Masonic Notes And Queries.

whose mind , as his most partial friends must allow , learning and imagination are apt to overbalance judgment and philosophy . * lie has been replied to by Raynouard , Munter , and other able advocates of the knights . " We now come to the question of the continuance of the Order to the present day . That it has in some

sort been transmitted to our times is a matter of no doubt ; for , as we have just seen , the King of Portugal formed the Order of Christ out of the Templars in his dominions . But our readers are , no doub fc aware that the Freemasons assert a connection with the Templarsand that there is a society ealliug

them-, selves Templars , whose chief seat is at Paris , and whose branches extend into England and other countries . The account which they give of themselves is as follows : —

" James de Molay , in the year 1314 , in anticipation of his speedy martyrdom , appointed Johannes Marcus Lormenius to be his successor in his dignity . This ¦ appointment was made hy a regular well-authenticated charter , bearing the signatures of the various chiefs of tlie Order , and it is still preserved at Paris ,

together with the statutes , archives , banners , & c , of the soldiery of the Temple . There has been an unbroken succession of Grand Masters down to the present times , among whom are to be found some of the most illustrious names in France . Bertrand du Guesclin was Grand Master for a number of the

diyears ; g nity was sustained by several of the Montmorencies ; and during tbe last century the heads of the society were priuces of the different branches of the house of Bourbon . Bernard Raymond Fabre Palaprat is its head at present , at least was so a few years ago . f This is no doubt a very plausible circumstantial

account ; but , on applying the Ithuriel spear of criticism to it , various ugly shapes resembling falsehood start up . Thus Molay , w ^ e are told , appointed his successor in 1314 . He was put to death on the 18 th March of that year , and the Order had been abolished nearly a year before . Why then did he delay so long , and why was he become so

apprehensive of martyrdom at that time , especially when , as is well known , there was then no intention of putting him to death ? Again , where were the chiefs of the society at that time ? HOAV many of them were living ? and IIOAV could they manage to assemble in the duugeon of Molay and execute a formal

instrument ? Moreover , was it not repugnant to the rules and customs of the Templars for a Master to appoint his successor ? These are a few of the objections which we thiuk may be justly made ; aud , on the whole , we feel strongly disposed to reject the whole story . " Such , then , appears to be the secret doctrines held hy the Templars , and caused their suppression . —

Masonic Notes And Queries.

P . E . C . —[ P . E . C . has entirely misunderstood us . We alluded to the origin of the Order , as Knights of the Temple , centuries before Christianity was known , Neither can we admit that the Pope and the King of France were likely to have suppressed an Order because it worshipped either a grey or black cat , as

alleged by its accusers . There was a deeper mystery than meets the eye connected with this black catwhich no one saw—and it was that secret which caused the destruction of the Kni ghts , their wealth , possessions , and power being no small prizes for the papacy and the needy Philip the Fair . We admit

the accuracy with which the general subject is treated in the extract you have sent us from The Secret Societies of the Middle Ages , a book we know well ; but if you will read it again attentively you will , even there , find some allusions that will indicate you are not yet on the right scent . Thishoweveris not the

, , place to bring forward such proofs as we have collected , but they do not impugn the receiA'ed historythey add to , and explain , many portions that have seldom been understood , and still more carefully concealed . ] WHAT ' S COOKIES ?

What's cockles in Freemasonry?—Yours MTJSSEIS . —[ An obsolete term in a degree very seldom Avorked . By your facetious signature , we presume yon have heard some ancient brother discourse ; but as he did not , neither shall we , " shell-out . " ]

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . THE LAST , AND WORST , MASONIC PARODY . TO THE EDITOR OP THE FKEElIASOK-s' irAGAZISE AHD MASONTO MIEItOE . DEAE , SIR AKD BROTHER , —In the official programme for laying the foundation-stone of the new

buildings in Great Queen Street it states that an ode , " written for the occasion , " was to be performed and the words set forth are these : — " Bounteous Creator , from on high direct ns , Seeking to raise a temple to thy praise ; May thy good Spirit govern and protect us , While to tiiy glory a structure we raise

, Thus then combining , hand and heart joining , Sing we in harmony our Maker ' s praise . " Here each fraternal sentiment exciting , Order promotes our unity and joy ; All social bliss receiving and requiting , Peace and affection our hours employ , Thus then combining , hand and heart joining ,

Long may continue our unity and joy . " So far as the second stanza is concerned there can be no doubt as to its originality , —it is unreadable nonsense without a redeeming point . Most devoutly is it to be wished that the whole of these lines could be expunged from the proceedings of the

27 th ult ., for they carry on their face two shameful blots—the greater as deep a piece of impiety as was eA'er penned by a wretched mortal and the lesser in claiming , as original , a set of words written by an author who never dreamed of their being parodied so poorly and turned to such an irreverent use . The history of the glee may be briefly told . A