Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In The Province Of North Wales And Salop.
FREEMASONRY IN THE PROVINCE OF NORTH WALES AND SALOP .
THOSE who havo had the largest amount of experience in , and are therefore tho best qualified to undertake the task of , writing the history of any Institution , are perfectly well aware that an intimate acquaintance with it in all its various forms and phases is essential , if the sketch is to
be anything more than a simple aggregation of dry , hard , and valuable , yet very uninteresting , facts . Haydn ' s Dictionary of Bates is a most valuable work , and no student of history should be without it ; but no one would think of describing
it as a pleasant book to read . No one who was anxious to pass an hour or two in light agreeable converse with one of our literary worthies—we mean , of course , a converse with him through the medium of his works—would select for
the purpose , this or a Cyclopaedia , or any other work of a similar character , that is , most valuable , but among the driest of the dry . No one can possibly place a higher value than we do on the immense importance of every
student of history possessing an accurate knowledge of dates and facts , but they are only the dry bones of history . They are as necessary as the lines , both straight and curved , are to the picture , but it is the matter with which the outline or skeleton is filled in which constitutes the real
attraction . In order that a history may be made complete we must learn something of the nature of the subject . If , for instance , it is some such Institution as Freemasonry we are desirous of studying , it is desirable to know as well its nature and the class of people who profess it , as that it was
established in such a year and place , and has had such and such princes and nobles presiding over its destinies at such and such periods . We are , or should be , anxious to know if Masonry differs in different parts even of the same country , as well as what constitutes such difference and whence it
may have arisen . It is also desirable we should make acquaintance with its members in different localities , so that we may 'judge for ourselves if Freemasonry is really the benign Institution it is proclaimed and claims itself to be . When we enter a previously unvisited country , we do not
concern ourselves particularly as to the form of its government or the date of its newest constitution . We are indifferent as to the time when Christianity may have been introduced into it . What we do concern ourselves to learn is , the kind of people we are amongst for the first time .
what are their manners and customs , what their national peculiarities , what their arts and manufactures , what their products and resources . Some of the spots we may see daring our travels may possess interesting historical associations . These assuredly are not overlooked , nor do they
lessen the attractions of the visit , but increase it rather . If we run over to Paris , for instance , it is not for the purpose of verifying the fact b y the month of its inhabitants that it was besieged by the Germans in 1870-1 . We go ,
it may be for business , or it may be for pleasure , and if we turn our visit to account , we shall assuredly note the idiosyncrasies of Parisian life , and compare onr new with our old experiences . In this way we increase our knowledge of human nature , and a great poet has told us
" The proper study of mankind is man . " Similarly , we should not visit a remote Province of our English Freemasonry for the purpose of ascertaining when the Institution was first introduced into it , and what have been its vicissitudes . We cau do this as well in London . But being Masonic students , and wishing . to know what
Freemasonry In The Province Of North Wales And Salop.
if any , are the local peculiarities and associations by which this or that town or Province are distinguished , wo visit it , and , by intermingling with our brethren we have no difficulty in acquiring the needed information . Some such , reason as this must have influenced us in the spring of
this year , and impelled us to visit the Province of Nortii Wales and Salop . A reference to Grand Lodge Calendar would have told us the names , numbers , localities , and in the majority of cases , the dates of constitution of its Lodges . Preston , or the officials in Grand Secretary ' s office ,
would , doubtless , have informed ns of its rise and progress in this Province , but then we should not have been much , wiser when we had done all this . We should not havo been able to form a just and adequate idea of what Freemasonry was like in this important and extensive district .
We should not have known if it was or was not diligently pursued by the members ; if the Avorking was or was not satisfactory ; if the laws and regulations of the Craft were well or ill observed . In short , our visit to the Province has made all the difference between a vague and an
intimate knowledge of it and its Freemasonry . Without having pried into matters which in no wise concerned us , we have been able to form a fairly just estimate of the merits of our North Welsh and Salopian brethren . Before we went amongst them Ave assumed
they were good fellows , now Ave knoAV them to be such . Last year Ave knew there Avere in it some fiveand-twenty Lodges , scattered over a very considerable extent of country . Now Ave can boast that Ave have visited every one of these five-and-twenty Lodges , Avidely
scattered as they are from one another , that AVO have Avatched Avith interest the mode of working in each , and are well informed , or at least are not incapable of forming a
pretty accurate opinion , of the different degrees of enthusiasm Avhich prevail in different parts of the Province . There seems to have been some idea that a visit of inspection in the case of so extensive a district was out of the
question ; the fact of our having visited all the Lodges which are comprised within its limits is direct evidence to the contrary . Moreover , in the early part of our visit Ave gave currency to a report , based on statements made by many Avell-informed and earnest brethren , Avhose opportunities of
forming an opinion upon a matter of fact had been considerable , to the effect that the supervision of the Province by those in authority Avas not what it might and should be . Having done this , Ave Avere in duty bound to see if the report in question Avas or Avas not well founded , and it
occurred to us that a visit of inspection was thelikeliest means to enable us to judge for ourselves whether it was so . We regret the result of our experiences is unfavourable to the withdrawal of the report . We should much have preferred to have been able to retrace our statement , made
though it was on such excellent authority ; bnt officials cannot be absolved from the charge of neglect of duty simply because they undoubtedly possess great amiability , and , indeed , most of those qualifies of the hear " , nnd mind which cause mon to be admired and c > teeui"d bv their
fellows . Were we to regulate our statement ; md opinions by the wish , we trust we in common Avith other Ma-ons possess , we should pass unnoticed all shortcomings , all derelictions of duty . But then Ave should ourselves be Avanting , and therefore blameworthy . Still our readers are invited
to bear iu mind that if we note a fault , we do so in no unkindly spirit , but simply because we see that to wink at the perpetration and continuance of error is harmful to Freemasonry . But onr remarks have alre > dv extended to some length , and we shall merely add that in an early
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In The Province Of North Wales And Salop.
FREEMASONRY IN THE PROVINCE OF NORTH WALES AND SALOP .
THOSE who havo had the largest amount of experience in , and are therefore tho best qualified to undertake the task of , writing the history of any Institution , are perfectly well aware that an intimate acquaintance with it in all its various forms and phases is essential , if the sketch is to
be anything more than a simple aggregation of dry , hard , and valuable , yet very uninteresting , facts . Haydn ' s Dictionary of Bates is a most valuable work , and no student of history should be without it ; but no one would think of describing
it as a pleasant book to read . No one who was anxious to pass an hour or two in light agreeable converse with one of our literary worthies—we mean , of course , a converse with him through the medium of his works—would select for
the purpose , this or a Cyclopaedia , or any other work of a similar character , that is , most valuable , but among the driest of the dry . No one can possibly place a higher value than we do on the immense importance of every
student of history possessing an accurate knowledge of dates and facts , but they are only the dry bones of history . They are as necessary as the lines , both straight and curved , are to the picture , but it is the matter with which the outline or skeleton is filled in which constitutes the real
attraction . In order that a history may be made complete we must learn something of the nature of the subject . If , for instance , it is some such Institution as Freemasonry we are desirous of studying , it is desirable to know as well its nature and the class of people who profess it , as that it was
established in such a year and place , and has had such and such princes and nobles presiding over its destinies at such and such periods . We are , or should be , anxious to know if Masonry differs in different parts even of the same country , as well as what constitutes such difference and whence it
may have arisen . It is also desirable we should make acquaintance with its members in different localities , so that we may 'judge for ourselves if Freemasonry is really the benign Institution it is proclaimed and claims itself to be . When we enter a previously unvisited country , we do not
concern ourselves particularly as to the form of its government or the date of its newest constitution . We are indifferent as to the time when Christianity may have been introduced into it . What we do concern ourselves to learn is , the kind of people we are amongst for the first time .
what are their manners and customs , what their national peculiarities , what their arts and manufactures , what their products and resources . Some of the spots we may see daring our travels may possess interesting historical associations . These assuredly are not overlooked , nor do they
lessen the attractions of the visit , but increase it rather . If we run over to Paris , for instance , it is not for the purpose of verifying the fact b y the month of its inhabitants that it was besieged by the Germans in 1870-1 . We go ,
it may be for business , or it may be for pleasure , and if we turn our visit to account , we shall assuredly note the idiosyncrasies of Parisian life , and compare onr new with our old experiences . In this way we increase our knowledge of human nature , and a great poet has told us
" The proper study of mankind is man . " Similarly , we should not visit a remote Province of our English Freemasonry for the purpose of ascertaining when the Institution was first introduced into it , and what have been its vicissitudes . We cau do this as well in London . But being Masonic students , and wishing . to know what
Freemasonry In The Province Of North Wales And Salop.
if any , are the local peculiarities and associations by which this or that town or Province are distinguished , wo visit it , and , by intermingling with our brethren we have no difficulty in acquiring the needed information . Some such , reason as this must have influenced us in the spring of
this year , and impelled us to visit the Province of Nortii Wales and Salop . A reference to Grand Lodge Calendar would have told us the names , numbers , localities , and in the majority of cases , the dates of constitution of its Lodges . Preston , or the officials in Grand Secretary ' s office ,
would , doubtless , have informed ns of its rise and progress in this Province , but then we should not have been much , wiser when we had done all this . We should not havo been able to form a just and adequate idea of what Freemasonry was like in this important and extensive district .
We should not have known if it was or was not diligently pursued by the members ; if the Avorking was or was not satisfactory ; if the laws and regulations of the Craft were well or ill observed . In short , our visit to the Province has made all the difference between a vague and an
intimate knowledge of it and its Freemasonry . Without having pried into matters which in no wise concerned us , we have been able to form a fairly just estimate of the merits of our North Welsh and Salopian brethren . Before we went amongst them Ave assumed
they were good fellows , now Ave knoAV them to be such . Last year Ave knew there Avere in it some fiveand-twenty Lodges , scattered over a very considerable extent of country . Now Ave can boast that Ave have visited every one of these five-and-twenty Lodges , Avidely
scattered as they are from one another , that AVO have Avatched Avith interest the mode of working in each , and are well informed , or at least are not incapable of forming a
pretty accurate opinion , of the different degrees of enthusiasm Avhich prevail in different parts of the Province . There seems to have been some idea that a visit of inspection in the case of so extensive a district was out of the
question ; the fact of our having visited all the Lodges which are comprised within its limits is direct evidence to the contrary . Moreover , in the early part of our visit Ave gave currency to a report , based on statements made by many Avell-informed and earnest brethren , Avhose opportunities of
forming an opinion upon a matter of fact had been considerable , to the effect that the supervision of the Province by those in authority Avas not what it might and should be . Having done this , Ave Avere in duty bound to see if the report in question Avas or Avas not well founded , and it
occurred to us that a visit of inspection was thelikeliest means to enable us to judge for ourselves whether it was so . We regret the result of our experiences is unfavourable to the withdrawal of the report . We should much have preferred to have been able to retrace our statement , made
though it was on such excellent authority ; bnt officials cannot be absolved from the charge of neglect of duty simply because they undoubtedly possess great amiability , and , indeed , most of those qualifies of the hear " , nnd mind which cause mon to be admired and c > teeui"d bv their
fellows . Were we to regulate our statement ; md opinions by the wish , we trust we in common Avith other Ma-ons possess , we should pass unnoticed all shortcomings , all derelictions of duty . But then Ave should ourselves be Avanting , and therefore blameworthy . Still our readers are invited
to bear iu mind that if we note a fault , we do so in no unkindly spirit , but simply because we see that to wink at the perpetration and continuance of error is harmful to Freemasonry . But onr remarks have alre > dv extended to some length , and we shall merely add that in an early