Seventeenth Century Masonry.

We invite then all Masonic students to turn their attention to the seventeenth century evidences , which we doubt not still exist , and which , if critically examined and carefully and honestly treated , will supply us with sufficient light to enable us to trace accurately the onward progress , historically ,

of our wonderful and world-wide Order . From a different point of view , and on different grounds , we are in danger of repeating the errors of an earlier generation . We have already made shipwreck on the quicksands of uncritical treatment of evidences . Let us not to-day be unwisely affected by too hasty negations , or too hesitating conclusions .

Consecration Of The Granite Lodge, No. 2028, At Narborough.

CONSECRATION OF THE GRANITE LODGE , No . 2028 , AT NARBOROUGH .

ESPECIAL PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND . A special meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Narborough Hotel , Narborough , on Thursday , the 14 th inst ., for the purpose of consecrating the Granite Lodge , so named after the stone with which thc district abounds . The attendance of brethren was numerous , testing thc accommodation of the very convenient and prettily-arranged lodge room to the utmost .

In thc unavoidable absence of the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . the Ear Ferrers , the chair was taken by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., VV . Bro . George Toller , jun ., P . G . S . B . Eng ., who proceeded to open Provincial Grand Lodge , assisted by Bros . W . Kelly , P . P . G . M . ; W . Langley , acting as Deputy Prov . G . M . ; C . E . Stretton , as Prov . G . S . W . ; Miles J . Walker , as Prov . G . J . W . ; R . Waite , Prov . G . Treas . ; Rev . A . P . Dawson , Prov . G . Chap . ; S . S . Partridge , Prov . G . Sec ; S . Cleaver and E . Watson , Prov . G .

Deacons ; J . Young , Prov . G . D . C . ; C . Gurden , Prov . G . A . D . C ; John Wiggins , Prov . G . S . B . ; T . B . Laxton , Prov . G . Org . ; R . R . Cole , Prov . G . A . P . ; and M . J . Goodall , Prov . G . Stwd . The Prov . G . Sec . read thc petition and warrant of the ncw lodge , and at the request of the Deputy Prov . G . M . the venerable Bro . Kelly took the chair , and performed in thc most impressive manner thc consecration ceremony . A carefully prepared

and very excellent oration was delivered by the Prov . G . Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . Ambrose P . Dawson , M . A . The musical part of the ceremony was most ably rendered by a Masonic choir , under the guidance of Bro . T . 13 Laxton , Prov . G . Org . Thc consecration ceremony being concluded , Bro . Kelly installed Bro . the Rev . W . Langley , M . A ., P . M . 50 and 1130 , P . P . G . S . W ., as first

W . M ., and he was duly proclaimed and saluted . W . Bro . R . Waite , Prov . G . Treas ., was elected as Treasurer , and , together with the following brethren , invested as officers of the new lodge for the ensuing year : Bros . I . Metcalfe , W . M . 1767 , S . W . ; F . B . Wilmer , J . W . ; M . J . Walker , Sec ; Jno . Young , S . D . ; and G . Jessop , J . D . Bye-laws were adopted for the government of the lodge , and 13 candidates proposed for initiation .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER in moving a vote of thanks to those brethren who had so kindly attended to inaugurate thc Granite l-odge , proposed that thc following should be elected honorary members , viz ., R . W . Bro . W . Kelly , P . P . G . M . ; VV . Bros . G . Toller , jun ., D . P . G . M . ; S . S . Partridge , Prov . G . Sec . ; Bro . Rev . A . P . Dawson , Prov . G . Chap . ; W . Bro . J . Young , Prov . G . D . C ; and Bro . T . B . Laxton , Prov . G . Org ,, which was duly seconded by VV . Bro . J . METCALFE .

The lodge was then closed , and Prov . G . Lodge resumed , when , after several matters had been considered , and a revision of the Prov . Grand Lodge bye-laws determined upon , the Prov . Grand Lodge was closed in form al six o ' clock . Atthe banquet afterwards ( which was all that could be wished for ) , under the presidency of the acting Prov . Grand Master , the usual toasts were honoured , and a very successful day brought to a close in time for thc return of the large number of the Leicester brethren by thc last train .

I here is every reason to hope that this new lodge , held in a prettily situated village in a most comfortable and suitable room in its well-ordered little hotel , with good train service within a quarter of an hour's run of Leicester , will soon take its place among the sister lodges ; and as it is at present determined to meet during the summer months , when nearly all the

other lodges in the province arc closed , it will afford the opportunity of getting a pleasant run out into the fresh country air to the hard-worked brethren of Leicester and Hinchlcy , especially as it is held on the Thursday half-holiday . This is , wc believe , thc ninth Craft lodge which the veteran P . P . G . M ., Bro . Kelly , has consecrated in thc Province of Leicestershire and Rutland , his interest in Masonry being as fresh as it was nearly half a century ago .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

T he monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hal ) . Bro . Joshua Nunn , P . G . S . B ., President ; Bro . James Brett , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President ; and Bro . Charles A . Cottebrune , P . G . P ., Junior Vice-President , occupied their respective chairs . Thc other brethren present were : Bros . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , G . S . ; H . G . Buss , Assistant G . S . ; A . A . Pendlebury , VV . Dodd , Frank Richardson , P . G . D . j Charles Greenwood , P . G . Swd . Br . ; W . Mann , Thomas Cull , G . P . Britten , E . White , Capt . A . Nicols , Saml . II . Parkhouse .

\ V . Stephens , G . P . Britten , W . Winn , H . Garrod , E . F . Storr , J . H . Southwood , J . H . Matthews , Charles Dairy , Thomas Minstrell , Arthur E . Gladwell , Walter Hopekirk , W . H . Perryman , F . R . Spaull , H . McPherson , Chas . Fred . Hogard , Geo . P . Gillard , David D . Mercer , W . H . Chalfont , T . B . Daniel ! , Robt . James Vincent , Edwin Halliwell , W . M . Foxcroft , John Stedman , R . F . Hosken , George Coleman , E . Bridges , J . Newton , Frederick 1 . C . Keeble , Thos . Hutton , G . Kenneday , Charles

Kempton , l'hos . Harper , Charles F . Foakes , H . W . Mevcr , H . Cox , C . Narrer , J . H . Roberts , Irvine Harle , T . W . Ockendale , Fred . W . Farnfield , Thos . S . Kennett , Joseph Harling , Thos . Gardiner , John Tovell , George Klench , B . Ridge , W . H . Honey , J . R . Tolliss , J . L . Cross , T . W . Eastgate , Chas . Sims , M . Graham , H . S . Godolphin , George Tarncy , John Murch , A . Marvin , William Hurst , W . J . Spratling , R . J . Taylor , A . Holmes , Geo . C . Palsford , W . Mansted , H . Sadler , G . T . ; and H . Massey ( F'reemason ) .

The Board of Masters vas first held , at which the agenda paper for Grand Lodge next Wednesday week was read . At the Board of Benevo lence two recommendations made at last meeting were confirmed . O the new cases there were 26 on the list . Five of these were deferre d The remainder were relieved in a total sum of £ 490 , which was made up as follows * , two grants of . £ 50 each (^ 100 ); two of £ 40 each (^ 80 ) ; three of £ 30 each ( £ go ); three of ^ 25 each ( £ 75 ); three of £ 20 each ( £ 60 ); two of £ 15 each ( £ 30 ); five ol £ 10 each ( £ 50 ); and one of £ 5 ( £ 5 ) .

Lodge Duties.

LODGE DUTIES .

A LECTURE DELIVERED BY BRO . T . B . WHYTEHEAD , P . M . 1611 , PROV . S . G . W . N . AND E . YORKSHIRE . We have heard something of late years about " Masonic Sermonizing , " and some scribes have told us that the days ( or that sort of tiling passed away with Dr . Oliver , a venerable Masonic writer whose voluminous works abide with us and are a staple source of information , and that wc have

now neither part nor lot with the figments of the fancy of that famous Mason . Dr . Oliver was , they tell us , a wild enthusiast , a dreamer , and his works may be thrown on onc side in these enlightened days as so much chaff in which the stray grains of wheat are so scarce as not be worth looking for . I am afraid that those who make these assertions have either not read Oliver or read him to very little purpose . It is perfectly true that thc learned

Lincolnshire rector was no historian . He was an enthusiastic Mason , and he was ever ready to accept statements as facts so long as they fell in with his own preconceived ideas of what Masonic history ought to be , and what he believed to be its story of the past . He was an industrious collector of facts , an unwearied investigator of old books and libraries , and thc mass of information of all kinds bearing upon his beloved Craft that are to be found

in his works , and especially in his " Landmarks of Freemasonry , " will always afford a most useful resort for the Masonic archaeologist and will even remain a monument to the enthusiasm , the intelligence , and the learning of its genial author . But there was onc thing that Dr . Oliver did which , if carried out now by those who have succeeded him as leaders in Masonry , might effect a great and l . - . sting benefit to the Order . His

Masonic lectures , sermons , call them what you will , are excellent , and nothing more practical , more in accordance with the teachings of thc open volume before us has ever been published to the world than the advice given by that sage old brother to the brethren in his province at the beginning of this century . I am by 110 means sure that the Craft we all love so well is not suffering for lack of some advice such as Dr . Oliver could

have given its members , and it seems to me that as day by day wc sec the advance of Atheism , under the assumed guise of science , threatening all thc principles upon which the grand position of this country has been based , it behoves Freemasons more than ever to stand shoulder to shoulder and to oiler their united fiercest resistance to movements that would destroy all we have been taught to love and venerate . I think that our lodges might be

made , far more than they now are , a field of usefulness for the instruction of members in those high and great principles which arc thc foundation of our Constitution . If brethren better understood the duties they owe to the Craft in general and to their own individual lodges in particular , wc should hear much less of the lack of interest taken in thc art by brethren of standing and education . VVe should not so often have to lament thc absence of thc older members of lodges from thc regular meetings , and wc

should not meet the difficulty , so often apparent , of finding men really fitted to undertake thc duties and responsibilities of thc chair . I believe that a very large number of Freemasons , even of those who have achieved very high positions , who arc most useful men in society , and who are regarded as our leaders , have never realised thc genuine objects for which our Society was founded , and what is its true mission . Every

intelligent man must have his own ideas on all subjects , and no doubt every Mason is entitled to his own view in ali matters , but 1 believe our late Grand Master the Duke of Sussex was very near the truth when hc said there were not a dozen Masons living in his day who knew what Freemasonry really was . Wc have a magnificent ritual , in which wc arc taught the leading features of a grand system of morality , and I am prepared to

grant that if our code were faithfully lived up to there would be little or nothing to desire . But I somewhat fear that our ceremonies have come to be regarded as a mere form , and lhat after his first introduction our novitiate often loses any good impression he may have received at his entrance . It very naturally appears to him that he knew perfectly well , before hc saw thc light in a Masonic lodge , all thc teaching laid down

before him during thc ceremony ; and , as familiarity breeds contempt , he soon comes to look upon the whole thing as a wearisome repetition of pretty words . It was once said to mc by a brother well known in thc Craft , and who has been a successful worker in the noble cause of our Charities— " If it were not for thc Charities Freemasonry would not be worth ten minutes of

the attention of any intelligent man . " Now , brethren , I venture to say that thc brother who made that observation , with all his virtues and in spite of all his good works , had never mastered the true objects of Freemasonry ; he was entirely ignorant of the " raison d ' etre " of thc Craft . In opposition to the idea enunciated or propounded in his sentiment , I contend that Freemasonry is not a charitable Society except in thc very

highest sense of thc word , and that if there is nothing more in it than the maintenance of our three great and splendid Institutions it is not only not worth ten minutes of the attention of any intelligent man , but that we arc a parcel of utter fools , wasting our time and a laige part of our means upon childish follies . The old Templar idea was thc true one . " Love to God and Man " was their ancient motto , and that is the real motto of

Freemasonry and thc true meaning of thc word " Charity . " I should be very sorry to think that there was even a semblance of truth in thc remark of the brother I have quoted . We need not pay fees of many guineas or deck ourselves in gold lace in order to secure the privilege of subscribing our means for kindly and charitable objects . Freemasonry in its speculative and present form was constituted for the purpose of kindling and

keeping alive human and divine sympathies , to preserve a solid platform whence the barriers of class jealousies should be for the time removed , to teach society that in the eye of the Great Architect , and under thc hand of thc King of Terrors , the peasant is the peer of the Prince , and to keep before the view of thc salt of the earth the advantage to be derived from the exercise of that charity , which indeed docs include the giving of alms , but

in itself is far superior to such a detail—the charity that neverfaileth . Our Charities were quite an after-thought , a growth that became a strong necessity as the Craft grew in numbers , and when candidates began to be admitted who were not in such a position of financial comfort as was intended and expected by those who founded the Society ; and as it became seen that relief was to be had by decayed brethren and their orphans , it

gradually grew into an inducement for needy men to present themselves , in thc hope of getting something out of the Fraternity , a state of things that has in our own day become far too common , and which , already harrassing us , threatens the very stability of thc Order . I ain inclined to believe that if brethren could be induced to realise the obligations they take upon themselves when they range themselves under our banners , if they rightl y