Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

PAGE MASONIC CURIOSITIES . —Ill 373 & 374 MASONRY IN A MERICASemi-Centennial of Olive Branch Lodge , Leroy ,

New York 374 GRAND CHAPTER 375 GRAND MARK LODGE 376 & 377

A HUSBAND ' S LOVE 377 CONSECRATION OF A N £ W M . M . LODGE AT GUILDFORD 377 CONSECRATION OF A NEW M . M . LODGE AT

NEWPORT ... 377 BIRTHS , MARRIAGES , AND DEATHS 37 S ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 37 S MASONIC REFORM 37 S & 379

MULTUM IN PARVO 379 & 380 ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCEAn . " Imperial Highness " .. 3 S 0

" Prince Rhodocanakis 3 S 0 The 1717 Theory 380 The Prov . Grand Master Designate for East

Lancashire ... ... ... 381 J OTTINGS FROM MASONIC J OURNALS 3 S 1 PROV . GRAND LODGE OF KENT ... 382 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 383

THE CRAFTMetropolitan 38 3 Middlesex 383 ORDERS OF CHIVALRYRed Cross of Rome and Constantine 383

Masonic Curiosities.—Iii.

MASONIC CURIOSITIES . —III .

BY WILLIAM J AMES HUGHAN . P . M . 131 , Prov . Grand Secretary Cornwall , £ r > c .

( Continued from page 313 . j There having been a little discussion on several " side" degrees of late in THE FREEMASON , and having had the following certificate sent me which refers to several , I

have copied it carefully , thinking it may be of interest , and valuable , at least as a curiosity and as evidence of the wholesale way in which degrees were conferred even a few years ago , although the undermentioned

scarcely equals the number of degrees sometimes , at the present time , given to a Master Mason of a few weeks' standing in this country , when joining the Ancient and Accepted Rite . A long piece of ribbon is

attached to the first certificate , as below , composed of five colours , viz ., black , scarlet , white , green and gold , and the seal ( which is triangular , ) contains the words , " Knight

Templar Encampment , Holyhead , No . 233 . In Hoc Signo Vinces . J . H . S ., " also several emblems such as "Cross bones " with "M . M ., " Heart , Maltese Cross , Hour Glass , "All-seeing eye , " Skull and Daggers .

[ CERTIFICATE NO . 2 . ] In Domino confido . Toto Nicv . , 1 > eace u P on ean ' 1 an < l S °° w i" towards men . Ihe light shincth in darkness , and the darkness

comprchendeth it not . We assemble in the name of the Most Glorious and Undivided Trinity . Aleph Beth Ruah Ilakkadosh . In Hoc Signo Vinces .

No . 233 , Knight Templars' Grand Encampment . "We the "Worshi pful High Priest and Captain General , ,. . *> «<¦ " •> ° f that Magnanimous and Invincible Order of ¦ " ¦• gn Knight Templars and Knights of Malta , of Lodge

Masonic Curiosities.—Iii.

No . 233 , held in the town of Holyhead , and on the Grand Registry of England , dedicated to Moses and King Solomon in the Ancient and Sacred Law , and to that faithful soldier Saint John of Jerusalem in the Gospel Dispensasation ; do hereby certify and affirm that our dearly and well beloved Brother and constituted friendthe Worshipful

Sir Samuel Robertson having passed the Excellent , super-Excellent , and Holy Royal Arch degrees of Masonic Orders , was by us regularly dubbed , admitted , initiated and confirmed in the rights , ceremonies , and mysteries of that Holy , Noble and Christian Order of a High Knight Templar , the true and faithful soldier of Jesus Christ , also

Knight of Malta , White Cross and Mediterranean Pass , Ark Link and Mark , Knight of the Red Cross , Knight of Eleazer Hieroglyphics and Priestly Order , and that he has attained to that Most Glorious Christian Order of the Scantu Spiritu and Knight of Death by us in a Grand Encampment and Assembly .

Since his initiation he has discharged the relative duties of a Sir Knight Companion with affection and integrity amongst us ; having with much fortitude , skill and valour previously withstood and resisted various temptations preparatory to his admission , and as such we recommend him to all true and faithful Knights and Brethren of the

abovementioned Masonic Orders round the globe . In testimony of the same we have signed our hands and placed our seal of our General Assembly ancl Grand Encampment in our lodge-room in Holyhead this 27 th clay of March , 1825 , and of the

Order of Templars 707 , and of Malta 725 . J AMES MARKES , MARK LEES , J WATSON , High Priest . Grand Master . Grand Warden GEORGE SMYTH , WILLIAM KEER , Captain-General . Grand Scribe .

The Craft certificate is thus worded , and though a separate document ( excepting the printed part ) was evidently written by the same Scribe as the former . It is dated A . D . 1825 , but the " water mark "in the paper is "F . Orr and Son , 1828 , " so that the certificate must have been given some few years after the degrees were taken .

The "White Cross , and some other side degrees mentioned in the first certificate are still given at Bottoms Stansfield , and said to be by virtue of "York Grand Lodge Warrants ; " but such is not thc case , as the

brethren who work such degrees at this place , have no warrant granted by the Grand Lodge of all England held at York , to work any degrees whatever ; not even the Craft , the Mark or the Arch , as is stated erroneously by some brethren .

[ CERTIFICATE NO . 3 . ] The East being a Place of Light , where Peace nnd Love reign , and thc Darkness comprehendeth it not . Being regulaily assembled , and adorned with all our honours—Wc , the Master , Wardens , and Secretary of the Saint David Lodge , No . 233 in thc Registry of England ,

do hereby certify , to all enlightened round the globe , that the bearer , Samuel Robertson , was regularly entered an Apprentice , passed a Fellow Craft , and was afterwards raised to thc sublime degree of Master Mason . Wc therefore recommend him to all regular lodges , where

Providence may order his lot . Given under our hands and seal of our Lodge at Holyhead , this 27 th day of March 1825 , and of Light 5825 . DAVID J ONES , R . W . M . BENJAMIN SEAFORD , Sen . ) . „ ,

JOHN MORGAN , JUll . ) ANDREW MORISON , Secretary . I do not present this certificate as valuable , but only that with thc former , it may prove a connecting link . The oldest Craft

certificate in my possession is dated 1 ith April , 1780 , issued by the Grand Lodge of England . I have several lodge diplomas , as it was the custom then as now , among several lodges to give clearance certificates or ordinary diplomas , signed by thc lodge officials in addition to the usual Grand

Lodge certificate . The first of thc two which follow these remarks , is a singular document , being bordered with emblems in as many circles , illustrative of several degrees , including the Craft , Ark , Knight , Templar and others , and was used during the latter part of last century . I am indebted to Bro . Commander Charles Scott ,

Masonic Curiosities.—Iii.

R . N ., for the copy , and have to thank this excellent Mason for two certificates beside , which will be appended to this series of " Masonic Curiosities . " [ CERTIFICATE No . 4 . ]

I o all whom it may concern . O >• We do hereby certify that Bro . ¦ n _ g is a regular Register'd Master Mason in the £ s * Stewartstown Lodge , No . 765 . And has 8 . g ; during his Stay with us , Behaved himself o . as an honest Mason .

. . Given under our hands and seal of our Lodge on Master . • Sen . Warden . . . Jun . Warden .

[ CERTIFICATE No . 5 . ] From the East , where reigneth Peace and Silence . Right Worshipful and dear Brethren , —We , the undersigned Master , Wardens , & c ., belonging unto the Lodge of Unity , No . 137 , of Free and Accepted Masons , held at the Fountain Tavern ,

Plymouth , Devon , do hereby attest to all the Brethren of regular and constituted Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons , that our Brother , William Northam , the bearer hereof , hath been legally entered an A . P ., past a F . C ., and raised to the sublime degree of M . M . in our Lodge ; and

( Seal ) having , whilst with us , behaved as a true and faithful Brother . We , as such , heartily recommend him to the Brethren of all regular and constituted Lodges , to be admitted , after due examination , to the Friendly Mysteries and secret ceremonies thereof : and desire you will accept

him with esteem for our sakes , and not only forward him in the Royal Art , but also do him whatever brotherly kindness his occasion shall require , which , be assured , will greatly oblige us . Accept , by him , our Brotherly salutations , and believe us to be , Scaled with our lodge " 1 Dear Brethren ,

seal , and signed by Your affectionate Brethren , us at our lodge at RICHARD WILLIAMS , R . W . M . Plymouth aforesaid , J- THOMAS WALTERS , S . W . this 4 th day March , J VERNON , J . W . A . D . 1800 , A . L . 804 . J To the Right Worshipful Master , Wardens , and Brethren of all Regular Lodges .

The certificate of 1780 ( No . 6 , ) previously alluded to , is as follows : — These are to certify That Brother foscpli Wliidley , was made X Mason and admitted to the third degree of Masonry , as appears by the Register of the Lodge of

rrce and Accepted Masons regularly constituted and meeting at the Thistle and Croxvn , Little Tower Hill , London , signed by the Master , Wardens , and Secretary of the said Lodge , hereunto annexed , and you are desired to receive him as a Brother ,

Given under the seal of the Grand Lodge , ( Seal ) J . HESELTINE , Graud Secretary , London , I Ith April , A . I ., 5780 , A , D , 1780 , GRAND LODGE ,

24 July , 1755-Ordered , is That every Certificate g granted to a Brother of 2 ( "Charity" his being a Mason , shall S seated on for the future be sealed 5 WV V t mmlm \ X

w ...... ~ .. .. ..... . u . u .. vm » m . o "Perfect Ashlar . " ) with the seal of Masonry § S signedbytheGrandSecre- "" "j " tary , for which 5 shillings a *§ ( "Square and shall be paid to the use . 3

2 Compasses . " ) of thc General Fund of -g 5 Charity . 'C ° ( Plumb Rule . ) ( Level . ) 0 ( See the new edition of the " fiook op Constitutions , " page

268 , printed in the year 17 < , (> . ) The two certificates ( on paper ) which conclude this article , are of interest just now as it is contemplated giving thc Excellent or Super-Excellent Master , under the authority of the Grand Lodge of Mark Mastef Masons for England and Wales , & c .

These degrees ( or degree ) were given in Ireland and England during the latter part of last century and often during the present one , as also in Scotland under the Supreme Grand Chapter , and in thc United States , Canada , & c . English Companions

becoming Joining Members of Chapters in thc United States would have to be admitted to the Mark and Excellent Master Degrees ( and Past Master ) before admission , hence it is purposed to confer the Excellent