The Master's Hat.

THE MASTER'S HAT .

" \\ 7 " E have heard tho question asked many times , VV " Why does the Master wear his hat ? " and this question very likely arises in the mind of every brother who witnesses for the first time tho ceremonies 0 / Installation ; especially so where this custom prevails . ^

Before us is a letter of inquiry concerning this , and by ifc we are prompted to make a brief notice of so

conspicuous a covering . Within the jurisdiction of the Graud Lodge of Massachusetts , tho Master , on being installed , is usually told by tho officer officiating that it is his privilege in the

Lodge to remain covered ; so he wears his hat , as Master , without giving any special thought to it , or if he does , he regards it as a symbol , significant of his high office ancl of

privileges limited to tho Master , whose duty is to rule and govern his Lodgo ; as it is the duty of tho brethren to obov .

As a symbol , the hat denotes freedom not servitude—it was worn among the Romans as a sign of freedom , and from the high antiquity of Freemasonry , it need not excite Miipi-ise , if tho custom so long established in all English

aid American Lodges , was borrowed by the Lrcemasons to e ' encte their own freedom , ancl later , to confine the wearing of it to the Master , as a special privilege in order thafc ifc might be better seen who was to rule ancl who obey .

In the Western world people uncover their head when received by , and while they remain in the presence of high rank , or ns Mackay puts it , " the king remains covered , the courtiers standing around him take off their hats . "

Frecmaions , being also Free men , and bound together by voluntary association , select their ruler or Worshipful Master , and as a svmbol of the authority vested in him , by

icason of office under their gift , they crown him according to their own custom and proclaim it for their own convenience and government . —Liberal Freemason .

Memorial To The Late Prince Leopold Duke Of Albany, K.G., &C.

MEMORIAL TO THE LATE PRINCE LEOPOLD DUKE OF ALBANY , K . G ., & c .

IT miy be remembered thafc at tho time of his death his Eoyal Holmes ? , who took his title of Earl of Clarence from Clare in Suffolk , was Worshipfnl Master of the Royal Clarence Lodge of Freemasons iu that town , and that Ihe brethren assembling there proposed to erect a memorial to their lamented Royal Master in the parish

church . The project was originated by the popular owner of Moyns Park , W . Bro . Major-General Cecil Ives , Prov . S . Grand Warden of Suffolk , whom tho Princo had appointed Deputy Master of the Lod » e , and it wa ^ cordially supported by Lord Waveney and the Provincial Grand L > dge and Chapter . A Committee was appointed , with

General Ives as Chairman , the other members being the Y . W . Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn P . G . Chaplain of England , and Deputy Grand M fter of the Province , W . Bro . N . Tracy Prov . G . Secretary , and W . Bro . C . H . Vincent Prov . G . Registrar , the hon . secretary of the fund . A brass tablet was ultimately determined npon , the design for

which was entrusted to Bro . Vincent , who is a P . M . of the above Lolge , and has evidently fulfilled his task con amore . Tho tablet has a foliated border of acacia , intersected by quatrefoils and trefoils , containing tho armorial bearings and Masonic jewels borne bv the Prince . In the upper border we obssrve the Master ' s jewel , with the

Royal Arms and tho insignia of the Garter ; and in the lower are the R A . jewel of the Graud Third Principal of England , with the Prince's arms and those of Clare ; the right and left centres showing the jewels of the Prov . Grand Master of Oxfordshire , and the Junior Grand Warden of England . Beneath the open volume of tho sacred

law , which bears the emblems of tho Craft , is the following inscription , in Gothic characters : " In fraternal memory of H . R . H . Prince Leopold , Dnke of Albany , Erirl of Clarence , K . G-, Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire , Past Grand Junior Warden of England , Grand Third Principal of the Royal

Arch Masons of England , fourth son of Her Majesty Queen Victoria , who was born 7 th April 1853 , and died 28 th March 1881-, H . R . H . being at the time Worshipful Master of the Royal Clarence Lodge of Freemasons in this town , No . 1 , 823 , this tablet is erected by the officers and members of the above Lodge , and other brethren ia the

province of Suffolk . " The initial letters are illuminated , tho arms being emblazoned , and the jewels enamelled in Masonic colours . The whole work is beautifully conceived , and is perfect in every detail , while the execution is faultless—indeed , the utmost credit is due to the engraver , as well as

to the designer , who is an amateur in art , and tho Committee may be heartily congratulated on tho resnlt of their labours . Tbe Lodgo and Province are specially indebted to General Ives for having not only superintended the work , but also for very kindly defraying its extra coat beyond the amount of the original estimate . The memorial has

been fixed in a commanding position , and we understand that the Rev . R . Sorsbie , vic-ar of Clare , besides giving the Committee the choice of its site , generously declined the fee to which he was entitled ! or its erection . An excellent photograph of the tablet has been taken ) y Bro . T . Sfcokoe the W . M . Elect of the Lodge .

Installation Meetings, &C.

INSTALLATION MEETINGS , & c .

— : o * . — IMPERIAL GEORGE LODGE , No . 78 .

THE regular meeting of this Lodge , falling on Christmas Eve , was , by special dispensation , held on the previous evening . Ifc was wisely decided , we think , by the Officers of the Lodge nofc to hold their meeting on tho Christmas Eve , as in previous years . it having been found inconvenient for many of the brethren and visitors to leave their homes and families on such occasions . Lodge

was opened in duo form and with solemn prayer at three o'clock , by the W . M ., Bro . Richard Bnrtles ; tho minutes of the last regular meeting were read and confirmed . The letter of condolence which had been sent to the family of the late Bro . Samuel Lawton , and tho reply thereto , was then read , aud both wero listened to by tho

members with the greatest veneration ; this was testified in a very marked degree by the Lodge being draped iu black , and the brethren wearing black rosettes on their aprons . The Lodge was then opened in the second degree , and tho Installing Master , Bro . Peter Lawton P . M ., took the chair ; tho outgoing W . M . presented the W . M . elect

Bro . W . H . Withington S . W . The opening portion of the ceremony was delivered by the Installing Master in a most pathetic manner , he evidently struggling with somo strong inward feeling , doubtless caused by tho reading of fche letter of condolence referring to his late father . However , as Bro . Lawton proceeded he nobly mastered

his feelings , and completed his work in a most able manner , and to the delight of the brethren present . The Secretary having recited the usual questions p \ it to a W . M . elect , Lodge -was raised to the third degree , and the ceremony of installation proceeded , almost without a hitch , and in a manner that may fairly bo described as word proof

to the form and ritual of Lodges in this Province . The address to the Master was most ably delivered by Bro . Harvey Heywood , J . P ., P . M ., who has filled the post of Treasnrer of tho Lodge for many yfars . The addi-eas to the Wardens was impressively recited by another very old P . M . of the Lodge , Bro . Dr . Garlick , and ho also

acquitted himself in a manner that brought many marks of approbation from fche brethren assembled . The address to tho bretlmn was given by the Installing Master in a manner which , later in tho evening , was described by Bro . Nathan , ono of the oldest Past Masters in England , as truly efficient , and as far as his recollection

went ; ifc had never been better done . The working tools were presented to the W . M . by the Installing Master in brief but emphatic language . The following Officers were then formally invested : — Bros . R . Bnrtles I . P . M ., T . G . Marsh S . W ., E . Dodd J . W , H . Hey . wood P . M . Treasurer , F . Entwistle Secretary , J . W . Lees S . D .,

C . L . Hartley J . D ., P . Lawton P . M . D . C , W . Fielding Organist , R . Hilton I . G ., J . Kenfc Tyler , W . Harlow Assistant Tyler . One omission was nearly being made , the investment of a Director of Ceremonies ; but even if this dnty had been overlooked , ifc would scarcely have mattered , inasmuch as this old Lodge had learned to

value the important services of Bro . Peter Lawton , and in all probability no other D . C . will ever be appointed whilst he is willing tn fulfil the duties of that office . The usual questions from tho chair elicited hearty good wishes from twenty-four visiting brethren , and the Lodgo was then closed in due form and with

solemn prayer , at five p . m . Half an hour later the brethreu sat down to a banquet catered for by the host of the Asshefcon Amis Hotel , Middleton , who supplied the tables in a sumptuous manner . Handsome decorations lent a lustro to tho scene ; tho cookery was of tho choicest , while tho waiters were well np to their work , and

most obliging in their manner . Tbo usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were given by the W . M ., Bro . Withington , with neat introductory remarks , and if space would permit our reporting them , it would make somewhat paradoxical Brother Withington ' s oft-repeated assurance thafc ho could not make speeches ; however , if he

cannot make speeches ( which we are nofc prepared to admit ) , he can and did look well after the Visitors , and in llu ' s respect the W . M . was aided by his Wardens and Officers . Some Lodges would do well to follow in this regard the example of this old Fireside Lodge . Doubtless much of this foresight is due to Bro .

Lawton , who seems never tired of working to carry out the teachings of our highly respected Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Colonel Le Gendre N . Starkie , wliosc innermost wish is to see uniformity of ritual in Lodge working , attention to visitors at the festive board , and the practice of every social and moral virtue . Tho musical pre

gramme was under the baton of Bro . J . H . Greenwood , and Worshipful Masters will do well in taking every opportunity of securing tho services of this brother . He is a host in himself ; ho is a splendid accompanyist ; he sings well , gives character sketches , and nover says no to an eucore . Enthusiastic speeches wero delivered by some

of the visiting brethren , amongst whom may be mentioned Bro . William Harris , W . M . of the Wolseley Lodge , who in eloquent terms referred to the fact thafc Bro . Withington was a member of tho Wolseley Lodge , and had always been ' ready to perform any ceremony when called upon ; also that the Imperial George Lodge deserved ,

and had , his best thanks for having elected one of his members as their Master . Bro . Withington he believed was the youngest Master in tho Province , and he ( Bro . Harris ) could fearlessly say would be considered one of the most efficient Masters , and a truly good Mason . From experience he had found that Bro . Withington practised out of

the Lodge what ho preached in it , and a brother who thus far practised Freemasonry was indeed a man to whom much honour was duo . In conclnsion , he opined a happy and prosperous year forfc ' 10 Imperial George Lodge , and ho trusted that for many years Bro . Withington would occupy a scat by his side on tlio dais of the Wolseley Lodge .

He had much more ho could say about Bro . Withington , which would not only be a treat for him , but a pleasnre to tho brethren to hear ; bnt he was being nudged on the arm by his D . C , Bro . Darbyshire , wbo was making suggestions to him to cut it short ; so he felt he must conclude , but promised to again visit the Lodge , when he would tell them how Bro . Withington first introduced him to the Masonic world