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Article CRORESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP, 1891. Page 1 of 1 Article CIVILIZATIONS OF VANISHED EMPIRES. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Crorespondence.
CRORESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for tbe opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear tbe name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
DID MASONS HAYE TWO OR THREE DEGREES IN 1723 ?
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The heading of this letter states dearly the last issue discussed between Bro . Gould and myself . Bro . Gould maintained that Masons then had bat two degrees , and that in 1723 the Grand Lodge prohibited Lodges to confer the second degree , or the Master ' s part ; while I maintained that Masons in 1723 had
three degrees , and that two oat of the three degrees , namely , the Fellow Craft and Master ' s degreeB , Lodges were forbidden to confer unless by Dispensation . Bro . Gould quoted from the record of 25 th November 1725 , viz .: — " A motion being made that such part of the 13 th Article in the
General Regulations , relating to the making of Masters only at the quarterly [ or in the Grand ] Lodge , may be repealed , and that the Master of each Lodge , with the consent of his Wardens and a majority of the brethren being Masters , may make Masters at their discretion . "
In the above paragraph , Masters only are mentioned , bat on the other hand , the " 13 th Article of the General Regulations , " of 1723 , states : — " Apprentices muBt be admitted MASTERS and FELLOW CRAFT only here [ in the Grand Lodge ] , unless by a Dispensation . " And in the New Regulations of the 1738 Constitutions , Anderson
says : — " On 22 nd Nov . 1725 . —The Master of a Lodge with his Wardens and a competent Number of the Lodge assembled in due Form can make Masters and Fellows at Discretion . " The reader will notice that in both Constitutions the words " Master and Fellow Craft , " and "Masters and Fellows , " were
printed either in small capital letters or in italics . This itself seems to me significant that in the Constitntions Anderson meant to oonvey the idea that Masons had three degrees ; that in 1723 Lodges were forbidden to confer the Fellow Craft and Master's degrees , unless by Dispensation ; and in 1725 that law was repealed , and Lodges were thenceforth allowed to confer the Fellow Craft and Master ' s degrees .
Bat says Bro . Gould : — "Dr . Anderson was not present in the Grand Lod ge when the Old Regulation XIII . was repealed in 1725 , nor if he had been could his recollection of the proceedings in 1738 be of any value at all compared with the entry made by the Grand Seoretary of the time" [ of 17251
Now , I believe , Bro . Gould , without an */ or a but , that Dr . Anderson was not present in the Grand Lodge when the Regulation XIII . was repealed : also , that if he had been there in 1725 he might not have remembered in 1738 the precise wording of the repeal of that law in 1725 . But , on the other hand , Bro . Gould must concede that Anderson conld not have compiled his New Regulations iu 1738 without
consulting the record from 1723 to 1738 . It was from the record he copied the New Regulations in 1738 . As far as I know he made no alteration in any other extract except that of 25 th Nov . 1725 , and in this case he must doubtless have been satisfied that the Grand Secretary of 1725 did not give the correct idea , or that his wording was faulty ; hence'Anderson corrected it . He made tho Old
Regulations harmonize with the New . The Old Regulations prohibited Lodges to confer the degree of Fellow Craft and Master ' s degrees , and the New Regulations allowed the Lodges to confer the Fellow Craft and Master's degrees . Besides which , each Constitution was subject to the approval of a committee , aud , as already stated in
a former paper , Deasgaliers copied the 1723 Constitutions , and he of course copied the XIII . Regulation , and I cannot believe that Desagaliers and the two committees could have neglected to correct Anderson ' s wording of both Constitntions , if it had required correction . For the above I unhesitatingly prefer Anderson's testimony to that of 1725 . Respectfully and fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON .
Ar00701
BOSTON , U . S ., 3 rd October 1890 .
The Grand Treasurership, 1891.
THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP , 1891 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you allow us to state , for the information of the many friends and well wishers of Bro . George Everett , that wo have already received on his behalf promises of sup . port from over Fourteen Hundred Brethron , with permission to place
their names on his Committee should a contest take place for tho office of Grand Treasurer in 1891 . Bro . Everett , as you aro aware , polled a sufficient number of
votes in 1889 to have ensured hi 3 success at any ordinary election , and as ho this year stood by rather than provoke tbe turmoil of a contest , we are indulging in the hopo that on the next occasion he may himself be returned unopposed . Yours fraternally ,
H . J . LARDNER , " ) „ r , . . S . H . PABKHOUSE , ] Hon . Secretaries . 14 th Out . 1890 .
Civilizations Of Vanished Empires.
CIVILIZATIONS OF VANISHED EMPIRES .
To the Editor of the " Fc'io . " Silt , —Your correspondent " G . de Winton , " in your issue of this day , refers to the marvellous work of Dr . le Plongeor , which , from its graphic descriptions of the mural inscriptions in old temples in Yucatan , and their comparison with these of similar buildings in
Egypt and in India , brings conviction to the mind of tbe reader of their common origin . How dwellers in the " Land of the West" migrated in ages past to Africa and to Asia is realised in following Dr . le Plougeon ' s pages . For Freemasons , Dr . le
Plongeon ' s work has so deep an interest that , when more widely known , few Lodge libraries will be considered complete without it . — Yours , & c . ROYAL ARCH MASON , P . Z . 206 Selhurst Road , South Norwood , 13 th Oct .
The consecration of the Hilbre Lodge , No . 2375 , has been fixed for to-day , Saturday , at the Market Hall , Ho \ - lake , by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Sir Horatio Lloyd , assisted by Bros . James Salmon ( Mayor of Chester ) P . G . S . W ., John Clayton P . G . J . W ., Rev . R . Hodgson P . G . Chaplain , R . Newhouse P . G . Secretary , and Geo . Browne
P . G . D . C . The W . M . designate is Bro . Charles Stewart Dean P . P . G . J . D ., Bros . Charles Roberts S . W ., and C . Nigel Stewart J . W ., with Bros . C . H . Smith , James S . Jolley , John Lee , John Morris , John G . Holmes , James Woodcock and William H . Martin .
The " young" man who is « entrusted to write pars for our genial contemporary The South African Freemason , should have the rod shaken at him . In a recent issue he thus " expands" himself : — What is the mysterious connection between that extraordinary
modern Diogenes , Brother Jacob Norton , and the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ? Our excellent contemporary is perfectly redolent of Jacob Norton , and has a column or two of his awful lucubrations every single week . If Nortpn ' s stuff was merely twaddle we could possibly possess onr soul in peace , but we feel real mad when we
have week by week to contemplate a professedly Masonio paper half filled with what is nothing more nor less than abuse of the Craft , couched in language always coarse and often literally filthy . And to make matters worse this extraordinary Bostonian invariably italicises any particularly disgusting piece of Billingsgate .
We do not desire to read our young friend a lecture , but we wish him to incline to the belief , —we know our own business . Bro . Norton is respected by all who know him ; if he does not write according to the " lights " set up by his critics , all who can boast of his acquaintance aro assured he is a good fellow and a sincere friend to the human race .
Bro . the Rev . T . W . Melrose , Pror . G . Chaplain , in the course of his sermon before the Grand Lodge of Cumberland and Westmoreland , at Penrith , ou the 3 rd inst ., made the following remarks : —
Amidst the tokens of change we see around ns , one thing remains unchanged — the love of God revealed to us in His holy word . That was the Book upon which the faith of Englishmen had rested since the Church gave it to them ; it was that Book whioh had made England great , glorious , and free , and bad made her name and
character shine brightest among all the nations of the earth . To the Freemason it was the volume of the Sacred Law . It occupied the most exalted position in the Masonio Lodge . No step in Masonry could be taken without it being saluted as the rule and guide of its faith and practice . No mau could become a Freemason without
being earnestly exhorted to make it his constant study , to endeavour at all times to mould his life and actions according to its pattern and to conform to the divine commands which it contains . The text appeared to him like the briefest summary of the charge to a candidate for Freemasonry . Was it not trno that thero was a great deal
of formality in the religion of tho present day . Some went to Churoh to say prayers , and not to pray tbera . It was respectable to go , it was fashionable , it tended to make people think well of them . The same leaven of hypocrisy permeated to somo depth what was called society , which instead of influencing men by a high moral tone , wa 3 sometimes
the very means of their debasement ? Was it not too of ton true that money , and money alone , was the key which opened the gate to that which ought to be the centre of culture and rofinomont ? Similarly in tho business of life , in what were called commercial transactions , wore they always , were they generally honest ? Did they not present
to the young mind just embarking upon life a aeaa very faded picture of that high standard to which it had been trained ? Look at the newspapers , and read the tempting baits spread before unwary investors . How anxious are some people in these days of enlightened
iniquity to share their wealth with tho masses by what they called a co-operative system of dealing in stocks and shares . Less or risk , if ever alluded to , iB printed in the smallest of type , while profit and expectation , with a hypocritical word of caution against other Systems of luveatuieat , are set forth ia the boldest of capitals .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Crorespondence.
CRORESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for tbe opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear tbe name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
DID MASONS HAYE TWO OR THREE DEGREES IN 1723 ?
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The heading of this letter states dearly the last issue discussed between Bro . Gould and myself . Bro . Gould maintained that Masons then had bat two degrees , and that in 1723 the Grand Lodge prohibited Lodges to confer the second degree , or the Master ' s part ; while I maintained that Masons in 1723 had
three degrees , and that two oat of the three degrees , namely , the Fellow Craft and Master ' s degreeB , Lodges were forbidden to confer unless by Dispensation . Bro . Gould quoted from the record of 25 th November 1725 , viz .: — " A motion being made that such part of the 13 th Article in the
General Regulations , relating to the making of Masters only at the quarterly [ or in the Grand ] Lodge , may be repealed , and that the Master of each Lodge , with the consent of his Wardens and a majority of the brethren being Masters , may make Masters at their discretion . "
In the above paragraph , Masters only are mentioned , bat on the other hand , the " 13 th Article of the General Regulations , " of 1723 , states : — " Apprentices muBt be admitted MASTERS and FELLOW CRAFT only here [ in the Grand Lodge ] , unless by a Dispensation . " And in the New Regulations of the 1738 Constitutions , Anderson
says : — " On 22 nd Nov . 1725 . —The Master of a Lodge with his Wardens and a competent Number of the Lodge assembled in due Form can make Masters and Fellows at Discretion . " The reader will notice that in both Constitutions the words " Master and Fellow Craft , " and "Masters and Fellows , " were
printed either in small capital letters or in italics . This itself seems to me significant that in the Constitntions Anderson meant to oonvey the idea that Masons had three degrees ; that in 1723 Lodges were forbidden to confer the Fellow Craft and Master's degrees , unless by Dispensation ; and in 1725 that law was repealed , and Lodges were thenceforth allowed to confer the Fellow Craft and Master ' s degrees .
Bat says Bro . Gould : — "Dr . Anderson was not present in the Grand Lod ge when the Old Regulation XIII . was repealed in 1725 , nor if he had been could his recollection of the proceedings in 1738 be of any value at all compared with the entry made by the Grand Seoretary of the time" [ of 17251
Now , I believe , Bro . Gould , without an */ or a but , that Dr . Anderson was not present in the Grand Lodge when the Regulation XIII . was repealed : also , that if he had been there in 1725 he might not have remembered in 1738 the precise wording of the repeal of that law in 1725 . But , on the other hand , Bro . Gould must concede that Anderson conld not have compiled his New Regulations iu 1738 without
consulting the record from 1723 to 1738 . It was from the record he copied the New Regulations in 1738 . As far as I know he made no alteration in any other extract except that of 25 th Nov . 1725 , and in this case he must doubtless have been satisfied that the Grand Secretary of 1725 did not give the correct idea , or that his wording was faulty ; hence'Anderson corrected it . He made tho Old
Regulations harmonize with the New . The Old Regulations prohibited Lodges to confer the degree of Fellow Craft and Master ' s degrees , and the New Regulations allowed the Lodges to confer the Fellow Craft and Master's degrees . Besides which , each Constitution was subject to the approval of a committee , aud , as already stated in
a former paper , Deasgaliers copied the 1723 Constitutions , and he of course copied the XIII . Regulation , and I cannot believe that Desagaliers and the two committees could have neglected to correct Anderson ' s wording of both Constitntions , if it had required correction . For the above I unhesitatingly prefer Anderson's testimony to that of 1725 . Respectfully and fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON .
Ar00701
BOSTON , U . S ., 3 rd October 1890 .
The Grand Treasurership, 1891.
THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP , 1891 .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you allow us to state , for the information of the many friends and well wishers of Bro . George Everett , that wo have already received on his behalf promises of sup . port from over Fourteen Hundred Brethron , with permission to place
their names on his Committee should a contest take place for tho office of Grand Treasurer in 1891 . Bro . Everett , as you aro aware , polled a sufficient number of
votes in 1889 to have ensured hi 3 success at any ordinary election , and as ho this year stood by rather than provoke tbe turmoil of a contest , we are indulging in the hopo that on the next occasion he may himself be returned unopposed . Yours fraternally ,
H . J . LARDNER , " ) „ r , . . S . H . PABKHOUSE , ] Hon . Secretaries . 14 th Out . 1890 .
Civilizations Of Vanished Empires.
CIVILIZATIONS OF VANISHED EMPIRES .
To the Editor of the " Fc'io . " Silt , —Your correspondent " G . de Winton , " in your issue of this day , refers to the marvellous work of Dr . le Plongeor , which , from its graphic descriptions of the mural inscriptions in old temples in Yucatan , and their comparison with these of similar buildings in
Egypt and in India , brings conviction to the mind of tbe reader of their common origin . How dwellers in the " Land of the West" migrated in ages past to Africa and to Asia is realised in following Dr . le Plougeon ' s pages . For Freemasons , Dr . le
Plongeon ' s work has so deep an interest that , when more widely known , few Lodge libraries will be considered complete without it . — Yours , & c . ROYAL ARCH MASON , P . Z . 206 Selhurst Road , South Norwood , 13 th Oct .
The consecration of the Hilbre Lodge , No . 2375 , has been fixed for to-day , Saturday , at the Market Hall , Ho \ - lake , by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Sir Horatio Lloyd , assisted by Bros . James Salmon ( Mayor of Chester ) P . G . S . W ., John Clayton P . G . J . W ., Rev . R . Hodgson P . G . Chaplain , R . Newhouse P . G . Secretary , and Geo . Browne
P . G . D . C . The W . M . designate is Bro . Charles Stewart Dean P . P . G . J . D ., Bros . Charles Roberts S . W ., and C . Nigel Stewart J . W ., with Bros . C . H . Smith , James S . Jolley , John Lee , John Morris , John G . Holmes , James Woodcock and William H . Martin .
The " young" man who is « entrusted to write pars for our genial contemporary The South African Freemason , should have the rod shaken at him . In a recent issue he thus " expands" himself : — What is the mysterious connection between that extraordinary
modern Diogenes , Brother Jacob Norton , and the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ? Our excellent contemporary is perfectly redolent of Jacob Norton , and has a column or two of his awful lucubrations every single week . If Nortpn ' s stuff was merely twaddle we could possibly possess onr soul in peace , but we feel real mad when we
have week by week to contemplate a professedly Masonio paper half filled with what is nothing more nor less than abuse of the Craft , couched in language always coarse and often literally filthy . And to make matters worse this extraordinary Bostonian invariably italicises any particularly disgusting piece of Billingsgate .
We do not desire to read our young friend a lecture , but we wish him to incline to the belief , —we know our own business . Bro . Norton is respected by all who know him ; if he does not write according to the " lights " set up by his critics , all who can boast of his acquaintance aro assured he is a good fellow and a sincere friend to the human race .
Bro . the Rev . T . W . Melrose , Pror . G . Chaplain , in the course of his sermon before the Grand Lodge of Cumberland and Westmoreland , at Penrith , ou the 3 rd inst ., made the following remarks : —
Amidst the tokens of change we see around ns , one thing remains unchanged — the love of God revealed to us in His holy word . That was the Book upon which the faith of Englishmen had rested since the Church gave it to them ; it was that Book whioh had made England great , glorious , and free , and bad made her name and
character shine brightest among all the nations of the earth . To the Freemason it was the volume of the Sacred Law . It occupied the most exalted position in the Masonio Lodge . No step in Masonry could be taken without it being saluted as the rule and guide of its faith and practice . No mau could become a Freemason without
being earnestly exhorted to make it his constant study , to endeavour at all times to mould his life and actions according to its pattern and to conform to the divine commands which it contains . The text appeared to him like the briefest summary of the charge to a candidate for Freemasonry . Was it not trno that thero was a great deal
of formality in the religion of tho present day . Some went to Churoh to say prayers , and not to pray tbera . It was respectable to go , it was fashionable , it tended to make people think well of them . The same leaven of hypocrisy permeated to somo depth what was called society , which instead of influencing men by a high moral tone , wa 3 sometimes
the very means of their debasement ? Was it not too of ton true that money , and money alone , was the key which opened the gate to that which ought to be the centre of culture and rofinomont ? Similarly in tho business of life , in what were called commercial transactions , wore they always , were they generally honest ? Did they not present
to the young mind just embarking upon life a aeaa very faded picture of that high standard to which it had been trained ? Look at the newspapers , and read the tempting baits spread before unwary investors . How anxious are some people in these days of enlightened
iniquity to share their wealth with tho masses by what they called a co-operative system of dealing in stocks and shares . Less or risk , if ever alluded to , iB printed in the smallest of type , while profit and expectation , with a hypocritical word of caution against other Systems of luveatuieat , are set forth ia the boldest of capitals .