Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Point Of Masonic History.
year did the Freemasons first assemble , was it 1715 , or 1716 , or 1717 ? And how many lodges were represented or congregated ? And when we remember that we are now dealing with the principal date of our
speculative organisation , it only serves to show how important is accuracy in small details as in larger matters , and how careful we should be always to give ourselves or hand on to others , a perfectly correct and reliable account
of transactions in which we take a part , or of matters in which we feel a personal interest . And this little difficulty at so late a period , as regards a point of Masonic History serves to convinceushow many are the difficultiee
attendant on the annals and chronology of earlier periods , and how much allowance we should always make for unavoidable errata and inevitable discrepancies . A MASONIC STUDENT .
THE" LATE EHPJSROR NAPOLEON . —The granite sarcophagus presented by the Queen to the Empress of the French , as a receptacle for the remains of tho late Emperor , has arrived at Chislehurst from Aberdeen and been placed in tho mortuary chapel . The designs for the new building are by Mr . H . Glutton , and the builders are Messrs . Brass and Co . It is similar in appearance to the mausoleum of the
Duchess of Kent , and somewhat resembles that of the Prince Consort at Frogmore . It is entirely of masonry , externally of Bath stone , lined with stone brought from France . The carving is very elaborate and handsome , especially the capitals of the pillars , and the roof is groined and arched -with mueh elegance , the design of the whole edifice being Gothic . The little chapel has a carved altar and and
canopy , at the opposite end is a private doorway for the Empress . Above the door is a rose window , and there are three other lights on the south side . ' These are temporarily filled with plain glass , but tho windows are all to be stained , and an artist who has recently completed the windows of the Emperor ' s Church at St . Cloud has been to Chislehurst with designs . The sarcop hagus will stand on a tesselated pavement in
the centre of the new building , and will bo approached from the interior of the church by two steps through a double bay divided by columns of jasper . This approach being always open , the tomb will always remain in view of the congregation . THE VIENNA EXHIBITION . —The Emperor of Austria lias conferred the Order of Knihthood of
g the Iron Crown on Mr . E . Bowra , Commissioner of Imperial Customs at Canton , and Mr . CharlesHaunen , Commissioner of Imperial Customs at Tientsin , members of the Chinese Commission at the Vienna Exhibition .
Reviews.
Reviews .
The History of Freemasonry , by J . G . Findel . Second revised edition ; with a Preface by D . Murray Lyon . London , George Kenning . There is nothing " new under the sun , " as one of the wisest of mere mortals said
long ago , and each succeeding age only exemplifies the truth of his ancient adage . The discoveries and improvements of modern science , have been in almost every instance anti-dated in the cruder efforts of earlier enquiryand there is very little
, indeed , except what belongs to the development of apparently undiscovered force , and not even always in that , which may not be traced to some former thinker , or some antecedent type , even long ages ago . And this is true we think even still more remarkablin
y literature . The thoughts and ' opinions of the day , the gems of poetry in fancy or history , and the like lie hid , more or less , in tho great storehouse of the faded past . Like the
seeker in one of the fairy tales of our youth , we have only to go far enough and deep enough , and we are pretty certain to be able to find the hid treasure . And though to some minds no doubt is given in the good providence of God , alike originality of ideaand originality of expression , yet
, when you have taken away all that tho genius of bye-gone years has illumined , and all that the power of intellect has irradiated in the past , as a general rule , what remains is , but the thoughts of yesterday filtered through the sands of to-day .
Even as regards Freemasonry and the writings , oi Freemasons , the same truth holds good . It is perfectly correct , no doubt , to say , that those later years have witnessed a great increase of Masonic criticism , and a distinct recognition of the need of Masonic enquiry which are mainly owing to our distinguished German brethren at the close of the last and at the
commencement of tho present century . Long before our English mind had accustomed itself to the idea of any Masonic criticism at all , our German brethren wore pushing forward their enquiries into the subject matter of true Masonic history , with an honestof purpose and a singleness of aim
y , which cannot bo ever too sincerely acknowledged or too warmly commended . ^ Indeed , it may be further sqi . d ^ a ^ i , ^ the German Ma ^ nicaLrtkftlflifi ^ Qiiai 1 ' 0 ^/
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Point Of Masonic History.
year did the Freemasons first assemble , was it 1715 , or 1716 , or 1717 ? And how many lodges were represented or congregated ? And when we remember that we are now dealing with the principal date of our
speculative organisation , it only serves to show how important is accuracy in small details as in larger matters , and how careful we should be always to give ourselves or hand on to others , a perfectly correct and reliable account
of transactions in which we take a part , or of matters in which we feel a personal interest . And this little difficulty at so late a period , as regards a point of Masonic History serves to convinceushow many are the difficultiee
attendant on the annals and chronology of earlier periods , and how much allowance we should always make for unavoidable errata and inevitable discrepancies . A MASONIC STUDENT .
THE" LATE EHPJSROR NAPOLEON . —The granite sarcophagus presented by the Queen to the Empress of the French , as a receptacle for the remains of tho late Emperor , has arrived at Chislehurst from Aberdeen and been placed in tho mortuary chapel . The designs for the new building are by Mr . H . Glutton , and the builders are Messrs . Brass and Co . It is similar in appearance to the mausoleum of the
Duchess of Kent , and somewhat resembles that of the Prince Consort at Frogmore . It is entirely of masonry , externally of Bath stone , lined with stone brought from France . The carving is very elaborate and handsome , especially the capitals of the pillars , and the roof is groined and arched -with mueh elegance , the design of the whole edifice being Gothic . The little chapel has a carved altar and and
canopy , at the opposite end is a private doorway for the Empress . Above the door is a rose window , and there are three other lights on the south side . ' These are temporarily filled with plain glass , but tho windows are all to be stained , and an artist who has recently completed the windows of the Emperor ' s Church at St . Cloud has been to Chislehurst with designs . The sarcop hagus will stand on a tesselated pavement in
the centre of the new building , and will bo approached from the interior of the church by two steps through a double bay divided by columns of jasper . This approach being always open , the tomb will always remain in view of the congregation . THE VIENNA EXHIBITION . —The Emperor of Austria lias conferred the Order of Knihthood of
g the Iron Crown on Mr . E . Bowra , Commissioner of Imperial Customs at Canton , and Mr . CharlesHaunen , Commissioner of Imperial Customs at Tientsin , members of the Chinese Commission at the Vienna Exhibition .
Reviews.
Reviews .
The History of Freemasonry , by J . G . Findel . Second revised edition ; with a Preface by D . Murray Lyon . London , George Kenning . There is nothing " new under the sun , " as one of the wisest of mere mortals said
long ago , and each succeeding age only exemplifies the truth of his ancient adage . The discoveries and improvements of modern science , have been in almost every instance anti-dated in the cruder efforts of earlier enquiryand there is very little
, indeed , except what belongs to the development of apparently undiscovered force , and not even always in that , which may not be traced to some former thinker , or some antecedent type , even long ages ago . And this is true we think even still more remarkablin
y literature . The thoughts and ' opinions of the day , the gems of poetry in fancy or history , and the like lie hid , more or less , in tho great storehouse of the faded past . Like the
seeker in one of the fairy tales of our youth , we have only to go far enough and deep enough , and we are pretty certain to be able to find the hid treasure . And though to some minds no doubt is given in the good providence of God , alike originality of ideaand originality of expression , yet
, when you have taken away all that tho genius of bye-gone years has illumined , and all that the power of intellect has irradiated in the past , as a general rule , what remains is , but the thoughts of yesterday filtered through the sands of to-day .
Even as regards Freemasonry and the writings , oi Freemasons , the same truth holds good . It is perfectly correct , no doubt , to say , that those later years have witnessed a great increase of Masonic criticism , and a distinct recognition of the need of Masonic enquiry which are mainly owing to our distinguished German brethren at the close of the last and at the
commencement of tho present century . Long before our English mind had accustomed itself to the idea of any Masonic criticism at all , our German brethren wore pushing forward their enquiries into the subject matter of true Masonic history , with an honestof purpose and a singleness of aim
y , which cannot bo ever too sincerely acknowledged or too warmly commended . ^ Indeed , it may be further sqi . d ^ a ^ i , ^ the German Ma ^ nicaLrtkftlflifi ^ Qiiai 1 ' 0 ^/