The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-03-19

Peasant Word Personal to the Editor
A few weeks ago we alluded to til,
canvas then being made of new Ma
sonic History. We are glad to know
that the sales are starting off briskly and
that the critics have been kind. To give
our readers an idea of what has been said
OF our work, we copy below from tn,
Liberal FreemdSOn, an editorial notice as
grateful in its tone as it was wholly un.
expected. The writer of the criticism is
one of the most scholarly as well as the
highest officials in the Order, and here is
what he says of our past three years.
labor in connection with our work upon
the BANNER, both of which have been
carried along together:
THE History of Freemasonry and
COncordant Orders.-This is the title of
a new, and as we think the best history
of Freemasonry yet published. In using
the word best we mean to have il an
! ply in the sense that the reader will have
advantage in condensed form, of the
Masonic reading and experience of an
editor-in-chief II. l.. Stillsonl, of two
widely known European editors, of six
teen authors of divisions in the United
States and Canada" and of sixty addi-
tional contributors, also in the United
States and Canada, with one-half of
whom we have personal acquaintance,
and knowledge of all, to an extent, that
so far as ability is concerned, it cannot
be successfully questioned, and this
ought to be good warrant that the word
best IS not an exaggeration, but a
plain deduction of truth from the facts
presented. The work of these several
authors and contributors, is condensed
into single volume, of about 800 papes,
large octave, at a cost that places the
book within reach of every brother who
can afford to pay for the degrees I'm Free
masonry. 1t is divided and subdivided
into five parts and twenty-one divisions.
and under these these subjects are so ar
ranged that one can readily find the par
ticular matter in which he may be at the
time specially interested. This adyant-
age is increased not only by appropriate
headings and explanatory lines to the
chapters and divisions, but side headings
are used where practicable, and all in
such n manner as TO make Investigation
a pleasant as well as a study. The ad-
vance sheets are gems of the book max
er's skill, and of the picture makers art
indeed, it can be said with safety that
the book itself is work of art.
"ln praising this History as we have,
we have not ventured to say that it is
absolutely correct, but this for the reason
that we have not had time nor Opportu-
nifty TO read its several parts in detail.
We do know, however, that known pre-
vious errors have been corrected, and we
think that authors and contributors have
been in accord with the publisher, 10
make il what we said at the outset, the
best history of Freemasonry yet pub
lished.
TN due course we shall probably have
more 10 say about it, but looking at it as
It is practical effort, we do not think
that the publisher has 'hastened 10 be-
come suddenly rich, in putting il at so
low q price 1910 the minimum, in
creased by style of binding), but rather
that he has aimed TO give the most in
quality for the least in price. The book
contains twenty-three illustrations of
noted Masonic buildings in Europe and
America, IA Of Masonic arms and old
documents, aud nine from Dore illnstri-
live of the trusades, forty-twO II all.
"rlle book Will be sold by the Frazier
nifty Publishing Company, 80 Bromheld
Street, Boston, by subscription only.
Cloth, S3.76. Half Russia, S4.75. Full
Russia, $500 Edition dc Luxe, SIO.n