Freemasonry In Denmark.

Norway , & c . & c . " Lawrie writes : "In 1743 , it was exported from Scotland to Denmark ; and the Lodge which was then instituted is new the Grand Lodge of that kingdom . " Findel and Rebold , especially thr former , give ampler details of the rise and progress o <

our Order in this country . Findel , whose authority is the History of Freemasonry in Denmark , by Bro . Dr . Charles Otto , the present 1 st Grand Architect of the Grand Lodge of Denmark , attributes its introduction to a Baron G . 0 . Munich , secretary to the Russian embassy , who , " with

four o'her brethren , founded a Lodge in Copenhagen . He pretended to have received a warrant from a Lodge in Berlin , which invested him with the power to establish a Lodge . He himself assumed the office of chairman , and the first work was the initiation of the Russian ambassador ,

T . A . Korff , in whose house the work of the Lodge was for a long time carried on . " Rebold , with less detail , holds the same view . This Lodge assumed the name of " St .

Martin" in January 1745 . "Yet , " says Findel , " she cannot be regarded as a regularly constituted Lodge , for on her first meeting she declared she required the sanction of the Grand Master" which sanction was not received

till six years later . We need not stop however to inquire into , or attempt to reconcile , these discrepancies , which are more apparent than real . This is , undoubtedly , the Lodge which was afterwards erected into the Grand Lodge , while as to the source whence came this branch of

Masonry , it must be remembered that Frederic the Great , who established Masonry in Berlin , was initiated at a Lodge in Brunswick , according to the Scotch Constitutions . But to proceed . In the very first year of its existence , three brethren separated themselves from this Lodge , of

whom two , Bro . Arbien and Bro . Nielsen—at that time governor of the pages to the Crown Prince , —erected anew Lodge " Zorobabel , " which was joined by several brethren from Helsingor . Applications were made from time to time , in different quarters , for a regular constitution , and

at length , says Findel—on the authorit y of Kloss , " Freemasonry in England "— "In October 1745 . a proper warrant was drawn up by Lord Cranstoun . This day has ever since been kept as the anniversary of the foundation of the Lodge . " As regards the Lodge " St . Martin , " it was

not till 1749 , that it received its constitution as a Provincial Grand Lodge from Grand Master Lord Byron , Count Danneskiold Laurvig being chosen Grand Master . These two Lodges continued to work amicably together from 1765 , using one room in common , till at length they

united into one Lodge , bearing the title of " Zorobabel of the North Star . " Till November 1778 they conducted their labours in the German language , but , on the 18 th of that month , a special Lodge was opened under the name of ' Frederick of the Crowned Hope . " in which the German

language was used , while the Lodge " Zorobabel " worked in the Danish language . In 1780 , according to Rebold , the original St . Martin Lodge became the Grand Lodge of . Denmark , At first the work was conducted according to

the English rite , but the system of the Strict Observance was afterwards introduced by Baron Von Bulow , Copenhagen being erected into a Prefecture or Commandery , under the Grand Master Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick . After

the convention of Wilhelmsbad , in 1782 , ihe system of the Knights of Benevolence was introduced by a Capt . Moth , who , in 1785 , opened the Lodge "Zorobabel of the North Star " ( Ziim Norclsterm ) , under that system , and this continued in force till the year 1855 . The King ( Christian

VII . ) , having nominated the Landgrave Charles of Hesse j « s Grand Master for life , the latter exerted himself with such zeal that , by an Order in Council of 2 nd November 1792 , Freemasonry in Denmark was formally and officially recognised , the one restriction imposed being that only such

Lodges could be regarded as regular and under Government protection Avhich acknowledged the Landgrave as their superior . Between the years 1780 and 1790 arose the Society of the Chain , a sort of Adoptive Masonry , which , in addition to the actual Lodge business , occupied the time and strength of the Craft to a considerable extent . In

1819 , the Landgrave Charles erected two high degrees , under the name of a Scotch Lodge . " Charles of the Lion , " and a Directory , presided over by the Lord High Chamberlain—Von Hank . On the death of Landgrave

Charles , in 183 G , the Crown Prince , afterwards Christian VIII . declared himself Protector and Grand Master of the Order . In 1848 , the reins of power passed to his son , Frederick VII ., who , when Crown Prince , had been initiated in the Lodge "Maria of the Three Hearts" in Odensee , and

Freemasonry In Denmark.

in 1841 had joined the Lodge "Zorobabel . " To Frederick ' s zeal for the Craft is due its present prosperity . He likewise introduced , in January 1855 , the Zinnendorf ( Swedish ) Rite , and brought about the union of the two Copenhagen Lodges into one , under the name of" Zorobabel

ind Frederick of the Crown Hope . Two years later the second division of the system—the St . Andrew ' s Lodge —Cuius Frederici Septimi—was erected in Helsingor and Copenhagen , and the third division , the Chapter , in November 1864 , the Danish Grand Lodge ( of the 8 th

Province ) being formed at the same time . The present Grand Master is H . R . H . the Crown Prince Frederick , brother-in-law of our M . W . G . M . the Prince of Wales ,

under whose direction the Craft is in a most flourishing condition . It should be added that the Asylum for the Blind in Copenhagen is maintained b y the almost unaided benevolence of Masonry .

Numismatic Rarities.

NUMISMATIC RARITIES .

WE have been favoured with the inspection of a remarkable curiosity , none other than a medal or token , which was struck to commemorate the Installation of His Royal Hig hness tho then Prince of Wales as our Grand Master in the year 1790 . It is the size of a

halfpenny , bearing on its face the arms of the Masons Company , surmounted b y a crest which seems to be a dove upon a globe , with the motto " Amor , honor et justitia , " and encircled by the following legend , " 24 NOV . 1790 PRINCE OF WALES ELECTED G . M . "

On the reverse is a symbolical representation within a triangle , the letter G , a Book , and the Square and Compasses at its three angles ; along its sides are written WISDOM , STBEXGTH , BEAUTY : the whole encircled by " Sit Lux et Lux fuit "

The following beautiful specimens of numismatic art are worthy of record in this connection . 1 . A medal If inches in diameter GEO : A : F : P : WALL : G : M ., GULL H : D : CLARENT : G : P . with their heads

side by side in fine relief : two minute emblems hardly perceptible are introduced—the G and the p . j each within a nimbus . The reverse is surrounded b y a most minute lettering . " In priucipio erat Sermo , et Sermo ille erat apud

Deum , eratqne die Sermo Dcus . Ft Lu . c ista in tevebris lucet sed tenchrce earn nan comprehenderunt . " Within this are two ovals filled with beautiful emblematic representations ; above is the Prince of Wales' crest , below are the Masons ' arms , with . sonic other reading and the date MDCCCII .

2 . A noble medal indeed , of the same size , with the head of the Duke of Sussex , in bold relief , lettered H . R . H . AUG . FRED . DUKE OK SUSSEX G . M . The reverse is engraved with the Royal Arms encircled by the Garter ,

whilst the Grand Master ' s Collar forms an outer Circle , meeting upon the Coronet above and supporting tho Grand Master ' s Jewel beneath . The sprigs of corn and acacia are there also , and the legend which so well attests the great affection borne to the Duke , whilst he presided

over us : — " NEAR TO THE THRONE , BUT NEARER

TO HIS FELLOW-MEN , born January 27 , 1773 , died April 21 , 1843 . " A fit memorial indeed ! 3 . Another medal which deserves notice for its elegance and finish , is one struck on the Continent , which bears the bold and manly profile of a Grand Master of Belgium . P .

VAN HUMBEECK . GR : M : NAT : DE BELGIQUE . It bears an appropriate extract from his inangnral speech in 1869 . "ie Oouvi de la Fr : Mac : Beige doit etre modere : la vie et faction doivent venir des Loges ; pour

donner a leur initiative uue grande puissance , il faui lem laisser la liberie la plus etendue . La seule limite a Vhidcpendavee de chacune d ' elles est dams les interels generuux de V institution . "

The foregoing interesting memorials form part of the collection of Brother Spencer , of the Masonic Depot , at 23 A Great Queen Street .

The following is one of those interesting and significant paragraphs in the "AXACALYFSIS " ( p . 723 , vol . 1 ) of the late learned Brother Godfrey Higgins , which afford so much food for thought , stimulating speculative research