Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review.
fought shy of compiling any records at all , under tho impression that anything in tho way of archives from which a history of Freemasonry might some day be compiled , was inconsistent with the secrecy on which the Order prided itself . They did not seem to distinguish between the secrecy which in its proper place is admirable , and the secrecy which being out of place and entirely unnecessary could not
be otherwise than hurtful . Thus thero is no subject more interesting to the seeker after Masonio truth than tho history of this great Secession which for close on three quarters of a century kept the Masonry of England arrayed in hostile camps , and summarily stopped all friendly intercourse between those who shonld have looked on each other as brethren . Yet neither body appears to have
thought it worth while to found materials on which such a history could be based . By " materials , " of course we mean such as without detriment could be mado public . Preston , and those who have followed in his footsteps , have managed , in spite of this want of matter , to compile works mostly interesting , but invariably contain , ing much that cannot be accepted as trustworthy , and whioh
certainly would never have been mado to pas 3 current as belonging to Masonic history , had those who preceded them been more considerate of the historio interests of the Fraternity . Now , as we have said , we are becoming more enlightened ; at the same time we aro as tenacious as ever in keeping veiled from the inspection of tho uninitiated what is just and proper : and thanks to the labours of such brethren as
Hughan , Woodford , Bell , Kelly , Lyon , and the author of this work , we are gradually becoming alive to the fact that Masonry has a history of which its members may be proud , and the publication of which . v ? ill do nracb . towards raising it in . the estimation of the world . The more that is known of our Craft , the more highly and the more generally will it be appreciated . Hence the welcome we accord so readily and so heartily to this second instalment of Bro . Gould's
labours , which , albeit of necessity dry reading in parts , is nevertheless valuable from the simple circumstance that it is derived from authentic sources . Indeed , whenever Bro . Hughan or some equally competent brother shall venture on the task of writing of this Secession , he will find ready to hand this work of Bro . Gould's , and we make bold to say he will bles 3 the thought which prompted Bro . Gould to undertake so laborious a task .
The Preface explains briefly who were the Atholl Masons , and how they came to be so designated . As those who take an interest in these matters are aware , they were tho seceders from the Grand Lodge of England as constituted in 1717 . They were the so-called " Ancients , " and subsequently received the name of Atholl from the Duke of thit title , who presided over them in the capacity of Grand
Master . They were undoubtedly a numerous and important body . They boasted a considerable number of Lodges distributed through , out England and her colonies and dependencies , and even in foreign parts . And when , in 1813 , the great schism which for so long a period had divided English Freemasons was healed , the " Ancients " met their brethren of the still more ancient body on
equal terms , and the hundred and odd Lodges yet remaining on tho roll of the United Grand Lodge are worthily placed , and still remain as so many admirable monuments to the energy of Atholl Masonry . Bnt they do not seem to havo been imbued with any considerable desiro to hand down to future generations of Masons anything like an account of their doing 3 , being in this respect most
admirable imitators of the " Moderns , " whom they affected to despise so much . Nor do they seem to have concerned themselves much about the publication of Lodge rolls . Though the schism dates from 1738 or thereabouts—there is nofixing with certainty its exact dateit was not till 1807 that a list of Lodges was published at the end of Ahiman Rezon , its official profession of faith , so far as such profession
could be made known to the world . Nor from the fact of the Grand Lodge Lists , as kept by successive Grand Secretaries , containing always the samo numbers , is it so easy—or perhaps wo should say , is it by any means less difficult—to trace out the course of individual Lodgos as with tho Moderns . The latter periodically closed np its numbers , so that what may have been Lodge No . 100 in 1740 or 1770 ,
became in 1756 or 1781 ( say ) Lodge No . 30 . The " ancient" practice appears to have been that whenever a Lodge ( say ) No . 20 on the list , fell into abeyance , an inferior number ( say ) Lodge No . 53 , was allowed to have the Warrant of the former and older Lodge on making a certain payment to the Charity Fund . Thus , while those of the Modern Lodges yet existing show an uninterrupted career from the
original grant of the Warrant till now—always , of course , excepting any period or periods of years during which they may have lain dormant—an ancient Lodge , though high np on the list , need not be so old as its position would seem to warrant . This will bo better understood by a reference to the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , where Lodges ; founded in 1751 , as in the case of Nos . 7 , 9 , and 11 , are
below No . 1 dated 1759 , No . 3 dated 1784 , and No . 5 dated 1752 . It will be seen still more clearly on reference to ( say ) present No . 3 Lodge , which was No . 2 at tho Union , in the notes to which we read the following : — " 18 th February , 1778 : Eesolved , That it is the opinion of this Lodge , that No . 2 , and some other numbers , may be disposed of , much to the advantage of tho Fund of Charity . —
0 . L . Min ., 21 st February 5784 ( 1784 ) . From 32 , received six guineas for the Warrant by order of the Grand Lodge . E . L . —G . S . Note in G . L . Beg . " This excerpt will enable readers to judgo of the extent of Bro . Gould's labours , and tho timo and patience he must have brought to bear on thoir fulfilment . But all he has chosen to insert is not as dry as the above passage . Thus
under present No . 30—Ancient No . 23 , wo read that its Warrant was " cancelled 16 th September 1778 , sundry members having pawned the Lodge jewels ( restored 1 st December 1779 , and again cancelled a fortnight later ) . " Again , in tho Note under present No . 73 , we read of a Master of a Lodge having been reprimanded for initiating
a " cripple , " andalsotho following dated 15 th August 1804 , from the minutes of the Stewards' Lodge . "That T . Sculthorpe being a person not perfect in body , but deformed , and much below the common stature of Man , was a very improper person to become , and ia now unfit to continue , a member of this most ancient and honour-
Review.
able Fraternity , and consequently not entitled to the advantages or privileges of Masonry in any degree whatever . " And it ia added that this was " confirmed by G . L . 5 th Sept . 1801 . " At p 44 appears this note in connection with present No . 177 , " The Domatic , " formerly ancient No . 234 : —• 16 April , 1806 : Grand Warden Plummer reported that Bros .
Tnffield and Allen of 264 , and Ward of 234 , had lately taken upon themselves to addresa'H . R . H . the Duke of Kent , and requested H . R . H . to adopt and take upon himself the Office of Grand Master , and whioh address H . E . H . had been pleased to return an answer , nnder the impression that the said address had been written by the order , or under the Sanction of the Grand Lodge . Ordered , that the said brothers be
summoned to attend the next Stewards' Lodge to answer their most unwarrantable conduct in the premises , and that the Master and Wardens of 234 and 264 be also summoned to attend . 21 May , 1806 : Ordered , that Bros . Tuffield , Allen and Ward be severely reprimanded from the chair , and that such like conduct will in no case be per . mitted to pass in future .
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected , communications . All Letters must tear the name ani address o / the Writer , not necessarily for publication , tut as a guarantee of good faith .
THE MASONIC RITUAL . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Bro . Jacob Norton is so fully and thoroughly capable of defending his own position and of fighting hia own battles , that it would be the height of presumption for any one to take up the oudgels for him . To Bro . Norton's care therefore will I leave any reply he may
choose to make to the letter of " P . G . C . OXON" in your last issue . But there are one or two points in that communication touching upon a subject specially interesting to brethren who conscientiously decline to subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church Militant . I frankly confess to a feeling of a considerable amount of diffidence in venturing to oppose my humble opinions to such an authority
as the P . G . C . Oxon . Nevertheless I will ask leave to make some observations npon the remarks of the reverend brother in reference to freedom of the ritual from sectarianism . If I read Bro . Norton ' s commnnication aright , I failed to deduce from it even tho remotest intention to revolutionise the Craft into a Society " which owns neither God nor Heaven , " but hailed hia
suggestions as of the utmost practical value . Bro . Stevens ' s attempt to revise the existing Eitual would be a splendid opportunity to purify from the remaining vestiges of dogmatic sectarianism what ought to bear upon every part of it the stamp of universality . Except in one instance the Craft degrees are acceptable to Jews , Deists , and Christians alike .
The point alluded to occurs in tho third degree , when the candidate is exhorted to " lift his eyes to that bright morning star whose rising brings peace and salvation , " & c . The allusion , intelligible enough is , however , so vague that it ia scarcely worth while to take exception to it . But if the rev . brother be a Eoyal Arch Mason , he most assuredly cannot conscientiouslv assert that this ceremony is free from
sectarianism , for here we have nnmistakable evidence that originally Freemasonry was thoroughly imbued with the popular dogmas of sectarian Christianity , the remnants of which are not only clearly discernible , but even very distinctly defined , as for instance the reference to the triune essence of God , & c , and several others of equal importance , very thinly and even clumsily veiled . Who will
dispute that that is sectarianism ? and who will deny that as a matter of consistency with Masonio principle it ia high time that such anomalies should be expunged ? As the matter stands at present , Jewish brethren and others labour under the necessity of so altering the sense as to suit their convictions , bnt that is at the same time felt to be an act of disloyalty , though
enforced , and why need any one be subjected to this , in a manner , dishonourable ordeal . With P . G . C . I wish to steer clear of the question of Uniformity of Working , and will only venture to advise Bro . Stevens to give the suggestions of Bro . Norton his best consideration , for though he might
happen to fail in his pet scheme of Uniformity , he may succeed in being the means of ridding the Eitual of many strange but accountable anomalies , and thus earn the gratitude of every impartial and anti . sectarian member of the Craft , Yours , & c . E . GOTTHEIL .
The Queen has appointed Bro . the Ven . Arthur Perceval Pnrey-Cnst , M . A ., Archdeacon of Buckingham , Hon . Canon of Christ Church , and Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Berks and Bucks , to the vacant Deanery at York .
HOILOWAT ' PILLS . —In general debility , mental depression and nervous irritability , there is no medicine which operates so like a charm as these famous Pills . They purify tho blood , soothe and strengthen the nerves and system , give tone to the stomach , elevate the spirits , and , in fact , make a patient sensible of a total and most delightful revolution in his whole system . They may be commended most the best famil
unreservedly as very y medicine in existence . Though so powerfully efficacious , they are singularly mild in their operation , and might bo given with perfect confidence to delicate women and young children . They contain not a grain of mercury , or any other noxious substance , and can . not do harm . Delicate females and all persons of sedontary habits will find theso Pills a blessing .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review.
fought shy of compiling any records at all , under tho impression that anything in tho way of archives from which a history of Freemasonry might some day be compiled , was inconsistent with the secrecy on which the Order prided itself . They did not seem to distinguish between the secrecy which in its proper place is admirable , and the secrecy which being out of place and entirely unnecessary could not
be otherwise than hurtful . Thus thero is no subject more interesting to the seeker after Masonio truth than tho history of this great Secession which for close on three quarters of a century kept the Masonry of England arrayed in hostile camps , and summarily stopped all friendly intercourse between those who shonld have looked on each other as brethren . Yet neither body appears to have
thought it worth while to found materials on which such a history could be based . By " materials , " of course we mean such as without detriment could be mado public . Preston , and those who have followed in his footsteps , have managed , in spite of this want of matter , to compile works mostly interesting , but invariably contain , ing much that cannot be accepted as trustworthy , and whioh
certainly would never have been mado to pas 3 current as belonging to Masonic history , had those who preceded them been more considerate of the historio interests of the Fraternity . Now , as we have said , we are becoming more enlightened ; at the same time we aro as tenacious as ever in keeping veiled from the inspection of tho uninitiated what is just and proper : and thanks to the labours of such brethren as
Hughan , Woodford , Bell , Kelly , Lyon , and the author of this work , we are gradually becoming alive to the fact that Masonry has a history of which its members may be proud , and the publication of which . v ? ill do nracb . towards raising it in . the estimation of the world . The more that is known of our Craft , the more highly and the more generally will it be appreciated . Hence the welcome we accord so readily and so heartily to this second instalment of Bro . Gould's
labours , which , albeit of necessity dry reading in parts , is nevertheless valuable from the simple circumstance that it is derived from authentic sources . Indeed , whenever Bro . Hughan or some equally competent brother shall venture on the task of writing of this Secession , he will find ready to hand this work of Bro . Gould's , and we make bold to say he will bles 3 the thought which prompted Bro . Gould to undertake so laborious a task .
The Preface explains briefly who were the Atholl Masons , and how they came to be so designated . As those who take an interest in these matters are aware , they were tho seceders from the Grand Lodge of England as constituted in 1717 . They were the so-called " Ancients , " and subsequently received the name of Atholl from the Duke of thit title , who presided over them in the capacity of Grand
Master . They were undoubtedly a numerous and important body . They boasted a considerable number of Lodges distributed through , out England and her colonies and dependencies , and even in foreign parts . And when , in 1813 , the great schism which for so long a period had divided English Freemasons was healed , the " Ancients " met their brethren of the still more ancient body on
equal terms , and the hundred and odd Lodges yet remaining on tho roll of the United Grand Lodge are worthily placed , and still remain as so many admirable monuments to the energy of Atholl Masonry . Bnt they do not seem to havo been imbued with any considerable desiro to hand down to future generations of Masons anything like an account of their doing 3 , being in this respect most
admirable imitators of the " Moderns , " whom they affected to despise so much . Nor do they seem to have concerned themselves much about the publication of Lodge rolls . Though the schism dates from 1738 or thereabouts—there is nofixing with certainty its exact dateit was not till 1807 that a list of Lodges was published at the end of Ahiman Rezon , its official profession of faith , so far as such profession
could be made known to the world . Nor from the fact of the Grand Lodge Lists , as kept by successive Grand Secretaries , containing always the samo numbers , is it so easy—or perhaps wo should say , is it by any means less difficult—to trace out the course of individual Lodgos as with tho Moderns . The latter periodically closed np its numbers , so that what may have been Lodge No . 100 in 1740 or 1770 ,
became in 1756 or 1781 ( say ) Lodge No . 30 . The " ancient" practice appears to have been that whenever a Lodge ( say ) No . 20 on the list , fell into abeyance , an inferior number ( say ) Lodge No . 53 , was allowed to have the Warrant of the former and older Lodge on making a certain payment to the Charity Fund . Thus , while those of the Modern Lodges yet existing show an uninterrupted career from the
original grant of the Warrant till now—always , of course , excepting any period or periods of years during which they may have lain dormant—an ancient Lodge , though high np on the list , need not be so old as its position would seem to warrant . This will bo better understood by a reference to the Cosmopolitan Masonic Calendar , where Lodges ; founded in 1751 , as in the case of Nos . 7 , 9 , and 11 , are
below No . 1 dated 1759 , No . 3 dated 1784 , and No . 5 dated 1752 . It will be seen still more clearly on reference to ( say ) present No . 3 Lodge , which was No . 2 at tho Union , in the notes to which we read the following : — " 18 th February , 1778 : Eesolved , That it is the opinion of this Lodge , that No . 2 , and some other numbers , may be disposed of , much to the advantage of tho Fund of Charity . —
0 . L . Min ., 21 st February 5784 ( 1784 ) . From 32 , received six guineas for the Warrant by order of the Grand Lodge . E . L . —G . S . Note in G . L . Beg . " This excerpt will enable readers to judgo of the extent of Bro . Gould's labours , and tho timo and patience he must have brought to bear on thoir fulfilment . But all he has chosen to insert is not as dry as the above passage . Thus
under present No . 30—Ancient No . 23 , wo read that its Warrant was " cancelled 16 th September 1778 , sundry members having pawned the Lodge jewels ( restored 1 st December 1779 , and again cancelled a fortnight later ) . " Again , in tho Note under present No . 73 , we read of a Master of a Lodge having been reprimanded for initiating
a " cripple , " andalsotho following dated 15 th August 1804 , from the minutes of the Stewards' Lodge . "That T . Sculthorpe being a person not perfect in body , but deformed , and much below the common stature of Man , was a very improper person to become , and ia now unfit to continue , a member of this most ancient and honour-
Review.
able Fraternity , and consequently not entitled to the advantages or privileges of Masonry in any degree whatever . " And it ia added that this was " confirmed by G . L . 5 th Sept . 1801 . " At p 44 appears this note in connection with present No . 177 , " The Domatic , " formerly ancient No . 234 : —• 16 April , 1806 : Grand Warden Plummer reported that Bros .
Tnffield and Allen of 264 , and Ward of 234 , had lately taken upon themselves to addresa'H . R . H . the Duke of Kent , and requested H . R . H . to adopt and take upon himself the Office of Grand Master , and whioh address H . E . H . had been pleased to return an answer , nnder the impression that the said address had been written by the order , or under the Sanction of the Grand Lodge . Ordered , that the said brothers be
summoned to attend the next Stewards' Lodge to answer their most unwarrantable conduct in the premises , and that the Master and Wardens of 234 and 264 be also summoned to attend . 21 May , 1806 : Ordered , that Bros . Tuffield , Allen and Ward be severely reprimanded from the chair , and that such like conduct will in no case be per . mitted to pass in future .
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected , communications . All Letters must tear the name ani address o / the Writer , not necessarily for publication , tut as a guarantee of good faith .
THE MASONIC RITUAL . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Bro . Jacob Norton is so fully and thoroughly capable of defending his own position and of fighting hia own battles , that it would be the height of presumption for any one to take up the oudgels for him . To Bro . Norton's care therefore will I leave any reply he may
choose to make to the letter of " P . G . C . OXON" in your last issue . But there are one or two points in that communication touching upon a subject specially interesting to brethren who conscientiously decline to subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church Militant . I frankly confess to a feeling of a considerable amount of diffidence in venturing to oppose my humble opinions to such an authority
as the P . G . C . Oxon . Nevertheless I will ask leave to make some observations npon the remarks of the reverend brother in reference to freedom of the ritual from sectarianism . If I read Bro . Norton ' s commnnication aright , I failed to deduce from it even tho remotest intention to revolutionise the Craft into a Society " which owns neither God nor Heaven , " but hailed hia
suggestions as of the utmost practical value . Bro . Stevens ' s attempt to revise the existing Eitual would be a splendid opportunity to purify from the remaining vestiges of dogmatic sectarianism what ought to bear upon every part of it the stamp of universality . Except in one instance the Craft degrees are acceptable to Jews , Deists , and Christians alike .
The point alluded to occurs in tho third degree , when the candidate is exhorted to " lift his eyes to that bright morning star whose rising brings peace and salvation , " & c . The allusion , intelligible enough is , however , so vague that it ia scarcely worth while to take exception to it . But if the rev . brother be a Eoyal Arch Mason , he most assuredly cannot conscientiouslv assert that this ceremony is free from
sectarianism , for here we have nnmistakable evidence that originally Freemasonry was thoroughly imbued with the popular dogmas of sectarian Christianity , the remnants of which are not only clearly discernible , but even very distinctly defined , as for instance the reference to the triune essence of God , & c , and several others of equal importance , very thinly and even clumsily veiled . Who will
dispute that that is sectarianism ? and who will deny that as a matter of consistency with Masonio principle it ia high time that such anomalies should be expunged ? As the matter stands at present , Jewish brethren and others labour under the necessity of so altering the sense as to suit their convictions , bnt that is at the same time felt to be an act of disloyalty , though
enforced , and why need any one be subjected to this , in a manner , dishonourable ordeal . With P . G . C . I wish to steer clear of the question of Uniformity of Working , and will only venture to advise Bro . Stevens to give the suggestions of Bro . Norton his best consideration , for though he might
happen to fail in his pet scheme of Uniformity , he may succeed in being the means of ridding the Eitual of many strange but accountable anomalies , and thus earn the gratitude of every impartial and anti . sectarian member of the Craft , Yours , & c . E . GOTTHEIL .
The Queen has appointed Bro . the Ven . Arthur Perceval Pnrey-Cnst , M . A ., Archdeacon of Buckingham , Hon . Canon of Christ Church , and Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Berks and Bucks , to the vacant Deanery at York .
HOILOWAT ' PILLS . —In general debility , mental depression and nervous irritability , there is no medicine which operates so like a charm as these famous Pills . They purify tho blood , soothe and strengthen the nerves and system , give tone to the stomach , elevate the spirits , and , in fact , make a patient sensible of a total and most delightful revolution in his whole system . They may be commended most the best famil
unreservedly as very y medicine in existence . Though so powerfully efficacious , they are singularly mild in their operation , and might bo given with perfect confidence to delicate women and young children . They contain not a grain of mercury , or any other noxious substance , and can . not do harm . Delicate females and all persons of sedontary habits will find theso Pills a blessing .