Masonic Portraits. (No. 37.) The Deputy.

of a section only of that Church , a section which has . momentarily , obtained the upper hand , and , thinking it needful to indulge in occasional displays of spleen or power , attacks a body with whose tenets it is necessarily unacquainted . Be this as it may , there is no doubt that

Freemasonry in the United Kingdom stands high m the popular favour . There is , moreover , another important reason for this . As the Fraternity takes no part in politics or religion , so it is confined to no particular class . It includes in its ranks men of every grade in society . The

noble and the gentle , equally with the professional man and the tradesman , seek admission into the Order . Equally observant are they of tho obligations imposed upon them . In Freemasonry , in fact , as it is understood in this country , Ave find in a great measure realized that ideal equality which

so many wise and good men have sighed for . There is no eversion of the natural laws which govern all societies , no attempt to reduce all men to one uniform level . Socially , wo retain such distinctions as belong to us , but a man has full scope for the development and practical application of

such qualities of head and heart as he may bo possessed of . The man of learning will find a splendid field for the employment of his talents ; so , too , will the man of energy ; so the man of tact ; and , in short , so will every one who possesses one or more qualities distinguishing him above his fellows .

We have said we include m our ranks tho noble and the gentle ; and in no society is it so incumbent on these to observe the wholesome maxim , " Noblesse oblige . '" We may , however , venture to lay it down as an axiom , that those of the upper class who enrol themselves in our Craft are just

those who require no incitement whatever to fulfil the duties of their station . Certain it is , that the titled members of our Order set a brilliant example of zeal and activity in all that concerns Freemasonry , which it were well , perhaps , that all Craftsmen should follow . Thus in

our portrait , a fortnight since , of Tho Statesman , we pictured to our readers one who is never weary of promoting , to the utmost of his ability , the well being of the Craft . Our present sketch is of another eminent Mason , of high rank in the outer world , who has also shown

himself to be as zealous as ho is efficient in the performance of his duties . There is no difficulty so great but he makes up his mind to grapple with and overcome it , if possible ; no detail so trifling that he overlooks it . While yet under age , he was initiated into Freemasonry , in the

Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 . This was in the year 185 G , when he was a member of Christ Church . In the year following he joined the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , and is still borne on the roll of its members . In 1862 , he became W . M . of Harmony Lodge ,

No . 580 , Ormskirk , and the year following , he was appointed Senior Grand Warden by the late Grand Master the Earl of Zetland . In 1865 , he attained the honourable

position of Deputy Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire , and this office he exchanged for tho still more honourable post of Provincial G . M . for the same Province , in 1873 . On the accession to the Masonic throne of our

present Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the merit of our distinguished brother was still further recognised , 'by his appointment to the office of Deputy Grand Master of England . He holds also a distinguished position in Royal Arch Masonry , having been appointed Grand

Superintendent of West Lancashire in 1873 , and Grand H . of the Supreme Grand Chapter in 1875 . The latest addition to his Masonic honours was conferred upon him in the first half of this year , when , by the lamented death of Bro . W . Romaine Callender , tho Provincial

Grand Mark Mastership of West Lancashire became vacant . To fill the vacancy thus created , our brother was appointed by the Earl of Limerick , Grand Master of Mark Masons , the ceremony of installation being conducted with great eclat by the Grand Master himself . But these offices of

dignity and responsibility are not tho only claims he has upon our respect . Ho has regularly taken a leading part in the support of our charitable institutions , and the very last occasion on which he illustrated his sympathy with the cause of charity was at the annual festival , this year ,

of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . On this occasion ho presided , and to show the esteem in which they held him , the brethren of West Lancashire supported him

most handsomely , to tho extent of over fifteen hundred pounds . We are further and especially reminded , by the ceremony that is fixed for Monday next in the good city of Norwich , of another public occasion on which our respected

Masonic Portraits. (No. 37.) The Deputy.

brother played a leading part . This was at the installation of tho late Hon . F . Walpole M . P ., as Provincial Grand . Uaster for Norfolk , in succession to Bro . B . Bond Cabbell . The ceremony of installation was ably and impressively rendered , and tho reception accorded to the Deputy Grand

Master was in tho highest degree enthusiastic . Thus far as to his Masonic career . In public life he has taken a prominent part in supporting the political party to which he belongs , and the services he has rendered have twice received some mark of approval from his sovereign . During

the years 1866-67-68 he was a lord in waiting , and since the advent to power of the preseut Conservative administration he has held command of Her Majesty's Yeomen of the Guard . In fulfilling the duties of this post of honour , wo find him present whenever the exigencies of

stato ceremonial require it . But a far more responsible duty , and one for which , by all accounts , our distinguished brother has shown himself admirably fitted , is that of " whip " to the Conservative party in the House of Lords . It is well kuown to our readers that those only are

appointed to this office who possess in an eminent degree the important qualifications of tact , energy , and ability . The work which a " whip" of either party , in either Houso of Parliament does , is most laborious . It may not be very exacting , as to the intellectual energies , but no one would ever be entrusted with such duties who had not

the keenest insight into all the various phases of human character , superadded to an energy that knows no bounds , and a tact which nothing will disturb . In his native county ho is a magistrate and deputy lieutenant , as well as captain of yeomanry hussars , and honorary colonel of an

administrative battalion of rifle volunteers . In private life he is loved and esteemed , as in public and Masonically he is admired and respected . Indeed , in his own particular province of West Lancashire there is , absolutely , no limit to the respect and affection in which he is held by all the brethren .

Such is a brief sketch of one of the worthiest of our English Craftsmen . We are sensible the portrait is at best an indifferent " counterfeit presentment" of the original . In detail , however , we believe it to be accurate . But whether the portrait bo artistically or inartistically

drawn , it certainly presents another link in the long chain of evidence we are ever and anon submitting to our readers , that Freemasonry is neither a silly hobby which men pursue for the lack of some more profitable occupation , nor a society of political agitators and irreligionists ,

whose aim is the destruction of order , morality and religion . The brethren we have sketched in these columns are among tho most strenuous upholders of all our institutions ; and among the foremost of them is the brother whom Ave have taken upon ourselves to describe as the Deputy .

The Coloured Question In Ohio

THE COLOURED QUESTION IN OHIO

THE question of recognising the Coloured Grand Lodge of Ohio , as a separate and independent Grand Lodge , has been settled , for the present at all events . Bro . Thos . J . Melish , Associate Editor of the Masonic Bevieiv , writing to the Keystone , under date " Cincinnati , October 19 ,

1876 , " describes , briefly but sufficiently , the result of the last meeting at Columbus of the Oliian Grand Lodge . The legality of the Coloured organisations appears to have been decided , not by a direct vote , but on a side issue . The

DeputyGrandMasterCunmngham began the engagement by impugning the constitutionality of the proposal to recognise the Coloured Grand Lodge . This Avas on Tuesday the 11 th ult ., but the discussion was cut short at noon , and not

renewed till the following morning . The question Avas then about to be debated on its general merits , Avhen Bro . Enoch T . Carson drew attention to the constitutional objection that had been raised the day before , and urged that this

objection must first of all be disposed of . The G . M . decided in favour of Bro . Carson ' s point . That our readers may understand the full force of the objection Avhich the D . G . M . had raised , we may state that the Constitutions of

the Ohian Grand Lodge lay it down that the Grand Lodgo shall be supreme " and have exclusive jurisdiction over all questions relative to Masonry in Ohio , and that it shall have

appellate jurisdiction o \ er all subordinate Lodges of Masons in Ohio . " The pi-oposition of the Committee to Avhich the question had been referred Avas , to recognise the Coloured