Bro. Brennan's Attack On Bro. Meyer.

forgery even , by some one ( if he so considers it ) , but what rig ht has he to dub Bro . Meyer as the " fabricator ?" He mig ht have declared Bro . Meyer to have been deceived or mistaken , and then proceeded to prove from internal

evidences the justification for such a belief as respects the unreliable character of the epistle , but again I ask by what rig ht has he charged Bro . Meyer with the abominable crime of Forgery ?

Bro . Meyer , as Chairman of the Library Committee of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania , in that noble volume published in 1877 remarks , " The letter was exhibited in

1872 , in the Grand Secretary ' s Office , Masonic Hall , Chestnut Street [ Philadelphia ] , and then and there copied . It bore all the marks of being genuine , and we have no doubt of its being correct . We , at ih , e present time , under

the circumstances , place only so much value on it as far as it is corroborated by other facts . " The italics are mine . Now what could be fairer ? Finding it impossible to get old of

the original again , or what passed as the original of 1754 ( which ever view is preferred ) , Bro . Meyer entirely dropped the letter in 1877 , save so far as other evidence favoured

the statement . I have long corresponded with Bro . J . F . Brennan , and cheerfully recognise the value of his labours as the Translator of " Rebold ' s History of Freemasonry , " and

the author of many important additions thereto , as also as Editor of the American Freemason . He has done good service to Masonic criticism , beyond question , and therefore in speaking plainly now , I am not depreciating the extent and value of his labours . But no services , however

distinguished , can be admitted to warrant the present attack , and I trust , for the sake of his own position as a Masonic author and publisher , he will withdraw the hateful charge , and whilst condemning the " Bell Letter " to any extent he

may think necessary , he will not declare Bro . Meyer to be the fabricator . I believe him to be incapable of such a foul deed , and feel persuaded that his numerous friends in Great Britain and America take the same view of the matter , and will alike regret Bro . Brennan ' s accusation .

The question of the orign of Freemasonry in North America can now be considered in the light of recent evidences and facts , thanks to Bros . Gould , Lane , MacCalla , Woodford , Brennan , Norton , Meyer , and others , but nn ' ess

we all keep to the facts that are authenticated , and together do our best to unravel perplexing points ; above all , refrain from calling each other names and imputing motives , crimes , & c , it will be much better to drop the inquiry entirely .

" A Question To Bro. Gould."

" A QUESTION TO BRO . GOULD . "

BY BKO . R . F . GOULD . IN a letter under the above heading , in the CHRONICLE of 10 th September , Bro . Jacob Norton quotes from my History of Freemasonry ( IL , 341 ) and expresses a belief that I have fallen into an error with regard to the manner

in which the Warrant or " Constitution " of Lodge No . 3 changed owners in 1767 . If , however , Bro . Norton will take a second look at the work cited ( IL , 471 ) he will find in the same volume from which he gives an extract in the

CHRONICLE of last week , the particulars of the transfer , as recorded in the minutes of the Committee of Charity , or Executive Committee of the Grand Lodge of England , the

functions of which bod y corresponded very closely with those of the Stewards' Lodge under the schismatics or Ancients , and are discharged at the present day by the Board of General Purposes .

The minutes of the George Lodge , No . 4—afterwards Friendshi p , No . 3—begin 16 th January 1755 , and end 15 th October 1761 . The Lodge met for the first time at the Sun and Punch Bowl , 21 st August 1760 , and was

apparentl y inactive or dormant ( as the proceedings of no Meetings are recorded ) between 1761 and 1767 . The minutes of this old Lodge present some curious features , of which the following extracts are specimens : —

* Jan - Je 16 , 1755 . The Lodge being opend in due form , the K . W . M . pas'd au Examination beteen ye Wardens and assistance . Jan . ye 30 th . Being Masters Night , Brothers Bourkheart and "" CKstain were Kaiaed Masters . March ye 5 . Br Foursans was made a Mason , and pay'd his Jt » ly 8 . Mr John Campbel waa Initiated in ye two first Decrees of Masonry and pay'd hia foy .

" A Question To Bro. Gould."

rz ~ rr ~ . — •- ¦ ¦ " - ' > ' « ' - ¦¦ ' ¦" Augnst 26 . After an Excellent Lecture in the 2 first Degrees of Masonry the Lodge wan Clos'd and Adjourned to ye 9 Sepr . March ye 12 th [ 1756 . ] By Convention , and with ye Dispensation of ye Depnty Grand Master , this Lodge was oal'd npon to make Mr Garett Meyer a Mason in ye 3 degrees . Br Landstrnm was also

raised a Master Mason and pay d their several foys . Sepr . ldtb , 1756 . It was ordered that the Tyler Summons the Lodge to Elect a Master for the next Qr Ensuing . March 16 . 1758 . It being Election Night , the Senr Wardn took

the Chair , the Jnnr Wardn S . W ., ye Secretary Br Foitier Jr Wn , and Br J . Anderson waa Elected Secretary . March 6 , 1760 . Visiting Brethren , Bror Green , Master of the Fox and Goose ; Bror Dcbsoo , St Johns .

The fee for making ( including the second degree ) , which was one guinea in 1756 , was raised to twenty-five shillings in 1760 . The word "foy" appears to have been everywhere substituted for " fee . " " Foy" is defined by Bailey ( Diet . Brit . 1730 ) as " a treat given to friends by

those going on a journey , " and the Rev . C . Rogers , describing some of the Scottish customs in vogue about the

time when James I . succeeded Queen Elizabeth on the English throne , observes : —* " When a young member of a family was proceeding to leave home for the city or a foreign shore , he received hia foy ( feu-de-joie )—that is , his father handed him a sum of money for tbe entertainment of his companions . "

Our Charitable Returns.

OUR CHARITABLE RETURNS .

BRO . James Terry s interesting speech at the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , last Saturday , will be a matter of great satisfaction and encouragement to the numerous friends of our Masonic Charities .

By the remarks of our energetic brother it would appear that in all probability 1887 will witness returns to the Charities to the unprecedented amount of £ 60 , 000 .

Of this large sum total , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution up to date had received £ 24 , 350 ; the Girls ' School had obtained £ 17 , 000 , and the Boys' School , which now very largely needs support on every ground , £ 15 , 000 .

In all £ 56 , 350 . As Bro . Terry remarked , there are yet three months of the year unexpired , and his estimate of a probable £ 60 . 000 is , we feel sure , not over the m rk ; indeed it is just possible it may even fr * exceeded .

This is in itself a marvellous return , 't ; id on < - too reflects the greatest credit on our benevolo * -t Oi-d- 'r . Indeed , such a return , unexampled and startling almost in its reality , is a fact of which every Freemason in England may well he proud .

When we note how very valuable and needed our Charities have now become ; when we realize how many , old and young , are awaiting with anxious hearts and deferred aspirations to participate in their abnormal and sterling

benefits , we feel pretty certain tbat our benevolent Craft will not relax in their praiseworthy efforts , but ou the contrary will zealously strive as ever to make our Charit ible Returns testify still more markedly and vividly to the meaning and vitality of Masonic professions .

The Social Features Of Masonry.

THE SOCIAL FEATURES OF MASONRY .

IT is my deliberate conviction that the great cause of nou-afiilation is the neglect of the social features of Masonry by the Lodges . The institution is complex in its character . While upon the one hand its chief claim to the confidence of mankind is its beautiful " system of morality ,

veiled m allegory and illustrated by symbols , " upon the other hand we must remember that it is a social brotherhood . From all parts of the jurisdiction the complaint arises that Masons take so little interest in the meetings of their Lodges .

Many Lodges decline , become dormant and die , because the monthly gatherings are not made more attractive . The repetition of the ritual , not always particularly well done , the reading of the minutes , the report of a few

delinquents and a speedy adjournment , probably ought to be attraction enough to tempt brethren in the country to ride eight or ten miles to the Lodge room , or members in

town to forsake home or club or theatre or rival attractions , but so weak is human nature somehow it does not always do it . Far be it from me to advise that the Lodge room be