Masonic Notes And Queries.

Lodge of " Moderns" to adopt this degree as a part of their system , and since that time it has been considered as " the summit and perfection of ancient Craft Masonry . " At the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 , it was expressly stipulated that the " Holy Eoyal Arch" should be retained . In France , Eamsay's original Royal Arch subsequently underwont many modifications ( as many as thirteen different rituals being now extant ) and was incorporated into nearly all the

, various rites there practised . Several of these versions found their way to this country through Stephen Morin and his successors ; while on the other hand , Dennett's Royal Arch was adopted by those lodges established in America under the authority of the " Ancient Masons . " The degree , as we now have it , was arranged by Thomas Smith AA ' ebb , from the various versions with which he was acquainted , ancl difi ' ers essentially from the

present English Royal Arch . The title of the degree , appears to have led to a singular confusion of ideas , namely , as to the original meaning of the worcl Arch . The title was originally French —• " Royal Arche "—the word Arche signifying either an Arch ( of a bridge ) or an Ark ( as the Ark of the Covenant , Noah's ark , & c . ) The hitter would seem to have been the oriinal interpretationfor in the "

Abg , stract of Laws and Regulations for the Society of Royal Arch Masons , London , 1782 , " ( the first publication relating to this degree ) we find upon the title-page , a vignette representing Noah's Ark , with the motto , " Nulla Salus Fxtra . " Taking this in connection with the fact that there were formerly several minor degrees appended to the Royal Arch , such as the "Ark

Mariners , " the "Ark and Dove , " the "Ark , Mark , and Link , " we are authorised to suppose that there was originally some connection between the Ark and the Royal Arch , and that this title was derived from the Ark and not from an Arch . In the old Athol Lodge , formerly existing in the town of Leicester , England , the degree of Ark Mariner was conferred together with that of the Royal Arch . The seal of the degree , now in the possession of AVm . Kelly , Leicester , bears upon it the emblems

of the Ark , Rainbow , ancl Dove . The interpretation of the French word Arche , by the English term Arch may have furnished AA ebb , with the idea of the Keystone in his arrangement of the Mark degree . Our present Mark degree is almost wholly due to A \ ebb , although based on the European degree of Master Mark Mason , or Past Master , as it was sometimes termed . This latter degree was conferred only on those who had actually presided as MastersThe Si

, gn , Token , and Sacred Sign are precisely similar to the "dueguard , real grip , and principal sign of the present Mark Master ' s Keystone , but in its stead the " Cubic-stone" which is likewise delineated upon the apron . The jewel of the degree was a golden medal , having engraved upon in the two pillars , between which the blazing star with the Hebrew God in its centre , ancl around the whole the inscription H . T . S . T . If . S . Here we have the

foundation on which AVebb constructed his degree of Mark Master . The degree ot Mark Master as at present conferred in R . A . Chapters is properly speaking , not a degree at all ; while that of the Most Excellent Master , was . manufactured entirely by Webb , who derived its name from the title originally applied to all R . A . Masons—namely , that of Most Excellent Masons

TLATES BELONGING TO TEMPLAEY AND TIIE HIGH GEADES . A brother , whose veracity is beyond doubt , tells me that some twenty or thirty years since , an individual called at the Grand Secretary ' s office , and offered to sell some engraved plates , from which certificates of the Knights Templar , and other high grades had been worked . He is reported to have asked fifty pounds for them , and

that the Committee of Grand Lodge authorised our venerable past Grand Secretary , Bro . White , to purchase them , which it is said he did , at the presumed desire of the late M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , who wished to suppress those orders . The query is—if the information is correct—where are the plates now , and if held by the Grand Lodge of England amongst its

muninenfcs , would it not be a graceful act to restore them , either by sale or gift , to the heads of the Orders in question seeing that they are but so much unproductive copper to the Grand Lodge , but of great worth and interest to those to whom they refer . As the statement is of importance to some hundreds of Freemasons , it is to be hoped this notice will elicit a reply from those who can either prove or disorove its truth . —> h

Masonic Notes And Queries.

BBO . BE . HAMILTON . The late Bro . Dr . Hamilton , of Mauchlme , whose death was reported in the MAGAZINE of the 6 th instant , had the honour , in . 1825 , of presenting , from the St . Mungos ' Lodge , a massive diploma and au address to Bro . the Marquis of Hastings , on his ( the Marquis ) return from India . His Lordship , in reply to the address paid a high compliment to Masonry , by saying that he had

governed India on Masonic principles , —for , actuated by the sentiments of unsectarian and universal benevolence and patriotism , the teachings of Masonry . He had laboured to trace wisdom and follow virtue in a land where law and religion were equally sanguinary , whereno mercy was shown , to the widow , or attention to thewail of the fatherless . He thought he had kept his

Masonic badge unsullied , for , uninfluenced by local ] 3 rejudices , he had always sought wisdom to guide thestrength of Britannia , to send charity , mercy , and peaceover the length and breadth of the land . —D . M . L .

TEE OEDEE OE THE GABTEE . Can any of your correspondents inform , we where , or how , the misnomer of a well-known British Order of knighthood crept into a certain portion of the Masonic ritual . —ENQUIEEE .

A HINT TO THE GRAND LODGE OE ENGLAND . Whilst the Grand Lodge are deciding about buildings , and seem inclined to spend large sums of money upon them , the American Masons are rapidly collecting a Masonic Library , buying up everything of interest that turns up in Europe , and gathering the most scarce and valuable W'orks on Freemasonry from all parts , which is thus alluded to in the subjoined extract from The New York Era : —

THE MASONIC LIBEAKY . "We have the pleasure of announcing the full organisation of the Masonic Library Association under the Act of Incorporation granted by the Legislature of the State , hy the election of the following officers : —President , John AV . Simons ; Vice-President , Stephen H . Johnson ; Treasurer , Jotham Post ; Rec . Sec ,, G . W . Steinbriemer ; Cor . Sec , Robert Macoy ; Librarian , James Herring , who , with the following Board of Directors ,

Henry C . Banks , Daniel Godwin , J . Yates Sommers , C . F . Bauer , George A . Hunter , H . AV . Kara , John Davies , George W . Ray ,, It . G . Millard , John H . Anthon , and Jas . M . Austin , constitute the trustees of the association . "It now only remains for them to perfect the by-laws when they will he in readiness to commence the important duties of their organisation . AVe trust that there will be no unnecessary delay , ancl that the craft will come up as one man to the aid of

the officers in placing the undertaking on a sure foundation and thus enable it to secure in perpetuity for the use of Masonry a . library and museum second to none in the world . The present generation of masons have enjoyed unsurpassed prosperity ; , strong in numbers , in wealth , and in influence they have but to will , and accomplishment follows . Justice to themselves anil to the trust committed to their hands requires that they should not suffer this opportunity of creating a monument of their progress that shall tell to the latest posterity of their appreciation of and devotion to the highest and best interest of thefraternity , to pass away unimproved . " —Ex . Ex .

MASON OE FBEEMASON ? Which is most proper to say , Bro . is a Mason , or a Freemason ?—S . N . —{ Both are equally correct . Wepref'er , as a matter of choice only , to use the latter . ]

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

TIte Editor is not responsible for Hie opinions expressed ly Correspondents * THE "YORK BROTHERS" AND YORK FREEMASONRY . TO TIIE JEDITOK OP THE FRJEliMASOl's' MAGAZINE AlfD MASOXIC 3 IIHI 10 R . DEAE SIE AND BEOTJIEE , —Much ridicule has been brought upon our excellent institution , by such random statements as those put forward by the Rev . Chaplain of