Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS S 17 Masonic History and Historians JiS The Genesis of " Masonry J 18 Provincial Grand Lodge ot Cheshire Jig - Presentation to a Brother at Birkenhead 5 " ) Consecration of the Cable Chapter , No . 1704 519 CoRRE . SI'O . VDE .

YCEPrc-1717 Freemasonry 520 The Province of Cheshire and the Charities 520 History of Unity , 1 S 3 * . 520 A Query S- ° Reviews 5 * 1 Masonic Notes and Queries 521

Verses J 21 REI " IRTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry J 22 Instruction 526 Royal Arch 526 Mark Masonry 52 ; Scotland 527

Obituarv 527 The IJJ ' 8 Constitutions 528 Visiting J 2 S Amusements 52 S Masonic and General Tidings 529 Lodge Meetings for Next Vv * eek 530

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As was mentioned last week , at a special general meeting of the managers of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on Wednesday week , the report of a special sub-committee was read , and certain alteration in , and addition to , the laws carefully considered . As the report of such proposed changes and additions as unanimously carried by the special meeting , has yet to be

submitted to Grand Lodge , we think on the whole that it will be in " better form " not to deal with such amendments in our columns until they are so presented to Grand Lodge . Though " public , " in one sense , as having

been taken already before a special meeting of the Managing Committee , they are hardly public , in another sense , inasmuch as they practically are still " sub judice , " and have to be communicated , by the laws of the Institution , to Grand Lodge .

* * WE confess that it strikes us " prima facie * " that the position of this great Charity quoad Grand Lodge , and of Grand Lodge quoad this great Charity , is somewhat anomalous in itself . Though , as we are aware , from constant experience in this , as in all other worldly matters and arrangements , without any exception , there is a great deal to be said on both sides of thc question .

* * WE hear casually that the number of Stewards for tlie Roj'al Masonic Benevolent Institution now exceeds 15 6 . We wottld impress upon all our friends who intend to act as Stewards the propriety of forwarding their names as soon as possible to the SECRETARY . No one can tell the anxiety sometimes

caused to those who have to make all the arrangements , and think of much beforehand by a not unfrcquent action of keeping back the giving in of names until the last moment . We are aware that some worthy brethren cannot always decide thc matter at the moment ; but we venture , as Christmas and the

New Year will soon be here , to impress upon all who are thinking of being Stewards for this excellent Institution the advisability of intimating such their intention in the proper quarter at once . Let them remember the good old adage , " Bis dat qui dat cito . "

WE may mention that at the recent monthly meeting of the Managing Committee several new cases were put on the list , and there can be no doubt that it will depend , to a great extent , on what are the returns of the Festival as to the possible and practicable aid rendered to numberless deserving cases at the May Election . Instead of decreasing , the claims are , on the contrary , increasing , on this remarkable Charity of English Freemasonry .

* * WE congratulate the authorities of the Girls' School and Bro . HEDGES on being able to announce thc Presidency of Bro . H . R . H . the Duke of CONNAUGHT at the Anniversary Festival in iSSr . When the proper time

arrives we shall gladly and specially announce the preparations then making or completed to bring about a most happy and successful gathering . From time to time we shall keep our readers " au courant" of the arrangements in progress .

* * THE very interesting communication in our last " anent" "Cavernous Masonry " in Scotland may , let us hope , induce other communications on the same fertile subject . The course which Masonic research is now taking

is not a little singular , as it is , in truth , not merely the " gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done , " but the going over old ground , bee ause that old ground has been too hastily or superficially turned over , and we want a little closer investigation , a little deeper analysis of evidence and a thoroughly independent and unprejudiced examination of dates , statements , and facts .

* * * WE understand that Bro . SUTHERLAND ' S " Notes " on the History of Freemasonry are now available for the Masonic public . Bro . SUTHERLAND , who

is a very distinguished member of the medical profession , has for some time paid much attention to Masonic literature , and his little collection of " notes " ls very interesting in itself , is very carefully compiled , and deserves the Patronage of all who think that there is , after all , really something in Free-

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masonry beyond and above an aesthetic " menu , " or the agreeable associations of the Knife and Fork Degree .

* ' * WE are betraying no confidence when we state that , thanks to the able and careful researches of a very rising Masonic student , some very curious facts will be presented to Masonic students in the December number of the "

Masonic Magazine , in respect of those Masonic brethren of ours who admitted ELIAS ASHJIOLE and Colonel MAINWAIRING to see the light of Masonry at Warrington in 1646 . We also understand that other researches are being made which , when completed , we shall be privileged to announce , as tending to illustrate and educe the true history of English Freemasonry .

* * IT may be a question whether before we can arrive at a definite solution of certain fresh points in Masonic History we do not require , so to say , a careful reconsideration and thorough sifting of all available evidences . Even with existing MSS ., we fear , from certain facts that have recently

been brought in startling reality before us , that the work of " collation will have to be repeated . There is still a large amount of evidence to discover , obtain , and to make use of , before we can establish what we nevertheless apprehend will one day be substantiated , —the existence of Freemasonry in England in organized lodges in the seventeenth century . It has been said

that the Freemasonry of the seventeenth century was in some way affiliated with the " Masons' Company . " What the records of the Masons' Company , which only date from 1676 , as is alleged , would prove if carefully scanned by expert and competent Masonic students we do not presume to say , or even to anticipate in any measure . But sure we are of the fact , as indeed is

patent from the evidence itself , that the Freemasons Lodges ASHMOLE knew of and RANDLE HOLMES alluded to , were entirely independent of the Masons' Company , and simply and truly mainly speculative lodges . This is a fact , as Masonic students who have paid attention to this point will admit it to be , of the very greatest importance .

WE were looking over the later Harleian MS . the other day , and considering the " New Articles " with a friend , when it struck us that they certainly are either immediately after 1646 , really and truly , or represent a much earlier date . The law seems to us to be merely a repetitive law , re-enacted , so to say ; and careful study of both the Harleian MSS . may yet induce the

belief and certainty of an earlier date than is generally conceded to them . The " new articles , " as they are called , that at the admission of " non-operatives , " of what "degree soever , " a Master or " Warden " of that limit or division wherein such lodge shall be kept , and another of the trade of Masonry shall be present with five Freemasons , may belong to any time from the first

Edward VI . to the earlier part of thc seventeenth century . ELIAS ASHMOLE may be the first introduced under such a law , and it is just possible that it may be found that in his reception thc rule was literally complied with . If so , that would ague that the New Articles of the Harleian , MS .,. 1792 , represent an early date in the seventeenth century .

* WE would again repeat our hope that all W . M . s and Secretaries of lodges will cause a search to be made in old lodge boxes .

* ± WHAT an interesting " phase "has the question of Masonic archaeology now assumed . Are we , or arc we not , on the eve of being able to give a readable

and reliable explanation of the always remarkable history of Freemasonry ? Or must much still be left in the haze and obscurity of mythic annals to puzzle the non-Masonic enquirer , and even to harass and depress the careful and conscientous Masonic student ?

* * * THE progress of Oriental discovery is often brought about by curious trifles and " undesigned coincidences . " We all can call to mind the strange , though true , story of the " Rosetta Stone , " and the " Behistun Inscription . " Our able contemporary , the Academy , gives the account of

another accidental discovery , which may do much to smooth the way for future decipherers of " engraved monoliths" or "dark inscriptions . It seems that at a recent meeting of the Society of Biblical Archaeology , of which our Bro . W . H . RYLANDS , is Secretary , this interesting communication was made to it : " Mr . Pinches , during a recent visit to Paris , copied

in the Louvre a little clay tablet found in Cappadocia , which is written in a peculiar kind of cuneiform character , and in an unknown language . The ideographs , however , contained in the text enabled him to discover that it

related to the gift of certain silver articles to the Sun-god . He then recollected having seen in the British Museum a similar tablet in the same style of writing , which had also been brought from Cappadocia . An examination of the latter on his return to England showed that , as regards both the