Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
London , at the head of a number of Provincial Grand Lodges , scattered about iu countries colonised by , or politically dependent upon , England , but a number of similar bodies elsewhere , indebted , in the first place , for their existence to tho London Grand Lodge , had made themselves independent , had established their own form of government , and exercised undoubted jurisdiction over brethren residing
within the limits of their several districts . All this , however , involved no secrecy whatever . It is ono thing to know that certain personsare Freemasons ; it is quite another to know what constitutes boing a Mason . Tho former knowledge might safely be made public , the latter could not be divulged . But warrants for new Lodges , deputatations for new Provincial Grand Masterships , must havo had about
them some evidence they wero issued by some legally constituted authority . Somo records must have beon kept of who granted them , and to whom and when they were granted . It is but natural to supposo that a register of all such important documents was established , and that more than ordinary care would bo exercised in preserving it . But , while for centuries before the Revival it was deemed necessary
in the outer or profane world to establish legal evidence of certain things , and carefully preserve aud transmit from generation to goneration all such documents ; while in nearly all a , " "" n tho absence of direct , we mostly find important indirect or circumstantial testimony in support of this or that deed or grant ; in Freemasonry there exists the most profound difficulty in tracing any matter of real historic
value . Considering , as we havo said , how soon Freemasonry attracted within its fold so many men of station , it seems , to say the least , strange that so littlo remains to us of the early archives of the Craft . Our laws or Constitutions , as published or amended at different epochs , are preserved . Old and curious MSS . yet remain to excite the enthusiasm of the curious . But of tho earlier warrants few exist
in these days , and when a learned brother assumes to himself tho rule of an historian , he finds ho is beset on all sides by difficulties of the gravest character . Let him essay to trace tho progress of Freemasonry in England and abroad , and he will be , even at the outset , well nigh forced to abandon tho task in despair . Of course , if he cares to discharge his duty in a
perfunctory manner , ho may succeed in compiling a very readable and probably a highly interesting sketch . This , however , is not what we have in view . We are thinking of an authentic history of the Craft , which students may not only read but have confidence in . Masonic historians of past clays have been content to accept statements of tho loosest and most untrustworthy character , or they have
advanced theories of their own on very insufficient warrant . They have , indeed , fulfilled their duty most imperfectly , following , we fear , very exactly in the footsteps of our earliest rulers , who seem to have been at marvellously little pains to preserve evidence of the constitution and development of a society , which it was their great pride to have served in so healthful and so glorious a fashion . So
much for tho importance we attach to any carefully prepared addition to the historic literature of tho Craft . So much in the way of welcoming such additions , when we have reason to believe it undertaken with the bond fide object of illuminating the mind of Craftsmen as to the earlier history of the Masonio fraternity . This history of the New York Grand Lodge is undertaken by the Kano Lodge , No . 454 of
that jurisdiction , with the sanction and by the authority of Grand Lodgo itself . We bring ourselves , therefore , to the study of its pages with a strong prejudice in its favour . Wo feel assured the work will bo done carefully , and we hope it will be done exhaustively . Wo shall not , however , allow our judgment to be overruled
by our partiality . We shall have the candour to note errors , if such are fonnd , whether they be errors of omission or of commission . We are anxious that the history of Freemasonry shonld bo as authentic as the histories of other societies , and the only prospect we have of seeing this wish realised is to fulfil the duties of tho critic with perfect impartiality . In this spirit we now ontor upon those duties .
The introductory chaptor contains all that is known of Freemasonry in the Stato of New York prior to tho establishment of tho Grand Lodge in 1781 . When we say that about forty pages suffice for details extending over some fifty years , our readers will at once perceive that what is vouchsafed in them is meagre in the extreme . This , of course , is no fault of the editor and his coadjutors . They
havo laboriously collated every document of importance , every scrap of intelligence from contemporaneous literature that could possibly throw even a feeble ray of light on the doings of Craftsmen during this period of time . Small blame , indeed , to the workmen who has an ardous task to accomplish , and only the scantiest materials wherewith to accomplish it . What is done , however , is done well . The
matter that has been brought together is from authentic sources . More might , of course , have been written had the compilers endued themselves with more or less of that imaginative power which has distinguished so many of our historians . They havo rightly availed themselves of what can bo authenticated , and that only ; and as
onr New York brethren prior to 1781 appear to have been very chary in their labours , the story , of necessity , is imperfect . Further researches may , perhaps , result in further valuable discoveries , but what is furnished in this chaptor seems to us to represent the sum and snbstanco of what is known to havo occurred between
1730 and 1781 . Roughly described , the contents show the establishment of the Provincial Grand Lodge and the Lodges under its jurisdiction , most of the latter being still on the roll of Grand Lodge . Now and again we come across a letter or document of surpassing interest , illustrating the character of Masonry in those days , but generally tho matter exhibits , in chronological sequence , the constitution and early progress of the several Lodges . This at some
later period may be amplified . But what is hero collated will over remain tho backbone , as it were , of every histoiy that may be written , and Bro . " John G . Barker , P . G . Librarian , " whose name is subscribed to tho chapter , is worthy of all praise for the labour ho must have bestowed on his work and tho success he has achieved in his performance . Ono slight omission calls for romark . We fully endorse the maxim of Horace as to peoplo , and writers among others , plunging at once in niediaa res , Even a line or two , however , should have been
Reviews.
furnished as to the Revival of Freemasonry in England in 1717 . Tho " deputation" of 1730 was among the earliest results of that revival . We do not think tho Craft heretoforo has shown itself very enthusi . astio in its study of our history , not more so , perhaps , in New York
than in other Masonic jurisdictions . Only a very few brethren havo oven heard of this revival , which is certainly a most important epoch in our history . Tho date of this , tho certain origin of Modern Masonry , would havo been news to most Craftsmen , and would assuredly have added to tho completeness of the sketch . ( To be continued , )
The Elements of Banking . By HENRY DUNNING MACIEOD , M . A . London : Longmans and Co . THERE are few subjects connected with tho science of political economy so generally important , or so littlo understood , as the science of banking . That it is important , a single fact will suffice to show . It is estimated that , at the time of the commencement of tho
Franco-Prussian Wai * , tho total amount of the precious metals in use in Franco as money , ranged between 330 and 350 millions sterling . Now England , by means of a moro perfect system of banking , is ablo to condnot a business far larger than that of France , with a metallio currency that does not exceed one-third of this amount . That it is little understood by the generality of people is evident
from the success which has , from time to time , atteucled the efforts of reckless speculators , to foist sham banking companies upon tho public . Tho present work , written by a thorough master of the subject , is well adapted to enlighten business men as to both tho theory and practice of banking . A thoroughly practical book , it yet does not fail to show the rationale of tho various operations to which
it refers , whilst its comments on tho numerous legal points raised aro eminently judicious and valuable . A carefnl study of this volume may preservo tho speculative man from many a bad investment , and even tho ordinary reader , who may possibly novor have invested a sovereign in his life , will find his knowledge of the general business world around him considerably increased by its perusal . The author ' s
remarks on accommodation bills call to mind a trial of some import , ance which occurred about this time last year . Ho says : — " From theso accommodation bills to forged bills there is but one step . Ifc is but a thin line of division between drawing upon a man who is notoriously utterly unable to pay , and drawing upon a person who
does not exist at all , or forging an acceptance . Iu practical morality , and in its practical effects there is none . " We can , with every confidence , recommend this book to tho consideration of all who are in the slightest degree interested in tho questions of which it treats .
The Drama.
THE DRAMA .
The close of the Season—The Haymarket . THE dramatic season is now rapidly on the wane . Covent Gardeu has closed its doors , tho farewell pcrformanco of Her Majesty ' s Opera at Drury Lane takes place on Monday , tho Court Theatre closes on Friday next , and the Prince of Wales ' s a week later ; whilst tho Olympic , the St . James ' sthe Opera Comiquetho
, , Charing Cross and the Globe aro closed already . That theatre of many aliases , the Holborn , or , as it now happens to be termed , THE DUKE ' S , has been converted into a promenade concert hall , and flowers , ferns , ico grottos , fountains and fair lady singers have taken tho places of comedy , tragedy , farce and extravaganza . The only novelty
—if such it may be called—in theatrical matters , is the revival of Wild Oats at the HAYMARKET , with Miss Henrietta Hodson in tho character of Lad y Aramanth . Tho cast of the present performance will hardly bear comparison with that of the original production of
the play , when Macroady , Munden , Lewis , Quick and Blanchard sus . tained the principle male parts , and Miss Pope played tho heroinebut the piece is fairly rcted for all that , Mr . Howo aud Mr . Harcourfc showing especial excellence .
At tho last regular meeting of the One and All Lodge , No . 330 , Bodmin , the ballot was taken for W . Bro . John Constable , P . M . 185 , as a joining member , and was unanimous , as expected . At the former meeting the proposition to that effect was made by W . Bro . Capt . Colvill , P . M 330 ,
P . Prov . b . G . W . of Cornwall , and seconded by W . Bro . Richard Rich , P . M . 330 , P . Prov . J . G . W . of Cornwall , and was received with acclamation , likewise a vote of thanks to Bro . Constable and Mrs . Constable for their valuable services and numerous
votes m aiding in the election of Mrs . Harvey ( the widow of Past Master Harvey of the Lodge ) as an annui . tant of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The vote of thanks and the certificate of honorary membershi p have been duly forwarded to Bro . Constab : ? , and as it . is
the second of its kind from Cornwall , onr energetic ; b . ot'tor may "bo excused if he feels a " wee bit" proud . The certificate is signed by the regular officers of the Lodge , theW . M ., John Ctang , le ' iig Mayor of Bodmin , and the J . W . the Hon , T . 0 , Agai-Robartes , son of Lord Roibartes of Laulydrock ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reviews.
London , at the head of a number of Provincial Grand Lodges , scattered about iu countries colonised by , or politically dependent upon , England , but a number of similar bodies elsewhere , indebted , in the first place , for their existence to tho London Grand Lodge , had made themselves independent , had established their own form of government , and exercised undoubted jurisdiction over brethren residing
within the limits of their several districts . All this , however , involved no secrecy whatever . It is ono thing to know that certain personsare Freemasons ; it is quite another to know what constitutes boing a Mason . Tho former knowledge might safely be made public , the latter could not be divulged . But warrants for new Lodges , deputatations for new Provincial Grand Masterships , must havo had about
them some evidence they wero issued by some legally constituted authority . Somo records must have beon kept of who granted them , and to whom and when they were granted . It is but natural to supposo that a register of all such important documents was established , and that more than ordinary care would bo exercised in preserving it . But , while for centuries before the Revival it was deemed necessary
in the outer or profane world to establish legal evidence of certain things , and carefully preserve aud transmit from generation to goneration all such documents ; while in nearly all a , " "" n tho absence of direct , we mostly find important indirect or circumstantial testimony in support of this or that deed or grant ; in Freemasonry there exists the most profound difficulty in tracing any matter of real historic
value . Considering , as we havo said , how soon Freemasonry attracted within its fold so many men of station , it seems , to say the least , strange that so littlo remains to us of the early archives of the Craft . Our laws or Constitutions , as published or amended at different epochs , are preserved . Old and curious MSS . yet remain to excite the enthusiasm of the curious . But of tho earlier warrants few exist
in these days , and when a learned brother assumes to himself tho rule of an historian , he finds ho is beset on all sides by difficulties of the gravest character . Let him essay to trace tho progress of Freemasonry in England and abroad , and he will be , even at the outset , well nigh forced to abandon tho task in despair . Of course , if he cares to discharge his duty in a
perfunctory manner , ho may succeed in compiling a very readable and probably a highly interesting sketch . This , however , is not what we have in view . We are thinking of an authentic history of the Craft , which students may not only read but have confidence in . Masonic historians of past clays have been content to accept statements of tho loosest and most untrustworthy character , or they have
advanced theories of their own on very insufficient warrant . They have , indeed , fulfilled their duty most imperfectly , following , we fear , very exactly in the footsteps of our earliest rulers , who seem to have been at marvellously little pains to preserve evidence of the constitution and development of a society , which it was their great pride to have served in so healthful and so glorious a fashion . So
much for tho importance we attach to any carefully prepared addition to the historic literature of tho Craft . So much in the way of welcoming such additions , when we have reason to believe it undertaken with the bond fide object of illuminating the mind of Craftsmen as to the earlier history of the Masonio fraternity . This history of the New York Grand Lodge is undertaken by the Kano Lodge , No . 454 of
that jurisdiction , with the sanction and by the authority of Grand Lodgo itself . We bring ourselves , therefore , to the study of its pages with a strong prejudice in its favour . Wo feel assured the work will bo done carefully , and we hope it will be done exhaustively . Wo shall not , however , allow our judgment to be overruled
by our partiality . We shall have the candour to note errors , if such are fonnd , whether they be errors of omission or of commission . We are anxious that the history of Freemasonry shonld bo as authentic as the histories of other societies , and the only prospect we have of seeing this wish realised is to fulfil the duties of tho critic with perfect impartiality . In this spirit we now ontor upon those duties .
The introductory chaptor contains all that is known of Freemasonry in the Stato of New York prior to tho establishment of tho Grand Lodge in 1781 . When we say that about forty pages suffice for details extending over some fifty years , our readers will at once perceive that what is vouchsafed in them is meagre in the extreme . This , of course , is no fault of the editor and his coadjutors . They
havo laboriously collated every document of importance , every scrap of intelligence from contemporaneous literature that could possibly throw even a feeble ray of light on the doings of Craftsmen during this period of time . Small blame , indeed , to the workmen who has an ardous task to accomplish , and only the scantiest materials wherewith to accomplish it . What is done , however , is done well . The
matter that has been brought together is from authentic sources . More might , of course , have been written had the compilers endued themselves with more or less of that imaginative power which has distinguished so many of our historians . They havo rightly availed themselves of what can bo authenticated , and that only ; and as
onr New York brethren prior to 1781 appear to have been very chary in their labours , the story , of necessity , is imperfect . Further researches may , perhaps , result in further valuable discoveries , but what is furnished in this chaptor seems to us to represent the sum and snbstanco of what is known to havo occurred between
1730 and 1781 . Roughly described , the contents show the establishment of the Provincial Grand Lodge and the Lodges under its jurisdiction , most of the latter being still on the roll of Grand Lodge . Now and again we come across a letter or document of surpassing interest , illustrating the character of Masonry in those days , but generally tho matter exhibits , in chronological sequence , the constitution and early progress of the several Lodges . This at some
later period may be amplified . But what is hero collated will over remain tho backbone , as it were , of every histoiy that may be written , and Bro . " John G . Barker , P . G . Librarian , " whose name is subscribed to tho chapter , is worthy of all praise for the labour ho must have bestowed on his work and tho success he has achieved in his performance . Ono slight omission calls for romark . We fully endorse the maxim of Horace as to peoplo , and writers among others , plunging at once in niediaa res , Even a line or two , however , should have been
Reviews.
furnished as to the Revival of Freemasonry in England in 1717 . Tho " deputation" of 1730 was among the earliest results of that revival . We do not think tho Craft heretoforo has shown itself very enthusi . astio in its study of our history , not more so , perhaps , in New York
than in other Masonic jurisdictions . Only a very few brethren havo oven heard of this revival , which is certainly a most important epoch in our history . Tho date of this , tho certain origin of Modern Masonry , would havo been news to most Craftsmen , and would assuredly have added to tho completeness of the sketch . ( To be continued , )
The Elements of Banking . By HENRY DUNNING MACIEOD , M . A . London : Longmans and Co . THERE are few subjects connected with tho science of political economy so generally important , or so littlo understood , as the science of banking . That it is important , a single fact will suffice to show . It is estimated that , at the time of the commencement of tho
Franco-Prussian Wai * , tho total amount of the precious metals in use in Franco as money , ranged between 330 and 350 millions sterling . Now England , by means of a moro perfect system of banking , is ablo to condnot a business far larger than that of France , with a metallio currency that does not exceed one-third of this amount . That it is little understood by the generality of people is evident
from the success which has , from time to time , atteucled the efforts of reckless speculators , to foist sham banking companies upon tho public . Tho present work , written by a thorough master of the subject , is well adapted to enlighten business men as to both tho theory and practice of banking . A thoroughly practical book , it yet does not fail to show the rationale of tho various operations to which
it refers , whilst its comments on tho numerous legal points raised aro eminently judicious and valuable . A carefnl study of this volume may preservo tho speculative man from many a bad investment , and even tho ordinary reader , who may possibly novor have invested a sovereign in his life , will find his knowledge of the general business world around him considerably increased by its perusal . The author ' s
remarks on accommodation bills call to mind a trial of some import , ance which occurred about this time last year . Ho says : — " From theso accommodation bills to forged bills there is but one step . Ifc is but a thin line of division between drawing upon a man who is notoriously utterly unable to pay , and drawing upon a person who
does not exist at all , or forging an acceptance . Iu practical morality , and in its practical effects there is none . " We can , with every confidence , recommend this book to tho consideration of all who are in the slightest degree interested in tho questions of which it treats .
The Drama.
THE DRAMA .
The close of the Season—The Haymarket . THE dramatic season is now rapidly on the wane . Covent Gardeu has closed its doors , tho farewell pcrformanco of Her Majesty ' s Opera at Drury Lane takes place on Monday , tho Court Theatre closes on Friday next , and the Prince of Wales ' s a week later ; whilst tho Olympic , the St . James ' sthe Opera Comiquetho
, , Charing Cross and the Globe aro closed already . That theatre of many aliases , the Holborn , or , as it now happens to be termed , THE DUKE ' S , has been converted into a promenade concert hall , and flowers , ferns , ico grottos , fountains and fair lady singers have taken tho places of comedy , tragedy , farce and extravaganza . The only novelty
—if such it may be called—in theatrical matters , is the revival of Wild Oats at the HAYMARKET , with Miss Henrietta Hodson in tho character of Lad y Aramanth . Tho cast of the present performance will hardly bear comparison with that of the original production of
the play , when Macroady , Munden , Lewis , Quick and Blanchard sus . tained the principle male parts , and Miss Pope played tho heroinebut the piece is fairly rcted for all that , Mr . Howo aud Mr . Harcourfc showing especial excellence .
At tho last regular meeting of the One and All Lodge , No . 330 , Bodmin , the ballot was taken for W . Bro . John Constable , P . M . 185 , as a joining member , and was unanimous , as expected . At the former meeting the proposition to that effect was made by W . Bro . Capt . Colvill , P . M 330 ,
P . Prov . b . G . W . of Cornwall , and seconded by W . Bro . Richard Rich , P . M . 330 , P . Prov . J . G . W . of Cornwall , and was received with acclamation , likewise a vote of thanks to Bro . Constable and Mrs . Constable for their valuable services and numerous
votes m aiding in the election of Mrs . Harvey ( the widow of Past Master Harvey of the Lodge ) as an annui . tant of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The vote of thanks and the certificate of honorary membershi p have been duly forwarded to Bro . Constab : ? , and as it . is
the second of its kind from Cornwall , onr energetic ; b . ot'tor may "bo excused if he feels a " wee bit" proud . The certificate is signed by the regular officers of the Lodge , theW . M ., John Ctang , le ' iig Mayor of Bodmin , and the J . W . the Hon , T . 0 , Agai-Robartes , son of Lord Roibartes of Laulydrock ,