Masonic Portraits. (No. 60.)

he has occupied the chair of two Lodges , and lms besides filled many other offices of dignity and trust , both in Lodge and Chapter . He is , indeed on the high road to

still greater honour , for next year , no doubt , we shall bo in a position to hail him as Z . of the Hermes Chapter , audit ' all goes AVCII , as Z . of the Royal Union tho year following . So much for the Avork he has done aud the distinctions

ho has attained in Craft and Arch Masonry ; but thero is another field in Avhich he has distinguished himself still more considerably . We have seen already that on his retirement from tho chair of tho Unity Lodge , a jewel was

presented to him , and that in proposing his health , the W . Master spoko in particular of the eminent services ho had rendered to our Masonic Institutions . The praise was Avorthily bestoAved , for our respected brother is a Life Governor , and has served the office of Steward on five

occasions for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . He is also a Life Governor of , and has served three Stewardships for , the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and holds tho same position among the subscribers to , and has rendered exactly the same services for , tho Royal Masonic Institution

for Boys . We may , indeed , anticipate that in tho case of each of theso Institutions the Life Governorship will afc no distant period be merged in the more important position of Vice-President , from which , at tho moment , he is , in fact , not very far removed . In fine , the number of his various

Stewardships is in excess of tbe number of years he has been connected with Freemasonry , a fact Avhich speaks volumes for the interest he takes in the Charities , and the heartiness , aforementioned , which he habitually displays in all that relates to the Craft . The same good fortune surrounds

mm in social life , in which , moreover , he is distinguished by the exhibition of the many qualities Avhich have Avon for him so much love and respect among brethren . This , indeed , is a matter of course , for it is nofc in his nature to be other than the same man , exhibiting under all

circumstances and at all times the same qualities , in Avhatever society he may be mingling with . Others , if they choose , may indulge in variableness of mood , and temper , and bearing ^ toAvards their fellows . Others may display whatever is genial and pleasant in them in tho Lodge , and retain

Avhatever is disagreeable or explosive about them for tho domain of private lifo . But our brother is not of this description . He is invariably the same Avith Avhomsoever he mixes , be they his equals , his superiors , or his inferiors ; or , in other Avords , he is always the same kind and jovial fellow ,

ready in season for the stern business of life , and equally , or even more , ready for its pleasures . Not selfishly given , hoAvever , to these latter ; for he loses no opportunity of ministering to the comfort and delights of his felloAvs , and Ave have seen that Avherever it is possible for him to be of

service to those who need it , he spares no trouble to do Avhat is in his power to assist them . Herein is the Avhole secret of Freemasonry—that a man shall do willingly what

lies in him to promote the comfort and Avellbeing of his fellows ; and this is the basis on which the Avhole superstructure of our Brother ' s career has rested from the very first . May he prosper always , and increasingly !

The Four Old Lodges.

THE FOUR OLD LODGES .

BRO . R . F . GOULD . ( Continued from Vol . VII . page 406 . ) PART II .

§ 15 . —Let us now apply ourselves to the inquiry , Avhat are , or Avere the especial privileges of the four old Lodges ? (*) I . —Prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge ( 1717 ) it seems to have been the settled usage that " a sufficient

number of Masons , met together Avithin a certain district , had at that time ample power to make Masons , and discharge all the duties of Masonry , Avithout any warrant of

Constitution , the privilege being inherent in themselves as individuals . " At the first meeting , hoAvever , of the Grand Lodge , the folloAving regulation Avas passed , viz ., that the privilege of assembling as Masons , Avhich had hitherto

The Four Old Lodges.

been unlimited , should no longer be vested in tho power of tho Fraternity at large , but that every Lodge to be thereafter convened , cscept tin' four old Lodge *' , at tint timo existing , . should bo ligdli / authorised to act by a

Warrant from tho Grand Master for the timo being , with tho consent and approbation of tho Grand Lodge in Communication , and that without such Warrant , no Lodgo should be hereafter deemed regular or constitutional .

II . —In compliment to tho brethren of tho four old Lodges , by whom the Grand Lodge was first formed , it was resolved , "That every privilege Avhich they collectively enjoyed , by virtue of their immemorial rights , they should still continue

to en joy , and that no lav :, rule , or regulation , to le hereafter made , should deprive them of such privileges , or encroach on any landmark , which Avas at that time established as tho standard of Masonic Government . "

III . —This resolution being confirmed , tho old Masons in the metropolis , agreeably to the resolution of the brethren afc large , vested all their inherent privileges as individuals in the four old Lodges , in trust , that they would never suffer the old charges and ancient landmarks to bo infringed .

IV . —The four old Lodges then agreed to extend their patronage to every Lodge Avhich should hereafter be constituted by tho Grand Lodge according to tho new regulations of the Society , and Avhile such Lodges acted in conformity to the ancient Constitutions of the Order , 2

to admit their Masters and Wardens () to share Avith them all the privileges of the Grand Lodge , excepting precedence of rank . Matters being thus amicably adjusted , the brethren of tho four Lodges considered their attendance on the future Communications of the Society

as unnecessary ; and , therefore , liko the other Lodges , trusted implicitly to their Master and Wardens , resting satisfied that no measure of importance would be adopted Avithout their approbation . The Officers of the Old

Lodges , however , soon began to discover that the new Lodges , being equally represented Avith them afc the Communications , might , in process of time , so far outnumber tho old ones , as to have ifc in their power , by a majority , to encroach on , or even subvert , the privileges of the original

Masons of England , Avhich had been centered in the four old Lodges , Avith the concurrence of the brethren at large . V . —Therefore they very wisely formed a code of laws for tho future government of the Society , and annexed thereto a conditional clause ; which it was agreed that tho Grand

Master for the time being , his successors , and the Master of every Lodge to be hereafter constituted , should engage to preserve , and keep sacred and inviolable , in all timo coming . To commemorate this circumstance , it has boon customary ( says Preston ) ever since that time for the Master of tho

oldest Lodge to attend every Grand Installation : and , taking precedence of all present , the Grand Master only excepted , to deliver the book of the original Constitutions to the new installed Graud Master on his engaging to support the ancient Charges and tho general Regulations . The conditional clause above referred to runs thus : — " Every

annual GRAND LODGE has an inherent PoAver and Authority to make neiu Regulations , or to alter these , for the real Benefit of this ancient Fraternity ; Provided always that the old LAND M ARKS Be Carefully Preserved ; and that such alterations and new regulations be proposed

and agreed to at the third Quarterly Communication preceding the Annual Grand Feast ; and that they be offered also to the perusal of all Brethren before dinner , in writing , even of tho youngest apprentice ; tho approbation and consent of tho majority of all the brethren present being absolutely necessary to make the same binding and obligatory . " ( )

This remarkable clause , with thirty-eight regulations preceding it , all of which are printed in the first Edition of the Book of Constitutions , was approved , ratified , and confimed by one hundred and fifty brethren , at an annual Assembly and Feast held at Stationers Hall , on St . John tho

Baptist's clay 1721 , and , in their presence , Avas subscribed by the Masters and Wardens of the four old Lodges on ono part ; and by Philip Duke of Wharton the Grand Master ; Theopbilus Desaguliers , M . D . and F . R . S ., the Deputy Grand Master ; Joshua Timson and William Hawkins the Grand