Godfrey Higgins On Freemasonry.

Preston was certainly a portion of his time a represeutitive of the Grand Lodge of England , which was so prosperous and distinguished for many years , but he was never a partisan , and when circumstances occurred which lie thought justified him in

approving the Grand Lodge he did so , even though it procured his expulsion . He then allied himself to the Grand Lodge of all England held at York , and subsequently , when the " brush " was over , he was restored to his former privileges with

every honour and distinction . In none of his writings did Preston ever claim priority for the Masons in London , over those of Scotland or York , as Bro . Higgins states , and so far from the " Illustrations " being a party performance , the work is wholly

wanting in any such characteristics . Bro . Higgins' description of a contest between the Lodge of Antiquity and the York Lodge , which was finally adjusted by H . R . H ., the Duke of Sussex is altogether inaccurateand almost perniciousl

, y so , for there never was any contest between these two lodges , and when Preston and his friends were expelled by the London Grand Lodge , the Grand Lodge of all

England located at York granted them a Deputation to act as a "Grand Lodge south of the Trent , " which they did for a few years , and so far from there ever being any quarrel between the two lodges , we do not believe any lodges have ever

manifested more fraternity than those two located at York and London . The fact is , that there was a contest , and it occurred between the regular Grand Lodge of England held in London , constituted A . D . 1717 , and a body of seceders

also located in London , which left that Body and formed a rival Grand Lodge in 1753 , being known as the "Ancients , " and the former as the "Moderns . " In 1813 , when the York Lodge had died out , and the masonic horizon was

clear and bright , these two Grand Lodges united under the leadershi p of H . R . H ., the Duke of Sussex . The " High Degrees " alluded to by Bro . Hi ggins , were those of the Royal Arch , and Knights Templars , which during a portion of the latter part

of last century , were worked and recognized by the Craft authorities at York . The recognition , however , was not until about 1780 , when the Grand Lodge of all

England consisted of five degrees , and the meetings agreed to be held , were to be as follows : 1 ST QlMKTEB . 1 N . of G . Last Monday in July . Jl . A . Lodge , 2 N . of G . Second Monday in Aug . Knt . Tmprs , 3 N . of G . Last Monday in Aug . Fellow Crafts , i of

< N . G . Second Monday in Sept . H . A Chap . 5 K . ' of G . Last Monday in Sept . Master ' s Lodge . The Grand Lodge , however , died out before the century ended , having to make way for its more successful rivals in London . The York Rite is unknown now , and has been practically so for this century . The York authorities never

warranted any lodges out of England , all foreign lodges constituted under English auspices hailing from London , | so that London Rite is what they follow . AVe quote the following with much pleasure , in evidence that our author appreciated and ri ghtly estimated the cosmopolitan and un sectarian basis of our Institution :

"Freemasonry is known to be founded on principles of universal benevolence , and not to be confined to one class or to one religion . I think I may venture to say , it is so constituted , that although it . would not refuse a single Deist , no test being

required , yet all its forms , ceremonies and doctrines , are so constituted , as , in a very peculiar manner , to be applicable at the same time to the doctrine of Judaism , Christianit y and Mohammedism . " The foregoing is doubtless too liberal for

some Grand Lodges in the present day , and certainly at the very antipodes to the regulations of Grand Lodges which require the candidates in their jurisdictions to be believers in Christianity . Bro . Higg ins is quite correct in his opinion as to British

Freemasonry , though we doubt if all the Grand Lodges in the United States and in Europe would support his declaration , liberal though the majority be , and in harmony , as very many are , with the width and breadth , and height and depth of universal Freemasonry . The first version of the Old sectarian

" Charges " in a modernized form was by a learned Divine ( Dr . Anderson ) , A . D . 1723 ; and early as it was then to recognize the neutral platform which Freemasonry of the future was to occupy , t ' uit Masonic Revivalist appears to have had a g limpse of the subsequent career of the Fraternity ,