Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Lodge.
Lodge in London , tho principles of Freemasonry had found their way into every civilised and even semi-civilised country in the -world ; that all classes of men eagerly joined it ; and that where those principles were once rightly understood ,
they met with general encouragement and support . True it is that despotism , whether religious or political , at once proved itself the enemy of Freemasonry ; but then it is impossible for despotic power and liberty of conscience to go hand in hand . But in our own and other countries where
anything like liberal ideas of government have prevailed , Freemasonry has gone on prosperously ; so that had it been really designed for irreligious or political purposes , there is no gauging tho power it might bo in a position to exercise at the present timo against those who assail it .
But the external clangers which have threatened it from time to time have proved innocuous ; when any real harm has been clone , it has generally had its origin in momentary discords , or in the distortion of our first principles from their original intent . This latter is what has just happened in
French Masonry , which in one important particular has summarily broken off all connection with onr worthy Society . It has weakly sacrificed itself at the altar of expediency , and in order to accept as members a few learned but unworthy atheists , has set at defiance the
clnefest of those principles on which our Order was founded . Here then is a case on which it behoves our Grand Lodge to come forward and resolutely maintain the integrity of Freemasonry ; nor will French Freemasons havo reason to complain if England should follow the example of
Ireland , and not only proclaim anew its abhorrence of atheism , but likewise forbid all intercourse as Masons between English and French members of tho Fraternity . Here then is the case of liberty carried to the extreme of licence which will bo brought under the notice of
our Grand Lodge on Wednesday . Tho other case to which a Past Grand Chaplain of Grand Lodge will invite the attention of brethren , and on which he will proposo for their acceptance certain resolutions , is equally , but in an entirely opposite direction , opposed to the true
principles of Freemasonry . We have said that the main object with which our Order was established was to allow men of all religious and political opinions mingling together in perfect harmony , but tho Grand Lodge of the Three Globes , Berlin , deliberately sets at naught this purpose , and
requires all who seek admission into its Lodges to proclaim their belief in Christianity . Here then is an error as conspicuous in the direction of a narrow-minded bigotry as is that recently perpetrated by the Grand Orient of France in the direction of
a boundless and extravagant licence . The rejection of other than Christian candidates on the ground of their religious belief discloses a flagrant departure from our Masonic principles ; and , in our judgment , it will be necessary , if the resolutions of our Bev . Bro . Simpson are
passed , and the expostulations of our Grand Master should be disregarded , to withdraw our representative at the Grand Lodge of tho Three Globes , and forbid all intercourse between the two Grand Lodges and their subordinate Lodges till such time as the Berlin G . Lodge sees fit
to carry out the principles of Freemasonry in their integrity . If we condemn the Grand Orient of France for its cxc . ss in interpreting liberty of conscience , equally are we in duty bound to condemn the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes for its defective interpretation of that liberty .
It i 3 to be regretted that so unpleasant a duty should be enforced upon our rulers in this country ; but it is especially incumbent on them , as being momentarily entrusted with the maintenance of those principles which have been handed down to them pure and and unsullied through successive
generations from the very founders of our Order , that they shonld insist on their most ri gid observance . We repeat , those who decline to abide by these principles will have no just cause of complaint if they find we decline to regard them any longer as members of the great confraternit y of Freemasons .
Through the kindness of Bro . Charles Leggott , the first J . W . of the De La Pole Lodge , No . 1605 , Hull , we have been shown a new design in library furniture , manufactured by Messrs . Audas and Leggott , of Hull . The style is in
accordance with the prevailing fashion—Early Englishand fcitamly reflects great credit on the designer . The chairs are well suited for Masonic Lodges , being really easy to _ sit in , which is more than we can say of most of the chairs in Masonry wo have had the honour of filling .
Reviews.
REVIEWS .
All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to tho Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . The Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honourable Fratmiity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania . Its Early History and Constitutions , from A . L . 5730 , A . n . 1730 , its Minntes and Proceedings . Compiled and Published by the Library Committee of the Grand Lodgo of Pennsylvania . Part I . Philadelphia : Sherman and Co ., Printers . 1877 .
IT is , on the one hand , extremely gratifying to note the great progress which the study of Masonic History is making iu the United States . Englishmen , indeed , aro directly and especially interested in tho progress of onr Transatlantic brethren . It is to this country that these States , once Colonies of the United King , ilom , owe their knowledge of tho Eoyal Art . Though now a
separate and distinct State , the people are intimately connected with us by blood . The bulk of American citizens are of the same race as we aro . When , therefore , we find that Freemasonry has such grand attractions for them , and bearing in mind that they are indebted to vis for its first introduction into their country , we cannot but watch with a loving interest their noble efforts to
distribute among themselves all the knowledge they can of the art we love so well . But this feeling of intense satisfaction is not wholly unmingled with one of sorrow , that in England , which is certainly originally the home of speculative Freemasonry , there should be snch utter indifference to Masonic History , or , we may almost say , to Masonic literature generally . There aro a few hard working
Craftsmen among us who willingly devote themselves to elucidating the progress of the Craft from the days of Anderson , Desaguliers , Payne , and other enlightened spirits of what is commonly known a 3 the Eevival period . Others , like Hnghan , have gone still further back for the purpose of showing what Masonry was in pre-speculative times , and the undoubted connection existing between the Freemasonry of
the last one hundred and sixty years and the legends of the old Masonio Guilds . But these are only a small body , and the majority of English Craftsmen take littlo or no interest in the history of the society they belong to . "Wo deplore this stato of indifference with the greater vehemenco when wo find a country which is indebted to us for their early possession of Masonic knowledge continually adding
to onr stores of knowledge , and we are minded to ask our English friends why it is they cannot , out of their devotion to routine work , tinsel , and tho study of the fourth degree , pluck up courage to find just a littlo to sparo for the encouragement of Masonic study ? But we have no intention to inflict on our readers a homily on so pain , fnl a subject . Eather will we pass to the consideration of the
work before us , m the hope that tho example of Pennsylvania , New York , and other American States , may not be without its effect on English members of the Craft universal . As long ago as Decomber 1873 , tho Grand Lodgo of Pennsylvania authorised a Committeo of its members to prepare , with a view to publication , the official records of its proceedings from the earliest
date . Only a short time previously Philadelphia had been the scene of one of the grandest and most stirring events in American Masonio History , to wit , tho dedication of its New Temple . In the course of tho year following , the Library Committee of Grand Lodge were busily engaged in preparing tho materials for the " Dedication Memorial , " a notice of which appeared in one of our earliest issues . ' We
have now received Part I . of the early Masonic History and Proceedings of Pennsylvania Grand Lodge . This consists of an elaborate introduction of some one hundred and twenty pages , and Kecords to the end of September 1786 , filling another sixty . four pages . It is expected that tho whole work , when completed , will comprise some five or six numbers , and as the matter it contains will be of an authentic
character , the reader will at once perceive the importance of such an addition to onr stock of Masonic History . The price of each Part is one dollar , so that the whole work will cost only about £ 1 or £ 1 4 s , no very terrible price considering the style in which it is brought out , and what is still more to the purpose , the value of its contents .
As to the earlier portion of the introductory chapter , we need not dwell npon it at groat length , and for this reason . Wo have more than once expressed ourselves with tolerable clearness as to what Bro . Norton would describe as the Mothership of American Masonry . The first time we did so was in our review of the Dedication 3 fetno . rial already alluded to . Since then we have had occasion to revert to
the subject more fully still , chiefly owing to certain criticisms of onr worthy Bro . Norton , who , whatever his views may have been previously , seems now inclined to favour tho pretensions of Boston rather than those of Philadelphia . We do not agree with him , and we have explained the grounds of our disagreement . In doing this , we have necessarily dwelt on all the
leading evidence , and as this evidence is embodied in the pages of this volume , we shall be only repeating ourselves unnecessarily . Wo say this iu order that our Pennsylvanian friends may not come to the conclusion that we have relaxed in our attentions to the subject of American Masonic history . However , there is one part of the introduction which deserves reference . We allude to the
article by Bro . Hnghan , which originally appeared in the Voice of Masonry for September 1875 , and is reprinted hero . It describes , with all that clearness and precision of statement for which onr Brother is remarkable , the substance of tho case , and is worthy of the most carefnl attention of onr readers ; for whosoever masters his
statement , may rest satisfied that he has a complete knowledge of the circumstances , as far as it is possible they can be known . But though we need not travel again over familiar ground , there is an ample snpply of material which is less well known . Thus , there are further extracts from Franklin ' s paper , the Pennsylvania Gazette , which we saw recently iu tho pages of tho Keystone
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Lodge.
Lodge in London , tho principles of Freemasonry had found their way into every civilised and even semi-civilised country in the -world ; that all classes of men eagerly joined it ; and that where those principles were once rightly understood ,
they met with general encouragement and support . True it is that despotism , whether religious or political , at once proved itself the enemy of Freemasonry ; but then it is impossible for despotic power and liberty of conscience to go hand in hand . But in our own and other countries where
anything like liberal ideas of government have prevailed , Freemasonry has gone on prosperously ; so that had it been really designed for irreligious or political purposes , there is no gauging tho power it might bo in a position to exercise at the present timo against those who assail it .
But the external clangers which have threatened it from time to time have proved innocuous ; when any real harm has been clone , it has generally had its origin in momentary discords , or in the distortion of our first principles from their original intent . This latter is what has just happened in
French Masonry , which in one important particular has summarily broken off all connection with onr worthy Society . It has weakly sacrificed itself at the altar of expediency , and in order to accept as members a few learned but unworthy atheists , has set at defiance the
clnefest of those principles on which our Order was founded . Here then is a case on which it behoves our Grand Lodge to come forward and resolutely maintain the integrity of Freemasonry ; nor will French Freemasons havo reason to complain if England should follow the example of
Ireland , and not only proclaim anew its abhorrence of atheism , but likewise forbid all intercourse as Masons between English and French members of tho Fraternity . Here then is the case of liberty carried to the extreme of licence which will bo brought under the notice of
our Grand Lodge on Wednesday . Tho other case to which a Past Grand Chaplain of Grand Lodge will invite the attention of brethren , and on which he will proposo for their acceptance certain resolutions , is equally , but in an entirely opposite direction , opposed to the true
principles of Freemasonry . We have said that the main object with which our Order was established was to allow men of all religious and political opinions mingling together in perfect harmony , but tho Grand Lodge of the Three Globes , Berlin , deliberately sets at naught this purpose , and
requires all who seek admission into its Lodges to proclaim their belief in Christianity . Here then is an error as conspicuous in the direction of a narrow-minded bigotry as is that recently perpetrated by the Grand Orient of France in the direction of
a boundless and extravagant licence . The rejection of other than Christian candidates on the ground of their religious belief discloses a flagrant departure from our Masonic principles ; and , in our judgment , it will be necessary , if the resolutions of our Bev . Bro . Simpson are
passed , and the expostulations of our Grand Master should be disregarded , to withdraw our representative at the Grand Lodge of tho Three Globes , and forbid all intercourse between the two Grand Lodges and their subordinate Lodges till such time as the Berlin G . Lodge sees fit
to carry out the principles of Freemasonry in their integrity . If we condemn the Grand Orient of France for its cxc . ss in interpreting liberty of conscience , equally are we in duty bound to condemn the Grand Lodge of the Three Globes for its defective interpretation of that liberty .
It i 3 to be regretted that so unpleasant a duty should be enforced upon our rulers in this country ; but it is especially incumbent on them , as being momentarily entrusted with the maintenance of those principles which have been handed down to them pure and and unsullied through successive
generations from the very founders of our Order , that they shonld insist on their most ri gid observance . We repeat , those who decline to abide by these principles will have no just cause of complaint if they find we decline to regard them any longer as members of the great confraternit y of Freemasons .
Through the kindness of Bro . Charles Leggott , the first J . W . of the De La Pole Lodge , No . 1605 , Hull , we have been shown a new design in library furniture , manufactured by Messrs . Audas and Leggott , of Hull . The style is in
accordance with the prevailing fashion—Early Englishand fcitamly reflects great credit on the designer . The chairs are well suited for Masonic Lodges , being really easy to _ sit in , which is more than we can say of most of the chairs in Masonry wo have had the honour of filling .
Reviews.
REVIEWS .
All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to tho Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . The Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honourable Fratmiity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania . Its Early History and Constitutions , from A . L . 5730 , A . n . 1730 , its Minntes and Proceedings . Compiled and Published by the Library Committee of the Grand Lodgo of Pennsylvania . Part I . Philadelphia : Sherman and Co ., Printers . 1877 .
IT is , on the one hand , extremely gratifying to note the great progress which the study of Masonic History is making iu the United States . Englishmen , indeed , aro directly and especially interested in tho progress of onr Transatlantic brethren . It is to this country that these States , once Colonies of the United King , ilom , owe their knowledge of tho Eoyal Art . Though now a
separate and distinct State , the people are intimately connected with us by blood . The bulk of American citizens are of the same race as we aro . When , therefore , we find that Freemasonry has such grand attractions for them , and bearing in mind that they are indebted to vis for its first introduction into their country , we cannot but watch with a loving interest their noble efforts to
distribute among themselves all the knowledge they can of the art we love so well . But this feeling of intense satisfaction is not wholly unmingled with one of sorrow , that in England , which is certainly originally the home of speculative Freemasonry , there should be snch utter indifference to Masonic History , or , we may almost say , to Masonic literature generally . There aro a few hard working
Craftsmen among us who willingly devote themselves to elucidating the progress of the Craft from the days of Anderson , Desaguliers , Payne , and other enlightened spirits of what is commonly known a 3 the Eevival period . Others , like Hnghan , have gone still further back for the purpose of showing what Masonry was in pre-speculative times , and the undoubted connection existing between the Freemasonry of
the last one hundred and sixty years and the legends of the old Masonio Guilds . But these are only a small body , and the majority of English Craftsmen take littlo or no interest in the history of the society they belong to . "Wo deplore this stato of indifference with the greater vehemenco when wo find a country which is indebted to us for their early possession of Masonic knowledge continually adding
to onr stores of knowledge , and we are minded to ask our English friends why it is they cannot , out of their devotion to routine work , tinsel , and tho study of the fourth degree , pluck up courage to find just a littlo to sparo for the encouragement of Masonic study ? But we have no intention to inflict on our readers a homily on so pain , fnl a subject . Eather will we pass to the consideration of the
work before us , m the hope that tho example of Pennsylvania , New York , and other American States , may not be without its effect on English members of the Craft universal . As long ago as Decomber 1873 , tho Grand Lodgo of Pennsylvania authorised a Committeo of its members to prepare , with a view to publication , the official records of its proceedings from the earliest
date . Only a short time previously Philadelphia had been the scene of one of the grandest and most stirring events in American Masonio History , to wit , tho dedication of its New Temple . In the course of tho year following , the Library Committee of Grand Lodge were busily engaged in preparing tho materials for the " Dedication Memorial , " a notice of which appeared in one of our earliest issues . ' We
have now received Part I . of the early Masonic History and Proceedings of Pennsylvania Grand Lodge . This consists of an elaborate introduction of some one hundred and twenty pages , and Kecords to the end of September 1786 , filling another sixty . four pages . It is expected that tho whole work , when completed , will comprise some five or six numbers , and as the matter it contains will be of an authentic
character , the reader will at once perceive the importance of such an addition to onr stock of Masonic History . The price of each Part is one dollar , so that the whole work will cost only about £ 1 or £ 1 4 s , no very terrible price considering the style in which it is brought out , and what is still more to the purpose , the value of its contents .
As to the earlier portion of the introductory chapter , we need not dwell npon it at groat length , and for this reason . Wo have more than once expressed ourselves with tolerable clearness as to what Bro . Norton would describe as the Mothership of American Masonry . The first time we did so was in our review of the Dedication 3 fetno . rial already alluded to . Since then we have had occasion to revert to
the subject more fully still , chiefly owing to certain criticisms of onr worthy Bro . Norton , who , whatever his views may have been previously , seems now inclined to favour tho pretensions of Boston rather than those of Philadelphia . We do not agree with him , and we have explained the grounds of our disagreement . In doing this , we have necessarily dwelt on all the
leading evidence , and as this evidence is embodied in the pages of this volume , we shall be only repeating ourselves unnecessarily . Wo say this iu order that our Pennsylvanian friends may not come to the conclusion that we have relaxed in our attentions to the subject of American Masonic history . However , there is one part of the introduction which deserves reference . We allude to the
article by Bro . Hnghan , which originally appeared in the Voice of Masonry for September 1875 , and is reprinted hero . It describes , with all that clearness and precision of statement for which onr Brother is remarkable , the substance of tho case , and is worthy of the most carefnl attention of onr readers ; for whosoever masters his
statement , may rest satisfied that he has a complete knowledge of the circumstances , as far as it is possible they can be known . But though we need not travel again over familiar ground , there is an ample snpply of material which is less well known . Thus , there are further extracts from Franklin ' s paper , the Pennsylvania Gazette , which we saw recently iu tho pages of tho Keystone