Freemasonry In England.

it may be fairly pleaded that a digression in reference to fanciful degrees has a certain relevancy to the subject , inasmuch as nearly all the " side-chambers " that encumber

rather than adorn the Masonic edifice were constructed by the ingenuity of those brethren who professed to work according to the " Old Institutions . "

The sagacious Dermottquickly perceived that the elements Avith which " Ancient Masonry" was surrounded in 1752 were not calculated to exalt it in the estimation

of the public . The want of a recognised chief naturally led to anarchy , while the associations of the " Griffin Tavern " were hardly so reputable as they might have

been . Accordingly , the new Grand Secretary determined to have a Grand Master , and in order to prepare for the suitable reception of a brother of rank and distinction

he suggested the removal of the committee to better quarters . After a long discussion , in which Bro . Dermott's motives for the proposed change were strangely impugned ,

he carried his point , and the Ancients shifted their chef lieu to the Temple , Shirelane , Temple Bar , on the 24 th June , 1752 . At the April meeting , prior to this , it was

reported to the committee that Lord George Sackville ( the hero of Minden ) had politely declined Bro . Dermott's offer of the Grand Mastership , alleging as an excuse

that he had to attend his father , the Duke of Dorset , who was then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . On the 24 th June , St . John ' s Day , " having no Grand Master or Grand

Wardens to instal , " the committee reinstalled the Grand Secretary , who thereupon , to tlie satisfaction of all present ,

rehearsed the ceremony of installing the Grand Officers . Bro . Dermott informed the brethren that he had learned this

beautiful ritual in Dublin , his teacher being the celebrated "Grand Secretary of Ireland , " Bro . Edward Spratt . At the meeting on

the Sth August , 1752 , thc W . M . of No . 3 , Ensign Lachlan Mcintosh , presided . It will thus be seen how much our " ancient " brethren Avere indebted to the Celtic

clement for support and encouragement , as Bro . Mcintosh was undoubtedly a Gael . This worthy officer made an excellent speech on this occasion , and strove to "fire

the brethren Avith a spirit to pursue thc grand design . " He concluded by prophetically announcing to his hearers that

"future ages Avould bless their memories for preserving and reviving the Ancient Craft in England . "

On thc 2 nd September it was resolved that sick members should rcceivconepenny a Aveek from every registered Mason in London . This , of course , would have been

a considerable sum had the Ancients been numerous , but from strong internal evidence 1 am led to thc conclusion that the nine lodges at this period numbered only ninety

members in all , many brethren being affiliated to more than one lodge , so as to make the subordinate bodies look better on paper . At the same time it may be

remarked that , if every sick member got fs . 66 . a week , it was , in those days , a really handsome sum . ( To be continued . 1

Obituary.

Obituary .

BROTHER WILLIAM DEWHIRST , S . W . 1231 . It is with pain we have to communicate the news of the death of our late esteemed

Bro . William Dewhirst , of Elland , of the Lodge of Probity , No . 61 , Halifax , and S . W . of the Savile Lodge , No . 12 3 , Elland .

On Friday evening , the 16 th of September , deceased was at the Railway Station , Elland , intending to proceed by train to Brighouse , for which purpose he would have to cross the lines of rails . On reaching the

crossing an up train was just passing , and " immediately the last carriage passed him , our unfortunate brother ran to get across , when , alas ! three or four steps brought

him to the down line of rails , on which , at the same moment , an express goods train was running at a rapid speed , and before he had time to see or know his

dangerous position , he was struck by the engine and instantaneously killed . He was under 26 years of age . By this sad calamity a loving family has been broken and plunged into the deepest

sorroAV , and a very numerous circle of domestic , commercial , and public friends have felt that a strong tie of attachment and esteem has had a deplorable severance ,

the deceased having , by his general urbanity , kindly disposition , good business habits , and gentlemanly bearing , been a favourite with every one who knew him .

He Avas interred on the 21 st of September , at the Cemetery , Elland , his remains being followed to the grave by a great number of his personal friends and connexions , by the members of the Elland

Cricket Club , of which he was a very active supporter , and by a numerous body of Freemasons , consisting of members of the Lodge of Probity , No . 61 , the Savile Lodge , No . 1231 , and other lodges in the

district — the following numbers being represented : 61 , 307 , 308 , 408 , 448 , 495 , 521 , 600 , 827 , 1102 , 12 3 , 1283 , 1301 , and 1302—the I . P . M ., W . M ., and officers of the Savile Lodge , assisting as pall-bearers .

Whilst the procession of mourning was en route to the cemetery , a muffled peal was rung on the bells of St . Mary ' s . and amongst

thc sad throng who assembled in the streets , not a few evinced their esteem and respect for our deceased brother , and sympathy towards the bereaved family , by tears .

Our dear lamented brother had only been a Mason about three years , but this short time he had employed diligently , and had distinguished himself in the two lodges to which he belonged by such efficienev as

would be creditable to many older Masons . He was possessed of an indomitable spirit of perseverance , and boldly faced obstacles with a determination to overcome them . He was initiated in the Lodge of Probity ,

No . 61 , and soon after becoming M . M ., he joined in thc formation of the Savile Lodge , No . 1231 , of which he was one of thc founders , and in its first year served the office of S . D ., preferring this position to a

higher one which was offered to him ; and in this capacity he had the privilege and pleasure , at the first meeting after thc consecration of the lodge , to conduct his fathct to receive thc honours of Freemasonry

At the installation in December last he was appointed S . W ., and had he been spared , would doubtless have been elected

W . M . in a very short time ; but , alas ! for human frailty , to our vision all these bright prospects have been instantly blighted , but the G . A . O . T . U . knowcth and doeth Avhat

Obituary.

is best . As soon as our dear brother was qualified , he was advanced to the honourable degree of a Mark Master ( English Constitution ) in the Fearnley Lodge of Mark Masters , No . 58 , and about twelve

months ago Avas exalted to the sublime degree of the Holy Royal Arch , in the Chapter of Sincerity , No . 61 ; and recently , he had been installed a Knight Templar in the Salamanca Encampment , Halifax . In

all these degrees , had he been spared , it is certain he would have been distinguished , and in the leading virtues of a Freemason —benevolence and charity—he Avould not have been found wanting . Apart from his

private beneficence , he had already made himself a Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys by a donation of ten guineas , and had served the office of Steward at the last anniversary festival of

the Boys' School , held at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . P . G . M .

We feel a promising and aspiring young Mason and a dearly-esteemed friend has been prematurely torn from us , and Ave deeply lament his loss .

Chapter Work.

CHAPTER WORK .

By J P . LITTLE , Grand High Priest Grand Chapter , A'irginia . ( Continued from page 468 . ) TESSARA HOSPITALIS . Besides these marks of work and friendship , to

be used in claiming aid or in designating the workman , the ancients had another peculiar system of marks or symbols by which certain persons could make themselves known to each other and claim assistance from one another under circumstances of

danger or when travelling in a foreign land . I do not know the Greek name for this symbol . The Latins called it Tcssara Jlospilalisj that is , the hospitable square or token , and to use it was said to be entering into a bond of friendship . It belonged to all nations before the art of writing

was well known , and something similar still exists even among the most savage tribes . In its simplest form it consisted in exchanging some article—a weapon generally ; and among savages in exchanging the name with another person . The usual form was this : Any two men- for themselves and their

families for alt time , took a square plate of metal , bone , or wood , with figures engraven on it ( more often a cube like one of a pair of dice was used ) ; this was broken into two parts , each man keeping one . These were handed down from father to son , often for many generations ; and whenever any of

one family travelled into lands inhabited by the other family , he wore his part of the broken tcssara , sought out the other family and claimed hospitality . The two broken parts were fitted together , the ancient friendship remembered , and the binding nature of thc family compact acknowledged . This

was a valuable and necessary arrangement in an age when a stranger had no rights , and might be , if he had no friend in thc tribe , put to death or seized and enslaved because he was an alien . It was a custom widely spread among the ancients , and was always sacredly observed , even when there

was a state of war between two nations . It is supposed that Eleazcr , the servant of Abraham , carried some such token when he went for Rcbekah , and that Rcbekah sent a similar one by Jacob when he fled from the face of his brother Esau . And we know that Rahab and spies of Joshua used a

scarlet line for purposes of recognition and safety . AVe have a beautiful illustration of thc use of this tcssara recorded by Homer in the meeting of Diomede and Glaucus . Thc two chiefs met in combat on thc plain of Troy , and while actually engaged in conflict one of them spied on thc helmet of the

other a broken tcssara , of which the other half was in his own possession . They had never met , were unknown by name to each other ; but on the sight of this token they ceased fighting , made themselves known to each other , produced and fitted the

broken parts of the tcssara , embraced on the field of battle , exchanged armour , and renewed the league of amity which their ancestors had made before they were born . Brother could not fight with brother .

ICHTHEOS . , AVe find a very curious and universal use of a mark among the early Christians . In thc first centuries they were continually persecuted , and neccs-