Prov. Grand Chapter Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

T . Halliday P . Z . 779 ... P . S . A . P . Wood P . Z . 1130 ... 1 st Assistant Sojourner J . Hassall H . 779 ... 2 nd Assistant Sojourner J . Tnckfield ( elected ) ... Treasurer G . Oliver J . 1007 ... ... Sword Bearer

Edgar Taylor J . 279 ... ... Standard Bearer Miles J . Walker H . 1130 ... Director of Ceremonies W . Stephen Black J . 1130 ... Assist . Director of Cer . W . Vial H . 1007 ... ... Organist Dunn and Tanser ... ... Janitors

A resolution was passed that the Grand Superintendent s address and the oration of Comp . the Rov . C . Henton Wood should be printed for distribution . Several apologies for

absence having been read , the Provincial Crrand Onapter was closed in due form . The musical arrangements of the consecration ceremony were most effectively carried out , under the able direction of Comp . T . A . Wykes P . P . G . O .

In conclusion it should be added that the interest and gratification of the Companions were materially enhanced by the presence of their much-esteemed Chief , the veteran Comp . Kelly , who although far from having completely

recovered from his long and serioits indisposition , braved the effects of the present Arctic weather , and conducted the proceedings of the day with his usual marked ability and Impressiveness .

Grand Historic Masonic Collection.

GRAND HISTORIC MASONIC COLLECTION .

A GRAND historic collection of Masonic books , medals , mannscripts , engravings , prints , old aprons , ivc , such as we venture to say has never been brought together before , has been on exhibition , to the members of the Craffc , afc the Masonic Hall , Kidderminster , dnring fche past week . The exhibits , which are of surpassing interest , have been got together after an infinite amount of patient research by Bro .

G . Taylor , of this town . A series of Masonic meetings have taken place at the Masonic Hall this week . A descriptive lecture on the contents of the collection referred to above was to have been given on Monday evening by Bro . W . J . Hughan , of Torquay , Past Grand Deacon of England , the Masonic Historian . Unfortunately , owing

to the death of a member of his family on Friday last , Bro . Hughan was prevented from fulfilling his engagement , and at the last moment , Bro . Taylor took upon himself to fill Bro . Hughan ' s place . After alluding to the sad event that prevented Bro . Hughan's attendance , and to the regrefc and disappointment thafc all the brethren must feel

at bis absence and the cause of it , Bro . Taylor said : —¦ Ii is a rather difficult task to know where to commence , and where to leave off , in a brief description of snch a Collection as this ; so large a number of its items affording material for separate lectures in themselves . Ifc is bnfc natural that a society so ancient as Freemasonry ,

which haa undergone the changes and vicissitudes of ages , and yet to . day presents a firmer , powi rl ' nl , and more prosperous front than ever , should afford a very wide field for study . Setting aside its strictly historical and arch ecological feainres , the wholo system of its symbolism is so intimately interwoven with the thoughts and

aspirations of the mind and soul as to make it boundless in its ramifications and applications . Ifc is to be regretted that more is not done in onr Lodges to create a taste , or administer to the desire , for something of a more directly intellectual character than even the beauties of our ritual afford .

Much may be done by Masters of Lodges , t . o invite attendance , and sustain interest by invit ' ng essays on scientific subjects , as well as on those that Ancient and Modern Masonry presents , thus following mora intimately the operative nature of the work in our ancient Lodges . It is most rematkable how few brethren there are who comprehend

the extent of Masonio Literature and its attendant objects . It would surprise many to know thatKloss , whose work on Masonic Bibliography , published at Frankfort in 1844 , and which Tes before you , enumerates about 6000 volumes ; it will ever remain a standard work . You will

imagine how greatly this number would be increased if a complete list could be made , and that to date . Bro . Taylor went on to describe the present as an effort to incite in tbe district this deeper study of all allied with the pasfc and present cf the Craft .

For some time before the Worcester Masonic Exhibition m August 1884 , I bad been paving the nay , and that notable gathering gave the starting point for acquiring the bulk of what you see around . How much I have to thank the never ceasing kindness , the sacrificing efforts , arid the great abilities of our Bro . Hnghan ( to whose regretablc

absence I have before alluded ) , I can never tell yon , and you will never divine . So scarce aro Masonic books a * d objects of worth , that instant action alone can seenro when anything of note offers . Tbe knowledge of this tells mo how wonderfully successful I havo heen in acquiring what ia here . It has been a bnsiness of much

labour , mixed with a good deal of pleasure . Tako for instance these two manuscripts . We know the intense dislike Masons of Ihe present day have to showing for perusal or publication anything in the shape of writing . " How much more then were thev indisposed to retain anv evidences

iu byegone days ? In 1717 ( accouling to Kentiirrg's Cyclopaedia ) many old manuscripts were collected by request of Grand Master Payne , and in 1720 some foolish brethren are said , by Anderson , to have bnrnt several impoitaut MSS ., especially one bv Nicholas Stone . "

These then are now of priceless value , being tl e aetnal "Rolls that were rt-ad to initiates on their reception , long before our present Bituals were shaped . But upon this subject Bro . Hughan ' s paper , which I shall read to-morrow , has more to say .

Grand Historic Masonic Collection.

Varying in detail , there is one in the British Museum , one in the Grand Lodge of England , one in tho York Lodge , and one or two others , but no other Collection than this in tbe world possesses two . This , the " Inigo Jones MSS ., " dated 1607 , has a frontispiece of Masons at work , drawn bv that celebrated architect , who , Anderson

states in his Constitutions of 1738 , was Grand Master of the Craft in 1 ( 107 . Bro . Gould , in his new History of Freemasonry , gives it a fnll description aud many references , classing ifc amongst the mos ? valuable of existing versions of our manuscript Constitutions . This , the Wood MSS ., takes its name from a Mr . Wood , from

whom it was obtained , but who is unable to furnish any particulars of its history , beyond that the MS . had been in his possession for about 20 years . Ifc is written on parchment , wifch partially illuminated letters here and there . It is entitled the " Constitution of Masonrye , " newlv e translated by J . Whitestonos for John Sargensonne , 1610 .

As it bears intimately on the subject under mention I may here say that Dr . Plot ' s History of Staffordshire , published in 1686 , is in this library . It has a significant reference to parsons of quality joining the Order , and mentions a scroll or parchment volume iu use among the members . This attack on Freemasonry , by Dr . Plot ,

so early as 1686 , is much referred to by Masonic writers . These MSS . lead mo to draw your attention to another prominent feature of the Collection , viz ., the comp lete sat of the Constitutions ,

the charges which aro embodied in those of 1723 fco 1781 being undoubtedly derived from these old MSS . or similar copies , now lost . Hero we have tho editions of 1723 , 1738 , 1756 , 1767 , the Appendix of 1776 ( 1769 , which waa unrecognised ) , 1784 , 1815 , 1819 , with

corrections , 1827 , 1811 , 1847 , 1853 , 1858 , 1861 , 1863 , 1865 , 1866 , 1867 , 1871 , 1873 , and lastly 1884 . I am not aware how many complete sets , replete with frontispieces , & c , exist , bufc they must be very few indeed . As an incident in its collection , I may mention thafc the edition of 1723 I picked up at an old book store for 9 s . I saw one priced the other day at fifteen guineas , and it is cheap afc that .

Beyond these are fche Constitutions of the" Seceding Grand Lodge of England , calling themselves the " Ancients , " or " Atholl Masons . " These , published by aid of their Secretary , Laurence Dermott , and by Thomas Harper , is a series of Constitutions known by the name of Ahiman Kezon . This title is derived from three Hebrew

words—Abim , brothers—Manah , to select—Batzan , the will , —hence the combination reads " the will of selected brethren . " Fortunately 1 possess the whole of these except 1787 , which I have hitherto failed to obtain . These two sets of Constitutions lead me to touch npon one subject

mentioned for to-night s lecture had Bro . Hnghan been present , viz ., the " Grand Lodges of England . " There have been four separate Grand Lodges in England , the premier being ( 1 ) the Grand Lodge of England , formed in 1717 by the " Time Immemorial" London Lodges , consisting of four at least , but

probably more . ( 2 ) The so-called Grand Lodge of all England , started in 1725 , by the ol'l Lndae working there for many years before , of which minutes exist , dating before tho origin of Grand Lodt / es . ( 3 ) " The Grand Loclgo of England South of the lliver Trent , "

constituted at London by the York body in 1779 , bnt collapsed in 1787 , owing to tbe secessionists of tbo Lodge of Antiquity being received back again into that body . ( 4 ) " The Grand Lodgo of England according to the Old Institutions , " formed in 1751 , and known aa the " Anoients . "

The York Grand Lodgo nnd its offshoot died ont , bufc the first and last mentioned , culled Moderns and Ancients , both of London , continued as rivals until 1813 , when thoy united ancl formed the present Grand Lodgo of England . A set of Roval Arch Regulations lacks two to mike ifc complete ,

and fche Mark Constitutions are , I believe , complete . It has been my aim to mako up sets of everything so far as I possibly could . Take Grand Lodge Reports , which , as yon know , are issued quarterly . How many Lodges , think you , retain aud treasure up these Proceedings of all that passes iu Grand Lodge ? I

fear I am correct m saying hardly any Lodges in England . Those here date back to 1777 ; there aro several missing between then and the Union in 1813 . Since then to the present date I have all excepfc Decfinber 1871 , which I cannot obtain , proving how careless Lodges are in preserving what is regularly sent to each every three months .

I now turn to another important and similar section , viz ., Lists of Lodges . Much more care and talent were exercised by our ancestors in publishing those guides to the name , location , dato of meeting , and date of constitution than now , when we print in plain pocket-book style , and badly have we repaid onr brethren for their ingenuity , for

there is net a complete set in tho Grand Lodge of L gland or elsev- * h re in the world . Theso lists wore first issued in 1723 . Hero is an example of 1763 all on engraved p'sit * a , against each Lodgo being a fac-simi'oof the sign of tho hotel or inn where tho Lodgo meh . Thr-se continued in this form until 1778 . T have here 1763 , I 7 li ( 5 , 1770 , 1776 ,

ami 1 // S ; no private indivnlnal-or library , sr . vo tho Grand Lodge oJ England nnd Bro . Carson , of Cincinnati , Ohio , having more thin one . Alter 177 S they assumed this printed calendar form , in which , with few exceptions , you havo before you those from 1 . 781 to 181 * 1 , when ifc wns altered io this pocket-book style , with which you are familiar , and of which I lack a considerable niimb'T between 18 IS and 1830 .

Another sot worthy of mention in nine vols . " Pocket Companions , " dating from 1735 to 1761 , the fir .-t-monti-ined being of extreme rarity , tho list of Lodges it contains giving a Lodgo at Philadelphia , No . 79 , which r . o other li-fc mentions . Of the fninncs "Illustrations of Masonry , " by Wm . Pirs ' on ,

continned by Oliver , there is every one hern except the first of 1772 . The eailiest magazine on Masonry waa published in 1793 . I have persevered to make np a complete set of every Masonic

periodicalquarterly , monthly , or v . cekly—whir h h ; s appeared to the present date . In this I have succeeded , except the Freemasons' Magazine f < n * 1798 , tie Freemason ' s Magazine for 1 S 63 , and from July to December 1865 .