Masonic Notes And Queries.

TIIE LODGE OE GLASGOW ST . JOHN ( page 149 ) . Regarding the remarks of S . Z ., under the above heading , I am not surprised that " One Perplexed " asked the question referred to and received no answer . It was a dangerous subject ; one to be quietly swallowednot to be investigated . I had great fear that

, the document would not be shown to . the man whom of all others I wished to see it , but thanks to circumstances , he has both seen and settled it too . The remarks of S . Z . call to to my mind the necessity of returning thanks to Bro . James ' Stevenson , the respected representative of the Magazine in

Glasgow there for his " ruminations " as reported at page 38 , January 11 th , 1868 , which , as S . Z . says , ushered in the " Battle of the Charters . " One of my strong foes was my own heart , but the head I think has beat it . What I aimed at in starting was the truth , and those whom S . Z . may consider to have

been foes he will find , upon a closer examination , that I consider them friends . I have as yet discovered nothing which shows that the Lodge of Glasgow St . John was not the first in Scotland . E . T ., referring to the William the Lion Charter , considers it has no connexion with Masonry—or rather " Freemasonry "

is the word he uses—but he has , as yet , given no grounds for his opinion ¦ but he can take his own time , I am in no particular hurry , as I am preparing for a proper understanding of our respected Bro . I ) . Murray Lyon ' s " History of Kilwinning , " which is to be ready at Christmas . I add another verse to the banter of S . Z .:

—King Malcolm frae St . John ' s is ta ' en , The Bruce tae frae Kilwinning 0 . But still in Glasgow they can boast That Royal Writ frae William 0 . —W . P . BUCHAN . THE COUNTESS D * * * .

See the preceding communication . There are certain fair readers of the Freemasons' Magazine whom , as I well know , the subjoined particulars will interest . The Countess D * * ' * is the Sister of Meudon whose question called forth my communication "Female Atheists" ( FREEMASONS' MAGAZINEvolxv .

, , p . 51 ) . The Countess is not , however , a resident at Meudon ; she was sojourning there for a few weeks only . The word " of " is a misprint for " at . " The Countess passes the greater part of the year at her Ancestral Chateau * * * . Her grandmother enjoyed the favour and confidence ofthe Duchess of Bourbon

and the unfortunate Princess Lamballe , both famous in the history of adoptive Masonry . She joined with them and other royal and noble ladies in soliciting the Duke of Luxembourg ( at ' whose instance the Duke of Chartres , afterwards Duke of Orleans , had accepted the Grand Mastershiiii France ) to use his

p influence for the establishment of Lodges of Adoption . Her mother was Grand Mistress of a Lodge of Adoption , and held a high office in the household of the Empress Josephine . She was present at the famous Lodge of Adoption which met at Strasbourg in 1805 upon which occasion the Empress presided .

, These circumstances explain the enthusiasm which , I am told , the Countess has , ever since her initiation , displayed for Masonic rites and ceremonies and Masonic princi ples . —Copied from a paper in a bundle of BEO . PUETON COOPEE ' S unused Craft Memoranda .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MAXIMS AND AXIMS OF BEO . W . HAEEIS . Being often called upon by junior brethren to give them the benefit of my great aud valued experience as a P . M ., I have jotted clown what I call my maxims aud axims , some of which I may be induced to publish iu your valuable work , THE FREEMASONS '

MAGAZINE , but cannot all , as I wish to keep some to myself , and some are so jocular that they always raise a laugh at trie banquet , though I have told them many times . I do not force them on the members as some brethren do , but I am called for "Bro . Harris ! Bro . Harris ! the story about "—~—

No . 1 . Always pay as small a subscription as you can , and get as much as you can for it . No . 2 . Take all offices that cost nothing , and enjoy all their privileges . No . 3 . Never pay more than you can help for banquets ; they ought to come out of lodge funds .

No . 4 . Always insist on the lodge or W . M . finding champagne ( unless you are W . M . yourself ) ; it does good to the Bro ., mine host of the house , ancl keeps you well with him . No . 5 . Mind that the greatest economy is practised in the lodge in the matter of charity , or the funds may be wasted . Brethren in other lodges who subscribe to those charities , may be asked to put in a

widow , a boy orphan , or a girl orphan . They get a good education in these schools , and may get them up better than a loclge can . Always relieve a distressed brother of the lodge liberally—by liberally I mean a pound , or even go as far as two pounds for a very old brother , if he is not likely to live long and

apply again . Hospitality and charity are the great Masonic virtues , particularly hospitality , which should begin at home and be exercised to one ' s own members first , ancl particularly to one's self . Charity may begin at home , too , and end there . No . 6 . Always uphold hospitality to Bro . visitors

at banquets- they spoil no P . M . ' s dinner , as the visitors are always served bad and get what ' s left , and mine host serves P . M . 's first ancl helps them twice . After dinner is the great time to attend to hospitality and to visitors . Then come it strong . Drink their healths last , so as to give them the

longest opportunity of seeing the hospitality before they return thanks for it . Tell them that the Omega Lodge has always been celebrated for its hospitality , its charity , and its good working , and ask them to bear testimony to it . The Bro . who returns thanks can't help himself , and dare n't say he is hungry . This keeps up the character of a lodge iu the eyes of members and strangers . —W . ILuinrs , P . M .

nnio-iiTAUT' - OP THE SOUL . The learned Bro . 0 . P . Cooper has raised a point affecting Masonic antiquities . Did the Jews before the captivity profess a belief in tho immortality of the soul . Everybody believes they did , except a few somebodies , who have taken the trouble to think and inquire , and they find no evidence that the Jews acknowledged a future state . —STUDENT .

THE TRUE EREEMASONRY . A TRUE EREEMASONEY . Universal Freemasonry is tlie true Freemasonry . Christian Freemasonry , Jewish Freemasonry , Parsee Freemasonry , Mahommedan Freemasonry—each is a true Freemasonry . —From one of Buo . PURTON COOPEE ' Note Books .