Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. A.D. 1762.

who have had access to , and done their best to maltreat this old record of the British Union . In December , 1707 , there is the usual record of the election of the Master and Wardens , with the addition of that of Secretary , Bro . John Spooner being

tippointed to that responsible office . At this lodge Wm . Kerridge was made a Mason in due form " agreeable to ye order of last lodge night , having paid one guinea in ye hands of Mr . John Prentice for his admission . "

A similar memorandum is made against several names of brethren made , and AVC are , therefore , left to the conclusion , as before suggested , that a guinea Avas the fee charged for initiation , and that it included admission to the fellow craft

degree , but whether it also carried the candidate through the third degree is not made manifest . Certain it is that the fee charged Avas very much less than at present . Mr . Robert Easter , of Walton-on-the-Naze , Avas ballotted for , and duly elected , made an entered apprenticeand " past"

fellow-, craft , July 21 st , 17 G 8 . This is the first record of the word passed a * applied to the F . C . degree . At the regular meeting on the 20 tli February , 1769 , we find that Bro , William Kerridge was proposed to be raised Master next lodge night ( he was

subsequently made MM . in April ) , from which it would appear that brethren did not as a matter of right go forward to the third degree , but Avere , in some measure , dependent upon the goodwill of the lodge , and we will suppose their own merits for

advancement in the order . Kerridge had been made in May , 1768 . From an entry made in the minute book it would appear that the meeting on the 20 th March , 1709 , Avas held at the Green Man , a hostelry Avhich probably at that time held a much

better position than it does now , as it is a very humble tavern . At the next meeting , held on the third April , in the same year , the following important note occurs :

" At this lodge it was agreed that the incorporating the Society of Free and Accepted Masons would be of general benefit , and past this lodge nemine coniradicenle , and the instrument for that purpose Avas signed accordingly . " As our readers know , however , the Freemasons as a society have never been incorporated yet , except , Aveunderstand , tlw

Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. A.D. 1762.

Supreme Council of the 33 ° , A . & A . Rite , which , Ave believe , Avas registered a year or two since . Touching this excerpt we are reminded that in 1771 , a bill was brought into Parliament by the Honourable Charles Dillon , the Deputy Grand Master , for

incorporating the Society by Act of Parliament ; but on the second reading of the Bill , it having been opposed by Mr . Onslow , at the desire of several brethren who had petitioned the House against it , Mr . Dillon moved to postpone the

consideration of it " sine die , " thus the design of an incorporation fell to the ground . There are some who still think , however , ourselves amongst the number , that the resolution of the members of the British Union was a good one . and the incorporation of the

craft a consummation devoutly to be wished . ( To be continued . J

Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION .

Letter IV . Paris , 5 th March , 1750 . Tun affair of the Colonies is referred to Monday . Tho fermentation it had occasioned begins to subside , and such is the versatility of the people of this country ,

that the first moment of inquietude past , they seem to forget in some new occupation the ruin that threatened them an instant before . I can compare them only to a nest of emmets which the foot of tho traveller disturbs . But the comparison will only

hold good as far as the agitation and ferment of the little multitude AVIIO crowd to behold the destruction of their habitation ; the calm patience , and attentive labour with which they repair their mined edifice makes 110 part of the national

character of Frenchmen . * Mirabeau read at the Club des Jacobins a most violent and elegant harangue on the immutable right of all the negroes to freedom . He was conjured not to deliver it on