Masonic Jottings From Abroad.

g ive an abstract of the different rituals of the nine German lodges , in order that afterwards the various princi p les may be the better understood . I . The Grand Lodge of Hamburg regards as the fundamentals of its modeof working : — 1 , the ancient English ritual ; 2 , the Constitution Book of the English Grand Loclge of 1793 , and , 3 , as the lumb-line for its worksits own Constitution Book

p , , and the Kituals , Catechisms and Instructions in the three Degrees , drawn up by Bro . Schroder . II . The simple and innocent rituals of the National Mother Lodge need not be mentioned . III . The Grand Loclge of Hanover recognise the oldest English Masonic rituals of the three St . John ( or Craft ) degreesaud bind all . her constituant

, lodges to work according to this ritual . TV . The Eclectic Masonic Confederacy works after the English Constitution Book of 1723 . V . The ritual of the Grand Sovereign Lodge of Germany contains many peculiarities , which , with the necessary change of the principles of this order , mustlikewise suffermutation . YI . The Grand Lodge

¦ " Koyal York" ( working according to Fessler ' s ritual ) determines its rite by the inner lodge and imparts Masonic rules , so far as such are not contained in the Instructions , ™ Berlin , itself , out of Berlin by the "daughterlodges . " YII . The Saxony Lodge Confederacy grants perfect liberty , in the choice of its ritual , to the lodges belonging to it , yet under conditionthat this ritual

, shall be approved by the GrandLodge ancl every change in the same , with a like view , shall be laid before it . VIII . The inner lodge of the Grand Mother Lodge of the Freemasons " of the Sun" determines only the ritual essence for the lodges belonging to it ; it works after Fessler ' s rituals . IX . The rituals of the Freemasons Confederacy

of " Concord " are according to the principles of Christianity , Equality , and Freedom . It will be observed that , of the nine grand lodges of Germany , three have sprung from English provincial lodges and still use the English rituals . We shall extract anything of interest , to English Masons , which we may find in the remainin g sections of Bro . Dr . Kanch ' s treatise .

It is difficult , on the part of a stranger , to predicate the exact condition of Freemasonry on the Continent . We can only draw conclusions from the statements in the Masonic organs which reach us . Judging from these , Ave should say that abroad , in Germany especially , there is much Masonic life and earnestness . The lodge is a brotherhood in realityinto whichbesides instruction

, , , besides the glowing lecture , enter the elements of poesy and music , and the more substantial and abiding elements of true fellowship and friendshi p . We do not believe that the French , Austrian , Prussians , or Swedish brother , excels more in heart-qualities than the English brother ; but accident gives the appearance that such is

the ease . In England we are ever on the move , and few of the industrial classes can say of any town or city that there they have an abiding place , ancl the friendship or association which has ripened to-day may perhaps have to be severed to-morrow . Here a village changes twenty times in twenty years . On the Continent there

may only be one change in the same period . Abroad there is localisation ancl that kind of isolation which is favorable to the existence ancl perpetuation of a lodge ; here there is constant mobility and dispersion , and the "brethren of the mystic tye , " are continuall y breaking , through circumstancesthe local bondhowever firmlit

, , y may be wound round the heart . This exuberance of life , or apparent exuberance , on the Continent , exposes Freemasonry to antagonisms from which it is here exempted . The more it appears to consolidate itself by an increase of numbers , alii Hated lodges , and Masonic structures , the more it provokes the animosity cf certain elasse ? , who ,

whatever they may openly profess , are at heart opposed , through ignorance of Masonic principles , to its binding and humanising tendencies . Thus , in England , Masons fear nothing from Church or State , by both of which indeed it is recognised ancl to a considerable degree upheld . It is often worse on the Continent , where Masonry is suspected by timid governmentsand provokes the

hos-, tility of ecclesiastics , protestant , and catholic , who brand it as an emanation from Satan , and use harder terms respecting it than it is worth while to repeat . We are not surprised , therefore , to find so many more apologies put forward for Masonry abroad , than at home , or to fcnoAv that every other week an attack has been made

upon its intentions ( principles is not the word ) by some Jesuit organ or reverend gentleman , in the form of a newspaper paragraph , a sermon or pamphlet . The latest specimen of this kind is entitled : "Belraelitungcn eines evangel Cliristcn- fiber das Findringen der Fr Mr . in den liolien Bath der Kirclic in Freussen . Hamburg , I 860 . " ( Reflections of an Evangelical Christian on the Penetration of Freemasonry into the High Council of the Church in Prussia ) . It is not easy to make out the drift of this

Evangelical Christian , whether he is in jest or earnest . Perhaps when he sat down to write he did not exactly know his own mind . In his introduction he busies himself with Church government in Prussia , with which Ave have nothing to do ; but he favors us here with a special chi p of his logic . He tells us that the Evangelical Church in Prussia recognises the headshiof that church

p in the family of llohenzollern , and comes to the conclusion : "the HohenzoHern ' s were Freemasons , and Freemasons are not Christians . " He proves this from the Bible which forbids the taking of an oath , asserts , upon an unknown authority , that Masons take a terrible oath , ancl therefore are no Christians . Furtherto make

, good his point , he alludes to an ugly custom which once existed in lodges of the Swedish system , but which we are informed no longer exists , that of holding a vessel filled with blood at the initiation , which he calls a "devilish league . " As to the usage of the three degrees , the author appears to be equally well informed .

Freemasonry is unscientific , he informs us , and , " it is wellknown that criticism is far more feared in the lodge , than bad wine in the cellar of the housekeeper , and without criticism there is no science . " The stiim- of the whole

pamphlet is m its tail , or so the author intends it . He sees in Freemasonry a call for revolution as clear as mud . Masonry has penetrated the hi ghest administration of the Church , and the Church is , consequently , on the point of dissolution . And " what must the friends of the Church now do to save the Evangelical Church from such an evil ? " The author does not distinctly answer

his own question ; but we may infer the one he had in his mind from his prayer . " 0 Lord , save thine Evangelical Church from the influence of Freemasonry , and for this end bless her with a constitution which must bring truly Christian ecclesiastical chiefs to her head , etc . " The maliciousness concealed in this pamphlet can only be

detected by those who are conversant with the present state of ecclesiastical parties in Prussia ; the ignorance which the writer betrays of Freemasonry will be evident to the youngest n |> prentice who has the patience to read it .

A jlixis'ti-nt ' s AVII-F . Viuucuixc ; TOE . lira : ! — The llev . AA . Booth having been indisposed for the last week or two , Mrs . I tooth has officiated for him in lletliesda Chapel , Newcastle . The lady grounded her discourse on " . Strive to enter in at the strait gate , " & e . ; and the large audience which had congregated to bear her , sot with evident interest , listening to her chaste and fervid eloquence for upwards of an hour .