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has assisted eleven others xvith outfits , & c . It has turned a balance to debit of £ 600 to a balance of credit of over £ 500 , and has a considerable sum invested . The governing body is now building a nexv Orphanage , for which £ 13 , 000 has been promised , and £ 10 , 00 . 0 so far paid ; and this useful and valuable Institution has a claim and interest , for English as xvell as Irish

Masons . Its annual expenditure is about £ 2000 , and its annual income about £ 2000 . The cost per head seems to be in gro ? s £ 39 ios ., and exclusive of office - expenses , £ 37 15 s . The average amount expended on former pupils in outfits , & c , xvas £ 23 . It is calculated-that for £ 30 per

annum each all additional pupils can be accommodated , so that £ 1100 per annum more would enable the Institution to have its complement of seventy pup ils . We xvish this well-managed and useful and meritorious Institution all success and prosperity .

* * ANOTHER Medium caught in the act of spirit representation I What more ? What next ? How far is credulity to go , on the one hand , or imposture on the other ? This xvise and cultivated age , xvhich seems in many things to boast of the " credulity of the incredulous , " appears to be alternating betxveen abject " fetish , " absurd fanaticism , and irrational scepticism .

* # THE Sydney Morning Herald , of July 15 th , notices Bro . HUGHAN ' exposure of the unmasonic tactics of the Sydney Freemason . But as it is useless

to "slay" the " twice slain , " we think it hardly worth while to prolong the discussion . We quite agree with Bro . Hughan ' s xvell merited rebuke of even only such " an insignificant" addition . We refer our readers to Bro . Higstrim ' s letter elsewhere .

Review.

REVIEW .

THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . By Bro . R . F . GOULD , P . G . D . Thomas C . Jack , 45 , Ludgate-hill , E . C . Second Notice . The more xve look into this xvork the more we realize its abstact worth and scientific reality . It deals lucidly and dispassionately with theories and statements which some have denied and others doubted . It is especially rich in its details referring to the Steinmelzen . Bro . Gould has given us the

Strasburg Ordinances for the first time in English , and which deserve careful study , as the conclusions to xvhich Bro . Gould has arrived seem to us to be fully warranted , both by the new facts anent the Steinmetzen he so clearly educes , and by the exhaustive manner in which he has touched upon their customs and ordinances , as well as those of synchronous operative bodies . Much that he has noxv collected is nexv to English Freemasons . Bro .

Gould arrives at results which undoubtedly antagonize the German viexv of , and treatises on the Steinmetzen . It is surprising to us that those many acute writers in Germany , xvho have handled this subject , never seem to have realized the paradox they were propounding , and the dilemma for themselves xvhich they had so laboriously established . If their theory xvas correct , as based on the Abbe Grandidier ' s facetious

assumptions , ( the " chaff" of this writer xvas never appreciated by our good friends in Germany ) , then the establishment of " The Freimaurer , " ( a nexv name ) , in Germany , under English warrants or Scottish ritual xvas altogether needless . In England , it will be remembered , the lodges met in 1717 , ( xvhatever their actual numbers ) , and re-established , if their statements be correct , a Grand Lodge , and the

Quarterly Communications of an alleged Grand Assembly . The earliest members of the Revival were many of them confessedly of the trade of Masonry , and whatever may have been the true character of seventeenth century Freemasonry , there is no nexv departure positively in 1717 , and such as Freemasonry was before 1717 , such it seems to be after . We admit readily that xve are still very much in a haze as to seventeenth century Freema-6 in 1682 and

sonry . The evidence , such as it is , seems to point in 164 , , , according to Dr . Plot , to an Order , partly operative , partly speculative ; and the Sloane MS ., if it be of seventeenth century verbiage , as , xvith Dr . Plot , points to Operative Masonry also as part and parcel of the system . Whatever future researches may establish , one thing is already clear , that the position of England and Germany , as regards these Craft Gilds ,

"Steinmetzen , " & c , is essentially different . If the common German theory -be true , elaborated by Fallou , Heldmann , and Winzer . and others , and accepted by Findel , the Steinmetzen had a ritual of Benedictine arrangement , very similar to that of Speculative Freemasonry ; but of this important reality , if real , no evidence , except assertion , has , so far , been made available . And the known historical facts of the case emphatically contradict any such viexv of the

matter . The Steinmetzen Hutten existed in Germany , as Kioss tells us , up to 1770 , and some say even later ; the Freimaurer began existence from about 1730 ( in round numbers ) . There is no evidence of any mutual recognition or common nature or xvork . The Freimaurer lodges are purely speculative , the Steinmetzen Hutten purely operative ; and , indeed , German Masonry developed , as xve know , into a society of the cultivated classes , culminating in the High Grades , into some of xvhich none but " gentlemen " could be admitted .

Hence , it seems to us that thegeneral idea , that modern German Freemasonry hailed from the Steinmetzen , must be abandoned . Bro . Gould shoxvs conclusively that it is doubtful whether they had , like us , a " secreta receptio , " or " secreta , " or " aporreta more Masonico * , " and , if so , we must abandon suppositious coincidences , and that far too general system of hasty and inaccurate induction , and unverified and repetitive assertions . Our remarks on this interesting topic have already extended to such a length that , for fear of trying the patience of our readers , xve stop here to-day .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire was held at the Market Hall , Northwich , on the 6 th inst ., under the banner of the Lodge of Sincerity No . 428 . The Northxvich brethren had made great preparations for the event , the Market Hall itself and the principal streets of the otherwise dingy looking toxvn , shewing evidence of many weeks

work in the matter of decorations , xvhich were certainly most effective , and elicited many expressions of admiration from the brethren assembled . It must have been , therefore , a source of considerable disappointment to the Northwich brethren , as indeed it xvas to the three or four hundred Masons present , when it became knoxvn , shortly before the hour fixed for opening Provincial Grand Lodge , that the worthy and much-loved chief of the

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

Province , Bro . Right Hon . Lord De Tabley , R . W . P . G . M ., xvas stricken by illness , and unable to attend thc meeting . It appears that his lordshi p had been staying at Scarborough , and had returned to Tabley xvith the view of taking his accustomed place in the Provincial Grand Lod < re at Northxvich . On the eve however of the meeting , his Lordship was seized

with a slight attack of paralysis xvhich prostrated him , and rendered his attendance at the meeting quite out of the question . We are happy to be able to state that his Lordship ' s health is improving , slowly but perceptibly , and that his London physician , who has visited him at Tabley , gives food hopes of his recovery .

In the natural course of things , his lordship ' s place in the Prov . Grand Lodge xvould have been occupied by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . the Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , M . P ., but he was away " from home , engaged at the Preston Guild . It therefore devolved upon the Prov . Grand Senior Warden , Bro . George W . Latham , xvho was hastily summoned by his Lordship to Tabley , and xvho came direct from his Lordship to the meeting , to conduct the business of the Prov . Grand Lodge , and under the circumstances right well did he acquit himself .

Provincial Grand Lodge xvas opened at one p . m ., Bro . G . W . Latham , P . G . S . W ., occuping the throne , Bros . H . Bulley , P . G . S . B . England , and P . P . G . J . W ., as Deputy P . G . M . ; C . Dutton , P . P . G . S . W ., as P . G . S . W . ; J . H . Bellyse , P . G . J . W . ; Rev . J . W . N . Tanner , P . P . G . Chap ., as P . G .

Chaplain ; F . Jackson , jun ., P . G . Treas .: E . H . Griffiths , P . G . Sec . ; T . Lockitt , P . G . S . D . ; R . Wood , P . G . J . D . ; H . Finch , P . G . D . C . ; J . Siddeley , P . G . A . D . C ; J . Dutton , P . G . S . B , ; H . Collier , P . G . Org . ; J . H . Hartley , P . G . Purs . ; VV . C . Fleming , P . G . Tyler ; and Bro . C . H . Hordern , P . G . Steward .

Of Past Provincial Grand Officers there xvere upxvards of forty present on the dais , including several visitors , xvhilst the body of the hall xvas occupied by the Masters , Past Masters , officers , and other representatives ofas the roll-call showed—all the thirty-nine lodges xvithin the province . Provincial Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , the ACTING GRANII MASTER at once proceeded to address the brethren . He alludprl

to the sorrowful circumstances under which they had met , and to his own utter incompetence to fill the place of their absent Prov . Grand Master . He had , however , brought to them from Bro . Lord de Tabley , xvhom he had been xvith that morning , a message , and that was to give his lordshi p ' s fraternal love to the brethren in Prov . Grand Lodge , and to say how deeply disappointed and grieved he was not to be able to meet his brethren of the

province that day . Bro . LATHOM then proceeded to touch upon several matters connected with thc business of the province , which his lordshi p had desired him to mention , and concluded a most effective and touching address by reviewing the xvork of thc province during the past twelve months , xvhich had been one of the busiest the province had experienced ; and , as regards charitable effort , in xvhich- the Prov . Grand Master xvas so deeply interested , as successful as anyone could xvish .

The accounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer xvere passed , and on the motion of the Acting Prov . Grand Master , Bro . FERDINANDO J ACKSON , jun ., xvas re-elected to the office . The folloxving motions , which xvere down on the agenda—the first in the name of Bro . Lord De Tabley , and the second in the name of Bro . G . W .

Latham , P . G . S . VV . —xvere sex-erall y proposed from the throne , and carried unanimously : 1 . That this Prov . Grand Lodge fully recognises the importance of maintaining the Fund of Benevolence of the Grand Lodge xvithout trenching on its capital , and is , therefore , willing - to assist the Fund by recommending the payment of ninepence per quarter from each member of the lodges in the province .

2 . Alteration in Page 11 of the Prov . Grand Lodge bye-laxvs , so as to read as follows :

The accounts of the Prov . Grand Treasurer shall be audited by a Committee of three W . Masters or Past VV . Masters of lodges in the province , xvho shall examine the accounts of each lodge at a meeting to be held before the end of July , the time and place of xvhich meeting shall be fixed and called by the Prov . Grand Treasurer . And , after

tne audit , tne Committee shall transmit the accounts , with such observations as they may feel it necessary to make to the Prov . Grand Secretary , xvhoshall circulate the same among the members of the Prov . Grand Lodge , xvith the notice convening the annual Prov . Grand Lodge ; and at such Prov . Grand Lodge the accounts , as audited , shall be presented by the Prov . Grand Treasurer for approval .

On the motion of the ACTING PROV . GRAND MASTER , seconded b y Bro . DUTTON , acting P . G . S . W ., the folloxving brethren were appointed as the Committee for auditing the Prov . Grand Lodge accounts in July , 18 S 3 : Bros . Dr . R . Beales , P . P . G . J . W . ; H . Finch , P . G . D . C ; and T . Tomlinson , P . P . G . S . B .

Charity jewel bars were presented to Bros . J . P . Piatt , W . Marquis , W . Milner , and E . G . Parker . The Acting Prov . Grand Master then proceeded to nominate and invest the Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year as follows : Bro . Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , M . P . 321 . and 941 (

reappointed ) ... ... ... ... p rov . D . G . M . „ Lieut . Col . George A . Fernley , J . P . 321 and 1140 Prov . G . S . W . „ William Marquis , 537 ... ... ... p . G . J . W . ,, Rev . Richard Hodgson , 1045 ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . Chap . * „ Rev . Edxvard Octavius Rawson , 941 ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ Ferdinando Jackson , jun ., 295 and 321 ( re-elected ) Prov . G . Treas . „ John CuIIimore , 321 and 425 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Edward Hounsum Griffiths , 293 * and 321 (

reappointed ) •... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ Francis Lee Bolton , 128 9 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . D . „ Robert Nendich Banks , 425 and 428 ... ... Prov . G . J . D . „ Walter Milner , 537 ... ... ... ... Prpv . G . S . of W . „ Herbert Finch , 104 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ Edmund Johnson , 104 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . A . D . ofC . „ Thomas Emmott Skidmore , 428 ... ... Prov . G . Sxv . Br .

„ Henry Collier , 104 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Eustace George Parker , 1 045 and 1565 ... ... Prov . G . Purs . „ William Candelet Fleming , 323 and 1957 ( reappointed ) ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . „ Thomas Moore , 42 S , George Thomas Joynson , 428 , - \ James Ernest Fletcher , 428 , John Henry Edwards , i Prov . G . Stwds . 428 , Thomas Ward , 428 , James Newell , 428 ... _)

After some other unimportant business the Prov . Grand Lodge xvas closed , and the brethren formed in procession and attended divine service at Wilton church where a sermon was preached by Bro . Rev . E . O . Raxvson , the newly appointed Prov . Grand Chaplain , and a collection xvas made in aid of the Northwich Dispensary and the Provincial Fund of Benevolence . A banquet followed in the other portion of the Market Hall on the return of thc brethren from church , Bro . Lathom presiding .