Correspondence.

the Lodge at York , aud as an humble student of Masonry , I venture to put a few questions , as to one who ought to be well qualified as au educated man , to afford instruction to many of us , ou such historical points . 1 . Why did the old "Drnidical" ( not that I believe it was as old as the Druids ) Dodge at York , style itself on its seal " York Brothers" not York Freemasons ?

, 2 . If the "Dnion" was of the York rite , why did they take a warrant from London ? 3 . How could York Masonry have been brought hither by Pythagoras ( not that it may not be Pythagorism ) , when it claimed the two St . Johns as Grand Masters , hailed from Jerusalem , and granted warrants " by the power and authority vested iu us from the earliest ages

of O . K ., and derived to us from the successors of that worthy S . KT ., S . G . B ., * the first O . K . of Jerusalem . " 4 . How does the Reverend brother know that Edwin , the brother of Athelstan , resided at Auldby ? If I remember rightly , Grand Master Drake makes Edwin , the first Christian King of Northumbria , reside at Auldby ? _ Surely the Reverend gentleman is aware that the "Antiquity " was , or claims to be , one of the operative lodges which established the 1717 Grand Lodge , and that the individual lodges did not possess the York ceremonies at

all , for if they had , they would not have been confined to Grand Lodge , and that it was not until Antiquity had quarrelled with the London Grand Lodge , that it placed itself under the banner of York . He also ought to be aware that the first attempt to make the York lodge follow suit with London , was about 1726 , and that previously to that time they appear to have had uo operative

traditions or customs whatever . I could have accompanied this with a photograph of a York warrant and tracing board , but as these are placed in the hands of brethren who will know how to use them , it is unnecessary . As to the probable existence of an Athelstan operative charter at all , I forward an extract from the letter of a

learned medievalist , and also refer him to the fact that in 1650 , the origin of the Freemasons was placed just 400 years previously . " I put great faith in the MSS . which have lately been printed , aud it appears to me that about 1475 the Edwin of Freemasonry was traditionally a son of Athelstan . A MS . charge , now laying before me , adds , which is not in

the printed book , which I have just named , " audhe held , himself , an assembly at York . " But this MS . is not earlier at any rate ( A ) than the year 1714 , aud may be later , so that the present legends vary , viz : —

1 . Makes the Masonry-loving Edwin , date 626 ., i . e ., contemporary with Paulinus , and I do not remember any but recent statements ( B ) to this effect , i . e . 1725-7 . '' 2 . Makes Edwin a son of Athelstan , not known in history . " 3 . Makes Edwin , as brother of Athelstan , transact all this business at York before his brother had got

possession of that city . But , with regard to No . 1 , I should have imagined that , as York was a wooden building , that a stone building in England was a wonder temp Wilfred , Bishop of York , 659 , and o Hexham 678 , and of Benedict Biscop , Abbot of Weremouth , 674 . Edwin of 626 could not be the individual intended by the MSS ., whether sooner or later , and at

any rate A and B ofequal date and authenticity differ on a tolerably important point . I might add that such a chapter as Edwin is intimated to have got , both in A and B , aud in the printed mediaaval works would have been entirely opposite to the whole theory of the severe legislation of Athelstan , which was only a condensation of the practice of his predecessors , and this brings me to another point ; three times in the MS . of 1375 , the assembly is

Correspondence.

attributed to Athelstan himself , with no notice of York or of Edwin . * * * ** " The elucidation of the manner in which York was inserted [ in the operative constitution ] and expounded would do much towards an authentic history of Freemasonry ; the rest would be supplied by the same research with regard to Kilwinning .

" N . B . —Both York and Kilwinning appear to have been seized upon as the seats of Masonry , because they were the earliest buildings in existence , known to the composers of the operative traditions . * * * * " Are you aware that the Egyptian origin of Masonry and other points in the old constitution are merely the traditional history of the invention of geometry . "

All ramifications of secret societies for the study of mathematics , astronomy , medicine , and religion , spread from Egypt , and there need be litttle doubt as to the origin of either the operative rite or the Templar rite ; whence did we derive Gothic architecture ? There must be much interesting information at York , respecting both the "York brothers" and the York

, "Freemasons , " and I heartily unite in the hope that each will do his utmost to bring such documentary evidence to the light of clay . I would observe in connection Avith . the foregoing , that there would be plenty of time between 1250-1375 to obscure the operative traditions , and that attempts would be made to trace up the fraternity to distinct

bodies previously existing in the country . Any further elucidation of this subject would be highly esteemed by Dear Sir and Brother Your ' s fraternally , Manchester , June , 22 , 1863 . A

Book Of Constitutions.

BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS .

TO THE EDITOR 01 ? THE FREJEITASOXS * MAGAZIJTE AJECD JMASOJSIC MIKEOE . DEAR SIE AND BEOTHEE , —The letter in the FEEEMASONS MAGAZINE , dated May 16 th , and signed " J . F ., " is a similar case with which we . in Lodge Amity ( No . 160 ) , frequently find a difficulty . And as the Booh of Constitutions is stated to be out of print , it occurs to me it would be a very good opportunity for making an

improvement on this point . Not long since two men , natives of and sailing out of this port , took the three degrees in Scotland , aud then applied to be admitted members of our lodge . Their reasons for being made in Scotland were first , That by so doing they obtained the three degrees at one and tbe same time . Secondly , That by so doing they obtained

them at about one third the cost which they would have to pay in this lodge . Now I do not approve of any alteration in the time required to elapse between each degree , but I think , as regai'ds mariners and travellers , an arrangement could be made , that wherever a brother of that class may be , at the expiration of twenty-eiht days after his

initiag tion or passing , the W . M . of such place shall , on the first regular lodge , on appplication , after obtaining a certificate from the lodge in which said brother was initiated or passed , with an assurance that the full amount of fees were paid to the lodge wherein he was initiated , be compelled to confer the following degree to which such brother may be entitled ; provided always

that the applicant has not been rejected at the lodge where he seeks to progress . I presume you will perceive from tho above facts that the present system is injurious to lodges under the Grand Lodge of England , inasmuch as the Lodge Amity ( No . 160 ) , in the case I have stated , lost the fees of tho two brethren by the present system . Yours fraternallv , J . H . B . Poole , June 9 , 1863 .