Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

purpose . We append the remarks of the " Craftsman" on the point : —We see the question mentioned of reducing the amount of per capita tax paid to Grand Lodge to fifty cents . This is a question , some -would lead us to suppose , was a " burning " one , but we must confess that we have not come in contact with a

Brother in any of our Lodge meetings that we had the pleasure of attending , that ever mentioned the case . It would be a great mistake , we think , to reduce the Grand Lodge income . If the Brethren would advocate increasing the small amounts doled out to the support of the widow and the orphan it would have our sympathy and support .

PRESENTATION OF AN ARCTIC MASONIC FLAG . RANE Lodge , No . 254 , of New York , gave a reception recently to the Arctic explorers , and not only to those most distinguished Brethren ( most of them members of Kane ) , but also to the ladies and friends of the Lodge . Bro . George Whitfield Brown , junr ., the Master , gave a salutation to the members and guests , and , in concise and fluent language , recited the history of Kane , spoke of the many distinguished Brethren within its

membership , and wound up by bidding a hearty welcome to all , but more especially to the explorers present . Then followed short addresses , after which Bro . Robert Edwin Peary , U . S . N ., recited , in a vivid and eloquent manner , some of his experiences of the perils of the Arctic Cirele , and , in conclusion , presented to Bro . Brown , for Kane Lodge , a silken Masonic flag which he had carried to the furthest corner of the eastern coast of Greenland ever reached by man . The flag was accepted by the Master of Kane Lodge . — " Tribune . "

MASONIC ADDRESS TO SENATOR GOWAN . ON the 13 th ult ., in Toronto , Canada , a highly interesting event occurred , this being the presentation of an address to Senator Gowan , the oldest member of St . Andrew Lodge in that city . This is the veteran Lodge of Ereemasoriry in Toronto and its vicinity . Seventy-four years ago , on the 24 th September 1822 , it was warranted , and it held its first meeting on the 27 th December 1822 . This old Lodge has a record of which it may well be proud . Men who have taken foremost positions in Canada in all the walks

of life , such as jurists , legislators , educationists , journalists , and mechanics have been' enrolled in its membership . Brother Senator Gowan , in his early connection with St . Andrew Lodge , took a very active interest in its welfare . At one time he was one of the Wardens . In 1841 be became a Royal Arch Mason , being exalted in St . John Chapter , No . 4 P . R ., which afterwards

united with St . Andrew Chapter , No . 487 E . R ., 27 th May 1870 . In capitular Masonry Brother Senator Gowan at one time held the position of Principal Sojourner . He has also received the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection in the A . and A . S . Rite , and also the degrees of the Rose Croix Chapter in the Toronto bodies , and in the M'Leod Consistory of Hamilton he has advanced to the rank and dignity of S . P . R . S . 32 ° .

The address was got up in the form of an album , bound in rich royal blue calf , consisting of four pages beautifully illuminated with delicately designed rustic and mediaeval borders interspersed with Masonic emblems . The members of the Craft present were numerous , and after the routine business of the Lodge had been completed , Bro . W . 0 . Wilkinson introduced the guest of the evening , Bro . Senator J . R . Gowan , to the Brethren assembled , who numbered 350 of the most distinguished men in the Order in

Canada . . Bro . Wilkinson , after a few highly complimentary remarks to Bro . Gowan , wound up by remarking that their esteemed guest had been honoured by her Gracious Majesty the Queen , for on his breast that night he wore the badge of a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St . Michael and St . George , and they as Masons were about doing honour to one whom everyone present would acknowledge as being one of the most distinguished Canadians of the present day .

Bro . J . W . Dowd W . M . of the Lodge and others welcomed their venerable Brother in brief addresses , and after the great assemblage of Masons had sung " Auld Lang Syne , " Bro . Dowd read a most complimentary address to the guest of the evening , which was received with loud applause . In responding to this address Bro . Gowan said he wished he could find words fitting enough to express his thanks to the members of St . Andrew Lodge for the beautiful address they had presented him that night . It was

now a great many years since he had first entered the portals of St . Andrew Lodge to be made a Mason . He said he was very young in those days , and he could not say now what motive he had for joining Masonry , but no doubt he was actuated by seeing so many distinguished men belonging to the noble fraternity of Freemasonry . He had seen the beautiful principles of Masonry fully exemplified in England , the United States , and in fact in most of the countries of the world , and from what he saw of the institution in those

days it convinced him that it must be a noble one to attract so many men of distinction within its doors . When he looked around him he found mon in the best social positions in the country connected with the fraternity , and he thought he was safe in becoming a member of such a noble organisation . The distinguished Brother described a visit he had paid to an Egyptian Lodge , where he was received in the most fraternal spirit . He described graphically the esoteric work oi the Egyptian Masonic ritual . Bro . Gowan ' s

brief address was received with loud applause . He then presented to St . Andrew Lodge a valuable parchment document in the form of a subscription list that was got up in the year 1842 for the purpose of presenting a piece of plate to the Worshipful Master Thomas Gibbs Bidout , who had taken such a lively interest in the prosperity of the Lodge in those days . He said the document contained the names of the most distinguished men who lived in Canada at that time , such as Sir Allan Napier M'Nab , Chief Justice Sutherland , Justice J . 0 . Morrison , and many others .

It will interest members of the Order in this country to know that the Hon . Senator Gowan , who has proved himself to be a distinguished Canadian , was born in Ireland , on the 22 nd December 1815 . He emigrated imo Upper Canada in 1832 with his parents , and settled in the County of York . After receiving a fair education he began to study law in the office of the Hon .

James E . Small , of Toronto , Solicitor-General for Upper Canada , and in 1839 was called to the Bar . At the age of 27 ho was appointed a judge of the judicial district of Simcoe , it being at that time the largest judicial district in Upper Canada . At the same time he was also appointed by the Crown one of the trustees of the District Grammar School at Barrie , and on the death of the Rev . S . B . Ardagh , M . A ., the first Chairman of the Collegiate

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Institute Board , he was elected his successor , whioh position he still holds so that this institution presents the remarkable record of having only two chairmen since its formation . In the year 1853 he was married to the Rev . Mr . Ardagh ' s daughter , and in 1855 he established the first legal periodical in Canada , " The Upper Canada Law Journal . " In 1857 he assisted Sir James Macauley in consolidating the statutes from 1792 to 1858 , condensing forty volumes into two . In 1876 Attorney-General Mowatt sought the

assistance of Judge Gowan to assist in consolidating' the statute law of Ontario . In 1885 he was elected a Senator of the Dominion of Canada , and while in the Senate he has shown himself to be a man of marked ability . In the year 1883 , while on a visit to Ireland , he received an honorary call to tha Irish Bar , at the sitting at the Court of Chancery . In religious matters h « has always taken a deep interest in the welfare of the Church of England . The Senator is still hale and hearty , and shows great vitality for a man of

over four score years . The Lodge afterwards adjourned to the banqueting hall , where , ftftal dinner , speeches were delivered by several of the memTasw . — " Irish Time * . "

Masonry In Honolulu.

MASONRY IN HONOLULU .

MORE than seven years before the discovery of gold in California , and afc a period in the history of the Pacific Coast when the present great city of San Francisco was nothing but a little Mexican village called Yerba Buena , with barely three hundred inhabitants , the banner of Freemasonry was planted in Honolulu , and Lodge le Progress de l'Oceanic was instituted . It was in the year 1842 that a French merchant ship , whose captain was an ardent Mason , arrived in port . He had with him a dispensation

from the Supreme Council of France , authorising him to institute a Lodgeof Masons at any point in the Pacific he thought best , and it did not take him long to decide that Honolulu was the best place for it . He instituted inquiries , and soon found five or six whaling captains , who were Masons , and the new Lodge was at once organized and instituted in the cabin of his ship . Unfortunately , the early records of this Lodge , the oldest of any on this side of the Rocky Mountains , were destroyed by fire , and much of its early history is buried in oblivion . It is still under the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of France .

On Sth December 1851 , under a dispensation issued by the Grand Lodge of California , a Lodge was organised to work under American jurisdiction , and on Sth May 1852 a charter was granted , and Hawaiian Lodge , No . 21 , F . and A . M ., was opened for the first time on 6 th September 1852 . At the end of the first twenty-six years of its existence , with a constantly increasing membership of the best material of mankind in the Hawaiian Islands , it had accumulated by careful and judicious investments sufficient

funds to warrant the construction of its own hall , which had long been the great desire of its leading members . Accordingly , in 1878 , a lot was purchased and a substantial brick building erected thereon , costing , when fully completed and furnished , 27 , 000 dols . In 1893 it was deemed best to move again , and erect a temple in a more central and convenient quarter of the city . And a handsome and substantial blue stone building , costing 35 , 000 dols ., was erected at the corner of Alaska and Hotel Streets . Hawaiian Lodge has a membership of 130 , with property valued at

30 , 000 dols . At the present time five other Lodges in the higher degrees meet in the truly beautiful home . They are : Honolulu Chapter , No . 1 , R . A . M . j with a membership of fifty ; Honolulu Commandery , N . K . T ., with a membership of thirty-one ; Kamehameha Lodge of Perfection , No . _ 1 ; Nunanu Chapter , Rose Croix , No . 1 ; and Alexandra Liholiho Council of Kadosh , all with a membership of over thirty ; Pacific Lodge , No . 822 , under the jurisdiction of Scotland , which was organised on 10 th June 1895 , with twelve charter members and sixteen new members . — " Honolulu Bulletin . "

Quality, Not Quantity.

QUALITY , NOT QUANTITY .

A GENERAL survey of the present condition ot the Graft m the JKmpirt State will reveal the fact that never before has it been in so prosperous and harmonius a condition as now . Masonry here never was stronger in numbers , greater in influence , and richer in material wealth . Whether thia is the result of the labours of Lawrence and his lieutenants of years ago , in raising the fraternity out of the slough of debt ; whether it is the result of the brilliant array of Past Grand Masters who followed him , or whether it is the result of the sound and dignified course of the present administration , or

the sound sense , the excellent character of the rank and file of the members , together with the ennobling and elevating influence of the teaching and tenets of the Order , the fact remains that over ninety thousand Masons are enrolled upon the records of the Grand Lodge of New York , comprising the elite of intelligent and honoured American citizenship—ninety thousand men banded together by the strongest and sweetest ties of charity , goodwill , tolerance and equality , bound together by ties most ennobling and elevating . Whatever differences may exist between the individual or even between Lodges

or districts is trifling as compared with the unity existing in the entire Fraternity ; and here the warning voice of the leaders and of tha Masonic press should be heard throughout the land , for there is danger in this very prosperity ; wealth attracts the sordid , influence attracts the selfish and tha mercenary , and numbers always attract the unthinking crowd , hence it behoves us now , more than ever , to be careful in selecting our material . Guard well the outer door , and admit none but those who are thoroughly worthy of the honour of becoming members of our great Fraternity .

It is idle to say an applicant may be good enough for Lodge No . 36 , but is not fit to belong to Lodge No . 37 . Every Lodge , every member , is part and parcel of the whole , and is personally responsible to all his Brethren . Any Lodge that knowingly admits an unworthy man commits a crime against the entire fraternity , for that one member may disgrace the Lodge and impair its usefulness to the rest of the Craft . Too much stress is laid upon numbers . Masters pride themselves in having added ten , twenty , or forty members to

the roll of the Lodge . Unfortunately , very few of the members will take the trouble or time or have the patience to wait and see how many of those who have been rail-roaded through during the " successful" (?) administration of this Master will remain members in good standing . It is quality we want ; not quantity . The Lodge with 100 good , solid , earnest and sincere Masons is

better , will do more good and accomplish more and better results than your Lodge with 400 members actively engaged in the struggle for the " SOO mark , " and when this 500 is gained the successful (?) Master may point with pride to the long list of unaffiliates created by his rail-roading process , by his " specials , " and by his brainless , silly struggle jfor numbers , for quantity without duo regard to quality . — " Now York Daily Tribune . "