Bro. Woodbury's Antiquity Of Laying Corner Stones, Reviewed.*

year in thafc jurisdiction , and when tho agreement was concluded the artisans and labourers were called into the meeting , and each had to take an oath that he would comply with tho wages stipulated by tho magistrate . These statutes , so often tinkered in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries , and indeed up to the time of Queen Elizabeth , show by

their tenor and spirit snoh a degree of hate and spite against tho secret assemblies of Masons as to preclude the possibility of lords and kings having been initiated into Masonic mysteries , & c . I believe , however , that Masonio assemblies were secretly hold even after 1125 , bufc this was nofc owing to any protection Masons received from kings and nobles , but it can moro properly be attributed to tho peculiar

dogged obstinacy of John Bull . God bless him !—for if ifc had nofc been for his obstinacy Europe would have had no more liberty to-day than it had in the fourteenth century . Second , to the seeming compliance of the then Masons with the Parliamentary enactments ; and , third , in those troubled and unsettled times , ifc was easier to make laws than ifc was to enforce them .

Bro . Woodbury has proved thafc 6000 years ago there were architects in Egypt , but he has not proved that thoy combined and formed a secret association ; he has shown that the Egyptian temples were decorated with symbols , and so are the walls of our Catholic churches . Bufc as regards the Catholic church symbols , thoy are not secrets confined to Masons exclusively , and never were confined to Masons ; for

the meaning attached to those Catholic symbols was always known to everybody , and who can assert thafc the Egyptian symbols were confined to Masons only ? Bro . Woodbury ' s confusion of ideas arose from confounding the antiquity of architecture with that of Freemasonry and its offspring . Tho plain matter of historic fact may , however , bo stated in a few words ,

thus : —Architecture is indeed very ancient . Freemasonry , or the secret society , composed of building operatives , originated in tho middle ages . And " Speculative Masonry , " with its Grand Lodges , Grand Masters , forms , ceremonies , degrees , & c , was not born before the 18 th century . The extracts by Bro . Woodbury relating to laying corner-stones by

the Egyptians , with religious ceremonies , are really very interesting ; but as he does not know what kind of ceremonies they were , his inferred resemblance between the Masonic usages of now and then amounts to nothing . Dr . Anderson provided no ceremony for Masonio laying of corner-stones . The first Masonic laying of a corner-stone took place in Edinburgh , in September 1753 , nnder G . M . George

Drummond , who introduced the new fashion of laying on tho stono corn , wine , and oil . A full account of that ceremony was printed in the Gentleman ' s Magazine in the same year . According to Picarc , corner-stones of Catholic Churches were always laid by Bishops or high ecclesiastics ; but instead of using corn , wine and oil in the ceremony , the Bishop publicly poured salt

into water , and after stirring up the mixture , he poured it upon the stone , and blessed the stone , & o . This itself convinces me thafc the Masonic ceremony of laying corner-stones , like all our other Masonic ceremonies , was invented in the 18 th century . I have no doubt thafc among the hearers , as well as among those who have read Bro . Woodbury's address , the High Grade Archaicuses , congratulated themselves on being at last able " to laugh at those who

sneer afc the antiquity of Freemasonry . " Bufc I have also . no doubt that others who have heard Bro . Woodbury deliver his address , as well as those who read it , are precisely of the same opinion that I am , viz ., Bro . Woodbury is a very talented man ; but , nevertheless , his inferences and reasoning about the antiquity of Freemasonry , with Egyptian Grand Lodges , Grand Masters , & c , are extremely farfetched and fallacious .

BOSTON , U . S ., 14 th July 1880 .

St. Patrick's Lodge, No. 295 (I.C.)

ST . PATRICK'S LODGE , No . 295 ( I . C . )

A MEETING of this Lodge , attached to the 4 th Dragoon Guards , was held on Wednesday evening , at the Masonic Hall , York , when the chair was occupied by Bro . Capt . L . Murphy W . M ., who was supported by Bros . J . Hanly I . P . M ., Sergt .-Major Harris S . W ., Qr .. Master-Sergt . Somerset J . W ., Edmunds Secretary , and a number of

other officers and brethren . This being expected to be their last meeting in York , as the Regiment is under orders for Aldershot , there was an unnsually large assemblage of Visitors , amongst whom were Bros . R . W . Hollon P . M . 236 P . G . S . B ., W . H . Garaforth W . M . 236 , C . G . Padel W . M . 1611 , W . Whalley P . M . 163 , T . B . Whytehead

P . M . 1611 , J . S . Rymer , G . Kirby , 0 . Marshall , J . E . Wilkinson , W . Sampson , Cattell , Tissiman , & c . Bros . J . Todd P . M . and T . S . Camidge , honorary members of the Lodge , were also present . Letters of apology for absence were read from Bros . Major Shaw-Hellier P . M ., J . S . Cumberland P . M ., and others , who were nnable to be present . The business transacted was brief and of a formal character , after

which the Lodge was closed , and the Brethren and their visitors retired to refreshment . Tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were given from the chair , after which Bro . Hanly P . M . gave the health of tbe W . M . Capt . Mnrphy , which was received with enthusiasm . The toast of tbe Grand Lodge of England was responded to by Bro . R . W . Hollon . The W . M . then gave successively the toasts of Success to

the York Lodge 236 , and Success to the Eboracum Lodge 1611 , which were responded to by the W . M . ' s , Bros . W . H . Gainforth and C . G . Padel . Both brethren expressed the regret which they would feel , both as Masons and Citizens , in the departure of a Regiment which had in every way mado itself so popular in York , and the hope that

they would flourish , and find comfortable quarters and a fraternal greeting wherever they went . Other toasts followed , and several of the Military Brethren took the opportunity of thanking their brethren of York for tho great hospitality they had experienced . The flingiuy of Bros . 0 . Marshall , Wilkinson , J . Todd' and others , greatly contributed to the pleasures of the evening .

Supreme Grand Chapter Of Royal Arch Masons Of England.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ENGLAND .

A QUARTERLY Convocation of tho Supreme Grand Chapter will bo held at Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , on Wednesday , the tth day of Augnst next , at seven o ' clock in the evening , punctually . Business : —The Minutes of tho last Quarterly Convocation to be

both inclusive , which they find to bo as follows : — Balance G . Chapter £ 1 , 493 14 8 ; Disbursements during „ Unappropriated tho Quarter 181 1 6 Account . 176 1 1 Balance - - 1 , 670 14 1

„ Subsequent Re- „ in Unappro . ceipts - 361 1 11 priated Account 176 2 1 £ 2 . 030 17 8 £ 2 , 030 17 8

Which Balances aro in the Bank of England , Western Branch . The Committee have likewise to report thoy have received the following petitions : — 1 st . From Companions William Blow Collins as Z ., John Caleb Mitchell as H ., David Bennie as J ., and sis others , for a Chapter to bo

attached to the St . George-in-tho-East Lodge , No . 1526 , Jnmalpore , to be called the Chapter of Faith , and to meet at Jumalpore , Bengal , ^ n the East Indies .

2 nd . From Companions William Alexander Barrett as Z ., Charles Goolden as H ., Wilhelm Ganz as J ., and six others , for a Chapter to be attached to the Orpheus Lodgo , No . 1706 , London , to be called Tho Orpheus Chapter , and to meet at the Freemasons' Hall , London .

3 rd . From Companions Sir Charles Bright as Z ., Edward Brailford Bright as H ., Frederick William Ramsey , M . D ., as J ., and nine others , for a Chapter to be attached to the Quadratic Lodge , No . 1691 , Hampton Court , to be called the Quadratic Chapter , and to meet at the Greyhound Hotel , Hampton Court , in the County of Middlesex .

4 th . From Companions Walter Solomon Whitaker as Z ., Nelson Reed as H ., Thomas Stacey Hellier as J ., and seven others , for a Chapter to be attached to tho Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1572 , London , to be called the Carnarvon Chapter , and to meet at' the Albion , Aldersgate Street , in the City of London .

5 th . From Companions Fitz Herbert Wright as Z ., John Joseph Bingham as H ., Alfred Schofield as J ., and eight others , for a Chapter to be attached to the Okeover Lodge , No . 1324 , Ripley , to be called the Okeover Chapter , and to meet at Private Rooms , High Street , Ripley , Derbyshire .

6 th . From Companions Nathaniel John Fenner as Z „ John Dennis as H ., John Kemp Coleman as J ., and six others , for a Chapter to be attached to the All Saint ' s Lodge , No . 1716 , Poplar , to be called the All Saint ' s Chapter , and to meet at tbe Yestry Hall , Fairfield Road , Bow , in the County of Middlesex .

The foregoing Petitions being in all respects regnlar , the Committee recommend thafc the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee beg further to report that there now stands to the credit of the Grand Chapter , invested in the £ 3 per cent . Consols , a

sum of £ 1 , 700 , and in the Bank of England , Western Branch , a balance of £ 1670 14 s ld ; and they recommend , as no immediate claim is likely to be made on the funds of Grand Chapter , beyond the ordinary current expenses , that the following grants be made to each of the Masonic Charities , and the amounts paid to their respective Trustees , viz .:

—The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ... £ 300 The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... £ 300 The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institntion for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons ... £ 300

The following Notice of Motion has been received for the next Quarterly Convocation—By Comp George Lambert , P . Z . No . 7 ' . — " That the Grand Chapter do meet at Six o ' clock p . m ., in lieu of Seven o ' clock as at present . " ( Signed ) JOHN CREATON , Treasurer ,

President . FREEMASONS' HALI , LONDON , W . C . 21 st July 1880 .

read for confirmation . After whioh the following Report of the Committee of General Purposes will be submitted to the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes bog to report that they have examined the Accounts , from the 21 st April to tho 21 st July 1880 ,

Testimonial To Bro. John Fawcett.

TESTIMONIAL TO BRO . JOHN FAWCETT .

On Monday , 19 th inst ., adeputation from all the Lodges of Freemasons in the Province of Durham attended a meeting of the Granby Lodge , held in the Freemasons' Hall , Durham , to consider the advisability of presenting some mark of recognition to R . W . Bro . John Fawcett , one of the oldest Freemasons in England , on his retirement from the post

of Provincial Grand Master of tho Province of Durham , the duties of which he has discharged for many years past . The strongest regrefc was expressed afc Bro . Fawcefct's retirement , and eventually it was decided to present a suitable testimonial to thafc Brother , the character of which will be selected at a subsequent meeting . —Yorkshire Gazette ,