Masonic Notes.

The Annual Communication and Festival of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was held at the Masonic Hall , Boston , on the 30 th December last , when Bro . Henry Endicott , Past G . M ., installed the Grand Master elect , Bro . Samuel Wells , as Grand Master for the

year , after which the latter installed his Deputy Grand Master , and the other elected Grand Officers . After the proceedings in Grand Lodge , the brethren sat down to the usual banquet . The Grand Chapter of the State

met on the 17 th December , when Comps . John Albert Blake , was unanimously elected G . H . P . ; Eugene A . Holton , Deputy G . H . P . ; A . A . Burrill , G . King ; and G . H . Brazer , G . Scribe . Comp . Alfred J . Chapman retains his office of Grand Secretary .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

"MASONIC LANDMARKS AMONG THE HINDUS . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , After the publication of your kind notice in the Freemason of the 7 th instant , I do not think it would be out of place to say a few words on my paper

Masonic Landmarks among the Hindus . This paper has been written at the suggestion and request of Bro . G . W . Speth , Secretary Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , London . I have succeeded in tracing 20 Masonic landmarks from Hindu rites and ceremonies

—some dim , others clear and bold . The antiquity of Freemasonry does not strike me as belonging to A . D . I feel it must belong to B . C . long before the building of Solomon ' s Temple . The Craft may be said to have reached the culminating point in the days of King

Solomon ; but ages back its first foundation must have been as all beginnings are , small and require time to mature and develop . It is no easy task to upheave the dust of ' ages , yet much has been done ( and is being done ) in antiquarian exploration in the East . The Hindu Vidas would take you to 1000 or 1500 n . c . At

this date then I find rites and ceremonies so intricate as to lead me to suppose that the origin must be still far back . Has anything been found as to the probable date of Birs-Nimrud ? Some kind of organisation there must have been around the Tower of Babel , for the work was carried out to a certain height . Do the

Chaldaic tablets ( recently discovered ) throw any light on the exact whereabouts of the Tower of Babel ' . Have any explorations been made on the plain of Shinar ( Babylonia ) ? I seem to think the ( operative ) Masons began there the Craft , and formed a society or brotherhood to conduct there during work . The

brethren were the architects , overseers , foremen , & c , of the work . These ancient Masons must have had good knowledge of squares and rectangles , I think no one will doubt , or else the Tower could not have progressed as it did . The minor tools ( such as plumb rule , level , & c . ) were of course universally used from time immemorial ; the squares and rectangles were

later introductions for more advanced type of construction . With our progressive knowledge of the East , we may one day unexpectedly come across memorials of the past to unravel this long lost key to Freemasonry . In the meanwhile , I humbly crave for fragments of light . If you or your readers would enlighten me about excavations at Babylonia , I would feel greatly obliged . —Believe me , fraternally yours .

P . J . OLIVER MINOS , 1110 . February 16 th .

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir , Before leaving Peterborough I wish to offer my best thanks to those Freemasons who through their lodges , or individually , have so kindly assisted in the work of the restoration of Peterborough Cathedral by

presenting two stalls to commemorate the laying of the chief corner-stone ot the central tower with Masonic honours by the late Earl of Carnarvon in May , 18 S 4 . These stalls , bearing Masonic devices , occupy a prominent position in the newly-arranged choir , and are universall y admired by visitors to the Cathedral .

I hear with satisfaction that more than a sufficient sum has been raised to pay for these stalls , and that it is the intention of the two local Secretaries , Messrs . E . Nergette and H . C . Clarabut , to try and complete the gift by the erection of a third stall , in memory of the . late Earl of Carnarvon .

Without wishing to deprive your three grand Institutions of any support , I cannot but hope that the Freemasons of England will , with their usual liberality , respond to the appeal now being made ; for although my own connection with the Cathedral has ceased , I cannot cease to feel an interest in its restoration , and

as I said in my first letter , I believe the Dean and Chapter are glad to have the Masonic bod y directly and permanently connected with the Cathedral . —I am , dear Sir , yours faithfully , J . J . S . WORCESTER . February 16 th .

Reviews

REVIEWS

A CATALOGUE OF BIBLIOGRAPHIES , LISTS , AND CATALOGUES OF WORKS ON FREEMASONRY .

No one acquainted with the good deeds of our Bro . H . J . Whymper , CLE ., P . D . D . G . M . Punjab , will be surprised to hear he has been on the "war path " again , and this time more especially for the benefit of his brethren in India . He has compiled " A Catalogue of Bibliographies , Lists , and Catalogues

of Works on Freemasonry , " and had it printed for the information of the Masonic students of the "Albert Victor" Lodge , No . 2370 , Lahore . Only 100 copies are published in quarto , and contains some 16 pages , with exactly 114 distinct articles . We find , however , there are a few duplicates ,

besides 57 and 113 , which the editor enumerates . These arise from the difficulty of "cross" references in various catalogues examined most industriously by Bro . Whymper , and unless the works are actually known , it is impossible to decide as to their character .

But the few there are are unimportant , and the work is a great boon to the members of the Anglo-Indian " Quatuor Coronati " Lodge , No . 2370 , who surely will warmly appreciate this effort on their behalf by their distinguished member .

THE MASONIC VETERANS OF ILLINOIS ,

The " Masonic Veterans' Association" of Illinois , U . S . A ., appears to be the most prominent and active of those excellent societies peculiar to America , which so pleasantly unite in these gatherings of members of the Craft who have been 21 years and more " bearing the burden and heat of the day . " The annual reports of the

Association of Illinois are full of interesting particulars concerning its progress , with the names of the members , business transacted , & c . The fifth annual was held on October 29 th , 1890 , at Chicago , at the house of the beloved President , General J . C . Smith , popularly known for the purpose as "Smith's Inn , " and so

described in the handsome invitation card . The genial host and hostess did their utmost to render the meeting all that could be desired , and , rather tantalizing to those who could not attend , the report contains illustrations of the mansion , drawing rooms , & c , with most entertaining accounts of how the enjoyable evening was spent . The venerable chief delivered a most

appropriate address , the Secretary , Bro . G . W . Barnard , was all attention , and the charming lady of the household only ceased her kind attentions when the last guest had departed , so determined was Mrs . Smith to support her esteemed husband in rendering the meeting one to be remembered . Evidently the numerous guests are already preparing for the next .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

93 6 ] THE WILLIAM WATSON MS . The suggestion of Bro . Begemann that this MS ., as copy of an older one , should rank next to Regius and Cooke is warranted b y the facts , and I see that his

remarks in a general way agree with mine , but that he is inclined to seek the date of original compilation in a cause prior to the time of Henry VI . ; in this case we may perhaps fall back upon 1356 , when the Mayor and Sheriff of London reconciled the rival factions nf

Masons and hreemasons . This might possibly , as a Norman element , bring us to the origin of the prefix Free , in the freedom from certain duties allowed the Masons by Charles Martel , according to a French tradition , known to have been current in the thirteenth century . This trial of documents may tend to this

result : —1 . Euclid Charge : Bro . Speth clearly proves , by close examination , what was very apparent before upon comparison of the two oldest MSS ., that the Regius poem and the last part of Cooke MS . are the full ancient charge , which the Athelstan Masons attributed to Euclid . —A . Ceremonially , that these agree

in stating that Euclid organised an assembly in which apprentices were admitted by two steps to Fellow and Master ; and a confirmation that two steps existed in London in 1356 is found in the ten laws of the Mayor and Sheriff . Further , that this agrees with the grades of the ancient and modern French Companionage of

Jacques . —2 . Cooke Preface : That this includes a compilation of at least two other Masonic charges , clumsily dovetailed , and producing historic anachronism . The basis being French , with allusions to Charles Martel , an English Athelstan document is mingled with it , embracing the new matter in regard

to Adhabell and Austin , or St . Augustine , not included in the more ancient Euclid charge . —B . We may legitimately infer from other known circumstances that the Freemasons whom this series of charges represents considered themselves a superior body , and were

vvithout doubt the successors of that Eastern class of French Masons whom Bro . Hayter-Lewis has shown to have introduced a new style of hewing stone connected with pointed Gothic . The legendary charges of this French branch agrees entirely with the ancient and modern legends of thc

Masonic Notes And Queries.

French Companionage of Sons of Solomon . — 3 .: Watson MS . —This is clearly , to my mind , from a transcript quite independent of the Cooke MS ., properly speaking , but adding some new matter to that original . —C . Ceremonially , it seems to show ( considered vvith the foregoing ) that there were then

existing Masons of the Saxon regime , and Freemasons of the French or Norman regime , the former of whom accepted the pure Saxon charge and others the Norman charge . We seem also to see complete unity and the beginning of a change . —4 . Modern Charges : I think these are all evidently abridged from the last-named

document , when penal laws had shown the undesirable nature of large assemblies , and a new style of constitution was adopted , suitable for stationary town lodges . D . Ceremonially , it is represented by our old catechisms , and these , with the combined evidence of the foregoing , are quite sufficient to prove that there were

Apprentices who were made Fellows and afterwards Masters , and besides Presidents of the Assembly . An examination of these old catechisms , in lig ht of this theorising , will give peculiar results . Finally , in conclusion , the Biblical portions of what I term here the Norman charges may be examined in the light of

modern Babylonian discoveries , and the result is very peculiar and very satisfactory , if we ignore the Rabbinical chronology . The first inhabitants of Gan-eden were a civilised Turanian race , allied by language and a magical religion with the Fins , Mongols , proto-Medes , & c . They had descended from the mountains with the

Tigris and Euphrates , were pyramid builders , and possessed an alp habet . They adored the elemental spirits of nature , ruled by three great gods—Anu , Ea , and Mulgi . Ea ruled the earth from his heavenly boat ; Mulgi the underworld . There were two grand pillars of the world—the " Mount of the world " in the N . E .,

the abode of the gods , and in the S . W ., a corresponding mountain , behind which the sun set , whence was the descent to Mulgi's domains , guarded by seven circular walls . Ea possessed an ineffable word , which does not seem to have been known to the Magi , but it made its possessor all

powerful . The conquering Semites of Ethiopia and Elam planted themselves upon this Accadian race and accepted their magical ritual , simply renaming the gods in their own tongue , and amending the astrological science , adoring chiefly , however , the Sun-god , Moon-god , and Yav . The combined civilisation

became general , ancl the language the diplomatic tongue ot the world , 2000 n . c , when Egypt showed marked Chaldean leanings ; the mysteries of the Cabir , also called in translation artificers , were established in Samothrace , and are known to have been of Chaldean origin , even the three names of the gods are believed

to be reducible to Ahea , Ashur , Ahea—I am that I am—thus carrying us through Semitic to Accadian . All this is not very different to the Masonic account , if for the man Abraham we substitute Culte . But we have a still more curious coincidence in the organisation of this magical worship . The Finnish Magicians were

of three classes , and so were the Chaldean Magi , or , Chasdim . A very careful friend , who has resided a long time in India , informs me that there are certain outcast Kolarian tribes who practice three secret Degrees of magical rites , and which they claim have descended to them from a time before the invasion of

their plateau by the Aryans , and that in some places their great civilisation is proved by extensive ruins . The historian Heeren informs us that in the time of the Persian Empire the Magi were of three classes , ruled by a Chief Magi , in translation these classes are :

Disciple , Master , Complete Master , which , though differing somewhat from the terms used for our Three Degrees are yet almost identical in translation with those of tiie Companionage of Jacques . I add this slight sketch to show that the mine ? -is worth working . JOHN YARKER .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Gratt flDasonry ,

METROPOLITAN MEETINGS . Ranelagh Lodge ( No . 834 ) . —A meeting was held on Tuesday , the iotti instant , at the Criterion , Piccadilly , when there present Bros . Edwin Lucas , VV . M . ; F . Craggs , S . VV . j H . F . Williams , J . VV . ; H . Purdue , P . M ., P . Z ., Sec ; Arthur Williams , S . D . ; W . W . Williams , J . D . ; Hans Scharien , D . C ; E . Newland ,

I . G . ; H . Hewitt , Steward ; A . Wall-ley , P . M ., Tyler ; C Barker , P . M . ; F . J . Oliver , P . M . ; H . Shaw , P . M . ; J . G . Doncaster , P . M . ; James Sims , P . M . ; W . J * Bennett , J . Worth , C J . Chambers , J . C Morgan , Jean Stehr , J . M . Segar , M . F . Wilkins , W . Iceton , H . May , R . Collins , E . D . Richards , G . E . White , H . Stoke , H . J . Hardwick , A . Abrahams , A . Pauchin , C . Heinemann , !<•

Gerbert , H . R . Spooner , A . White , E . Lucas , R . Philips , VV . Iredale , H . J . Inderwick , R . S . Cartwright , H . Spencer , F . Herbert , ' ! ' , Blanch , and A . Buck . Visitors : Bros . J . G . Blyth , 16 S 1 : E . F . Nash , 1275 ; C B . Leatherby , 16 S 1 ; W . Coke , 21 GS ; R . Bennetts , 2309 ; H . C . Watson , P . M . ; M . O . Clarke , 901 ; and James Tapping ,

1 GS 7 . The lodge having been opened , Bro . W . J . Bennett was passed to the Second Degree , Messrs . E . J . A . Buck and and T . Blanch were initiated , both ceremonies being performed by Bro . Edwin Lucas , W . M ., in a most perfect manner . Three other gentlemen were proposed as candi '