History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

It will be prudent in you , at least for some time , not to exhibit them to a brother , except in a lodge , or where you well know your company . Time and- patience will fully evince to you the importance of this precaution . You will keep a

strict guard over your discourse so that the most piercing eye , the quickest ear , or the most penetrating observations may not possibly discover what ought to be concealed ; and if you meet with prying , inquisitive people , endeavour to

turn and divert the discourse ; but beware of manifesting any offence or discomposure . " ( To be continued . )

Address To The Officers And Brethren Of The Lodge Of Antiquity, Montreal.

ADDRESS TO THE OFFICERS AND BRETHREN OF THE LODGE OF ANTIQUITY , MONTREAL .

By JBro . J . C . FKANCK , W . M . of the lodge , P . D . G . M ., P . O . Z . of the Grand Chapter of Canada , 8 fc . Right Worship ful Brother District Deputy Grand Master , Very Worship ful Brother Senior Warden , Brother Junior Warden , Officers , and Brethren : —

It is a remarkable fact that we may look back for centuries through the minute books of a lodge , and aside of statistical information , routine business , and financial affairs , nothing is found embodying the views , feelings , and sentiments of

the brethren , which might not only prove most interesting in future times , but in some instances assist even in the consideration of Masonic law . All we find recorded in our day is what may be termed the business of the Order , in many instances

the result of deep research , the result of valuable remarks falling from the lips of brethren , which , being never recorded , are not long treasured up , so that much important information is lost ; and

the records , although interesting to the then actors , are comparatively useless in the future , no matter how clever the Secretary who keeps them ; nay , even this year , in our own lodge , with a more than ordinary efficient Secretary , of whose minutes

an old and valued member remarked to me , that they read from beginning to end like a well-written and interesting novel or fairy tale , even then the import is Masonic business , not Masonic research . Look at the proceedings of Grand Lodge itself ;

were it not for the annual address of the Grand Master and other Grand Officers , the proceedings could not , to the casual reader , prove very interesting , and , as inlthe outer world , the opening

Address To The Officers And Brethren Of The Lodge Of Antiquity, Montreal.

and closing of each session of every organised ' body is generally accompanied by retrospective - and prospective remarks from the chief , as a likecustom exists in Grand Lodge , I think it were desirable , and would add much to the interest

taken by our successors , in our proceedings , for private lodges to go and do likewise . Thus " advised , I this day take the initiative , hoping that ' the few remarks I have to make may prove * interesting to the brethren present ,, and leaver

some clue of our Masonic views and feelings to- ' future generations . Brethren , —This lodge was chartered under the * number 227 by the Grand Lodge of Ireland lathe year 1752 , and continued attached to the "

46 th British Regiment for about 90 years afterwards , when it fell into abeyance , and the charterpassed into other hands . The annals of the lodge furnish many interesting facts and anecdotes , which , on the present occasion , „

and for the purposes of this address , would be too- " lengthy to record . I should , however , state that ' it has been asserted that the illustrious Washington :

was initiated in this lodge , and such was generally admitted to have been the case until 1841 , when our American brethren say it was discovered that' ' Washington was initiated , passed , and raised in ' the Fredericksburg Lodge , organised at Fredericks-

burg in Virginia , by authority of a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts . They do , however , add that , although all the lodges emanating at that time from the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland were empowered by their

charter or warrant to confer the first three or Craft degrees of Masonry , yet it is a well-established ' fact that the military lodges did not always confine ' themselves to the strict letter of their charters ,.

but occasionally conferred the " Mark " as a side degree ; and they add that they have the authority of the Provincial Grand Master of Nova Scotia „ in 1852 , for saying that this degree had been " conferred in that province , Nova Scotia , and in '

Canada for upwards of a century under a Master - Mason's warrant , to which lodge , and not to a Royal Arch Chapter , it then was the opinion of that Provincial Grand Master , the degree of Mark " Master properly belongs . And they further

saythat it is not travelling beyond the limits of probability to assume that Lodge 227 , belonging tothe 46 fch British Regiment , following the practice of the military lodges of that day , gave the Markdegree in addition to those specially enumerated '' :