Festival Of Lodges "Three Grand Principles," 208, And" St. John's," 827, Dewsbury.

FESTIVAL OF LODGES "THREE GRAND PRINCIPLES , " 208 , AND" ST . JOHN ' S , " 827 , DEWSBURY .

On Friday , the 16 th day of July , the members of these lodges united together to celebrate the festival of St John the Baptist , at Kirkby-Overblow , near Harrowgate , by the kind invitation of Bro . Mark Newsome , P . M ., of the St . John's Lodge . The brethren , accompanied by their lady friends , left the Dewsbury station of the L . and N . ' W . R . CO ., at 10 . 9

at . m ., in three first-class saloon carriages , arriving at Pannal station , N . E R . Co ., at 12 . The ladies were conveyed in waggonettes to the residence of Bro . Newsome , whilst the Brethren walked over the hills to . the same rendezvous . Having refreshed the inner man , the Brethren assembled in the Church of England School Room , put on their Masonic

costume , arid marched iu procession through the village to the rectory , and returned to the school room , where they put off their Masonie clothing aud went to enjoy the company of the ladies , in the grounds of the rectory , the rector the Rev . Mr . Toogood having generously thrown thero open upon this occasion . At 2 . 30 p . m ., the Brethren and

ladies sat down to a sumptuous banquet ( provided by tbe hospitality of Bro . Newsome . ) iu a spacious marquee , erected in a field adjoining the rectory ; about one hundred and fifteen were present including the Rev . J . . 7 . Toogood , Rev . Edmund Snowden , Rev . Mr . Coppleston , Mr . Haxworth , Mr . Brooke , and Mr . Matthew Todd of Bradford , the prcsidental

chair was occupied by Bro . Benjamin Blakeley , W . M . ( 827 ) , and supported by the following Brethren : — Bros . James France , W . M . ( 208 ); Thos . Schofield , W . M . ( 306 ); Rev . Mr . Mayes , Chap . ( 380 ); Rev . Samuel Vaughan , P . P . G . Chap . ( 208 ); Rev . AV Appleyard , P . P . G . Chap . ( 827 ); Chas . Oldroyd , P . G . Treas . ( 208 ); John Booth , P . P . G . J . D . ( 258 );

John Kirk , P . P . G . Supt . of W . ( 827 ) ; R . R . Nelson , P . G . Sec . ( 208 ); Fawcett ( 258 ) ; Benjamin Gates , P . M . Sec . ( 208 ); John Armitage , P . M . Sec . ( 827 ) ; Mark NeWsome , P . M . ( 827 ) * , H * . J . Fearnley , P . M . ( 208 ) ; Joe Fox . S . VV . ( 827 ); Thos . Chadwick . J . W . ( 827 ) ; Mark Ward , I . G . ( 827 ); A . F . E . Stiegawald , Treas . ( 827 ); Walter AValker , Purst . ( 827 );

Abraham AVilson , P . M . ( 827 ) ; Richard Hewitt . P . M . ( 827 ); JoluiTobley , P . M . ( 827 ); John Sp icking , P . M . ( 208 ); Thos . Halliwell , P . M . ( 208 ); James Hunter , P M . ( 208 ); AVm . Hemingway , P . M . ( 208 ); R . J . Crutchley , J . P ., S . W . ( 208 ); John AVilson , J . D , ( 208 ); John Haigh , I . G . ( 208 ); Lee ( 208 ) , Sheard ( 208 ) , Senior ( 208 ) , Crawshaw ( 208 ) ,

Wilkinson ( 2 ( ' 8 ) . Johnson ( 208 ) , Spedding ( 208 ) , Talbot ( 208 ) , Robinson ( 208 ) , Watts ( 208 ) , Rider ( 208 ) , Ratcliffe ( 208 ) , Neville ( 208 ) Alex . Millar ( 208 ) , W . Machell ( 827 ) , Dixon ( 827 ) , J . J . Brearer ( 827 ) , Thackrach ( 827 ) , James Cardwell ( 208 ) , Jonathan Todd ( 827 ) , and J . M . Fearnsides ( 827 ) . After the cloth was drawn the following foists

were proposed , " The Queen" by the AV . M . ( 827 ); "H . R . H . Bro . the Prince of AV-iles , the Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Familv , " by the W . M ( 2 () 8 ); "OurNationil Defences , " ' by Charles Oldroyd , P . G . Treas ., responded to by Capt . Watts , and Lieut . Hewitt ; "The Visitors , " proposed by the President , and responded to by the Rev . Mr .

Toofood , Bro . Schofield , AAVM . of tbe Alfred Lodge , ieeds , and Bro . John Booth , P . P . G . J . D ., "Our Host" ( Bro . Mark Newsome ) , was given by the W . M . ( 827 ) , and heartily received by all present . Bro . Newsome in responding spoke of the pleasure it gavo him , to see so many of the brethren and ladies , and hoped all would enjoy themselves on this occasion . The health of Mrs . Newsome and the

ladies was proposed by Bro . Capt . James l 1 ranee , W . M . ( 208 ) , and responded to by Bro . Joo Fox , in a very humorous speech . After the toasts had come to an end , the compan }* retired from the table , aud wandered in groups about the grounds and viewed the beautiful scenery of the neighbourhood , until it was time to prepare

for taking their departure , when all assembled on the lawn in front of Bro . New-some ' s residence , and Bro . the Rev . AV . Appleyard proposed and Bro . the Rev . Samuel Vaughan seconded , a vote of thanks to Bro . and Mrs . Newsome , for the kindness and hospitality nhown this day . , Bro . Newsome replied , and said that ho was extremely clad that all hail

enjoyed themselves , and was happy in having the p leasure of receiving such a goodly number , for , if it gave as much pleasure to those assembled before him . as it gave to him he was satisfied , a vote of thanks was also given to the Rev . Mr . Toogood for his kindness in allowing them the use of his grounds ; three hearty cheers , such as Englishmen and Masons can give , were given . aiidthoeompany departed having eii

p yed another red-letter day , and wended their way to tho station . •in-ivingat Dewnbiii-y at 10 . 15 p . m . Before closing this report , reference must be made to Mrs . Newsome for ber indefatigable exer turns in attending to the comfort of tbe ladies , for whom tea was provided on the lawn ; also to the kindness of MM . TO -good , Mrs . Schofield , and Miss AValker , for inviting tho ladies to their respective residences to take tea with them .

Masonic History Antrquities, And Bibliography.

Masonic History Antrquities , and Bibliography .

SPECIMENS FROM A MASONIC QUARRY . Br AVM : JAMES HUOHAK ; P . M ., No . 131 , TKURO , Honorary Member "Mother Kilwinning , " Scotland ; Provincial

Grand Secretary for Cornwall , its ., < BC . S PECIMEN NO . 2 . —T HE TORPHICIIEN-KIIAVINSING LODGE , NO . 13 , BATHGATE .

We have been led again to hunt out our Specimens , from reading the kind reference to our former ones in TUB FREEMASON of the 24 th July . The utterances of the Editor respecting " Masonic History'' have our warmest sympathy ^ and should meet with a ready response in many a Masonic heart . Wo lament witli

him , that " There is an absolute dearth of reliable information when we endeavour to investigate the history ofthe operatives' fraternities in England . " Why Scotland is more favourably circumstanced , and can number a score of lodges possessing minutes of their records anterior to the institution of Speculative

Freemasonry , whereas England possesses but one lodge that was in existence before A . D . 1717 , seems inexplicable . We know , however , that it t ' s a / act , but why it is so , is still a fit subject for the investigation of the curious , for as yet no reasonable solution has been offered . It is equally strange that though the records

of these lodges in Scotland have been made public by such a worthy brother as D . Murray Lyon , latel y by Bro . AV . P . Buchan ( who has done good service in bringing the minutes of old lodges in Glasgow to the light , and making excerpts from Burgh Records ) , and other Masonic writers , yet absolutely nothing has been

published anent tlie Lodgeof Antiquity , No . 2 , London , which has existed from " time immemorial , ' '' and was one of the four that instituted the Grand Lodge of England , A . D . 1717 . The Editorof THE FREEMASON asks , " cannot something be done to ascertain if such documents still exist ? "— ( viz . Records of

Operative Lodges , & c . )— " can we not bridge over the period which intervenes between the last of the Planta"enets and the first of the Stuarts , and so prove the connection of the modern Craft with the travelling stonemasons of the mediaeval era ? " AVe have attempted a little in our humble way to follow in the

path so ably marked out by the Editor , and several have done much more than ourselves in thc same direction , but little after all has resulted from such labours in England so far as regards the history of the operative or ancient fraternity of the Freemasons ; and it was actually left to a non- Mason to publish the

oldest Masonic MS . in the British Museum . Bro . Matthew Cooke , however , thanks to his untiring industry , soon followed by printing a fac-simile ofthe next oldest manuscript , but there are still several MSS ., on Freemasonry that have never been published extant in our noble Museum . Having devoted

sometime to the preparation and writing of the history of the Operative Lodge of Banff , & c , wc will now ask our readers attention to the Torphichen-Kilwinning Lodge , No . 13 on thc Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The date of its institution is uncertain , at least we have not been able to discover when it was

formed . A . I > . 1707 is considered to bo its date of origin , but a well-informed Mason believes it is entitled to a much greater antiquity , as ho considers it was held " originally in tho villiugc of Torphichen , connected with the Knights of St . John , whose chief residence in Scotland was there . The Preceptor was

Lonl . St . Johnof rorpliiclien , tliolastonehemg Sir James Sandilands who got a grant of all their possessions . " Perhaps Bro . Lyon , the well-known historian of mother Kilwinning , can throw some light upon this subject , as the lodge evidently hailed from that famous old Operative Storehouse of Masonry . The

earliest minutes preserved do not mention the affix " Kilwinning , " as the first entry simple terms the lodge " Torphichen , " although it does appear on the charter from Grand Lodge of Scotland . The lodge was formed early in the eighteenth century ( if not before ) , under the patronage of Lord Torphichen ,

from whom it derives its title . It continued nt Mid-C-ililer ( where we presume it had been removed ) until 1731 , when it was agreed to remove the lodge to " Living-Stone- Kirk . " From the " Preamble to the original Rules of the Lodge , " we glean the following facts : —Tim lodgo

continued in the same place until 1714 , when the brethren from the west and north still increasing , ami those to the east of Living-Stone-Kirk decreasing , it was agreed to hold the lodge one year at Living-Stone-Kirk , and two years at Bathgate , and on St . John ' s Day , 1754 , it wns agreed to by tlie lodge , that if tho brethren from the east did not prove moro numerous

than the brethren from the north and west of * the former place for three succeeding years , then the lodge was to be removed entirely to Bathgate . Accor dingly , on St . John ' s Day , 1757 , the roll l-eing called over , there appearcil only one member from the east of I . iving-Stone-Kirk , the rest of" the members being from the west a'ld north ; consequently the agreement was observed , and the lodge was removed to its present

Masonic History Antrquities, And Bibliography.

abode , under the title of " Torphichen-Kilwinning Lodge , held at Bathgate , " where it has since continued . In the year 1760 , the members '' feued a piece , of ground from the Ri ght Honorable the Earl of Hopetown , ' in order to build a lodge ; but the funds being rather , inadequate to accomplish such an undertaking ,

the members agreed to give half a-guinea each , or six days' work gratuitously at the building . This arrangment being insufficient , money was borrowed , and in 1763 the work was finished . The lodge received a charter from the Graud Lodge of Scotland , A . D . 1763—and obtained a very distinguished position on

the roll of daughter lodges . ' * The members being for many years exclusively Operative Masons , Wrights , Slaters and others connected with building operations , were much exposed to accidents , hence among other causes arose the necessity or at least the great propriety of instituting

and accumulating a fund for providing for their own and their succeeding brethrens' wants while labouring under disease . It was thus that the members of the lodge almost unconsciously formed themselves into a Friendly Society , " ( Preambleto Bye-laws No . 13 , A . D . ) It is not more than about fiftyyears since the Rule

of the Lodge to admit no other classes of the community -is members than operative Masons and the tradesmen above , alluded to , was relaxed . The " Torphichen - Kilwinning Lodge Friendly Society , " Bathgate , is held in connection with the Craft Lodge , although of course perfectly distinct

from the latter as respects the financial arrangements . No one can be admitted a member of tlie Society " unless he has previously become a member of said Lodge , and that fact be duly certified to this Society . " All the meetings .-ue held in the lodge room , and the Rules are duly certified by the Registrar-General for

Scotland . Note — "Expulsion from tho Masonic Lodge will not necessarily infer expulsion from the Society , nor vice versa" —( Rule viii . ) The dues are very li g ht , for as late as 1803 they were only 5 s . per annum . There was no annual subscription to the Lodge some little time

since , and likely enough none is required now , as few lodges in Scotland pay anything beyond the fees exigible on admission . —A Bye-law of the lodge provided for the Friendly Society meeting in the lodge-room , when required , gratis . ( To be continued . )

Masonic Bazaar At Skibbereen.

MASONIC BAZAAR AT SKIBBEREEN .

We feel more than ordinary pleasure in drawing attention to the Bazaar for the " 12 th ot August next , in aid ofthe funds for the building of a Masonic Hall in Skibbereen , a want long felt , as the Craft is rapidly progressing , and their present accommodation is quite inadequate for the increasing numbers of the ancient

Lodgo 15 , the warrant of which was transmitted from Rosscarbery some thirty years ago . Bro . James II . Swanton has kindly appropriated the Lecture flail , Mardyke , for the Bazaar , and has also given a subscription of £ 20 . From all wc can learn the arrangement will be a chef- iPceuvre , particularly when wo

record the names of the following nobility as patrons and patronesses : —Hon . J . F . Townsend , Judge of Admiralty , Earl and Countess of Randon , Lord and Lady Cnrbcry , Hon . Col . and Mrs . Bernard , Sir Jocelyn and Lady Coghill , Sir Henry Becher , Right Hon . Hedges Eyre Chattertoii , Vice Chancellor ;

Thomas Somerville , D . L . ; Col . and Mrs . Somerville , Sir James and Lady Cotter , J . E . Somerville , M . D . and Mrs . Somerville , J . H . Swanton and Mrs . Swanton , the O'Donovan , H . AV . O'Donovan and Mrs . O'Donovan , S . N . Townsend , A . Newman , & c ., & e . A number of the above patronesses are catering to

render it a complete success , and that amusement may harmonize with recreation , a fashionable promenade will take place at the low . entrance fee of six-pence , where archery and other suitable games will take place . We also learn the stalls will be replete with both useful and ornamental articles of various descriptions '

and that there will be a lottery on the second day , of unique goods , which were sent to our office for inspection , and we pronounce them to lie both valuable and beautiful . It is to be hoped the Queenstown , Cork , and Randon Lodges will pay jis a visit . They will be amply repaid by the attractiveness of the bazaar , the wild scenerv of our hills and valleys , and

the pretty faces of our country maidens . It is the intention of the brethren that the edifice will be . an ornament to the town , and credit to the craft ; not inferior to any building lately erected , a sufficient reason , that , one and all should use every effort to make the bazaar profitable by united exertions — The Skibbereen Paper .

LORD RAVHNSWORTII is busy with a general work on " Antiquity" for the Newcastle Society of Antiquarians , of which the noble lord is President . Buo . D . G . Bullitt has received a letter of thanks from the Lords oftho Committee ofthe Council of Education of the South Kensington Museum , for his cleverly written book ou "Monograms , " which is placed iu the library for tho benefit of tho art students .