Ancient Masonic Lodges, No. 3.

ANCIENT MASONIC LODGES , No . 3 .

BY WILLIAM JAMES HUGHAN .

It has been considered by some friends of late , who have expressed their views as to the origin of Freemasonry that the speculative element was never wholly a feature of tho Craft until the " Eevival " period of the second decade of the last

century ( A . D . 171 G-7 ) , that in fact wherever and whenever Brethren were found to congregate in lodges their meetings were mainly or generally held for operative Masonic purposes . To establish

or tost the validity of such a position all the early records of lodges should bo examined , and wc are of the opinion that when such is done carefully and thoroughly it will bo found that there is no warrant

for such a belief undoubtedl y , as our learned brother Findel , the able Masonic historian has observed tho " Eevival" of 1710-7 was tho means of introducing Grand Lodges and Grand Masters , and the various " degrees " known as Craft Masonry , but even then ,

tne Masonic student well versed in the subject will perceive that however much the esoteric customs had been supplemented by additional " mysteries , " the original system must have in some way been preserved in the midst of that which was new

and original , to account for tho recognition and acceptance of old Masons who joined the modern organizations , and for tho reception of old lodges by the newly-formed Grand Lodges , as also for the fact of the

transition period being rarel y if ever referred to in the minutes of lodges O assembling before , at the time , and subsequent to the creation of Grand Lodges , some lodges of which never joined these

outgrowths of the speculative element , though they never refused the admission of visitors who came properly prepared and pass . d their examination . In the "Masonic Magazine" for October , 1873 , and January , 1874 , we have afforded an insight into the operative assemblies of

Masons , we now desire to allude to the wholly speculative character of some of tho lodges prior to the " Eevival , " so as to prove such speculative proclivities preceded , not succeeded the institution of the first Grand Lodge in the world , at London ,

A . D . 1717 . Respecting this important questionBrothorthoEev . A . F . A . Woodford and ourselves have paid especial attention , in order to discover every old record or MS . of value , and we could not possibly have a

more competent or earnest colleague than our earnest ! rother . Bro . E . Sanderson , Prov . G , Sec . Peebles and Selkirk , some little time since drew attention to some " Old Lodge Records" which we think of

great importance . It appears that tho Minute-Book of the "Haughfoot Lodge " Scotland , so graphically described by Bro . Sanderson , commences at page 11 , and is dated Dec . 22 , 1702 , when the portion preserved reads as follows " ... of entrie as the apprentices did , leaving out ( tho

common judge ) they then whisper the word as before , and the Master Mason grips his hand in the ordinary way . " For particulars as to the early use of the " Mason-word " we suggest a perusal of the grand work by Bro . D . Murray Lyon , ( History of the

Lodge of Edinburgh ) , and as to " secrets " other than the word , tho " grip" mentioned in the foregoing , as also the Harleian MS ., No . 2054 , British Museum ( " Hughan's Old Charges" p . 9 ., also " Unpublished Eecords

of the Craft , " p . 46 ., will afford suggestions as to what additional mysteries were promulgated by onv ancient brethren ; there are also printed allusions to such secrets in the seventeenth and early in the ei ghteenth

centuries . The valuable History of Freemasonry by Bro . Findel may be advantageousl y consulted as to various early references to Freemasonry prior to the last century , besides which this excellent work

contains more information respecting the character and progress of the Craft , while mainly operative , than any other book ex-