Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Review should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , Belvidere "Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville , "London , N . — : o : — A Leeicon of Freemasonry . Containing a Definition of all its Com . municnble Terms , Notices of its History , Traditions , and Antiquities , and an Account of the Notes and Mysteries of the Ancient World . By Albert G . Mackey , M . D ., Secretary General of the

Supreme Council , Thirty-third Degree , for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States , & o . Ac . Seventh Edition , Revised . With Appendix , containing an Account of the Degrees Revived , or more recently added to the Craft , and a Series of Articles especially adapted to English ' Freemasonry , compiled by M . C . Peck P . M ., P . Z ., 30 ° , & o . & c , Provincial Grand Secretary nnd Scribe E . of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire . London : Charles Griffin and Company , Exeter Street , Strand .

THE late Bro . Mackey ' s " Lexicon of Freemasonry " is undoubtedly a useful work . It contains a mass of valuable information , which it must have involved great labour to collate . Indeed , the mere fact of its having reached a seventh edition shows the appreciation in which it is held by Masonic students . Nevertheless ,. thero is also much in it which will not bear strict historical investigation , and Bro . Peck

has no donbt acted very wisely in reproducing the original work separately , while his own portion of tho new edition is kept apart , and takes the form of an Appendix . In onr opinion , however , Bro . Peck would have acted still more wisel y had he furnished footnotes , where desirable , in explanation or correction of Bro . Mackey ' s articles . By way of illustrating our meaning we will take Mackey ' s

article on the History of Grand Lodges , so far as it relates to England . In this are frrqnent references to the "Ancient York Rite , " " Ancient York Masons , " " Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons , " and We tbinkit onght to have been explained that the notion of there having been a York Rite and York Masons has long since been exploded . Then as to the alleged interruptions to the harmony which at first

existed between the Grand Lodges in York and London , they rest on evidence which is of very little valne , while the Schism which began about 1738 , and resulted some years later in the establishment of a second Grand Lodge , had nothing whatever to do with the then alleged dissensions . Again , this second Grand Lodge was not established till abont 1751 , wheu the dnties of Grand Master were

exercised by the Worshipful Masters of certain Lodges constituted by or composed of Seceders or Schismatics . Ifc is hardly wise , -we think , on the part of Bro . Peck to have ignored the labours of Bro . Hnghan and others , bnt especially Bro . Hnghan , in connection witb these matters . Then the first paragraph iu the same article relating to France looks very apocryphal— " In the beginning of the eighteenth

century Freemasonry in Franco was in a state of great disorder . Every Lodge acted independently of all others ; the Masters were elected for life , and exercised the privileges and powers which are now confined to Grand Lodges ; " there was no Masonic centre , and consequently " no Masonic union . " So , too , is tbe nexfc paragraph beginning , "In 1735 there were six Lodges in Paris , and several

others in the Provincial towns . Is ifc well to pass loose writing of this character withont appending some notes , so thafc the reader may be in a position to estimate it at its true value ? Freemasonry owes a great deal to Bro . Mackey , but it is nnwise to perpetuate or be a party towards perpetuating oven his erroneous or unsupported statements .

Again , as to thoarticles on " Grand Lodges , " in which their "jurisdiction " and " organisation " aro dealt with , no donbt these are covered by the general explanation in the Preface , that " in the Department of Masonry proper , the Work is based on the American system , which , in many of its working details , is very different from that practised in this country . " So far as Mackey is concerned we have

no objection to his account being reproduced , but thero might and , in our opinion , should have been something stated in the Appendix on this subject , especially on the question of " jurisdiction , " which , as elaborated by the Grand Lodges on the American Continent , is almost wholly of United States origin . Moreover , in the other article on "Organisation , " wo , in this country , must take exception to tbe

following passage : "Tbe Lodges within its jurisdiction" —that is , in fche jurisdiction of the newly-Formed Grand Lodge— " then surrender their Warrants of Constitution to the Grand Lodges from which they respectively had received them , and accept others from the newly-organised Grand Lodge , which thenceforward exercises all Masonic jurisdiction over tho State in which it has been

organised . Here it is set forth that the Lodges in a new district " then surrender , " as though it wero a matter of course thafc they should surrender , their old warrants . But it is on record that when the Grand Lodge of England agreed to recognise the Grand Lodge of Canada , it did so conditionally that such of tbe existing Lodges in that Colony as elected to remain in their allegiance , should have their

wishes respected , and they were respected . Again , when the Grand Lodge of Quebec constituted itself , the G . Lodge agreed to recognise it on the same condition os was stipulated for in the case of Canada , but the condition was not accepted . There are still three English Lodges in Montreal , which are constituted into a District Grancl Lodge , under the Grand Lodge of England ; and , according to our

English ideas , there is no power , except that of their own will , which can dissever them from their present connection , it being the con . nection of their deliberate choice . A few lines to make clear the difference between English and American ideas on these points might well have found a place in the volume , either as a footnote to

Bro . Mackey ' s articles , or in tbe Appendix . We lay greater stress on the absence of any such remarks , becanse an attempt has been made to start a spurious Grand Lodge in New South Wales , and tbe so-called Grand Lodge in this Colony has even obtained recognition from some of the American Grand Lodges , though , it is probable thafc , if the

Reviews.

latter were fully possessed of all the circumstances , they would withdraw their recognition , and betake themselves to the genial work of wondering how they had ever come to commit such an act of folly . Ono other omission may be noticed , as it will doubtless give pain to one of our English brethren . We can find no mention of the " Antient and Primitive Rite , " for the existence and practice of whioh

in England we can vouch . Perhaps Bro . Peck , being as worthy Bro . Norton might say , an " A . and A . Riter , " haa no great opinion of the " A . and P . Rite , " in which case we advise him in the friendliest spirit to be circumspect . Having pointed out what we conceive to be errors of omission on the part of the Editor , we have less hesitation in saying frankly that

wo consider Bro . Peck has otherwise fulfilled his allotted task well . His Appendix is a highly creditable addition to Masonio lexicography . The Notes are lucidly written , and will prove a great help to fche student in search of Masonio light . Perhaps Bro . Peck may somo day venture on making it more complete by inserting additional notes on snch matters as we have specified .

The Masonic Guide for the County of Yorkshire , and Eboracum Masonic Calendar for 1884 . Eighth year of Publication . Printed afc the Qazette Office , York . OTHER local calendars may be on a more comprehensive scale , bat none with which we have any acquaintance havo been compiled witb

greater attention to accuracy in necessary detail than this publication of Bro . Whytehead ' s . It contains all the information that is required for local purposes , and is quite a model as regards the arrangements of its matter . We hope its publication will be continued for many years .

HOLI . OWAY ' OINTMENT AND PILLS . —Never at fault . —In all irritations of the s * sin , sores , ulcers , " ranis , and scrohilous enlargements of the glands . Holloway ' s Ointment presents a ready and easy means of cure , which never disappoints tho most favourable expectations . It manifests a potent ancl peculiar power in restraining inflnnimation , removing stagnation , cooling the heated

blood , and checking all acrimonious or unhealthy discharges , whilst thus acting locally , tho Pills we no less remarkable for their power in improving the general condition aud habit of body , which renders tho cure complete and permanent . Under the general power of these potent remedies the puny infant becomes tho robust child , the pale and emaciated regain colour and flesh , and the dyspeptic eat freely and without fear .

It is possible to over legislate in Masonic as iu other matters , bnt few Masons , we think , will question the propriety of endeavouring to put down the open sale of so-called literature of the Craft which some enterprising publishers havo thrust upon the world . The Grand Lodge of Maine have made it a standing

regulation—That no Mason shall sell , offer for sale , buy , or in any manner aid in circulating any printed document or cypher , as a ritual of any part of symbolic Masonry , under penalty of any punishment whioh may be imposed under the constitution of the Grand Lodge for gross nn-Masonic conduct .

We should have thought the obligation in the first degree was sufficient to ensure obedience to a well-understood principle of the Craft . Such a resolution as the foregoing strikes us as being unnecessary , for the reason just given . There are other reasons , however , which shonld be borne

iu mind . It says little for the impression made upon candidates at their initiation , to require the supplement of such a resolution ; ancl it augurs ill for the discipline of Freemasonry when another penalty is needed to enforce that wliich should be considered a sacred duty .

We have heard ifc said of a brother that he thought very little of Lodges of Instruction , and he was thankful to say he did not owe his Masonic knowledge to them . This brother is the Master of his Lodge , and as far as we know , ho ia equal to the duties of his office . We believe he

gained his knowledge by private means . We look upon Lodges of Instruction as the nursing mothers of fche ritual of the Craft , as the best protection against the desire to seek after spurious and clandestine guides . They are the authoritative colleges of the Order , wherein the neophyte

may learn and graduate , where professors teach and expand fchcir knowledge , and where all may strengthen their love of , and respect for , the Fraternity . The brother wc have alluded to is happily a rare exception ; there are many , on the other banc , who neglect Lodres of "Instruction for very

different reasoJS . We wish we could induce these brethren to avail themsslves of the services of Lodges of Instruction . Where they to do so there would be less slovenliness in entering Lodges , a higher conception of the Craft , and a constantly decreasing desire to ; -: eek knowledge by illicit means .

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FUNERALS . Bros . W . K L . & G , A . HUTTON , COFFIN MAKERS & . UNDERTAKERS , 17 KEIVCASim S'XBEET , STRAND , W . C . Aud at 30 FOREST HILl , BOAU , PECKHAM BYE , S . E .