Installation Of Lord Brooke, M.P. As Prov. G. Master Of Essex.

Robert Grey , Colonel Somerville Burney , Sir Albert Woods , Dr . Pigott , C . Greenwood , G . Lambert , W . G . Cusins , H . G . Buss , F . Binckes , J . Terry , Hedges , Andrew Durrant , Thomas J . Railing , & c . etc .

It should be added that the music in Provincial Grand Lodge was efficiently rendered by Bros . Osmond , and Gyvers ; nor must wo omit to render our acknowledgments to tho Essex Standard , to whose columns Ave are indebted for a portion of tho foregoing particulars .

Worth Thought.

WORTH THOUGHT .

FEOM THE VOICE OF MASONRY . ' * T WOULD rather wear ragged clothes , and live on hog and hominy , JL than starve my brain . " A quotation like this appears to a prosy , plodding , money-catching brother as the height of nonsensical sentimentality . View literature of any kind in the light of dollars and cents , and it may be nonsensical , bnt view it in the light of intelligence , and it is the exact reverse .

"When first reading the quotation given I was reminded of a remark a professional man and brother Mason made to me , not long since , when I was examining a packet of books which a kind brother had sent me . After glancing at one of them for a moment he said : '' What can you find interesting in that pile of books ? There is nothing but Masonry in them . " I must acknowledge I was surprised at his remark , for he

was a man of good intellectual ability , who for years had prefixed Sir to his name and been honoured with positions of trust and hononr in the Craft , but in all that time had failed to find the cream of Masonry—its literature . Unfortunately , there are many brethren who view the literature of Masonry in the same light as the brother referred to ; which is not only their loss , but that of the whole Fraternity . In one sense , tbe question , What is Masonic literature ? is not

easily answered even by those who have made Masonry a life-long study . Mankind , fortunately , are not all endowed with the same reasoning faculties . God , in His infinite wisdom , decreed that the bvvman race should be composed , of different intellectual as well as physical abilities , and , for that reason , each person as an intellectuality which , when developed , will be the means of the enlighten , ment of his fellow men .

Each student has his hobby , or rather , there is some particular branch of stndy that is best suited to his tastes . One class makes the planets and their revolutions their study , and to them we are indebted for the position the astronomers have attained . With others it is mathematics , others architecture , and still others the arts and sciences , and , in fact , each branch of culture has its students . On

the other hand , there is a large class of people who , by their outward demeanour and personal surroundings , seem to have been forgotten in an intellectual sense , or , in other words , their physical abilities have been developed at the expense of their mental faculties . The efforts of the student—call him bookworm if you will—are derided by the physical class , his works are considered of no account , and his ideas

nonsensical . In their ignorance they do not know that the enlightenment of the present century is due to brain power , while physical force carried out the ideas and plans . The question arises : Has Masonry a literature , and if so , what is it ? Our answer must be that it has . To onr sorrow and shame it must be said , the literary feature of Masonry is too often neglected

even by those high in the world of art and science , and in political and religions literature , and on whom the Craft have bestowed all the honours within their power . Fortunately for Masonry , its literary features are being brought to a higher standard than they had at one time , as well as being more fully developed each day of their existence . Our brethren are open .

ing their eyeB to the fact that their Institntion has literally features of vast importance , and that there is something in Masonry besides esoteric and exoteric work . In the first place , has Masonry a history ? If so , what was it previous to 1717 ? A question easily asked , bnt difficult to answer , Previous to that date but little can be proven of the actual

transactions of what is now called Speculative Masonry . There are , however , plenty of theories—surmises , perhaps , would be a better wordany one of which is backed up by what , if only one theory were advanced , might be conclusive evidence , but , just as soon as one is fair settled in the belief that a particular theory is the correct one , and is led to exclaim " Eureka , " up comes onother one , backed by its

advocates with as much force and as plausible argnments as the for . mer one , which overthrows his first idea of Freemasonry ' s origin . Afterwards others come up , until twelve are passed in detail and the whole are a confused mass of surmises and conjectures , all plausible when only one of them is taken , bnt none proven by undeniable facts , and all right or all wrong , excepting a particular one , just as

one wishes to view it . Now , which one of these twelve theories is correct ? Answer it who can ; not by surmises but by facts . If to answer it requires more knowledge than any scholar of the present age possesses , does it not at once show that Masonry has a history ? Some one will answer that question , in his own mind at least , by the oft-repeated assertion that our ancient brethren destroyed their records , in order that the world at large might never obtain the

secrets of Masonry . I ask , how do yon know that Masonry existed previous to the eighteenth century ? What proofs have yon that it was a oreation of the Middle Ages , or even before that time ? Modern and ancient historians have given us a history of the world and its people from its formation , which , of conrse , includes Biblical history . The discoveries of the past century have , however , exploded many of the fine theories of many a historian , nntil what was once considered a fact can now be safely rated as fiction . Just so with

Worth Thought.

the history of Masonry . The researches of the Masonic students of this age have exploded many of the vague and unsatisfactory theories of the eighteenth eentary , and no donbt further research will explode many of the fine theories of the present day . So much for the historical features of Masonry , and right here the statement fitly applies , that the publication of the literary

productions of Masonio students does not furnish a sufficient pecuniary recompense to warrant their issue . A man must have bread and butter . Theories will not sustain life , even if one is a bookworm One must receive a praotical benefit from his labours , if it is nothing more than " hog and hominy . " Now who is to blame for not enough " hog and hominy ? " The Craft , in not sustaining the efforts of onr

historians , by purchasing their works . When we read the works of Maokey , Hughan , Morris , Fort and others , we extend to them onr hearty thanks for their efforts to re * move the darkness of ignorance from the eyes of their brethren ; but no one of them proves when , where or how Masonry derived its origin . As we view it , too much is olaimed , by many , for the antiquity

of Masonry . When we read the arguments of those who claim that it is antediluvian in its origin ; or that it began at the building of the Tower of Babel of Biblical fame , we oan but say , you olaim too much , and do not prove it . In fact the same may be said of nearly every one of the theories advanced , as claiming a certain point is one thing , bnt proving it is entirely another .

Now you who claim that Masonry has not a history , please inform me , -when , where and how did Masonry originate ? Who were its founders , and what was the real motive in view for the formation of such an organisation ? Before yon have answered these questions by proofs which cannot be denied , I am confident yon will find that Masonry has a history whioh baflles efforts to fathom , and will unite

with me in saying that its origin is a sealed book . But enough of its historical features . Now , what are its legal features so far as they pertain to the government of its own members , or , as the lawyers say , its " law points ?" Bro . John W . Simons , in the August and September 1882 numbers

of the Voice of Masonry , under the head of " Still Undecided , " from his standpoint , has ably answered thirty-six important questions per taining to the jurisprudence of Masonry which are as yet undecided . It is not onr province to criticise , much less to disenss those questions , as if we should we know full well that we would not only get into the mud beyond our depth , but would have the self-conceit taken

out of ns in a hurry . Those articles suggest two distinct claims of thought . First , that these points are well worth the serious contemplation of every Mason . Second , that they add a double force to the statement that Masonry has a legal literature , as far as it pertains to its own government , which baffles the legal knowledge of its best students .

When such eminent jurists as John W . Simons , W . R . Singleton , T . S . Parvin , J . J . Bell , and scores of others , are " in the fog " on certain legal questions , what must those of us do who are yonng in years and in Masonry , to decide what is right and what is wrong ? " When doctors disagree , who will agree ? " When such expounders of the law as those mentioned disagree , who is to deoide P

A carefnl study of those undecided questions cannot fail to convince any thinking mind that Masonry has a legal literature which increases in importance with the increase in onr numbers . Masonry must have laws to be governed by , as well as any other organisation . The foundations of those laws are the " Ancient Landmarks , " which are as unalterable as the " laws of the Medes and

Persians ; " not that those laws are an absolute necessity to hold oar organisation together , for brotherly love is the bond whioh unites us , bnt that they are rendered necessary for the government of ourselves amongst ourselves . According to the dogma of exclusive and perpetual jurisdiction , which is almost exclusively American , each State has a Grand Lodge , which is absolute within its territorial limits .

It enacts its own laws , provided they do not conflict with those landmarks , or the civil or the moral law . The question often arises in my mind , do onr law makers , or rather law expounders , always keep those landmarks in sight when expounding the abstruse points which arise from them ? If they do , I fear they sometimes overlook the fact that brotherly love , relief and truth , and I may well add ,

nnity and concord , are the basis of each and every law . Let them always remember , that force , intimidation , and sequestration shonld have no voice or place in the administration of the affairs of Masonry . Now , my readers , give what I have written a passing thought , and see if you will not unite with me in saying that Masonry has a

historical and legal literature which is well worth your thonght and study . There is yet another form of Masonio literature which is important , namely , its every-day or periodical literature , suoh as its newspapers , magazines , and miscellaneous publications . Nearly every country town of any size has its newspaper , and with

many its editor is an oracle of wisdom and intelligence . Each religions denomination has its organ to expound and advocate its particular beliefs . Each political party , no matter how small , has its literature in its press . Each trade , profession , art , or calling , has newspapers and periodicals . Even the poor , deluded , badly humbugged anti-Masonic American party has penny trumpets among the small

fry of the press . Now , if each trade , profession , or denomination has its preSB , why is it not as appropriate that a body of over five hundred thousand men , composed of the talent and learning of the country , should have papers and periodicals ? Masonry is not all esoteric , in fact , but a small portion of it is . The forms and ceremonies of initiation , and modes of recognition are ,

but the main featnres , brotherly love , relief , and truth , are far from being so , as its every-day deeds prove . Love for the Institution , and desire to bring the Craft to a higher intellectual grade , have prompted a few to embark upon the precarious sea of the Masonio press . I say precarious , for any one who has attempted it will tell you that the issuing of a Masonio publics-