Freemasonry In Spain.

Compostella from Carril , Corcubion , and Cape Finisterre . He has enjoj-ed the hospitality alike of peasant and fisherman , has sniffed tlie most delightful of all perfumes , the rich , refined odour of peat smoke , has joined in the rural dances of "Ios dias festivitos " ( so frequent in Spain ) , and has witnessed the trials of skill with the shillelagh , until he often imagined himself no longer in Spain , but transported to familiar spots in Conncmara orTipperary , to which he was accustomed to pay frequent visits in his youthful days .

These remarks ( diverging for thc moment from "Freemasonry in Spain" ) are not intended to suggest " that Bro . Worshipful Master Antonio Romero Ortiz is either himself a distinguished connoisseur of p igs and potatoes , an expert with his shillelagh , or yet addicted to brogue . His sober legal trainin" * may be presumed to have eradicated his juvenile expertness with the knobstickwhilst his long residence in the capital , and his intimate

com-, panionship with the elite oi thc literary and scholarly world . has , of course , entirely refined away every possible trace of his native patois . Bro . Oritz was educated for the legal profession . He graduated in jurisprudence at his ' native " university of Santiago . at an early age , and , as a mailer of- course , made his way to Madrid , " ( lie only Corle . " He was not

long without an appointment . He entered thc Civil Service of his country as sub-secretary to the Civil Governor of Madrid . * During the opening years of his official career he devoted his leisure hours to literary work , and soon began to make himself known * as a journalistic writer , a critic , and a translator .

Not many years passed before Bro . Ortiz was promoted from a mere Secretaryship to an actual Civil Governorship—first , lo lhat of Toledo , then to that of Ovicdo , and , finally , to that of Alicante . In iS ^ rj hc received thc important appointment of Chief of the Criminal Statistical Department of State , at Madrid , and in fulfilment of his rlu ' ties ' -he initiated and carried out many reforms of a highly advantageous

character . ¦ . In 1 S 62 he was transferred to another branch of thc Civil Service , where he rendered equally important benefits to his country , and secured thc hi gh approbation of many notable public men . In 186 ^ he was promoted lo thc Under Secretaryship of Stale for Grace

and Justice , where he showed such special knowledge that on the entrance in power of the Provisional Government of Serrano—after the flight of Queen Isabella—he was unanimously selected by Serrano , Prim , and Topcto / or the hig h and responsible office of Secretary of State for Grace and Justice .

In 1 S 6 S , therefore , our erudite brother first became a Minister of State . The instructions that he issued almost immediately after his appointmentthc date of these instructions being October 10 th , iSGS—are regarded as a model of legal acumen and far-seeing impartial statesmanship . We refer to his notable initiative of the proceedings which were taken after the overthrow of ex-Queen Isabella and her Jesuitical followers against the religious

orders in Spain , against the Jesuits , who had for so many years fattened on the spiritual lifeblood of the women of Spain , and against the scandalous confraternities of Saint Vincent de Paul , which were notoriousl y mere seminaries of spiritual corruption and moral vice . Bro . Romero Orliz ' s repressive measures were violently combated , both in and out of Spain . Few men

but him would have had courage to pit himself against the full force of Rome . But he not only made the attempt , but succeeded in clearing Spain of an amount of rottenness at its very core , which entitles him to thc gratitude of every honest and God-fearing man . He defended his acts in the Cortes , notably , in a magnificent speech , which he delivered on the ni ght of the 24 th day of February , 1 S 69 .

By decree , dated the 13 th day of November , iSoy , Bro . Ortiz , as Minister of State for Grace and Justice , authorised our well-known countryman , Lieut .-Col . George Fitch , who has been so long resident at Madrid , to open the first Protestant church ever publicly and legally consecrated in Spain . ( To be Continued ) .

Masonic History And Historians.

MASONIC HISTORY AND HISTORIANS .

JTIE MASONIC CONSTITUTION OF 1723 . COMPARED WITH THli "OLD REGULATIONS" OF THE 173 S CONSTITUTION . BY BRO . JACOB NORTON . "The General Regulations of the Free and Accepted Masons , compiled first by Brother George Payne , Esq ., when Grand Master , A . D . 1720 , and approved by thc General Assembly nt Stationers' Hall , on thc 24 th June , 1721 . Next by order of the Duke of Montague , when G . M ., thc author ,

James Anderson , compared them with the ancient records of the Fraternity [ what records' *] , and digested them into this method , with proper additions and explications from the said records , and the Grand Lodge having revised and approved them , ordered ' era to be printed in the Book of Constitutions , on the 25 th of March , 1722 . "

The above paragraph tortus the introduction lo thc 1738 Constitution . The said Constitution , by order of thc Duke of Wharton , was dedicated b y Bro . Desaguliers to the Duke of Montague . The Grand Lodge acknowledged the Duke of Wharton as Grand Master , 17 th January , 1723 , and he continued in that oflice till the 24 th June following . It is evident from the above introduction to the 1738 Constitution that Anderson was not the

author of thc 1721 Constitution . It is probable that Bro . Desaguliers was the author of a historical introduction lo thc 1721 Constitution , hence he was ordered by the Duke of Wharton to write the dedication . Now after the 1721 Constitution was approved by the Grand Lodge the G . M ., the Duke of Montague ordered Bro . Anderson to revise it , who ( as he himself admits ) made some " additions and explications , " and after which the Grand Lodge

made some further revisions , and all which culminated into a printed Constitution in 1723 . How much the 1723 Constitution differed from that of 1720 it is impossible to tell ; but it is certain that these Constitutions did differ , and that we do not know what kind of laws the G . L . of England had between June 241 I 1 , 1721 , and June 24 th , 1723 . One thing , however , is certain , viz ., we have no evidence that Anderson was a member of thc

Grand Lodge either in 1720 , when Bro . Payne was G . M ., and compiled the Constitution , cr in June , 1721 , when the Grand Lodge approved of the said Constitution , nor , as far as 1 know , is there any evidence in existence that Dr . Anderson was a Mason in June , 1721 . Consequently , he could have had nothing to do with the first edition of the Masonic Constitution . In 1723 , as already stated , Bro . Anderson got the G . L . to approve of a second

Masonic History And Historians.

edition of a Masonic Constitution . And , in 1738 , a third edition , also edited by Bro . Anderson , was approved b y the G . L ., which has since" then been erroneously styled "the second edition . " This Constitution is very peculiarly arranged . I do not believe that any code of laws , for any society , was ever similarly arranged . Even Bro . Fintick , who revised the Constitution in 1756 , discarded Dr . Anderson ' s arrangement , and , indeed , I firmly believe , that no Constitution maker before Anderson ' s- time , or since then , except

Bro . Dermott , the Constitution maker for the Ancients , had ever so arranged a Constitution . The said Constitution is so arranged as even to puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer . - thus , instead of giving the laws continuously , so that one might see at a glance what the laws of 1738 were , he placed the old and the Hew laws apart—one column is headed "Old Regulations , " and the other , " New Regulations . " On looking over the new regulations I found , that with but one solitary

exception , ( viz ., Article XXIX . ) that the said regulations were adopted after the 1723 Constitution was adopted ; hence we might naturally infer that the columns headed Old Regulations , were a reprint of the 1723 Constitutions , without any additions , omissions , or alterations . And as Bro . Anderson nowhere hinted of his having tinkered the " Old Regulations , " we are apt to look for no new regulations in the columns so headed . But on

comparing the 1723 Constitution with the Old Regulations , in the 1738 Constitution I found , not only innumerable verbal variations , but additions and omissions loo . In short , I found that some regulations vary materially .. Leaving the mere verbal alterations lo the study of the curious , I shall proceed to exhibit the corresponding paragraphs which differ materially . These will bc placed side by side , and I shall italicize the varying words and phrases in each column , so that the differences may be observed at a glance .

CONSTITUTION 01- 1723 . Article . 1 . Thc G . M . may command the Wardens of that lodge , : " or any other brethren he pleaseth , " to act as his Wardens pro tempore . 2 . ( In case of the Master ' s absence ) " Thc authority reverts to the last Master present , though he cannot act till the S . W . has confn-e ,-ated the .

lodge , or , in his absence , the funior Warden . " 4 . No lodge shall make more than five brethren at one and the same time , nor , etc . 5 . No man can be made or admitted a member .

7 . Which charity shall he lodged with the Master and Wardens , or the Cashier , if the members think fit to chuse one . 9 . If a brother misbehaves " he shall be twice duty admonished . " 12 . And must have a Quarterly

Communication about Michaelmas , * Christmas , and Lady-Day . 13 . There shall be a book kept by the G . M . or his Deputy , or rather by some brother whom the Grand Lodge shall appoint for Secretary . "The Treasurerand Secretary shall each have

a clerk , who must be a Brother and Fcllo-i ! Craft . Another Brother ( who must be a Fellow Craft ) should be appointed to look after the door of the Grand Lodge . 15 . If the Grand Wardens are absent the G . M . shall appoint private Wardens to act as Grand Wardens * * *

whose places are to be supplied by two Fcllo ~ , \ i Crafts of the same Lodge . iS . If the Deputy Grand Master be sick , or necessarily absent , the Grand Master may chuse any Fellow Craft he pleases to be his Deputy pro tempore .

22 . Provided thc majority ot thc Masters and Wardens , with the Grand Master and his Deputy and Wardens , agree at their Quarterly Communication , three months before , that there shall be a feast , etc . For if cither the Grand Master or the majority of the

particular Masters are against it , it must be dropt for that time . 24 . If the Grand Master pleases he may in due time summon all the Masters and Wardens of Lodges , to consult with them about ordering the Grand feast , and about any emergency or accidental thing relating thereunto that may require advice , or else to

take it upon himself altogether . 25 . The Masters of Lodges shall each appoint one experienced and discreet Fellow Craft to compose a Committee . 2 S . ( Paragraph 4 ) . To receive and consider of any good Motion , or and momentous airair

ana important mac shall be brought from the particular Lodges by their Representatives , the several Masters and Wardens .

"OLD REGULATIONS . " 1738 CONSTITUTION . Article . I . "Or any other Master Masons to act there as bis Wardens , " etc .

2 . " Or , in his absence , the Junior Warden , " was erased from the 173 S " Old Regulations . "

4 . No Lodge shall make more than five new brothers at one and the same time , without urgent necessity . 5 . No man can be accepted a member . [ made is omitted . ] 7 . Which charity shall be kept by the Cashier .

9 . " He shall be thrice duly admonished . " 12 . These must have 3 Quarterly Communications before the feast .

13 . Or rather some brother appointed Secretary of the Grand Lodge . " Who must be a Brother and Master Mason . " " Another Brother and Master Mason should be appointed the Tyler , " etc .

15 . Whose places are to be filled by two Fellow Crafts , or Master Masons ot the same Lodge . iS . The Grand Master can chuse any Brother he pleases , etc .

22 . Provided the majority of the Grand Lodge , about three months before , shall agree , etc ., for if they are against it , others must forbear it at that time .

24 . The whole of the annexed paragraph was omitted from the Old Regulations in thc 173 S Constitution .

25 . The Masters of Lodges shall each appoint one experienced and discreet Brother of his lodge , etc .

2 S . The whole of the annexed paragraph was also omitted from the " Old Regulations , " in the 173 S Constitution .

If Bro . Anderson could make so many alterations , omissions , and addi lions in the Old Regulations of 1738 , without having hinted that he made any changes , we may readil y imagine that he departed from the Constitution of 1721 ( where he does admit having made additions , etc . ) inamuch greater degree . Unless , therefore , Bro . Payne ' s Constitution is discovered no one can tell what kind of laws the Grand Lodge had in 1721 , and it is needless to demonstrate that those brethren who wish to know what the laws

were in 1723 must consult , not the " Old Regulations " in thc 1738 Constitution , but the Constitution of 1723 . I shall only add lhat our Fraternity has always abounded with learned landmark sticklers , and the so-called Conslution of 1721 was regarded by them as a Masonic gospel ; these were Andersonnites intensified . The truth

however is that Anderson himself was neither an Andersonnite nor a landmark stickler . This may readil y seen on comparing the "Old Regulations " with the "New , " as well as tbe " Old Regulations" with the "Old , " and he never evidently intended that either of his Constitutions should be regarded by posterity as Masonic gospels in any sense whatever .