Report On Foreign Correspondence.

REPORT ON FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE .

( Continued from page 372 . ) OLD TIME INTEREST IK CRAFT MASONRY .

Wo cull from Riley's " Memorials of London and London Life : In tho twenty -sixth year of King Edward I ., 1098 . —Account of tho reconciliation of two Master Masons before tho Mayor and Aldermen : namely , Master Simon de Pabingtuvm aud Master Richard do Wat ham , Masons — both appearing to be French—who AVCVO then reconciled as to certain abusive words which had before passed between them .

Thoy agreed if either of them should be ablo to give information against tho other , that he had , by tho samo abusive words , or in deed , committed trespass against each other ; and such person should , in tho faith of two trustworthy witnesses , bo found guilty thereof , ho should give ono hundred shillings toward tho fabric of London Bridge ; if refused , tho Chamberlain should cause said amount to bo

levied . Now , don't yon say that that was doing very well for Masons four hundred years before America was discovered ? Wo note , further , that , in 1353 , Edward III . issued proclamation to correct tho evils of a strike of tho workmen who left their places at tho works on tho Palaco of Westminster ; that thoy should bo returned

to their work ; and that those who secured them to work at other places should bo imprisoned in tho Tower . Also that , in 135 G , thirtieth year of Edward III ., divers disputes and dissentions between Masons who Avere hewers , on tho ono hand , and tho light Masons and Setters , on tho other , camo before the Mayor of London . This reference to him , it Avas stated , was made

because their trade had not been regulated in due manner by the government of folks of their trade in snch forms as other trades are . Thereupon , to allay dispnto , to nurture love among all manner of folks , in hononr of tho city , and for profit of the common peoplo , all tho good folks of said trade Avere summoned before the Mayor and Aldermen , to have from them good and duo information how this

trade might best bo ordered and ruled , for tho profit of tho common people . Representatives of each branch of tho Masonic workers attended , and gave evidence under oath ; viz .: For the Light Masons and Setters —Thomas Ifardegray , John Wylot , John do Esfcou , Simon de Barton , Richard Joy , and Richard Conwayth . For the Mason Hewers—Walter

do Sallynge , Richard do Sallyngc , Thomas de Brcdono , John de Tyringtone , Thomas do Gloncestro , and Henry do Yeorleo . Being thus named by tho historian , it may not bo out ofplaco to remark that at least ono sot of tho parties wero French Masons . The trial resulted in declaring a rule of government : That there should be no interference with each other ' s apprentices ; that every

man of tho trade may work , if ho be perfectly skilled and knowing to perform such work ( this to be determined by tho overseer ) and if convicted that he does not well and perfectly know how to perform sach work , for tho first time , fined ono mar ; for tho second , two ; and for the third time ho shall be foreworn tho trade for ever . No apprentice or journeyman to bo afc tho work , except in tho presence

of tho Master , before perfectly instructed in their calling , under a fine . No apprentices to bo taken for less than seven years , according to usage . Tho Master to oversee day-workers , who are to be paid as they deserve and aro skilled , and not outrageously . If rules are not observed , complaint to bo made to tho Mayor , BO that other rebels may take example , and thus bo ruled by tho good folks of the trade .

In 1396 , twentieth year of Richard IL , thoy had their Young England for tho serving men . Tho Young Saddlers formed a fraternity , and had their yearly meeting on the 15 th of August . It was determined that there should bo no " covins , " under feigned colour of sanctity ; but that they should continue under government , as before , of the Master Saddlers . " Youthful ambition is the parent of mneh excellence ; while subordinate to reason and duty , it is an

honourable energy in tho Spring-timo of life , when tho buds of expectation are incessantly shooting . " There comes somewhat of a change in the relation of dependence of the Guilds to the municipal corporation in 1415 , third year of Henry V . Ifc was decreed that no officer of tho city should hereafter , as heretofore , receive a hood or vestment each year from tho different crafts of the city , but only of that craft and fraternity of which he had been made free .

WHENCE CAME WE AS MASONS ? We answer , Masonry is the product of evolution—a growth from old-time roots . Trueman Smith , in the introduction to his valuable treatise on " English Guilds , " gives a view of the manners , morals , and language of the time . " The ancient principle of association is more than a thousand

years old . It was a part of tho essential life of England , which always worked Avell till forcibly meddled with . It was in this spirit that the early fathers met together , prayed together , aided ono another . It was thoir faith in law-abidingness , their liberty , and their charity .

" It was the English guild , an institution of local self-help , which , before the poor-laws were invented , took the place in old times of the modern friendly or benefit society ; but with a higher aim , while ifc joined all classes together in a care for the needy and for objects of common welfare , it did not neglect the foremost , the practice of religion , justice , and morality . " ' Guilds ' were associations of those living in the same

neighbourhood , and remembering that they have , as neighbours , common obligations . They Avere quite other things than modem partnerships or trading companies ; for their main characteristic was to set up something higher than personal gain and mere materialism as tho main object of men living in towns ; and to make the teaching of love to one ' s neighbour be not only accepted as a hollow dogma of morality , but known and felt as a habit of life .

" If wo go back to tho darkest and most troubled period of tho Middle Ages , wo shall find , oven afc a very early date , sworn secret societies associated together for purposes of oft ' onco or defence , nofc only against enemies from without , but also against thoso from within , especially the great landed proprietors , who wero becoming overboarimjly arrogant and powerful .

" Soon after tho rise and aggrandisement of tho cities , with the influx of a host of freemen , and tho developments of trade and commerce , similar sworn fraternities or guilds wero formed also in tho walled towns . Afc tho head of these protective gnilds was a presi . dent ( alderman , meister , maitre , master ) . New members Avero required to be vonched for by some brother of tho fraternity ; all

matters relating to tho affairs of their trade or occupation wero concerted and regulated at their regular assemblies ; the sons of members wore peculiarly privileged , as concerned their admission , & o . There were general rules common to all tho guilds . In the course of time tho city guilds Locarno moro exclusive , and the ordinary workmen , who wero debarred from their association , then formed similar societies amonor themselves .

" Wo havo written Constitutions of them early in tho twelfth cen . fcury . " Tho Gorman or Gothic stylo passed from France into England , 1174-1185 — cathedral , Canterbury ; back into Germany , 1212—cathedral , Magdeburg . At this period science had a mystic bent , that had by the Crusades

been imparted to the whole lifo of tho Middle Ages . Arabic and Hebrew wisdom , with thoir interpretations of tho Old Testament , gave their peculiar philosophic gloss to oven architecture and tho secret Avork of tho artificer . Tho privileges conferred upon tho Freemasons , tho usefulness of their services , and the great wealth which thoy obtained , tended to

swell their numbers greatly . Peoplo in all countries sought admission into their ranks ; in fact , no man could Avork as a mason without being a member of ono of these guilds . Thus a knowledge of architecture was diffused from Italy , wherever tho Latin Church spread . As architecture gave dignity to tho rites of religion also , tho clergy

joined tho Freemasons , that they might know how to practico tho art . Bishops , abbots , and simple priests gave designs for churches and other ecclesiastical buildings , Avhilo tho inferior clergy executed tho artificers ' work ; and by these many of tho earliest structures wero raised . Whilst war was the pastime of kings and tho employment of tho people , tho clergy , in thoir monasteries , wero tho industrious

bees of the community . Often , when a new church was required , the abbot or superior gave tho plau , and , while some of tho monks raised walls , others among thorn wrought tho sculptures . It is no wonder that architecture spread , Avhen it Avas patronised by powerful kings , carried on by a learned clergy , and regarded as a holy work .

Freemasonry was at its height in tho tenth century . An idea became prevalent among Christians that Christ would reappear on earth 1010 years after his death upon tho cross , and that tho world would como to an end . For many years preceding , then , very feAV churches wero built , and thoso whieh existed Avere suffered to fall into decay . But when tho time had passed , and tho idea proved to

be a delusion , peoplo aroused themselves from this fear of death , and desired churches , that their souls might bo saved . Then the Freemasons scattered themselves far and wide . Strong iu thoir union , protected by tho great and poAverful , receiving asylums in the religions houses , finding work to be done everywhere , they poured out of Italy through tho West , proceeding farther and farther , advancing

from country to country , from Italy to Germany , from Germany to Franco , from France to Belgium , and from these places crossing tho sea into England . But as civilisation rose Freemasonry foil . Tho Pope ' s power was diminished , native skill increased , the natives of each country asserted their right to work , and native sovereigns regarded these foreign

workmen with jealousy . Tho secret signs and practices of tho Freemasons brought suspicion on them ; they wero deprived of their privi . leges in some countries ; they were expelled from others ; and , as their services Avere no longer indispensable , the clergy , and laifcy withdrew their patronage from tbem . Afc length fcho Freemasons ceased to bo architects , and tho guilds expired .

LEGEND OF STRASBTJRG CATHEDRAL . There is a quaint old tradition which comes down to us from ancient times , tottering under its load of age , and replete with tho superstitions of the past . On tho borders of Alsatia there lies a great city , dating its foundation far back to tho old Roman days , and rich in those architectural relics of tho olden time which are ever so dear to tho antiquary .

" Quaint offspring of cenfcurial years , tho town of Strasburg stands , Rich in the lore of a mighty past , in legend and in story ; Rich in high-hearted men , honest sons—a country ' s truest glory ; Rich in its old Cathedral Church , with clustering ivy spread , Tho Santa Croce of tho land , where sleep her noble dead . "

The story runs that , once in every twelvemonth , on the eve of St . John , Avhen the quiet burghers of that ancient city are wrapt in peaceful slumber , and when tho hour of midnight clangs out from the lond-tongued bell which hangs in the old Cathedral tower , the spirits of the stone-masons by whose hands the sacred pile was erected ariso

from tho tomb and once moro re-visit the scene of their former labours . Up from the dark and gloomy crypt , along the columned aisles and vast dim nave , across tho white-gleaming marble floor , checkered with ghostly shadows that stream from picture oriels , past the stone-carved

statues that keep watch and ward with their swords and sceptres , comes the long train of death-like , night-Avandering shadows . Clad in their quaint old medieval costume , the masters with their compasses and rules , the craftsmen Avith thoir plumbs and squares and levels , the apprentice lads with their heavy gavels , all silently greeting their