Sketches Of Notable Masonic Works.

SKETCHES OF NOTABLE MASONIC WORKS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , AUGUST 15 , 1863 .

By Bro . WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN , W . M . 131 , Truro , & c .

No . 2 . ( Continued from Page 141 . ) ANYTHING relating to the various Crafts or Guilds will be welcomed by the Masonic student , and as we have lately purchased a rare and valuable

work , entitled "An Historical Account of the Blue Blanket , or Craftsmen's Banner , " by Alexander Pennecink , Burgess and Guild Brother , of Edinburgh , 1722 , we purpose spending a few minutes at our anvil , in order to elicit some

sparks of a Masonic character . We never met with the work before , and believe it to be one of the rarest works in our Masonic Library . It is 16 mo ., and contains 140 pages , and is dedicated to the " Worshipful the

Deacons of Crafts , and remanent members of the Fourteen Incorporations in the good Town of Edinburgh , " Scotland . The work professes to be " An abridgment of the glorious actions of our predecessors , who , by a dutiful attachment to their Sovereigns , suffering by impious Eebels ,

shew d their Hearts , named with Loyalty ; their hands were thunder , and their deeds miracles . " The " Blue Blanket" was the name given to the Banner of the Craftsmen , and in " original writs" was called " The Banner of the Holy

Ghost . " The Preface is a most interesting production , and traces Operative Masonry and the other Crafts from the Creation , specifying that " In the Infancy of the World , before the Wranglings of

Lawyers , the Sophistry of Philosophers , and turbulent Factions of Divines , had debauched mankind , Artists were in tho hi ghest repute , " affording sketches of Tubal Cain , and mentions particularly that " It ' s much to the Honor of

Craftsmen , that holy Joseph , Husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary , Mother of the Son of God , was a Carpenter , ancl if we credit the earliest Ecclesiastick Historians , the glorious Redeemer of mankind , before his publick entrance upon the

ministerial office , laboured with his hands in the shop . " It seems that the Craftsmen in olden times were more successful in extraordinary deeds than those of the present time , as we find that the author

relates " many of the martial achievements and singular sanctity of mechanics . " " The Faith of a Shoemaker , under the reign of a King of Persia , was such that he removed a mountain by a holy Harangue , and the Church records a noble army

of martyrs who died for the Protestant Faith /' The Blue Blanket had " its rise about the 1200 year of God , when the Cruisade was carried on by Pope Urban the Second ; and so is older than any of the orders of knighthood in

Europe , save that of St . Andrew , or the Thistle , which had its original about the 800 . " "Yast numbers of Scot's mechanics having followed this holy war , taking with them a Banner , bearing this inscription out of the 51 Psalm : c In bona voluntate tua edificenter muri Jerusalem / and from its colour was called the Blue Blanket . "

Page 51 . The author next observes that he " may fairly infer that it is as ancient and more honorable than the English Order of the Garter , and thus the Crafts of Edinburgh , having this order of the

Blanket to glory in , may justly take upon themselves the Title of Knights of the Blanket , or Chevaliers of Arms . "

Then follows several copies of Charters to the several Crafts . One to the Hammermen , in which it is provided , " That every Craftisman that takes one Prentise to tech him the said Craft within the said Burgh , sal pay for his Entry to

the uphald of the said Altar , anil the ornaments thairof , Twenty shillings . " In an "Analysis of Ancient ? nd Modern Freemasonry " we have presented several instances of Craftsmen supporting the Churches , and especially

the Altars , by certain Fees exigible on Apprenticeship and Fines for misconduct and such like . The connection of the Craftsmen with

Christianity , in its earliest clays , is too well-known tcrequire any proof , as all the old charters ancl documents are commenced in the " Name of the Father , of the Son , and the Holy Ghost , three persons in one . " The Crafts had also to

contribute from their wages for the " Uphald of Divyne Service . " The office of Deacon is very ancient , and is frequently mentioned in the Acts of Parliament of Scotland from the fourteenth century and subsequently . It appears from the work that

"King James the Third , of Scotland offended his nobles for advancing Robert Cochrane , a Mason , to the dignity of Secretary of State , and creating him Earl of Mar , ancl confirmed to the