Correspondence.

every brother that he must " cheerfully acquiesce in all votes and resolutions duly passed by a majority of the brethren . " - Article 219 of the Book of Constitutions does not apply to the case in question , and any twisting of its evident meaning will only cause the apple of discord to be thrown down amongst a fraternity whose watchword is " Brotherl y love . " —Yours fraternally , COLONIAL . December 6 th , 188 9 .

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REVIEWS

HISTORY OF WELLINGTON * ( Somerset ) . This is the first history of the town of Wellington that has appeared , strange as the fact sounds , but not more strange than true . The historian is Mr . Arthur L . Humphreys , who states in the preface that " the putting together of this book has been a great delight . "

As he says , it is difficult to understand why Wellington has been so neglected by typographers , while places of much less historical importance have had justice done to them . '' Any way that reproach has been removed , for now , thanks to Mr . Humphreys , the town has had justice done to its eventful past and present condition .

We see , by the work before us , that Wellington " is not a place of mushroom growth , " but has gradually increased , from a few scattered cottages clustering round the Church of St . John the Baptist , to a typical and prosperous market town , well able to hold its own in this terrible time of competition and rival claims of

local industries . Mr . Humphreys is careful , in the opening chapter of the etymological branch of the subject , not to commit himself to any particular theory , being more desirous to exhibit the news propounded , though he rather favours the notion that the ori gin of the name of the town is traceable to " Gual-eton , " the

town of the " old wall . " The second chapter relates to the early history of Wellington , and is of a most interesting character . So also is the one devoted to the manorial rights and privileges , the limited space being literally crammed with information as to want of' the very facts , exhibiting the diligence and patience of the

writer in collecting and arranging the abundant materials which his well-directed researches had brought to light . Those who revel in archa ; ological studies will find these chapters most entertaining and instructive , the charter relating to the original grant b y King Edward of three villes—Wellington , Buckland ,

and Lideard—we consider , with the author , is perhaps the most valuable contribution to the history of this town . The date of the original ( Anglo-Saxon ) is of the year 904 , and is now translated for the first time , the whole of the text being used as given in Birch ' s " Cartularium Saxonicum . " Court and subsidy and

close rolls are also made to contribute their quota to the sum total , as well as surveys and other entries of value and importance . Masonically , there is not much to say about Wellington , though the author has done his best to place the facts relating to the Craft in as favourable a manner as possible . An old lodge was started at

Bridgewater in 1774 , and whilst there subscribed to the '" Freemasons' Hall Fund " sufficient to obtain a silver medal , to be worn b y •' ¦ -: W . M . in perpetuity . The lodge was removed to Wellington in 1804 , but was erased in 1828 . The special distinction was thus lost . The present lodge dates only from 1882 . Of the

" Family and Personal History" there is no lack of curious details , more or less of a distinctl y local flavour , which we need not recapitulate , but possessing great interest for the students of genealogical details , and which would naturall y be looked for in such a book . The Popham and Fox families are to the fore , and no

end of registers appears to have been consulted , so as to arrive at exact data on not a few difficult points to unravel . The chapter on the " Civil War and Monmouth Rebellion , " contains so much of general history that we confess to resting at this point for some little time , for this part full of curious and singular

particulars of a never-to-be forgotten period . The Wellingtonians sided with the Parliament , but not very enthusiasticall y , for their loyalty was cautious to a fault , but in the Monmouth rebellion they evidently were inclined to join the Duke , but discretion led them to be wary , the town being well looked after by the Loyalist ' s .

' Many were the stores of treasure then hidden and since tuundinthc pulling down ul old houses . " Not a few "f the town joined the opposition party and dearly paid for their rashness with fearful carnage at Sedgcmoor , whilst those who escaped that terrible butchery fell into the hands of Judge Jeffreys , who , during the " Bloody " ¦ size

•, took vengeance on the defeated in such a merciless manner , a plate called " Gallows House , " Mill remaining to testify to his brutality and relentless vigour . Macaulay has graphically debribed the " progress" ot this cruel judge , and Mr . Humphreys supplies incidents of local surroundings , which testify to the correctness of the portrait ai

awn by that masterly artist in words . It is * pleasant change to leave these harrowing details lor a dissertation on "Tradesmen ' s Tokens , " which ^ "ds this chapter , the agreeable conclusion being doubtless intei . ded as a set off to the pieviousdark and "" happy recitals , which , however uncongenial , was bound to be noted by the faithful historian . The tokens

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enumerated are but seven in number , and are duly acknowledged to be taken from an old friend , William Bidgood ' s ' * Somerset-Trade Tokens , " the dates being 165 5 to 1668 . It is possible this small number would have to be reduced if Wellington , Shropshire , claimed any of them , as Bayne suggests ; though as Bidgood

remarks , " the croppers' shears and woolpack " savour more of Somerset than the other county . Defoe was at Wellington early last century , but his impression of the place was far from flattering . He describes it as low and dirty , and says he was surrounded with beggars to such a degree that there was danger of their

getting under his horses heels . 1 he parochial and ecclesiastical records furnish much capital reading , and the churchwardens' accounts Irom 1686 are lacking neither in interest nor variety . As respects church matters , Mr . Humphreys begins with records from the year 1316 . The church itself dates from the fifteenth

century , though some portion of the walls belong to an earlier period . The building is considered a very fair specimen of the typical Somersetshire church , and the plate of the ground plan shows a well arranged edifice . Of mural tablets and memorial-stones , several sketches are given , and the lists of vicars , & c , are both numerous and exhaustive . Neither is the " Nonconformist

history of the town neglected , extending as it does back about two centuries . Of the modern history and industries of the town , suffice it to say that nothing is looked for in vain that could reasonably be expected in a work of some 300 pages , and the chapters on folk lore , bibliography , & c ., are well worthy of careful study .

Mr . Humphreys has succeeded most admirably , and has given one of the most valuable and important local histories , it has fallen to our duty either to peruse or review , and we congratulate him also on the style of the work , for its get up , as well as the matter , arealike due to his excellent taste and determination to make it worthy of Wellington .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

draft flDasonry .

METROPOLITAN MEETINGS . Albion Lodge ( No . 9 ) . —This good old lodge held its installation meeting at Freemasons' Hall on Tuesday , 7 th inst .. when there was a full attendance of members and a good show of visiting brethren to witness the installation of Bro . Edwin Waller , late S . W . of the lodge , who had been unanimously elected to the office of

Master of the lodge for the ensuing 12 months . The lodge was opened as early as a quarter to four , on account of the amount of business , which included the ceremonies of the First and Third Degrees , besides the installation ceremony . The latter , however , was not worked , as , unfortunately , Bro . Bernard , who was to have been raised , was unable to be present on account of the sudden and unexpected death

of his father . The installation was consequently the first business to be dealt with after the reading of the minutes and the reception of the Auditors' report . The ceremony of installation was performed by Bro . Valentine , P . M ., the father of the lodge , who appears to hold in the eyes of the brethren the position of prescriptive Installing Officer , and in whose favour , as a mark of respect towards him , a lonsf

list of Past Masters have waived their right to install their successors . Of course , the ceremony on the present occasion was worked with the skill and ability for which Bro . Valentine , P . M ., is well known , and it is only necessary to record that Bro . Waller was installed by Bro . Valentine for it to be understood that the work was done in ancient form . Bro . Waller , the new W . M ., invested his

officers as follows : Bros . A . E . Hamlyn , S . W .: J . H . French , J . W . j H . S . Friend , P . M ., Treas . ; ' L . W . Harvey , P . M ., Sec ; C . Sucker , S . D . ; W . Willey , P . M ., D . C . ; Herbert Kettle , I . G . ; and S . N . Thompson , P . M ., Stwd . ; and then the ceremony was brought to a close with the customary addresses . to the Master , the Wardens , and general body of members and the oration

upon the nature and aims of the Institution . The ballot was then taken for the admission , as a candidate for initiation , of Mr . Arthur Jesse Harvey , proposed by his brother , Bro . Harvey , P . M ., Sec , and seconded by Bro . Thompson , P . M ., and the result being favourable to his admission , Mr . A . | . Harvey , together with Mr . A . G . Izard , previously approved upon ballot , was initiated by Bro . Waller into the

secrets and mysteries of the First Degree , and on their return to the lodge , restored to personal comfort . 'I he W . M . delivered the charge . Prior to the closing of the lodge , upon tbe proposition oi tbe Secretary , seconded by Bro . Valentine , P . M ., it was resolved that a letter of condolence be sent to Bro . Bernard to mark the sympathy of the brethren with him in the loss he had sustained in his father ' s

tudden death . Upon the lodge being closed , the members and their guests adjourned to the adjoining building , where they dined together . After the dinner , which was an unusually good one , and did real credit to all concerned in its production , the customary loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed by the

Master and the Past Masters . " The Oueen and the Craft" was proposed by the VV . M ., as was also "The Health of the M . W . G . M ., " — "the immediate heir of England , the hope and expectation of the time "—the Prince of Wales , who was a thorough Mason , and whose heart was with the Craft , to which he devoted much time .

The next toast proposed by the W . M . was "The Health i-f the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " This toast also , Bro . Waller said , needed very few words from him . He could not do better than refer the brethren to the very appropriate quotation from Coriolanus which appeared on the toast list , " You have made good work , you and your

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

apron men , you and your Crafts . " The work of the Grand Officers was known to most of the brethren , and he need only call on them to drink the toast to make sure of its hearty reception . The toast having been drunk with enthusiasm , Bro . Poupart , I . P . M ., rose to propose "The Health of the W . M . " He said he knew that the brethren had all very greatly admired Bro . Waller before he came to the

chair . 'They all knew how thoroughly well he had performed all his work in the lodge , from that of a junior officer to that of the Master in the chair , and he felt that he had only to say two words , and the brethren will enthusiastically drink Bro . Waller's jolly good health . He ( Bro . Poupart ) almost felt jealous of Bro Thompson because he had had the honour of initiating Bro . Waller , and he was sure Bro . Thompson

must be proud of his child . The toast was received with applause , and was drunk by the brethren with the heartiest goodwill . In reply , Bro . Waller said that he knew not how to thank Bro . Poupart for the way in which he had proposed his health , or the brethren for the manner in which they had received and drunk it . He had only done that which he thought a

Mason should do , namely , all that he could for the Craft in general . The brethren had been very kind to appreciate what little he had done . He hoped that during his term of office he should do his utmost to please them . When he had been initiated by Bro . Thompson he thought he should like one day to get to the Master ' s chair , and he should hope in due time to see the initiates of that evenimr reach the chair

of K . S . Bro . Waller concluded by thanking the brethren from the bottom of his heart for the kind way in which they had received that toast . Now he was on his legs Bro . Waller said he would do himself the pleasure of presenting to the worthy I . P . M . a Past Master ' s jewel . He was really personally indebted to the I . P . M ., for he had followed Bro . Poupart up through the various offices , from the lowest

rung of the ladder , and Bro . Poupart had helped him up behind him ( he did that with everyone ) , and was the best and most prudent Master , and no one had more thoroughly earned the honour which that lodge had done him . It is my very pleasing duty , Bro . Poupart , continued the VV . M ., to invest you with this jewel , and I hope that the Great Architect will give you many years of health to wear it , and I

hope to see you constantly in your place in the lodge . Bro . Poupart said he thanked Bro . Waller as the Master for pre senting him with that token of the esteem of the lodge . It had always been a pleasure to him to work in Masonry , and he had only done as other Masons should , he thought . He thanked _; all the brethren for the jewel , which he should value as lomr as he should live . He hoped , as the VV . M .

did , that he should be present regularly at future meetings of the lodge . Bro . Waller said the next toast he knew would be received with a great amount of attention by the brethren of the Albion Lodge : it was "The Health of their dear Bro . Valentine , P . M ., the Installing Master . " From the highest officer to the youngest member , Bro . Valentine was

beloved by them all . He was universally beloved . He was always ready with his assistance and to impart any knowledge in the Masonic art of which he was a Past Master , and he was sure the brethren would join him in drinking his very good health in the heartiest manner it was possible to accord to anyone . Bro . Valentine thanked the brethren very much for the

manner in which they had received tint toast , and thanked the Master very much for the way in which he had proposed it . A thought had been floating in his mind for some time , and now had taken a firmer hold than before . It was now some 43 years back that he became a member of the Albion Lodge , and he was very proud to fill the office of Installing- Master , and prouder because he was not by

election Installing Master . It had been very gratifying to him to know that year after year those brethren who , by Masonic law , were entitled to install their successors , had agreed that he should be Installing Master . One of the quotations under this toast on the list was— " He speaks what ' s in his heart . " Now , as regarded the ceremony that evening he could hardly say that he justified that quotation . He ;

did not have an opportunity of saying what was in his heart . He had always been a great admirer of the old ceremony of installation : he thought it very beautiful , far better than any modern modification of it , but he was bound to admit that as the ceremony stood formerly there was one or two difficulties which he had endeavoured to overcome . When he came into the lodge that day he thought he had hit upon

something particularly nice , but he found afterwards that he could not unfold his thoughts , he could not speak what was in his heart . But he would refer to a quotation that was appended to the toast of the officers on the list : " We know young bloods look for a time of rest . " He disagreed with that , because young blood should look for work and not for rest when they have gone up step by step , and had

gained the office of Master . He thought the quotation , as he would alter it , applicable to his own case * . " We know old blades look for a time of rest . " They knew that wine after a certain age deteriorated or improved , and he thought he was most likely to deteriorate while he knew he could perform the duty properly . He was glad to fulfil it , but he knew a time must come when he should fail to give them

satisfaction . When he joined the lodge the number of installing brethren was very limited , and , therefore , he put his shoulder to the wheel , determined that it should never be necessary for the lodge to depend on outside assistance for an Installing Master . But all that was altered now . He had seen brethren in the office of Master who cculd perform the ceremony , there were numbers who could do it ,

and he suggested that Masters should exercise their privilege of installing their successors . He looked back on the scenes of his past glories with little regret , without much pain ; yet still he knew the time must come when a Master should install his successor , and when no lodge should have a permanent Installing Master . Bro . Holroyd , P . M ., proposed the next toast , " Thc

Health of the Initiates , Bros . Harvey and Izard . It had been his privilege to know the former from his childhood . Bro . Harvey was received with open arms , being the sanguineous brother of their worthy Secretary , who had endeared himself to the hearts of all . He expected that the family blood would inspire the candidate to go on and

progress in Freemasonry , and that they should presently come to appreciate him as much as they did his brother . As to Bro . Izard , he could only say that to know him was to love him . He had known him as a close neighbour for the last 12 years , and nothing gave him greater pleasure than lo propose him in the lodge , and he recommended him to the brethren's love and good companionship .