An Analysis Of Ancient And Modern Freemasonry.

pa-ny and seven more old Freemasons being also with him . This lodge for certain knew nothing of Freemasonry as we have it now . The Lodge of Antiquity was instituted about tho middle of the seventeenth century ( so Bro .

Preston says ) , but , strange to say , not a word has ever been written about its minutes before the Grand Lodge of England was formed , and hence ive conclude that none have been preserved , as circumstances occurred ivhich called for their

production had they been in existence . Its subsequent history will be noticed as we proceed ; at the same time we must express our regret that so little is known nf the early character and transactions of so ancient and important a lodge as Antiquity ( No . 2 ) , formerly No . 1 . The constitutions of A . D . 1723 occupy nearly

half the volume in presenting a sketch of the Graft from " Adam , our first parent" clown to Noah , and from the Flood to King Solomon ; and , while anxious to style Moses Grand Master , and give Mm full credit for " Marshalling the Children of

Israel into a regular aud general lodge while in the wilderness , " they entirely ignore the minutes of the lodges which constituted the Grand Lodge A . D . 1717 ( if any existed ) , and resolutely keep a thick veil over the former proceedings of the

"time immemorial lodges , " although the latter information would have been vastly more valuable and useful than all the most ridiculous traditions in the world in the elucidation of the nature aud customs of Operative Masonry . The constitutions , however , insert the following act of Parliament : —

"Tertio Honrici Sexti , cap . 1 , A . D . l-i-2 o . " Title . Masons shall not confederate themselves "in chapters and congregations . " Whereas , by yearly congregations and confederacies made by the Masons in their general

assemblies , the good course and effect of the Statutes for Labourers be openly violated and broken in subversion of the law , and to the great damage of all the Commons , our said sovereign Itord the King , willing iu this cr . se to provide a

remedy , by the advice and assent aforesaid , aud at i . t . ft special request of the Commons , hath or"fi-uucil and established that such chapters and con ^ n . 'g- 'tions shall not be hereafter hoi ien and if any . such be made , they that cause such chapters and congregations to be assembled and lioldeuil f-iiev thereof be convict—shall be judged for

felons , and that the other Masons that come to such chapters and congregations be punished by imprisonment of their bodies , and make fine and ransome at the King's will . " According to Coke ' s Institutes , part 3 rd , p . 99 ,

this A . ct and its statutes " are repealed by the Statute of 5 th Elizabeth , cap 4 . " The fact of that eminent judge so expressing himself , however , has actually led the compiler of our first " Book of Constitutions . " to declare that it " confirms the

tradition of old Masons , that this most learned judge really belonged to the ancient lodge , and ivas a faithful brother . " These constitutions will be further examined ere long . ( To be continued . )

The Knights Templars.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS .

By ANTHONY ONEAL HAYE . ( Continued from fiarje 406 . ) CHAPTER IX . —( Continued . ) On receiving this message , a council of the

nobles was held at Jerusalem . The justice of the demand made by the Count of Tripoli and the barons was at once acknowledged . The period of the truce with Saladin was almost expired , and it became therefore absolutely necessary to fix upon

a line of operations for the renewal of the Avar , which could only be clone on the appointment of a king . Difficulties , however , now met them from an unexpected quarter . Sybilla retracted her former promise to be divorced from her husband

not expecting such a union of opinion among the contending parties , for she hoped that in the disputes to be able to place the crown on the head of her husband before a divorce could be pronounced . She therefore refused to yield her consent to the

terms proposed by the Barons , and declined accepting the sovereignty of Jerusalem fettered with such obnoxious conditions , for she was passionately attached to Guy . But De Lusignan entreated her to waive all personal considerations , and not to neglect the safety of the kinsdom on

his account , . / uter some consideration , and acting , upon a sudden thought , she said— " If a divorce takes place between me aud my husband , I wish yon to make mo sure , by your promises and oaths that whomsoever I shall make choice of , you wil l choose for your head and lord . " To this Gerard