History Of No. 304, Leeds.

This handsome volume , beautifully printed , profusely illustrated , and published by Bro . George Austin Suddick , W . M . —consisting of two hundred copies—has been most generously presented by him to the members and friends of the lodge in commemoration of thc centenary which has just been

celebrated during his memorable Mastership . Assuredly Bro . Suddick nghtly appreciates the honour of being in the chair during such an eventful period , and the members have every reason to be proud of the enthusiastic Craftsman , wno is their Worshipful Master , on the completion of the centenary of his " Mother i . odge . "

A glance at this artistically got up book will prove—if any proof were needed—that the mantle of Historian of this lodge has fallen on thc right shoulders , for Bro . C . L . Mason has ably discharged his duties in that respect , and interestingly written a History of its proceedings during ioo years . The volume will doubtless bs highly valued by the members , and also

by other brethren , who are privileged to possess presentation copies . The Historian has done his best to write a readable and accurate account of No . 304 , and what is more , has succeeded to the complete satisfaction of those who are competent to judge of the difficulties he has so successfully surmounted , and the patience and untiring industry he has manifested from the

beginning to the end of his heavy labours . As an old Lodge Historian , I congratulate Bro . Mason most heartily on the production of this , his magnum opus , and I trust that the example thus set , and also by other trusted lodge historians of I . eeds before him , may prove contagious , by being the means of inducing other duly informed Craftsmen to go and do likewise .

The earliest lodge that was starled in Leeds , - * under the auspices of the regular Grand Lodge of England , was in 17 . 54 , but it only survived a few years . It was followed by another , warranted by Ihe same body , at the " Talbot , " as before , in 17 61 , but it did not last long enough to receive a new number in 1792 . The third was formed in 1791 , called the " Loyal and

Prudent , " and succumbed some 40 years later . The next three have had a very different experience . . They are No . 289 , of 1792 , No , 304 , of 1794 , and No . 306 , of 1795 . The trio thus represent all the lodges warranted in Leeds prior to the " Union" of December , 1 S 13 , and still on the Roll . It is remarkable that these lodges are all of " Modern " origin , viz ., the three

off , and the three on the Register ; thc " Ancients , " or Atholl " Grand Lodge ( of 1751 ) 1 not having constituted anylodges in that town ! Since that period , seven more warrants have been granted , the first two , of 1 S 22 and 1839 , being extinct , and the remaining five are Nos . 1042 ( of 1 S 64 ) , 1211 and 1221 ( of 1868 ) , and 2069 ( of 1884 ) , thus making a total of thirteen , eight of which are happily active and prosperous .

The Philanthropic Lodge was opened for the first time on August 25 th , 1794 , the founders being all late initiates of the Fidelity , No . 2 R 9 ( then 512 ) , one of A . D . 1792 , three of 1 793 , and three of 1794 ; the W . M . not having " seen the light" until January 20 th , 1794 . It has had four different

numbers , viz ., 542 , 56 S ( at the " Union " ) , 3 S 2 from 1832 , and 304 from 1863 onward . The Roll of places of meeting exhibits some 16 Houses or Buildings in all ( some however being recorded two or three times ) from the " Crown , " Kirkgate , in 1794 , to the Masonic Hall , Great George Street , from 1865 .

The lodge assembled by virtue of a dispensation from 21 st August , 1794 , the Charter itself not having been granted before the same day and month of 1799 . Facsimiles of the Warrant and the first record are appended , the former having been issued by the Provincial Grand Master ' s command , and

is rather of an ornate character . Possibly owing to the promoters being such juniors . it was resolved that the W . M . and S . W . " go to York for instruction in the third step of Masonry , " so as to enable them to discharge their duties properly ; two Brothers at this meeting , held on 25 th March , 1795 , having " proposed themselves to be raised Master Masons . "

In May of that year , we read of Bro . Durran's being " past the chair in order to receive the Royal Arch , " which , as Bro . Mason points out , was formally to qualify him to obtain that degree . Probably the ceremony was worked by the " Fidelity " Chapter , then No . 93 ( and now 289 , as the lodge ) , which appsrently has completed its centenary this year . The senior chapter , No . 72 , warranted in 1790 , was not opened until 1796 .

The members were " very generously disposed" on 28 th December , 1801 , a number of gifts being made to the lodge , one especially interesting me exceedingly , viz ., a copy of " Cranmer ' s Bible , " A . D . 1540 . This valuable version , by Coverdale , was lirst issued in 1539 , hut became known by the title mentioned , because of Cranmer writing the prologue to this

edition of 1540 . The precious Book "is in excellent condition , " and all the t ! t ' e pages are intact , that of the Old Testament forming one of the many choice illustrations in this History . It was rebound in 1820 , and another facsimile is devoted to the . names of the members of that year , duly entered inside the upper cover , the design enclosing the list being of a symbolical character .

" Thefirst and last disagreement or unpleasantness in the lodge" is noted under A . D . 1802 , and as the ending was satisfactory , it is to be hoped the members will rest contented with the decision then arrived at , so that

the little quarrel then smothered may be the " first and last " for all time . I see that early this century the W . M . and Wardens were paid their expenses out of the fdnds for attending the Prov . Grand Lodge . The custom has been continued in man ) ' lodges down to more modern times , but personally , the system is not to be commended , and lessens considerably the prestige and importance of the chief officers .

The third volume of the minutes is missing , which is much to be regretted , extending from October , 1809 , to November , 1820 . It may yet be traced . . There are , however , no lack of facts evidencing the activity of the

* there is an excellent table arranged by Hro . Mason from Bro . Jno . Lane ' s invaluable " Masonic Uecords , 1717-iSSri , " but to be perfect requires the numbers of the 2 nd Lodge ( 1761 ) to be moved one column each onward .

History Of No. 304, Leeds.

lodge during this period . An excellent reproduction of the b y-laws of rSo 4 , reduced so as to exhibit four pages of the original , on each page of the history , then follows , and is a novelty in its way , besides being a most useful addition to the attractive features of the work . Other illustrations to be mentioned are those of the Crown Inn , Kirkgate , " the first Home of the

Lodge , " the advertisement card of the " Leeds Masonic Benefit Society , " and a curious grave-stone erected to the memory of the Tyler , for 30 years of the three Leeds lodges . In 1833 the Tyler was provided with a cloak at the expense of the trio . Other illustrations are the Masonic Hall , Great

George-strcct ; thc R . A . warrant of 1863 ; a portrait of the revered Bro . Robert Craig ( whose memory will long be cherished in the lodge ) ; and a really good portrait of the Lodge Historian , also others of the esteemed W . M . and the Wardens are also duly represented .

Particulars are appended of several functions in which the lod ge participated , and in 1834 the members were summoned to attend the funeral of Bro . David Kirkman ( whose portrait is given ) , the then W . M ., who was also in ihe chair in 1 S 22 , and four other years . He was initiated in 1815 , New By-Laws are printed in the volume , which were agreed lo in 1837 ,

and also another code m 18 S 2 . The lodge seems to have been well represented in the Province for some years , for the roll of its members who have held office therein , includes four Prov . Senior Wardens , one Junior Warden , two Chaplains , two Treasurers , three Registrars , ten Deacons , and seven other officers from 1856 to 1 S 93 .

Our lamented friend , the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A . ( P . G . C , & c ) , joined this lodge from the " Granby , " No . 124 , on | une 2 Sth , 1854 , and was its honoured Master in 1 S 56 and 1 S 5 S . He was the first Chairman of the West Yorks Charity Committee , 1859-1 S 07 , and his portrait which adorns the

walls of the Masonic Hall , presented by him to the Lodge , is reproduced to accompany the sympathetic notice of his immense services to the Craft by the Historian ; and there are several reports of Bro . Woodford ' s , orations , addresses , Sec .

But I must hasten . Facsimiles of the Petition for the Centenary Jewel Warrant , and of that valuable document , introduce us to the celebration of the Lodge Centenary on the 25 th August , 1 S 94 . Numerous Tables are appended , and a mass of information is compressed within the 200 and more pages . I dare not touch these now I There is a capital Index , and the book is most interesting throughout . W . J . HUGHAN .

Egyptian Book Of The Dead.

EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD .

BY JOHN YARKEU , I' . M ., P . Z ., & C . Since Champollion discovered , by aid of the Rosetta Stone , a mode of translating the hieroglyphical writing of the ancient Egyptians , various translations of the Book of the Dead , or , as the Egyptians termed it , the Book

of the Manifestation of Light , have appeared ; and during the course of a generation much progress has been made in this section of arch .-eological study . These several translations are now very scarce and very expensive , so that they are practically out of the reach of the ordinary Freemason . And it is a work that well deserves to be in the library of every brother .

The book , as a whole , ancient thoiigh it be , is clearly of a composite character ; a collection of sacred hymns made at a remote period , and embracing the Cabiric , or Mcuphite , theology ; the Sabeanism of Ammon or Theban culte ; and the Aryan anthropomorphite worship of Osiris , Isis , and Horus . It is quite likely that some of these ancient hymns are at least ten

thousand years old , and it is now ascertained and accepted by such authorities as Marielte Bey that the great pyramid of Cheops is so constructed , even in minute details , as to represent the heavenly temple , constructed for us in this ritual , over which Osiris presides as Judge of the Dead , when the advancing spirit must be in a position to deny 42 sins , and have practised

as many virtues before his justification and crowning , amongst which are giving food to the hungry , drink to the thirsty , and clothing to the naked . We see from this that , even in these ancient times , architecture had reached a symbolical stage . In some translations the very lirst chapter contains Masonic language , though in others this is explained away . In fact , the

translation of the Book , in an absolutely correct form , is impossible . To begin with , it is full of mystical allusions , which , of course , it is not the business of an ordinary translator to attempt to interpret ; and , in ihe next place , we cannot now expect that any man should be able to do what the educated priests could not

accomplish 4000 years ago , portions of the hook being then so old , that Commentary had lo be added to Commentary in an attempt to make the meaning apparent . One peculiar thing is noticeable , and that is that there are certain portions which seem to have a similar reference to certain things in the archaic ideographic books and tablets of Thibet . In the Egyptian

Ritual we find allusion to the Two Halls of Truth and J ustice , and Three Times Seven Gates and Mansions , which require certain initiatory passwords before these gates and doors allow the deceased to enter ; in the Thibetian there are the Halls , two paths , and seven portals , which can only be unlocked by golden keys which are named after special virtues , and we

also find the Symbolic ladder of Seven Steps , resembling the Mithraic , each rung of which indicates a virtue acquired , until finally by the seventh he beholds the Sivaic Star of Initiation . One helps the comprehension of the other , and the Egyptian Symbolism is again found in the Ritual of the Ophite Gnostics .

So carefully were the Egyptian Mysteries guarded that we can only judge them by those of Greece , which Herodotus and other ancient writers assert were modelled upon those of Egypt . The Ptolomeys revised them under the designation of Serapis ( a Theurgic System ) , and a new order of Prophets was added to the older classes . There are , however , certain