Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
REVIEWS .
AU Books intended for Review should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle . 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o : — A Numerical and Numismatical Register of Lodges which formed the United Qrand Lodge of England . Being No . 5 of the Series of " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , " and containing theNnmbers of each Lodge during 1813 , and as altered in 1814 , 1832 , and 1863 ;
years of Constitution under the " Moderns " and " Ancients ; " Roll of Distinguished Lodges , Special and Centenary Medals , Historical and Numismatical Sketches , & c , & c , & o . Compiled by WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN , Past Senior Grand Deacon of England , & o . With Illustrations . London : George Kenning , Fleet Street , and Little Britain . Truro : Lake and Lake , Princes Street . Philadelphia ( U . S . A . ) : Charles Eugene Meyer , Arch Street .
IT is well-nigh impossible to be too hearty in our congratulations to Bro . Hughan on the further evidence he now offers of his determina . tion to continue illustrating as completely and accurately as possible the history of Freemasonry . He pursues manfully the even tenour of his way , nndeterrod by tho comparative indifference which is almost exhibited among Craftsmen to Masonio Literature . It is indeed
surprising nnder the circumstances that any brethren shonld be found courageous enough to write on Masonio subjects . Men are willing enough to seek offices for which they are unfitted . There ia no limit to the delight they take in arraying themselves in gorgeous Masonio raiment and wearing a profusion of Masonic jewellery . They have a keen relith for tho Masonio banqnet , and a few among them will even
condescend at times to visit fche Lodge of Instruction for fche purpose of acquiring a psrrot-liko familiarity with our ritual and lectures . Bnt—what a pity it is the reviewer is invariably obliged in the interest of truth to employ this unfortunate disjunctive—bnt , we re . peat , when ifc comes to be a question of making acquaintance with the history , past and present , of onr Confraternity , then a feeling nearly
akin to horror seizes the minds of all to whom it may be submitted . The outlay of * guinea in the purchase of a dinnor-tickefc is a mere floabite in the eyes of numbers of craftsmen , bnt the expenditure of a few shillings in thafc of a useful modicum of Masonio literary food is not to be entertained even for a moment . Yet there are among ns several writers of eminence who , without hope of pecuniary reward ,
have liberally bestowed time , energy , and ability on the arduous task of unravelling the complicated story of Freemasonry in this and foreign countries . The names of Woodford , Hughan , Kenneth Mac Jcenzie , and Gonld , are among the mosfc conspicuous of those who have not only interested themselves in , but contributed largely to , the cause of Masonic literature , and these names will be remembered and
respected in the ages to come when those of the foremost bejewelled and betitled brethren have long since been buried in oblivion . The name of Preston , author of tho " Illustrations of Masonry , " is still cherished among ns , though sixty years have passed since that distinguished writer threw off this mortal coil and his place knew him no more ; but the betinselled brethren of his day , what records respect .
ing them and their convivial gatherings still remain to us ? And similarly , we may anticipate , with a confidence amounting to well-nigh absolute certainty , that the authors of our Masonic Cyclopaedias and Reprints and Lodge Histories will be associated with Freemasonry long after their more showy brethren have been forgotten . This is probably the reason why there are any among our learned brethren
who think it worth their while to brave the discouragement so generally metod out to Masonic literature . But , whatever the reason , the Craftsmen we have named , and a few others , are deserving of every praise for the good work they are doing , and for our part wo offer them our entire sympathy ; nor are we entirely without hope that the determined resolution with which thev pursue their labours will
in time be moro worthily appreciated , and , as a consequence , that the results of those labours will be more widely known . Having expressed onrselves thus strongly , but by no means more strongly than is justifiable , as to the indifferent reception accorded to Masonic publications , let . us now turn to this latest evidence of Bro . Hughnn ' s interest in Masonic History . This " Numerical and
Nnmismatical Register of Lodges" is the fifth in the series of his " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , " and is unquestionably one of the mosfc valuable contributions we have ever had from his pen . Many Craftsmen will ask , perhaps , What is a Register bnt a List P and what the compilation of a List but the copying out of the names con . tained in former lists which have fortunatel y been preserved in the
archives of our Grand Lodge ? To which we reply , thafc there are Lists which are manuscripts , and Lists which , from the extreme care bestowed on their compilation and the valuable annotations which accompany them , become historical pictures as complete in all their details as the materials at the compiler ' s disposal will allow . This ia the case with Bro . Hughnn ' s latest Register , wbich , by tho way , is
in reality two Registers . The first is a List of Lodges , now in existence , wbich were borne on the respective Rolls of the rival " Modern " and " Ancient" Grand Lodges before tho Union in 1813 . The Lod ges are arranged in dne numerical order as they were at that epoch , and as they were rc-numbered the year following when the Union was accomplished , and afc the subsequent alterations made in the years
1832 and 1863 respectively . The dates of Constitution are appended as well in the case of Lodges holding under the " Ancients , " as in that of Lodges on tho roll of tho " Moderns . " The dates in the case of the former have [ never been published previously except in the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar for tho current year ; but as Bro . Hughan ifc was who furnished them to the editor of thafc publication ,
if wo cannot say this is literally the first work in which such important information has been made public , we shall be fully justified in ascribing the honour of having made it public to the compiler of this work . This , however , is , ifc must be remembered , subject to one important qualification to wit , thafc the transcripts tf warrants , in the case ^ oi some four-fifths of the Lodges yet in existence
Reviews.
which held under the Grand Lodge of the " Ancients" had previously been published in tho columns of the FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , the labour of having collected and prepared them , for publication having betn borne entirely by Bro . John Constable . But Bro . Hughan , wo are well assured , will bo tho first to acknowledge the extent of his indebtedness to that worthy
Craftsman . They havo worked harmoniously together in other fields of Masonic labour , and wo draw attention to this important matter , not with any view to solf-glorificatiou , bntbecauseweareanxionsthehononr belonging to the publication of these dates should bo duly apportioned among those who have had a part in it . Wo may state that notes aro ap . ponded where necessary , and that the Lodges holding under the rival
Grand Lodges are easily distinguishable , those under the " Moderns " being printed in Roman type , whilo thoso under the " Ancients " are in italics . The second of tho two Lists gives in order the Lodges in existence at the Union which have since been erased from , the Roll of Grand Lodge . This is styled a List of " Extinct" Lodges , but we must point
out thafc Bro . Hughan would have been literally accurate had he described them as " Erased , " instead of " Extinct" Lodges . His first note appended to this List is to the effect that " many Lodges , as No . 17 , have since 1813 been removed from the Roll , bnt are still in existence nnder Foreign Grand Lodges . " Obviously the word " Erased " will include both those which have been struck off the Roll for fche sufficient
reason that they thero are no longer in existence , and those which have been struck off because they no longer pay allegiance to the Grand Lodge which gave them birth . Not so , however , the word " Extinct , " whioh cannot be made applicable to Lodges erased from onr Roll but still flourishing under other Grand Lodges . This may seem to be a trifling matter , bnt considering the apathy and indifference of the
general mass of Craftsmen to Masonic literature we consider ib desirable the brethren who do uphold its interests shonld not run away with the impression that all the Lodges enumerated in the second List have ceased to le . Again , as regards Lodge No . 31 of 1814 , Freemason ' s Hall Lodge of Liverpool—formerly No . 20 of the "Ancients "—this properly figures in the List of " erased "
Lodges . To the List of presently existing Lodges a foot note is appended to the effect that " No . 31 " was " not allotted in 1832 . " We can only suggest a reason for this non-allotment . At the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge held in June 1822 , this Lodge No . 31 was erased , and its warrant forfeited for a series of the gravest acts of contumacy , first towards tho
Grand Lodge of the Province nnd then towards Grand Lodge itself . The members were suspended from all their Masonic functions aud privileges , and were summoned to show causo afc fche next Quarterly Communication why they should not be expelled from tho Fraternity . However , it wns nob till tho 5 th March 1823 that sentence of expulsion was passed npon the refractory brethren . All these matters
will be found described at length in Preston ' s Illustrations of Masonry , Seventeenth Edition , pp 329-39 , and the suggestion wo are disposed to offer is to the effect , that even as late as 1832 Grand Lodge wonld havo been prepared to restore the warrant on dne submission made to its authority , and for that purpose left No . 31 unallotted . However , submission was nofc made , and afc the next
alteration in 1863 , No . 34 of 1832 became No . 31 . We think these incidents of sufficient importance to have merited notice at the hands of Bro . Hnghan , and likewise the fate which , for refractory conduct of a similar character , and indeed , connected directly with this business of No . 31 , befel the " Sea Captains' Lodge , " No . 140 , Liverpool , which was erased from the Roll of Lodges in 1823 and had its warrant
forfeited for contumacy equally grave—see Preston ' s Illustrations , Seventeenth Edition , pp 340-1 . This also appears not to have been allotted in 1832 , and possibly for the reason we have suggested in the case of its insubordinate sister No . 31 . Again , on the authority of Preston , p 349 of same edition , we learn that at the Quarterl y Communication of 5 th March 1828 , no less than fifty-nine Lodges
were struck off the roll and their warrants declared forfeited for " having neglected for a considerable space of time to make any returns or communications to the Grand Lodge , although repeatedly called on for that purpose . " It would not be difficult to indicate these Lodges and any others which have been similarly ( truck off . We are well aware that these
matters are in a measnre outside the scope which Bro . Hughan appears to have marked out for his present compilation , and we bring them under his notice , not ns evidencing any shortcoming on his part , but as a hint for the future , if ifc should ever occur to him to re-issue his present reprint with additional information , collated from minutes of Grand Lodge and other authoritative documents .
But it is time we directed our attention to tha other portions of this " Reprint , & c ., " No . 5 . The illustrations , which are admirably done , include the Arms of the United Grand Lodge ( frontispiece ) and the following : —Plate 1 , the Royal Medal of the Lodge of Antiquity , both Obverse and Reverse ; Plate 2 , Medals of the Grand Masters' Lodge , No . 1 , Royal York Lodge of Perseverance ,
No . 7 , and Royal Somerset House Lodge , No . 4 , both Obverse and Reverse ; Plate 3 , Royal Medal of the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 259 ; Plate 4 , Medal of Centenary Lodges ( ordinary ); of West - minster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 j of Royal Alpha , No . 16 , and Star in tho East , No . 67 ; and Plate 5 , Commemorative Medals of the Inauguration Festival , 1869 , and Royal Installation , 1875 ; the
Freemasons' Hall Medal , A . D . 1780 ; and the Charity-jowel for Past Stewards of the R . M . Institutions for Girls , Boys , and Aged Freemasons and Widows . These are in the highest creditable both to the artist who designed , and the lithographer who has re-produced , them . Then follows a kind of preface , in which Bro . Hughan indicates clearly the character of his work , and then the work itself ,
which , commencing with the Articles of Union , with explanatory notes , andconclndingwith an heraldic descriptionof tho Arms of Grand Lodge , furnished by Sir Albert Woods . This of course prepares the way for the Numismatic portion of the Register , in wbich are given , not only some information relating to the older and more important of our Lodges , but likewise full lists of Lodges tho members of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
REVIEWS .
AU Books intended for Review should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle . 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o : — A Numerical and Numismatical Register of Lodges which formed the United Qrand Lodge of England . Being No . 5 of the Series of " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , " and containing theNnmbers of each Lodge during 1813 , and as altered in 1814 , 1832 , and 1863 ;
years of Constitution under the " Moderns " and " Ancients ; " Roll of Distinguished Lodges , Special and Centenary Medals , Historical and Numismatical Sketches , & c , & c , & o . Compiled by WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN , Past Senior Grand Deacon of England , & o . With Illustrations . London : George Kenning , Fleet Street , and Little Britain . Truro : Lake and Lake , Princes Street . Philadelphia ( U . S . A . ) : Charles Eugene Meyer , Arch Street .
IT is well-nigh impossible to be too hearty in our congratulations to Bro . Hughan on the further evidence he now offers of his determina . tion to continue illustrating as completely and accurately as possible the history of Freemasonry . He pursues manfully the even tenour of his way , nndeterrod by tho comparative indifference which is almost exhibited among Craftsmen to Masonio Literature . It is indeed
surprising nnder the circumstances that any brethren shonld be found courageous enough to write on Masonio subjects . Men are willing enough to seek offices for which they are unfitted . There ia no limit to the delight they take in arraying themselves in gorgeous Masonio raiment and wearing a profusion of Masonic jewellery . They have a keen relith for tho Masonio banqnet , and a few among them will even
condescend at times to visit fche Lodge of Instruction for fche purpose of acquiring a psrrot-liko familiarity with our ritual and lectures . Bnt—what a pity it is the reviewer is invariably obliged in the interest of truth to employ this unfortunate disjunctive—bnt , we re . peat , when ifc comes to be a question of making acquaintance with the history , past and present , of onr Confraternity , then a feeling nearly
akin to horror seizes the minds of all to whom it may be submitted . The outlay of * guinea in the purchase of a dinnor-tickefc is a mere floabite in the eyes of numbers of craftsmen , bnt the expenditure of a few shillings in thafc of a useful modicum of Masonio literary food is not to be entertained even for a moment . Yet there are among ns several writers of eminence who , without hope of pecuniary reward ,
have liberally bestowed time , energy , and ability on the arduous task of unravelling the complicated story of Freemasonry in this and foreign countries . The names of Woodford , Hughan , Kenneth Mac Jcenzie , and Gonld , are among the mosfc conspicuous of those who have not only interested themselves in , but contributed largely to , the cause of Masonic literature , and these names will be remembered and
respected in the ages to come when those of the foremost bejewelled and betitled brethren have long since been buried in oblivion . The name of Preston , author of tho " Illustrations of Masonry , " is still cherished among ns , though sixty years have passed since that distinguished writer threw off this mortal coil and his place knew him no more ; but the betinselled brethren of his day , what records respect .
ing them and their convivial gatherings still remain to us ? And similarly , we may anticipate , with a confidence amounting to well-nigh absolute certainty , that the authors of our Masonic Cyclopaedias and Reprints and Lodge Histories will be associated with Freemasonry long after their more showy brethren have been forgotten . This is probably the reason why there are any among our learned brethren
who think it worth their while to brave the discouragement so generally metod out to Masonic literature . But , whatever the reason , the Craftsmen we have named , and a few others , are deserving of every praise for the good work they are doing , and for our part wo offer them our entire sympathy ; nor are we entirely without hope that the determined resolution with which thev pursue their labours will
in time be moro worthily appreciated , and , as a consequence , that the results of those labours will be more widely known . Having expressed onrselves thus strongly , but by no means more strongly than is justifiable , as to the indifferent reception accorded to Masonic publications , let . us now turn to this latest evidence of Bro . Hughnn ' s interest in Masonic History . This " Numerical and
Nnmismatical Register of Lodges" is the fifth in the series of his " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , " and is unquestionably one of the mosfc valuable contributions we have ever had from his pen . Many Craftsmen will ask , perhaps , What is a Register bnt a List P and what the compilation of a List but the copying out of the names con . tained in former lists which have fortunatel y been preserved in the
archives of our Grand Lodge ? To which we reply , thafc there are Lists which are manuscripts , and Lists which , from the extreme care bestowed on their compilation and the valuable annotations which accompany them , become historical pictures as complete in all their details as the materials at the compiler ' s disposal will allow . This ia the case with Bro . Hughnn ' s latest Register , wbich , by tho way , is
in reality two Registers . The first is a List of Lodges , now in existence , wbich were borne on the respective Rolls of the rival " Modern " and " Ancient" Grand Lodges before tho Union in 1813 . The Lod ges are arranged in dne numerical order as they were at that epoch , and as they were rc-numbered the year following when the Union was accomplished , and afc the subsequent alterations made in the years
1832 and 1863 respectively . The dates of Constitution are appended as well in the case of Lodges holding under the " Ancients , " as in that of Lodges on tho roll of tho " Moderns . " The dates in the case of the former have [ never been published previously except in the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar for tho current year ; but as Bro . Hughan ifc was who furnished them to the editor of thafc publication ,
if wo cannot say this is literally the first work in which such important information has been made public , we shall be fully justified in ascribing the honour of having made it public to the compiler of this work . This , however , is , ifc must be remembered , subject to one important qualification to wit , thafc the transcripts tf warrants , in the case ^ oi some four-fifths of the Lodges yet in existence
Reviews.
which held under the Grand Lodge of the " Ancients" had previously been published in tho columns of the FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , the labour of having collected and prepared them , for publication having betn borne entirely by Bro . John Constable . But Bro . Hughan , wo are well assured , will bo tho first to acknowledge the extent of his indebtedness to that worthy
Craftsman . They havo worked harmoniously together in other fields of Masonic labour , and wo draw attention to this important matter , not with any view to solf-glorificatiou , bntbecauseweareanxionsthehononr belonging to the publication of these dates should bo duly apportioned among those who have had a part in it . Wo may state that notes aro ap . ponded where necessary , and that the Lodges holding under the rival
Grand Lodges are easily distinguishable , those under the " Moderns " being printed in Roman type , whilo thoso under the " Ancients " are in italics . The second of tho two Lists gives in order the Lodges in existence at the Union which have since been erased from , the Roll of Grand Lodge . This is styled a List of " Extinct" Lodges , but we must point
out thafc Bro . Hughan would have been literally accurate had he described them as " Erased , " instead of " Extinct" Lodges . His first note appended to this List is to the effect that " many Lodges , as No . 17 , have since 1813 been removed from the Roll , bnt are still in existence nnder Foreign Grand Lodges . " Obviously the word " Erased " will include both those which have been struck off the Roll for fche sufficient
reason that they thero are no longer in existence , and those which have been struck off because they no longer pay allegiance to the Grand Lodge which gave them birth . Not so , however , the word " Extinct , " whioh cannot be made applicable to Lodges erased from onr Roll but still flourishing under other Grand Lodges . This may seem to be a trifling matter , bnt considering the apathy and indifference of the
general mass of Craftsmen to Masonic literature we consider ib desirable the brethren who do uphold its interests shonld not run away with the impression that all the Lodges enumerated in the second List have ceased to le . Again , as regards Lodge No . 31 of 1814 , Freemason ' s Hall Lodge of Liverpool—formerly No . 20 of the "Ancients "—this properly figures in the List of " erased "
Lodges . To the List of presently existing Lodges a foot note is appended to the effect that " No . 31 " was " not allotted in 1832 . " We can only suggest a reason for this non-allotment . At the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge held in June 1822 , this Lodge No . 31 was erased , and its warrant forfeited for a series of the gravest acts of contumacy , first towards tho
Grand Lodge of the Province nnd then towards Grand Lodge itself . The members were suspended from all their Masonic functions aud privileges , and were summoned to show causo afc fche next Quarterly Communication why they should not be expelled from tho Fraternity . However , it wns nob till tho 5 th March 1823 that sentence of expulsion was passed npon the refractory brethren . All these matters
will be found described at length in Preston ' s Illustrations of Masonry , Seventeenth Edition , pp 329-39 , and the suggestion wo are disposed to offer is to the effect , that even as late as 1832 Grand Lodge wonld havo been prepared to restore the warrant on dne submission made to its authority , and for that purpose left No . 31 unallotted . However , submission was nofc made , and afc the next
alteration in 1863 , No . 34 of 1832 became No . 31 . We think these incidents of sufficient importance to have merited notice at the hands of Bro . Hnghan , and likewise the fate which , for refractory conduct of a similar character , and indeed , connected directly with this business of No . 31 , befel the " Sea Captains' Lodge , " No . 140 , Liverpool , which was erased from the Roll of Lodges in 1823 and had its warrant
forfeited for contumacy equally grave—see Preston ' s Illustrations , Seventeenth Edition , pp 340-1 . This also appears not to have been allotted in 1832 , and possibly for the reason we have suggested in the case of its insubordinate sister No . 31 . Again , on the authority of Preston , p 349 of same edition , we learn that at the Quarterl y Communication of 5 th March 1828 , no less than fifty-nine Lodges
were struck off the roll and their warrants declared forfeited for " having neglected for a considerable space of time to make any returns or communications to the Grand Lodge , although repeatedly called on for that purpose . " It would not be difficult to indicate these Lodges and any others which have been similarly ( truck off . We are well aware that these
matters are in a measnre outside the scope which Bro . Hughan appears to have marked out for his present compilation , and we bring them under his notice , not ns evidencing any shortcoming on his part , but as a hint for the future , if ifc should ever occur to him to re-issue his present reprint with additional information , collated from minutes of Grand Lodge and other authoritative documents .
But it is time we directed our attention to tha other portions of this " Reprint , & c ., " No . 5 . The illustrations , which are admirably done , include the Arms of the United Grand Lodge ( frontispiece ) and the following : —Plate 1 , the Royal Medal of the Lodge of Antiquity , both Obverse and Reverse ; Plate 2 , Medals of the Grand Masters' Lodge , No . 1 , Royal York Lodge of Perseverance ,
No . 7 , and Royal Somerset House Lodge , No . 4 , both Obverse and Reverse ; Plate 3 , Royal Medal of the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 259 ; Plate 4 , Medal of Centenary Lodges ( ordinary ); of West - minster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 j of Royal Alpha , No . 16 , and Star in tho East , No . 67 ; and Plate 5 , Commemorative Medals of the Inauguration Festival , 1869 , and Royal Installation , 1875 ; the
Freemasons' Hall Medal , A . D . 1780 ; and the Charity-jowel for Past Stewards of the R . M . Institutions for Girls , Boys , and Aged Freemasons and Widows . These are in the highest creditable both to the artist who designed , and the lithographer who has re-produced , them . Then follows a kind of preface , in which Bro . Hughan indicates clearly the character of his work , and then the work itself ,
which , commencing with the Articles of Union , with explanatory notes , andconclndingwith an heraldic descriptionof tho Arms of Grand Lodge , furnished by Sir Albert Woods . This of course prepares the way for the Numismatic portion of the Register , in wbich are given , not only some information relating to the older and more important of our Lodges , but likewise full lists of Lodges tho members of