Masonic Notes And Queries.

and their spirit of benevolence must have prompted them to coalesce , and jointly combine their efforts ancl endeavours in favour of the cause of humanity . " From a bundle of Masonic Excerpts . —CHABIES PTJBTON COOPEE .

THE LETTER HEADED '< MASONIC SEEMON , " i ? EEEMASONS' MAGAZINE , Vol . 21 , page 331 . My answers to the two questions of a Member of Grand Lodge on the subject of this letter are as follows : —First , the charter of 926 , being one of the famous " Kunsturkunden " of Krause , undergoes a

good deal of not altogether conclusive criticism in Bro . Findel's History . Next , that in relation to Freemasonry , Adam and Eve , Solomon , Pythagoras , St . Alban , St . Augustine , Alfred , Edward III ., and Henry VI ., are in the most esteemed English and American Masonic publications , treated in our days very much as they were , in the like publications , treated in the days of our forefathers . —A PAST PEOVINCIAL GEAND MASTEE .

EEEEMASONEY IN 1717 AND AETEEWABDS . Speculative Freemasonry in 1717 may be compared to a ship newly launched , which , although complete in all essentials , yet contains considerable space for adornment , which adornment in the shape of extra ornamental paintingilding & ccan be afterwards

, g , , added at leisure , or otherwise , as the owner desires . Or , again , our Speculative Masonry , or " Craft Masonry '' as it is sometimes craftily designated , in 1717 may be compared to some medieval church which has just been erected , which , although complete in all essentials , —with its basement floor ,

triforiuin , and clerestory—yet affords scope for adornment , and was so constructed as to admit of that adorninent ; there are the rude , or roughly-cut stones in situ out of which beautifully carved capitals have yet to be formed ; the walls have to be properly decoratedand so onthus leaving scope for some able

, , artist to set his mark upon it , and prove himself a thorough " Master Mason . " So with our Speculative Freemasonry , the structure is the same now as it was when first erected in 1717 , only it has had some decorations added to it since then , in fact , we sometimes perceive these decorations , or otherwise , just as the

" guide" may happen to point them out or omit them . Taking into consideration the object they had in view we must allow thatDesaguliers and Anderson ( " Desaguliers and Co . " is not mentioned in disparagement , but because it comes handy ) , were not only successful but also able architects , and likewise showed considerable knowledge of the workings of human nature . — "W . P . BTJCHAN .

MASONIO AND ASTEONOMIC SCHOIAES . It seems to be with Masonic " Scholars " in 1870 as it was with Astronomic " Scholars " in 1633 . For any 17 th century student of Astronomy to assert in defiance of the infallible dogmas of the schoolmen , and the notions of the then " philosophers , " that the earth

moved , that the sun had spots , & c , was , of course , most absurd , and entirely anti-Christian ; while , of course , the propagator of such nonsense ? surely merited the direst punishment , and his ideas were worthy of nothing but ridicule . So with the Masonic student of 1870 who would dare to assert

that our system of Speculative Freemasonry , with its ceremonies ancl " secrets " was not as yet two centuries old . "What ? Say our Masonic scholars , not two centuries old ! The idea is absurd , we know better ; cannot we point to such names as Anderson , GrandidierPrestonOliverand a host of otherswho all

, , , , assert otherwise , and uphold the great antiquity of our most ancient and venerable Order . Not two centuries old ! the man that says so must be mad ?—However , " E pur , se muove " will answer just as well in 1870 as it did in 1633 . —PICTUS .

MASON OE AETIEICEB . The Hebrew word for Artificer is Harash . Harash is derived from the verb signifying " to cut into , to inscribe , " equivalent to the Greek Charassow . The verb harash , therefore , is used to signify to cut out of metalor woodor stone .

, , It also used in the sense of cutting into the soil , i . e ., ploughing . Hence , in Arabic , Haris means a Ploughman . Such being the primary idea of the verb harash , the noun harash has been variously translated : —

( a ) Uncjraiier . Exod . xxviii . 11 . With the work of an engraver , xxxv . 35 . xxxviii . 23 . An engraver ' ani a cunning workman .

( b ) Craftsman . Deut . xxvii . 15 . Work of the hands of the craftsman . 2 Kings xxiv . 14 . All the craftsmen . & c , & c . ( c ) Smith . 1 Sam . xiii . 19 . ISow there was no smith found .

Is . xliv . 12 . ( d ) Carpenters and Masons . 2 Sam . v . 11 . Ancl carpenters and masons : i . e . lit . workers , carvers , or cutters of wood , and carvers or cutters of stone . 2 Kings xii . 11 ( 12 ) . They laid it out to the

carpenters ( lit . cutters or workers of wood ) . —¦—xxii . 6 . & c . Masons and Carpenters . 1 Ch . xiv . I . With masons and carpenters ( lit . workers or cutters of wall , and workers or cutters of wood ) .

( e ) WorJcers . 1 Ch . xxii . 15 . And worlcers of stone and of timber . ( f ) Artificer . 1 Ch . xxix . 5 . ( g ) Workman . '

Is . xl . 19-20 , xliv . 11 . ( h ) Maker . Is . xlv . 16 . Makers of idols . From the above , it is clear that the term harash is employed in the sense of cutter or carver whether it be ( 1 ) The Cutter or Carver in wood—ieCarpenter ;

.. ( 2 ) The Cutter or Carver in racial—i . e . Engineer or Smith ; or , ( 3 ) The Cutter or Carver in stone—i . e . a Mason . — Rev . WAZIB BEG , M . D ., LL . D .