The Present Position Of English Ereemasonry.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF ENGLISH EREEMASONRY .

BY BRO . REV . A . F . A . WOODFORD , P . G . C . . The laws of progress and prosperity which , relate whether to Individuals or ^ Societies , seem on the whole ever to be marked here , with certain distinct and

invariable characteristics of similarity and ' of sympathy . That there is a great and * essential difference between the laws I winch control , and the causes which affect ' Individuals and Societies , is no doubt true ,

. hut , still we shall not be far wrong m I asserting at the outset , with the experience ' ] of historic ages before us , that , at any rate , j certain great and distinguishing features j are common alike both to individual and , j corporate life in the world .

J If to-day , for instance , we seek to unfold in biography the life of some great character of former days , to trace if : possible for our own instruction , the , developement of nascent genius or the - characteristics of later years , to bring before

us the " tout ensemble " of that legacy of 1 thought , or worth , or greatness , or good-) ness of intellectual brilliancy , or of moral ! excellency , which has been bequeathed to admiring posterity , we generally find , that , , '« some clear and connected principles of

J conduct have humanly speaking animated ! * those efforts , and moulded that career . So too , if we turn oxu attention to the history of some " Sooietas" of human j antiquity and earthly organization , if either j on personal or public grounds , we seek to

• ascertain the veritable ' history of its earliest ori gin or its latest manifestation , we shall as a general ride find , that , all human societies I seem to bo marked by certain unfailing laws j of growth or decay , of failure or success . The history of any society , unless the

most trivial , or the most meaningless , or formed for ignoble objects and unworthy purposes , has ever a certain interest for us all , as very often , it serves not only to throw a light on the general history of the past , but to bring into clearer view

or more graceful lustre , the hopes and struggles , and longings and expectations of other mortals like ourselves , who once

combined together , or assembled together to promote some high end or advance some holy cause . And if this be true as regards most of the socialities and societies of former and forgotten years , how specially true is it of our Masonic Order , whose

history has so much in it , to commend itself to the mind of the thoughtful student and earnest enquirer . Eor unless indeed we give up our old traditions and the annals of our Masonic forefathers , unless we sweep away with ruthless hands , the quaint

and picturesque legends of the Operative Guilds , unless we prefer to accept that theory of the eighteenth century formation , —which has nothing to recommend it , but childish inconelusiveness and hasty generalization , —the history of Freemasonry is in itself both deeply interesting and very peculiar .

So much is this the case , that , we hardly know another like it , or that can compare with it in the annals of the world . For unless its claims are built up on " lying legends" or hateful imposture , it comes before us with the stately and startling

proportions of a very marvellous episode in the lristory of our race . Shrouded in the dimness of ages , surrounded by those conditions of mysterious " Arcana , " and universal organization , which , have such

interests for the human mind at all times , it also demands from us both praise and gratitude , as openly professing and as