Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1092 ] — Rule 191 , Book of Constitutions , seems designed to prevent the initiation of brethren wholesale for the sake of the fees , and could hardly be dispensed with . Of course , a brother who resigns membership of his lodge must be proposed , & c , under Book of Constitutions , 189 , before he can re-join , like the member of a club . C . H . W .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"MOTHER LODGE KILWINNING . —The Ancient Lodge of Scotland . " Discussion of an Old Historical Question . By Rev . William Lee Ker , M . A ., Minister of Kilwinning , Author of " Kilwinning Abbey , " & c . Alexander Gardner , Publisher to her Majesty the Oueen , Paisley ; and 26 , Paternoster-square , London . 1 S 96 . —We must plead guilty to being unable to appreciate Ihe motive which has led our rev . brother , Chaplain of this venerable lodge , to write this book . He tells us in his Preface that sundry inquiries in the parish of Kilwinning , of which he is the minister , " have necessarily brought him into contact with many old questions connected with it , " and have " caused him to

endeavour to vindicate the right of the ancient Kilwinning Lodge to occupy the exalted position which has been assigned to it by the Grand Lodge of Scotland since the year 1 S 07 . " But we are at a loss to understand why anyone should take up the cudgels to vindicate a right which has not been seriously assailed . Bro . R . F . Gould , in his great work , has very properly expressed his opinion upon the rival claims of Mother Kilwinning and Mary ' s Chapel to priority , and , after considering all the evidence he could lay his hands upon , has given his verdict in favour of the latter . Bro . Hughan has

expressed opinions in the same direction , while Bro . Murray Lyon , Grand Secretary of Scotland , in his well-known and elaborate " History of the Lodge of Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . 1 , " stoutly maintains the right to priority of that distinguished lodge . But if we except , perhaps , the article by Bro . Hughan on the "Schaw Statutes , " which appeared in this journal in the early part of 1896 , all these pronouncements were delivered many years ago . Moreover , they were intended not as declarations of waror , perhaps , we ought to say , as assaults—upon the position which in 1807 was

assigned to Mother Kilwinning by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on her roll of lodges , but as views , expressed academically , upon what Bro . Ker himself designates on the title - page of his work as " an old Historical Question . " We do not suppose that they , or any one of them , had the slightest wish or intention to wound the susceptibilities of the members of Mother Kilwinning , or the supporters of its claims . They discussed it as they would have discussed any other debateable question about Masonry or any of its systems or organisations .

On the evidence before them , they considered themselves justified in arriving at a conclusion adverse to Mother Kilwinning , and the fact that three such eminent Masons , writing at different times , and independently , should have arrived , though it may be on different grounds , at the same conclusion , is a very strong argument in favour of its justice . But the result of a discussion conducted by some of our ablest historians in this fashion is very far from being an attack on the order of things as it was established bv the Grand Lodge of Scotland nearly go years ago , and , perhaps ,

we cannot do better than quote a passage ^ from the work of Bro . Lyonto whom in a matter especially concerning Scottish Masonry we most naturally turnin which he says "Time has now effaced from Mary ' s Chapel the recollection of its wrongs in the matter of precedency , and through the discretion and good feeling of its rulers their resuscitation has never during the last fifty years been allowed to break the harmony of the Craft . " Bro . Lyon ' s History was published in 1873 , and what he said then we are firmly persuaded holds good at the present time . Discussions are certain

to arise every now and then upon this and other questions of a similar character which in certain respects were determined years ago , but our reverend brother may rest assured that the settlement , of what nature soever it may have been , will be respected . Having furnished himself with a motive for thc compilation of his book , Bro . Ker proceeds to vindicate the claims of Mother Kilwinning—which , as we have said before , have never of late years been seriously , but only academically , assailed—not by bringing forward fresh and hitherto undiscovered evid-nce in support of his contention , but by

traversing the ground which has been traversed , of necessity , by all who have seriously considered the question , and insisting in placing his own strained interpretation of the meaning of certain passages in the mest important of the documents which have been preserved to us , as well as in certain statements which , in our judgment , have nothing whatever to do with the point at issue . Thus in his fifth Chapter , in which the "Schaw Statutes" are'passed under review , and the meaning set foith of the more iromentous passages , Bro . Ker takes upon himself to resolve that the expression used

cf Kilwinning Ledge in the first paragra p h of the Statutes of 1599 , about which there has been so much controversy— " the held and secund ludge of Scotland "—must be understood to mran that Mother Kilwinning had been the " heid" lodge in Scotland , and was henceforth , in accordance with the regulations contained in the said Statutes , to become the " seCund" lodge of Scotland . The paragraph in its entirety reads as follows : " First . It is ordanit that the Wardene within the boundis of Kilwynning and vtheris places subject to thair ludge , salbe chositi

and electit zeirlie be mony of the maisteris voites of the said ludge , upon the twentie day of December , and that within the Kirk at Kilwynning , as the heid and secund ludge of Scotland , and theiefter that the generall warden be advertyseit zeirlie quha is chosin warden of the ludge , immediatelie after his electioun . " The explanation which Bro . Ker gives of the expression "heid and secund ludge of Scotland" is as follows : " It accurately , most accurately , describes the condition of things as they appeared to William Schaw . Kilwinning Lodge was , in his mind , both the head lodge and the

second lodge of Scotland . And the explanation is this—The King ' s Master of Work was ( peaking of the Lodge of Killwinning , first wilh respect to what it had hitherto , or shortly before , been , and what he now wished it for the future to be . Hitherto it had been the head lodge , but now , for reasons which he does not particularly specify , but which can be easily surmised , he wishes it to be the second lodge . And is not this explanation a singularl y natural explanation . ^ There is no forcing at the language of Schaw ,. There is no twisting of it . It is simply making him look on and speak of Kilwinning Lodge in the aspect in which , as we believe , he felt himself forced

to regard it . It was at once * the head , ' and yet the second lodge . Nor is this only a natural explanation of the admittedly peculiar expression by which William Schaw introduces this mention of the Mother Lodge , but it provides a key to the solution of other equally peculiar language which he subsequently employs with reference to Kilwinning and other lodges . Adept this solution , and then the Statutes present no difficulty . Set it aside , and there is nothing but guesses , and suppositions , and dcubts respecting the most important historical references in them . Yes , the

supposition that in this first item of his famous document , Schaw is speaking retrospectively as well as prospectively of the position of the Lodge of Kilwinning , speaking of it , that is , as the head lodge in the past , and what he wishes it to be , viz ., the second lodge in the future , and then there is a key providing an easy solution of the difficulties which are suggested by a perusal of the other items . And no other key does this so naturally ; does it , in fact , without forcing and rasping , and all those other accompaniments which indicate the presence of

a wrong key . " No doubt , all our difficulties will disappear if only we consent to adopt Ihe interpretation which Bro . Ker is pleased to enforce on the difficult passages in these Statutes . But then the interpretation must be a natural , not a strained , interpretationan interpretation which it is reasonable to suppose that Schaw himself would have offered had he been called upon to explain passages of dcubt and difficulty in the composition of his Statutes . And we say this is a non-natural interpretation , such as it is impossible for us who are living nearly three centuries after these Statutes were compiled and

published , to imagine Schaw ever could have had in his mind when he wrote them . We have no right to assume that Schaw , when he compiled his 1 599 document , had made up his mind to depose the Kilwinning Lodge from its pride of place as the "heid" lodgeof Scotland and place it second after the ledge at Edinburgh . The 159 S Statutes contain the rules and regulations for the government of the Masonic Craft generally throughout Scotland , while the 1599 Statutes define more clearly than they had ever been defined

before the positions of the leading lodges towards each other and other things ; and in cur judgment , after a careful reading of the whole of the first paragraph of the latter Statutes , as already quoted , the expression "the heid and secund ludge of Scotland " means nothing more than that Kilwinning Lodge was the "heid" ludge within "the boundis of Kilwjnnirg and vtheris places subject to thair ludge , " and at the same time the ! " secund ludge " in the whole of Scotland . { To be continued . )

Centenary Of Lodge Of Virtue, No. 152.

CENTENARY OF LODGE OF VIRTUE , No . 152 .

The centenary of this lodge was celebrated on Wednesday , the 30 th ultimo , at Freemasons' Hall , Cooper-street , Manchester , when about 80 brethren assembled under the presidency of Bro . Edwin Froggatt , W . M . The proceedings were of a simple character , the centenary warrant from Grand Lodge being read by Bro . J CHADWICK , P . G . S . B ., and lately the Prov . Grand Sec . of East Lanes . Bro . Chadwick was formerly a member of the lodge and is the oldest living Past Master .

Bros . J AMES TERRY , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I ., and J . M . MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., attended , and spoke , both in lodge and at the banquet which followed , on the Masonic Charities , with the happy effect of enlisting several brethren as Stewards for their coming Festivals , The evening proved most enjoyable , a good programme of music being provided , in addition to which the visitors were charmed by the splendid rendering of two songs by Madame Conway , the daughter and wife respectively of two respected P . Ms , of the lodge .

Amongst the visitors were Bros . Jas . Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I . ; Chadwick , P . G . S . B . j Goodacre , P . G . S . B . j J . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B . ; Sillitoe , P . G . Std . Br . ; Cheetham , Prov . G . W . ; and Newton , Prov . G . Sec .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Perpetual Friendship Lodge , No . 135 . On Monday afternoon , the 4 th inst ., the annuil meeting of the abovj loije wis held at the Royal Clarence Hotel , Bridgwater . Bro . Thomis Kelway was installed as W . M , for the ensuing year , as successor tn Bro . W . T . Biker , the ceremony of installition being ably performed by the D . P . G . M . Bro . R . C . Else , P . C . Dsacoa of England .

There was a good muster of the brethren and visitors , and ths W . M . appointed and invested the following officers : Bros . W . T . Baker , I . P . M . ; W . Belcher , S . W . ; CE , Hagon , J . W . ; W . R . Buffett , Chap . ; J . C . Hunt , P . M ., Treas . ; J . B , Soper , P . M ., Sec . ; E . R . Babbage , S . D . ; E . Boulting , J . D . ; D . Burston , P . M ., D . C ; R . Garton , Org . ; Bryan Norris , I . G . ; E . W . Helps and E . W . Bovett , Steward ; and J . M . McGowan , Tyler .

Joppa Lodge , No . 188 . Tie installation meeting of this old lodge , which long since won the centenary jewel its members are warranted to wear , was held on Monday , the 4 th inst ., at Freemasons ' Tavern , under the presidency of the W . M ., Bro . the Rev . _ S . J . Roco . The year of office of the rev . brother has been one of great success , and it is generally admitted that his conduct of Ihebusiness of the lodge , as well as his working of the ritual , has been such as to make his year memorable . If proof of this were wanting it would be found

not only in the presentation to him of a Past Master's jewel , which took place in lodge , but in the exceptional present , which was made to him at the banquet table , of a valuable gold watch by those brethren who were initiated by him during the year , and a fuller account of which will be found later in this report . There was a very large attendance of brethren , who desired to see Bro . Roco perform the installation ceremony , and among them were Bros . E . J . Davy , S . W ., W . M . elect ; H . Lazarus , P . M . ; A . G . Dodson , P . M . ; M . Seigenberg , P . M . ; B . Weigell , P . M . ; Arthur Cohen , P . M . ; I . Botibol , P . M . ; Lewis Lazarus , P . M ., Sec ; A . B . Loserberg , S . D . ; E . J . Emanuel , J . D . ; Henry Rosenbaum , I . G . ; I . Cohen , Stwd . ; numerous lay members ui iuc visitors 1 uosta

IUUJJC , auu mc luuuwing : orus . -ueo . vjauu , . m . yuz ; o . ua- , 1349 ; L . A . DaCosta , 1349 ; W . J , Trappett , 1259 ; Altred Birnett , 744 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 and 1928 ; J . T . Byng , P . M . 1909 ; T . T . Phillips , P . M . 1029 ; J . Jervis , 1425 ; J . J . Thomas , P . M . 753 , P . P . G . T . Bucks ; David Hill , W . M . 185 ; Richard Poore , W . M . elect 1 949 ; S . Dancyger , P . M . 205 ; John Nanson , 1349 ; E . H . Hart , 1349 ; M . Boekbinder , ' 2265 ; James Brandon , 205 ; S . C . Kauffmann , P . M . 1766 ; W . H . Silverthorne , P . M . 1007 ; J . J . L . Linton , 2411 ; E . W . T . Hoare , 15 S 0 ; J . D . Gomme , 1540 ; H . Loveliss , 2038 ; I . Mendoza , 193 ; Joseph Henschel , 704 ; T . W . Wells , 1602 ; T . A . Phillips , 704 ; H . S . Parker , 1602 ; and P . Phillips , 704 .

In the preliminary proceedings of the lodge , after the reading and confirmation of the minutes , the acceptance of the Audit Committee ' s report was not unimportant , as that report disclosed a condition of finances very gratifying to all the members of the lodge , besides visitors . The accounts of the Benevolent Fund djsclosed the possession of invested funds £ 73 2 19 s . 4 d ., and a balance in the Treasurer ' s hands of £ 122 03 . ? d . This fund has always been a great feature of the Joppa Lodge . The brethren having adopted the report , Bro . the Rev . S . J . Roco , W . M ., initiated Mr . H . Barnett , and

afterwards proceeded with the installation of the new W . M ., Bro . Ernest John Davy , who was presented by Bro . Lewis Lazarus , P . M ., Sec . The ceremony of installation was splendidly performed , and Bro . Davy , after being placed in the chair , was heartily congratulated by the Past Masters on the high honour to which he had attained . Bro . Roco was invested with the collar of I . P . M . —a present from Bro . Seigenberg , P . M . The brethren appointed to office were : Bros . A . G . Dodson , P . M ., S . W . ; Henry Lazarus , P . M ., J . W . ; Lewis Lazarus , P . M ., Sec ; J . S . Lyon , Treas . ; the Rev . S .

J . Roco , P . M ., Chap . ; E . Emanuel , S . D . ; H . Rosenbaum , J . D . ; Jas . Edwards , l . G . ; H . Lazarus , P . M ., D . C . ; A . Harris and H . M . Beirnstein , Stewards ; I . Cohen , A . D . C . ; and John Ives , P . M ., Tyler . After Bro . Roco had delivered the addresses , he was presented with a handsome jewel , for which he gracefully thanked the brethren , and before the lodge was closed , Bro . Lewis Lazarus , P . M ., Sec , informed the brethren that he was going to take the Stewardship of the lodge for the next Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , support for which he hoped he should have from all members of the lodge .

The brethren when the lodge was closed adjourned to an excellent banquet , and bitween . the toasts which followed an excellent concert was given , in which Miss Amy Fletcher , Madame Louise Lytton , Bros . Egbert Roberts and Herbert Linwooi , and Mr . Percy Ford took part , Bro . John Brittan accompanying on a grand piano of Messrs . Erard . Mr . Graham , a representative in this country of Mr . Edison , also amused the company with the performance of a marvellous invention of Edison ' s called a graphophone .

Bro . the Rev . S . J . Roco , I . P . M ., in proposing " The W . M ., " his esteemed friend , Bro . Davy , said he was not speaking of an entire stranger either to the brethren or to himself , because they had had the pleasure an I privilege of knowing Bro . Davy for several years . During the time Bro . D . ivy had been a member of the lodge , before he occupied any chair , he ever made himself very much beloved , esteemed , and regarded by all the members , and now that he had arrived at the position of W . M . they were greatly indebted to him for having accepted the office , as they knew he would be all that

they desired . _ Bro . Davy was inclined to give every privilege possible , and he had said he would do his work in the best way which was required . That was sufficient guar antee that he would be an able W . M . in the chair , and that the brethren would not be disappointed in the choice they had made . He wished Bro . Davy a successful and prosperous year . liro . E . J . Davy , W . M ., in reply , said he felt highly flittered by what had been said , and he sincerely hoped he should be able to carry out his duties as Bro . Roco had so kindly said he would . He hoped the brethren would b : ar with him ; he felt that he

should need it . He might ntit be just what the brethren might think he should be ; but as time went on he trusted they would think better of him . He was an old member of the Joppa Lodge , not a young one , and he would say the brethren had much to learn . He would do his best to keep up the character of the lodge , and to make the brethien generally happy . Without resuming his seat , he gave the toast of " The I . P . M ., Bro . the Rev . S . j . Roco . " Of course , the brethren had all had a very fine example that night of what Bro . Roco could do , and not only so , but at previous lodge meetings they all Knew the admirable way in which he had performed the difficult ceremonies . It had been a Masonic treat , and he wished every lodge had its work as well performed .