What honour! wisdom! truth! and social love! "But mark, Free-Masons! what a farce is this? IT SAVED HIS LIFE. It is refreshing to record such instances as the following, wherein Masonry exerts its benign influence, even in the bitterness of the present civil war, to save life and pour oil upon the troubled waters. Just previous to the battle of Shiloh, last spring, the 3d Ohio cavalry, commanded at the time by Lt. Col. Murray, took possession of Lawrenceburgh, Tenn. The people of the place were understood to be all Secessionists, and the Lt. Col. ordered his men to search all the houses, arrest all the men, and take possession of all guns and other arms-being careful to protect the women and children from all harm and insult. While this was going on, Col. Murray rode down the street, and, while in front of the Masonic Hall, noticed that some of his men had been in the Lodge-room and taken possession of some articles belonging to the Lodge. He immediately ordered them to return every article to its place, and then placed a guard at the door to protect the hall from future violation. His proceeding, unknown to him, was observed by a Mason—a rebel soldier disguised in citizen's dress. As the troops were to bivouac in town during the night, Lt. Col. Murray proceeded to post his pickets a mile or two from the town, and accompanied them himself, to see that all was properly done. This accomplished, he rode back to the town alone, unconscious of any danger. A few days after occurred the battle of Shiloh, and among the captures made by the 34 Ohio Cavalry, was a rebel surgeon-a Mason. Bro. Murray took his parole in the evening, until morning, allowing him to remain and sleep with him in an out house. During the evening Col. Murray and the rebel surgeon were made conscious of each other's Masonic character, and the conversation became free. The surgeon inquired if he was not in command at the taking of Lawrenceburgh? On being answered in the affirmative, the surgeon told him that he was there also; that while he (Col. Murray) was engaged stationing his pickets, a squad of rebel soldiers stationed themselves in ambush on the road by which he would return, determined to shoot him as he passed. As he approached the spot, the rebel soldier (first alluded to above) in command of the squad recognized him as the officer who had protected the Lodge-room, and stationed a guard at the door for its protection. He immediately ordered his men not to fire, but let him pass in safety, naturally and truthfully concluding that he was a Mason. By this sudden interposition the lieutenant-colonel escaped with his life, although he himself was at the time totally unconscious of danger. The above facts are well attested, and we have them from the lips of a member of the regiment. So much for the good deeds of Masonry, in war.-Review. MASONIC CALENDAR. ANCIENT CRAFT MASONS commence their era with the creation of the world, calling it Anno Lucis, (A. L.) "in the year of Light." SCOTCH RITE, Same as Ancient Craft, except the Jewish Chronology is used, Anno Mundi, (A. M.) "in the year of the World." ROYAL ARCH MASONS date from the year the second temple was commenced by ZERUBBA BEL, Anno Inventionis, (A. Inv.) "in the year of the Discovery." ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS date from the year in which the Temple of Solomon was completed, Anno Depositionis, (A. Dep.) "in the year of the Deposit." KNIGHTS TEMPLARS commence their era with the organization of their Order, Anno Ordinis, (A. O.) " in the year of the Order." RULES FOR MASONIC DATES. 1 ANCIENT CRAFT-Add 4000 years to the common time. Thus: 1862 and 4000=5662. 2. SCOTCH RITE-Add 3760 to the common era. Thus: 1862 and 3760=5622. After September add another year, 3. ROYAL ARCH-Add 530 years to the vulgar year. Thus: 1862 and 530=2392. 4 ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS-Add 1000 to the common time. Thus: 1862 and 1000= 2862. 5. KNIGHT TEMPLAR-From the Christian era take 1118. Thus: 1118 from 1862-744. [From the Masonic Trowel," published at Springfield, Ill., by R. W. HARMAN G. REYNOLDS, Secretary of the Grand Lodge of that State.] R. W. BRO. C. W. MOORE, Grand Secretary of Massachusetts. This distinguished Mason has just entered upon his thiriteth year of service as Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. He, is now publishing the twentysecond volume of the Freemasons' Magazinea work which has no Masonic equal. A complete set of his Magazine would now quickly command from $8 to $10 per volume. The great characteristics which distinguish Bro. Moore are, steadiness, firmness, logic, a legal mind, clearness of expression, and a terse, classic style. His knowledge of Masonic ritual, laws, usages and history as a whole, probably exceeds, that of any other living man, Hence, his decisions, on this continent, and perhaps we may say in Great Britain, are regarded as law. The first election of Bro. Moore reaches back to the dark days of Antimasonic, terrorism, and several years prior to the commencement of his Magazine. Verily, he has exemplified the truth of the maxim, Time, patience, and perseverance ac complish all things." From a very desponding condition, he has at length been enabled to see his Grand Lodge standing at the head of the Fraternity in the United States, free from all internal strife, and quietly traveling in the good old paths of "Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love." THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE.-Elsewhere we have alluded to the Masonic service of R. W. Bro. C. W. Moore, of Boston, as Grand Secretary. That service, eminent and useful as it may have been, bears no comparison with his fame and usefulness as Editor of the Periodical named above. He commenced its publication in Nov., 1841, and it has traveled in every direction from that time forward, the harbinger of good, the herald of truth, law, and sound Masonic decisions. The literary articles, poetry and sketches which adorn its pages are models of good story telling without license, putridity or mock modesty; such as any person, who would read, might read with profit and real pleasure. The decisions upon Masonic law contained in the Freemasons' Magazine, in so far as they do not affect local Grand Lodge Regulations, are justly regarded as Masonic law, as much so as the decisions of our highest courts of Judicature are considered the law of the land. We (Grand Secretary of Illinois,) have all the volumes complete in our Grand Lodge Library, except the first, which was in the possession of P. G. M. Hobbs at the time of his death, and cannot, we fear, be found. We have all the volumes complete in our own Library, and gold could not buy them. A full set of the work would now quickly command ten dollars per volume. They commanded seven dollars nine years ago.-Masonic Trowel. IMPORTANT FROM THE SUPREME COUNCIL, NEW GRENADA. In our last we stated that important official documents had been received from the Supreme Council 33d of New Granada, by its Representative near the Supreme Council 33d for the Northern Jurisdiction U. S., Boston, Mass. Ill. Bro. Andres Cassard. As an act of justice to Ill. Bro. Cassard we have had the following portions translated. A perusal of them will be gratifying to his many friends, and cannot fail to heap coals of fire on the ignorant beads of all those who some two years since attempted to persecute him, with a spirit of fiendish malignity. While his triumph and vindication are complete, his adversaries have been made to suffer the punishment due to transgressors. [The New York Saturday Courier, from which the above is taken, contains a translation of the proceedings referred to, but for which we have not room in our pages. The result at which the body arrived is embraced in the following]: "The G. College of Rites of the G. Orient of New Granada, Declares :-That the work published in New York by the Ill. Bro. Cassard 33d, is in nothing preju dicial to the Masonic Order, and that there is no reason whatever to proscribe its circulation in this G. Orient, and therefore it is permitted and authorized. "It likewise declares; That said Bro. Cassard by publishing said work in Spanish, has rendered an important service to Spanish Masons, and particularly to those of this G. Orient which has made him worthy of the esteem of all New Granadian Masons; consequently the M. Ser. G. Master is requested to procure from the M. S. G. Masonic Senate, at its next meeting, the forwarding of a legislative act, declaring Ill. Bro. Cassard an HONORARY MEMBER of said Most Serene Corporation in testimony of their High appreciation and gratitude. Let these resolutions and report be published and communicated to Ill. Bro. Cassard for his own satisfaction." A SUGGESTIVE LEAF FROM THE HISTORY OF MASONRY IN NEW YORK.* On the 3d inst. we gave the action of the Grand Lodge of New York in 1853, based upon the report of Bro. Lewis, in reference to the establishment of Symbolic Lodges by the Atwood so-called Council of the Scottish rite; and alluded to the persistence of that deceased chieftain and his associates, in their illegal usurpations, despite the mandates of the Grand Lodge of the State, as late as 1859. We will now go back a little further, and call our Brother's attention to the following facts. In 1837, H. C. Atwood and others, were expelled from the Grand Lodge of New York, and in that year formed an illegal association which was known as the St. John's Grand Lodge. In 1846, the "Cerneau" Supreme Council, known at that period as the "Supreme Council 33d for the Western Hemisphere," was dissolved by mutual consent, and never revived by any of its original members. In December, 1850, Atwood and his associates were restored as Masons. Up to that period he was universally held as an expelled Mason, and no regular body of Masons recognized him. At the time of his expulsion, more than one of the old Cerneau Council, as members of the Grand Stewards Lodge, were his triers, and yet this usurping Council of New York, founded by Atwood, now claim to be the continuation since 1846, of a body of men, who never knew him, (Atwood) as an Ineffable Mason, but who, up to his restoration in December 1850, regarded him as an—alien, even to Symbolic Masonry. The restless spirit of Atwood could not long brook the control of the Grand Lodge and despite its authority, and in violation of its laws, he again commenced his unholy work, for we find by the proceedings of the Council he founded, the following, which we extract: "March 8, 1853. The following petitions were received and laid before the Council by the Grand Secretary, viz: "From T. Ill. Bro. Robert B. Folger and others, for constituting and establishing a Lodge of St. John, No. 1, by the distinctive title of 'John, the Forerunner,' of the Ancient Free and Accepted Scottish Rite. Ritual in the English Language. Granted." In June, 1853, or three months later, the election of Chancellor Walworth to the Grand Mastership, was seized as good and sufficient reason for many of the followers of Atwood remaining in the Grand Lodge, to revolt. On the 13th June, 1853, a meeting of the revolters was held at Tollerton Hall in this city. The Chairman of the meeting was W. Bro. Edmund B. Hays, then Master of Keystone Lodge, and now the so-called Sov. G. Commander of the Alwood Council. The avowed object of the meeting was the formation of a new Grand Lodge, and a Committee of three, Robt. B. Folger, Chas. W. Willetts and R. M. Van Tassell, was appointed to prepare a plan. On the 20th the Committee reported the St. John's Grand Lodge revived, and H. Thompson, John B. Ewing, R. E. Ro *From the New York Saturday Courier of Jan. 24, 1863. berts, James G. Kent and Andrew J. Fisher, all members of the Hays Council, were elected Grand Officers; and on the 24th installed by H. C. Atwood. A few months previous to the disbandment of these illegal organizations, fostered by, and composed of, the members of this so-called Supreme Council, a pamphet was issued by the latter, over the signatures of H. C. Atwood, E. B. Hays, Geo. L. Osborn and Chas. W. Atwood, as officers, in which they styled themselves "The Supreme Council in and for the Sovereign and Independent State of New York,"-less pretensions than now, when they claim jurisdiction over the "United States, its Territories and Dependencies," and declared that the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite was formed for the social, political and religious emancipation of Nations!! that the Rite was an indissoluble totality, commencing with the degree of Entered Apprentice, and ending with that of S. G. I. G. 33d, and also "that the Grand Lodge of New York commits a monstrous error, and endeavors to usurp powers in arrogating to herself the administration and government of the three first degrees," meaning, we suppose, the first three degrees. What order loving, law abiding, conservative Masons with such a record as this before them, will pledge their Masonic honors, lives and fortunes in support of such a "will o' the wisp?" How many after perusing it will not endeavor to escape from the clutches of Pluto? How many of those who from want of proper information have been entrapped, will consent to remain? How will the Masonic historian of New York (Lewis) treat the subject? Surely, surely from the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step. "The descent to Avernus is easy." GRAND LODGE OF MICHIGAN. THE above body held its annual communication at Detroit, in January last, with an unusually large attendance. The address of the Grand Master is chiefly devoted to the work and lectures. The action of the Grand Lodge on this subject is embodied in the following order, which would seem to effectually exclude the "conservators" and all other innovators and itinerant lecturers from the jurisdiction: Resolved, That all Lodges within this jurisdiction are enjoined and prohibited from encouraging, promoting, or permitting the delivery or teaching any Masonic lectures or work which have not been sanctioned and authorized by this Grand Lodge; and all Brothers within this jurisdiction, are prohibited from delivering or teaching such lectures to Lodges in this State unless hereafter authorized so to do by this Grand Lodge. BRETHREN IN THE ARMY. The following resolution should be strictlyy complied with, for the information it is designed to elicit, will be of much interest half a century hence. We have been trying to effect a similar result in this State, but do not, we are sorry to say, |