Reproposing Rejected Candidates.

REPROPOSING REJECTED CANDIDATES .

IT has often been a matter for complaint that * candidates rejected in one Lodge—presumably for good and sufficient reasons—have found no difficulty in securing initiation in some other , either in the

immediate neighbourhood , or further afield ; and at times Brethren have come forward with propositions having for their object the checking of this practice ,

which , it must be admitted , appears somewhat of an anomaly ; for if a man is really unworthy of admittance into Freemasonry through one Lodge , how can he be considered eli gible in another ?

It seems this difficulty is not confined to England alone , some of our Scottish Brethren being equally concerned in the matter , as is evidenced b y a proposition set down for consideration at next week ' s

meeting of that Grand Lodge , in the following terms : " That all application forms for membershi p shall contain the query , Have you ever made application for initiation before : if so , state what Lodge ? "

We can well believe that the author of this proposition is actuated by the best of motives , in thus attempting , to remedy what has long been regarded as a flaw in the Masonic system , but how does he propose

to utilise the information secured , even if he is able to convince his Brethren that the new regulation is a desirable one , which we very much question his ability to do ?

It must be distinctly understood in this connection that it is the secrecy of the ballot that has to be dealt with , and it is impossible to carry out any law that attempts to violate this great principle of Freemasonry .

Let us suppose a candidate rejected on the ballot ; he and his friends may be wholly at a loss to account for the verdict , or they may not desire to say all they know . On the other hand , it is a well established fact

that Brethren do occasionally violate their obligation , by casting a black ball against a candidate out of personal pique or for some unworthy purpose ; is such

a candidate to be utterl y excluded from Freemasonry , and if not , what is the use of the proposition submitted for the consideration of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ?

. A gratifying feature of the recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , proving that those closely connected with its management are generous and active in bringing the necessary funds to aid its work , is shown by the iacr tnat

twenty members ot the . Board of Management and the Secretary acted as Stewards , their combined lists amounting to £ 1 , 8 95 4 s 6 d , and twenty-one members of the Committee Dinner Club " served the office , the aggregate amount of their lists reaching £ gjq 2 s 6 d .

At the banquet following the business meeting of the provincial Grand Lodge of Essex , the Proy . Grand Master invited the Brethren of the Province to pay him a visit next fi ! at Warwick Castle , and to " take a lady a-piece with them " to meet Lady Warwick . The invitation was received with loud and prolonged applause .

Buckinghamshire.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE .

THIS Provincial Grand Lodge was held under the banner of the Herschel Lodge , in the Masonic Hall , of the Leopold Institute , Slough , on Thursday , ' 13 th inst , when

there was a large attendance of Brethren from all parts of the Province , including the Provincial Grand Master Lord Addington , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . J . E . Bowen , Bro . W . Woollett Prov . G . Secretary , & c .

The Provincial Grand Master and his Officers entered the Lodge Room in procession , and the Lodge was opened in solemn form .

After the roll of the Lodges had been called , Bro . James Stephens Secretary submitted the report of the Charity Committee , which was considered eminently satisfactory . The balance sheet submitted by the Treasurer Bro . J . J . Simcox showed a satisfactory balance in hand . The

Provincial Grand Officers were then appointed and invested , and after further business had been transacted it was decided to place fifty guineas out of the Provincial Grand Lodge funds on the list of the Provincial Grand Master , who is to preside at the Annual Festival ofthe Old Peoples' Institution in February next .

The Brethren afterwards dined together under the presidency of Lord Addington , at the Royal Hotel , Bro . H . Vallis catering vvell . After dinner the Prov . G . M . proposed the toast ofthe Queen and Craft , which was most loyally received .

In responding to the toast of his health , which was received with much enthusiasm , Bro . Lord Addington said it was characteristic of Englishmen that they should look up to those who led them . Boys at school always thought the captain of the eleven was a paragon of perfection , while the

stroke of a boat was always thought to be the best man , although there might be much better oarsmen in the boat than him . He was afraid his position was very much like that , but as long as he had their confidence he should esteem it a privilege to do what he could for that great charitable

organisation . Charity , after all , was the chief of the virtues , and a man who was a good Mason was certainly a better Christian . He spoke with regret of the loss the Province had sustained in the death of their esteemed Brother , Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild , and thanked Bro . Woollett for the

trouble he had taken in compiling the new Masonic calendar . He found that in Buckinghamshire there were no fewer than 612 Masons' in the nineteen Lodges which comprised the Province , while another Lodge was about to be consecrated . He was also pleased to know that those 612 members had no

fewer than 938 votes for the Boys Masonic Institution , 650 for the Girls , and 1 , 440 for the Old People—a very satisfactory state of affairs . In conclusion , he proposed the health of the Deputy P . G . M . Bro . J . E . Bowen , who , he said , did the greater part of the administrative work of the Province .

Bro . Bowen suitably responded , and proposed the Visitors . The remaining toasts were the Provincial Grand Officers Present and Past , the Herschel Lodge , and the Tyler's toast . A programme of music was rendered by the Windsor Glee singers .

Durham.

DURHAM .

THE annual Provincial Grand Lodge and Chapter meetings have just been fixed—the Provincial Grand Chapter to meet at Stockton-on-Tees , at 3 . 45 p . m ., on Wednesday , 16 th September ; and the Provincial Grand Lodge at the Town Hall , Gateshead , on Tuesday , 26 th September . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., will preside at both meetings .