The Mystery Of The Masons.

ridiculous ceremonies , hedged round with a secrecy for which there is no rational cause . Freemasonry ' s account of itself is to be found in the old Charges handed down for the last century or so , and in the ritual , which has been several times made public by deserters from the society .

The official legend , as it may be termed , connects the beginning of Masonry with various Biblical characters , going back to Noah and Lamech , but particularly with Solomon , whose Temple bulks largely in the ritual . This legend is a typical mediseval composition . It may be classed with the old histories of Brute the Trojan , and his coming into Britain .

On the other hand , the enemies of Masonry have represented it as a modern institution , founded by Weisshaupt and the Uluminati in the last century , as an organ for the overthrow of the Roman Church .

It is perfectly true that a great change came over the society about that time—a change , on a greater scale , resembling that which has come over the London City Companies and other mediaeval guilds . It enlarged its borders to include those who were not working builders , and it put on more of an international character .

But the essential features of Masonry were not invented by Weisshaupt , nor by any other man . In the ritual are embedded relics of a primeval world .

In the Middle Ages . The Freemasons were one of the innumerable trade guilds of the Middle Ages , each of which had its oaths , its passwords , and its " Mystery , " or symbolic drama , bearing on the theory and practice of the Craft .

The Builders held the place of honour among those guilds , because their work was the noblest . The nameless architects of those majestic cathedrals which shine out like jewels on the dark web of mediaeval anarchy and ignorance were Master Masons who had gone through precisely the same ordeal that every English Freemason goes through to-day .

Like the Masons , each trade had its apprentices , its fellows 01 journeymen , and its masters . The oaths imposed at each stage of initiation were intended to guard the trade secrets . Such secrets are not unknown in modern handicrafts . Thus it is that the word Craft has come to carry with it a suggestion of something concealed .

It was part of the training of the Fellow Craft to travel from town to town , improving himself in the practice of his trade . Hence the necessity for signs , grips , and passwords , to ensure the reception of bona-fide workmen , and keep out blacklegs or " cowans . "

The innermost secrets of the Craft were reserved for the initiation of the Master . It is in this part of the ritual that we must look for the core of the Masonic mystery . The Core of the Mystery . In the case of the Joiners' guild we learn that the candidate was introduced to the Lodge under the description of " rough wood . " After hearing a charge from the president he had to go through an ordeal known as " handling . "

He was laid on a bench ( no doubt stripped ) , and planes and other joiners' tools Were passed rather roughly over his body , as though he were an actual log in process of being shaped . At the end of this ceremony he was pronounced to be " smooth wood , " and duly admitted to membership of the guild .

Such an ordeal would lend itself to be moralised in a vein of Christian allegory , quite as readily as the Masonic ceremonies ; and such an interpretation was very likely given to it in Christian times . But if so , the allegory was invented to fit the rite , and not the rite to fit the allegory . The ordeal was , in point of fact , a symbolic representation of the joiners' work , in which the candidate was made to play the part of a dummy .

With this clue in our hands we shall be prepared to understand the Masonic ritual . It will be found to consist of certain actions symbolical of the builders' craft , explained by a religious legend . The legend is mediaeval and Christian ; the drama which it professes to explain goes back into the night of Pagandom .

The Ordeal . We shall be prepared to find Cand the writer , not being a Mason , of course is not in a position to speak more definitely ) that the Masonic candidate is subjected to an ordeal bearing some resemblance to that of the Joiners described above , in which he is touched with various implements of the Craft , as though he were a stone being dressed . The rough horse-play of the ancient guilds will naturally be dispensed with in a modern Lodge .

Again , since the two most important stages in building are the laving of the foundation stone and the placing of the keystone in the arch , we may confidently anticipate that both will figure in the symbolic ritual . We now approach the kernel of the whole ritual .

It is generally understood that a species of symbolic interment does take place , in which the candidate personifies the buried person or thing . The spoken allegory which accompanies this remarkable rite among modern Freemasons need not be discussed . It is sufficient to say that it throws but little light on the remote origins of the ritual , with which we are alone concerned .

Among the mediaeval builders it is probable that such a rite was regarded as typifying the lowering of the foundation stone into its place . But the student of folklore will at once see a deeper and more gruesome significance in the rite . He will see in it a blurred , but unmistakable , symbol of a human sacrifice , in which the candidate personates the foundation-victim .

Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

We shall be pleased to receive particulars or Masonic meetings for insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to send a representative , to report Lodge or other proceedings .

Lodge of Sympathy , No . 483 . rn HE election meeting of this wonderfully prosperous Lodge was JL held on Wednesday of last week , at the Clarendon Hotel , Gravesend . Before proceeding to the . Lodge room a photograph of the members was taken on the Clarendon lawn .

OEAET : PROVINCIAL .

Bro . N . J . Willis W . A 1 . presided , being supported by his OfficcrSj a goodly array of Past Masters , and a large number of the Brethren . Bro . W . Spencer Bowcn S . W . was unanimously elected as Master for the ensuing year , and Bro . Thos . T . Hogg P . M . was

re-elected Treasurer . Bro . George Martin , who has been fyler of the Lpdge almost from its commencement , was reappointed in that capacity for the fifty-fifth time . This . is surely a Masonic record . Bros . Rayfield , Lockhart and Kemp were elected upon the Audit Committee .

Previous to the elections Mr . Samuel James Smith was balloted for and approved and subsequently initiated into Freemasonry by Bro . A . J . Walklin I . P . M ., who performed the ceremony at the request of the Worshipful Master .

A Past Master ' s jewel of the usual value was voted to Bro . A . J . Willis , as a souvenir of his year of Office . The resignation of a member , owing to leaving the Province , was accepted with regret ; but his place will be failed by another candidate proposed for initiation at the next meeting .

The widow of Bro . Andrews returned her thanks to the Lodge for the attendance of so many members on the occasion of the funeral , and for the handsome wreath that was placed on his grave , as a mark of respect . A letter from the Master of the Pegasus Lodge , No . 2205 , was read , thanking the members of the Lodge of Sympathy for so kindly lending furniture for their meetings . This concluding the business the Lodge was closed , and the Brethren adjourned to supper .

The installation of the new Master will take place on Wedn . es day , 10 th October .

* * * Whitworth Lodge , No . 1932 . INSTALLATION OF BROTHER J CHISHOLM . THE annual meeting was held on Wednesday evening , 12 th inst ., in the Masonic Hall , Spennymoor . The principal business was the installation of Bro . John Chisholm S . W . as W . M . for the ensuing year . Bro . Chisholm was presented by Bro . T . Raine to the acting W . M . Bro . Robert Hogg , who performed the ceremony of installation , Bro . Chisholm afterwards investing his Officers .

The annual banquet was held in the Town Hall , the new W . M . presiding , and Bro . J . Fleming occupying the vice-chair . After dinner the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured , the proceedings being pleasantly varied by musical contributions from the choir ( Bros . Rowland , Bramley , Baines , and Charlton ) , and other Brethren . Bro . Rippon presided at the piano .

# * * Bla . ckwa . ter Lodge , SMo . 19 7 7 . INSTALLATION OF BROTHER FREDERICK W . RUDRVM . THE installation meeting was held on Monday , 10 th inst ., and passed off most successfully . The programme was unusually long , there being two ceremonies in . addition to that of the installation ,

but the whole was very ably carried out by the Worshipful Master Bro . Arthur Hodsell Brooks . An interesting feature of the installation ceremony was the fact that the new W . M . Bro . Frederick W . Rudrum was presented by his father Bro . William Rudrum , an old P . M . of the Lodge , who was subsequently invested as D . C . by his son .

At the close of the ceremony , a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Bro . A . H . Brooks for the ability with which he had conducted the business of the Lodge during the past year , culminating in the ceremonies of the clay , and a handsome Past Master ' s jewel was presented to him as an acknowledgment thereof .

Letters of regret were received from several Brethren unable to be present , including one from Colonel Lockwood , M . P ., D . P . G . M ., who sent a forcible appeal to the Brethren to do their utmost to support Lord Warwick at the forthcoming Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , at which his Lordship is to preside . On

account of the lateness of the hour , the consideration of the letter was adjourned till the next meeting . About forty Brethren afterwards dined together at the Blue Boar Hotel , an excellent repast being well served by the hostess , Mrs . Hickford , under the personal superintendence of her nephew Bro . E . E . Eve P . M .

In the course of the evening regret was expressed at the absence , through illness , of two old members of the Lodge , Bro . R . Clowes P . G . Std . B ., and S . Shawyer P . M . and Treas ., and it was arranged that the Secretary should write a letter of condolence to both . An interesting feature of the proceedings was the presentation of a ' handsome marble dining room clock to Bro . Wm . Rudrum P . M ., as a mark of respect from the Brethren , on the occasion of his second marriage .

Bro . Rudrum , who was completely taken by surprise , warmly expressed his thanks to the Lodge for the handsome gift , which would be as highly appreciated by his wife as it was by himself .