Antiquity Of Chester Masonry.

ation of St . Werburgh ' s Abbey , in A . D . 845 . It was more than probable that Higden , 300 years before Randle Flolme , had some connection with a Lodge or Guild of Masons in Chester , of which the 17 th century Lodge was a continuation . Randle Holme , who was " a member of that society called

Freemasons , had left behind him the names of twenty-six persons who were members of the old Lodge in his time . He died in 1700 , and in : i 725 we have the names of eighty subscribing . members to the three Lodges then in Chester . The old Lodge , which met at the " Sunn in Bridge Street ,

returned the Provincial Grand Master Colonel Francis Columbane , the oldest recorded P . G . M . in the world , and all the other Provincial Grand Officers as members of it . The other two Lodges accepted a constitution from the recently-formed Grand Lodge in 1724 , and became Nos . 32 and 33 on the

roll , but the old Lodge did not accept a constitution from Grand Lodge until 1739 , when it appeared on the roll-as a new Lodge , No . 180 . In 1787 it was named the Royal Chester Lodge . Until Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere , G . C . B ., became Prov . G . M ., 'in 1830 , it continued to nominate

all Prov . G Masters , who , like the Provincial Officers , were exclusively selected from the members of the Royal Chester . Among many distinguished members of the old Lodge were Edward Orme , herald and antiquary ; Thomas Cholmondley , M . P ., father of the first Lord Delamere ; the Honbles .

Richard , Arthur , and John Smith Barry , Sir John Chetwode , Sir John Egerton , Sir Philip Egerton , Sir Thomas Brouehton , Sir John Cotgreave , the Earl of Cholmondley , C . B ., Colonel Roger Barnston ( who entertained Lords Wellington , Flill , and Combermere in Chester after Waterloo ) , etc . In . 1818

Sir John Grey-Egerton , Prov . G . M ., announced that he was choosing his Deputy from the Loyal British Lodge , No . 148 , but the Royal Chester objected , and carried the day ; but in 1830 the old Lodge lost control of Provincial matters . The first Provincial Lodge held outside Chester was held at

Nantwich , in 1831 , and only one member of the Royal Chester received Provincial honours—Bro . Benjamin Brassey W . M ., who was made Prov . G . S . W . Various causes led to the " erasure" of the Lodge by Grand Lodge , and in 1834

the Cestrian Lodge was formed of eleven members of the old Royal Chester and seven Other members of the Loyal British and Independent Lodges . The Cestrian had been working two years when it was consecrated , on 24 th June 1836 , and two of the toasts at the banquet on that occasion

were : " The Princess Victoria—England ' s Hope . " " Field Marshal Viscount Combermere Prov . G . M ., the Hero of Cheshire . " Bro . Armstrong , in conclusion , said that the consistent

and continued support which the Cestrian Lodge gave to the central Charities for the last sixty years had resulted in the fact that the W . M . of the Cestrian wields a voting power not only unequalled in Cheshire , but unequalled by any W :-M . in the Provinces of England .

Bro .-Armstrong , who was warmly thanked for his paper acknowledged the . great assistance he had received in com piling it from Bro .: Henry Taylor , F . S . A ., Prov . G . Registrar — " Cheshire Chronicle . "

History Of The Tranquillity Lodge.

HISTORY OF THE TRANQUILLITY LODGE .

A PAPER entitled " Landmarks in the History of the Lodge of Tranquillity , 1787-1870 " was read by Bro . P . Ornstien LP . M ., at the annual dinner of the Tranquillity

Lodge of Instruction , on Thursday , 8 th inst , at the Frascati , Bro . j . Gerson W . M . presiding . The history of the Lodge of Tranquillity contains much that is of great Jewish interest . The records of the Lodge contain many names of Jews who have figured in Jewish communal affairs , and several of even wider interest .

In the course of his highly interesting paper Bro . P . Ornstien mentioned that there was on the Minutes of the Lodee a record which was , perhaps , the most extraordinary ever associated with the transactions of an English Masonic Lodge . On 15 th October 1791 , it was agreed by the

Brothers , the better to avoid imaginary insult if any of them inadvertently should recommend a Jew , that he could not be admitted as a Brother on any pretence whatever in

future . From the wording of the resolution it would appear as though Jews had at one time been members of the Lodge , but names of a J ewish character could not be traced on the list of members of that period . It was , moreover , doubtful

History Of The Tranquillity Lodge.

whether in 179 1 there were in England Jewish Freemasons , because at that date J ews possessed neither civil nor religious liberty . A past historian , Bro . Constable , in commenting upon tire resolution , said that " it was a violation of one of the grand principles upon which our Order is founded . In

the present day we have further reason to regret the foregoing resolution , because our Lodge was resuscitated by Jewish Brethren in 1849 . " . For over half-a-century from the year 1793 the existence of the Lodge was of the most precarious nature . Interest in the proceedings dwindled to

such an extent that on the minutes of that day there appears the constant entry of " not sufficient number to form a Lodge . " But on the 24 th of J anuary 1847 , nine members of the J oppa Lodge , all of the J ewish faith , seceded from their own Lodge and became members of the Lodge of

Tranquillity . Among them was Bro . Alexander Levy , who is an active member at the present day . The joining members undertook to free the Lodge from all liability , and three of their number , Bro . Barnett ivloss , Bro . Lewis Isaacs , and Bro . Joseph Abrahams , were elected W . M ., Treasurer , and

Secretary respectively . Commenting on the proceedings , Bro . Constable remarked : " This may be considered one of the greatest features in our history , for we have continued an uninterrupted course of prosperity , exceeded the most sanguine expectations , demonstrated that we are decidedly

a Jewish Lodge , and proved how invidious were the proceedings of our predecessors when they determined not to admit a Jew in future under any pretence whatever . Flow ever diffusive was the charity of our ancient Brethren I fearlessly assert that in no Lodge throughout the Craft have

our grand principles and cardinal virtues been more fully exemplified than by those Brethren whom we may term resuscitators , and by those who have followed them . " Continuing , Bro . Ornstien said that he could not trace that the ooiectionable resolution had ever been cancelled , nor

did he think it necessary that it should be . It brought its own condemnation . He was convinced that no resolution of such a character would be countenanced in any English Masonic Lodge at the present time . Flaving established the Lodge on a sound basis , the members proceeded in 1852

to form a Charitable Fund to be carried on independently of the Lodge . The resolution was proposed by Brother Abraham Abrahams , seconded by Bro . P . M . Alexander Levy , and carried with only one dissentient . From small beginnings the Fund had steadily grown to gigantic

proportions , and during its existence had been . the means of rendering material assistance to many . Bro . P . Ornstien concluded his paper with the . recital of another interesting fact . On the . 21 st of February 1870 , Bro . Hermann Beigel ,

M . D ., was installed W . M ., and very shortly afterwards was appointed Staff Surgeon to the Prussian Army in the war between France and Germany . On the minutes of the Lodge is entered the following letter received from the scene of action : —

Before Verdun , 5 th October 1870 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . —The time of meeting approaches for our Lodge . On Monday next the summonses should be in the hands ol its members for the first meeting , and alas I am

far away , unable to attend those duties which 1 have always discharged with the greatest pleasure . Need 1 tell you , my dear Brother , how painful it is to me to be absent from the Lodge for the first time since I had the honour to be a member of it .

But the march of history has called me from home and hearth in order to take part in a war as important and remarkable as any yet recorded in the history of the human race . Fortunately my duties on the battlefield are strictly Masonic . In my avocation 1 know no enemy , soothing and alleviating pain and suffering

whereever they present themselves to me . i riend or foe I succour his weakness and relieve his necessities . Aiore than once when I had to perform the sad duty of operating under fire , when thousands of shells were flying about and balls pouring down like rain , I thought of the beautiful and quiet hours when i was with my Brethren at

Radley's , and I become imbued with confidence that I shall return to them again when the horrors of war shall subside . Please give to each of our Brethren my hearty feelings of assurance that I already hail the time when I shall be able again to fulfil the duties of the Chairman in the Lodge of Tranquillity , and try to discharge those duties to the satisfaction of its members .

Yours Brotherly , H . BEIGEL . A reply was sent reciprocating the hope that Bro . Beigel might soon return , but no further reference to him is to be foun-i in any record of the transactions of the Lodge .

In concluding his paper , Bro . Ornstien said : I have endeavoured to present in as concise and as interesting form as my feeble powers will permit , the salient points in the history of our Mother Lodge , and to make those " dry bones " live again . The history of any Masonic Lodge is a ,