"Masonic Reprints," Vol. Ii.

"MASONIC REPRINTS , " Vol . II .

( Continued from Page 30 . J This deeply interesting volume is divided into three parts , the second of which is a facsimile and transcript of the " Lansdowne MS . " ( British Museum ) . The document is amongst the " Burghley Papers , " owned by the lord of that name , who died

in 159 8 , and hence , as Bro . Speth notes in his all too brief introduction to the transcript , it probably dates from the last half of the 16 th century . This , however , after another look at the MS . appears to me too early for it by some 50 years , and so I am inclined to accept Mr . Bond ' s estimate ( also noted by Bro . Speth

and in my " Old Charges , " 4 872 ) , of 1600 circa . It was reproduced in ' the " Freemasons' Magazine , " 1858 , and in my work of 1872 , but neither can be compared with the present issue , which is not only in facsimile , but is followed by a most

scrupulously exact transcript . Dr . Begemann makes this MS . the original of a small family , known as the "Antiquity MS . " of 1686 , and the "Probity MS ., " 18 th century . A peculiar reading in this branch states that Prince Edwin " was made Mason at

Windsor . I scarcely think this MS . is of equal value to the "Grand Lodge MS . " of 1583 , though undoubtedly a very old example of the important series .

In respect to what Bro . Gould terms its "legal evidence , " he places the MS . in Class V ., because of there being no information respecting its proper lodge custody , a distinction very well in its way , and from a strictly Masonic point of view , quite deserving of note , but not as concerning its antiquity or the character

of its text . I am very pleased that the editor of the " Masonic Reprints " of Lodge No . 207 6 has selected the " Harleian MS ., No . 1942 " ( British Museum ) , for Part 3 , as to my mind it is one of the most singular , important , and suggestive documents

of the whole class . The facsimile and transcript are simply perfection , and p lace in the hands of students , the wide world over , a complete reproduction of this valuable and curious MS ., which answers every purpose of the original , and is of great utility for careful analysis .

Dr . Begemann has bracketed this version with the " Roberts ' Branch , " which , being printed in 1722 , rather tends to reduce the age of the former . It is well to note , however , that my friend has only done this to prevent confusion , there being another Masonic MS . in the " Harleian" collection , viz ., No .

2054 , of quite a different order . There are only nine of the "Old Charges" that contain the " Apprentices' Charges , " of which the " Harleian , No . 1942 , " is a specimen , but it is the only one that has the " New Articles " in MS ., and hence its great value and importance . The Roberts '

print reproduces these later rules , terming them " Additional Orders and Constitutions , " and ascribes to them the date of 8 th December , 1663 . My introduction to the reprint of the "Book

of Constitutions , 173 8 " ( Lodge No . 2076 , price half a guinea ) , should be consulted on this point , and Dr . Anderson ' s second edition of the " Constitutions " should likewise be carefully examined , as well as Bro . Gould's grand history .

For my part , as to the date of its transcription , it seems to me that Mr . Bond ' s decision— " early 17 th century "—based upon its caligraphy , is rather too early , a safer period being late 17 th century . At all events , taking the evidence of writing and text

combined , there does not appear to me any valid reason to date it later than that century . Bro . Woodford , from whom I had much assistance in the preparation of my " Old Charges of British Freemasons , " placed it as A . D . 1660 circa . The estimate of that lamented brother is not likely to be far wrong .

I understand there are now only about 100 for sale of this Volume II . of the "Masonic Reprints" containing facsimiles and transcripts of the Cooke , Lansdowne , and Harleian , No . 1942 , MSS ., with an able commentary on the senior document

by the esteemed editor , Bro . Speth , and brief introductions to the other two . These surely will all be applied for this month , for at half a guinea for the three MSS . in one volume the opportunity thus offered is a perfect boon . W . J . HUGHAN .

Installation is that ceremony by which the Grand Master , the Deputy , Pro , and Grand Masters , the Grand Officers , and the Prov . Grand Masters , and Masters of private lodges are placed in their seats of office . It seems to come from " in stallum , " as Mackey points out , being the same as the ceremony by which kni ghts were placed in their stalls , and deans and abbots and prebendaries and canons were also seated in their proper stalls . We generally apply it to the annual installation of a Worshipful Master in the royal chair in the private lodge , which act

can only be done "according to antient usage , " and which by old custom , " mosestlex , " requires presentation to a Board of Installed Masters . The first Worshipful Master of a lodge must be installed by the Grand Master or his Deputy , or by " some other Grand Officer or Master of a lodge , " appointed by the Grand Master " to act as Deputy pro tempore . " The ceremony of installation was in use in 1722 , as provision is made for the ceremony according to a form of constituting a lodge , which some have said was probably drawn up by Desaguliers , though it is clearly an older compilation . —Kenning ' s Cyclopedia of Freemasonry .

M.W. Bro. John W. Vrooman, Grand Master State Of New York.

M . W . BRO . JOHN W . VROOMAN , GRAND MASTER STATE OF NEW YORK .

Bro . the Hon . John W . Vrooman , who , for the moment , is sojourning in our midst , is a prominent and noteworthy personality in the trans-Atlantic Masonic world , and the following particulars will be read with interest , especially by those who have had the extreme pleasure of listening to the eloquent and

heart-stirring words that this typical representative of American genius can pour forth when occasion demands . Born in the State of New York in the year 18 44 , the present Grand Master of the New York Grand Lodge was initiated a Mason at the age

of 21 , serving in the early years of his noviciate as Secretary of his mother lodge , later as Senior Deacon , then as Senior Warden , and finally as Worshipful Master . The latter position he held three years .

Following these terms of office , Grand Master Vrooman s career becomes identified with the history of the New York Grand Lodge , which occupies the proud position of being the second largest Grand Lodge in the world , having 720 lodges and numbering 80 , 000 Master Masons . After serving as Senior

Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York for five years , as Junior Grand Warden for two years , as Senior Grand Warden for two years , as Deputy Grand Master for four

years , Bro . the Hon . John Vrooman was elected Grand Master in January , 188 9 , and re-elected to the same high office in the following year . It is worthy of record that the 10 elections were unanimous in every instance .

Grand Master Vrooman also held the important positions of Secretary of the New York State Senate for 10 years , and Secretary of the New York State Republican Committee for eight years ; but upon his election to the dignity of Grand Master he decided to accept no further political office . A

member of several of the social clubs of New York and elsewhere , his name also stands on the muster roll of the grand army of the Republic of U . S . A . As already mentioned , Grand Master Vrooman , since the close of the Grand Lodge ( N . Y . ) , is now paying a flying visit to Europe , and has been among us during the past two weeks .

During his stay he has visited the different Masonic Charitable Institutions of the Metropolis , impelled primarily by sympathy and interest , and further moved by a desire to obtain

all possible information from personal observation as to the working of these establishments , our esteemed brother being engaged heart and soul in the carrying out on a scale of great magnitude of a benevolent scheme of similar character .

Following in the footsteps of his predecessor , Grand Master Lawrence , who succeeded in paying off the debt one time existing on the Masonic Temple of New York , and so enabling the revenues accruing from that Temple to be applied to the building and maintenance of an Asylum for Aged Masons and for the

Children of Deceased Masons , Grand Master Vrooman is bending all his energies to the completion of this good work . It only remains to note that Bro . the Hon . John W . Vrooman is visiting us in company with the Right Worshipful Brother

Harper , who is President of the Board of Trustees of the Hall and Asylum Fund , and also with the Ri ght Worshipful Brother Frederick A . Burnham , Chief Commissioner of Masonic Appeals for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York .