Masonic Jottings From Abroad.

MASONIC JOTTINGS FROM ABROAD .

As a mass of French Masonic records , lost through the carelessness or faithlessness of their keepers , have found their way into England or America , it has been resolved to re-publish the rarer and more valuable in the columns of the Monde Maconnique , of which Bros . Hlbach and Favre are the editors . A beginning has been made with Pyron ' s "Abrego Hisfcorique cle I'Orgaiiisation en

France jusques a l ' epoque du lev . Mars , 1811 , des 33 Degres du Kite ucossais anc . et ace . " ( i . e . Historical abridgement of tho organisation in France , of the 33 Degrees of the ancient and accepted Scottish Bite to the period of the 1 st . March , 1811 . ) Brother Findel , of the JBauliullereminds the French editorsthat the mention

, , made in this work of the participation of Frederick the Great , in the hig her degree is fabulous ancl altogether false . Pyron has related this fable from the " Extrait du Livre d' 6 r do . Stipr . Cons , du 33 Degr ., Paris , 1808 " ( The Golden Book of the Supreme Constitution of the 33 Degrees ); but Frederick at this time ( 17 G 0-S 6 ) took a

a very small active part in lodge-life , and was ever the decided enemy of all higher degrees . The French editors in the article "Explanations , " hold with Bros . Claveland K-agon , in the Masonic sense of orthodoxy , in the universality of Freemasonry , regard the latter as ended and completed in the three St . 3 ohn , or , as they are called in

England , Craft degrees , aud reject the high degrees as unbistorical ancl contrary to principle , without , however , contending against , or "being angry with them . They appear accordingly to have arrived at the conviction , that the so called higher degrees will cease to exist with the spread of Masonic knowledge . In France there are many lodges which work only in the three ori ginal degrees , and brethren there are more and more p leased with the honorable costume of the blue apron . Bro . Favre promises in

the journal mentioned , regular reports from Germany , England , aud America . The same journal—Idoncle Alaconnigne—gives some account of the meeting of the Grand Lodge of France this year . The Grand Master , Prince L . Murat , AVIIO was prevented from being present through indisposition , named Bro . DoumetDeputy-Grand Masteras presidentancl

, , , he conducted tho meeting Avith great ability and patience . After a letter from the Grand Master had been read , the names of the representatives were called over . Several Masters , who were passed over because their lodges ( of slender means ) were in arrears in their contributions to Grand Lodgedesired admission to the

Congresswhere-, , upon a warm debate ensued . The Honorary Officers were named , ancl the members withdrew to their respective bureaus . Of the resolutions brought before Grand Lodge , the first was : "That members of the Congress shall wear the ribbon of the Grand 'Lodge "—rejected , only 4 bureaus out of 9 voting for it . The second resolution :

"Tho foundation of a mutual aid society within the union , " called forth a regular storm in the meeting , while only a few were in favour of it . Five bureaus rejected it completely , one wished to take it into consideration , one to have it submitted to the several lodges , and one to have it adjourned for twelvemonths . Nine-tenths of

the meeting declared against the resolution , and also against the third resolution which sprang out of the two first , ancl upon the same grounds . Tins refusal to sanction the resolutions , says the Alonde AFaconnigue , did not arise from the utility or inutility of the matters proposed but from princile .

p The address of Bro . Daragon . on Masonic rewards , tokens of lion our , and honourable mention , which tho I Grand Lodge awards to individual workers , made a good ! impression . j

On the financial balance-sheet , there was likewise a debate . The practice of the Grand Lodge in letting out the Masonic temple for non-masonic purposes , for music and for other societies , by which the lodges are impeded in their works , and the value of Masonry limited , found deserved censure , and a general wish was expressed for the discontinuance of this abuse .

A lottery of a Silver Cup , and the matter respecting office-bearers were also taken into consideration . From the proceedings of this Congress the fact is evident that the brethren in France know how to preserve the rights of their lodges and the dignity of the confederacy , and to represent the fundamental principles of Masonry . " We are persuaded" says the article before us"that Masonry

, , at present in France , in every point of view , stands higher than in England ; " an opinion however in which , from all we learn , we cannot agree . Bro . Dr . Chr . Eanch continues his treatise , " Die Einheit des deutschen Maurerthums , " ( on the Unity of the German Masonry ) . The work will be divided into six

sections . We extract a few particulars , from the first two sections , which are not without Masonic interest . It appears ( Sect . I . ) that there are nine German Grand Lodges , which are ranged according to seniority . 1 . The Hamburg , which was founded in 1740 as an English provincial lodge . Since 1811 it has been an

independent Grand Lodge . 2 . The National Mother Lodge of the "Three Spheres , " opened in Berlin , in 1744 , as the Grand Koyal Mother Lodge , and , since 1772 , working under its piresent name . 3 . Hanover , which was constituted from 1755 as an English Prov . Lodge , and in 1 S 2 S became independent . 4 . The Eclectic Masonic Confederaey of Frankibrt-on-Mainfounded in 1766 as an

, English Prov . Loclge , and declared independent in 1822 . 5 . The Grand Sovereign Lodge of the Freemasons of Germany , founded in Berlin , in 1770 . 6 . Prussia , called the "Koyal York of Friendship , " founded in Berlin , 1797 . 7 . The Saxony Lodge Confederacy , founded in 1812 . S . The Grand Mother Lodge of Freemasons , " of

the Sun , " founded in 1741 , as Mother Lodge , and working in Baireuth , since 1 S 29 , as Grand Lodge . 9 . The Masonic Union of " Concord , " founded in Darmstadt , in 1 S-1 G . Of these nine Grand Lodges , there are three , which in some respects form already a "Unit y , viz ., The Natural Mother Lodge , the Sovereign Loclge of Germany , ancl the Koyal York Prussian Lodge .

Ihe second section answers the question : "What Kituals have tho various German Grand Lodges ?" " Principle , Kitual and Symbol are the three ground pal lars of Masonry , -without which no lodge can exist ; Principle embraces the area , Kitual and Symbol give the form of the lodge . As there is no form without area or capacity ( Inhall ) and no area can be conceived of

with-, out form , so the Principle determines the Kituals ancl Symbols of a lodge , and the Kituals and Symbols emblem forth the Princip le , both however are inseparable factors . Masonic rituals and symbols are related to Freemasonry as liturgies to the church and religion , they are hence subordinate matters whilst the princile must ever be the

p chief matter . Kituals contain the written order of prescribed ceremonies ; symbols , on the contrary , are external forms to awake and fix related ideas , be it only , to unite imagination with tho faculty of thought , or to signify something which language cannot express . Freemasonry cannot , howeverdispense with rituals and symbols ; for

, they enshrine the sacred mystery of humanity ancl fill the soul with reverence and interest in the holy cause of humanity , ancl form a purely human education ; from the rituals and symbols of a lodge the principle itself will be gradually discovered . " Hence the author proceeds to