Tee Masons In Cuba.

We know that the miserable fanatics , those hamanitarianists who are ever seeking out an occasion for parading their own glorification , are not yet able to see the sufferings of our Craft , because they are members of " a secret society , " and

now that conventions are being held in Pennsylvania , Ohio , and the West , to break up the Order of Freemasons , these people would object to any amelioration of the slavery which Masons suffer to the bigotry of the Cuban government .

This course for other reasons must be abandoned . The sufferings and persecutions of the Masons in Cuba has long occupied the attention of the Craft , ancl we are not fully satisfied as to the proper action to be taken in their behalf . The

meeting of Grand Masters we do not approve . But is it to be tolerated that our fellow Craftsmen are in jails and prisons and ] Dersecuted , and there is no aid for them from their brethren ? It

is all very well to talk about the Order of Freemasons , and their duties to those of the Fraternity in distress . Now is the time to show your faith by your works . It is doubtless true that obedience to the civil

magistrate is a Masonic duty , but is it a corollary that obedience is due to a military force and its commander when the country is in a state of civil war P Are the Masons bound to obey the order of a satrap , who with a few , or many , soldiers at its beck and

call , over-riding the civil government , undertakes to rule and govern the people ? We think not . Then the Masons are no longer bound by their fundamental rule , and if they are persecuted by such authority it is the duty of the Craft in the United States to

protest against this tyranny . Something must be done , ought to be done , for the glory of Masonry , the pride of its power to succour the suffering , are now invoked by every sense of justice . We have written this in order to make the following suggestion to the Masonic press .

Let a convention of members of Grand Lodges in their individual capacity , and on their individual responsibility , be held , by common consent , entirely irrespective of the official relations of Grand Lodges as such . Let this convention meet for this one

single and only purpose of protesting against the tyranny of the military power of the Cuban authorities in their treatment of Masons in Cuba . Let this be the exclusive purpose of this convention , none other to be considered . The great protest of a body of

Freemasons may excite such notice as will force Cuba to rely only on her civil laws in dealing with the Masons on that island . J ustice and mercy may thus in concert relieve our brethren from their trials .

Tee Masons In Cuba.

We make this suggestion as the only one in our opinion which can be adopted , without involving the Order of Freemasonry in a violation of their fuudamental rules , or Grand Lodges in political complications , or establishing an unfortunate precedent . We only desire this subject to be considered , ancl

if it shall be found on a calm consideration to be proper , then it will be time enough to make the necessary arrangements for a call of the convention . We insist as absolutely necessary to the success of

this suggestion , that if the convention is to meet , it shall be thoroughly understood beyond all question or doubt , that no other subject than the aid of our brethren in Cuba shall be brought to its notice . —• Keystone .

Masonic Jottings.—No. 30.

MASONIC JOTTINGS . —No . 30 .

BY- A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER . THE GERMAN THEORY . The German Theory is an embodiment of the Grandidier Theory ; ancl it finds in the Mediasval Lodges the 171-7 Masonry , it finds in them the Masonry of which the Operative element is now entirely absorbed in the Speculative element .

BEGINNING OF THE 19 th CENTURY . See the Jotting thus entitled , FREEMASONS ' MAGAZINE , vol . 22 , page 229 . Was the Freemasonry there mentioned thought to be Operative Masonry , or Speculative Masonry , or both ?

APOLLONIUS OP TYANA . Pythagoras was his model . He lacked not Masonic principles . He regarded the earth ng one country , and all men as brothers . His followers , it is well-known , compared him to the divine Jesus *

SPECULATIVE JIASONEY . —ETHICS . It would be as reasonable to ascribe to a school , instituted in 1717 , for the teaching of Ethics , the origin of that science , as to ascribe to tho Grand Lodge of 1717 , the origin of Speculative Masonry .

APOLOGUE . Those who do not dispute a brother ' s assertion , that Noah was the founder of Freemasonry will not , it may be conjectured , think it necessary to dispute his further assertion that Noah first used