The 'Hub' Ms

tion the Bible , but he may have heard in a sermon about the " Tower of Babel , " and about an old king named Nebuchadnezzar , so he put this and that together , and informed us that—The tower of Babyloyne was begonne ,

Also playne werke of lyme and ston , As any mon shuldo loke uppon , So long and brod liyfc was begonne , Seven myle the hezghte schaclweth the sonno , King Nabogonosor let hyt make .

And that was all that our poet knew about Biblical events . But tho author of tho Cooke MS . mentions tho word " Bible " several times ; he even refers to Genesis , chapters iv . and xi . ; he doubtless had read in the Bible about King Solomon ' s Temple . I cannot say that he was much . of a

Bible scholai ' , but bo certainly must have read some portion of the Bible , and he was not afraid to inform his brother Masons of it . NOAV , historians agreo that sinco tho _ 3 th centnry Catholics wero forbidden to read tho Bible , and if so , then the author of the Cooke MS . must have been a

Protestant , and those for whom the MS . was written must have been Protestants too . And that is not all . The poem , in a prayer , invokes the holy Virgin and holy saints . The Strasburg and Torgall Masonic Constitutions also havo prayers to the Virgin and to saints ; the same I found in

prayers of other English guilds . But in the invocation in the Cooke MS . neither Virgin nor saints are mentioned Putting , therefore , these facts together , I come to the conclusion that the author of the Cooke MS . was a Protestant

that it Avas Avritten to serve as a ritual for a Lodge composed of Protestant Masons , and its origin may be dated from the reign of Edward VI , or may be from tho latter part of tho reign of Henry VIII .

Assuming now that such was the case , I would further suggest , what to me seems probable , viz ., that up to the time of the Masonic poet candidates for initiation had the laws read to them , which laws they were bound by an oath to observe , and that constituted the whole ritual . Of

course their secret modes of recognition were communicated in addition to reading the Jaws , but that was all tho enlightenment tbe then Masons roceived . But , after the poem was written , the manuscript for initiating was enlarged ; the new-born legends about Euclid , Athelstan , the Four

Holy Martyrs , aud the Seven Sciences wore added to the ritual , may be Nobogodonozor and his Tower of Babyloyne , seven miles high , was also tacked on to the ritual . But , somehow , rituals are apt to be altered . It seems that some old Masonic luminary had an aversion to King Athelstan .

He did not want that Athelstan should be regarded as the law giver of the first English Masons . So he manufactured a family for Athelstan , and made his youngest son the law giver of the Masons . Again , a copyist seems to have changed the name of Euclid into Englot . There were

probably other changes made here and there in the ritual legends . But , all at once , a kind of a Dr . Anderson joined the Fraternity , and who at once endeavoured to prove to the old Masons that he knew more about their origin and history than any of them knew . I admit that

all that is mere imagination , but did not Anderson and Co ., in 1717 , or somewhat later , act in the same way ? Did not Thomas Smith Webb perform similar service in

America in the latter part of the last century ? And did not a score of manufacturers of high degrees make some dnpes believe that they monopolised the highest and sublimest secrets in the Masonic arcana ? It is therefore not

impossible that the author of the Cooke MS . could have done , in the 16 th century , what has been successfully accomplished in the 18 th arid 19 th centuries . Any how , the Cooke MS . became the standard Masonic ritual of the English Craft , and it continued so , with but very little variation , until after 1717 .

And now for a few more words about the Hub MS ., which , as alread y intimated , is an offspring of the Cooke MS . The scroll of parchment measures 1 \ in breadth by 7 feet in length ; it looks as if a very great number of men have been Masonized with its aid . In one part a few words are

entirel y obliterated , and I had to leave the space blank , oome amendments were made by the scribo between the » "es , but not always , for the Athelstan legend is defective or incomp lete . The name of King- Hiram ' s son . who was

Qoiomou s " master mason , " is decidedl y unique and original . The MS . was copied by my son . Theu he , in conjunction with my learned friend Bro . Mac Grew , the wand Lecturer of the G . L . of Massachusetts , carefully compared the old with the new MS . I then sent the copy

to Bro . Wnghtson , of the Masonic Review , at Cincinnati , who returned proof sheets for correction . I next got from Cincinnati corrected proof sheets . These , with a few other corrections , I now send to Bro . Morgan , and I hope that he will oblige the Hub by doing bis duty .

( To be continued ) . BOSTON , U . S . 25 th July 1890 .

Herefordshire Masonic Charity Association.

HEREFORDSHIRE MASONIC CHARITY ASSOCIATION .

rpnE thirteenth annnal meeting of the members of this excellent ' association was held at the Greon Dragon Hotel , Hereford , on the 28 th nit . The chair was taken by Bro . Thomas Blinkhorn , president , the other members present being Bros . H . C . Beddoe , 0 . Shellard , C . Rootes , T . Godwin Chance , J . R . Tidd Pratt , J . Marchant , B . Onll . wick , and Wm . Earle , hon . secretary . At the request of the

President , the roport and financial statement were read . This stated at the last meeting the ballot resnlted in five life sabscriborships to tho Masonic Institutions , viz .: Girls' School , Bros . J . E . Burney , William Parlby , and Vifcrnvian Lodgo j Boys' School , Sir J . R . Bailey , M . P . ; and Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution , Bro . the Rev . D .

Beaton . Since the month of Angnst 1878 , when the Association was inaugurated , it has remitted to the Masonio Institutions as follows : — Boys' School £ 211 10 s , Girls' School £ 204 15 s , Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution—Male Fund £ 115 10 s , Female Fund £ 131 5 s , a total of £ 603 . The cash statement showed that the subscriptions

amounted to £ 34 13 s , while to Girls' Sohool was paid £ 21 , Boys ' School £ 5 5 s , and Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution £ 5 5 s , leaving a balance in hand of £ 6 6 s . The ballot was then taken , and resnlted in the following life memberships in the Masonio Institutions , viz .: —The Rev . Richard Evans , Bros . W . R . Rootes , H . 0 . Beddoe ,

J . E . S . Hewett , J . E . Fisher and F . Mitchell , and the Eastnor Lodge at Ledbury . The Committee for the ensuing year was then appointed , as follows : —Bros . Chas . Rootes President , B . Cull wick Vioe-President , H . 0 . Beddoe Treasurer , W . Earle Hon . See ; T . Godwin Chance ( Palladian Lodge ) , J . Meredith ( Vitruvian Lodge ) , G . H . Piper D . P . G . M . ( Eastnor Lodge ) , W . T . Sale ( Royal Edward Lodge ) , F . R .

Tidd Pratt ( Arrow Lodge ) . Auditors , Bros . Thomas Smith ( G . W . R . ) and M . J . G . Scobie .. In the course of the proceedings Bro . H . C . Beddoe spoke in terms of high commendation of the excellent services of Bro . C . Rootes and the Hon . Secretary . A cordial vote of thanks to Bros . Thomas Blinkhorn the retiring President , Beddoe Treasurer , and Earle Seoretary brought the proceedings to a close .

Belfast Masonic Charities.

BELFAST MASONIC CHARITIES .

A SERMON on behalf of this noble objeot was preached , on Sun . day , under the auspices of the Lambeg Masonic Lodge , No . 565 , by the Rev . J . Helby P . P . G . C ., Portrush , in the Lambeg Parish Church . The sacred edifice was well filled in every part . At eleven the brethren assembled in the sohoolhonse adjoining the Church The following Lodges were represented : —Nos . 40 , 54 , 98 , 121 , 29 ,

178 , 59 , 602 , 121 , 811 , 317 , 272 , 106 , 356 , and 606 , and proceeded to the Church , wearing the splendid regalia of the . Masonio Institntion . As they entered the sacred portals the choir sang the bymD , " Onward Christian Soldiers , " during which the brethren seated themselves in the pewB placed at their disposal . The lessons were read by the

Rev . Bro . Banks , Rector of the Parish . The Rev . Brother , on entering the pulpit , ohose as his text the 13 th chapter of St . Paul ' s 1 st Epistle to the Corinthians , from which he preached an appropriate and eloquont discourse , basing his remarks on the word " charity , " and concluded by making an eloquent appeal on behalf of

the Belfast Masonic Charities . Tho offertory was then taken up , tho following officiating as collectors : —Bros . Robt Macartney P . P . G . J . W ., Hannay P . P . G . S . W ., Smyth P . G . J . D ., W . J . Stokes P . P . G . J . W .,

R . Knox P . G . J . W ., John D . Barbonr , John Arnott Taylor , J . B . Wilkins , A . Mussen , E . J . Charley , James Pryde P . S ., & c . It is believed a hearty response was made to the earnest appeal for the noble object .

The Executive Committee of the Glasgow Grand Masonio Bazaar met on Monday , the 4 th inst ., nnder the presidency of Colonel Sir Arohibald C . Campbell , Bart ., Grand Master Mason , when considerable progress was reported . The obairman intimated that he had succeeded in securing as vico . patrons of the Bazaar tbe following additional members of the Royal Family : —H . R . H . the Duke of

Clarence and Avondale , T . R . H . the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh , T . R . H . the Duke and Duchess of Connanght , H . R . H . the Princess Louise Marchioness of Lome . The report of the General Purposes Committee on the progress made by them to date was read and approved . The plan of the Waverley Market , showing the position of the various stalls , was finally adjusted . Various arrangements wero

made for the better representation by ladies from the . provinces , and Mr . Davis , Buzaar Secretary , was instructed to communicate with the foreign and colonial lodges and representatives abroad , with the view to getting their contributions forwarded to this country in good time . The Hon . Lady Campbell of Blythswood and the Hon . Mrs .

Hope of Belmont have been able , through their great knowledge of bazaar matters , to lend valuable assistance to the General Purposes Committee in working out the minor details in tbe arrangements . Refreshments , lighting and heating the building , & c , were among the matters disposed of at tho last meeting of the committee . —Glasgow Evening News .

Ar00303

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , in London and Country , by Bro . Q . A . HUT TON , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand . W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made .