Masonic Notes And Queries.

of England itself cheated the Negroes out of the said charter ; and since which time they worked under a copy only ol the original , and were therefore illegal . In 186 9 I published in the American Freemason , that I saw the African Lodge charter , and pronounced it genuine .

Subsequently a Committee of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts confirmed my statement , but quibbles and dodges were used to defeat union or acknowledgment . Among the objections raised was , a doubt whether Prince Hall and his associates were legally made Masons when they

received their charter . Again , it was urged what right had the Grand Lodge of England to encroach on the Massachusetts jurisdiction in 1784 ? The charter was , therefore , illegal , and every one made under it was clandestine . And still again , what right had the Africans to secede

from the Grand Lodge of England ? And still again , what right had one Lodge to form a Grand Lodge when all the jurisprudence luminaries declare , that the Ancient Landmark requires three Lodges to form a Grand Lodge ? All these objections have been met one by one .

The jurisprudence-mongers have been driven •from all their lines of defence , so that the old arguments are no longer repeated . But now they have entrenched themselves within their last fortification—the Landmark of Landmarks , namely , " freeborn . " They claim now that their

tender conscience alone debars them from doing justice to the coloured Masons . "What will become of Masonry , " say they , " if we suffer the Landmark of freeborn to be trifled with " etc . ? I therefore hope that this communication will not only serve to dispel a number of errors and

superstitions that have unfortunately crept into Masonry , but that it will also tend to remove unfounded scruples from the minds of those conscientious worthies . I trust , they will be satisfied now , that a good man and true , a man

of honour and honesty , whose skin is a few shades darker than their own , may be acknowledged as a brother Mason , without the least fear of violating any Landmark whatever . Respectfully and Fraternally yours , TACOB NORTON .

Boston , U . S . September 26 th , 1872 . [ We have inserted Bro . Norton ' s letter with pleasure , and beg to assure our American friends that as far as possible we are anxious to place the columns of the Freemason at their service . We publish not fur Kngland alouc , but fur the world , and the more cosmopolitan ils articles the better . —Kn . /•' . ]

Masonry A Need Of Mankind.

MASONRY A NEED OF MANKIND .

BY WILLIAM ROUNSEVIJ . LE . We confidently state it as an axiom , that no great social or co-operative association was ever successful and permanent unless it was imperiously demanded by the wants and necessities

of mankind , in the place where and the time when it originated . Allowing this to be true , we prove the necessity of Masonry as a social and co-operative society at once , for it has , by its success and permanence , proved its claim to that appellation .

But it may not be amiss to examine the subject more in detail . When a man is about to traverse a dangerous route which is beset b y robbers and assassins , he seeks to associate with him such other persons as may have the

journey to perform , and 111 whom hc may confide , that the combined strength of all may be sufficient to meet and overcome the dangers and difficulties that may be met by the way . The circumstances demand such an association

of power , and it springs into existence . The dangerous pathway becomes safe—the object of the association is gained—the necessity is supplied—the society has been successful . In this world , men are the travellers on that

dangerous route . The evils and obstacles which they encounter are thc robbers and assassins by which it is beset . These are such that a single individual , unaided and alone , must succumb to their overwhelming force .

Many are the places on his life journey that hc cannot defend himself with his own ri ght arm alone . He needs the assistance of otheis , and this he must have or miserabl y fail . He can no more safely travel the journey of life alone .

Masonry A Need Of Mankind.

than the traveller over the dangerous , robberfrequented , lonely road can pass his enemies unscathed . Mankind are selfish . Each individual cares more for himself than for his neighbour ; in fact , it may be said he cares all for himself and none

for his neighbour . This is emphatically the case in the earlier stages of society . It would scarcely be too strong an expression to call them all Ishmaelites , and to say of each , " his hand is against every man , and every man ' s hand is against him . " But even Ishmaelites

may combine their strength for common safety . That very selfishness that possesses the human mind indicates the benefit of social organization , and leads to a concentration of individual power . In the light of these facts , we can

realize how , in the dim ages of a remote antiquity , such an association as that now called Masonry could spring into existence . It was a union of strength , social influence , and fraternal assistance for the benefit of the

members , which should , while it did no man injustice , give aid and support to all those who had given their promise to be faithful to the laws of the institution ; which should enable those within its circle to avail themselves of the power and influence of all to overcome the difficulties

that they might meet in their life journey ; which should give to one the strength of all , and to all the influence of every individual member . It was one of the most natural things in life that such an institution should be established , for it was a necessity to mankind . It would have been much more wonderful had not that

want of man culminated 111 an organization to meet it . Man needed Masonry , therefore Masonry was created . It has been successful , and permanent . It has been successful , for it now prevails over every port and in every

division and country of the globe . On Masonry the sun never sets . An institution established in all climes , and possessing members under all governments , could hardly be called a failure . It is permanent . History does not record when the corner-stone of the first Masonic

Lodge was laid . But away back in the dim and darkening aisles of the past , history speaks of it as existing—then an ancient society , and wielding an influence that was respected by Popes and potentates .

At no time does the memory of man run to the contrary of the existence of Masonry . It is now acknowledged to be the oldest human organization on the globe . It ante-dates the Germans' reformation—tlie Christian religion itself—the great improvements in architecture

of the middle ages—111 fact , all other institutions known to man . China and Japan , Greece and Egypt , may not boast of existing institutions of as high antiquity . During all this time it has stood calm and unshaken ; sometimes the pet

and favourite of imperial power and religious favour , and at others tlie butt and target for priestly anathema and kingly edict . We may positively claim for it permanency . Thus it lias the two elements which prove it to be a want—a necessity—of the human race .

There are those who are willing to admit that in past ages Masonry was a necessity , who will not concede the point that is now needed . Now we have religion of a more practical characterone lhat is made up to a more practical pattern than when Masonry first existed : tliere are other

social enterprises , founded on liberal principles , that ought to supercede Masonry . So these opponents of the institution argue . But do these do away with selfishness ? do they possess a superior influence to Masonry in making men virtuous and charitable ? and do not these

objectors know that Masonry has often wrested the sword of persecution from the red hand of professed Christianity , and saved the lives which that sword was raised to destroy ? Do they not realize that Masonry has softened the asperities of religious enthusiasm , and that even

Christianity owes something of a spirit of mildness and toleration which happily now prevails to the benign influence of an institution that teaches that virtue and justice are the only true criterions of merit , and that he is a brother who has charity for all mankind .

Masonry A Need Of Mankind.

Masonry will be a need of mankind as long as selfishness prevails—as long as other instrumentalities fail to influence communities to a perfect and practical morality—as long as religionists are intolerant , society exclusive , and the poor and weak are unprotected . As it is a

need of this age as well as of those which have preceded it , we have no fears of its demolition by the puny arms of superstition , fanaticism , and intolerance that are raised against it . It has met and withstood heavier shocks than these . When it is no longer needed—when its

work is done—whether that period comes in ten or ten thousand years , Masonry , honoured in life and crowned with glory for its noble charities in death , will sink calmly to rest . Then , and not until then 1 And no effort of intolerant priest or ignorant layman will hasten the period by a single hour . —Trowel .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Mark Ma Ster Masons For Cumberland & Westmoreland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS FOR CUMBERLAND & WESTMORELAND .

Thursday , the 7 th November , 1872 , will be long remembered as a " Red Letter Day " in the annals of Freemasonry in the

above Province , the occasion being thc Inauguration of thc newly formed Province of Mark Masters , and the Installation of its hig hly respected and popular Chief as Provincial Grand Master .

The ceremony was performed by the Ri g ht Worship ful P . G . M . M . Mason for Lancashire , Wm . Romaine Callender ; assisted by the R . W . P . G . M . M . Mason for Aberdeenshire , Capt . Hunter ; Very Worshipful

Bro . C . F . Matier , G . J . Warden ; Worshipful Bro . J ames Porter , G . S . Deacon * , Worshipful Bro . Thomas Hargreaves , G . J . Deacon ;

Jno . Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec , Lancashire ; W . O . Walker , P . G . Prov . M . M . O ., Lancashire ; Prince , P . P . G . S . Bearer ; W . Roberts , P . P . G . S . O ., Lancashire ; T . Walker , Prov G . D . C . ; J . Whitwell , M . P ., D . P . G . M . M .

Mason ; George Galloway , Prov . GJ . Warden , Lancashire ; F . W . Hayward , P . G . S . Deacon ; G . G . Hayward , P . G . Purst . ; T . Blacklock , P . G . S . Warden ; Rev . W . Cockett ; Edward Busher , P . G . S . Bearer , W . M . 60 , Court S . W . 60 ; Pratchitt , J . W . 60 ; J . A . Wheatley , M . O . 60 ; D . Bell

J . R . Tickle , 151 ; Jos . Nicholson , W . M , 151 ; Carter ; Rev . Rutherford , Chaplain , 147 ; G . Horder , M . D . ; W . Henry , M . D ., Whitehaven ; Geo . Carrick ; Geo . Shannon , M . D ., Wigton ; VV . Thornton ; W . B . Abrahams , T . li . Arnison , Barnes , Bewes , Fearon , etc ., etc ., etc .

The meeting was held under tlie auspices of the " Cumberland Lodge , No . 60 , " Carlisle . The Lodge was opened at high twelve ,

when Bros . Lord Bective , P . G . Master-elect , and Whitwell , D . P . G . Master-elect , were installed Worship ful Masters by special dispensation from the Grand Master .

Grand Lodge was opened at one o ' clock by Bro . Callender as Grand Master ; Capt . Hunter , Grand Senior Warden ; George Galloway , Grand Junior Warden ; and the rest of the offices by the Provincial Grand

Lodge Officers of Lancashire . The Right Worship ful Bro . thc Earl of Bective was then announced , and having been admitted , the patent of his appointment from the Grand Master was read .

He was then presented by V . W . Bros . Capt . Hunter , and C . F . Matier to the acting Grand Master , and by him installed and invested and proclaimed , with Grand Honours , Provincial Grand Master for Cumberland and Westmoreland . Thc Earl

of Bective then appointed his officers as follows : — John Whitwell , 60 , M . P . D . P . G . M . M . Edward Busher , P . G . S . B .. 60 P . G . S . W .