Masonic Precedence.

MASONIC PRECEDENCE .

HOW many quarrels—social , political , and national *¦ * —have arisen from the infringement or disregard of the strict rules of precedence ? Probably in the whole history of the world there is no more trivial

matter that has caused more serious trouble , and probably there are few of us but have experienced , at one time or another , the eccentricities of the individual who , armed with an official or recognised position , was

for ever forcing himself into the place to which he considered himself entitled b y his distinction ; and , more often than not , has made himself the laughing stock of his companions by his actions . But the good

old adage is reversed in this connection , for might is right in so far as precedence is concerned , and he is a very bold man indeed who dares to oppose the dictum of the world in regard to this foible of humanity .

Freemasonry , however , should be above such nonsense . In Freemasonry we preach of equality ; and we boast that Masonry is universal over the four quarters of the world . Doing so , it seems to us that

to promulgate an official edict in regard to " precedence " is both undignified and unnecessary , although at the same time we can almost spare a tear of

sympathy for the feelings of the English " big-wig " whose feelings have been outraged by the actions of a mere outsider .

Of course it must be fearfully galling to a Past Grand Sycophant , for instance , to have to play second fiddle to an honorary Past Grand Warden of the Cannibal Isles , or some other unknown corner of the earth ; and it must take a little of the conceit out of a

Past Grand Officer of England , who can only utter a few empty phrases in response to the toast of Grand Lodge , when the oratory of some " foreign " grandee puts his utterances in the shade : but it is the fortune of

war—and love ; and we can onl y feel sympathy for the men who , under such circumstances , feel so aggrieved as to bring the whole force of official machinery into play to secure them the position they are perhaps unable to maintain by personal acquirements .

The Grand Director of Ceremonies of England , however , has thought the matter so serious as to call for official action ; and accordingly has addressed a letter to the President of the Board of General

Purposes , who , in turn , has communicated it to the Craft ; and as a consequence the office of Director of Ceremonies in a Lodge , which has been regarded as

somewhat of a sinecure , will rise in importance—and anxiety- —if the " strictest regard " ordered b y Grand Lodge is to be paid to the contents of the

communication . Surely this is making a mountain out of a mole hill . How many of these Brethren " holding rank in

Foreign or other Grand Lodges " are , there among us ? And how many of the small number assert themselves as the action of the authorities would seem to impl y ?

Masonic Precedence.

Surely if there happen to be one or two offenders they mig ht have been dealt with privately , rather than with so public a display of ceremonial as is here exhibited , and such a course would have been more in accord

with the princip les of Freemasonry . What will a Foreign Grand Lodge , in friendly communication with our own , think , if one of its Past Grand Wardens , for instance , is to be stripped of his honoured regalia ,

merely to satisfy the whim of some dignitary of the older body who , having had honours thrust upon him , lacks either the ability or the tact to maintain them ?

Reciprocity is a fine thing in its way . We recommend Foreign Grand Lodges to copy the example of the English body , and give no precedence to its Grand Officers .

We , of course , recognise that the letter of the Grand Director of Ceremonies specially mentions " honorary " rank as being the foundation from which this trouble springs , but how is the ordinary individual

among Masons to distinguish between honours conferred in the regular way and those of an " honorary " nature ? Further , are we to consider honorary Grand Officers of our own Constitution as any way below

their fellows of the same grade , who received their appointments at the usual Annual Installation meetings of Grand Lodge ? We were always of opinion there was no difference between the two classes in our own case , why so in regard to other Constitutions ?

Further Aid For War Funds.

FURTHER AID FOR WAR FUNDS .

A ¦ T the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on the r \ 6 th of December , the Brethren unanimously voted one thousand guineas to the Lord Mayor ' s Mansion House Relief Fund . Advantage will be taken of the Quarterly Communication to be held on the 7 th prox ., by the Prince of

Wales , to forward a message to the Brethren assembled thereat with regard to assistance of members of the Craft in South Africa , and a motion will be made from the chair that Grand Lodge vote a thousand guineas to the South African Relief Fund .

On Wednesday evening there was a large assemblage at the Masonic Hall , Old Elvet , Durham , upon the occasion of unfurling a new banner , and a visit of the Provincial Grand Officers . The event had been looked forward to with considerable interest by many members in the Province for

some time past , and the attendance was as representative as it was large . The new banner has been presented to the Norman Lodge , No . 1334 , by Bro . W . Gray P . M . P . J . G . W ., the Deputy Mayor of Durham , for some years Treasurer of the Lodge .

During the four and a half years that Bro . C . S . Stebbing has held the position of Charity Steward of the Harmony Lodge , No . 156 , Plymouth , he has been able to hand over £ 760 to the Devon Charities , while if the London Charities

are included his record for the period is £ 830—something to be proud of . It is a sign of the times , however , to note how large a proportion of the Lodge's benevolence is expended locally .