The Four Old Lodges.

THE FOUR OLD LODGES .

BEO . E . F . GOVIV .

( Continued from page 132 . ) § 25 . —The following remarks , expressed by the oldest Masonic body in England ( 1779 ) and styled by Bro . Hughan

" a really dignified protest against the assertions of its rival , " are of interest , as marking disapproval by a sister Grand Lodge of the arbitrary and unconstitutional acts of the Grand Lodge of England . ( ' )

"York being the established Placo of Masonic Government , the whole fraternity successively paid Allegiance to its Authority , and whereas tho Sacred Art flourished so much , that Masonry in the South came to require some Nominal Patron to Superintend its Government . A person nnder the Title of Grand Master for the South

was appointed , with the Approbation of the Grand Lodge at York , to which the whole fraternity at large were still bound , as they were before , to pay Tribute and acknowledge Subjection . And thus Masonry flourished for many years in tho South , as well as in the North , bnt afterwards became again at so low a Ebb in tho South ,

that in the year 1717 , only four Lodges remained extant in those parts , but those Lodges ever gloried in Originating from the Ancient York Masons , which they constantly testified . And whereas these very Lodges cemented under a new Grand Master for the South ,

and hence arose what is now called fche Nominal Grand Lodge in London , whoso meetings havo been by some considered as General Meetings , but without any Constitutional Authority to give such Meetings a Sanction to that Title .

" And whereas the Grand Lodge of All England , still existing at York , is the Supreme Legislature of Masonry in this kingdom . And hath , with Lamentations , behold that the Nominal Grand Lodge , in London , havo not only forgotten tho Allegiance duo to this Parent

State of Masonry in England , but have proceeded to insult its Diguity , and depart from every ancient Landmark of the Order , assuming such arbitrary and uumasonick Measures , as ought not to be found amon < r Maceons .

" Besides , which , many Masters and Lodges under their Sanction have been struck off their Books on trifling occasions , and particularly on Pecuniary ones , Motives which Masons ought to blush at , aud , in flue , they have adopted Measures altogether arbitrary ancl

repugnant to the principles of tho Masonic Institution , whereby the trne Spirit of Freo Masonry in tho South of England hath been subverted , and if not timely supported by tho Masonic Legislature might become totally destroyed .

"Hence , however , tho Grand Lodge in London , from its Situation , being encouraged by some of the Principal Nobility of tho Nation , arose at Great Power , and began to despise the origin from whence it sprang . In an unbrotheily manner , wishing the Gr . Lodge at

York annihilated , which appears by one of their Almanacks , insinuating , that though there are somo Brethren remaining , who act under the Old Constitution of York , yet that they are few in number , aud will be soon annihilated . ( )

"Upon tho whole , let every dispassionate Mason but weigh impartially the several Facts here stated , and he must spurn at the daring Innovation offered by the Nominal Grand Lodgo in London , to so sacred an Institution . If he wishes to partake of Masonry in its Original Purity , he will

turn his attention to that source , where ifc hath been Inviolably maintained and continued for Successive Ages to this Day , ancl , where the Legislature of Masonry for this Kingdom stands fixed by its true Title ' Tho Grand Lodge of All England , Established at tho City of York . ' "

§ 26 . —I . On 27 th December 1813 , () the Union of the two Societies took place , under the Grand Mastership of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , there being at the period of this amalgamation G 40 Lodges holding under the " Moderns , " and 359 under the " Ancients . " ( )

II . —The articles of Union agreed to , by the rival Grand Lodges , were twenty-one ( ) in number , of which three only bear distinctly upon the subject of the present article , viz ., Nos . II ., ViL , and VIII . III . —Art . II . " It is declared and pronounced that pure

Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees , and no more , viz ., those of the Entered Apprentice , the Fellow Craft and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arcli . tf ) But this Article is not intended to prevent any Lodge or Chapter from holding a meeting

The Four Old Lodges.

in any of the degrees of the Orders of chivalry , according to the constitutions of tho said Orders . " 0 IV . —Art . VII . ( Extract from , omitting the Grand Officers . ) THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OP ANCIENT FREEMASONS OP ENGLAND shall be composed

of" Tho actual Masters and Wardens of all Warranted Lodges , ( ) Past Masters of Lodges , who have regularly served and passed the chair before the day of Union , and who have continued without secession regular contributing Members of a Warranted Lodge . It being understood that

of all the Masters who , from and after the day of the said Union , shall regularly pass the chair of their respective Lodges , but one at a time , to be delegated by his Lodge , shall have a right to sit and vote in the said Grand Lodge ,

so that after the decease of all the regular Past Masters of any regular Lodge , who have attained that distinction at the time of the Union , the representation of such Lodge shall be by its actual Master , Wardens , and one Past Master only . "

Past Masters are admitted to membership in many Grand Lodges , and by some tho inherent right has been claimed to sit in these bodies . But the most eminent

Masonic authorities have made a contrary decision , and the general opinion now is that Past Masters obtain their seats in Grand Lodge by courtesy , and not by inherent right . (») In the composition of the United Grand Lodge of

England , the admission of Past Masters in 1813 , in deference to the prevailing practice among the " Ancients , " was a distinct innovation ; it may be noted also that for many years subsequent to the Union ( until 1834 ) , Past Masters were ineligible for election to tho Boards of General

Purposes , Finance , ( 10 ) Works , and Schools , and the Committee of Benevolence . It was in consequence of this disability , that the lato Bro . Peter Gilkes , in order to qualify

for election to the Board of Benevolence , of which for the last sixteen years of his life he was a distinguished member , during that period annually filled the chair of a Lodge , and discharged its arduous duties . ( )

V .-Art . VIII . ( Ante § 9 , Note 4 ) § 27 . —I . The prevailing theories with regard to Masonic history , are of so conflicting a nature , that tho student may be sorely tempted to take refuge in the sceptical

solution of this difficulty , propounded by a notable mystic of the last century . ( ' - ) " No man can give any account of the Order of Freemasonry , of its origin , of its history , of its object , nor any explanation of its mysteries and symbols , luliich does not leave the mind in total uncertainty on all these points . "

The descent of modern Freemasonry has been variously traced ; ( a ) from the old Roman Sodalities , ( b ) the operative Guild assemblies of the middle ages , ( c ) and from the German operative Stonemasons in the beginning of the eleventh century . ( )

If , however , we turn from within to ivithotit , the pale of the Craft , and seek for information from non-Masonic writers , we are assured by one high authority , ( " ) " that true Freemasonry , of which Freemasons , as a rule , Icnoiu nothing , existed before the Templars . " And by another , ( )