Reviews

REVIEWS

THE YORKSHIRE LODGES : A Century of Yorkshire Freemasonry . By J . RAMSDEN RILEY , Bradford ( Historian of 3 S 7 ) , P . P . G . D . C . West Yorkshire . Leeds : Thomas C . Jack , 4 S , Park-lane . As the historian of the Airedale Lodge , No . 3 S 7 , Shipley , West Yorkshire , Bro . Ramsden Riley has honourably won for himself a foremost position among the writers of lodge histories . The task he set himself to do when he compiled

the history of that lodge was done well , and our hope is that other Ramsden Rileys may in the future appear among us , who shall show themselves possessed of the knowledge , ability , will , and leisure to imitate his example make us all better acquainted with the inner life of our and lodges . In the further work he has now placed within reach of the Masonic public on " The Yorkshire Lodges , " Bro . Riley has accentuated his claims upon our respect .

the task he set himself to accomplish must , of necessity , have entailed upon him an almost endless amount of labour , with the certainty ever before him that the results of that labour , must—equally of necessity—remain for a long time , if not for all time , " Caviare to the general . " In his history of the Airedale Lodge , he was sure to enlist the sympathy of the whole fraternity of English Masons , every one of whom could enter into the spirit of his descriptions of lodge

life , and every one of whom would follow him with undeviating interest through his account of the vicissitudes of fortune experienced by that lodge . In " The Yorkshire Lodges " he has achieved a more pronounced success , a success which is certainly more estimable , because the ground to be traversed was of far greater extent and the difficulties in traversing that ground a hundred times more formidable . But while in his Airedale history , every one

among us can , as we have said , sympathise with and appreciate his story , in his work now under notice , he can look to receive only the gratulations and sympathy of the studious and well-informed . He has built up a skeleton of Yorkshire Masonic history , leaving it to another or toothers to furnish whatever else is necessary to give it the form and life of a complete and appreciable record . " I have avoided , " says he in his preface , "becoming in

any sense the historian in these pages ; rather attempting to excite so much interest , by defining the landmarks of history . " Many , with their experience of his past labours , will no doubt regret that Bro . Riley did not map out for himself a more ambitious project ; but all will agree with us in regarding his new book as containing the necessary ground work on which the future chronicler of the Craft in Yorkshire will have to build his story .

The contents are arranged in two Parts—Part I containing a series of synopses of all the lodges , whether extinct or existing , which have been constituted in Yorkshire during the period from 1729 to 1 S 2 S ; while Part 11 . comprises ( 1 ) " a complete list of Yorkshire lodges , 1729-1 SS 4 ; " ( 2 ) "a list showing the changes of number !; " and a " Conclusion , " in which are set forth a few general observations of a character which we hope and trust are calculated , as it is clear

they were intended , to accite others to continue and complete the work so generously and laboriously commenced by Bro . Riley . As regards Part I ,, each synopsis contains certified information as to the origin of the lodge it relates to ; the most important changes in respect of locality of meeting and number it has undergone ; and the fate it has experienced . The mastering of these details is necessarily dry work , but

Bro . Riley has materially lightened the task of his readers by interlarding his facts with judicious remarks , wherever they have seemed necessary or desirable , and in the case of the Black Bull Lodge , Settle , No . 1 S 8 , warranted in 1774 , he has introduced a lively picture of the difficulties which brethren formerly experienced in attending the meetings of their lodge . The value of the lists in Part II . cannot be over-rated . They show at a glance what lodges have been

warranted in Yorkshire since 1729 , and what has become of them ; while any difficulties that may be left in following out the career of Masonry as therein traced are fully explained in the notes or abbreviations which are appended to each list . In his " Conclusion , " Bro . Riley lays great stress on the importance of preserving all lodge records , and he expresses his views on this head b y narrating sundry of the experiences which have come within his own knowledge of

that carelessness in looking after lodge minute books and other lodge property of which all brethren so righteously complain who have ever striven , even to the humblest extent , to make straight the devious paths of Masonic history . A brief , but valable , introduction to the book has been written by Bro . W . J . Hughan , who , in the course of a few paragraphs , places before the reader several important

facts in connection with Yorkshire Freemasonry , which help materially to elucidate the result of Bro . Riley ' s labours ; nor , with that kindness which he so uniformly exhibits towards all engaged in the same field of research as himself , does our distinguished brother fail to bestow that full measure of praise to which the author of "The Yorkshire Lodges " is so justly entitled . It remains for us to state that the volume is most handsomely bound and printed—being in these respects alone a

perfect art treasure—while the illustrations , chiefly of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter and lodge and chapter seals , with a " Facsimile of aTitle-page of the Proceedings of Provincial Grand Lodge for the County of York , held August 2 ( 5 , 17 S 9 , " the original being in Bro . Riley ' s possession , add greatly to the appearance as well as to the value of the work . We trust that at no distant date brethren in other provinces will be found to follow the example of patient study and laborious compilation so honourably set them and the Craft generally by Bro . Ramsden Riley .

CHAPTER OF CONCORD , DURHAM . Extracts from the Minutes , compiled by Comp . W . Logan , N ., and W . M . 124 , 1885 . Comp . Logan is to be congratulated on having so well carried out his self-appointed task . Apparently , his object has been to afford a justification to his Royal Highness the Grand Z ., for granting the centenary warrant which the Chapter of Concord is considering the propriety of applying for , anil if he has not quite succeeded in his purpose ,

Reviews

he certainly goes very near to establishing the chapter s claim to be the recipient of so honourable a distinction . It would be absurd for any one in these days to call in question the character of the work done in the interval between 17 S 3 , when Bro . Finch and others of the Granby Lodge were " initiated " or exalted to Royal Arch Masonry in a chapter attached to the lodge of the " 2 nd Regiment of Greys , " and 17 S 7 when the same Bro . Finch and others

, were exalted or re-exalted in the Chapter of Fortitude in the " Kings ist Regiment of Dragoon Guards , " and Comp . Finch requested the principals of the said chapter to support a petition to " Thos . Dunckerley , Esquire , " to grant them a warrant of constitution as the " Chapter of Concord , " Comps . Geo . Finch , Geo . Nichilson , and Will . Slott , to be Z ., H ., and J . respectively . It may have been , probably was "true Royal Arch Masonry , " but it was not done under

the authority offthe Grand Chapter of England , and Grand Z . would have some difficulty in recognising as legal what was not so recognised in 17 S 7 . At least , his doing so would be just a trifle irregular , and this , notwithstanding the regulation—abrogated in 1796—as to accepting companions initiated or exalted previous to A . L . 5770 ( A . D . 1766 . ) However , on the faith of Comp . Logan ' s statement—which is justified to all appearances elsewhere in his short history

—that the chapter was in working order between 30 th May , 1 799 , and 2 ist September , 1 S 09 , there seems no reason to doubt that irrespective of the irregular period 17 S 3-7 , the chapter will have completed the first century of its existence in 17 S 7 and be then entitled to petition for its centenary warrant . Its worthiness to receive this honour is unquestionable and we trust it has before it a still longer career of prosperity and usefulness .

THE MASONIC WORLD—Boston , Mass ., U . S . A ., for luIy-August , is a " world" of great promise but little fulfilment . Its history—what little it contains—may be described as " splendide me . ndax . " For instance , we have rarely seen anything more grandly mendacious than the statement that " Hiram of Tyre gave Solomon , King of Israel , authority to establish and work the lower degrees , " or that in " 16 S 5 the Knights of St . Andrew were

constituted by James Third , King of Scotland , " James VI . of Scotland having become James I . of England just 82 years before this "James Third" of the "Masonic World " historian flourished and constituted the aforesaid " Knights of St . Andrew . " As for news and comments , they are of less account than the history . The most aopropriate

receptacle for a periodical of this kind is the waste paper basket . Under these circumstances , the editor , Grand Master General " Darius Wilson , 33 , 9 o ° , 9 6 ° , " and others whom it may concern will no doubt forgive us if we have spoken in terms too laudatory of this organ of the " Royal Masonic Rite . "

Repores Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORES OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

draft Masonry .

HIGH CROSS LODGE ( No . 754 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge was held on Wednesday , the 26 th ult ., at the Seven Sisters Hotel , Page Green , Tottenham . The lodge was opened by the W . M ., Bro . G . Rowe , suppor ted by his officers and a large number of Past Masters and members of the lodge and visitors . The minutes of the last meeting were duly confirmed , and Bro . F .

Voller raised to the Third Degree . Bro . A . G . Fidler , P . M . 1237 , P . P . G . S . D . Middlesex , the W . M . elect , was then presented for installation , which ceremony was excellently rendered by the retiring W . M . The officers appointed were as follows : Bros . G . Rowe , I . P . M . ; VV . S . Cooper , S . W . ; J . D . Birkin , J . W . ; W . Dance , P . M ., Treas . ; J . Lingell , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . Middlesex , Sec ; W . J .

Meek , S . D . ; E . Holt , J . D . ; E . Lovell , l . G . ; D . Hills , D . C ; L . Wilson and ' S . Clark , Stwds . ; and J . Very , Tyler . At the investment of each officer , the W . M . explained the symbolical meaning of the jewel attached to the collar . One guinea was voted from the Charitable Fund to a distressed brother of the Irish Constitution , and £ 5 from the Benevolent Fund to the widow of a late member of the lodge . The resignation of Bro . Townsend , P . M ., through

continued illness , was received with great regret , the brethren hoping he would be restored to health , and that they might yet have the pleasure of seeing him at some of the lodge meetings for many years to come . The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet hall , where an excellent repast , provided by Bro . Oddy , the host , awaited them . The W . M . presided ,

and at the conclusion of the banquet gave the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , woich were cordially responded to . Bro . G . Rowe , I . P . M ., then proposed "The Health of the W . M ., " and said it was a very pleasing dutyfor him to submit this toast . He had been associated with Freemasonry for some years , and , working as he had in different offices in the lodge , had had an opportunity of judging , yet

he had never met with a more genuine brother than the present W . M . They had on many occasions stood side by side together in the lodges of instruction , and he had received some valuable assistance and instruction from the W . M ., and should it fall to his ( Bro . Rowe ' s ) lot to propose the health of another W . M ., he felt he should not have a more worthy brother to submit to their notice , or one who

could more ably fulfil the duties of the chair , than Bro . Fidler . The Worshipful Master , in reply , expressed his warmest thanks . It was to him a source of great gratification to hear his health proposed and the toast received as it had been so enthusiastically . He fully appreciated their kindness , and as the brethren of the lodge had been pleased to

put him in his present high position , he trusted he might carry out its duties to their satisfaction . His great aim was to do so , and cause them no regret at having elected him to fill the chair of the lodge . The Worshipful Master then gave "The Health of the I . P . M . " He had no moreimportanttoast , hesaid , to submit

to their notice than this . Those who had seen the zeal of Bro . Rowe during the past year , and his anxiety to properly discharge his important duties , could not doubt the interest he took in the lodge , while those who had witnessed him render the Third Degree and the installation ceremony that evening must have been much gratified . He ( the W . M . ) had now much pleasure in presenting Bro . Rowe

Repores Of Masonic Meetings.

with the Past Master ' s jewel that had been unanimously voted him . It was a small token of the esteem in which he was held by the brethren of that lodge , and he hoped that whenever he looked upon it he would consider it as an evidence that he had faithfully fulfilled the duties of W . M . Bro . Rowe , in reply , tendered his thanks for the praise that had been given him , which he felt he scarcely deserved ;

what he had done had been a labour of love , and he was glad that his efforts had been successful ; he should prize that beautiful jewel most highly , not as the glittering object visible to every one present , but as the outcome of the good feeling shown to him by the brethren of the lodge . He never had more pleasurable associations than as W . M . of that lodge , and should always strive to advance its interests .

The toast of " The Past Masters " followed . The W . M . said these were really the backbone of the lodge . Each in turn had worked for the welfare of the lodge , and had succeeded in raising it to its present high standard . Bros . J . Wells ( the senior P . M . ) , Lewis , Mailer , Garrod , and Lingell responded . Regret was expressed at the absence through illness of

two old and respected Past Masters , Bros . T . Jones and Townsend . The next toast was that of "The Visitors , " the W . M . remarking that it would be a great disappointment to the members of that lodge were they deprived of the opportunity of fitly honouring the toast on such an occasion as that . The presence of so many visitors at his installation

was a great compliment to himself , and he was sure highly gratifying to the lodge . He bid them all a hearty welcome , and hoped they would spend a pleasant evening ; he would also refer them to the toast list , and to the words from Shakespeare associated with that toast , which fully expressed his feelings : " Better cheer may you have , but not with better heart . " Bro . Scurrah , in reply , said it was always a pleasure to

him to visit lodges and make himself 'acquainted with the way in which the work in them was performed . Freemasonry , he considered , was one of the grandest and noblest institutions in the world , ennobling all who were associated with it . No matter how good a man might be , Freemasonry must make him better . There was no grander sight than to see a Mason carrying out the principles of the

Order in his very deed . He had taken a great interest in Freemasonry since he was initiated into it , and hoped he should always do so . Bro . Dr . Hall , who followed , said he had always endeavoured to carry out the teachings of the Craft in his every day avocations . His principal connection with Freemasonry was in looking after the health of the boys in the

Masonic School at Wood Green , and in discharging his duties there he had come into contact with a very large number of brethren and others whose main desire appeared to be to do the best they could for their fellow creatures . He hoped Freemasonry would long continue its benificent working . Bros . G . Tegg and J . Driscoll also returned thanks . The toast of " The Officers " followed .

The W . M . had every reason to believe that the officers appointed would satisfactorily discharge their duties—they had all promised to do so ; and he felt sure they would use every effort to further the interest of the lodge . Each officer having responded , the toast of " The Masonic Charities " was given . The W . M . said every true Mason had the interest of these at heart . It was very satisfactory to

find that many members of the lodge had made themselves Life Governors of the various Masonic Institutions , and that the ; three Charitable Associations established by this lodge , assisted by members of the Enfield , St . James , and other neighbouring lodges , had been the means of contributing between £ 1500 and £ 1600 to their noble Charities , a result highly gratifying to all concerned in promoting

their success . Bros . H . Stephens and J . Garrod replied , the latter brother referring to the good work that had been done by the Charitable Associations , and hoped the system might maintained and extended . The toast of " The Masonic Press" was then given , Bro . W . W . Morgan , jun ., returning thanks , after which

the Tyler s toast brought to a close oneof the most successful installation meetings of this lodge . During the evening some excellent glees and solos were sung by the choir of Enfield Lock Church , assisted by some of the brethren present , under the direction of Bro . Erwin Holt . The visitors present were Bros . W . A . Scurrah , W . M . 2048 ; G . Tegg , W . M . 1237 ; A . Bryant , P . M . 1237 , P-P . G . J . D . Middx . ; W . Bennie , S . W . 1237 , P . M . 209 , P . P . G . S . B . Berks and Bucks ; H . B . May , 1217 ; G . C .

Jennings , 1237 ; S . Parsons , J . D . 1237 ; j . H . Peach , 1237 ; J . Driscoll , P . M . 30 , Sec . 1579 , P . P . G . P . Middx . ; R . Salmon , 177 ; H . C . Osman , 1327 ; G . Richards , 1707 ; J . E . Pinder , 1707 ; L . Franckel , P . M . 780 ; J . J . Bird , 1 S 97 ; J . M . Longhurst , 133 ; Barber , 933 ; Bennett , 77 ; J . Day , 141 ; A . Perl , J . W . 813 ; C . Sharp , 1365 ; J . Corf , IS 7 J T . Wrigglesworth , 15 ; A . Durrant , P . M . 5 69 ; C . J . Knightley , 1744 ; M . F . Green , S 61 ; C . Handley , 475 ; Joseph Smith , Dr . Wm . Hall , and W . W . Morgan , jun .

LODGE OFTEMPERANCE-IN-THE-EAST ( No . 8 gS ) . —The regular monthly meeting of the above flourishing lodge was held on the 26 th ult . at the Assembly Rooms , Newby-place , Poplar , E . Lodge was opened by Bro . Geo . Sidders , W . M ., who was assisted by the following officers and brethren : Bros . Butcher , S . W . ; J . Byford , I . W . ; W . Carter , S . D . ; Gordon , J . D . ; Cadman .

l . G . ; J . R . Waller , P . M ., Treas . ; Dr . C . W . Smith , P . M ., Sec ; G . Graveley , P . M . ; F . W . Pulsford , P . M . ; C . Chapman , P . M . ; J . W . Carter , W . H . Lewis , J . Cowell , A . G . Duck , E . F . Williams , A . F . Pender , Fielder , Biggs , Sussex , Richardson , Smith , Adcock , Day , G . Shearman , McDonald , Dorton , Hyam , G . H . Stephens , W . M . 1623 ( Freemason ); and others . the

Among visiting brethren we noticed Bros . W . Mealcy , 1 . 7 „ P- Brovvn » P-M' l 6 95 w - - Caulfield , 1269 ; A . W . Price , 1623 j and others . There was only a light agenda paper , and the only ceremonial business was that of conferring the Degree of F . C . upon Bros . Hyam and Richardson , and which Bro . Sidders acquitted himself in very praiseworthily . Some

applications for relief were afterwards considered , and dealt with in the spirit always evinced in this lodge . After lodge business was concluded , Bro . Sidders invited the brethren and visitors to pass an hour with him , and accordingly harmony , although of another kind , was enjoyed at the social board . Bros . Butcher , S . W . ; J . Byford , J . W . ; Matt . Sherwin , Org . j A . G . Duck , W .