Aristocracy In Freemasonry

whatever to do with tbe opinions published in this journal—all that we are indebted to bis lordship for being bis permission to publish reports of proceedings in Ereemasonry in accordance Avitb the regulations in tbe Booh of Constitutions—Ave must emphatically deny that AA * e bave published one word inconsistent

with the princip le that honours in Ereemasonry are to be conferred according to merit ancl ability—or that in lodge all Ereemasons are on the level—but we should be going beyond Ereemasonry ivere we to presume out of Masonry to disregard tbe social distinctions Avhich regulate society . As to social position

having something to . clo with appointments in Grand lodge we do not pretend to denyit , ancl—notwithstanding the equality of all brethren in loclge—it must ever be sounder tbe constitutions of even Ereemasonry in this country , where all the appointments are in tbe bands of the Grand Master , Avhilst in other countries tbey

are elective ; though we have no reason to doubt that the Grand Blaster does to the utmost of his poAver and in accordance Avith the information he receives , endeavour to find brethren to fill the various offices whose merit ancl ability , as well as their social position , shall reflect honour on the Craft . Nor are the

brethren themselves insensible to the advantages of having brethren of social position to preside over them , as is evidenced by tbe fact that the Earl de Grey and Ripon , as Prov . G . M . for "West ¦ Yorkshire ;

the Duke of NeAA'castle , Prov . G . M . of Nottingham ; and Lord Holmesdale , Prov . Grand Master , were all recommended to the Grand Master for appointment by the brethren of their respective provinces ; and we must be allowed to add that we are not convinced that even under the system of electing every officer , those

only attain poAver and distinction who have Avon it by their talent ancl ability—but are rather afraid that sometimes a noisy demagogue takes the place of modest merit . At all events Ave are content to believe that on the whole the English system works well ; and though we are prone occasionally to find fault with

appointments ancl with details of management , Ave haA'e no Avish to alter the system under which English Ereemrsonry has enjoyed so much prosperity . We will now take leave of our NOAV York contemporary , first , however , correcting a slight lapsus into which we fell in our article when we stated that the

Grand Registrar ( on tbe death of a Prov . G . Master ) ex officio took charge of the province , tbe fact being that he does not do so until he has received a patent from the M . W . Grand Master for the purpose , and Avhich is issued to him in virtue of his office . We make this explanation because we have heard the

words ex officio cavilled at , though we must confess we can scarcely see the distinction betAveen taking charge of a province ex officio , and being appointed to do so in virtue of the office held .

Masonic Pacts

MASONIC PACTS

( Continued from page 86 . ) 59 . Kirkstall Abbey . The foundations were laid by Henry de Lacy , in 1147 , Avho supplied the monks with grain , money , and other necessaries . The church was finished at his own expense in about thirty years . —Chronicle of Serlothe JManleWhittaJcer ' s Craven

, , , p . 62 . Eigs . 11 and 12 . 60 . Roche Abbey , built between 1147 and 1186 . Tbe late Eev . J . Hunter , F . S . A ., was convinced , from tbe similarity of style , ancl many details , that this abbey and Kirkstall were built upon a plan sketched by the same architect . Eig . 13 .

61 . Dioti Salvi ( or Allievi ) constructed tbe Baptistery of Pisa , in 1152 .- —JFergusson ' s Handbook of Architecture , Yol . II ., p . 515 . 62 . On the Church of Maqueloune , finished in 1178 , is an inscription , which bears the name of the architect , Boiliviis , and the date . —Felihien , Arch IV .,

p . 200 . 63 . Norham Castle , built in 1121 by Bishop Elambard , and repaired in 1171 by Bishop Pudsey , who employed a person named Ricardus Ingeniator . — JRegindldi Dunelm , p . 112 . Richard is mentioned in tbe Holden JBuJce , as havi ng

held of the See a moiety of Newton , near Durham .- — 1 . Hare . 64 . In South Sberburn , Durham , Christian , tbe Mason , held , in 1183 , sixty acres , which the Bishop ( Pudsey ) gave him out of the moor , for 5 s . ; and two oxgangs , which were ArkilPs , for 14 td . ; Christian was to be quit of these payments so long as he was in the Bishop's service in mason work .

In Pittington Churchyard there is a stone which once covered Christian ' s remains , and has upon it the folloAving inscription : "> Ji Women ( II ) abens Christi tumulo tumultatur in isto . > J < Qui fcumnlum cermifc coinmendifc cum prece Chrisfco . " —Bolden Bulce , pp . 10 and 49 . 65 . Lambertthe marble-cutter ( Marmorarius ) , had

, in Stanhope , Durham , thirty acres for bis service , so long as he was in the Bishop ' s service ( 1183 ) , and when he left he was to render two besants , or 4 s . Lambert doubtless provided tbe columns of Erosterley marble with which Bishop Pudsey adorned the Galilee of Durham Cathedral . —Bolilen Bulee

, p . 65 . 66 . Walter of Coventry is supposed to have been the architect employed by Seffrid , Bishop of Chichester , to rebuild the Cathedral , after it was destroyed by fire , in 1187 . —Hay ' s History of Chichester . 67 . In tbe Liber Aliuscompiled in 1419 by John

, Carpenter , town clerk , London , are tbe regulations ordered by Eitz-Ahvyne ' s Assize of Buildings in 1189 , ancl amongst them is one ordering that master carpenters ancl master masons were to be sworn in tbe folloAving terms , not to make any encroachments" Item , ye touty maistres carpenters et masons de la

citee soient jurrez qnils ne ferrouut nulles purprises sur le ruves ne venelles deins la citee , ne la suburhe , ne prejudice dez veysins ou ils ferrouut let-z edefiementz , encountre les Estatuz de la citee d ' ancein temps ordeignez . " Munimenta Qildlutllce Londoniensis , Liber Alius , p . 477 . 68 . In the 10 th Richard 1 st , ( 1199 ) , Elyas , the Ingeniator , was allowed ten marks by tbe Sheriffs of London and Middlesex for repairs of the King ' s-