Metropolitan.

thereafter sat down to dinner . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were then proposed . Bro . Savage proposed the health ot "The Visitors , " who were : —Bros . Farntield , P . A . G . Sec ; . T . Hervey , G . Sec ; Buckhmd , 110 ; G . R , Irvine , 186 ; Barrett , 340 ; Carter , P . M . 382 ; F . Walters , P . M . 73 ; G . Lambert , P . M . 193 ; E . G . Phillips , P . M . 90 ; Robert _ , G . S . B . 143 ; Cremer , 205 ; F . H . Moler , 907 ; J . 11 . Leventliao , 228 ; II . Lee , 185 ; J R . GlanvillP . M . 134 ; J . GlaisherAV . M . 382 ; R , Grey 1185 ;

, , , Slackett , 831 ; AV . T . Jones , W . M . 181 ; AV . Spencer , 794 ; W . Learner , G . 19 ; W . G . Mantle , late 19 ; II . Price , 657 ; Woodman , 157 : W . Newton , 3 ; C . Nelsirove , S 29 ; II . Greene , 256 ; E . Kendall , Hiram Lodge ; E . Crambrook , 829 ; G . Riches , 180 ; Cottebrime , 733 ; G . R-iiiil , 511 ; A . Pritchard , 162 ; W . Watson , P . M . 25 ; T . Adaans , P . G . P ., P . M . 25 ; Whitwell , 31 . P ., D . P . P . P . C . M . Cumberland ; J . L . EvansP . B . G . P . ; Browse 18 ; Adlard ,

, , P . P . A . G . D ., & c ; J . T . u-lor , P . M . 18 ; J . Ebene / . er Saunders , P . G . S ., P . M . 1 ; AV . Smith , C . E ., P . G . S ., P . M . 26 , 33 , 840 , AV . M . 1238 ; H . Biirg , AV . M . 1 ; II . G . Buss , P . M . 27 ; II . Levy , P . M . 188 ; J . Nunn , P . M . 134 ; H . Grissell , P . M . S . G . 2 ; A . Woods , P . M . 4 ( 3 ; Whitwell , P . M . 129 , D . P . G . M . Cumberland ; Joseph Ashwell , P . M . 22 ; W . W . Smith , S . AA . 190 ; E . Davis , P . M . 220 ; AV . H . Barnard , 975 ; N . Harris , P . M . 185 ; C .

L . Marshall , P . M . 22 ; Thomas White , P . M . 22 ; Henry Carter , P . M . 228 ; Henry Sloman , 25 , Marshall , Ashwoll , White , and several others . 'The prosperity of " The Royal Athelstan Lodge " was proposed and responded to . Bro . Dr . AYhitmore then proposed the toast of " The Past Masters , " whom he stated were 18 , and he could speak of the merits of the several brethren , but would couple the toast with the name of Bro . GaleP . M . whose

, , antecedents , numbering 38 years , was a sufficient guarantee of the merits of that respected number of brethren . Bro . Gale returned thanks . Some very beautiful singing was rendered by Bros . G . Buckland , Barratt , Carter , and Irvine , and the brethren separated after spending a delightful evening . ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OP THE ROYAL ATIIELSTAT . LODGE

-FR 03 I THE 2 / TH FEBRITAKI ' , 1769 . The rare occurrence of a centenary leads me to suppose that a short history of the Royal Athelstan Lodge and its Atholl descent may not he uninteresting to its members at the present moment . A century in any human institution is so full of matter for contemplation that we are insensibly led away into the past , and regard through the haze of time , a period

which has witnessed so many startling events political and social—a period sufficiently extended for discoverers and inventors to have been born into the world , to have achieved immortal fame and to have passed away—a period during which Freemasonry itself has not escaped the vicissitudes of time , hut having endured serious internal schisms , cemented again by a glorious union , and having suffered considerable decay , lias

survived and become more flourishing than ever . It is not my intention to trespass upon you at any length , but , in submitting the following short notice to your attention , I must be permitted to remind you that very few printed records exist which give any history of the Ancient or Atholl Masons from whom this lodge is descended . For a period of three-quarters of a century , during which so many events were being enacted whicli would have interested us , the Atholl Masons were regarded

as irregular and their acts illegal ; and their very existence was therefore , as much as possible , ignored . The writers of those days were for the most part on the other or modern side ; and , as the Union in the present century ( that glorious epoch in the History of English Freemasonry ) was then not dreamt of , little can now be learnt of the Ancient Masons , excepting such facts as are recorded in the old minute books of the Atholl Grand Lodge . I have no doubt that a careful examination of those

minute books and other old papers now m the possession of Grand Lodge , would yield a rich harvest of historical facts , which would he most interesting to every Mason who boasts , as we do , of an Atholl descent . Without going further back in our history than is absolutely necessary , anil merely alluding to the fact that King Athelstan granted a charter to his brother , Prince Edwin , to constitute a Grand Lod ge at York in A . D . 920 , under the stle of Ancient York

y " Masons , " I shall at once ask your more particular attention to some of the events with which the 18 th century was so replete . After the completion of St . Paul ' s Cathedral by our G . M ., Sir Christopher Wren , we are informed that Freemasonry made but little progress ; lodges were decreasing , aud the annual festivals were no lousier held . The few lodges which then met , agreed that the privileges of Masonry should no longer be restricted to

operative Masons , but be extended to men of various professions , provided they were regularly approved and initiated into the Order . It was from 1717 that the REVIVAL of Freemasonry dates . We are told that the only four lodges which at that time were held in tho south of England were known as Nos . 1 , 2 , 3 , & 4 ; and that ill Februaiy , 1717 , they met at the Apple-tree Tavern , in Charles-street , Covent Garden ( the site of which is now occupied bAVellingtou-streetStrand ) andhaving placed

y , , , tho oldest P . M . in the chair , constituted themselves a Grand Lodge in due form . The result of this meeting was the revival ofthe Quarterly Communications , the first of which was held at tho Goose and Gridiron , in St . Paul ' s Churchyard , on the 24 th of June , St . John ' s Day , 1717 . This revival in the south does not appear to have interfered with the proceedings ofthe Fraternity in the north . For a series of years the most perfect harmony

continued to subsist between the two Grand Lodges of London and York , and private lodges flourished in both parts of the kingdom—the Grand Lodge in the north claiming the title of " Grand Lodge of all England , " while the Grand Lodge in the south were content to be denominated ' ¦ ' The Grand Lodge of England . " Matters continued in this satisfactory state until some differences aroseresulting from the Southern Grand

, Lodge having constituted lodges in the north in 1734 , and ap- _ pointed a Provincial Grand Master for the AVest Riding of Yorkshire soon afterwards . As a matter of course , the Grand Lodge at York resented these encroachments , and henceforth all correspondence between the two Grand Lodges totally ceased . It is at this critical period of our history there appears tbe first indication of that great schism whicli afterwards led to the

forming of the Atholl branch , and ultimately brought about , as one of the very pleasing results , the happy occasion of our meeting here to-day . Referring to the Masonic records of that time ,, we find that a number of brethren , being extremely dissatisfiedat some novelties aud innovations which had been introduced into the ancient ceremonies , separated themselves from the regular lodges , and held meeting for the purpose of initiating

persons into Masonry contrary to the law of Grand Lodge . Iu . order the more effectually to distinguish themselves from the regular Masons , the seceding brethren styled themselves " ANTIENT MASONS , " in accordance with the accepted

appellation of the York Grand Lodge . Their progress for a time was impeded by tho measures adopted to check them ; and we are informed that the imprudent measures adopted by the regular lodges offended many old Masons , aud an open rupture soon followed . Notwithstanding tiie nourishing state of Freemasonry , irregularities continued to prevail , aud many worthy Masons , still adverse to the encroachments on the established systemwere hihldisgusted at the proceedings of the regular

, gy lodges . To disappoint the views of the seceding brethren , Grand Lodge readily acquiesced in the imprudent measures ot the regular lodges , and the brethren who had seceded immediately declared their independence , designating the brethren who had introduced new plans "Modern Masons . " Tho " Ancient Masons " . speedily gained the countenance of Scotch and Irish Masons who heartily joined them in condemning the measures of

the regular lodges in London , as tending to introduce novelties in subversion of the original p lan of the institution . It will now he desirable that I should refer for a moment to those printed records to which we have hitherto been disposed to look for information , but which , I now fear , are not entirely reliable . The worthy Bro . Laurie iu his interesting " History of the Grand Lodge of Scotland" says" The Ancients continued to

, , hold their meetings without acknowledging a superior until 1772 , when t : ; ey chose for their Grand Master , John 3 rd Duke of Atholl who was then Grand Master elect for Scotland , " etc ., & c , and that eminent brother and author Dr . Oliver ( who more than any other , contributed to Masonic literature ) in one of his editions of " Preston's Illustrations , " says , "The Ancients after their secession in 1739 , continued to meet until 1772 ,

when the Duke of Atholl was elected Grand Master and continued as such until he resigned in favour of the Duke of Kent in 1813 . " When recently searching the Atholl Grand Lodge records it was gratifying- to find that not only the Duke of Atholl , but many other noblemen and gentlemen thought it an honour to preside over the Ancient Masons . Without goingfarther back than 1753 , I find in that year Robert Turner was elected Grand Master , who continued to rule over the Ancient

Masons until 1755 , when Edward Vaughan was elected Grand Master aud continued as such until 1757 , when the Earl of Blesinttin became Grand Master and ruled until 1761 , when the Earl of Kelly became Grand Master and ruled until 1767 , when