UNKNOWN

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 October 1915, Page 2

UNKNOWN

e (Special u> The Christian Science Monitor, U.S.A.) York, England, August.

A meeting of the heed-, Installed Masters Association na.s held lately in York. t,his being the iirst meeting of the association hold outside Leeds. Tlie York brethren, who are the present of all tlio iincicnt records, gave a cordial welcome to the visitors. At a meeting held afterwards, under the chairmanship of \V. Urn. Crawthoru president of the association. Rio. "W. K. Makiiis deliveicd an addresn on the Oram! Lodge at" All England which wa.s formerlv hold in York.

Mr Makins referred "to flip, persistent tradition tliat Prince Edwin, who gave liis name to Edinburgh. was t!:e first grand master in Di>73 A.7).. as tondincr to support tlie clnim thai. York was the primitive seat of Masonic government in England. This tradition, however, could neither be proved nor disproved. Neither could (lie tradition Mi at Queen Klizabeih and her chief oflieers became afraid of tlie power of .Masonry In York and in consequence hostile to it. '"his period was marked l>y the transition from operative to speculative "Masonry and the tradition is to tlie effect that many nolileiiien and others in importance and influence in Queen Elizabeth's time joined the order not as operative, but as speculative Masons. The Queen ■sent her officers to investigate, hut when they discovered tliat the Masons were actuated only hx high ideals of loyalty and morality she. ceased to interfere.

Before the meeting the visitors avciv. shown round the Minster and examined the Masons' marks on the ancient stonoe in the crypt. The Masons •who huilt the. Minster are supposed to liave heen hound together in a secret guild or society, with strict rules ol life, and conduct, and there nrc 'ninny interesting traditions with regard to this point. For flu's anions other reasons. Ilio city of York often lias the title claimed for it of the "Mecca of Freemasonry." The earliest record of modern speculative Freemasonry is rlnted Mnrch 19. 1712. and the memhors of the association during their visit to York inspected the rules of the old grand lodge at ■York, dated 1725.