"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA

THE funeral of the late Bro . Councillor Arthur Loader took place at Brighton , on the 8 th inst ., and was very numerously attended , among those present being a large number of Brethren , several of them being members of the Atlingworth Lodge , of which the deceased was Immediate Past Master .

AMID every sign of respect and sorrow , the mortal remains of the late lamented Bro . William Burnes were laid to rest in the Extra-Mural Cemetery , Brighton , on Thursday of last week , when the members of the Atlingworth Lodge , No . 1821 and other Craftsmen were represented .

Funeral Of The Late Bro. Tew.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE BRO . TEW .

AMID demonstrations of grief and mourning , such as are seldom seen , the remains of the late Bro . T . W . Tew , of Carleton Grange , senior Justice of the Osgoldcross , and late Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , were interred on Tuesday , 2 nd inst ., in the burial-ground attached to the church of St . Stephen ' s , East Hardwick , a village which , like Carleton ,

was an outlying member of the ancient parish of Pontefract . The deceased had been mainly instrumental in founding the pretty little church there , and it was naturally beloved by him , for it may be said that every stone in the building , which is well in sight from his residence , and forms a striking object in the

distant view , had been laid under his careful and loving superintendence . Precisely at one o ' clock the sorrowful procession left Carleton Grange , tho bell of Carleton Church tolling whilo the mourners remained in the parish , the blinds of all the houses being drawn , and the inhabitants making every

manifestation of sympathy with the mourners and grief for their own loss , since to many the severance , though long expected , seemed to be as from a personal friend . The procession from the house was headed by a large body of West Riding Police , under command of Supt . Whincup , and they were followed by the

Carleton Choir and Clergy , and next by the principal mourners . The procession advanced to East Hardwick , but meanwhile the Masonic body had met at Pontefract and proceeded thence , partly by vehicles and partly on foot , approaching East Hardwick from the north west . Assembled at the entrance to the churchyard ,

they went forward to meet the procession which could by that time be seen in the distance . When the united procession reached the church it had attained enormous proportions , and the members filtered into the church slowly but in perfect order , crowding the sacred building to its utmost capacity . The

handsome coffin was deposited upon a bier and surrounded by wreaths innumerable , which had been forwarded by sorrowing relatives and friends , including a large number of Brethren and Masonic Lodges . At the grave-side , the Rev . E . Barber ( of Carleton ) officiated , and at the solemn words , " Earth to Earth , " & c , the

Bishop of Beverley was the one standing by to " drop earth upon the coffin . " He also delivered the episcopal blessing at the conclusion of the service , after the singing of the hymn " On the Resurrection Morning . " After the mourners had taken their last sad look at the coffin , the Freemasons advanced , each , according

to immemorial custom , placing- his sprig of acacia in the open grave which was lined with ivy , rhododendrons , azaleas , lilies , and other choice flowers . And thus was placed in his last home one of the most untiring benefactors this town and neighbourhood

has ever had , who never spared his purse or his person when duty seemed to call upon him ; who was active in every good work which was calculated to ease suffering or benefit humanity , and whose sympathies not however ending in mere sentimentality were in a word universal . — " Pontefract Advertiser . "

Some of our readers may require " In Memoriam " Cards for Lodge members or other Masonic Purposes , and may like 'to know that Messrs . Goodall now supply some of their well known patterns with the square and compass on the front in silver .

Some surprise is expressed'that the Musselburgh Freemasons will be present at the service in Inveresk , seeing that there is no Masonic ceremony to be performed . However , the Lodge has accepted an invitation addressed by the minister , and the members consider themselves entitled to take an interest in the

occasion . The old church foundation-stone was laid ninety years ago by Musselburgh Freemasons—the old Kilwinning Lodge ; the architect for the re-construction , Mr . Hendry , is a

Brother Craftsman ; and the principal tradesmen engaged in the work are Brethren of Lodge St . John . About forty Masons will march from the Parish Hall to tbo Church . — " Musselburgh News . "

Grand Treasurerships.

GRAND TREASURERSHIPS .

YERY great interest is felt in Victoria as to the result of the coming Grand Lodge election for the office of Grand Treasurer . The present occupant of the office , Bro . Angel Ellis , who was elected to that position on the formation of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , is again a candidate . No one can urge

anything against the said Brother ' s capacity , although , unfortunately , during the recent years of that term , great irregularities have crept into the financial affairs of the Grand Lodge , and which , owing to the pertinacious attacks of prominent members of the Craft , were recently unearthed , and the Craft purged of

the presence of those who were guilty . All this of course proves that the office of Grand Treasurer should be held by one not only amply qualified to fill the position of trust reposed in him worthily , but also one who is a shrewd enough man of business

to detect any and every irregularity in the department which is so directly under his control , and it is a matter for great congratulation that the recent investigations have been so searching as to prevent any repetition of past unfortunate blundering .

The other candidate for the office , P . M . Brother Harry Weedon , has earned for himself the reputation of being a keen and successful man of business , and has in other societies held the position of Trustee of large funds and Treasurer of current

incomes for the benefit of those he represented , qualities which fully adapt him for the honourable post which he seeks to fill for the prescribed term of one year in the service of the Craft in the territory of Victoria .

But these important considerations weigh comparatively lightly as against the principles which are involved in the approaching contest , for , as we have already frequently pointed out , the Grand Lodge of England annually nominates and elects

a Grand Treasurer , and the office is held for one year only by tbe successful candidate . This is . the principle which governs all the other offices in Grand Lodge where appointments are the gift of the Grand Master . The Grand Senior Warden of to-day becomes the Past Grand Senior Warden to-morrow , and the

Grand Pursuivant of the present year , the P . G . P . of the next . The Book of Constitutions indeed lays down the principle in providing for annual elections , and in the case of Private Lodges

vetoing the holding of even the W . M . s chair by any one Brother for more than two years , unless under special dispensation . The question really at stake in this contest is purely this one of principle .

The side issues which have been introduced by correspondents that the present Grand Treasurer is the last link of old rulers held on to tenaciously by the Irish Constitution , are absurd , because the old members of that Constitution are really as much concerned in upholding the principle of annual

appointments , election and tenure of office , as are any other Freemasons included in the U . G . L . of Victoria , and as this principle is really at the root of all advancement by merit , the monopoly of the office year by year by any one Brother is almost a Masonic offence , and is persisted in to the injury of other equally and

even better qualified aspirants of office . Do but kill this admirable principle and you kill the hopes , aspirations , and efforts of all others in the cause , besides the selfishness of the monopoly being in itself a most serious offence against this principle , and against that of doing unto others as you would under similar circumstances , they should do unto you . The M . W . G . M . of the Constitution himself , Bro . Sir W . J . Clarke—much to his honour be it said—has pointed this out

publicly this year as regards his own long term of service , and only yielded at the eleventh hour to the earnest representations made to him by those who posed as spokesmen for the Craft . There is so wide an interest felt in this question , which really underlies the very foundations of our Constitution , tbat we anticipate that the contest will be an interesting one , and we feel sure that the sense of right will bravely survive all other sentimental influences , — " Masonry . "

The " Masonic Visitor " has an article on the Minute Books of Lodge Carlow , which is very interesting . A few extracts from the Bye-Laws of 1795 are worthy of re-production : " Each member shall appear perfectly clean and in his best clothes under a penalty of 4 d .

" Each member to pay 6 £ d per month , of which 4 Jd is to be spent , and 2 d to pay expenses of Lodge , assist indigent brethren , and pay Grand Lodge . Absent brothers must pay their dues unless they are kept away by sickness , imprisonment , ir other necessary business . " Each member to go home , and nowhere else , after Lodge .

" Any person interrupting Master or Wardens to be fined , for the first offence Id , for the second 8 d , and so on in proportion ; for non-payment he shall be turned out . " If any member conies to the Lodge with any appearance of liquor , for the first offence he shall be admonished , for the second fined 4 d , for the third 8 d , and for the fourth turned out ol the Lodge . " In the absence of the W . M ., the S . W . to take the Chair . "