-
Articles/Ads
Article Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 1 Article Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 1 Article Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 1 Article GRAND MARK MASTERS LODGE OF INSTRUCTION. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Masonic Notes and Queries .
44 S ] " LODGE AMBASSADOR . Among the officers ot a Yorkshire lodge mentioned in a minute June 24 , 1762 , a " John Bedford " is named in the list "Ambassador . " The same brother is also called "Orator" _ in another minute . Probably some of your readers can give us a similar entry . LEEDS . 449 ] ^
A FACT NOT MENTIONED BY PRESTON . In the minutes of the same lodge , November 13 th , 1777 , occurs the following minute also . Can any reader of the Freemason throw any light upon it . " Then Bro . Geo . Ash introduced into the lodge , a letter ' xxx , ' from Bro . Heseltine , Grand Secretary , dated 21 st September , 1777 . M . W . Master and Brethren , —At the Ouarterly Communication ,
held the 26 th April last , Bro . Anthony Ten Broecke , late Master , B . P . De la Coste , S . W ., John Vestenburg , j . W ., and J . Vierel , Secretary of the Caledonian Lodge , No . 203 , held at the Half Moon Tavern , Cheapside , London , were excelled the Society for havinir in a most illiberal and
unjust manner traduced the Grand Lodge , in a letter signed by them and transmitted to the Marquis de Gages , Prov . G . M . for the Austrian Netherlands . You are therefore , hereby , particularly enjoined not to admit them , or any of them into your lodge , either as members or otherwise . Bv direction ofthe Grand Lodge . JAS . HESELTINE , G . S . " 2— LEEDS .
450 J AN UNKNOWN PORTAIT . Is not the portrait that of Mr . Lambton , M . P ., afterwards Lord Durham , Prov . G . M . for Durham , as a young man . The account much resembles one of him 1 saw some years back . MASONIC PORTAIT COLLECTOR .
451 ] PRESIDENT YORK . is the term President in the York Roll _ anything more than " Prases , " presiding officer in a meeting or company ? Is it necessary that we should understand it to be synonymous with Graud Master ? I think not ! The President and Deputy President were merely terms for the private lodges . Is there an entry on the roll which can strictly be construed of a Grand Assembly ? Is a General Lodge the Grand Assembly ? It is a very important point , as I hope to show next week . ANTIQUITY .
452 ] THE MINUTE BOOK OF 1705 . It is not necessary to assume that Preston ever saw this missing volume , as it will be quite enough to understand that he saw the roll , still existing , of lodge meetings . He may , however , have seen both , and I merely send this note to urge upon all , who have the means and power so to do ,
to make a careful search for that missing minute or account book . It may be among Godfrey Higgin ' s papers ; it may be , though I believe it is not thought to be , in the muniment room at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Sadler is as likely as any one | to know , if by any possibility such a minute book may be preserved or stowed away there . MASONIC STUDENT .
453 I ANNO LUCIS . With reference to Bro . Ringer ' s query as to the meaning of the expression "Anno Lucis , " in the ritual of the Royal Arch Degree , we would point out that it must be understood , in this and other cases in which it is used , symbolically . As our querist knows , the Year of Light is obtained by adding 4000 in Craft and 4004 in Arch Masonry to the number of the calendar year . Thus 18 S 4 A . D . is 58 S 4 A . L . in Craft ,
and 5 S 8 S in Arch Masonry . This being explained in a recent issue of the Freemason . The reason of this is that the 4000 or 4004 years , as the case may be , before the Christian era , represent the presumed period that had elapsed from the creation of the world , when the Great Architect educed
order out of chaos , and light out of darkness . In this sense , Masonry , which is figuratively the eduction of light out of mental darkness , is held to be coeval with the Creation , which , of course , is the beginning of material light , and hence the introduction of the expression "Anno Lucis " into our ritual . K . C .
434 ] CRANE MS . * ( FIRST PART ) . Not long after ye chi ! dren | of Israel came into the land of behest ( i . e ., ye land of promise ) , wh is now called among us the country of Jerusalem , K . David began y- Temple of Jerm , yt is w . ym templum Domini . And ye same K . David loved well Masons , & cherished them , Si gave ym good payment , 81 he gave ye same charge , whh yy ivere
charged with all in Egypt by Euclid , and other charge that you shall hear afterward . And after ye decease of K . David , Solomon y t was son unto David performed ye Temple that his Father had begun . And he sent afte r Masons of diverse lands , and gathered ym together , so that he had fourscore thousand workers of stone , and thev were named Masons .
And he had three thousand of ym whh were ordained to be Masters & Governors of this work . And there was a King of another region yt men called Hyram : Si he loved well K . Solomon , & he gave him timber for his work ; Si he had a son ( widow ' s son ) yt was named Dynon ( Hyram ) , & he was Mr of Geomy , Si he was chief Mr of all his Masons , Si Mr of all the graving and carving work , and of all
other masonry yt belonged to ye temple , & this witnesseth ye holy Bible in libro Regum quarto capite . And this same Solomon confirmed all the charge & manners yt David , his father , had given to masons ; Si thus was ye worthy craft of masonry confirmed in ye countrie of Jerm , & in many other glorious Kdoms . Right renowned workmen walked abroad into diverse countries , some because of learng more skill , and some to teach their craft to others ; & so it befell
that a curious mason yt had been at yc buildg of Solomon ' s temple , which was called Magnus Gracus , came into France , and taught ye craft of masonry to ye Frenchmen . And so there was one of y = Royal Line of France that was called Charles Martell ; and he loved well this craft , and he drew to him this Magnus aforesaid , & learned of him ye craft , Si took upon him the charge and manners of a mason ; Si afterwards , by ye grace of God , he was elected to be ye
Masonic Notes And Queries.
King of France . When he was on his stall he took to him many masons , and made masons there that were none before ; & he gave them charge , & manners , Si good payment . He had learned of other masons , & confirmed them a charter from year to year to hold their assembly , and he cherished ym much ; and thus ye craft came into France . England all this season stood viodland as for any charge of masonry , until ye time of St . Alban ; and in his time ye K .
of England was a pagan ; & he walled ye town yt now is called St . Albans ; & so in St . Alban ' s time was a worthy Knight , Si he was chief steward to the ye King ; and he had governance of the realm , and also of ye making of ye town walls , and loved well masons , and cherished ym , & he made their payment right good standing as ye realm did require : for he gave ym every week three shillings and sixpence to their double wages : whereas before that time
throughout all ye whole land [ Si made ym good payes as ye world required in those days for a mason took but a penny a day & meat & drink & S * . Alban got of ye King ye every Mason shd have 30 pence a week Si three pence for their noon finding . . . MS . Hist , of M . *] a Mason took but one penny a day , and next to ye time ye St . Alban lived in did it : & got them a charter of ye
King & his counsell (& gave it ye name of assembly , ) & thereat he was , himself , & made masons and gave y charge as you shall see hereafter . Right soon after ye death of St . Alban there came great wars into England through divers nations , so that good rule of Masonry was destroyed unto ye time of K . Athelstan . That was a worthy K . in England : and he brought ye land into good rest & peace , & builded many great
works of castles , abbeys , Si many other diverse buildings _ * he loved masons very much , & he had a son ( brother ) that was named Hedwine ( Edwin ) : and he loved masons much more than his father ( brother ) had done before him ; for he was full of practise in geometry mimself . Wherefore he drew him to Masons for to learn of them the craft ; Si afterward , for love that he had to masons & to ye craft , he was made mason himself : he got of his father the
King a charter , Si a commission for to hold every year an assembly where he won'd within ye realm , Si tor to correct within themselves statute Si trespass , if it were done within ye craft : Si he held himself an assembly at York , & there he made masons , & gave ym charge , & taught ym ye manners of masons , Si commanded ye rule to be holden ever after : & to ym he betook ye charter & commission for to keep , & make ordinance yt it shou'd be
ruled from ye King , when these assemblies were gathered together : he made a law , yt all masons both old & young yt had any charge or writing of ye thing , that were made before in this land or in any other land , shd shew ym forth : & there were some in French , some in Greek , some in English , & some in other language : 81 ye intent thereof was found , & there was a book commanded to be made thereof , & how ye craft was first made & found : Si it was
commanded y t it shd be read & told when any Mason shd be made ; and to give him his charge : 81 irom that day unto this , masons have been kept in that form & order as well as men mt govern it : & furthermore at diverse assemblies have been put and added certain charges more Si more , b y ye best advice of Masters and Fellows . " Note in handwriting of Rev . Thos . Crane at the end of the above MS .:
" In this very curious MS . there may seem a mistake in asserting yt Magnus Gra _ cus or a great Grecian , who had been at ye building of Solomon ' s Temple , came into France , and tanght Masonry under ye patronage of Chartes Martel . Now , Charles Martel K . of France , was not born till many hundred years after ye Temple was finished at Jerusalem . But 'being at ye building of ye Temple of Solomon ' means no more in ye language of Masons , vn being at a
Mastr Mason ' s Lodge : and this great Grecian Mason ( or Magnus Graecus , as he is called in ye legend ) might , in this sense , be at the building of Solomon's Temple , and yet neither be alive in ye days of Solomon , nor see Jerusalem . S . Alban , a great patron of Masons and ye first English martyr , died A . D . 303 . In his time ye legend says , true architecture was Introduced into England . But ye petty Kings of ye heptarchy were involved in frequent wars :
and ye Monarchs of England next after ye heptarchy not attending to Masonry , no progress was made in ye royal art till ye time of King Athelstan , who began to reign A . D . 925 . Edwn , ye son ( brother ) of Athelstan , a Mason and lover of Masons , obtained a royal charter from Athelstan to incorporate Masons : and in those very early times a Book of Constitutions was formed , and a grand
communication , assembly , or chapter of Masons was held once a year , subject to ye controll of ye King . Thus Masonry , which passed from Judea to Greece , from Greece to France , and from France to England about the year 300 , was established under ye sanction of an English monarch , by a royal chatter , some time before ye year 942 . " "Nov . 13 th , 1781 . "
We take the following from the Birmingham Daily Mail , Oct . 25 th , 1884 . "At New Street Station the other morning- an apparently commonplace but really not a little interesting scene might have been witnessed by any of my readers who were loitering upon the London departure platform . An aristocratic-looking foreigner leaving for the metropolis was unusually demonstrative in taking leave of the
gentlemen by whom he was accompanied . These gentlemen , I may inform my readers , were the Chairman of the Board of Guardians , Mr . H . S . Ansell , a member of the Board , and the Deputy Clerk of the same body . From them I heard a curious history concerning the individual departing . Distingue , as was his appearance , he was a mere pauper . Although then en route for Paris , he had been two months an inmate of the Birmingham Workhouse .
His name was S— R— , and he was born in 1826 at Valentia . In 1851 , after serving under Garibaldi for eighteen months , he fled to England , settling in Bristol , where after a time he became very successful in obtaining pupils for instruction in French , Italian , Spanish , German , and the pianoforte—in all of which he was a proficient
tutor . At the instigation of friends he removed to Dublin , where he carried on his teaching practice for some years , ultimately marrying an Irish lady , who , however , died shortly afterwards . Whilst in Dublin he mixed in good society . He was admitted a member of the Freemasons' Order , and was subsequently chosen as Worshipful Master of the Wexford Lodge . In an evil hour he left
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Dublin for London—a change decidedly unfortunate , for in the metropolis he became ill , suffered from disease during several years ; and was thus reduced almost to destitution . Being persuaded to try his luck in Birmingham , became to this town . For four months he tried unsuccessfully here to get employment . Driven at last to desperation by his hunger and misfortune , he strolled
along the canal side one day , intending to drown himself . Life was too hard upon him . He was tired of its bitterness , and was quite prepared to answer Mr . Mallock's oft-quoted query in the negative . However , finding himself near the workhouse , he resolved not to drown himself but to apply for admission at that refuge . He gained admission , and a conversation with the assistant
master ( who is a Freemason ) , left no doubt on the Iatter's mind that he was in company of one * well up in the Craft . ' Our adventurer was taken to the body of the house to remain pending an investigation of his story . Mr . Price , P . M . Bedford Lodge , and Mr . Ansell , Steward Bedford Lodge , being made aware of the man ' s statements , instituted enquiries with a view of verifying them . Having
done this to their satisfaction , the gentlemen named , with the assistance of other friends , were generous enough to redeem from pawn the Signer ' s clothing and other possessions , amongst which they discovered corroborative evidence of his tale in the shape of the poor fellow ' s certificate as Worshipful Master of the Wexford Lodge of Freemasons . AsR—seemed anxious to get employment a ' whip round '
was made on his behalf , with the result that money was obtained sufficient to redeem the whole of his clothing from pawn , together with his watch and some trinkets ; to pay his fare to Paris ; to provide him with some spare cash for his present wants and journey ; and to place in his pocket a P . O . O . made payable to him in Paris . The poor fellow was full of gratitude . He thanked his benefactors most heartily ; in fact , on the platform he was quite
unable to restrain his feelings . Just before leaving , Mr . Price gave him an overcoat to help keep him warm * whilst on the water' —a gift which my readers may be sure was appreciated . It is a ' strange , eventful history . ' Hardened as our friends the Guardians are to the sight of destitution , I do not think the scene at the railway station was devoid of a certain touching influence upon their generous hearts . *'
4551 ANOTHER OLD MS . 1 . I have been making a careful search amongst the papers of the Cestrian Lodge , to find , if possible , some trace or account of the Wren MS . My efforts have not resulted in the discovery of a single scrap of information bearing upon the matter , though I am not without hope that in another direction better luck awaits me . Even as it is , my labour has not been in vain , for it has led to my
discovery of a portion of another charge , which 1 have transcribed for publication in the Freemason . This charge varies very much from that of the Wren MS ., and indeed from any other with which I am acquainted , nor , in my opinion , is the MS . a portion of the one published in the Freemason oi the nth ult ., although it is not impossible that both parts may have been copied by different writers from an original charge . The part you have already
published was copied from a paper written by Mr . Crane , and the note which is appended to the charge is also in Mr . Crane's handwriting . The writer of the MS . seems to have had access to two different charges , for in the account of St . Alban ' s dealing with his masons , he writes on the opposite blank page a different version of the wages paid to them . Is there in any other charge the expression " three pence for their noon finding ? " J . C . ROBINSON .
456 ] 2 . _ Bro . Robinson has courteously sent on the particulars of his latest discovery to me , that I may examine the transcript , and write a short report to accompany his interesting letter . My opinion is that the document in question is not a reproduction of the "Wren MS ., " but of another ,
somewhat similar , both being variations from a still older original . I fancy also that the following is the first portion preserved of what may be termed the "Crane MS ., " the second part being already given by Bro . Robinson in the Freemason for October nth , 1884 , which has been duly noted by Bro . Woodford . Brother , continue your researches . W . J . HUGHAN .
METROPOLITAN CHAPTER OF IMPROVEMENT . —Since the removal of the above Chapter of Improvement to its new quarters in Cannonstreet , its success has been assured , for nearly every night of its meeting new members are added to the roll of those alread y attached to it , and all evince the warmest desire to assist in promoting its prosperity . At its usual meeting on Tuesday night last upwards of 20 seeking the advantages
of this distinguished chapter were present , the offices were efficiently filled , and under the able Preceptorshipof Comp . Brown nothing was left to be desired . Comps . Turner , Z . of St . Dunstan's Chapter , was Z . ; Child , H . of Vane Chapter , H . ; Perrin , J . of the Kent Chapter , J . ; Walls , S . N . of Rose of Denmark Chapter , N .: T . S . Fraser . H .
of the Stanmore Chapter , P . S . ; and Comp . M'Millan was the candidate . The ceremony of exallation was most correctly rehearsed , and gave unqualified satisfaction . The following new members were elected : Comps . M'Millan , Clapton Chapter ; Gray , Ezra Chapter ; Phillips , Joppa Chapter ; and Langton , St . Asaph Chapter . The chapter was then closed , and the . companions adjourned .
Grand Mark Masters Lodge Of Instruction.
GRAND MARK MASTERS LODGE OF INSTRUCTION .
A meeting of brethren interested in the Mark degree was held at 8 a Red Lion-square , on Wednesday afternoon , the 5 th inst ., to take into consideration the advisability of forming a Lodge of Instruction , and permission for which has been given by the Grand Masters Lodge in London
in which the whole of the beautiful ceremonial connected with the degree might be rehearsed . The meeting was well attended , Bro . F . Binckes in the chair , and a permanent committee , consisting of the following brethren , was appointed : Bros . Alfred Williams , C . F . Hogard , George Cooper , S . B . Wilson , J . Mather , ex officio ; Fred . Binckes ,
Treasurer ; C . F . Matier , Secretary . The time of meeting was fixed for first and third Wednesdays in October , November , December , January , February , and March , at 6 . 45 for 7 o ' clock . Entrance fee , 2 s . 6 d . ; life member , 2 is . ; annual subscription , 55 , ; visiting fee for nonmembers , is .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Masonic Notes and Queries .
44 S ] " LODGE AMBASSADOR . Among the officers ot a Yorkshire lodge mentioned in a minute June 24 , 1762 , a " John Bedford " is named in the list "Ambassador . " The same brother is also called "Orator" _ in another minute . Probably some of your readers can give us a similar entry . LEEDS . 449 ] ^
A FACT NOT MENTIONED BY PRESTON . In the minutes of the same lodge , November 13 th , 1777 , occurs the following minute also . Can any reader of the Freemason throw any light upon it . " Then Bro . Geo . Ash introduced into the lodge , a letter ' xxx , ' from Bro . Heseltine , Grand Secretary , dated 21 st September , 1777 . M . W . Master and Brethren , —At the Ouarterly Communication ,
held the 26 th April last , Bro . Anthony Ten Broecke , late Master , B . P . De la Coste , S . W ., John Vestenburg , j . W ., and J . Vierel , Secretary of the Caledonian Lodge , No . 203 , held at the Half Moon Tavern , Cheapside , London , were excelled the Society for havinir in a most illiberal and
unjust manner traduced the Grand Lodge , in a letter signed by them and transmitted to the Marquis de Gages , Prov . G . M . for the Austrian Netherlands . You are therefore , hereby , particularly enjoined not to admit them , or any of them into your lodge , either as members or otherwise . Bv direction ofthe Grand Lodge . JAS . HESELTINE , G . S . " 2— LEEDS .
450 J AN UNKNOWN PORTAIT . Is not the portrait that of Mr . Lambton , M . P ., afterwards Lord Durham , Prov . G . M . for Durham , as a young man . The account much resembles one of him 1 saw some years back . MASONIC PORTAIT COLLECTOR .
451 ] PRESIDENT YORK . is the term President in the York Roll _ anything more than " Prases , " presiding officer in a meeting or company ? Is it necessary that we should understand it to be synonymous with Graud Master ? I think not ! The President and Deputy President were merely terms for the private lodges . Is there an entry on the roll which can strictly be construed of a Grand Assembly ? Is a General Lodge the Grand Assembly ? It is a very important point , as I hope to show next week . ANTIQUITY .
452 ] THE MINUTE BOOK OF 1705 . It is not necessary to assume that Preston ever saw this missing volume , as it will be quite enough to understand that he saw the roll , still existing , of lodge meetings . He may , however , have seen both , and I merely send this note to urge upon all , who have the means and power so to do ,
to make a careful search for that missing minute or account book . It may be among Godfrey Higgin ' s papers ; it may be , though I believe it is not thought to be , in the muniment room at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Sadler is as likely as any one | to know , if by any possibility such a minute book may be preserved or stowed away there . MASONIC STUDENT .
453 I ANNO LUCIS . With reference to Bro . Ringer ' s query as to the meaning of the expression "Anno Lucis , " in the ritual of the Royal Arch Degree , we would point out that it must be understood , in this and other cases in which it is used , symbolically . As our querist knows , the Year of Light is obtained by adding 4000 in Craft and 4004 in Arch Masonry to the number of the calendar year . Thus 18 S 4 A . D . is 58 S 4 A . L . in Craft ,
and 5 S 8 S in Arch Masonry . This being explained in a recent issue of the Freemason . The reason of this is that the 4000 or 4004 years , as the case may be , before the Christian era , represent the presumed period that had elapsed from the creation of the world , when the Great Architect educed
order out of chaos , and light out of darkness . In this sense , Masonry , which is figuratively the eduction of light out of mental darkness , is held to be coeval with the Creation , which , of course , is the beginning of material light , and hence the introduction of the expression "Anno Lucis " into our ritual . K . C .
434 ] CRANE MS . * ( FIRST PART ) . Not long after ye chi ! dren | of Israel came into the land of behest ( i . e ., ye land of promise ) , wh is now called among us the country of Jerusalem , K . David began y- Temple of Jerm , yt is w . ym templum Domini . And ye same K . David loved well Masons , & cherished them , Si gave ym good payment , 81 he gave ye same charge , whh yy ivere
charged with all in Egypt by Euclid , and other charge that you shall hear afterward . And after ye decease of K . David , Solomon y t was son unto David performed ye Temple that his Father had begun . And he sent afte r Masons of diverse lands , and gathered ym together , so that he had fourscore thousand workers of stone , and thev were named Masons .
And he had three thousand of ym whh were ordained to be Masters & Governors of this work . And there was a King of another region yt men called Hyram : Si he loved well K . Solomon , & he gave him timber for his work ; Si he had a son ( widow ' s son ) yt was named Dynon ( Hyram ) , & he was Mr of Geomy , Si he was chief Mr of all his Masons , Si Mr of all the graving and carving work , and of all
other masonry yt belonged to ye temple , & this witnesseth ye holy Bible in libro Regum quarto capite . And this same Solomon confirmed all the charge & manners yt David , his father , had given to masons ; Si thus was ye worthy craft of masonry confirmed in ye countrie of Jerm , & in many other glorious Kdoms . Right renowned workmen walked abroad into diverse countries , some because of learng more skill , and some to teach their craft to others ; & so it befell
that a curious mason yt had been at yc buildg of Solomon ' s temple , which was called Magnus Gracus , came into France , and taught ye craft of masonry to ye Frenchmen . And so there was one of y = Royal Line of France that was called Charles Martell ; and he loved well this craft , and he drew to him this Magnus aforesaid , & learned of him ye craft , Si took upon him the charge and manners of a mason ; Si afterwards , by ye grace of God , he was elected to be ye
Masonic Notes And Queries.
King of France . When he was on his stall he took to him many masons , and made masons there that were none before ; & he gave them charge , & manners , Si good payment . He had learned of other masons , & confirmed them a charter from year to year to hold their assembly , and he cherished ym much ; and thus ye craft came into France . England all this season stood viodland as for any charge of masonry , until ye time of St . Alban ; and in his time ye K .
of England was a pagan ; & he walled ye town yt now is called St . Albans ; & so in St . Alban ' s time was a worthy Knight , Si he was chief steward to the ye King ; and he had governance of the realm , and also of ye making of ye town walls , and loved well masons , and cherished ym , & he made their payment right good standing as ye realm did require : for he gave ym every week three shillings and sixpence to their double wages : whereas before that time
throughout all ye whole land [ Si made ym good payes as ye world required in those days for a mason took but a penny a day & meat & drink & S * . Alban got of ye King ye every Mason shd have 30 pence a week Si three pence for their noon finding . . . MS . Hist , of M . *] a Mason took but one penny a day , and next to ye time ye St . Alban lived in did it : & got them a charter of ye
King & his counsell (& gave it ye name of assembly , ) & thereat he was , himself , & made masons and gave y charge as you shall see hereafter . Right soon after ye death of St . Alban there came great wars into England through divers nations , so that good rule of Masonry was destroyed unto ye time of K . Athelstan . That was a worthy K . in England : and he brought ye land into good rest & peace , & builded many great
works of castles , abbeys , Si many other diverse buildings _ * he loved masons very much , & he had a son ( brother ) that was named Hedwine ( Edwin ) : and he loved masons much more than his father ( brother ) had done before him ; for he was full of practise in geometry mimself . Wherefore he drew him to Masons for to learn of them the craft ; Si afterward , for love that he had to masons & to ye craft , he was made mason himself : he got of his father the
King a charter , Si a commission for to hold every year an assembly where he won'd within ye realm , Si tor to correct within themselves statute Si trespass , if it were done within ye craft : Si he held himself an assembly at York , & there he made masons , & gave ym charge , & taught ym ye manners of masons , Si commanded ye rule to be holden ever after : & to ym he betook ye charter & commission for to keep , & make ordinance yt it shou'd be
ruled from ye King , when these assemblies were gathered together : he made a law , yt all masons both old & young yt had any charge or writing of ye thing , that were made before in this land or in any other land , shd shew ym forth : & there were some in French , some in Greek , some in English , & some in other language : 81 ye intent thereof was found , & there was a book commanded to be made thereof , & how ye craft was first made & found : Si it was
commanded y t it shd be read & told when any Mason shd be made ; and to give him his charge : 81 irom that day unto this , masons have been kept in that form & order as well as men mt govern it : & furthermore at diverse assemblies have been put and added certain charges more Si more , b y ye best advice of Masters and Fellows . " Note in handwriting of Rev . Thos . Crane at the end of the above MS .:
" In this very curious MS . there may seem a mistake in asserting yt Magnus Gra _ cus or a great Grecian , who had been at ye building of Solomon ' s Temple , came into France , and tanght Masonry under ye patronage of Chartes Martel . Now , Charles Martel K . of France , was not born till many hundred years after ye Temple was finished at Jerusalem . But 'being at ye building of ye Temple of Solomon ' means no more in ye language of Masons , vn being at a
Mastr Mason ' s Lodge : and this great Grecian Mason ( or Magnus Graecus , as he is called in ye legend ) might , in this sense , be at the building of Solomon's Temple , and yet neither be alive in ye days of Solomon , nor see Jerusalem . S . Alban , a great patron of Masons and ye first English martyr , died A . D . 303 . In his time ye legend says , true architecture was Introduced into England . But ye petty Kings of ye heptarchy were involved in frequent wars :
and ye Monarchs of England next after ye heptarchy not attending to Masonry , no progress was made in ye royal art till ye time of King Athelstan , who began to reign A . D . 925 . Edwn , ye son ( brother ) of Athelstan , a Mason and lover of Masons , obtained a royal charter from Athelstan to incorporate Masons : and in those very early times a Book of Constitutions was formed , and a grand
communication , assembly , or chapter of Masons was held once a year , subject to ye controll of ye King . Thus Masonry , which passed from Judea to Greece , from Greece to France , and from France to England about the year 300 , was established under ye sanction of an English monarch , by a royal chatter , some time before ye year 942 . " "Nov . 13 th , 1781 . "
We take the following from the Birmingham Daily Mail , Oct . 25 th , 1884 . "At New Street Station the other morning- an apparently commonplace but really not a little interesting scene might have been witnessed by any of my readers who were loitering upon the London departure platform . An aristocratic-looking foreigner leaving for the metropolis was unusually demonstrative in taking leave of the
gentlemen by whom he was accompanied . These gentlemen , I may inform my readers , were the Chairman of the Board of Guardians , Mr . H . S . Ansell , a member of the Board , and the Deputy Clerk of the same body . From them I heard a curious history concerning the individual departing . Distingue , as was his appearance , he was a mere pauper . Although then en route for Paris , he had been two months an inmate of the Birmingham Workhouse .
His name was S— R— , and he was born in 1826 at Valentia . In 1851 , after serving under Garibaldi for eighteen months , he fled to England , settling in Bristol , where after a time he became very successful in obtaining pupils for instruction in French , Italian , Spanish , German , and the pianoforte—in all of which he was a proficient
tutor . At the instigation of friends he removed to Dublin , where he carried on his teaching practice for some years , ultimately marrying an Irish lady , who , however , died shortly afterwards . Whilst in Dublin he mixed in good society . He was admitted a member of the Freemasons' Order , and was subsequently chosen as Worshipful Master of the Wexford Lodge . In an evil hour he left
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Dublin for London—a change decidedly unfortunate , for in the metropolis he became ill , suffered from disease during several years ; and was thus reduced almost to destitution . Being persuaded to try his luck in Birmingham , became to this town . For four months he tried unsuccessfully here to get employment . Driven at last to desperation by his hunger and misfortune , he strolled
along the canal side one day , intending to drown himself . Life was too hard upon him . He was tired of its bitterness , and was quite prepared to answer Mr . Mallock's oft-quoted query in the negative . However , finding himself near the workhouse , he resolved not to drown himself but to apply for admission at that refuge . He gained admission , and a conversation with the assistant
master ( who is a Freemason ) , left no doubt on the Iatter's mind that he was in company of one * well up in the Craft . ' Our adventurer was taken to the body of the house to remain pending an investigation of his story . Mr . Price , P . M . Bedford Lodge , and Mr . Ansell , Steward Bedford Lodge , being made aware of the man ' s statements , instituted enquiries with a view of verifying them . Having
done this to their satisfaction , the gentlemen named , with the assistance of other friends , were generous enough to redeem from pawn the Signer ' s clothing and other possessions , amongst which they discovered corroborative evidence of his tale in the shape of the poor fellow ' s certificate as Worshipful Master of the Wexford Lodge of Freemasons . AsR—seemed anxious to get employment a ' whip round '
was made on his behalf , with the result that money was obtained sufficient to redeem the whole of his clothing from pawn , together with his watch and some trinkets ; to pay his fare to Paris ; to provide him with some spare cash for his present wants and journey ; and to place in his pocket a P . O . O . made payable to him in Paris . The poor fellow was full of gratitude . He thanked his benefactors most heartily ; in fact , on the platform he was quite
unable to restrain his feelings . Just before leaving , Mr . Price gave him an overcoat to help keep him warm * whilst on the water' —a gift which my readers may be sure was appreciated . It is a ' strange , eventful history . ' Hardened as our friends the Guardians are to the sight of destitution , I do not think the scene at the railway station was devoid of a certain touching influence upon their generous hearts . *'
4551 ANOTHER OLD MS . 1 . I have been making a careful search amongst the papers of the Cestrian Lodge , to find , if possible , some trace or account of the Wren MS . My efforts have not resulted in the discovery of a single scrap of information bearing upon the matter , though I am not without hope that in another direction better luck awaits me . Even as it is , my labour has not been in vain , for it has led to my
discovery of a portion of another charge , which 1 have transcribed for publication in the Freemason . This charge varies very much from that of the Wren MS ., and indeed from any other with which I am acquainted , nor , in my opinion , is the MS . a portion of the one published in the Freemason oi the nth ult ., although it is not impossible that both parts may have been copied by different writers from an original charge . The part you have already
published was copied from a paper written by Mr . Crane , and the note which is appended to the charge is also in Mr . Crane's handwriting . The writer of the MS . seems to have had access to two different charges , for in the account of St . Alban ' s dealing with his masons , he writes on the opposite blank page a different version of the wages paid to them . Is there in any other charge the expression " three pence for their noon finding ? " J . C . ROBINSON .
456 ] 2 . _ Bro . Robinson has courteously sent on the particulars of his latest discovery to me , that I may examine the transcript , and write a short report to accompany his interesting letter . My opinion is that the document in question is not a reproduction of the "Wren MS ., " but of another ,
somewhat similar , both being variations from a still older original . I fancy also that the following is the first portion preserved of what may be termed the "Crane MS ., " the second part being already given by Bro . Robinson in the Freemason for October nth , 1884 , which has been duly noted by Bro . Woodford . Brother , continue your researches . W . J . HUGHAN .
METROPOLITAN CHAPTER OF IMPROVEMENT . —Since the removal of the above Chapter of Improvement to its new quarters in Cannonstreet , its success has been assured , for nearly every night of its meeting new members are added to the roll of those alread y attached to it , and all evince the warmest desire to assist in promoting its prosperity . At its usual meeting on Tuesday night last upwards of 20 seeking the advantages
of this distinguished chapter were present , the offices were efficiently filled , and under the able Preceptorshipof Comp . Brown nothing was left to be desired . Comps . Turner , Z . of St . Dunstan's Chapter , was Z . ; Child , H . of Vane Chapter , H . ; Perrin , J . of the Kent Chapter , J . ; Walls , S . N . of Rose of Denmark Chapter , N .: T . S . Fraser . H .
of the Stanmore Chapter , P . S . ; and Comp . M'Millan was the candidate . The ceremony of exallation was most correctly rehearsed , and gave unqualified satisfaction . The following new members were elected : Comps . M'Millan , Clapton Chapter ; Gray , Ezra Chapter ; Phillips , Joppa Chapter ; and Langton , St . Asaph Chapter . The chapter was then closed , and the . companions adjourned .
Grand Mark Masters Lodge Of Instruction.
GRAND MARK MASTERS LODGE OF INSTRUCTION .
A meeting of brethren interested in the Mark degree was held at 8 a Red Lion-square , on Wednesday afternoon , the 5 th inst ., to take into consideration the advisability of forming a Lodge of Instruction , and permission for which has been given by the Grand Masters Lodge in London
in which the whole of the beautiful ceremonial connected with the degree might be rehearsed . The meeting was well attended , Bro . F . Binckes in the chair , and a permanent committee , consisting of the following brethren , was appointed : Bros . Alfred Williams , C . F . Hogard , George Cooper , S . B . Wilson , J . Mather , ex officio ; Fred . Binckes ,
Treasurer ; C . F . Matier , Secretary . The time of meeting was fixed for first and third Wednesdays in October , November , December , January , February , and March , at 6 . 45 for 7 o ' clock . Entrance fee , 2 s . 6 d . ; life member , 2 is . ; annual subscription , 55 , ; visiting fee for nonmembers , is .