Masonic Worthies Of Jersey.

Manuel . The proceedings were throughout of a most interesting and enthusiastic character , and afforded an excellent criterion of the respect with which Bro . Dr . Le Cronier is regarded as a gentleman and a Mason . ( To be continued . )

A German View Of Bro. D. Murray Lyon's History Of Mother Kilwinning.

A GERMAN VIEW OF BRO . D . MURRAY LYON'S HISTORY OF MOTHER KILWINNING .

Hie Bauhutte , of April 11 th , published at Leipzig , and edited by Bro . J . G . Findel , quotes under the heading Literary Intelligence ( Literar-¦ ische Besprechungen ) part of the preface to Bro . Dr . Merzdorf ' s translation into German of Bro .

D . Murray Lyon ' s papers to this MAGAZINE entitled '" Mother Kilwinning . " We give it in English , a place here for the benefit of our readers . " In the preface it runs thus : —The importance -which has long been assigned , sometimes openly ,

¦ sometimes by obscure reference , to the little place Kilwinning , in Scotland , in connection with Freemasonry , has for long drawn our attention to it ; but it was impossible to come to any decided con-• clusion until , at last , in 1862 , Bro . Murray Lyon ,

Provincial Grand Warden of Ayrshire , sent communications to the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE drawn from the archives of the Mother Lodge , Kilwinning , whose account we mean to lay before our German readers . We have found the

beforementioned brother's communications of the greatest interest chiefly on this account , that they authentically confirm what up to the present time was only a conjecture , though a true one . " The history of this lodge on the misty coast

• of West Scotland throws the clearest light upon the history of the nature of the lodges ; for as here , undoubtedly , the Freemason lodge developed itself out of the building corporation , so will it be found to be the same in VI cases . We know

particularly , as regards Scotland , that in the archives of the Lodges of Mary ' s Chapel in Edinburgh , St . John in Glasgow , St . John in Melrose , and Ancient in Stirling , as well as at Scoone and Perth , records of the corporation are preserved , which stretch far

into the Middle Ages , but do not possess the connection of those of Kilwinning Lodge , whose age , . and reputation as the stem-lodge of Scotland , . could only for a short time be doubted or disparaged . We have carried the history only up tc ithe year 1807 , until which time Kilwinning was

quite independent , of the Grand Lodge at Edinburgh . Since that time it has passed into the position of a Provincial Grand Lodge , and has exercised no greater influence upon the further development of the corporation than those placed

in similar positions usually do . Nevertheless , in order to illustrate earlier data and opinions , we have not neglected , where it was necessary , to bring forward what was desiderated out of the records of Kilwinning subsequent to the year 1807 .

" The design of the whole work—a design which we have with pleasure devoted ourselves to unfold —was principally this : to dispel the opinion that in Kilwinning the high grade of Freemasonry , in any form , whatever , had its seat , and had from that

p lace risen and spread into the halls of the Freemasons . The Kilwinning brethren have , for our satisfaction , assured us that ' they have never gone further in practice than the Three Step Masons . ' To show this distinctly to all is of importance ;

for it cannot be too often enjoined , or too clearly expressed in every possible manner , that only in the three ' steps of John' the nature of the corporation is expressed , and that the high grade , even with the best intentions , has done more harm

than good to the confederation . " We '* have given four sketches in the original , believing that those who purpose engaging in the study of the nature of the lodges would think it desirable to have the original before them . " The conclusion runs thus : —To draw a

conclusion from the representation before us , we arrive at the following decided results , which , naturally , have their influence upon the character of lodges in general , and establish the relation of the building lodges to the Freemason lodges , as well as the

orig in of the latter out of the former : — " 1 . In Kilwinning a very old ( whether ifc be the oldest or not we shall not decide ) building lodge stood , which existed until the I 7 tb century . " 2 . Gentlemen , patrons of architdctnre , as well as

lairds who were settled in the neighbourhood , were received into it ; still the greater number of the members consisted of working masons , who upon admission enjoyed certain privileges regarding wages , which continued in force up to modern times .

" 3 . The rule formerly was , to choose the functionaries from amongst the working masons ; and it is oalv since the middle of last century that gentlemen succeeded to ths position . " 4 . There is no trace of any secret knowledge , or any connection with the allied higher grades . The