Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

PAGE M ASONIC HISTORIANS , NO . 2 . — Bros . John Sheville ancl James L . Gould ... 507 F REEMASONRY IN ENGLAND ... ... 507 & 508

REVIEWSProvincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire ... 508 S COTLANDThe Craft 508 Royal Arch Masonry .. ... ... ... 508 THE NEW CHAPTER OF IMPROVEMENT 509 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS ... 509

THE C RAFT Metropolitan 509 & 510 Provincial 510 & 511 ROVAL ARCHMetropolitan ... ... ... 511 Provincial ... ... ... 511 MARK

MASONRYMetropolitan ... ... ... ... .. 511 Provincial ... ... ... ... ... 511 BIRTHS , MARRIAGES , AND DEATHS 512 MASONIC INSTRUCTION 512 MULTUM IN PARVO 513 ORIGINAL

CORRESPONDENCEThe Purple 514 Uniformity of Working 514 Relief in Scotland 514 An Earnest Appeal to the Craft 514 The Sphinx ... ... ... ... ... 514

"A Query" 514 & 515 THE FREEMASONS' LIFE BOAT 515 MASONRY IN NEW SOUTH WALES 515

POETRYThe Star in the East ... ... ... ... 515 Fading Flowers ... ... ... ... ... 515 The Sacred Cord 515 PROV . GRAND LODGE OF WEST LANCASHIRE 516 & 517 CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE ALBANY

LODGE , NO . 38 9 517 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 518 ADVERTISEMENTS 505 , 506 , 518 , 519 , & 520

Masonic Historians.—No. 2.

MASONIC HISTORIANS . —No . 2 .

BROTHERS JOHN SHEVILLE AND JAMES L . GOULD . BY BRO . WILLIAM J AMES HUGHAN . ( Continued from page 61 . J For our first sketch of Masonic authors

we selected our friend and brother , J . G . Findel , of Leipzig , the historian of Freemasonry ; we now present to our readers two well-known Masons of the United

States for our next nottceof living worthies . Bro . John Sheville , P . G . H . P . of New Jersey , and Bro . James L . Gould , P . G . H . P . of Connecticut , established their reputation as Royal Arch Masons by writing the

" Manual of the Chapter , " or a monitor for Royal Arch Masonry , containing the degrees of Mark Master , Past Master , Most Excellent Master , and Royal Arch ,

together with thc Order of High Priesthood , the ceremonies for installing the officers of a chapter , with forms of Masonic documents . We wish the work were more

generally known in this country , and regret that the large and important firm entitled " The Masonic Publishing and Manufacturing Company , 432 , Broome-street , New York , U . S , " have not as yet appointed a

representative at London , so that the Fraternity in the British Isles may be able to procure copies of the several excellent treatises on Freemasonry published by them . We have advised them to do so ,

because many of our friends have been unable to secure the various works through their booksellers . We think that the proprietor of THE FREEMASON , with the means

at his command , might , with his usual enterprising spirit , obtain such an appointment for the benefit of British Masons generally , as also for the valuable work issued by the American Masonic Publishing

Masonic Historians.—No. 2.

Association , 114 , Main-street , Cincinnati , Ohio , U . S ., viz ., "The History of Freemasonry , " by Emmanuel Rebold , M . D . ( translated by the Masonic scholar , J . Fletcher Brennan , editor of the American

Freemason ) . * But to return to the main subject of these remarks . So great was the support given to the " Manual of the Chapter , " that Bro . James L . Gould , in response to the oft-expressed desire for the

publication of a similar work , only in a more extended form , decided to issue the " Guide to the Royal Arch Chapter , together with a Historical Introduction , Explanatory Notes , and Critical Emendations "

( New York , 1868 , 8 vo ., pp . 272 , plates , & c ) . It is of this work we intend more particularly to speak . Although it is mainly based on the original Manual , yet so much has been added , that it may now fairly be

described as one of the best guides extant for every companion who is anxious to properly understand and appreciate the ceremonies and symbolism of the capitular degrees . The introduction is exceedingly

well written . The author , after observing "that the Order does not depend on its antiquity for its value to the world : were it but the creation of yesterday , this fact would not impair the force of its solemn

obligations , diminish its claims upon the good-will of mankind , nor lessen in any degree the sublimity and importance of its teachings , " remarks that " The intelligent Mason regards the Order as the custodian

of great and sublime truths , and loves it for what it is , and not simply for what it may have been in the past . He follows its teachings because they lead him upward and onward to a higher and better

condition . It may be said that there never was so great a demand for facts and light on the important subject of Craft and Royal Arch Masonry ; and certainly a few more of the character of this " Guide " would soon

materially satisfy the cravings of many intelligent brethren who are anxious to really obtain something like a correct knowledge of the Royal Art . We are not fired with such enthusiasm as Bro . Gould is

in reference to the superiority of the chapter degrees , as we give place to none in our admiration of the three first degrees , entitled pre-eminently " Craft Masonry . " Our brother considers that these chapter degrees

have a higher claim to the title , because the symbolism of the three last in connection with the three first degrees , in regular and successive steps , bears the same relation to the grand omnific symbol of truth

brought to light in the Royal Arch Degree —the seventh degree—that the shadow does to the substance . These remarks are followed by a concise history of the origin of the English Royal Arch , or " Dermott ' s

degree , " as it is designated at page 11 . To our minds , however , there is no work comparable with the " Origin of the Royal Arch , " by the Rev . Dr . George Oliver ( London : R . Spencer ) , on such a subject .

This " Guide " is , nevertheless , the complement of Bro . Dr . Oliver ' s " Origin ; " and with these tzvo no Masonic student can fail to obtain a rational view of the history , character , and importance of Royal Arch

Masonry ( as the second part of the Master Masons' Degree , now unfortunately given separately , but formerly communicated to thc Master Mason in a simple and less pretentious form than the present ritual ) . Bro .

Gould rather confounds the destruction of valuable papers , in 1720 , at London , with the old lodge at York city , and erroneously states that in 1717 the Masonic authority at York bore the title of " The Grand Lodge of All England . " Such a title was un-

Masonic Historians.—No. 2.

known before the latter half of the last century , and the first Grand Lodge was not formed at York , but at London . ( To be continued ) .

Freemasonry In England.

FREEMASONRY IN ENGLAND .

BY THE SON OF SALATHIEL . ( Continued from page 476 . J At the same meeting ( 2 nd September , 1752 ) it is recorded that the Grand Committee was " opened as in ancient form of Grand

Lodge , and every part of real Freemasonry was traced and explained , except the Royal Arch . " On the 14 th September the committee met again , and resolved that warrants and dispensations should'in future be

granted only by their sanction , ( as per vote 17 th July , 175 1 , ) as previous to this period the Masters of lodges—and notably the W . M . ' s of Nos . 1 and 4—had exercised the power of forming and chartering lodges at theirown discretion .

Thecommitteemeeting on the 3 rd November was well attended , and Bro . Dermott again broached the subject of the Grand Mastership ; a discussion ensued , and the names of Lords Chesterfield , Ponsonby , Inchiquin and Blesinton were

suggested as those of fitting candidates for that high position . On the 6 th December the Grand Secretary produced , for the inspection of the brethren , a very old Masonic MS . written or copied by one

Bramhall , of Canterbury , in the reign of Henry VII . From this time forward , for the space of a twelvemonth , the records contain nothing but accounts of the strenuous but futile attempts of Dermott to establish

a Grand Lodge under the patronage of some noble brother . At length , finding that his exertions were unsuccessful , on the 5 th December , 1753 , he moved that the Committee do organise themselves as a

Supreme Body ; and upon obtaining their assent , Bro . Robert Turner was at once elected the first Grand Master of the "Grand Lodge of England , according to the Old Institutions . " Bro . William Ranking was

selected as Deputy , and Bros . Samuel Quay and Lachlan Mcintosh had the honour of being chosen as the first Grand Wardens . The term " Grand Lodge " cannot therefore be applied to any meeitng of the Ancients

prior to the memorable 5 th December 1753 . It may be remarked , that at this period the Grand Secretary was an unpaid official , and that in consequence of the recalcitrant conduct of the Grand Tyler , Bro . Dermott

himself had to deliver the notices of meetings to the members of the Committee ; this work however , proved too onerous even for a willing spirit , inasmuch as many hours' labour each day at his trade left Bro .

Dermott but little leisure for the performance of such uncongenial duties . Upon representing these facts , the Committee , who began to appreciate their Secretary ' s abilityandzealat once relieved him from his

irksome , but self-imposed task . During Bro . Turner ' s Grand Mastership , the " Ancient " Fraternity advanced in numbers slowly but surely . On one occasion there were seventy members present in the Grand Lodge , and

matters progressed very favourably until St . John ' s Day , thc 27 th Dec , 1754 , when the Hon . Edward Vaughan was installed as Grand Master , in succession to Bro . Turncr . Having once obtained a scion of a noble house to

rule over them , the course of the "Ancients " grew smoother , lodges increased , men of good position joined , and the exchequer began to exhibit convalescent symptoms . Bro . Vaughan ' s reign extended over two years , and he appears to have been an active