Sir Christopher Wren.— A Study.

Now tradition has this peculiar characteristic that it always has some truth in it , and taking all things into account , and remembering how lax all minutes and the like Masonically were 1 S 0 years ago , and designedly so , we think that Wren ' s membership must be positively disproved , before we can be called upon to give up this old belief of our fathers . Wc must assume that Anderson , in 173 8 , had some authority

for his statement , and as he is the first Masonic writer who mentions the fact , we must suppose ( as probably was the case ) , that he had access to documents not yet discovered and unknown to us . Aubrey may be quoted as a generation earlier , and as a non-Masonic evidence of value ; but we hink the utmost Aubrey's evidence amounts to is this , that he had heard

that Wren was a Freemason , or was about to be made a Freemason . But if Aubrey is correct , Masonic tradition is altogether " out , " and yet on the whole , as we regard it , Aubrey ' s statement rather supports Masonic tradition than otherwise . Thus it will be seen what a pretty little question of doubt and difficulty to begin with , Masonic students and Masonic historians have to decide .

We have shewn above that we lean ourselves to Wren's Masonic membership , though it is , as often happens , easier perhaps to assert , than to prove ! And though it is difficult to " prove a negative , " yet fairly and properly the " pnus proband ! " that Wren was not a Freemason rests upon those who question and disavow our old Masonic tradition .

The Revise Of The Constitutions.

THE REVISE OF THE CONSTITUTIONS .

BRO . W . J . HUGHAN . I feel sure that the labours of Bro . H . H . Riach and Bro . L . E . Hawkins , M . A ., in compiling the " Comparison of the old and revised Book of Constitutions " will be _ warmly appreciated by the many readers of the Freemason . The form in which the comparison has been made will enable the many interested in so important a matter to easily note the several

alterations and additions , and thus be the means of informing brethren of the changes involved by the revise in a way and by a method as effective as simple and thorough . The " comparison " should be read also in connection with the series of articles on the Revise which appeared in the Freemason from September 30 th to October 28 th , 1882 ( I . to V . ) , and with the various

reports of Provincial Grand Lodges from time to time which have been made public . The fact is , we cannot well be too much informed , or take too much interest in all that affects and concerns the welfare of the Craft , and certainly the revision of the laws , or " Constitutions , " is of primary importance .

Bros . Riach and Hawkins note the " rules appearing for the first time in the new book , " consisting of nine in number ; but there are virtually many more , for the alterations or additions in several of the clauses so change their scope and character as to make them , to all intents and purposes , quite the same as new rules .

Then there are "Suggestions not affecting the sense of the new rules , " several of which appear to me most reasonable , though some are fairly to be understood , even from or according to the present text , e . g ., Rule 30 , line 7 , to add the words " and when so audited shall be , " & c , Clearly the presentation of the accounts to the Grand Lodge in March should come after the auditing . In Rule 41 , line 7 , instead of " who , " I would rather not have

"he , but omit the former and place "he" before " shall " in the following line . I thoroughly endorse some other suggestions , for they will , if adopted , make the meaning plainer and thus add to their usefulness . The well considered communication by these two most willing and able compilers deserve especially our close attention , for whilst I cannot follow them entirely with approval throughout , I am quite willing to admit that they may be right

and myself wrong , where I slightly differ from them . Some of the suggestions I cannot agree with because to my mind , not in order , e . g ., Rule 130 , the words in italics in the revise , as follows , are not unnecessary " elect its Master by ballot from among those of its members who have served for one year the office of Master or Warden ; " otherwise the first Masters of new lodges prior to the revise , who had not previously acted as Wardens

would be excluded from the authorised list of candidates . The differences however are but few compared with the many points of agreement , and I again thank the two zealous and competent brethren for their excellent and timely compilation . The history of the various Books of Constitutions since this Union , as told by Bro . Hawkins , is both interesting and instructive for the many who

have been led of late to look into the subject . It lacks however one curious particular . The earlier publications respecting our laws and customs had a long historical introduction , covering the whole ground of sacred and secular history . In the issues from 1815 to 1827 the Constitutions , & c , onl y were given , and designated " Part the Second . " This led many to suppose there was a " Part the First , " but there was not . I have seen it advertised for several times . . I do not consider the publication of 1819 was a distinct edition , for it was in all respects as that of 1815 , save title page and a few corrected sheets .

Records Of Extinct Lodges.

RECORDS OF EXTINCT LODGES .

BY BRO . T . B . WHYTEHEAD . ROYAL LODGE , CHESTER . ( Continued from page 534 . )

1 he annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge on St . John ' s Day , * 759 > is recorded as usual . The three lodges were represented , the Raven Lod ge being now called the Golden Lyon Lodge . Edward Orme was again appointed Deputy ; Thos . Cholmondeley and Richard Barry , Grand Wardens ; H . Burrows , Treasurer ; andC . Townsend , Secretary . At a subsequent meeting of the Assembly House Lodge lohn Lawton was elected

faster , and the Hon . John Smith Barry presented the lodge with a set of glasses . The lodge subscription for the year was fixed at 12 s . and a payment of 6 d . for each attendance . . In the record of the June meeting of 1760 appears a copy of a memorial rom the Master and brethren of the Golden Lyon Lodge , No . 20- ? ,

? adressed to "the R . W . John Page , Esq ., P . G . M ., his Deputy and G-and Wardens , the Right Worshipfull the Master and Wardens of the Proincial Grand Lodge in Chester , and all others whom it may concern . " acl SE terms show that at this period the Assembly House Lodge was Knovvled ged as forming the Provincial Grand Lodge . The memorial

Records Of Extinct Lodges.

recommended John Gother for the office of Provincial Grand Tyler . It is signed by Richard Golding , Master ; his Wardens ; and John Byrne , Thos . Huxley , and Thos . Leigh , Past Masters . On St . John the Baptist ' s Day , " the Master , Wardens , and brethren of the Golden Lyon Lod ^ e came to custom in the

according evening in due form to visit this lodge ; and after their departure the Master , Wardens , and brethren ot the Feathers Lodge came in like manner to visit this lodge , after which the Right Worshipfull Provincial Grand Master , his Deputy , the Master , and his officers went in due form and returned their -visit . "

At the November meeting a communication was read from Bro . Spencer , G . Sec . of England , and a guinea was voted for the relief of Bro . Omaert Valck , a French prisoner of war at Liverpool . The Provincial Grand Lodge Festival of St . John ' s Day , 271 I 1 December , 1760 , seems to have been attended only by the Assembly House Lod" -e . It held at the Assembl in the

was y Room Exchange and Edward Orme was once more appointed Deputy Grand Master , and Thos . Cholmondeley and Peter Walthall , Grand Wardens . At a Iodge meeting held immediately afterwards Bro . Thos . Farrington was elected Master , and John Croughton and Win . Lewis , Wardens . Two Stewards and two Assistant Stewards were also elected , but no mention is made of any other officers .

At the January meeting , 1761 , a yearly salary of two guineas was voted to the Secretary . The yearly meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the 28 th December , when there was a procession to St . John the Baptist ' s Church and a sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . Theophilus Meredith . At this meeting the Deputy Grand Master , " by order of the Prov . Grand Master , " proceeded to the choice of new officers , and William Blackett and Roger VVilbraham were nominated Grand Wardens . As 1

do not find Blackett ' s name in any of the records of meetings I am inclined to think he may have been a member of the Golden Lyon or Feathers Lodge . If so it is the first instance of a Provincial Officer being appointed outside the Assembly House Lodge . At the subsequent annual meetingof the Assembly House Lodge Thos . Cholmondeley was elected Master , and the thanks of the lodge were given " to our worthy Bro . Jonathan Cotgreave for his attendance on a sick Brother lately deced ., one Hundred and Twentysix Days without Gratuity or Reward . "

On the 14 th December , 1762 , Francis O'Brien was nominated as Master and on the St . John ' s Day following Bro . O'Brien was invested with the jewel of his office and invested his officers . A Provincial Grand Lodge was held and the officers of the previous year were re-appointed and visits were exchanged between the three Chester lodges in the evening . For some time the meetings had been held at the Feathers , but during 1763 most of the meetings were held at the Coach and Horses .

In March , 1763 , the Prov . Grand Treasurer moved that an address of thanks be sent by this lodge to the Grand Lodge of England for their y Bountiful Charity to our Bro . Thos . Wilbraham , " and at the same lodge Thos . Swanwick , a waiter , received permission to be initiated as a serving brother , and the initiation fee was reduced to one guinea . The fee was again raised to two guineas on St . lohn's Dav , 176 = ; .

I observe several peculiar entries such as this . In 1754 , H . Burrows , John Thomas , and W . Delacour are entered as brethren present on St . John ' s Day , but on June 10 th of next year they appear as having been balloted lor and initiated on the latter day . Were these "Ancient " brethren who had recanted and been reobligated ? or how are we to account for their presence at a lodge before they were Alasons ? This occurs in several instances .

At the November Lodge , 1763 , a Mr . Michael Connor , of the Island of Maderia , who was going abroad , was admitted by dispensation , granted by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , without the usual preliminary notice . On St . John ' s Day following the Assembly House Lodge was opened , and Bro . Holme Burrowes ( who had been nominated on December 13 th ) was invested with his jewel of office as W . M ., and invested his officers . The Prov .

Grand Lodge was then opened , and the Deputy Grand Master invested his officers , Win . Blackett and Roger Wilbraham being Wardens . The Golden Lyon and Feathers Lodges attended in due form and the Grand Lodge was closed . In the evening " an Enter'd Apprentices' Lodge was open'd , " and two candidates were initiated b y dispensation . At the November meeting , 1764 , it is recorded that " the Right Worshipfull Prov . Grand Master was a visitor . " Bro . Page must therefore have ceased his lodge membership . On the

nth December the VV . M . nominated Bro . Bowers to be his successor , and on St . John ' s Day he was duly installed . A procession of the Prov . Grand Lodge was also formed to St . John's Church , and a sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . Jas . Milliquett , the lodges present being the Assembl y House , the Golden Lyon , and the Bull and Dog . This last-named lodge was the "Feathers" under a new title , doubtless derived from their place of meeting .

1 note that at the August meeting , 1765 , Mr . Samuel Harvey was initiated by dispensation , " he being oblig'd to go over to the Indies very soon , " and the same minute records Bro . Samuel Harvey being present as a visitor . On the 10 th December it was agreed that the joining lee should be two guineas and that each member should pay threepence into a fund of charity for the relief of distressed brothers .

On St . John ' s Day , 1765 , Roger Wilbraham was nominated and invested as Master , but there is no note of any meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge , and in March , 1766 , five shillings were voted to Bro . Thos . Huxley , a member of the Golden Lion Lod ge . During this year the meetings were few and small . On the 9 th December , Bro . William Blackett wa *

nominated as W . M ., but on December 29 th Bro . Blackett " desired to be excused " and the present Master was continued in his office and " his health was drank as such in due form . " At this meeting Bro . Henry Rider , ofthe Golden Lion Lodge , was accepted as a joining member . At the April meeting , 1767 , Bro . Henry Rider presented two dozen glasses to the lodge . °

ihe next meeting recorded is in September , 1767 , but it seems likely that some leaves have here , as in other places , been extracted or lost . 1 he last meeting recorded in the book is on the Sth December , 1767 , at the Coach and Horses , kept by Mrs . Sarah Buckton , in Northgate-street , under the mastership of Bro . Holme Burrowes . At this meeting a committee was appointed for auditing the Treasurer ' s accounts , and amongst the visitors was Bro . Sir John Chetwodc , Bart .

At this time the lod ge appears on the lists as No . ioi , Coach and Horses , Watergate-street . In the lists 1770-80 it will be found as No . 78 , Coach and Horses , Northgate-street , and in the 1781-91 lists as No . 62 , Koyal Chester Lodge , Feathers Inn , Bridge-street . In the 1792-1813 lists the number was changed to 58 and at the " Union " to 80 . The lodge was still in existence in 1832 when it appears as No . 71 . { To be continued ) .