A Grand Lodge For Queensland.

A GRAND LODGE FOR QUEENSLAND .

A MOVEMENT is on foot in Brisbane , having for its object the formation of a Grand Lodge for Queensland , instead of the three District or Provincial Grand Lodges now

in existence . On the 27 th January some forty Past Masters met to arrange the order of procedure at a general meeting that was to have been held on the 2 nd February , and was convened by circular as follows :

Members of the Craft are invited to attend a meeting of Freemasons to be held in the Masonic Hall , Alice Street , Brisbane , on Wednesday , the second day of February 1898 , at 8 o ' clock p . m .

"To decide upon the advisableness 0 / forming , and taking the initiatory steps towards establishing , a Grand Lodge of Queensland ; also to form a Masonic Union , appointing an equal number of Past Masters from each Constitution to be an Executive Committee to carry out the object . " — " Masonry . "

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

" A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

A MUCH-ESTEEMED townsman , Bro . Frederick Joseph Jesser Harrold , of Kiu-Kiang -House , Newbury , died very suddenly on Sunday afternoon , 17 th ult . The deceased , who had resided here for nearly twenty years , was seized with paralysis a few months ago , and after lying in a critical condition for some time he rallied in a wonderful manner

sufficienty , indeed , to walk out occasionally in the company of his devoted wife . He was a native of Ramsbury , but left in early life , and had a successful career in China , where he joined the Masonic Order , and on his retirement into private life in Newbury he prominently identified himself with the

local Lodges , both Craft and Mark , filling successive Offices , and eventually occupying with marked ability the position of Worshipful Master ot both the Hope and Porchester Lodges . He had also received Provincial Grand honours in each degree . Until his health failed he was constant in his

attendance at the Lodges , and , in accordance with his expressed wish , his Masonic Brethren assembled round the grave . He was one of the best amateur horticulturists in the district , and a member of the committee of the Horticultural Society , as well as of that of the Bowling Green Club . His

disposition was kind and genial , and his decease at sixty-one years of age is much lamented by a wide circle of relatives and' friends . A large congregation of friends and Brethren assembled in the church and also in the cemetery , on the

occasion of the funeral . After the relatives had departed , the Freemasons , walking in single file round the grave , dropped upon the coffin sprigs of acacia , in accordance with the custom of the Craft .

IT is with very considerable regret we hear of a fatal accident to one of the pupils at the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . It appears that while about a dozen of the lads were engaged rolling a cricket pitch , on Monday , one of their number—Clement Hedley Cracknell , son of an

old Suffolk Mason—slipped and fell under the roller , which passed over his body , killing him instantaneously . We feel every member of the Cralt will join us in an expression of sympathy with the lad ' s relatives , and also to Bro . Hebb , the other masters , and the pupils of the Institution , on the

great upset the accident must have proved to them . Happily cases of death are almost unknown at our Educational Institutions , despite the large number of children and others permanently located there , and consequently this fatality will be felt all the more . The lad ' s term would have expired

in May next , so that it will be seen he was one of the elder lads of the Institution . He was very popular with his school fellows , and of a particularly jolly disposition , indeed it was that which , in a measure , may be said to have led to the lamentable accident , as it appears he was attempting

to jump over the handle of the roller while it was in motion , when he slipped , and was run over . An inquest was held on Thursday , when Bros . John Glass Vice-Chairman , Stanley J . Attenborough Hon . Solicitor to the Institution , J . M . McLeod Secretary , and Rev . H . A . Hebb , M . A ., Head

Master attended . Full inquiry was made into the circumstances , and it was clearly proved to the satisfaction of the Coroner and Jury that the occurrence was purely accidental , the Coroner remarking that every supervision was given to the Boys . A verdict of death through internal hemorrage

caused by accident through misadventure , was returned . The funeral will take place this day ( Saturday ) , at 2 * 30 p . m ., at the Old Church , Tottenham , the whole of the boys of the Institution following the remains of their late companion to their last resting place .

Masonic Window As Heptonstall Church.

MASONIC WINDOW AS HEPTONSTALL CHURCH .

NOT for nearly fifty years has so novel a ceremony been witnessed in tbo old historic village of Heptonstall as that of Saturday , 23 rd ult ., when a very beautiful Masonic window from Munich was unveiled at the church with full Masomc honours . Ac the building of the church the Prince Frederick Lodge , No . 307 , Hebden Bridge , whose members formerly held

their meetings at Heptonstall , laid the north-east corner stone with Masonic honours and inserted part of a window . The lower part remained blank until the Lodge recently decided to complete the illustrations 'iu celebration of the Diamond Jubilee year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria .

The ceremony of unveiling came to pass on Saturday afternoon in grand weather . There was a large gathering of the general public , and over eighty Masonic Brethren , including representatives from neighbouring towns , in their regalia , marched in procession from the school to the church , where an

interesting service took place , fasting about an hour . The church was nicely filled . Eev . E . P . Powell , vicar , conducted the preliminaries , and Eev . J . Heslop , the curate , read the lesson from Rev . xxi ., 10-24 . The music was specially selected ,

and with the choir in their places , and Bro . 0 . J . Hriey at the organ , everything went splendidly . The anthem " Behold how good and joyful " was sung , the solo being effectively sustained by Mr . B . S . Jackson .

Bro . J . W . Shaw I . P . M . unveiled the window by means of a string pulled from the chancel . Previous to this he explained that the subject was taken from II . Chronicles vi ., 12-13 . The , window is a four-light one , in the right one of which is seen Solomon kneeling on a brazen scaffold of five cubits long and

five cubits broad , set in the midst of the court , before all the congregation of Israel . Such is the description in the 13 th verse , whilst there are present three priests , one kneeling behind Solomon on the brazen scaffold , and the other two kneeling on the ground facing Solomon , and incense is burning in a vessel of

gold on . the floor . In the second light to the right are seen five more figures , also priests , four of whom are standing in reverential attitudes , whilst the other is kneeling with his face turned devotionally towards Solomon . In the third light are six of tbe congregation of Israel in various attitudes of reverence .

In the background are two palm trees , which indicate that they are in the outer court of the temple , in which the laity always remained . In the left hand window-light are four more of the faithful . Under the respective lights are the Masonic attributes : brotherly love , relief , truth , fidelity , charity , peace , and harmony .

The colouring is according to the words of the Scripture , m which nearly everything in Solomon's temple is described as being of gold or brass . The execution of the work has been most artistically and successfully carried out by the artists , Messrs . Mayer and Co ., of Munich and London .

A white marble tablet or monument , worked up splendidly with Masonic emblems , has also been fixed on the side of the wall near the new window , and reads as follows :

PBIKCE FKEDEBICK LODGE OF FBEEMASONS , NO . 307 , HEBDEN BEIDGE . To the glory of the Most High , and in commemoration of the laying of the north-east corner stone of this Church with

Masonic honours . The upper portion of this window was inserted at tbe building of the Church , and the lower portion in celebration of the 60 th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria—1854-1897 .

Wm . Crabtree W . M . J . W . Shaw W . M . Abm . Coekcroffc S . W . Jas . Jackson S . W . Hugh Sugden J . W . Herbert King P . M . J . W . Wm . Varley P . M . Sec . Jos . Gill Sec .

Omnia ad Dei gloriam . Bro . J . Maxon Walton , M . A . ( vicar of Mytbolmroyd ) Provincial Grand Chaplain of West Yorkshire addressed the assembly from a text based on I . Kings v ., 5 . —" Todmorden Advertiser . "

Masonry's Past And Present.

MASONRY'S PAST AND PRESENT .

Robert C . Hine Grand Orator Grand Lodge of Minnesota . ( Continued from page 207 ) . ABOUT the year 1700 a formal proclamation was made to the effect that henceibith the piivileges and light of initiation into the mysteries should no longer , even in theory , be limited to

Architects or Operative Masons , but that all men , of whatever profession , after having been regularly approved and elected , should be entitled to the decrees and become members of the Fraternity . From tbis date Masonry was publicly recognised as resting from its operative labours . Ou the 24 th of June 1717 , tbiee Lodges of London , and . perhaps others , united to form a