A Council Of Rites.

3 . That tbe Templar Order and Hose Croix are representatives of the same step ; and the York degree of Holy Wisdom and the Kadosh correspondencies . The origin of Holy "Wisdom in 1686 is not assigned on the authorit y of one certificate , but of all issued by the Earl y Grand Templars , a body dating as such , its

working , at least from A . D . 17 G 0 to 1780 , and the date 1686 would not have been adopted without some good and satisfactory reason , I am inclined to give due credit to this tradition , all rambling , partisan , interested , ipse dixit assertions to the contrary notwithstanding . As the Freemasonry practised by the

Adopted Masons and Ancients was ceremonially of strict and sworn secrecy , letter , mark , and character , literall y interpreted , I should be more surprised at the existence of documentary evidence , either at York or elsewhere , than I am by its absence , and hence I do not give Bro . Pindel ' s opinion a feather ' s weight . If it is true , as asserted by Entinck , that Bro . Eamsay made certain proposals to Grand Lodge ( about 1728 )

search ought to be made iu the minutes of Grand Lodge , and the precise date and particulars ascertained . I disbelieve the whole tale , but it ought to be considered in connection with the apparent allusions to different workings of High Grade Masonry in certain extracts by Bro . Hughan from DrD'Assi ' s

. gny pamphlet of 1744 . These two opposite workings might be the Templar High Grade system , and that of some degrees of the A . and A . Eite , then prevailing , as they unquestionabl y did . xnat

a . _ the present Eosicrucian Society m . England is of Germanic ori gin , and founded on English Ancient Free and Accepted Masonry . The degree of Eed Cross of Borne and Constantino , arising out of the Templar lecture , whence it ought again to be relegated . If , however , the latter will not be abandonedthat would leave a Council of Kites to deal

, with about four varying rites , the steps of which ought to be ranked as coequal , and not , as in Ireland , placed one upon the head of another : — 1 2-3 4 1 st class , G . Lodge , ? -,... ,.,, ,.,, Craft degrees j dltto dltto dltto

, 2 nd class , G . Chap . [ Arch series . J " " " Srd class , G . Con . ") QO „ o „ ( Eosi- ] ( E > £ t of Templar series , j ° ^ " [ crucian f ( E . & C-

The 31 ° , 32 ° ancl 33 ° , rank with the Templar Grand Officers and members of Grand Conclave . Members of any one of these recognised rites ought to be admitted at reduced fees to any corresponding degree of the other rite , and such concession should be a sine qua non to the recognition of any rite . The first step towards the establishment of a

Coimcil of Eites , ought to be the revision by England , Ireland , and Scotland of the Craft and Arch Eituals , in the way IIOAV undertaken by the Templars . The English ceremonies are isolated , and have really nothing to recommend them . The next step should be the election by the three

sister countries of a Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master of a Supreme Grand Council of Rites , having complete jurisdiction over the degrees of Ereemasonry and its attendant higher Orders ; and assisted b y Councils ( Grand Officers ) of these higher orders with himself , ex officio president of all , and entitled , as such , to preside as Supreme Master , of any

A Council Of Rites.

recognised Order in any province . Each Grand Lodge , Chapter and Conclave , to form its own laws , subject to the approval and revision of the General Council of Eites , which should hold its meetings alternately in each of the sister provinces , and the attendant expenses equitably borne bthe three

y Grand Lodges . Installation by the councils , of the hi gh grades , of the Supreme Chief in each order , to be absolutely necessary for the recognition of hiscontrol . All warrants , patents , certificates , and other documents , to bear the signature of the head of the province , and the confirmation of the Supreme Chief ;

but each Grand Lodge , Chapter , and Conclave would have to retain its own accumulated funds , unless some equitable arrangement could be come to for their amalgamation with the Supreme Council of Eites . Such a Supreme Council of Sites , would he nothing more or less , then the revival of tJte Ancient Cfrand

Lodge of all JEngland held at York , as shown in my little book entitled " Notes on tne Orders of the Temple aud St . John . "

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

A DEPXOEABLE BEFTJTATIOS . See " Jotting" thus entitled , page 130 of the present volume . A deplorable Eefutation is a refutation meant to be a refutation of your opponent , but which , alas ! proves to be a refutation of yourself . —A PAST PKOVE-CIAI . GEAND MASTES .

GIL __ . D LODGE OE XEW YOBX AXD GEAXD LOBQE OS BEEIilN . The ensuing is the copy of the passage extracted , I believe , from one of Dr . Oliver ' s publications , which a Foreign Brother requests may be sent to the Editor of the Freemason ' s Magazine : ~ " The Grand Lodge

of New York having received information [ about 1 S-1 G ] that one of its members had been refused admission into the Grand Lodge of Berlin , on account ofhis religion [ Judaism ] , expostulated warmly outhe subject , aud concluded by saying , 'We do uot , as yet , insist upon onr rights , although one of our members

has been unmasonically refused admission into your lodge on account of his religious creed . On the concession of this point , in our opinion depends the glory and honour of the institution which ought ahvays to exhibit the union aud friendship of a single family , uninfluenced by any question of reli gion or politics . ' " — ClIAMES PUET 0 _ . COOPEE .

CERTAIN _ . 0 _ .- _ J _ ASO _ nC AVEITEES . Becollecting that Christianity has often been treated as certain non-Masonic Avriters are treating Masonry , we shall do well to be moderate in our public expressions of surprise aud indignation . —A PAST Pitovrs-CIAL GEASD MASTEE .

XUEEE CLASSES OE MASONET . In the loth and lCfch centuries we had Operative Masonry in our lodges , in the 17 th century we had Social Masonry , and in the ISth and 10 th centuries Speculative Masonry . — "W . P . BUCIIAN . 1 IASTEE BEGEEE . A friend writes me : — " You have an exact copy of lie Constitutions of 1723 , and cannot discover aught