Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended ibr Beview should be addressed to the Editor of Tho Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , B . C . Freemasonry : it ;< Secrecy and Relation to Faith and Worship . An •Oration-delivered-before the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devon , on

the occasion of the Dedication of the Masonic Hall , Bideford , 13 th October 1875 . By Brother Rev ; Thomas RrssEix , P . Pro . G . C . Oxon ., G . J . W . Devon , W . M . of the Lodge of Benevolence , No . 489 , Bideford . Printed by Request . The Gazette Office , High-Btreet . Exeter .

WE are by no means surprised that Bro . the Rev . T . Russell should have been invited to publish the address he delivered at the recent dedication of tho Masonic Hall , at Bideford . Regarded merely as a composition , it is a most admirable essay . Bnt in defending Masonry from the base aspersions of its numerous enemies , our Rev . Brother

has adopted a tone that harmonises well with the purposes of the Craft . Admitting that our Charitable Institutions and our known loyalty to the Sovereign are worthy of the highest praise , he nevertheless points out that , after all , these are merely the ornaments of Freemasonry . The line of defence which should be universally

adopted is placed on still higher grounds . Our secrecy , for instance , is not the secrecy which dreads the light of day . The State knows well enough , who aiid-who are hot Masons , for the law requires that the member ' s of our Order shonld be registered . Our laws are published to all the world , and if there are , or have been , backsliders

among us , that should no moro be cast in our teeth than tho crimes of Christians in the teeth of individual Christians .: We are loyal to tho State , and believe in a personal God , to whom we shall be hereafter accountable for our actions . It is absurd , then , to hold that because we admit indiscriminately within our ranks those whoprofess this faith , though differently , we are therefore an irreligious body .

We havo more than once expressed ourselves similarly ,. and quite as emphatically , though the manner of our so doing has very probably been less happy and less Ornate . We thank our Rev . Brother for having afforded us anopportunity of reading and commenting on his address , which deserves a high place in this class of Masonic literature . -

The Craft that has Weather'd the Storm . Words by Bro . Dr . O'Macgrogbr Edwardes , 1107 . Music by Bro . Sherwin , 1107 , 913 , 1076 , Published by Bro . George Kenning , ' 1 , 2 and 3 , Little Britain , arid 198 , Fleet-street , London . THIS is far above the average of Masonic songs , both as regards the words and the music . Our readers , who may bear in mind our

frequent references to the general want of taste , and even , in many instances , of sense , in the various ballads , & c , & c , which , till now , have passed mnster among the Craft—we presume in the absence of any better—will find , in this case at all events , a good song , worthy of a foremost place among the few that aro really respectable . The words run smoothly and tunefully ; the air is melodious , and there is

a good chorus , a matter of no small importance , considering it will be mostly sung at those agreeable gatherings which usually follow our Lodge meetings . This chorus is worth reproducing here ; indeed , had we not so many claims upon onr space , we should have given the song in extenso . However , its general merits may be gleaned from the evidence herewith .

" Then a song and a shout , let them gaily ring out , As we drink in Masonic due form , To the officers true , and the staunch gallant crew , Of the Craft that has weather'd the storm . " Wo imagine " them , " in the first line , must be a misprint for " us ; "

it certainly reads more in harmony with the next line—Then a song and a shout let us gaily ring out , As we' drink , & c , & c . Any musical brother who may be on the look out for a new song will , we feel sure , derive much pleasure , if ho purchases "The Craft that has Weather'd the Storm . "

The Bye-laws . of the York Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , No . 236 ( held at . the Masonic Halt , Duncan-place ,. York ) ; to which is added ashort History of the Lodgeand of the Ancient Grand Lodge of all England . , York : ; Printed by F . R . DELITTLE , corner of Railwaystreet and Micklegate . ¦

WE think it very desirable that every Lodge that possesses records stretching back to any distance of time should entrnst to some capable member the task of arranging and publishing them . The York Lodge , the case before us * is an illustration . This Lodge has nearly completed a centnry of existence , having been warrauted in July 1777 , by Sir Thomas Taucred , Pro Grand Master for the

County and City ot York , under the authority of the Grand of Lodge England . It was originally known as the " Union Lod ^ e , " but iu 1870 , it assured , with tho sanction of the M . W . G . M ., its present title . There are now 140 subscribing members on the Lodge roll , aud we cordially endorse the wish . of . the writer that "this roprosentativo of Masonry in the ancient City of York may long

continue to flourish , and may be the instrument of disseminating the great and glorious principles of our noble institution to future generations . " In addition ;' we have- a history of the "Grand Lodge of England , " and this contains much that is highly interesting to those members of the Craft who delight iu studying the early history of our

Order . The account of the York Lodgo was , we are told , compiled by Bro . Joseph Todd P . M . P . P . S . G . W ., and that of Ancient Grand Lodgo by Brother William Cowhurg' P . M . P . P . S . G . W ., who have accomplished their task with marked success . Certainly Yorkshire , and doubtless , the whole world of Masonry will regard the publication of these and similar records with great satisfaction .

Consecration Of The Masonic Hall At Barton.

CONSECRATION OF THE MASONIC HALL AT BARTON .

From flie THE HULL AND LINCOLNSHIRE TIMES . SOME five months ago we recorded the circumstances connected with the laying of tho foundation stone of a new Masonic Hall , which had been determined upon by the brethren of the St . Matthew ' s Lodge , No . 1477 , of Free and Accepted Masons ; and on Wednesday 27 th ult . we had pleasure in " assisting " atjthe ceremony of dedicating that building to the noble purposes for which it has been designed .

It is not too much to say that upon the foundation laid last May a superstructure has been raised , perfect in all its parts , and honourable to the builder . The site of the new structure is on the Brigg Road , where it will , in future years , be admired as an ornament to the town , and amongst the most handsome public buildings of which Barton can boast . Although a very " young" Lodge , tho

brethren of St . Matthew ' s boast of a long and distinguished line of ancestors ; for , as a correspondent recently informed our readers , a band of brothers , bearing the name of the patron saint upon ita banner , flourished here as far back as the commencement of the precent century . In 1778 the St . Matthew ' s Lodge , No . 406 , was founded in Barton—being at the time the only Lodge in the province

of Lincolnshire . It appears to have flourished for a number of years , in perfect conformity with the ancient usages of the Craft , most of the towns and villages iu the northern division of the county beiDg represented in its membership ; bat some years ago , for reasons which do not appear to be very distinctly set forth , the Lodge collapsed , and tho name of St . Matthew's disappeared from the list of

Lodges until October 18 / 3 . In that month Bro . Colonel Taylor , of B ' urnham Manor , undertook tho Inudable work of resuscitating the Lodge , surrounding himself with a trusty band of officers , who were readily , assi-ted by experienced members of the Craft in Hull and various parts of the province of Lincolnshire . Under Colonel Taylor ' s Mastership , the Lodge meetings were held in the . Volunteers' Hall ;

but so popular did the new movement become—especially since the installation of H . . R . H . the Princo of Wales as M . W . Grand Master of England—that the brethren felt the necessity of casting about them foramore suitable " local inhabitation" in which they could more thoroughly and perfectly carry on . their operations . The success which attended this effort is only what might have been expected

from the energy and spirit which were thrown into the movement ; and we congratulate Bro . Swallow , and the officers by whom he hag been so ably supported , upon the completion of this excellent work before their terms of office have expired . The building , which on Wednesday week last was consecrated to the purposes of Masonry , is a credit to thorn and the town , and the possession of such a structure

will , no doubt , giv > a fresh impetus to Masonry , which has already become so deserv- popular in the province . The building is of white stock bricks , \ . . h red brick pillars and arches , and contains on the ground floor a library and hanquetting-room , 24 ft . 3 in . by 32 ft . 9 in ., and a Tyler's residence , with spacious kitchens , fitted with suitable cooking apparatns , and other conveniences . There is also a

cloak-room on the ground floor , and the whole building has been admirably fittod with a heating apparatus of the most approved description . On the first floor is the Lodgo room , of tho same dimensions as tho banquetting room , and adjoining it are . waiting and robing , rooms , and all other necessary offices . The structure is in ttiemiidorn classic style of architecture , having a frontage to the Brigg Road of

25 ft ., and a depth of 44 ft . Bro . W . II . Wellsted , architect , of Hull , was entrusted with the designs , according to which the building has been erected by Mr . Alexander Stamp , of Barton , and the whole of the work has been executed in a manner that is highly satisfactory to all concerned . . .. . The brethren assembled in their new hall afc half-past ono

o ' clock , where they were joined by a number of visitors , ' the following Lodges being represented : —Tho Hnmber 57 , the Lindsey 712 , the Kingston 4010 , the Bayons 1286 , the Pelham . Pillar 792 , tho St . Alban ' s 1294 , the Ancholme 1282 , the Alexandra 1511 , il'c . As soon as the brcthron had taken their places . in the Lodge , the P . G . Officers and Past Officers , and the Officers of the

Lodge , entered in procession , when the chair was taken by Bro . W . H . Smyth W-D . P . G . M . of Lincolnshire ,. and the following officers of St . Matthew's were also present :--Bros . W . Swallow W . M ., Colonel Taylor I . P . M ., Henry Ashton S . W ., W . H . Sissons . J . W-, R . Bedford Treasurer , John Fuller Secretary , James B . Swallow S . D ., J . D . Waddingham J . D „ ,. W . Gray I . G . ; and Kenningham

Tyler . The Provincial and other Grand Officers occupied seats upon the dais , and ably assisted in the ceremony of consecration . Bro . G . It . Welsh ably presided at the organ , and tho musical portions of the ceremony were most efficiently rendered . The Lodge having been duly opened iu the three degrees , the W . D . P . G . M . directed , the P . G . Superintendent of Works to examine the appointments

of tho Lodge , which were pronounced satisfactory ; and the sublime ceremony of Consecration , in accordance with the formularies of tho Craft , was then proceeded with . At its conclusion the W . D . P . G . M . delivered an impressive and eloquent address on tho dntios inculcated in Freemasonry , advising the brethren to be discriminating in their admission of membors , and wise in their

promotion of the interests of the Craft . He then congratulated tho VV . M . on the completion of that magnificent hall , and wished for the Lodge a long career of future prosperity . Bro . Swallow then took the chair , and presided over the remainder of tho business , the working of all the officers being conducted in an eminently satisfactory manner .

At three o ' clock tho brethren sat down to a sumptuous banquet , provided by Mr . Taylor , at the George Hotel , the tables being adorned with a choice profusion of flowers , ornamental plants , and the whole of the arrangements were carried out in commendable style . The chair was occupied by Bro . W . Swallow W . M ., who was supported by the W . Deputy Grand Master of the Province , Bm . W . H . Smyth ;