The Knights Templars.

in whose dominions they possessed estates , would also have objected to the existence of a power attached to the King of France . Nor would the Pope have been pleased with such a scheme , as it would have deprived him of his vassals , and added

a tremendous and irresistable force to the already powerful Philip . The Grand Master of the Templars had formerly satisfied the Pope of the impracticability of such a scheme , and Philip had no wish to raise any question which might lead to a

quarrel with the Church . The King determined , however , to consider well this proposal , and to take an opportunity of sounding the Pope before finally rejecting it . { To he continued )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

EED CEOSS OI ROME ASD COSSTASTIHE . The " Red Cross of Rome aud Constantine " has not heen shown to be of an earlier origin than the Knights Templars , as respects connexion with Masonry , and therefore it has no right to be termed the " Older of the Two Chivalric Degrees . " What the

original degree itself was apart from Masonry is quite another question , and , like the ancient Templars , we cannot obtain information thereon from Masonic archives .

In answer to Bro . Charters' fraternal communication , the communications of my esteemed friend , Bro . Little , are to be found in the Freemasons' Magazine for the last two years , respecting the antiquity and character of the " Red Cross of Rome and Constanstine" audif Bro . Charters cannot find the

autho-, , rity I mentioned in either of the Grand Recorder's valuable articles , I shall be happy to search for my notes and refer him to the page . —WIEHAM JAMES HTJOHAS - .

THE DEEIVATI 03 ' OE " FEEE-MASOi . " From the opening remarks at page 90 ( Aug . 1 st ) down to this date there has been a good deal said on this matter ; but it has not even yet been properly or rather exhaustively treated . The remarks at 330 of " A Masonic Student "

page are very good so for as thoy go , only they do not go far enough . He is running on very well , but suddenly pulls up before the goal is duly reached . From the careful manner in which he seems to have collected his information , I regret this , and hope that he will yet follow up the matter more fully , and

further to a properly definite result . The " solution " which " Richard Dawson ' ' gives in his letter afc page 352 will hardly do . Although " one part is derived from the French , " it does not necessarily follow " so also should the other . " Further , I find more difficulties iu Bro . Dawson's solution than the " softening the letter' c' " — ~ W . P . BUCHAJT .

" SCOTCH . " I beg to differ with Bro . Lyon in his remarks at page 329 . He says , " Scots and Scotchmen are synonymous ; both are , we think , proper to be used . " I do not think so ; and I may here state that the remarks about " Scotch " arose from the spelling of

the word in the foot-note to page 210 , where it is * " Scotchmen " when it ought to have been " Scotsmen ' ' or " any Scotsman . " A Scotchman is a native of Scotchland , but where is Scotchland ? * A Scot or a Scotsman is a native of " Scotland , the land of the Scots .

The word " Scotch " I consider to be a vulgarism ; , but , of course , it may be used correctly enough in such phrases as " guid braid Scotch , " and wheu one is writing " braid Scotch " lie can use the word as much as he pleases ; but I did not refer to a " braid Scotch " sentence at page 251 , where I say , " as has been done . " As I see it often used in the

newspapers and elsewhere , I think it shows carelessness or * the part of the writer . I do not think that Professor Wilson , or many other good writers about Scotland and Scotsmen , will be found to use the word "Scotch" ( unless as a quotation , or something similar ) ; and in that masterly

essay in the Quarterly Review on " Scottish Abbeys , and Cathedrals , " by the late Joseph Robertson , he always uses the word Scottish , designedly ignoring the word " Scotch . " In that beautiful song , " 0 , sing to me the auld Scotch Songs , " I would by no mean 3 object to the word Scotch in that connexion ; but .

when , iu hearing it sung , the singer came to the words in the second verse , " The Scotch blood leaps , " ' I always felt a sort of jar , as if something had gone wrong . I think it ought in that connexion to be " The Scots' blood leaps . " While I consider the use of the word Scotch to be bad , I consider the word Scotchman far worse , unless when it is intended to mean a native of Scotchland . —W . P . B .

JEWS IN MASONET . The Lodge of Nine Muses above referred to was established chiefly by Spanish and Portuguese Jews-It has enrolled among its members many distinguished men of all classes of society , and still includes Jews . It has also maintained its reputation as a crack lodge . —HXDE CEAEKE .

THE MOST ASCIEST OBDEB . The most ancient order of Christian Masonry ,, about which there has been a dispute , is that of the Adamites . The first , or initiate , or postulate , or aspirant degree is of very great simplicity and purity , as the members are clothed in buff . In the second

degree the members wear the apron , the first example of Masonic aprons , conferred in this ancient degree , " and they made themselves aprons of fig leaves . " In the third degree the Sir Knights receive the dignity of Grand Master Tailor , and are invested with their skins of coats and their coats of skins , by which time ; they had begun to feel cold . The banquet of the degree is of raw apples . Some say the Pre-adamites were older . —NEMO NISI MEMO .