Freemasonry—Past And Present. No. 2.—The Revival.

on St . John ' s ( the Baptist ) Day , ( A . . 1717 ) , when Anthony Sayer Avas elected Grand Master of Masons . Hence this date is looked upon as the commencement of a new era in Freemasonry . The Rev . Dr . James Anderson , offers us the

reason for this movement that the few lodges in London , found themselves neglected by Sir Christopher Wren , Grand Master . No record has been produced that connects Sir Christopher Wren officially with the society of Freemasons , so

the solution offered by Dr . Anderson is , to say the least , questionable . It is likely enough that the compiler of these constitutions gave currency to the notions then rife respecting the origin , antiquity and imjDortance of Freemasonry , Avhich

were mostly legendary . We do not require erroneous and fabulous statements to aid Freemasonry now , nor were such required then . We are not in unison Avith those of the Fraternity who wish to be assured that Nimrod , Joseph and

Moses were once Grand Masters , in order to respect Freemasonry . We believe in the Craft , because of its grand history when an operative

institution , and since the revival , Ave admire it for its cosmopolitan basis , its unostentatious charity , its simple faith in God , and fervent desire for the welfare of mankind . The Constitutions of A . D . 1756 , by the Rev .

John Entick , and subsequent editions , do not really afford any additional information as to the revival , and Ave are compelled therefore to look elsewhere for intelligence . Strange to say the later during the last century Ave travel in search of

facts , the more is said to be known about the " Revival" and its consequences , so that one has to believe that the farther from an event , as respects time , the more can be written respecting

it , if the statements of some of our Masonic historians are accepted as accurate . The three brethren to Avhom Ave are chiefl y indebted for the institution of Modern Freemasonry are the Rev . Dr . Desaguliers , George Payne ,

and the Rev . Dr . Anderson—two learned divines and a notable antiquarian . The three together have said scarcely anything on the Revival , although after all sufficient to indicate that a new era in Freemasonry began A . D . 1716 . It is

certain that Masonry Avas speculative as well as operative before the ei ghteenth century , although not Avholly speculative anterior to that period ; of course it is impossible to discover exactly Avhat these pioneers of pure Speculative Masonry

retained of the Operative Masonic customs , and secrets , and what they added to the former ceremony of initiation , & c . We may hoAvever be safe in assuming from what remains of the early Ritual and Records , that

sufficient of the old landmarks were retained to justify the new society being called a revival of the aged institution , and thereby its regular and legitimate descendant , although many novel features , and a much amplified Ritual Avere added to

the simple ceremonies of the former body . Bro . Capt . George Smith , "On Use and Abuse of of Freemasonry" ( A . D . 1783 p . 60 ) states , that at the first meeting under their new Grand Master 1717 , " It was resolved that the privileges of Masonry should not be limited to architects and operative Masons . " When Masons of note accept

this absurd statement as correct , we shall not Avonder at their also believing in much more that is unhistoric . Nothing can possibly be farther from the truth , as there is scarcely an old Record belonging to lodges before the revival , but Avhat is

capable of refuting this so-called resolution of the Grand Lodge , and even the first meeting referred to ( which really was the second meeting , as the first Avas held A . D . 1716 ) , affords evidence of the mistaken notion propagated by Bro . Capt . Smith

and others , for one of the chief promoters of the assembly , and Avho took an active part in the inauguration of modernised Freemasonry , was the Rev . Theophilius Desaguliers , L . L . I ) . F . B . S ., a noted natural philosopher , Avho Avas admitted a member of Lodge of Antiquity , it is believed A . D . 1712 , and certainly A ? as not an operative Mason .

The old lodge at York took no part in the revival , neither did any of the lodges in Scotlaud . They however soon followed the new regimen , and accepted the changes of 1717 , as their minutes testify , and which if not actually acknowledged by

them , the many differences in titles , and manner of conferring degrees recorded by their scribes , abundantly confirm . We do not know of any Grand Lodge ox Masons , partaking of the character of the

institution , first presided over by Bro . Anthony Sayer , having any legitimate title to greater antiquity than this body . On the contrary , Ave believe no other Grand Lodge can even claim so early an origin . The second in point of age is Ireland ,

and the third Scotland . Thus Great Britain and Ireland became virtually the parents of all the other Grand and Provincial Grand Lodges in the