"History Of Freemasonry And Concordant Orders."*

" fabrication of the English Royal Arch " was the work of the Ancients is likewise quite incorrect . There is reason to believe that Dermott was mainly responsible for incorporating the Royal Arch into Craft Masonry ,

and by offering Four Degrees to his supporters instead of the usual Three , he undoubtedly attracted many adherents to the " Ancient" Grand Lodge . But as Dermott died in June , 1791 , he can hardly be said "to have been the moving spirit" in this matter " until the beginning of the nineteenth century . "

The Grand Lodge of the " Moderns " did not officially acknowledge the Royal Arch until the " Union " of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 ; nevertheless it has been shown , over and over again , that the ceremony of "Exaltation" was practised in many lodges under the supposed sanction of their Craft warrants , and Lord

Blayney , who was the Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge from May , 1764 , to April , 1767 , shortly afterwards ( i e . on 22 nd July , 1767 ) , granted a "Charter of Institution and Protection" to the Grand Chapter formed from a Chapter held at the Turk's Head Tavern , Gerard-street , Soho ,

London . This , however , will scarcely bear the interpetation ( on p . 556 ) that in 177 6 [? 176 7 ] the Degree was " adopted by the Constitutional Grand Lodge , " or the " Moderns , " because it really never obtained official recognition by that body until 1813 , though virtually the ceremony was countenanced from the signing of this charter in 1767 .

There are some references throughout this Division to the English Craft working under the name of the "York Rite , " the members of the Grand Lodge of the Ancients being frequentl y designated " Ancient York Masons , " as they were first of all , but most erroneously and absurdly termed { vide my preliminary

observations to Division IV . of the volume under review ) . The statement ( on p . 556 ) that the Royal Arch Degree was adopted into the system of the " Ancients " during i ? j 8— 40 is not at all consonant with facts , inasmuch as that body—as I have stated —did not exist prior to 1751 .

The differences between the "Moderns" and the "Ancients "

were far from being insignificant , although Dr . Dalcho is reported to have so considered them , especially in the Third Degree , but that subject cannot be adequately treated in this article . Suffice it to say that the quotation from Dr . Oliver ( on p . 559 ) , that "the 'true word' was never lost , but transferred by the

seceding brethren at the great schism in 1 740 , to the Royal Arch , " is utterly unreliable . The French engraving of 1745 , with which I am well acquainted , only shows that at the period in question the Third Degree was more complete than it now is , in proof of

which I have only to state that there is a very significant reference to the subject in an old work ( " Masonry Dissected , l 12 ° ) '' where in the examination in " the Masters' Degree , " the question is asked "What was that which was lost and is now found ? " , The response being " The Master-Mason ' s word . "

The " Grand Chapter of all England " referred to at p . 561 , of course , means the body established at York , but the term Athol York Grand Lodge ( on p . 562 ) is a misnomer ; also the allusions to "Ancient York Lodges" ( p . 627 ) , are misleading and contrary to fact , though a distinction claimed for a time by Dermott and his friends .

It is evident that the lamented and talented author of this Division had not quite grasped all the difficulties with which English students are , I suppose , necessarily more familiar , but his quotation from Bro . Hughan ' s "Origin" in reference to the Royal Arch , that " the Degree or ceremony was known years

prior to the inauguration of the Schismatic Grand Lodge of I 75 '» " certainly indicates that had time permitted him a full revision of the text , our brother would have corrected the

inaccuracies to which I have adverted . He would have been much happier , and the work more reliable , had he carefully followed the conclusions in Bro . Hughan ' s " Origin of the English Rite . " 5

In this country the Mark Degree is altogether separate from the Craft and Royal Arch , hence it is not a pre-requisite for the chapter as in the United States and elsewhere . We do not in this country , moreover , work the Past Master ' s or Excellent Master ' s Degrees in connection with Capitular Masonry , but

these are communicated in a separate and distinct organisation . The Past Master ' s Degree is , of course , a very different ceremony to that now in use when installing a Master in the chair of a Craft lodge . This " passing the chair , " as it was termed , was generally a simple ceremony to qualify a Master Mason for exaltation in the Royal Arch .

The'historical references to the " Chair Degree , " as well as those of the Mark and the Order of "High Priesthood "—the latter having a supplemental chapter by Bro . E . J . Schultz ( the

well known historian of the Grand Lodge of Maryland)—are commendably dealt with , and the division is further enriched by a valuable plate of Masons' " Marks " from England , Scotland , India , & c . ( prepared by Bro . Hughan ); Chapter I . closing with

"History Of Freemasonry And Concordant Orders."*

a history of the organization of the Grand Royal Arch Chapters of Canada , Nova Scotia , Quebec , and New Brunswick . Chapter II . gives a very full account of the origin and organization of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States of America , which rightly claims to be " the

largest organization of Royal Arch Masons in existence ; " and this is followed by a lucid account of all the Grand Chapters in the United States , the whole of which , with the exception of Pennsylvania , Virginia , and West Virginia , are constituent parts of this " General " body . There can be no doubt whatever that

this history of the Capitular Degrees by Bro . Chapman is the best thing of the kind in extenso in the English language , especially if considered from an American point of view ; and the

splendid volume itself reflects the greatest credit on the Fraternity Publishing Company of Boston , U . S . A ., by whom it is issued , being invaluable to American Craftsmen particularl y , and to the Craft generally . J NO . LANE .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKSHIRE .

Nearly 20 years have elapsed since the Newbury Lodge of Freemasonsthe Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope , No . 574—received the Provincial Grand Lodge of Berks and Bucks , presided over by the late Bro . Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., and therefore it was quite natural that the proposal to hold the first annual Provincial Grand Lodge of the newly-constituted Province of

Berkshire , after the installation of H . R . H . the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , in the ancient Borough of Newbury , which can boast of one of the oldest lodges in the province , should evoke an unusual amount of interest and enthusiasm among the members of the Craft in the town and neighbourhood . At the onset the hope was entertained that his Royal Highness the Prov .

Grand Master would be able to preside , and that Newbury would enjoy the honour of a Royal visit , which had not been accorded to it for a lengthened period , and there is no doubt that had the Royal Duke been present a most enthusiastic reception would have been accorded to him , not only by the Masons , but also by the townspeople generally , who are always to the front

in manifesting their loyalty . Llnfortunately , however , circumstances did not allow of the presence of the young Prince , and in his absence , the duties of the chair devolved upon his Deputy , Bro . John T . Morland , by whom they were performed with such efficiency as to produce a most favourable impression on the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , who was much complimented

on the excellent manner in which he conducted the . business of the day . The local arrangements connected with the gathering were undertaken b y an influential Committee , consisting of the Mayor ( Bro . Stephen Knight , P . S . G . D . ) , the W . M . of the Hope Lodge , Bro . Reginald Maples ; and the Past Masters and officers of the lodge , the secretarial work being ably

performed by Bro . A . W . Neate . Bros . Skinner Hamngton , William Knight , G . J . Cosburn , and F . J . Harrold formed the Banquet Committee . Bros . S . Knight , jun ., and J . B . Ingram superintended the decorations , while the musical arrangements were entrusted to Bros . J . S . Liddle , P . G . Org ., and T . Hawkins , Hubert Knight , and J . Ingram .

The W . M ., with the Mayor and Bro . Cosburn , P . P . A . G . D . C , formed a deputation to receive the visitors on their arrival , and give them a cordial reception . The bulk of the brethren reached Newbury on the day by the 3 . 23 train , but the Abingdon Masons drove over .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the spacious Oddfellows' Hall , Craven-street , which , with the ante-rooms , had been admirably prepared for the purpose . The officers and brethren of the Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope met at 3 . 30 to receive the Provincial Grand Lodge , and this being the first gathering since the lamented decease of Bro . George M . Knight , P . M . ( brother of the Mayor ) , a vote of condolence with his widow and family was passed .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened punctually at four o'clock by the acting P . G . M ., who was supported by Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . Treas ., who acted as D . P . G . M . ; Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., and other distinguished Masons , who occupied the whole of the seats on the p latform . All the 13 lodges in the count ) ' were represented .

The PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY read the minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Reading in December last , which was confirmed and adopted , after which the Grand Lodge Officers and several other distinguished brethren were saluted in due form . Then followed an anthem , which was well rendered by the musical brethren already mentioned .

The general balance sheet and also the Charity fund report were presented , and approved on the motion of Bro . TOMKINS , seconded by Bro . BELTON . The PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARY presented a report as to the lodges in the province , which it appeared were in a flourishing condition .

Bro . DIXON , Secretary to the Charity fund , announced , amidst app lause , that there was as many as 448 votes standing to the credit of this province at the present time , and also that the province had been able to secure an annual grant for a widow of a well-known Mason , who had rendered good

service to Masonry in the Province of Berks and Bucks . The acting Provincial Grand Master , Bro . MORLAND , congratulated Bro . Dixon upon being able to hand over so large a number of votes for the Charities instead of beine in debt .

The next business was the consideration of the new by-laws , and also tne rules for the Charity Committee , which were gone through seriatim , and eventually adopted , on the proposal of the Senior Grand Warden , . KIRCHHOFFERseconded by the Junior Grand WardenBro . J . T . ^ cim 2 \

, , The PROV . SENIOR GRAND WARDEN proposed the re-election of oi ° - Charles Stephens , of Reading , as Provincial Grand Treasurer , which \ va seconded by the PROV . GRAND CHAPLAIN ( Bro . the Rev . Canon Garry ) ,

and unanimously agreed to . . Bros . S . G . Kirchhoffer , P . M . 1899 , and Colonel E . A . Ball , LP . M . the lodge , were then invested with the Charity bar , and Bro . Martin , ^ Prov . Grand Secretary , with the tri-colour Charity ribbon , he having serv jj the office of Steward at each of the Masonic Institutions . These bretnr were much applauded as they retired from the dais with their new badg