Provincial Grand Lodge Of Gloucestershire.

G . H . Perrin , S . W . ; H . Perrett , J . W . ; W . Heath , S . D . ; and Thurn , I . D . The managers kindly placed the British Schoolrooms at the disposal of the Committee for thc use of the lodge , and the Town HaU was secured for the banquet . The arrangements for the reception of the Provincial Grand Lodge were generally approved . Flags of various nations covered the windows , the embrasures were covered with moss , on which were

arranged various Masonic emblems , and flowering plants in pots in other parts of the room . The attendance was numerous , amongst the number being Bro . the Right Hon . Sir Michael Hicks Beach , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . M . Gloucestershire ; Bros . Brook Smith , D . P . G . M . ; Vassar Smith , P . G . J . W . ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . G . D . Eng . ; Gwinnett , P . G . T . ; George Gwinnett , P . G . P . ;

Bro . Baron de Ferrieres ... ... .., Prov . G . S . W . „ W , Clifford ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . W . ,, T . E . Gandy ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . D . „ R . W . Northcote ... ... ... Prov . G . J . D . „ Edward Trinder ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ Rev . S . T . G . Fraser ... ... ,., Prov . G . Chap .

„ C . Tudway ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ T . S . Ellis ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ C . M . Penly ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of C , „ John Davies ... ... ... ... Prov , G . D . of C . „ H . Blandford ..,: ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst .

„ W . M . Pooley ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ L . Preston ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ W . J . Marsh ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Ed . Brind ,,. ... ,., ... Prov . G . Org . The brethren afterwards adjourned to the Town Hall for the banquet , where tables were laid for 75 guests . The floral decorations were very striking , and were carried out by Miss

Brown , Miss Amy Penly , and Mr . J . Jotcham . Mr . Brain , of the Swan Hotel , proved a first-rate caterer , and the banquet , under the active superintendence of the Stewards , Bros . Blake , P . M ., ind Millman , P . M ., passed off in a thoroughly enjoyable manner . The usual loyal toasts were duly honoured . The R . W . P . G . M ., Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH , Bart ., in proposing

"The Lodgeof Sympathy , " coupled with it Ihe name of Bro . Penly , and expressed his gratification at so successful and numerous a gathering . Bro . PENLY , in responding , said he was proud to see the members of Provincial Grand Lodge at Wotton-under-Edge , a place , perhaps , to some present known now for the first time . At all times , the " Lodge of Sympathy " would be pleased to give the same welcome to Provincial Grand Lodge .

G W . Trinder , P . G . S . ; H . J . Sewell , P . G . S . D . ; J . A . Matthews and H . S . Stephens , P . G . S . W . ' s ; F . A . Carter , P . G . D . C ; R . Blizard , P . G . S . B . ; W . P . Hadley , P . G . S . B . ; Llewellyn White , P . P . G . S . W . ; Frank Millman , P . G . S . B . ; and many other brethren . A procession of Provincial Grand Officers being formed , the lodge was closed ; and at the close the R . W . P . G . M ., Sir Michael Hicks Beach , Bart ., invested the following officers :

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Northumberland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF NORTHUMBERLAND .

CONSECRATION OF THE PRIORY CHAPTER , No . 1 S 63 . The annual convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Northumberland was held at the Grand Hotel , Tynemouth , on Thursday afternoon , the 28 th ult ., when general business was transacted , and the consecration of a new chapter took place , to be attached to the Priory Lodge , No . 1863 , to be called the Priory Chapter . The Consecrating Officers were M . E .

Comps . Col . Addison Potter , C . B ., Grand Superintendent , as Z . ; R . Eynon , P . G . H . ; J . G . Youll , P . G . J . ; J . H . Bentham , P . G . S . E . ; E . D . Davis , P . G . D . C ; and J . Nicholson , P . G . O . Among others present were E . Comps . VV . A . Potter , Montgomery ; B . Levy , P . G . H . ; R . Hudson , P . G . S . E . ; J . Wood , P . Z . ; J . J . Clay , P . P . G . S . Durham ; W . M . Bell , P . Z ., and others .

I hc consecration ceremony of the new chapter was ably performed by the Grand Superintendent of the province , and the following were installed Principals : E . Comps . the Rev . T . B . Nichols , P . G . A . S ., as Z . ; J . T . H . ; and W . M . Bell acted for J . The Prov . Grand Superintendent afterwards appointed and invested the Davison , following officers :

Comp . T . Blenkinsop .., ,., ... Prov . G . H . „ T . B . Nichols ... ... ,,. Prov . G . J . „ J . H . Bentham ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ M . Guthrie ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, J . Braithwaite ... ,., ... Prov . G . P . S .

„ G . Spain ... ... ... ,., Prov . G . A . S . „ A . Mustard ... ... ,,. ... Prov . G . A . S . „ T . J . Armstrong ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ,, J . Page ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ D . G . Anderson ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ R . L . Armstrong ... ,., ... Prov . G . Treas . ,, E . D . Davis ... ... .., ... Prov . G . D . of C .

., J . Usher ,.. ... .., ... Prov . G . Org . „ J . Curry ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . After the termination of business , thc annual festival took place , at which the Prov . Grand Superintendent of the province presided . YV ii the ceremony ol thc consecration Comps . Whitehead , Nutton , and Walker , of Durham Cathedral choir , took part in the musical portion of the Proceedings , over which Comp . J . Nicholson was musical director .

Review.

REVIEW .

fHE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . Volume IV . By Bro . <• 1 * . GOULD , P . G . W . Thomas C Jack , 45 , Ludgate-hill . Second Notice . The 338 pages which cover the first chapter of the fourth volume , and ifs . represent Br 0 , Gould ' s version of early British Freemasonry from D 08 to 1723 , deserve the most careful attention of all Masonic students , as le y contain not only much that is new and a great deal that is important ,

Review.

but clearly set before us a most carefully and thoughtfully composed representation of the conclusions which the untiring researches of the writer have led him conscientiously to adopt , and painstakingly to elaborate . Indeed , no more important treatise on early English Freemasonry has been put together , and which exhibits so much skilful criticism and so fair a rendering of the evidence discoverable or adducible . The early passages in the

Taller , the declarations of Governor Belcher , the admission of pre 1700 inititions , as witnessed to by two applicants for relief before the Grand Lodge of 1717 , in 1730 , and 1732 , all testify to thc existence of a seventeenth century Freemasonry , concerning which Bro . Gould , in our opinion , most rightly comes to the conclusion , that there is no reason to believe that it is anything but identical with the revival or formation of 1717 .

This admission , a fact which wc believe to be incontestable , opens out several very important questions which demand a treatment both of candour and consideration , without the admixture of prc-conceivcd opinions or " post hoc propter hoc " conclusions , without thc intervention cf favourite theories or cherished "fads , " without , in fact , any other treatment but that of careful criticism , historical verity , and logical inference . We are confronted before we can make any history of early Bristish Freemasonry clear or

consistent , as Bro . Gould feels and properly manifests , by the" recurring " Crux " of the Degrees . Whence come they ? What their origin ' i It is , we think , an entire waste of serious thought or critical study to attempt lo explain away the question , much more to ignore it . We cannot do so . It meets us everywhere , in various forms , and on ils solution depends , 110 doubt , agreat deal of the eventual reality of earl y English Masonic life and history .

The assumed difference between " Grade" and " Degree" is , in our opinion , untenable , if it even exists scientifically ; while it is clear , as Bro . Gould ' s conclusions demonstrate to us , that , in his mind , the English and the Scottish systems do not stand exactly on the same basis , though ,

curiously enough , as he very ably points out , a question fairly arises from Anderson's nationality , as so far proven , whether he did not seek to graft a Scottish system and a Scottish terminology on an existing English system , and which system was , after all , in origin and essence apparently entirely different from the prevailing and synchronous system in North Britain .

In the Freemason a remark was hazarded some time back that it would be one of the many paradoxes after all of Masonic history and critical enquiry , if the evidence of the three Degrees would be found more abundant in Scotland than in England . We do not say that such is the stale of the case yet . But Bro . Gould points out tin ' s seeming paradox , that

whereas English Speculative Masonry is said to have been introduced into Scotland about 1721 , or 1730 , or 1750 , which ever date you adopt , it would seem , at first sight , as if the technical terms of Scottish Masonry had been taken into England by Anderson or someone else about 1721 . Of one Scottish technical term of early Masonic use , —cowan , —there can belittle doubt that it is a pure Scotticism .

We may , indeed , find a Norman French , or even an English derivation , for it , but the fact that very early it is used in Scottish documents as a wellknown technical , operative , or trade term , is one to which we have seen no answer , and the modern pedantic explanations arc alike clumsy , unskilful , unscholarly , and , in our opinion , untenable . But very great difficulty exists as to Apprentice and Fellow Craft . Master Mason we reserve until our next notice .

The " Enterit Prenteissis" of Scottish documents seem certainly lo be much akin to the " Entered Prentices " of early English use . There was , indeed , a monastic or media ; val Latin term , " Apprenticius , Apprenticii , " as in ' * Molash ' s Register " 1426 , from which our word apprentices clearly comes . There was a Norman French word " Apprenti , " or " Apprcntif . " But there was no similar Latin classic term , though apparentlysome

, have thought we may derive the old Low Latin or French term from ' * Apprehendere , " or *• Apprehensus , " but it seems somewhat doubtful . Having , however , the fact that there was a Norman French word apparently , and a word of mediaeval or monastic Latin " Apprenticius , " we have no difficulty as to the early English use of Prentices , or Apprentices , independently of Scotland . The word " Entered " certainly smacks of a

Scottish use , but the Swallvell minutes would seem lo show that in Northumberland , at any rate , if not further south , early in the eighteenth century , there is a use , which is analogous to the " entered , " and " enterit " of Scotland , but which is not necessarily derived even from its " near neighbour , " Still , the special use is a coincidence which deserves careful consideration , and to which Bro . Gould is right to call our attention .

The words " Prentysse , " " Prentes , " and " Prentishode , " wc may observe , are all used in the end of the fourteenth century and beginning of fifteenth century , as in Halliwell ' s and Cooke ' s MSS . As regards Fellow Craft , which Bro . Gould evidently regards as introduced by Anderson from Scotland , and answering to " Fallow of Craft , " we confess we are not quite convinced by his arguments . Felawe ( Chaucer ) ,

Felowe , Fellowe , is , no doubt , of Scandinavian origin , and , probably , comes to us through thc Anglo-Saxon . The old word for fellow-ship is " feolaschipe . " The Norman French has no corresponding word , and the technical term in French Masonry is " Compagnon , " probably from the Compagnonage , Some one has said that Fellow may come from the Latin "Fidelis , " but that seems far fetched . But" Fellow Craft , " like handicraft , has a Saxon ring about it , though when it came into use in England is

very doubtful . In all early documents thus far we meet " magister , " and " apprenticii , " but hardly' * Fellow Craft , " though we believe the word " socii , " ( which would answer to it ) has been found . Sir F . Palgrave , indeed , once stated , it is true , that he had found the words Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason in very early documents , and some such references occur , though we apprehend the use of the compound word fellow-craft is modern comparatively .

Thus it will be seen what an ingenious " crux " Bro . Gould has put before us , and how much careful and crilical consideration it demands from all Masonic students . The outcome of this first and important chapter seems to be that though there was apparently an essential difference between English and Scottish seventeenth century Masonry up lo 1717 , yel lhat they seem to have acted and worked on each other in some way , and each to have obtained and derived from each certain usages , and

technicalities , and terminology to which now it is very difficult to assign thc actual origin , or the earliest use . We may add , as a curious fact , lhat in "Toulmin ' s Smith ' s Gilds , " though " felowshipe" occurs , "fellow" does not , and that it is very doubtful , if even in the Masonic poem thc use of "felowe" is more than a generic use , and has no separate or gradal meaning . How these facts and considerations affect the " battle of the Grades " and the Third Degree , we trust to be able to show next week .