Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

Snmnel Dnpar J . W ., John Colo Treas ., S . P . Hntlmwny jun . Sec ., I > . Pitman Chaplain , kc . After an appropriate address from tho Grand Master , Grand Lodge was entertained by the members of tho restored Lodge at a sumptuous banquet .

At the Quarterly Communication , held in tho Masonic Temple , Boston , on tho 9 th June , there was a strong muster of G . Officers and tho representatives of a hundred and one Lodges of tho Jurisdiction . Bro . C . A . Welch occupied the chair of K . S . and was supported by Bros .

Abraham H . Rowland jun . Deputy G . M ., C . W . Moody G . S . W ., Otis E . Weld G . J . W ., Sam . Wells G . Treasurer , Tracy P . Cheever Recording G . Sec , George P . Sangc Corresponding G . Sec , & c , together with P . G . M . 's Bros . W . D . Coolidge , W . Parkman , C . C . Dame , and S . D . Nickerson ,

and other Past G . Officers . The minutes of the last Quarterly Communication and of tho special meetings already recited having been approved , the various Committees entered upon their duties . The Report of the Committee on Charters recommending that Lodgo

Pilgrim bo permitted to change its quarters was adopted . The Committee appointed to consider tho question of recognising the United Grand Lodge oE Colon and the Island of Cuba reported favourably , and the report was adopted , the new United G . Lodge being thus fraternally

welcomed by the G . Lodge of Massachusetts . Reports affecting the rights and privileges of private members Avere submitted and approved , a Brother in one case being restored and in the other being expelled . A Committee was then appointed for tho purpose of considering tlie

propriety of granting Lodges which had been in existence for a hundred years permission to wear a centenary jewel , as is the custom in England . The satisfactory progress made in the measures being taken for paying off the debt

connected with the G . L . Temple was made tho subject of remark , the G . Master congratulating those present on the success which had thus far attended thoir efforts ; after which G . L . was closed .

On Liberty Of The Masonic Press.

ON LIBERTY OF THE MASONIC PRESS .

By Brio . JACOB NORTON .

TlIE highest and most important gift conferred by the Creator on tho human race is reason . Reason should , therefore , havo formed the copestonc of our Masonic arch . Bnt , unfortunately , our ritnal builders , like the bnilders of old wo read of , rejected that stone and cast it away among the rubbish . We have not a symbol on tho Tracing-board representing reason , aud with the exception of a bare allusion to reason in tho lectnre when treating of logic , tho word

" reason " is scarcely mentioned either in tho ceremonies or lectures . But while reason is tabooed from onr Masonio philosophy , "faith , hope , and charity " are magnified into theological virtues . But it cannnt be denied that faith and hope , without reason , is the mother of all kinds of superstition ; and even charity , if not guided by discrimination , becomes an evil , for it encourages impostors ,

reredncos the giver's family to beggary , and thus becomes a curse to the giver and receiver , instead of a blessing . Charity also signifies forbearance . We all havo our faults , and if a man is determined to associate only with faultless saints , ho will never derive enjoyment from associafion of a ? iy kind ; while as even the gentle sex are not always without faults , he will havo to

make shift without a wife . Bnt man was not mado to live alone ; he needs society , he needs assistance ; he is necessarily dependent on others , in business matters , in the time of sickness , & c .: hence , as long as tho sweets derived from our associates predominates over the bitters , common sense teaches us to overlook petty annoyances , and to forgive the offences we may now and then receive from onr unwise

associates ; and this is called " the chanty of forbearance . But even that kind of charity has its limits , and must , consequently , be regulated by reason . For instance , we discover that one in whom we placed great confidence , turns out to be an habitual swindler , a liar , or a slanderer . In such case , charity of forbearance must not only cease , but it is our duty to tho public to expose the

offender , even by publishing his true character in the papers . Thus we seo that even " faith , hope , aud charity , " thongh thoy arc called " theological virtues , " arc really tho very reverse of virtues , if they are not subordinated to reason . For many years the Masonic press , especially in America , was conducted upon the perverted Masonic notion of ( including reason from

its pages . Communications of dreamers or charlatans , especially if tbey were varnished over with theological sectarian cant , found ready admittance into the Masonic press , and were often accompanied by an eulogy from the editor ' s pen . But if a remonstrance against the absurdities of the said communication were sent to the same editor , he

generally rejected it upon tho excuse of " Masonic courtesy , " Masonic law , " " Masonic landmarks , " or somo other kind of Masonic something , which theso worthies could conjnre tip for every occasion . With such a press , it is no wonder that hnmbugism took root and flourished on Masonic soil ; and tho most ridiculous of all onr Masonic

On Liberty Of The Masonic Press.

hnmlmgisir . s is what is railed " TTigh Grades . The possessors of theso High Tirades protend . or imagine themselves to bo snprrinr to Craft Masons . Bnt , judging from their contributions to tho Masonic l > vns * , which aro always headed with eitlior Tv . T . 31 ° , or by a unmoor of initial ;! denoting their high rank—T say , judo-lug fir . m their contributions , written npon their favourite topics , I have invariably found

thorn shallnv mid . hoslnj ; they are all based on cissKi ) i . 'pfii > ii , withonl either reason or logic . Dr . Manningham , D . G . M . from 1752 to 175 G , endeavoured to cxcludo theso and similar high grades from English Lodges , without avail . Tho "Doctor ' s efforts hastened on tho Masonic schism , and high degrees wero subsequently practised by both parties . Nor need wo wonder at it whon wo recall to mind that dnring tho last

centnry Anderson's history was not only printed with every issue of the Constitution , but it was reprinted any number of times in Freemasons' Pocket Companions , and every lecturer and writer of tho last contnry endorsed tho said history . Now , when a man can be mado to believe in tho Masonry of Adam , ho can also be mado to believe in tho high grades of Ninirod . Osiris , De Molay and Co . " And all fools are

not dead yet . " I do not mean to intimate that all the high degreers aro either fools or knaves , for I am acquainted with scores of K . T . ' s , Scotch Riters , Memphis Etters , Constantino Biters , and other kind of Masonic Biters , who are not only very sensible and good mon , but who , as a rnle , deplore the introduction of tho high degree mummeries as much as I do . Bros . Findel , Kebold , Steinbrenuer , and Folgor

( the last threo named are high degree Masons ) condemn theso degrees , and the Crown Prince of Prussia has disconnected himsolf with the Berlin G . L . "Three Globes " on account of his disgust with its high degrees . Wo all dislike sham history , sham philosophy , sham learning , sham piety , sham titles , sham chivalry , & c . Nov / , these High Grades aro nothing moro nor less than compounds

of those shams . True , wo have shams also in Craft Masonry , bnt there is this difference . Craft Masonry is based upon solid principles , and by removing its parasitic shams , no harm will be dono to tho structure . Bnt let tho shams bo taken away from tho high grades aud thero will bo no structure at all left ; for , from beginning to end , the high degrees aro nothing bnt shams . Tho High Grade question

is , therefore , a proper and legitimato subject for Masonic discussion . Tf my views aro wrong , they may easily be confuted ; and if I am right , why shonld not the truth bo known ? In a communication to tho Freemason , headed " Tho Grand Lodgo Library , " printed in that paper 22 nd May instant , I threw out some hints about the high degrees . In tho next issue of that paper , the

editor devoted several paragraphs , deploring the introduction of those topics into tho Masonic press . Ho says : — " Thero is so much doubt on so many matters , that we must all bo forbearing in our language and views . . . So in future , in the Freemason , we shall permit no remarks which may servo to hurt or antagonize the conscientious viows of others . "

I have no desire to hurt the conscientious views of anyone providing they aro harmless . Bnt when theso brethron undertake to teach that sectarianism is the chief aim of Masonry , and miscall those teachings " High Masonic grades , " when it is well known they aro moro shams—and which even the editor of that paper , always refers to as " so-called High Grades "—I think that I havo a

right to express my opinions regardless of tho tender feelings of prejudiced or interested parties . It is an nndeniablo fact , that every improvement in legislation , religion , . science , & c , always hurts tho conscientious views of somebody . Had the Barons at Bunnymede been influenced by the conscientious views of King John ; hnd Lnther studied the conscientious views of tho monks ; had Copernicus , Galileo , Hervey , and other scientists been afraid of hurting

the conscientious views of somebody , our civilisation of to-day wonld havo been no higher than it was in the middle of tho thirteenth century . Now wo know that high degrees and hif / h dngrcers wero denounced by Dr . Dnssigny in 1741 , by Dr . Manningham , when ho was D . G . M . ( and even afterwards ); by Grand Sec . Samuel ¦ Spencer , in 17 G 8 , and also by onr latest and most reliable historians . With all due respect , therefore , to tho editor of tho Freemason , I mnst como to the conclusion that his " virtue of forbearance" is not guided hi

reason . The samo lack of reason is also manifest in a communication by W ., in the Fvecma . son of 8 th May , viz .: "A Visit to tho . Golden Square Library , " ( tho Head Qnarters of tho A . and A . Eite ) . W . says : — "Among the curiosities in the ninsenm , I noted tho apron ( Eoso

Croix ) of ITonry IV . of France , tho apron of Napoleon L , the snuffbox of Frederick tho Great , several veryenrious seals aud antique jewels , and among them an old E . A . jewel with three Hebrew words , without tho vowel points . This must be very old , [ what words and how old ?] Two articles claim special notice , one is a jade statuette of Confucius , on which is seen tho square , two triangles , and an apron ,

and tho other , a jade enamelled square . Both must be very old [ why ?] , and tho squares aro 100 not 90 degrees . ... I need say nothing of the considerations arising out of some of thoso 1 evidences of Masonry , ' but wonld merely premise that if tho apron of Henry IV . of Franco is authentic , we shall have to re-write one Masonic history . "

This reminds me of a brother . While visiting Italian convents or churches , among other curiosities there was shown to him a vial containing tho tears which Jesus wept . On asking the priest who exhibited that cariosity whether ho really believed that it was genuine , the rev . gentleman , with a shrug of his shoulder , answered , "it is tradition . "

Now , with al \ due respect to the parties concerned , I havo no moro faith in the genninonoss of the Rose Croix apron of Henry IV . of France , and tho Masonic statuette of Confucius , than tho said brother had in tho identity of Jesus' tears and the other curiosities

shown to him in the Italian Churches . The Golden Square curiosities simply furnish an additional illustration that our xcalons high d . egreers , while they aro blessed with an abundance of faith , have very little reason to back it . Bro . W ., who was evidently not foolish enough to believe in the authority of the apron , & c , ought to havo stated to the