Lodge Music.

been published long ere this time a book with appropriate music and words for our several degrees , from which we mi ght have some choice of material to suit either our taste or capabilities ; a standard work , prepared or edited with such ability as to render it almost a necessity for every lodto possess at least

ge one copy . Perhaps our worthy and eminent brother , the P . G . Org . for Yorkshire , might take the hint , as I understand it was his intention some time ago to publish appropriate music for our Masonic degrees . Yours fraternallv , D . L . —I . X .

[ A complete edition of appropriate music to be used in lodge has been prepared b y Bros . Dr . H . Hopkins and Johnson , which will shortly be published . —En . F . ill ]

Ladies At The Festive Meetings.

LADIES AT THE FESTIVE MEETINGS .

TO IHE EDITOE , ' OE THE EBEEITASCWS' MAGAZINE AND 1 TASOHIC MEKOR . Dear Sir and Brother , —On perusing No . 45 S of your issue , I find a statement made by Bro . J . E . Wilson , R . W . M . of the Lodge Caledonian Railway ( No . 354 ) , at their festive meeting . He says that "it was also deserving of note that but a few years

since we did not hear in the province of Masonic festive gatherings which allowed the presence of the ladies , and that the first suggestion for a reform on this head and for the institution of Masonic festivals at which the pleasures of the evening coulcl be participated in by fair sisters ori ginated with this

lodge . " I beg to suggest to Bro . Wilson that he should not allow his locomotive propensities to travel so fast . Before the Caledonian Railway Lodge ( No . 354 ) had existence , such meetings were held in the sister Lod ges in the province . I remember being at such a meeting as that which took lace on the

p 27 th ult , three years before the charter was granted to No . 354 . Yours fraternally , THISTLE .

Red Cross Of Constantine.

RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE .

n ,- ' TO THE EDITOR OE THE FREEMASONS' MAOA / JNE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —I shall not attempt to follow your correspondent > £ through the involutions of his erratic epistle . It is so easy to prove a negative that I doubt not he and his friends are congratulating themselves upon having satisfactoril y that the Red

proved > k Order has " sprung forth a Pallas , armed , " from the creative brain of tho cloudcompelling Jupiter , Bro . Little , without having undergone the tedious process of development generally experienced in the history of similar fraternities . The late Archbishop Whatelwe knowsuccessfull

y , , y demonstrated the non-existence of a fabulous personage called Napoleon Bonaparte , and of course " we are equally bound to accept the ipse dixit of % upon the subject now under consideration . > b appears to be much in the position of the famous lawyerwhohaving " " abused the laintiff

, , no case , p ' s ' attorney ; but I trust , as he gathers experience , he will realise the truism that in Masonic discussiou , at least , ridicule is not always wit ; neither is abuse argument . I shall confine myself ; therefore , to

Red Cross Of Constantine.

stating a few facts relating to the Order in England , all of which can , if necessaiy , be supported by documentary evidence of such an indisputable character as perhaps has never entered within the dreams of > 5 <' s limited philosophy . The Order of the Red Cross of Constantineso far

, as regards its working in England , has been conferred upon Masons onlg . A Grand Council of the Order existed under Lord Rancliffe in 179 G . His Lordshi p was succeeded in 1804 by Consul-General Waller Rodwell Wright , who handed over his sceptre to the Duke of Susaex

, and his Royal Highness was followed by Bro . W . II . White , elected at the revival ; upon whose decease , in 1866 , Lord Kenlis was chosen as the Grand Sovereign of the Knights . So much for our monarchical succession . The Order has no connection with the American

degree given to Royal Arch Masons as a preliminary to that of the Templars . The term " Knight Grand Cross , " frequently used in its old records , would alone prove this assertion , as that designation is not to be found in any American ritual ; and , moreover , the historical traditions of the two Orders are totally

dissimilar—the one referring to events in the Christian era , and the other to circumstances said to have occurred in the reign of Darius , King of Persia . As a further proof , I may mention that Bro . W . H . White was installed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Constantine in 1809 , and did not become a Royal Arch Mason until 1811 . Ah imo disee omnes . In the records " of the Order the terms " Grand

, Council of this enlightened degree , " " general Masonic instruction , " "Craft Masons , " & c , used in connection with the members will surely he held sufficient to evince the relation borne by the Red Cross Knights to the Masonic fraternity ; and the service required of noviciates at a Grand or

Subordinate Council will equally demonstrate the existence of a ruling body . In addition to the testimony above referred to , a charter from Lord Rancliffe , bearing date 1796 , issued to Sir Knight Robert Gill and others , is still extant , and in the possession of the proper parties .

Again , the Order has never claimed jurisdiction over the Templars , or any other cognate association , as asserted by "A Templar" in a recent number of the Freemasons' Magazine ; neither has it ever been dependent upon that distinguished Order of Knighthood , although I am pleased to admit that many of

the most eminent Red Cross Knights in days gone by , as well as some at the present time , are also to be found upon the roll of the Knights Templar ; ancl , to quote "A Sketch of the History , & c , of the Red Cross Order , " ' - " " the two Orders , although kept strictly separate , worked amicably and harmoniously

together . " So mote it ever be , notwithstanding the foolish bluster of fy about " putting down" " spurious" degrees . There is but one more point to which I deem it necessary to draw the attention of your readers , viz ., to the insinuation that no ritual was used by the Knights in former days . It is true

that Knights of the Grand Cross were empowered to confer the Noviciate Cross upon any brother deemed worthy ; but such Noviciate Knig hts were afterwards