The Past Of Freemasonry.

Freemasons first came to England , and built tlie monastery of Glastonbury , in Somersetshire . In the year 714 n . c , or about that time , an institution was established at Rome by members of the Order of Freemasons , and from them emanated those bands of travelling artisans , under the title of Free

and Accepted Masons , who have beautified , embellished , aud set their mark on all the aucient cities of Europe ancl Asia existing at that early period . In the tenth century of the present era they established a free guild or corporation in Lombardy , the most celebrated lodge or branch being held at Como ;

and after filling Lombardy with sacred edifices , they passed beyond the Alps into all the countries where Christianity had then recently been established . They were encouraged by the Popes ; a monopoly was granted them in the erection of all religious edifices ; and they were declared independent of the Sovereigns

of the countries they embellished , aud were only subject to their own private laws . They ultimately passed over to Scotland , and raised the Abbey of Kilwinning , the germ of old Scotch Masonry . That was about the year 1140 , but Freemasonry was known both in England and Scotland long before that period . Without minutely tracing Freemasonry through

all its various changes , I may here mention that , according to ancient manuscri pts , in the early part of the fourth century of the present era , Masons in England used to meet iu lodges or districts , and once a year congregated together ; ancl in a MS . ( once iu the possession of Nicholas Stone , a sculptor under the celebrated Inigo Jones ) it states that St , Albans

, " who loved and cherished Masons , " procured a charter from the council to hold general assemblies . In the year A . D . 926 , upon application of his brother , Prince Edwin , King Athelstan granted a charter for the first English Grand Lodge , which was established at Yorkand it was from that ancient

, assembly that our ancient Constitutions derive their authority , and from that period in this country the Fraternity in various p laces and under different auspices have continued to pursue their labours . About the year 1567 tlie Masons of the southern part of this island elected Sir Thomas Gresham , the

celebrated merchant , their Grand Master , they having seceded from the York Masons . He was succeeded by the illustrious architect , Inigo Jones . There were then two Grand Blasters in England , assuming distinctive titles , the York Grand Master being called the " Grand Master of All England , " and the other the " Grand Master of England . "

In 1715 Freemasonry Avas at so low an ebb in the south of England that there were but four lodges working , . and they were all in London . They were without a Grand Master , Sir Christopher Wren being dead , and no Grand Master having been appointed to succeed him . After various struggles , and undergoing many changes and vicissitudes iu the year 1 S 13 ,

the different branches of Freemasons in England ( as at that time , for want of proper organisation , they were many ) agreed to unite under the Grand Mastership of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , and became what thoy are now , one United Grand Lodge . In glancing over the history of our ancient brethren we cannot fail to be struck by several important peculiarities . The intimate connection between

Masonry and religion in the earliest ages by practice—i n their communities , and in the erection of ecclesiastical edifices—and as , at the early period of our history , they were all operative Masons , they had , therefore , to depend principally on the clergy , the only men of learning at that time—to assume the speculativeand

, to devise for them their plans and designs , thus bringing about what may be said to be the rise of speculative Freemasonry , to the exclusion of the operative , or rather separating one from the other . And , lastly , that from these our ancient brethren may be traced not only that unity of design that has the

admiration of the world , and that is to be found wherever art flourishes , but from whose ruins may also be traced the records of our earliest foundation , ancl from whom we claim our own laws , forms , and

ceremonies . As one of the many connecting links of Masonic history , humble although it be , a short account of the Caledonian Lodge will not be out of place here . I regret that the information I am able to impart respecting it does not , in my mind , fully do it justice , as , from losses of minute-books and other causesthe

, early part of its history is but little known to us . What I cau this evening impart to you has been gleaned from the records of the United Grand Lodge , ancl what remains of our own minute-books . It is with pride , however , that I am able . to say that the Old Caledonianssince the foundation of this

, lodge , have ever endeavoured to set forth the beauties of our noble and venerable institution ; that they have , by a succession of worthy Masons , good men and true , materially assisted iu preserving the good name and character of the lodge , and have , down even to our own time , set such an example iu the Craft that it

has often been a source of pride and pleasure to me to hear , as I have heard it said ( when conversing with brethren in the Craft whose Masonic standing ranks far above my own ) that the Caledonian is a highly respectable lodge , and one that has materially assisted the Grand Lodge , the Craft , and the Charities .

I hope , brethren , we may ever retain that position iu the Craft ; and although we all among "the wastes of time must go , " may we be succeeded by brethren who will be found good and true men and Masons , workmen , hewers of stone in the great quarries of life ; fellers of timber in the vast forests of time , and artificers of metals in the clay grounds of eternity

, looking upwards with hope to the Grand Lodge above , and leaving to brethren of centuries yet unborn the legacy of a good name , a worthy lodge , and the honour and esteem of the Craft in general . In the first place , I may state the Caledonian Lodge was consecrated at the Half MoonCheapside

, , in the City of London , on the 15 th November , 1764 , and was then numbered on the books of the old Grand Lodge of York as No . 325 . In 1770 , from the lapsing of certain lodges , it became No . 263 ; in 1781 , No . 211 ; in 1792 , No . ISO . On Dec . 27 th , 1813 , at the union , No . 218 ; in 1832 , No . 156 ; and last year ,

1864 , to its present number , 134 . As I before explained , the minute books for the earliest period of our existence have been lost . From particulars gleaned from the books of Grand Lodge , I find that a Bro . Isaac Clementson was W . M . in the year 1804 , and from 1 S 0 G to 1810 ; that Bro . Thos . Bell was W . M . in 1805 , and from 1811 to 1817 , and