-
Articles/Ads
Article CONSTITUTION OF A PROV. GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER FOR GLOUCESTERSHIRE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article SOME ANCIENT YORK MASONS AND THEIR EARLY HAUNTS. Page 1 of 1 Article SOME ANCIENT YORK MASONS AND THEIR EARLY HAUNTS. Page 1 of 1 Article GRADE AND DEGREE. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Constitution Of A Prov. Grand Royal Arch Chapter For Gloucestershire.
qualities which had approved Sir Michael Hicks-Beach to the Fraternity ; but he expressed , on behalf of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the pleasure with which he had appointed to his present honour one who , having occupied a distinguished place in the councils of the nation , and whose time had shewn such
was so largely given to the public service , great interest in Masonry , and had governed his province with such distinguished ability . He hoped and believed that under Sir Michael's beneficent sway the Province of Gloucester would continue still further to grow and unfold in Masonic strength and unity .
The Grand Superintendent of the province then nominated as his Second and Third Principals Comps . Brook-Smith ( his Deputy ) , and H . Jeffs , and they were duly installed and proclaimed . The election of Treasurer followed , to which office Comp . Gwinnett ( Prov . G . Treas . ) was elected by the acclamation of the chapter . Comp . Phillips was also elected Janitor . The remaining officers were then appointed by the Grand Superintendent , the full list of appointments being as follows :
Comp . Right Hon . Sir Michael Hicks-Beach , Bart ., P . Z ., Prov . G . M . Gloucester ... ... Prov . G . Supt . „ J . Brook-Smith , M . A ., P . Z ., D . Prov . G . M . ... Prov . G . H . „ H . Jeffs , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W . Prov . G . J . „ E . Trinder , P . Z ., Prov . G . Sec . ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ A . V . Hatton , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W Prov . G . S . N .
„ J . Walker , M . A ., P . Z ., P . P . S . G . W . ... Prov . G . Pr . Soj „ T . ] . Cottle , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W Prov . G . Asst . Soj „ J . . Winterbotham , P . Z ., P . P . G . J . W . ... Prov . G . 2 nd A . S „ W . H . Gwinnett , P . Z ., Prov . G . Treas . ... Prov . G . Treas . „ VV . L . Bain , P . Z ., P . P . G . R . ... ... Prov . G . Reg .
„ F . VV . Fisher , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . W Prov . G . Swd . B „ W . B . Stocker , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . D . ... ... Prov . G . Std . B . „ L . Winterbotham , P . Z ., P . P . G . R . ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . A . Matthews ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ H . Phillips , Prov . G . Tyler ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor .
The ordinary business of the chapter having been transacted , Provincial Grand Chapter was closed , and the companions retired to the banqueting room , where an excellent dinner was served . The Grand Superintendent presided , and in the course of the toast list , acknowledging the fraternal cordiality with which his appointment had been received , he spoke of the pleasure it gave him to meet , in an atmosphere where party was unknown , the cordial and kindly friends who met him on occasions like the present .
An incident of the evening was the presentation to Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , on behalf of Comp . Jeffs , of one of the medals struck in 1791 upon the installation of the Prince of Wales , afterwards George the Fourth , as Grand Master of the Order .
Some Ancient York Masons And Their Early Haunts.
SOME ANCIENT YORK MASONS AND THEIR EARLY HAUNTS .
BY BRO . T . B . VVHYTEHEAD , YORK . Continued from page 529 . On the 16 th May a " gentleman " named Gregory Rhodes was admited , and on the 24 th June two more " gentlemen , " named Jno . Crossley and Wm . Johnstone , were initiated . . The latter seems to have been a doctor , and I suspect was a member of a Jacobite family of the name who lived at
Pontefract . One of them had a house in York , and was amongst the recusants who were punished by fine and imprisonment about this time . At the same time as the two last entered the Society , the following other " persons " were made : William Marshall , Ralph Campleman , Matthew Cellar ( his marke ) , Benjamin Campbell , William Muschamp , Wm . Robinson , Matthew Gray , John Bradleay , and John Hawman .
At this time the old lodge at York suffered from a little internal trouble . It is recorded under date of July 6 th , 1726 , that " Whereas it has been certify'd to me that Mr . 'Willm . Scourfield has presum'd to call a Lodge and make Masons without the consent of the Grand Master or Deputy , and in opposition to the Sth Article of the Constitutions , I do , with the consent of the Grand Master and the approbation of the whole Lodge , declare him to be disqualify'd from being a member of this Society , and he is hereby for ever banish'd from thc
same . " Such members as were assisting in constituting and forming Mr . Scourlield ' s Scismatical Lodge on the 24 of the last month , whose names are John Carpenter , William Musgrave , Thomas Allansen , and Thos . Preston , are , b y the same authority , liable to the same sentence ; * yet upon their acknowled g ing their error in being deluded and making such submission as shall be judg'd requisite by the Grand Master and Lodge at the next monthly meeting , shall be receiv'd into the favour of the Brotherhood , otherwise to be banish'd with Mr . Scourfield , and their names to be eras'd out of the Roll and Articles .
"If any other Brother or Brothers shall hereafter separate from us , or be aiding and assisting in forming any Lodge under the said Mr . Scourfield or other any person without due license for the same , He or they so offending shall be disown'das members of this Lodge , and for ever excluded from the same . " The names of Carpenter and Allansen have not appeared previously in the minutes .
On the same day , at the lodge at which the above minute was recorded , at Gibson ' s Hotel , in Blake-street , Henry Tireman and Will . Thompson were admitted . Tireman is an old York name . Henry Tireman was Sheriff in 1 744 . On August 13 th , 1726 , Bellingham Graham and Nic . Roberts were sworn . The former was a son of Sir Reginald Graham , of North Conyers . He died unmarried in 1730 .
The next minute is dated December 13 th , 1726 , and says that " at a private Lodge at the Star , in Stonegate , the Right Honble . Arthur Ld . Viscount Irwin was sworn and admitted . " This was a Scotch peerage , now extinct , and very short lived . The founder of the family was Hugh Ingram , a London merchant , who died in 1612 , having acquired the Temple Newsham property . The third viscount married an Isabel Machel , and
had nine sons , of whom five—Edward , Richard , Arthur , Henry , and George—were successively fourth , fifth , sixth , seventh , and eighth viscounts . Ihe last viscount died at Temple Newsham in 1778 . The first viscount was Secretary to the Council of the North at York , and had a mansion in the Minster-yard , where James , Duke of York and Albany and his Duchess were lodged during their visit to York , already mentioned .
wo cl ^" * " ' , ater another meeting was held at the Star , when Jno . Motley , Wm . Dayile , and Thos . Trowsell were sworn , and on the 22 nd of the same month Richard Woodhouse and Robart Selburn were admitted . Here we find a long gap in the records , extending to Midsummer , 1829 , during which time we have no record as to the doings of the York brethren . Happily within the last few days I have obtained some information , which
Some Ancient York Masons And Their Early Haunts.
has enabled me to bridge over a portion of the chasm , and placed us in possession of the name of another Grand Master at York . A short time ago , I noticed in an old copy of " Dcbrett" a statement that the first baronet of the Milner family was Grand Master of Freemasons in England . I knew that he had been made at York , as also that he had not been Grand Master of either of the Southern Bodies , and , after some inquiry and the kind assistanceof Capt . Clements Markham and of Bro . Sir F . G . Miiner , I have ascertained that the first baronet was Grand Master at York in 1728-0 . In
a MS . work in four volumes in Leeds Library , entitled " A Collection of Coats of Arms and Descents of the Several Families of the West Riding , from MSS . of John Hopkinson ; corrected by T . VVilson , of Leeds , " is the following entry under the name of Sir VV . Milner : On St . John Baptist Day , 1728 , at York , he was elected Grand Master of the Freemasons in England , being the 79 S successor from Edwin the Great . " This is an interesting addition to thc list of the York Grand Masters .
It would be still more interesting to discover the entire list of Grand Masters as given by the early Masons from Edwin at York , if such they promulgated . Thc number in descent from Edwin seems to show that they believed in a regular actual succession , and that they had a list of names . Where is this list now ?
Referring again to the roll of minutes , we find that on June 24 th , 1729 , " at St . John's Lodge , " at the Star Inn , Basil Forcer and John Lambe were sworn . These are both names of old Durham families . " The same day Edward Thompson , Junior , of Marston , Esq ., was chosen Grand Master ; Mr . John Wilmer , Deputy Grand Master ; Mr . George Rhodes and Mr . George Reynoldson , Grand Wardens for the year ensuing , and afterwards the Grand Master was pleased to order ye following appointments , viz . :
" I do appoint Dr . Johnson and Mr . Drake , Mr . Marsden , Mr . Denton , Mr . Brigham , Mr . R . Marsh , and Air . Ettv to assist in regulating ye state of the Lodge , and redressing from time to time any inconveniences that may arise . " EDWD . THOMPSON , Grand Master . "
Here , again it will be noted are names occurring for the first time . This Board of General Purposes cannot have been a success . At all events , no lodge meetings are recorded until the 4 th May , 1730 , when one was held at the White Swan , in Petergate , and it was then " Order'd by thc Dep . Master then present that if from thenceforth any of the officers of ye Lodge should be absent from ye company at ye monthl y Lodges they shall forfeit the sum of one shilling for each omission . "J WILMER , Dep . G . M . "
This is the last entry on the parchment roll of minutes . Edward Thompson , junior , was the grandson of Sir Henry Thompson , of Marston , who was Lord Mayor in 1663 and the ancestor of the present Lord Wenlock .
It will be observed that throughout the whole of thc foregoing minutes no mention whatever is made of degrees , so that either the three must have been conferred in one evening , or , what is more likely , thc ceremony was much simpler than what was practised elsewhere , and was , in fact , a survival of the old guild ceremony and a simple swearing in and communication of tokens and words .
It is possible that some of the descendants of these ancient brethren may possess family papers and records that would throw li ght upon our early history . That such things must exist is certain , and the only difficulty is in getting at them . Perhaps this list of their names may have the effect of drawing attention to Ihe subject .
Grade And Degree.
GRADE AND DEGREE .
There seems to be a little confusion in the use of these words in a recent controversy in the Freemason , which it may not bc amiss to consider and touch upon . The words are used as if there was an essential difference between them , whereas , to say the truth , strictly speaking , they are " ab origine" identical in meaning . No doubt , common usage and familiar handling seem to have brought about a difference ; but whether that difference is really justifiable is a matter of grave doubt , and deserves careful
consideration . In a popular work their difference is thus summarized—for instance , Degree means " quality , class , station , " as well as " the 360 th part of a circle , " and " 60 geographical miles ; " whereas Grade is said to denote " rank , degree , a s * ep . " VVhen , however , we look into the matter closely we find that Degree comes from the Norman- French " Degre , " and the Grade from "Graad , " a Saxon or Scandinavian word , though Johnson seems to think it also comes from the French ; and there is a French word Grade , which means the same as Degree .
Both words are derived from the Latin " gradus , " one of several steps , though there was a substantive " gradatio , " staircase , and there was an adjective gradatus , and an adverb gradation *! . Some have derived the word from gradior or gradatic , but the best derivation is clearly gradus , which alike may be translated by Degree and Grade .
Still there is a difference in common use . It is perhaps hardly safe to say , as we might be tempted to do , that the difference is between the person and the thing , but there seems to be almost a margin as between the abstract idea and the concrete fact . VVhen it is said , nevertheless , there was one Degree and two Grades before 1717 , we confess that we hardl y are able to follow the able writer in his conclusions .
We understand him , indeed , to mean that there was one degree conferred with a ceremonial , & c , and two other honorary steps or distinctions . But , as wc said before , we venture to doubt if any such difference in the meaning of the words can be safely sustained , or whether there was any such valid difference and so clearly marked . Is it not a distinction rather without a difference ?
We think we grasp the idea intended to be conveyed , —that there was a difference between a Degree conferred , and a merely titular distinction ; but then , as we said before , wc doubt if the words will bear it , and whether it is quite safe philologically or terminologically to adopt such a difference of meaning , much less to assert that such a distinction then existed or was recognized . We must always bear in mind that our use of many English
words is very corrupt and by no means expert ; and that because we affix a certain meaning to words to-day it is by no means clear that it is anything but a passing use , without authority ancl without right . Johnson clearly saw no difference in the meaning . He tells us that Grade was then a word of modern introduction , but that it meant rank , degree , and that
Degree meant quality , rank , station , place of dignity . He gives us examples of the use in other meanings of first Degree , second , third , fourth Degrees . Therefore , we think a word of caution needful , as we do not feel sure at all that we are warranted , in the common usage of the hour , to make any distinction really and truly as between Degree and Grade ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Constitution Of A Prov. Grand Royal Arch Chapter For Gloucestershire.
qualities which had approved Sir Michael Hicks-Beach to the Fraternity ; but he expressed , on behalf of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the pleasure with which he had appointed to his present honour one who , having occupied a distinguished place in the councils of the nation , and whose time had shewn such
was so largely given to the public service , great interest in Masonry , and had governed his province with such distinguished ability . He hoped and believed that under Sir Michael's beneficent sway the Province of Gloucester would continue still further to grow and unfold in Masonic strength and unity .
The Grand Superintendent of the province then nominated as his Second and Third Principals Comps . Brook-Smith ( his Deputy ) , and H . Jeffs , and they were duly installed and proclaimed . The election of Treasurer followed , to which office Comp . Gwinnett ( Prov . G . Treas . ) was elected by the acclamation of the chapter . Comp . Phillips was also elected Janitor . The remaining officers were then appointed by the Grand Superintendent , the full list of appointments being as follows :
Comp . Right Hon . Sir Michael Hicks-Beach , Bart ., P . Z ., Prov . G . M . Gloucester ... ... Prov . G . Supt . „ J . Brook-Smith , M . A ., P . Z ., D . Prov . G . M . ... Prov . G . H . „ H . Jeffs , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W . Prov . G . J . „ E . Trinder , P . Z ., Prov . G . Sec . ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ A . V . Hatton , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W Prov . G . S . N .
„ J . Walker , M . A ., P . Z ., P . P . S . G . W . ... Prov . G . Pr . Soj „ T . ] . Cottle , P . Z ., P . P . J . G . W Prov . G . Asst . Soj „ J . . Winterbotham , P . Z ., P . P . G . J . W . ... Prov . G . 2 nd A . S „ W . H . Gwinnett , P . Z ., Prov . G . Treas . ... Prov . G . Treas . „ VV . L . Bain , P . Z ., P . P . G . R . ... ... Prov . G . Reg .
„ F . VV . Fisher , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . W Prov . G . Swd . B „ W . B . Stocker , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . D . ... ... Prov . G . Std . B . „ L . Winterbotham , P . Z ., P . P . G . R . ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . A . Matthews ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ H . Phillips , Prov . G . Tyler ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor .
The ordinary business of the chapter having been transacted , Provincial Grand Chapter was closed , and the companions retired to the banqueting room , where an excellent dinner was served . The Grand Superintendent presided , and in the course of the toast list , acknowledging the fraternal cordiality with which his appointment had been received , he spoke of the pleasure it gave him to meet , in an atmosphere where party was unknown , the cordial and kindly friends who met him on occasions like the present .
An incident of the evening was the presentation to Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , on behalf of Comp . Jeffs , of one of the medals struck in 1791 upon the installation of the Prince of Wales , afterwards George the Fourth , as Grand Master of the Order .
Some Ancient York Masons And Their Early Haunts.
SOME ANCIENT YORK MASONS AND THEIR EARLY HAUNTS .
BY BRO . T . B . VVHYTEHEAD , YORK . Continued from page 529 . On the 16 th May a " gentleman " named Gregory Rhodes was admited , and on the 24 th June two more " gentlemen , " named Jno . Crossley and Wm . Johnstone , were initiated . . The latter seems to have been a doctor , and I suspect was a member of a Jacobite family of the name who lived at
Pontefract . One of them had a house in York , and was amongst the recusants who were punished by fine and imprisonment about this time . At the same time as the two last entered the Society , the following other " persons " were made : William Marshall , Ralph Campleman , Matthew Cellar ( his marke ) , Benjamin Campbell , William Muschamp , Wm . Robinson , Matthew Gray , John Bradleay , and John Hawman .
At this time the old lodge at York suffered from a little internal trouble . It is recorded under date of July 6 th , 1726 , that " Whereas it has been certify'd to me that Mr . 'Willm . Scourfield has presum'd to call a Lodge and make Masons without the consent of the Grand Master or Deputy , and in opposition to the Sth Article of the Constitutions , I do , with the consent of the Grand Master and the approbation of the whole Lodge , declare him to be disqualify'd from being a member of this Society , and he is hereby for ever banish'd from thc
same . " Such members as were assisting in constituting and forming Mr . Scourlield ' s Scismatical Lodge on the 24 of the last month , whose names are John Carpenter , William Musgrave , Thomas Allansen , and Thos . Preston , are , b y the same authority , liable to the same sentence ; * yet upon their acknowled g ing their error in being deluded and making such submission as shall be judg'd requisite by the Grand Master and Lodge at the next monthly meeting , shall be receiv'd into the favour of the Brotherhood , otherwise to be banish'd with Mr . Scourfield , and their names to be eras'd out of the Roll and Articles .
"If any other Brother or Brothers shall hereafter separate from us , or be aiding and assisting in forming any Lodge under the said Mr . Scourfield or other any person without due license for the same , He or they so offending shall be disown'das members of this Lodge , and for ever excluded from the same . " The names of Carpenter and Allansen have not appeared previously in the minutes .
On the same day , at the lodge at which the above minute was recorded , at Gibson ' s Hotel , in Blake-street , Henry Tireman and Will . Thompson were admitted . Tireman is an old York name . Henry Tireman was Sheriff in 1 744 . On August 13 th , 1726 , Bellingham Graham and Nic . Roberts were sworn . The former was a son of Sir Reginald Graham , of North Conyers . He died unmarried in 1730 .
The next minute is dated December 13 th , 1726 , and says that " at a private Lodge at the Star , in Stonegate , the Right Honble . Arthur Ld . Viscount Irwin was sworn and admitted . " This was a Scotch peerage , now extinct , and very short lived . The founder of the family was Hugh Ingram , a London merchant , who died in 1612 , having acquired the Temple Newsham property . The third viscount married an Isabel Machel , and
had nine sons , of whom five—Edward , Richard , Arthur , Henry , and George—were successively fourth , fifth , sixth , seventh , and eighth viscounts . Ihe last viscount died at Temple Newsham in 1778 . The first viscount was Secretary to the Council of the North at York , and had a mansion in the Minster-yard , where James , Duke of York and Albany and his Duchess were lodged during their visit to York , already mentioned .
wo cl ^" * " ' , ater another meeting was held at the Star , when Jno . Motley , Wm . Dayile , and Thos . Trowsell were sworn , and on the 22 nd of the same month Richard Woodhouse and Robart Selburn were admitted . Here we find a long gap in the records , extending to Midsummer , 1829 , during which time we have no record as to the doings of the York brethren . Happily within the last few days I have obtained some information , which
Some Ancient York Masons And Their Early Haunts.
has enabled me to bridge over a portion of the chasm , and placed us in possession of the name of another Grand Master at York . A short time ago , I noticed in an old copy of " Dcbrett" a statement that the first baronet of the Milner family was Grand Master of Freemasons in England . I knew that he had been made at York , as also that he had not been Grand Master of either of the Southern Bodies , and , after some inquiry and the kind assistanceof Capt . Clements Markham and of Bro . Sir F . G . Miiner , I have ascertained that the first baronet was Grand Master at York in 1728-0 . In
a MS . work in four volumes in Leeds Library , entitled " A Collection of Coats of Arms and Descents of the Several Families of the West Riding , from MSS . of John Hopkinson ; corrected by T . VVilson , of Leeds , " is the following entry under the name of Sir VV . Milner : On St . John Baptist Day , 1728 , at York , he was elected Grand Master of the Freemasons in England , being the 79 S successor from Edwin the Great . " This is an interesting addition to thc list of the York Grand Masters .
It would be still more interesting to discover the entire list of Grand Masters as given by the early Masons from Edwin at York , if such they promulgated . Thc number in descent from Edwin seems to show that they believed in a regular actual succession , and that they had a list of names . Where is this list now ?
Referring again to the roll of minutes , we find that on June 24 th , 1729 , " at St . John's Lodge , " at the Star Inn , Basil Forcer and John Lambe were sworn . These are both names of old Durham families . " The same day Edward Thompson , Junior , of Marston , Esq ., was chosen Grand Master ; Mr . John Wilmer , Deputy Grand Master ; Mr . George Rhodes and Mr . George Reynoldson , Grand Wardens for the year ensuing , and afterwards the Grand Master was pleased to order ye following appointments , viz . :
" I do appoint Dr . Johnson and Mr . Drake , Mr . Marsden , Mr . Denton , Mr . Brigham , Mr . R . Marsh , and Air . Ettv to assist in regulating ye state of the Lodge , and redressing from time to time any inconveniences that may arise . " EDWD . THOMPSON , Grand Master . "
Here , again it will be noted are names occurring for the first time . This Board of General Purposes cannot have been a success . At all events , no lodge meetings are recorded until the 4 th May , 1730 , when one was held at the White Swan , in Petergate , and it was then " Order'd by thc Dep . Master then present that if from thenceforth any of the officers of ye Lodge should be absent from ye company at ye monthl y Lodges they shall forfeit the sum of one shilling for each omission . "J WILMER , Dep . G . M . "
This is the last entry on the parchment roll of minutes . Edward Thompson , junior , was the grandson of Sir Henry Thompson , of Marston , who was Lord Mayor in 1663 and the ancestor of the present Lord Wenlock .
It will be observed that throughout the whole of thc foregoing minutes no mention whatever is made of degrees , so that either the three must have been conferred in one evening , or , what is more likely , thc ceremony was much simpler than what was practised elsewhere , and was , in fact , a survival of the old guild ceremony and a simple swearing in and communication of tokens and words .
It is possible that some of the descendants of these ancient brethren may possess family papers and records that would throw li ght upon our early history . That such things must exist is certain , and the only difficulty is in getting at them . Perhaps this list of their names may have the effect of drawing attention to Ihe subject .
Grade And Degree.
GRADE AND DEGREE .
There seems to be a little confusion in the use of these words in a recent controversy in the Freemason , which it may not bc amiss to consider and touch upon . The words are used as if there was an essential difference between them , whereas , to say the truth , strictly speaking , they are " ab origine" identical in meaning . No doubt , common usage and familiar handling seem to have brought about a difference ; but whether that difference is really justifiable is a matter of grave doubt , and deserves careful
consideration . In a popular work their difference is thus summarized—for instance , Degree means " quality , class , station , " as well as " the 360 th part of a circle , " and " 60 geographical miles ; " whereas Grade is said to denote " rank , degree , a s * ep . " VVhen , however , we look into the matter closely we find that Degree comes from the Norman- French " Degre , " and the Grade from "Graad , " a Saxon or Scandinavian word , though Johnson seems to think it also comes from the French ; and there is a French word Grade , which means the same as Degree .
Both words are derived from the Latin " gradus , " one of several steps , though there was a substantive " gradatio , " staircase , and there was an adjective gradatus , and an adverb gradation *! . Some have derived the word from gradior or gradatic , but the best derivation is clearly gradus , which alike may be translated by Degree and Grade .
Still there is a difference in common use . It is perhaps hardly safe to say , as we might be tempted to do , that the difference is between the person and the thing , but there seems to be almost a margin as between the abstract idea and the concrete fact . VVhen it is said , nevertheless , there was one Degree and two Grades before 1717 , we confess that we hardl y are able to follow the able writer in his conclusions .
We understand him , indeed , to mean that there was one degree conferred with a ceremonial , & c , and two other honorary steps or distinctions . But , as wc said before , we venture to doubt if any such difference in the meaning of the words can be safely sustained , or whether there was any such valid difference and so clearly marked . Is it not a distinction rather without a difference ?
We think we grasp the idea intended to be conveyed , —that there was a difference between a Degree conferred , and a merely titular distinction ; but then , as we said before , wc doubt if the words will bear it , and whether it is quite safe philologically or terminologically to adopt such a difference of meaning , much less to assert that such a distinction then existed or was recognized . We must always bear in mind that our use of many English
words is very corrupt and by no means expert ; and that because we affix a certain meaning to words to-day it is by no means clear that it is anything but a passing use , without authority ancl without right . Johnson clearly saw no difference in the meaning . He tells us that Grade was then a word of modern introduction , but that it meant rank , degree , and that
Degree meant quality , rank , station , place of dignity . He gives us examples of the use in other meanings of first Degree , second , third , fourth Degrees . Therefore , we think a word of caution needful , as we do not feel sure at all that we are warranted , in the common usage of the hour , to make any distinction really and truly as between Degree and Grade ,