Freemasonry & Israelitism.

wrote to -his son , that rotten boroughs were to be had for from £ 3000 to £$ 000 ; but they soon rose to £ 9000 , and then very much higher , for , at the election of 1794 , Gatton fetched . £ 70 , 000 , and Lord Monson is said

to have given as much as £ I So , 000 for it . To bribery was added coercion ; and Court influence made itself felt by the withdrawal of custom , or the dismissal of functionaries . What was done in the Palace was done

elsewhere , and wherever intimidation or coercion could be substituted for bribery , it was unsparingly used . And all this was openly

defended in Parliament itself , as necessary for the well-being of the country . "According to the theory of the Constitution , " said the Earl of Chatham , " there should be a

constant connection between thc representatives and the electors . Will any man say that this connection now exists ? " Speaking of the close boroughs , he said , "They are the rotten parts of the Constitution ,

but , like the evils of the body , we must bear them patiently— -we must carry them about with us ; the limb may be mortified , but amputation would be death . " And Burke declared that the Parliament was still , and

ever had been , exactly what it should be ; and that whoever wished to reform it would be attempting to overthrow thc Constitution . It needs hardly be said , that the result of this state ofthe parliamentary "

representation , as it is called , was to place thc lower ten thousand at the mercy of thc upper ten thousand . This was described by Lord Erskinc , in alluding to the trial of Hardy for high treason , he having been his counsel .

Referring to thc pressure against which he had to contend , he said , " Under all this I could have looked up for protection , in other circumstances ; I could , as defending one of thc people in a fearful extremity , have

looked up to the Commons of England , to hold a shield before the subject , against thc Crown ; but in this case , I found that shield of thc subject a sharp and destroying sword , in the hands of the enemv—the protecting

House of Commons was itself , by corruption and infatuation , the accuser , instead of the defender , of thc subject : it acted as an Old Bailev solicitor , to prepare briefs for

the Crown , ancl that in a case which the judges declared to be so new that they were obliged to try experiments in the legal constitution , to find a way of trying it . "

I he power of the aristocracy , as exercised through their landowning , and their control over the legislature , was such as can now scarcely be conceived of . As Emerson remarks , "The Selwyn correspondence , . . . in

thc reign of George the Third , discloses a rottenness in the aristocracy which threatened to decomjio . se the State . The sycophancy and thc sale of votes and honour , for place and title ; lewdness , gaming ,

smuggling , briben * , and cheating ; the sneer at the childish indiscretion of quarrelling with . £ 10 , 000 a year ; the want of ideas ; thc splendour of thc titles , and the apathy of the nation are instructive , and make the

reader pause , ancl explore the firm bounds which confine these vices to a handful of rich men . In the reign of the Fourth George , things do not seem to have mended , and the rotten debauchee let down from a

window , by an inclined plane , into his coach , to take thc air , was a scandal to Europe . " This might seem to be enough to sink the nation into a slough of despond ; but , " Fear not , for I am with thee ; be not

dismayed , for I am thy God ; I will strengthen thee ; yea , I will help thee ; yea , l will uphold thee by thc right hand of my righteousness " ( Isa . xii . 10 ) . Through all insurrections , and intrigues , and political and religious corruption , through wars and con-

Freemasonry & Israelitism.

spiracies , the nation has been borne , and we have lived to see the day in which the buttresses which were raised to preserve aristocratic rule and misrule , ancl all the exclusive privileges which they had taken

to themselves—monopolising not only the seat of power , with all its appendages ancl emoluments , but the great seats of learning also—colleges and universities—are being thrown down , one after another , and all

classes arc taking their proper places within the portals of the Constitution , while the foundations of that glorious edifice are being so enlarged and strengthened that we may foresee the time when it shall be said

of the race , " Behold , I will lay thy stones with fair colours , ancl thy foundations with sapphires : ancl I will make thy battlements of rubies , and thy gates of carbuncles : and the whole circuit of thv walls shall be of

precious stones ; and all thy children shall be taught by Jehovah ; and great shall be the prosperity of thy children . In righteousness shalt thou be established . Be thou far from oppression ; yea , thou shalt

not fear it ; and from terror , for it shall not approach thee Whosoever is leagued against thee shall come over to thy side Whatsoever weapon is formed against thee it shall not prosper ;

and against every tongue , that contendeth against thee thou shalt obtain thy cause . Tin ' s is the heritage of Jehovah ' s servants , ancl their justification from me , saith Jehovah" ( Isa . liv . 11-17 ) .

Trading On Masonic Reputation.

TRADING on MASONIC REPUTATION .

A practice—to call it by its mildest namelias found its way among us . I allude to that of bartering and trading upon Masonic reputation . This practice , pernicious in every way , can not wholly have escaped your observation . It spreads , like every other evil , and in the West

seems to have passed unrebiiked . I desire to point to it as unmasonic , and brand it as infamous . What would we not be justified in saying of that man who , to obtain special favour or credit , or to sell his merchandise , pledges his sacred honour as a man and a Mason , but when

Hs end is attained or Jus business accomplished , scruples not to bid open defiance to him by whom he has been so kindly favoured . Such men are suffered to pass through the door of the . Mystic Temple . Shame , shame upon such ! they no longer deserve the name of Alason , for thev

have long since forfeited all claims they may have had by such practices , so closely akin to swindling , and professions full of falsehood . Figure to yourselves , I pray you , one who , having put on our sacred and time-honoured emblems , goes out into the world , and in the

full blaze ol day unblusmngly prostitutes them for mercenary purposes . Scorn is the sole reward duv ta all such pretenders . -May stern contempt meet them at every turn , until lhey reform or for ever abandon our temples and avoid our ranks on public , and private occasions . I

trust this Grand Lodge will , at tins time , put its mark o ' i condemnation upon all such vices , and tints reaffirm a right as old as our institution , to correct such as threaten its prosperity . The integrity of Masonry depends upon the purity of its members . There is no purity in wrong—no sanctity in vice . Whoever , then , would be an

upright man and a Mason , must eschew the one nnd avoid the other . A stand must be taken ! The time is propitious ! Let us . then , do what both law and reason dictates , and find our recompense in a continuance of order , harmony , and peace ; and , while we rejoice in pensonal progress , no less so may we in the unsullied beauty of our ancient Order . Time tries all

thingi and tests all reputations . We . too , must pass tile ordeal . May the Supreme Architect grant us the power to do somewhat as Craftsmen to which our succossnrs can point with joyous pride and receive with glad emotions . — Jno . II . Brown , G . M . Kansas .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CHESHIRE .

On Thursday , the 21 st instant , the Right Honourable Lord de Tabley , R . W . P . Grand Master , held his annual Provincial Grand Lodge of the province of Chester at the Castle Hall School , Staleybridge , which

was more largely and influcntially attended than any that have yet been held . Flis lordship ' s popularity as the Masonic head of the province has never been doubted , and thc gathering on Thursday , as well as the

hearty reception given to him by all the brethren assembled , gave still further eviof thc high place he occupies in the affection and esteem of all classes of Masons within his jurisdiction . The Staleybridgers

made their rather uninviting town as pleasant and lively as possible by a profuse display of bunting in the principal streets , and crowds of open-mouthed spectators lined the principal thoroughfares when the

brethren of thc mystic tic turned out as a body to attend church , The Birkenhead contingent , about thirty strong , started from Lime-street about eleven o ' clock , and arrived at Staleybridge shortly after twelve

, where a large body of Masons from the other parts of the province had already assembled . With one exception , the whole ofthe thirty-five lodges in theprovincewere

represented , there being about 270 brethren present , exclusive of visitors . Amongst thc principals in Masonry present were Bros . H . Bulky , P . P . J . G . W . ; S .

E . Ibbs , P . G . S . B . ; J . P . Piatt , P . P . J . G . W . ;

J . F . Jones , W . M . 1276 ; Thomas Piatt , P . P . J . G . D . ; E . Friend , P . M . 1013 , W . M . 1289 ; F . K . Stevenson , P . M . 537 ancl 12 S 9 ; J . J-I . Johnston , P . P . G . S ., S . VV . 477 , W . M . r , ; o ; J . B . Mackenzie , 349 ; T . K . Hughes ,

P . M . 477 , W . M . 1013 ; W . Little , Scc . 477 ; E . Harbord , P . M . and W . M . 477 ; Thomas Dixon , S . D . 477 ; John Griffiths , J . W . 477 ; J . Sillitoe , W . M . 605 ; John Horbury , P . M . 60 *; ancl W . M . 1325 ; R . Ridyard , 477 ; J .

Bucklcv , S . W . 1322 ; J . Lancashire , W . M . 1354 ; W . Davies . W . M . 1218 ; James D . Bttcrlcy , P . M . 10 S 8 ; W . l . mmctt , W . M . 1088 ; J . D . Kennedy , P . P . G . Treas . E . L . ; F . Gaskell , W . AI . 267 ; J . H . Hartley , S . W-

1126 ; R . Grade , P . M . 477 ; John Clayton , W . M . 89 ; G . Seddon , P . M . 830 ; J . R . France , W . M . 830 ; J . Drinkwater , W . M . 361 ; C . lindfield , P . M . S 30 ; J . Ashton , P . M . 320 ; S . Warhurst , P . M . 89 ; J .

Bowden , W . M . 336 ; T . II . Fleming , W . M . 1088 ; J . McEvoy , W . M . 721 ; P . Wills , P . M . 10 S 8 ; W . S . Astle , P . M . 267 ; S . Drury , P . M . 89 ;

J . IO . Williams , W . M . 425 ; J . Howard , P . M . 1030 ; W . Bradley , P . M . 89 ; C . H . Hill , P . M . 1276 and 321 ; James M . Radcliffe , S . D . 60 *; ; C . Stalev , J . D . 605 ; C .

Dutton , P . G . S . B . ; S . W . Wilkinson , Past

P . ) . G . D . ; T . Smith , P . P . J . G . D . ; J . Brattan , P . G . Supt . of Works ; E . J . Willoughby , P . P . J . G . W . ; and R . Beales , P . P . J . G . W . About an hour after tlie specified time ( 12 o ' clock ) , ( lie R . \ Y . I' . G . M . and the other Grand

Ofiicers entered the lodge room , and were received in a truly Masonic manner . The lodge was then opened in a due form , after which the roll was called . The l ' . G . Secretary read the minutes of tlie last annual and special Provincial

Grand I , odge meetings , which were confirmed unanimously . The minutes of a meeting of the committee ofthe fund of benevolence on the 29 th March last were also read and confirmed without comment . The R . W . P . G . M read a

letter from the P . G . Treasurer apologising for and regretting his absence from ill-health , and afterwards expressed a hope that he would soon

lie restored . When it was considered that only 18 years had elapsed since they had merely . £ 300 invested , and contrasting that with the pres , nt financial position of the Fund of Bene *