'ENOUSH-SPEAKING. FRentAsont Sir Aitred Robbing, Past Grand Lede 1380, Price i The name of Sir Alfred Robbins is practically a household word among all Masons afllinted to or in harmony with the United Grand Lodge of England. For 17 years hho has been President of the Board of General Purposes, a very arduous post, and he has visited within the past six years many Grand Lodges: of the United States, of Brazil, of Argentina, and Uruguay, ious parts of Europe, therefore ix assured of a wide welcome. Bought on trust, it will be found more than to justify expectations. Tt contains an amazing mass of erudition and interest-jing fact on the history of an in stitution which embraces "more sorts and conditions of men than even the greatest church." Sir Alfred says:
"No other organization, politico, doctrinal, social can assemble suck a"guthering of loyal adherents of Vastly "varginge colours," races. and reed, ae' the "English "organized Biante "Lage which in, 108 wel-tand, America and other country together with some account of M soury's great educational and philanthropic work. The chapter entitled "The Great War and After" is particularly interesting. Naturally such an event, inevitably splitting the Masonic body throughout Europe, raised very. serious problems for Grand Lodge and there were some, whose enthusiasm overcome their judgment, who unless held in cheek might have driven Freemasonry into the paths which it most essentially avoids. In these difficult days, as in so many other junctures in the history of the Craft, Grand Lodge conspicuously showed its wisdom and statesmanship.
The opening chapter entitled What is Freemasonry?" will possibly attract curious readers outside the Masonic body. Actually, however, it will not convey more than a superficial idea to them. Even many Masons may be, and in fact are, puzzled to explain the wonderful growth and vitality of the Craft and to such Sir Alfred administers mild rebuke by telling them that their difficulties are due to their' failure to study the "Charges of a Freemason" presented to every Eng: lish member on his entrance into' membership Traif that mumber of creeds."
Going back into the remote past, Sir Alfred Robbins dismisses as mere Jegends which no one now would iously take the supposed founda tion of Masonry by Moses and the other tradition that St, Alban formed in 287 the first. Masonic Lodge in Britain. On the other hand, Sir something can be Freemasonry.
The so-called "secrets" of Ma: soury are in fact of comparatively small moment and are really no) secrets at all. Some lift the present writer was ead a book by some country clergy man, whom it would be most charity able'to describe as not quite right in his head, who sought to prove that Masonry was part of a vast Jewish conspiracy to dominate world. The book was such rubbish Solomon with the brotherhood." recent years a hardworking school of Masonic students has grown up in England, America and Germany determined to sift legend from truth and Sir Alfred says that "the result, while viding Masonry of many pleasant stories and fabulous traditions has been to strength: en its hold on serious adherent There is abundant testimony to the existence of Lodges of Freemasons connected with the building of Westminster Abbey and other cat) vals, and their names or marks may be found engraved on many an old religious edifice. But these were essentially operative masons. Some of their Lodges survived even after the age of the cathedral building, notably "Ye Lodge of Kilwynning" which remains @ sacred name in Scottish masonry to this day and designates the oldest Lodge in Scot-Jand. But throughout the 17th century operative masonry was xiving place everywhere to specula ative. The new freedom of spirit,—tocial, political, and religious, which came in with the 18th cen tury, clearly gave a great impetus to the activities of Masonry. But the age wax full of storms. Sir Alfred Robbins gives an interesting sketch of that, turbulent character, the Duke of Wharton, who tried to convert the Masonic organization to the uses of Jacobitism, and was actually only defeated' in Grand Lodge by one vote. Later on came the fiery controversy between the 'Antients" and "Moderns." The protagonist of the latter was a nian named' Thomas Dunckerley, a natural son of George IL. He was gifted with extraordinary powers of organization, and for over 40 years devoted himself with notable success to extending the scope and power of the "Moderns," his energies also extending to Royal Arch Masonry, the Mark, and Knight Templary. It is interesting, by the way, to recall that those noted Masonic ornaments, the Royal Masonic Institutions for Girls and for Boys, date from the close of the 38th century. Cone troversy between "Antients" and 'Moderns' led in 1813 to the ostab-Yehment. of the United Grand Lodge of England, in which conneetion due tribute should be paid to the memory of that "splend?d Mason, gallant soldier and.gveut ad-Earl of Moira, subsequently first Marquis of Hastings.
Subsequent chapters in Sir Al'eed Robbins's Look deal with the growth {ef Freemasonry in Ireland, Scot-that two or three chapters were quite enough, but in that space the author gave' a full description of the so-called secrets. As every Mason comes to realize, these are not of real importance. What these latter are, what Freemasonry: really means, each brother must Team for himself by assiduous study ind reflection. To that end Si Alfved Robbins's intensely interest ing pages will undoubtedly provide lively stimulus—oa.c.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.