Notes On Masonic History.

NOTES ON MASONIC HISTORY .

W HAT is in many respects an admirable little guidebook to the history of the Graft , has been brought under our notice in the shape of " Notes on the History of Freemasonry , " by Bro . Henry Sutherland , M . D ., P . M . P . Z .

These notes , it seems , were in the first instance printed for private distribution . Those , however , who were privileged to read them , found they wore so serviceable , that Bro . Sutherland tells us be was induced to make

additions , and issue them in an extended form for the satisfaction of the Craft . He disclaims all idea of his notes being exhaustive of tho subject of which they treat , but he believes they will be found to contain a fair selection of the cbief points of interest connected with Freemasonry , and tbis belief of his we consider to be well founded . He has

consulted the best authorities , he has extracted from them the points that are necessary to give a fair outline of Masonic history , ancl he has marshalled these points in a

manner which is very creditable to his perspicacity . It is the purpose of this present paper to place some of these before our readers , to the end they may form a clear idea of the merits of these notes .

No time is lost in that kind of preliminary skirmishing in which many writers are apt to indulge , and in the very first Chapter , after but a very few lines explanatory of the

object of the work , Bro . Sutherland takes us at once to what are known as " The landmarks of Freemasonry . " These he is pleased to enumerate , " as they are not so accessible to the Masonic student as are those Constitutions

which take their origin from the landmarks , " and for this reason we have thought it desirable to reproduce them in our pages . They are as follows : 1 The Modes of Recognition . 2 The Division of Symbolic Masonry into Three Degrees .

3 The Legend of the Third Degree . 4 The Government of the Fraternity by a Grand Master , elected from the body of the Craft . 5 The Prerogative of Grand Master to preside over every assembly of the Craft .

6 The Prerogative of Grand Master to grant Dispensations for conferring Degrees at irregular times . 7 The Prerogative of Grand Master to grant Dispensations for opening and holding Lodges . 8 The Prerogative of Grand Master to make Masons at

sight . 9 The necessity for Masons to congregate in Lodges . 10 The Government of the Craffc when congregated in a Lodge by a Master and two Wardens . 11 Necessity of every Lodge , when congregated , being duly

tyled . 12 The Right of every Freemason to be represented in all general meetings of the Craft , and to instruct his Representatives . 13 The Right of every Freemason to appeal from the

decision of a Lodge to the Grand Lodge or General Assembly of Masons . 14 The Right of every Freemason to visit and sit in every Regular Lodge . 15 No Visitor , unknown to the brethren present , or to some

Notes On Masonic History.

of them as a Freemason , can enter a Lodgo without an examination . 16 No Lodge can interfere in the business of another Lodge , nor give Degrees to brethren who are members of other Lodges .

17 Every Freemason amenable to Masonic jurisdiction . 18 Certain qualifications of Candidates for Initiation . 19 Belief in the existence of God necessary to Masons . 20 Belief in a Resurrection to a future life necessary to

Masons . 21 The " Book of the Law " is an indispensable part of the furniture of every Masonic Lodge . 22 The Equality of all Freemasons . 23 The Secrecy of the Institution . 24 The foundation of a Speculative Science upon an Operative Art , and the symbolical use and explanation of the

terms of that art for purposes of religious and moral purposes . 25 The Landmarks can never be changed . Having enumerated the Landmarks , Bro . Sutherland goes on to classify them . " The 3 rd and 4 th Landmarks , "

he says , " explain what Freemasonry consists of : the 9 th , 11 th , 15 th , and 23 rd , refer to fche Secrecy of the Order ; the

4 th , 5 th , 6 th , 7 th , and 8 fch , point out the exclusive and exceptional privileges of the Grand Master ; the 12 th , 13 th , 14 th , and 22 nd , show the Rights of every Mason ; the 17 th , 18 th , 19 th , 20 th , and 21 st , demonstrate what is expected

of Candidates and Brethren ; the 1 st , 2 nd , 10 th , and 16 tb , indicate points in the practical working of a Lodge ; and the 25 th informs us that the Order

is Conservative . " To the more concise description which follows no reasonable objection can be raised ; it fairly represents the character and scope of the Craft . But

from the shorter and still more concise definition thafc " Freemasonry is a secret society , having for its object the promotion of good-fellowship , charity , and feasting , " we

see sufficient grounds for dissenting . It does not consist with the far higher and more accurate definition , to wit , that " Freemasonry is a system of morality , veiled in allegory , and illustrated by symbols . " To describe Free-— -- j , -- — j j

masonry as a " secret society , " and without some kind or degree of qualification , is calculated to produce an erroneous impression in the mind of the reader . It is not " secret " in the general acceptation of the term , the ordinary " secret societv" being mostly a political or religious

organisation , whose aims inspire a feeling which is the reverse of satisfactory . Now Masons have their secrets , their secret modes of recognition and the like , but every one who is so minded may learn for himself all about Freemasonry , what its nature is , and what its purpose and organisation . . Again , " feasting " is certainly nofc one of

the " objects " of Freemasonry . It is no doubt an incident , and a very agreeable incident into the bargain , in its career , as it is an incident in the career of every human being ; but does not live that he eat

just as a man may , so Freemasonry has nofc been constituted so thafc Masons may indulge in "feasting . " The good fellowship of the Craffc is popularly , though erroneously , held to so nearly approach a somewhat

boisterous and indecorous conviviality that wo must not go out of our way to give one of its " incidents " the importance of an " object . " Brethren dine or sup together , after

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