Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC SONG . Can you , or any of your readers inform me where I can purchase the song which contains , as near as I can remember , the following verse ?—Come all you Freemasons that dwell around the globe , That wear the hadge of innocence , I mean the royal robe ; For In Heaven there is a lodge , aud St . Peter keeps the door

, And none can enter in hut such as are pure . I remember hearing it sung , as a child , a many years ago , and this verse is the only one retained in my memory . During many visits to lodges , I have never heard tlie song given , or have met with any one who knew it . Perhaps some of your readers have

heard it , and can give me the requisite information . — W . M . MASONIC AGONY . The letter of " Pointed , " under this heading , is not dated . Possibly ,: Pointed " felt some hesitation in letting the world know of his residence in Bethlehem . He has " piled up the agony " a little too high . When he descends , I am ready to discuss with him . —J . A . H .

DEO . BINCKES AND MASONIC EESEAECH . I must profess myself quite charmed with the eloquent letter of our distinguished brother in the Magazine , pages 410 , 411 . Were Bros . Buchan and Hughan , ceteris paribus , to devote their talents to enobling the Order by enlarging its bounds and

strengthening its stakes , so as to make its charities more comprehensive and its influence more omnipotent . Were they , I say , to strive to make this Freemasonry of ours what it should be , a Temple for the worship of the Great Unseen , whether adored as Jehovah , Jove , or Lord , it would be acknowledged their task

was more congenial and more in accordance with its sublime tenets . I have taken a great interest in the free figlit which has been raging and still rages about 1717 . I regret it , as I think the brethren might be better employed , and it does not matter one iota to us whether Freemasonry was founded A . D . 1717 or u . o . 1717 . We must accept the present tense and let the dead bury their dead . —EEITAM .

" A . MASONIC STUDENT " AND THE ANTIQUITY OS EEEEMASONEY . At page 171 , August 29 th , 1 SGS , "A Masonic Student " promises to bring forward certain Masonic proofs , which he asserts he has . He repeats this at page 308 , for Oct . 16 th , 1869 , hut he has not done it yet ! Why is this ?—W . P . B .

NE STJTOB TJLTEA CEEPITAM . Will you kindly allow me to inquire from " Historicus , " how can the marriage of Queen Victoria to H . E . H . the Prince Consort convey the succession of Kings of Great Britain and Ireland , & c , to the descendants of the latterla he that Si in

. aware gma Greek is sometimes pronounced with a hard ' sound , as of K , and sometimes with a soft sound , as of C in " cessation , " and that the Greek is indifferently X or KS . —AEGIVE .

MASONIC EESEAECIT . " 1 S . B ., " at page 389 , having paid his devoirs so ably to Bro . Jesse Banning , of page 371 , he could not do better than take Bro . Frederick Binckes , of page 410 , in hand in a similar manner . —W . P . B .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

BRO . HUGHAN AND " POINTED " ( p . 372 ) . Bro . Hughan informs us , at page 372 , that because Masons before last century used signs and secrets , & c , they were therefore different from other trades ; and at page 321 , Oct . 23 rd , where he promises to give a short article upon the subjecthe consoles

, himself with the reflection that it will be easier for him to prove the existence of speculative Masonry before 1717 than it will be for Bro . Buchan to prove that other trades had words and grips as well as the Masons . I am afraid that Bro . Hughan has been rather hasty hereaud if he read the remarks at page

, 384 , 1 should not be astonished at his taking further time to consider before he writes the articles he then contemplated . More , if Bro . Buchan backs up his statements satisfactorily , it must " go far to alter Ms ( Bro . Hughan's ) opinion on see-ret operative Masonry before the 18 th century . "—POINTED .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

TJIB Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondent * MASONIC EEFOEM . TO THE EBITOr . OF THE rKEEJIASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC SID 1 R 0 I ! . Dear Sir and Brother , —In my correspondence published in your journal during the course of the

last eleven years , besides a variety of miscellaneous subjects , there are four to which I have lost no suitable opportunity of directing attention , namely : The erection of special buildings for our lodges , and the abandonment of taverns and hotels . The desirability of a decision by the Masonic authorities as to

the correct form of ritual , and its enforcement , so as to produce not only uniformity but propriety in the details of the working . A limitation of the period during which a Grand Master should he eligible for annual re-election . A similar limitation as regards Prov . Grand Masters .

Though I cannot say that the expression of my opinions has in any cases produced a definite result , still I hope that , as one of the pioneers , I have led brethren to think on these subjects , and thus , combined with the efforts of others , have forwarded a solution of questions which a few years ago appeared very distant , from the apathy displayed in regard to them .

On the first of these points much has been accomplished , and much still remains to he done . The tide of opinion has set in favourably , but in many districts the great difficulty is the provision of the necessary funds , and in some this is insuperable . I can point to several places in my neighbourhood where a suitable building has been erected without

first counting the cost , and hence much subsequent embarrassment has occurred . I cannot but think that it is possible to devise a plan by which the Grand Lodge might render temporary pecuniary assistance , taking care to have ample security for the repayment of any loan within a fixed periodand until

, that takes place receiving interest on the amount advanced . The second question has lately been brought prominently forward by many eminent brethren , and is at last to be formally introduced in Grand Lodge at its meeting next week by Bro .