The History Of Freemasonry,

THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY ,

FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT DAY . Drawn from the best sources and the most recent investigations . BY J . G . FINDEL , Second Edition , Revised , and Preface written by Bro . D . MURRAY LYON .

One vol ., 800 pages 8 vo ., with an Index . Cloth gilt . Price , 1 os . 6 d . " This book is a strictly historical one , horn which all is excluded that is not based upon asccitaiued or probable fact . "—Builder .

" Of its value to Freemasons , as a detailed history of their Brotherhood , it is nut uossible to speak too highly . "Public Opinion . "The author seems to have fairly exhausted the subject "—The Athenaeum .

"Tlie edition we are now considering is a second English tititiim , which had the gieat advantage of Bro . D . M . Lyon ' s able superintendence and editorship in its English dre ^ s . There can be no doubt but , that so far , Bro . Finder ' s work is the moi-t complete work on Freemasonry which has yet appeared , and that he deserves the greatest credit for his careful and accurate treatment of ail evidence

on the subject , and for his honest desire after truth . Bro . Findel gives up in the view he has so cleaily and consistently put foith our eaily Masonic history , the older theory ;> f the Roman Colleges , Sic ., and limits the origin of Freemasonry to about the twelfth century , and as then arising- from the operative Masons , and specially the " Steinmeitzen" and " Bauhutten" of Germany . Bro .

Findel gives us a good deal of evidence on this head , and one thing is clear from his work , that the German Freemasons weie , at a very early period , organized into lodges with a Master over them , and with outward regulations and inner ceremonies peculiar to the Craft . Bro . Findel rejects all the views which have been from time to time put forward of a Templar or a Rosicrucian origin . Whether or no

Bro . Fiudel ' s theoiy of the date of the rise of Freemasonry be correct , matters very little : we do not ourselves profess to accept it ; but this we can fairly say of Bro Finder ' s work , it is marked from first to last by the most remarkable tokenof industry , ability , and care , of patient research , and of skilful criticism . We know of no work which so clearly sets before us our amount of knowledge up to the present time on

the great question of Masonic Archaeology , and there can be littledoubt that what Preston ' s woikU to English Freemasonry , Findel ' s work is to cosmopolitan Freemasonry . Indeed no student in Masonry can now dispense with it , and it is a perfect storehouse both of Masonic evidence and Masonic illustrations . We earnestly recommend all the lodges in this country to obtain a copy for the lodge library before the

work is bought up for America ; and we believe that no Mason will rise from the perusal of its pages without a higher idea both of the historical truth and intrinsic value of Freemasonry , and of fraternal regard and recognition to the latest and not the least well-informed or effective of our Masonic historians . The present century has produced no such equal , in authority and usefulness , to the great

work of our Bro . Findel , and we wish hint and it , in all of fraternal sympathy and kindly intent , many earnest readers , and more grateful students . "—The Masonic Magazine . " This volume is the history of Masonry par excellence Every interested person may regard it , therefore , as the present text-book on the subject , "—Manchester Guardian London : GEORGE KENNING , 10 S , Fleet Street .

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In the Press , will shortly be Published . Price 5 s ., 8 vo , handsomely bound . THE LIFE OF CONSTANTINE . Written in Greek , by Eusuutus PAMI'IL US , ( Bishop of Ca ? sarea in Palestine ) . Done into English from that edition , set forth by VAI . ESIUS , and printed in Paris in the year 16 . 159 . Pieface by Bros . R . Wentworth Little , Treas . Gen ., and the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , Past Grand Chaplain . With Engravings of Constantine ; the Duke of Sussex , P . G . Sov . ; Lord Rancliffe , P . G . Sov . ; Earl Bettive , M . P ., M . I . G . Sov . i Sir Frederick Mattin Williams , Bart ., M . P ., G . V ., & c , & c . London : GEORGE KENNING , 198 , Fleet-street .

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THE MARK MASONS' SONG , Dedicated by permission to the Right Hon . the Earl Percy , M . P ., 30 , Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Freemasons for Northumberland . Most Worshipful Grand Mark Master Mason of England , Words by Bro . T . Burdett Veoman , Original Mark Lodge No . 1 ., composed by Bro . Henry Parker , Original Mark LodgeNo . 1 . Office , 198 , Fleet-street .

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Price 3 J-, post-free , 3 / 1 . THE RED CROSS SONG , Words by Bio . R . W . Little . Music by iiro . 11 . Parker . OFFICE : —1 Q 8 , FLEET-STREET .

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Now ready , i 2 mo ., 208 pages , handsomely bound in cloth price 2 S . ( id ., post free 2 S . 8 d . THE ISRAELITES FOUND IN THE ANGLO-SAXONS . The Ten Tribes supposed to have been lort traced from the land of their captivity to their occupation of the Isles of the Sea . With an exhibition of those traits of character and national characteristics assigned to Israel in the Books of the Hebrew Prophets , by Bro . WM . CARPENTER , Author of " Scientia Biblica , " " Scripture Natural History , " " Guide to the Reading of the Bible , " " Lectures on Biblical Criticism and Interpretation , " "A Popular Introduction to the Bible , " " The Biblical Companion , " " Critiea Biblica , " " Calendarium Palestine , " " An Introduction to the Reading and Study of the English Bible , " and Editor of the fifth large edition of " Calmet ' s Dictionary of the Bible , " and of the abridgement of the same , etc ., etc ., etc . LONDON : GEORGE KENNING , 198 , Fleet-street , E . C

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SECOND EDITION . —NOW READY . Price One Shilling , Post-free , Revised and Enlarged . Freemasonry in Relation to Civil Authority and the Family Circle , Bv BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON . ( Past Master , No . 393 , England . ) '"PHIS work is a perfect handbook of the ¦ *¦ principles of Freemasonry , founded on the Ancient Charges and Symbols , and will be found to be eminently practical and useful in the vindication and support of the Order . Office , 198 , Fleet-street .

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Second Edition , Now Ready , J / 6 . A MASONIC MUSICAL SERVICE . In the key of C . for A ., T ., T ., B . Opening and Closing Odes . Craft Ceremonies . Royal Arch Ceremony . Consecration Ceremony . Grace before and after Meat . COMPOSED Bl' DR . , | . C . BAKER , NO . 241 . LONDON . —Geo . Kenning , 198 , Fleet-street ; and 2 , 3 , and 4 , Little Britain . „ R . Spencer , 26 , Great Queen-street . LIVERPOOL . —Geo . Kenning , 2 , Monument-place . MANCHESTER . —E . Henry & Co ., 59 , Deansgate . DUBLIN . —C . Hedgelong , 26 , Grafton-strcet . GLASGOW . —Geo . Kenning , 145 , Argyle-street .

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NOTICE .

The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is now 10 s . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Vol . s III ., IV ., V . and VI ; cach 15 s . od .

Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . Ditto ditto j 4 do . ... is . 6 d . United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivered free in any part of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance . The Freemason is published on Saturday Mornings in time for

the early trains . The price of the Freemason is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance . ) All communication ' s , letters , & c , to be addressed to the Editor , 198 , Fleet-street , li . C . the Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to him , out cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

All Communicalious , Advertisements , & c , intended for insertion in the Number of the following Saturday , must reach the Office not later than 6 o ' clock on Wednesday evening .

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The Freemason , SATURDAY , MAY 2 , 1874 .

Provincial Grand Lodges.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES .

One of the most remarkable features of our English Masonic system is that , of our Provincial organization . It is peculiar to English Freemasonry .

We know of no parallel to it , in other Masonic systems , as the American divisions of territorial Grand Lodges , are altogether different from it . There are many Grand Lodges now in America

of independent authority and co-ordinate jurisdiction , but no Provincial Grand Lodges as we have in England , all emanating from and dependent on one Central Grand Lodge .

Indeed the position of our Provincial Grand Lodges is somewhat anomalous in itself , and we confess , that , we have often thought it to be susceptible of considerable amendment .

By the constitutions of our Order , Provincial Grand Lodges are as virtually dependent on the P . G . M . ' s authority and functions alone ; they exist with his existence , they die with his death .

It may be said to be a Masonic axiom , " no Provincial Grand Master , no Provineial Grand Lodge . " Indeed , despite the apparent continuity of

some of the Provincial Grand Lodge Bye-Laws , which provide for the formal transaction of Provincial business , we apprehend constitutionally , that the Provincial I 5 rand Lodges

endure in full favour and vigour during the life or " regime " of a P . G . M ., but they fall " ex necessitate rei , " when he resigns or passes away , and that the very Provincial Bye-laws require to bo renewed and re-acceptcd by his

successors . Such we venture to contend is the present constitutional position of all Provincial Grand

Lodges , and it is a position , as we said before , which is in our humble opinion deserving of much careful consideration and susceptible of considerable amelioration .

There can be no a priori reason we are inclined to think , why the same law of perpetuity which applies to Grand Lodge should not be made to bear on Provincial Grand Lodges ,

subject of course to all due constitutional restraints , and why as one exists " jure suo , " the other might not be made to do so , by a very slight alteration in the Book of Constitutions , and

saving all the just prerogatives of the P . G . M . A simple provision that all Provincial Grand Lodges continued to exist as Grand Lodges during an " interregnum , " and w ere to be governed

for the convenience of the business of the province in the interim pro tempore by some specified official , would obviate , it appears to us , all difficulties , and remove all anomalies .

And we say this , not from any mere love of innovation or desire of change , but because we are personally aware of the great importance of our provincial system to our English Freema

sonry , and of the very large amount of good Masonic work , and the charitable efforts , which our provincial system has fostered and called forth .