Thoughts On The New History.

in the poem did . I have also no doubt that some comments and reflections interspersed in the poet ' s code were added by tbe poet , and that be otherwise took a poet ' s liberty of nHerinsf and changing words and phrases . The poet ' s aim wns to give a dramatic description of his assemblies ; hence , his Athelstan assembly lie made to consist of dukes , barons , knights , squires , many more , meaning that

there were a large number of these personages present ; ancl oven the burghers , which grouped in the back ground , wero styled " great , burghers . " But he had also to mention the meeting of the Justices of the Peace ; this last phrase was too prosy for our poet ' s taste , —it was not sufficiently grand for his fancy . Besides which , " Justices of the Peace" may have been associated in some minds with very

unpleasant reminiscences . This phrase therefore was deemed nnsuitable for his composition . Our poet evidently aimed at making his assembly appear as grand as possible , a sort of Tableaux Vivant Such as a painter might be tempted to canvas , hence , he designated the meeting of the Justices of the Peace as an " assembly , " ancl the personages fignring in the said meetings be styled great lords ,

knights , pqnires , mayors , aldermen , not forgetting to add " many more . " In short , the poet did not aim or expect to be qnoteel as nn authority for history or law ; he never dreamed that his rhyming code would be used in a Lodge , and it never was so USPCI . All the pnet did aim at was , to give a mere outline of the 15 Articles and 15 Points , which then formed the Mnson ' s code or constitution , and

to make its surroundings as grand as he could . Nor can we accuse the poet of actual misrepresentation , * for Mayors and Aldermen may have received appointments to net as Justices of the Peace , or , at all events , these personages were probably always present at the biennial meetings of the Justices of the Peace in the cities and in counties . I ana snre that Lords acted as

Justices of tbe Peace , as the following statute of 1360 will show ; thus saith the statute— " In every county in England shall be assigned for keeping the pence one Lord , and with him , three or four of the worthy of the county , with some learned in the law . " These worthies " of tbe connty , " wero probably knights and squires ; upon a whole , therefore , the poet did not very much exaggerate the scene he described .

Looking , therefore , at the question at issue from every point , I must come to the conclusion that tbe mere omission of the phrase Justices of the Peace by the poet cannot disprove the fact that the 12 th and 15 th " points" which he copied from the original code were designed to pacify tbe jealous officers of the law who were appointed to look after the regulations of Craftsmen . And I mnst

here repeat , that as tho said " points" were in accordance with the statutes of 1389 and 1406 the original code must have been written after the last-named year ; ancl as the poet ascribed the said code to King Athelstan , a period of some thirty or more years mnst have in . tervened between the time when the code was originally written , and when the poet got the first sight of it .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must hear the name ani address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE NEW TEMPLE QUESTION .

To the Editor of the FKEEJIASON ' S CFIKONTCLE . DEAR SIE AND BROTHER , —The more I consider tho question of the rebuilding of the Temple and the alterations thereupon contemplated , the more I am convinced of the propriety of the course th ; ifc has been adopted . It is easy to find fault with the Special Building Committee , to assume superior wisdom after knowledge has boMi

gained . It may strike some minds that the Committee either hurl no settled convictions of their own , or if they had they lacked thn conrnge of them . My own impression is that they fonnd the subject too vast , too important to assume a dogmatic attitude , and therefore they acted the prudent part . They gathered together information , they formulated a scheme with the aid of the Gr . anrl Superintendent

of Works , and placed the whole matter before Grand Lodge for them to take whatever course might bo deemed best . The result hns proved tho wisdom of the course ndopfc ' d . If they had carried their investigations into the desirability of Acquiring certain premises abutting on the west side of Freemasons' Hull , and had found ont

me terms upon which they might bo obtained , their report would have been comprehensive and complete . Their omission to do this is the one fault in their work . I admit it to bo a serious mistake sn far as the Committee are concerned , and one that should he remedied at the earliest moment . Wh . it they have done , however , is of greet value ; it is a basis upon which action may bo taken ; it has without uount

afforded nn opportunity for the Craft generally to understand the whole question , and to nrrive fit something like n definite and instructed opinion . Tho Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire have taken up the matter in earnest . Writing before any decision h » 8 been arrived at by thetn , I can only deal with what they propose to . do , according to n notice of motion placed on the agenda , paper wr discussion at the meeting to bo held at Ripon on the 3 rd inst . Jne proposer nt least regards tho report of the Special Building Committee " with surprise ancl alarm . " The grounds for this feel . 'ng are the purchase of the remainder of the lease of Bacon's Hotel — five and-a-third years—for £ B , 000 ( annual rent £ 360 ) and the granting ofan extension of Messrs . Spiers and Pond ' s lease for 50 years .. By inference it is considered that the expenditure of £ ' , 000 * or the purpose alluded to is too much , or that ifc should not be made

Correspondence.

at all . Aa to the second point , thero is no ambiguity . The first resolution distinctly states " that the leasing of any property of Grand Lodge , except for n limited period , is . under any circumstances , highly objectionable , and mnv prove , ns in the cases of the three leases now existing , extremely inconvenient , and that the question of rent is quite a secondary consideration compared with the retention of

fnll control of the premises and the tenants of Grand Lodge . Further , it is urged that it wonld be wise , under the direction of the Grand Superintendent of Works , to invito competent architects , Masons or non-Masons , " to submit plans of any scheme for reconstrnctfon or enlargement of tho Masonic Temple . " I have purposely called attention tu tho proposed action of the

Provincial Grind Lodge of West Yorkshire , because it affords proof of tho wisdom of delay , and has opened up one fresh que . stinn for consideration . T cvuinot omit remarking , too , fchit the West Yorkshire brethren could not have taken np their present position hacl it not been for the preparatory work done by tho Special Building Committee . T have craro doubts as to tho desirnbilitv of

purchasing the remainder of Mr . Bacon ' s lease , and although I did not at first realise nnv objection to the proposed extension of tho term of Messrs . Spiers and Pond ' s tenure , now it is pointed ont ifc strikes mo aa a very unwise arrangement . Theso aro matters , however , that demand carefnl consideration , and certainly the money question cannot be neglected . Ifc is ono thing to expend a large capital sum , which

means an increased yearly expenditure ; qnite another to still further increase th <* yearly outlay of Grand Lodge by sacrificing what have hfrherfco been sources of income . It appears settled that there must be an enlarged Temple , bub whether it shall be capable of holding fifteen hundred or any fewer number of brethren , is a quest'on that remains to bo determined . That

thp Temple , both >' n capacity and beanty , shonld bo worthy of the Grand Lodge of England , admits of no doubt . It should be as complete and as superb as money and skill can make it—a fit home for the mosfc sublime human institution tho world has ever known . There may be some difference of opinion as to whether there shonld be a library and a museum . To mvmind these accessories aro absolutely needful . The

Craft in this country can bnnsfc of many brethren skilled in Masonio lore , worthy to hold their own . Compared with the whole body they are few in number . They are brilliant lights , wh- ' ch accentuate the semi-mental darkness of the mass that prevails on all matters of esoteric Freemasonry . It is possible to have e ** ery outward adornment , to have a Grand Temple , and all the necessary adjuncts , and yet lack the

w i sdom to understand tho strength and beauty of the whole system . Knowledge can onlv come by cultivation , and hitherto tho Masonic student has had to depend npon the length of his individual purse to provide tbe m ° ann of acquiring information . Technical knowledge of the Craft is now within easy reach . At one time that was nofc so , and a few experts alone were able to teach aspiring Masons the

duties of their several offices . The brethren of tho present day can hardly estimate the privileges thev enjoy over and beyond those possible to their forefathers . What has been dono for the ceremonial of the Order T desire to see accomp lished for its history and philosophy . A l'brary therefore is indispensable . A mnsenm wonld grow out of it , and wonld bo an outward visi ble form of some of the

spiritual essence of Freemasonry . Whatever facilities mighfc be afforded , students would only be few perhaps , bnt the result of their researches wonld leaven the whole mass , ancl before many years were over the Craft in England would be elevated in tone , and would become more worthy inheritors of noble princip les than they now aro . Then I take it there mnst bo hotel accommodation equal to tbe wants of the brethren . I believe , at the present timo , every room afc

Freemasons' Hall that can be let for Lodgo purposes is engaged . It is a question whether , in the new arrangements , more rooms shonld not be added . By this means tho ontlay could , in some measure , be covered , and the permanent income of Grand Lodge increased , To what extent this could be done I must leave to tho = e better acqnainted than I am with the present and probable capacity of Freemasons' Hall . There is one serious drawback which I reluctantly

notice . I have no desire to injure vested interests or to aggravate complaints , but . in justice to the body at large I am compelled to recognise existing facts . Whatever may be the cause , it is never , theless true , that some Lodges meeting at Freemasons' Hall feel ifc necessary to go elsewhere for refreshment . They perform their duties in their several Lodge-rooms , and go to some other hotel or

restaurant to dine . Of course , n caterer cannot be expected to s-icrifice bis interests to the wants and demands of any particular Lodge ; bufc if theso can meet at other large establishments why not at Freemasons' Hall ? Thafc is a question that should be satisfactorily answered . If the conditions upon which Messrs . Spiers and Pond hold their lease aro so severe that thev ennnot compete with other

hotels , then , in the interests nf common justice and for the sake of the comfort of those frequenting Freemasons'Hall , they should bo relaxed . If , on the other hand , Messrs . Spiers and Pond have such arbitrary powers , the exercise of which in some cases makes it impossible for certain bodies to utilise their services , then it is scarcely worth while to incnr a further large outlay and grant a great extension of their

lease . I should have thought that self-interest won'd have determined the matter satisfactoril y , bnt that is not alwavs tho case , as those acquainted with tho catering at Freemasons'Hall , in years gone by , well know . It may be thafc Messrs . Spiers and Pond have a better case than some of their predecessors had . Whatever may bo the

truth , it is necessary that the points I have raised should bo considered , and such arrangements made as to admit of no reasonable donbfc thafc the brethren can be as well and as cheaply provided for afc Freemasons' Hall as e ' sewhere . I fear I have trespassed too much npon your space , but the importance of the subject must plead my excuse .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , WATCH M AN .