Mackey – Encyclopedia Of Freemasonry Vol. 1

'110 SECRET SOCIETIESand platitudes . Its' periodical literature-in this country atall events-is essentially of the Grub Street kind, consistingof mere trade-circulars, supported by puffing masonic tradesmenand vain officials, who like to have their working inthe lodge trumpeted forth in a fashion which occasionallytrenches on imbecility, as could readily be shown by extractsfrom newspaper reports . All attempts permanently toestablish masonic periodicals of a higher order have hithertofailed from want of encouragement. The fact is, men ofeducation take very little interest in Masonry, for it hasnothing to offer them in an intellectual point of view ; becauseeven Masons who have attained to every ne plus ultraof the institution, know little of its origin and meaning .5ooa. The Quatuor Coronati Lodge.-The literary' shortcomingsof Masonry I have, in the interests of truth, and asan impartial historian been compelled to point out in theprevious section, have been recognised by intelligent Masons,and such recognition has, in .1884, led to the foundation ofthe Quatuor Coronati Lodge . Members must be possessedof literary or artistic qualifications ; to belong to it, therefore,is in itself a distinction, and, as may be supposed, thelodge is composed chiefly of well-known masonic historiansand antiquaries, and thus occupies a position totally differentfrom all other masonic lodges . Its objects are thepromotion of masonic knowledge, by papers read and discussionsthereon in the lodge ; by the publication of itstransactions, and the reprinting of scarce and valuableworks on Freemasonry, such as MSS ., e.g. "The MasonicPoem" (circa 1390), the earliest MS. relating to Freemasonry; Matthew Cooke's Harleian and Lansdowne MSS . ;or printed works, as e .g ., "Anderson's Constitutions " of1738, or Reproductions of Masonic Certificates . All thesehave been issued by this lodge in volumes, entitled " ArsQuatuor Coronatorum," well printed, and expensively illustrated.Connected with the lodge is a " CorrespondenceCircle," whose members reside in all parts of the globe, andform a literary society of Masons, aiming at the progress ofthe craft. But by progress can only be meant extensionof Masonry ; the " Transactions " and " Reprints " can addnothing to the knowledge the best-informed members alreadypossess ; but the "Reprints," by their aesthetic sumptuousnessand the learned comments accompanying them, investMasonry with a dignity which may attract to it more of theintelligence of mankind than it has hitherto done, and thelabours of Quatuor Coronatorum therefore deserve the heartysupport of the craft .