lectures of the third degree , oefore tiie Soi / al Arch was instituted , it is expressly declared that " what was lost is now found'' '

, viz ., in the concluding part of the degree ? Also , how is it that most writers of note on this subject , both aged aud young , concur in stating that the word of the third degree was removed to the Royal Arch , aud that in consequence the Royal Arch is the complement of tbe third degree ? They also agree that the

2 *** w *** jg really found in the Royal Arch degree . But I cannot possibly dwell long on this subject , however interesting it may he , as my numerous en- , gage meats will not permit me to do , added to which , I have already written at leugth on the history of the Royal Archand quoted abundant evidence to prove

, my position . Of course I admit that to such Masons who are in possession of the original secrets of the third degree the Royal Arch is superfluous ; but in this county I have not met with one who is so situated without having taken the Royal Arch , although abroad we can meet with many . —W . J . HUGHAN .

P . S . —My articles are before the fraternity , and x am content to abide by their decision . OEDEE OP ST . JOHN OP JEEUSAIEJI . The following appeared in the Illustrated London News on 20 fch ult ., as well as in the Church News and other papers : can any brother inform me to

what Order it alludes , and whether it has any connection with the Order of St . John Kni g hts of Malta , of which Sir George Bowyer is a member , and which is , of course , Roman Catholic , or to the Order , which is conferred by the Grand Conclave of Masonic Knights Templars ?—* J < 30 ° . Perhaps Bro . Haye will enlighten us as to this Order : —

" OEDEE OP ST . JOHN OP JEEUSAIEST . —The Festival of St . John the Baptist will be celebrated as usual hy the knights' aud other members of the English branch of the Order of St . John of Jerusalem , on the 24 th inst . Previous to the Chapter General , there will be a short service , by permission of the Vicarin the Church of St . Martin's-in-the-Fields

, , where , at eleven o'clock , the Litany will be sung , and a sermon preached by the'Rev . Thomas Hugo , one of the Chaplains of the Order . After the service the Chapter General will be held at the Chancery , which is but a few steps distant from St . Martin ' s Church . [ This refers to the Langue of England of tbe

Order of St . John , and has nothing to do with Masonic Knights Templars and their Knights of Malta . After the capture of Malta , ancl the dispersion of the Order , the Langue of France did not take part iu the reconstitution in Russia under the Emperor Paul , which afterwards resolved itself into the Roman

organisation . After the Restoration the Langue of France was reconstituted , and on its demand that of England was restored . This is the bod y in question , and it consists of gentlemen having the statutory qualifications , and is presided over by the Duke of Manchester as Grand Prior ancl Turkopolier . At a later period the Pope named Sir George Bowyer Grand Prior of England , but he is not recognised by by the Langue of England , nor by the other inde