Fees Of Honour.

FEES OF HONOUR .

IjlROM the reports of D . G . L . communications which reach us , ' we gather that there seems to be a reluctance on the part of Distict Grand Officers to pay the fees of honour of their rank , and doubtless the D . G . M . will see to this as well as other matters . Possibly the Bye-laws need to be strengthened . A

proposition was made some time ago in the District Grand Lodge of Madras to abolish fees of honour , and inasmuch as District Grand Lodge must live , as well as private Lodges , the Brother who brought forward this revolutionary proposal said he had some other source of income to suggest . Before voting on the

proposal Brethren naturally wanted to know what new gold mine had hitherto remained undiscovered . The opinion prevalent up to that point had been that the Madras Freemason had been bled , fleeced , and tapped in every way that bleeding , fleecing , and tapping were possible . And inasmuch as Brother Pinsent was

not ready with his proposals , the opinion still holds good , and it may be added tho District Grand Lodge Bye-law still stands . We cannot understand what objection can be taken to this form of levying contributions . Brother Pinsent seemed to think it was blackmail , but the same might be said of every dispensation

charged for . In some Lodges a Bye-law exists that every Brother appointed to office shall make a small contribution to the Lodge Charity Fund . Of course it is open to any particularly

pessimistic Brother to describe the present system as a sort of Masonic simony , but if so , then the installation fee levied by District Grand Lodge is equally so , and so is the fee for the District Grand Master ' s patent . — " Indian Masonic Review . "

Interesting Links To The Past.

INTERESTING LINKS TO THE PAST .

BEO . EEV . E . W . McCOEKLE , a well-known Virginia divine , now travelling in the Holy Land , relates in a letter the following interesting experience , which is published in the " Keystone " : — " Just before my departure , in speaking to me about various Masonic matters , you were kind enough to speak about the quarries of King SolomoD , also of the Knights of St . John in Jerusalem .

Yesterday I visited the ruins of the famous hospice of the Knights near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . The ruins are now being restored at a great cost . The Emperor of Germany has contributed £ 25 , 000 toward it , and it is now in process of restoration . The church in front will be after the ancient model and built in the low style architecture of the Crusaders . The hospice will be in the rear . On the ancient arches and columns still standing are seen many Masonic emblems , such as the hour-glass , the arrow , the Gridiron , and the zodiac .

In tho Church of St . Anne also are windows and the traces of Masonic architecture . Though modern , these windows and cornices are most interesting . This is tho church said to be built on the site of the home of the mother of Mary , and indeed the very spot where Mary herself was born . It is also near the Pool of Bethesda , and the old sheepgate , which identified

this spot as the veritable site of the Pool of Bethesda . In the vestibule leading to the descent to the pool , the scriptual . account is seen , on the walls , of the healing of the man impotent , in as many as ten ( 10 ) different languages . The authorities here agree on this as the real site of these ancient waters , the remains of which are yet seen .

But I started to tell you of another place to which you also called my attention . This is the famous quarries of Solomon , and said to be the place where King Solomon obtained the Masonic stones for tho Temple . Yesterday , when passing , the writer saw a number of persons near the entrance . On approaching , he discovered them to be American Masons , and about to enter for the purpose of holding a meeting . After passing the necessary

preliminary examination , we entered with them . Having arrived at the spacious dome of the quarries , the lights were arranged , the Officers stationed , and the Lodge constituted in due and ancient form by a Grand Master from New Jersey . Having been duly constituted , the Master of the Royal Solomon , Mother Lodge in Jerusalem , was called to the East , with all Past Masters present . Thereupon the Lodge passed from labour to

refreshment , an address was made by the Master of King Solomon ' s Lodge , in Jerusalem , as well as by other Masons present from different parts of tho world . One gentleman spoke for Sweden , another forPennslyvania , another for New York , and the writer was kindly asked to say a word for Virginia in the United States . Tho proceedings were most interesting , and it was delightful to see the bonds uniting tho Brethren from different parts of the world , and still more delightful to meet in this placo , so intimately connected

with ancient Masonry , and where the modern Jerusalem Lodge was organised in 1873 . And besides , it was intensely impressive to see the lights and the insignia of the ancient Order in this vast subterranean chamber , almost under the Temple , and consecrated to the work of the Craft in all ages . Here it was that the ancient members of the Craft , with wheel and wedge and lamp , toiled centuries since . The marks of the work aro yet visible . Some of the stones are cut out , but not split off , and the very marks of their instruments aro yet to be seen on them .

Form And Ceremony.

FORM AND CEREMONY .

THE Deputy District Grand Master of Bombay , in his halfyearly address to his Brethren , touched upon two points that have recently been considered in our pages , " Multiple Ceremonies" and " Proficiency before advancement , " in the following terms :

With regard to the ceremonial at initiation of candidates , I would recall to your memories a circular issued by order of a former District Grand Master of Bombay , dated as far back as 3 rd August 1868 , which reads thus : — " The practice of obligating more than one candidate at a time is highly

Form And Ceremony.

objectionable for many reasons , which must be patent to all Masons who desire to act up to the ancient usage and customs of the Order , and who really havo the good of the Craft at heart . The R . W . tho D . G . M . hereby directs that the practice must at once be discontinued , and that the obligation must in each degree be given to candidates separately and individually , and only one candidate received up to this point . " I trust these instructions

will be heeded in future , aud that when there is more than one candidate , each will . be separately introduced until after the O . B ., when the ceremony may be completed in tho presence of all the candidates . While on this point , I would also remind you that it is not only improper , but illegal , to allow one candidate to be prepared for initiation in the presence of other applicants for the same degree .

It is incumbent upon the Masters of Lodges , but more particularly upon tho proposers of candidates , to see that they are properly instructed in a knowledge of each degree they receive , and this should be strictly carried out , according to tho ancient charge that " a younger Brother shall be instructed in working , to prevent spoiling the materials for want of judgment , and for increasing and continuing brotherly love . " When attending Lodges , I have occasionally been pained to se 9 the perfunctory way in which this

important duty has been slurred over ; a young Mason , E . A . or F . C ., undergoing an examination in open Lodge , having to be prompted in every response by tho Deacons . Such ought not to be ; the candidate himself is not at fault , but whilst the Master is responsible for seeing the provisions of our law , rules 183 and 195 , in this respect , are duly observed , it is distinctly and primarily tho duty of the proposer and seconder of every candidate to give him " duo instruction in tho respective degrees . "

Points In Working.

POINTS IN WORKING .

AT the regular Communication of the District Grand Lodge of the Punjab , the D . G . M ., in the course of his address , dwelt on some points in working which , he said , required general notice , and were deserving of being borne in mind . He said : The Tracing Boards should not be exhibited until the Lodge is declared open , and then only that of the degree in which the Lodge is working . On no account should those of a higher degree be visible .

The examination of the candidate by the Wardens should be invariably conducted aloud so that every Brother may hear . The Deacons should not prompt the candidate unless this is absolutely necessary , and then only in a distinct whisper , the candidate giving his replies aloud to the Warden . The examination of more than one candidate should not be carried out

by the Wardens simultaneously . No candidate should be conducted to the Senior Warden's Pedestal until all have completed their examination before the Junior Warden . This refers to the First and Second Degrees . If the examination is carried on by both Wardens at the same time , confusion results . It is , moreover , instructive for each candidate to hear distinctly the examination of tho others .

A Brother entering a Lodge should stand immediately to the left of the Senior Warden's Pedestal , and facing the Master give the sign of the Degree in which the Lodge is working . The same practice should be observed by a Brother who has been allowed to leave the Lodge before the proceedings terminate .

Ad00505

GAIETY EESTAURANT , STIEo-AIISriD . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and COLD)—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GRILL ROOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at 1 / - per head ; served from 4 till 6 in RESTAURANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5-30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) aud a la Carte . In this room the VIENNESE BAND performs from 6 till 8 . Smoking after 7-45 . AMERICAN BAR . THE GRILL ROOM is open till Midnight . PRIVATE DIHIKG EOOMS TOR LAEGE AUD SMALL PASTIES ,