The Past And Present Of Freemasonry.

THE PAST AND PRESENT OF FREEMASONRY .

LIKE everything that is good , Freemasonry in the past has not escaped bitter persecutions . The first case of this kind , since the Revival of 1717 , occurred in Holland in the year 1735 . In the fall of that year a crowd or

fanatics broke into a house at Amsterdam , where a Lodge was accustomed to bo hehl , and destroyed the furniture and ornaments of the Lodge . The States General , yielding to popular clamour , prohibited future meetings of all

Lodges . One , however , continued to meet at a private house . Its officers ancl members were arrested and taken before a court of justice . The Master and Wardens defended themselves with great ability , and while

acknowledging that they could not prove the innocence of the institution by a public exposure of their secret doctrines , they offered to initiate any person in the confidence of the magistrates , who might then give them information upon

which they could depend . This offer was accepted and the town clerk was immediately initiated , whose report so p leased his superiors that shortly after all the magistrates ancl the principal persons of the town became members and zealous patrons of the Order .

In France , in 1737 , tbe authorities harboured a fear that the Freemasons concealed in their Lodges designs hostile to the government , and meetings of Lodges were

prohibited . This anti-Masonic feeling did not last long , however , as the last instance of government interference occurred in 1745 , when a Lodge meeting was dispersed , the furniture and jewels seized and tbe landlord fined 3 , 000 livres .

In Germany the malice of a few females had been excited by their disappointed curiosity , and they succeeded partly in communicating their fears to the Empress Maria Theresa , who issued an order for the

apprehending of all Masons in Vienna , when in Lodge assembled . The measure was , however , frustrated by the good sense of Emperor Francis Joseph I ., who was

a Mason , and exerted his power in protecting his brethren . The persecutions by the church in Italy and other Catholic countries have been the most extensive and

permanent , however . In 1738 Pope Clement XII . issued his famous bull against Freemasons . After reciting ; what he "had learned , and public rumour docs not permit us to doubt the report , " he proceeds to enjoin all Bishops ,

superiors and ordinaries to punish the . fcreemasons "with the penalties which they deserve , as people greatly suspected of heresy , having recourse , if necessary , to the secular arm . " This " secular arm" was interpreted by

functionaries of the church to mean " that no person shall dare to assemble at any Lodge of the said society , nor be present at any of their meetings , under pain of death and confiscation of goods , the said penalty to be without hope

or pardon . The welfare against the Order under this bull was unrelentingly prosecuted but the vigilance of the priesthood abated in the course of time , and in 1751 , thirteen years after the issuing of the bull , Lodges were openly in existence in the " Eternal City " itself !

In the United States Freemasonry received its first serious shock about 1830 . William Morgan , a dissolute character , and a resident of New York State , published a so-called exposition of Freemasonry . He had been

imprisoned for debt , and as he disappeared shortly after beingreleased , it was boldly charged by the enemies of the Order that be had been abducted , and anti-Masonic fanatics even asserted that he had been murdered : a most thorough

judicial investigation , however , failed to find a particle of evidence upon which such an accusation could be founded . The anti-Masonic flame was fanned to a white herd , however , and anti-Masonic parties were formed , papers

" were started to disseminate anti-Masonic intelligence , and bitter prosecution began , which continued for nearl y twent y years . The anti-Masonic feeling soon spread into Pennsylvania . In that State tho excitement and i . ! l-wi ! l

was hei ghtened by a malicious deed done by a number of idle young men of the city of Philadelphia—tlio cradle of Masonry . Their curiosity was excited b y the so-called Morgan Exposition . They pretended to be . Masons aurl

for their amusement opened a mock lodge in a gloomy cellar . While feigning ^ o initiate a young man of that C 1 fy , they threw a bowl-of burning alcohol upon him , 5 : 0 horribl y burning him that he died a few days after in great agony . Thousands of people firmly believed that the youth

The Past And Present Of Freemasonry.

was a victim of the terrible mysteries of the Masons , and the excitement was so intense that it became necessary to ollicially repudiate the act . The anti-Masonic party in Pennsylvania , after repeated unsuccessful attempts , fina ly

succeeded in electing a Governor , who , on being iuducied into oilici ) , said : " The people have willed the destruction of all secret , societies , and that will cannot , be disregarded . " A committee was appointed by the House of Represent itivi 8

to investigate the evil * of Freemasonry . Eminent brethren of the Order in the State wore summoned as witnesses , but they protested against the authority assumed by the committee to compel them to appear . A resolution was

then adopted authorizing the issue of attachments to compel the attendance of the delinquents . On being brought before tho bar of the House , they refused to be sworn , and one of them , ex-Gov . Dalls , protested in the following

ringing- words : " 1 am a member of the society of Freemasons .... I will not consent to hold my rights and liberties of private intercourse , private sentiments ,

and private busiuess , subject to the domiciliary visitations , the changeable majority , or the ideal policy of any body of men , whatever . " These manifestations of moral heroism on the part of the witnesses , and the fact that the

inquisitorial committee had violated the supreme law of that commonwealth , caused a reaction , and it was prosecuted no further . This practically ended the anti-Masonic crusade .

From this time forward Freemasons have been permitted to practise their art unmolested , and the Order has been going onward ancl upward until it has attained its present

lofty altitude , standing above things of its nature , like the " Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World . "—Freemasons' Depository .

Provincial Priory Of Kent And Surrey.

PROVINCIAL PRIORY OF KENT AND SURREY .

A MEETING of the Provincial Priory of Kent and Surrey was held on Tuesday , the 28 th ult ., afc the Masonic Temple , Wilmingtou-street , Dartford , under the banner of the Lullingstone Preceptory . That Preceptory having been opened in dae form and the minutes read , tho E . P . elect , Sir Knight C . Vincent Cotterill , win ably and eloquently installed by Sir Knight Ward , P . E . P of the Black Prince Preceptory of Canterbury , in the regrettable absence

of tho Great Snb-Prior , Sir Knight Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , who was announced to perform the ceremony , bufc was unavoidably detained at tho last moment . The Officers wi re then appointed , and tho Y . Fi . Prov . Prior , Sir Knight General J . S . Brownrigg , C . B ., & c , assumed the chair , and having declared Provincial Priory open , called npon the acting Registrar to read the minutes of the last

provincial meeting , which was held at Richmond , July 1886 , under the banner of the Lb . rcouifc Preceptory . These being duly confirmed , a vote of condolence was passed with the family of the late Registrar , Sir Knight Boor , who for many yoirs had ably fulfilled the duties of Registrar , aud the acting Treasurer ' s accounts were presented and passed , the same showing a satisfactory balance in hand .

The V . E . Prov . Piior then proposed Sir Knight Bafceman as Treasurer ; this was seconded by the Sub Prior ; and no other name being submittal , that Sir Knight was nuauimously elected to fill the

otnee . The V . E . Prov . Prior then appointed and invested the Provincial . Officers , as follow : — Sir Kt . Col . Haldane ..... Prov . Sub . Prior „ Rev . H . Cummings .... Prov . Prolate „ Wood Prov . Chancellor

„ Cotterill Prov . Constable „ H . Penfold Prov . Marshal „ Bafceman Prov . Registrar „ Col . Hartley Prov . Sub . Mars . Lawrence ...... Prov . Almoner

„ Weddell Prov . 1 st Std . Br . „ Cobham Prov . 2 nd Std . Br . „ Georgo - Prov . Herald „ Manclaik Prov . Capt . of G . ,, G . Harrison Prov . Equerry

The Prov . Sub . Prior called attention to the necessity of revision of the by-laws , and provincial forms of various kinds , and a Subcommittee won appointed to carry ont the same , consisting of Sir Knights Col . Haldane , Rev . II . Cuuimiugs , and A . II . Baternan . A . Sinn of CIO 10- ; - , vas voted to the Girls' School , on the proposition of Sir Knl-jit llaidme , seconded hy the V . E . Prov . Prior , and a •imiiiii- sum of 'J 1 . 0 IDs was voter ! to the Mark Benevolent Fund , on

: ' . <(•motion ot' Sir Ki : i .: h :. Rev . II . Cuimnings , seconded by Sir Knight iiaLoman . Provincial Priory was then duly closed , and Lullingstone . Preceptor . " ' ¦ . aiKiL" also closed aeronliiu , ' to ancient usage , the Sir

. '•' ; . K'h _ s purtook of re ! ro . i ' nm 'i ; i , nnitvr the presidency of Sir Knight Co' . H ildaiie , Sub . Prior , ihe V . E . the Pvoviucial Prior being compelled to return to town , when the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts wore heartily honoured . T ' i ' . e visitor- ; -. iiclniied Sir Knights Matier , Col . Saunders , Dr .

Stewart ( Indiana , U . S . A . ) : and amongst the members of the Priory iiroicut were Sir Knights Cummings , Wood , It . Ward , Oottcriii , Hartley , Penfold , Lawrence , Weddell , Cobham , George , Ma' dark , Beech , aud Batoman ( Reg . )