Masonic Notes.

The proceedings at the regular Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Queensland , which was held in the Masonic Hall , Brisbane , on the Sth September last , appear to have been of an unusually protracted character . A series of resolutions as to taking an office , employing a clerk , & c , & c , had

been proposed at the previous Communication , and the adjourned debate thereon was not brought to a close till about II p . m ., after District Grand Lodge had been in session for three hours . The first of the resolutions —for taking an office—was carried by the narrow majority of 2—23 for and 21 against ; the second , for

the employment of a clerk , was lost by the casting vote of the D . G . M . ; and the third for a vote of . £ 20 " for the purchase of books and the binding of periodicals as the commencement of a library " was carried without a division ; but the next , relating to the employment of

a shorthand writer , appears to have been lost , while the remaining resolutions or recommendations of the Board of General Purposes were withdrawn . The debate on these matters seems to have been of a very animated character .

« » * In the course of the evening the D . G . Treasurer submitted not only reports of the receipt and expenditure for the previous year , but also a statement in which the income and expenditure for the last four years were set forth , and it was estimated that a surplus of ; £ ioo a year might be reckoned upon . Exception was

taken , not to the figures themselves , but to the introduction of these statements without previous notice , and the conclusions at which the Dist G . Treasurer had arrived as to a surplus . However , the debate , if any , on these statements appears to have been held over for another meeting . * * »

We have read with great interest The epitome of the History of the Menturia Lodge , No . 418 , from 1834 to 1884 , " which has been compiled by Bro . E . V . Greatbatch , and was read by him at a meeting of his

lodge on the 16 th October last . It is clear that Bro . Greatbatch must have taken considerable pains in the compilation of his sketch , while he has enhanced its value immensely by prefacing it with a number of references to the earlier condition of the Craft in

Staffordshire . The work does him great credit , and we hope to find an early opportunity of referring to it at greater length . * * * In the course of a long array of well-considered articles and interesting items of news , the Indian

Masonic Review for last month contains a leader bearing the unusual title of " Masonic Sweepstakes . " It appears that a lodge at Delhi has been circulating broadcast throughout India books of tickets for a sweep in connection with a race to be run during the present month . The object is alleged to be to benefit the Punjab Masonic Institution . We quite agree with

our worthy contemporary and the brethren whose protest is appended to the article in question , that the adoption of such a course as this to benefit a local Masonic Charity is undignified and un-Masonic , and is calculated to injure the Craft very seriously in the estimation of the general public . We trust we shall not again hear of any " Masonic Sweepstakes " in connection with race meetings , either in India or elsewhere .

* * * The Ouatuor Coronati Lodge celebrated the complelicn of its first decade by a conversazione at the King's Hall , Holborn . on the 28 thult . The W . M ., Bro , R < v . C . J . Ball , w lcomed , in a genial address , about two hundred brethren and ladies , and Sir B . Ward

Richardson , r . R . 'S ., delivered an oration on Masonry , which , con-idering the difficulties of discoursing to a mixed audience , was a successful performance , although we fear the Masonic historian of the future will not quote the learned Doctor very largely as an authority . Bro . Harry Tipper provided some very excellent vocal and

instrumental music , in addition to his own charming performance on the handbells . Some Indian jugglers appropriately added an air of mystery to the proceedings by some wonderful feats , in comparisin with which the secrets of Freemasonry paled into

insignificance . The exhibition of medals , aprons , . tc , although small , was an interesting one . Bro . Crowe , of Torquay , was the principal contributor , and Bro . Shackles , of Hull , also showed a valuable collection of medals . Altogether , Bro . Speth is to be warmly congratulated on the success of the meeting .

AT A MKKTI . NI ; of the members of the Kilmolvmock Lodge held in their lodge rooms , Assembly Romis . Elgin , on Tuesday evening , the 2 ist ult ., it was unanimously resolved to celebrate St . John ' s Day by a ball in the Assembly Rooms , on Friday evening , the 2 Sth inst .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

THE RIGHTS OF PROV . G . OFFICERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , " H . R . G . " asks my opinion on the query propounded by " R . G . V . " in your issue of the 29 th September . I am not aware of any authority for the statement ,

nor do I see how there can be any . Article 96 distinctly lays down that brethren are entitled to wear their clothing as Past Provincial Grand Officers in all Masonic meetings . This applies to any Masonic meeting which a brother can attend , and even if not a subscribing member of any lodge , it does not affect the question of his clothing .

Article 2 lays down that Past Grand Officers are members of Grand Lodge , and , as such , have a right to attend its meetings and vote , even though they are not subscribing to any lodge . It certainly seems a startling proposition that a brother may directly he is made a Master Mason be at once appointed to high office in Grand Lodge ; need never again subscribe to

any lodge ; but may continue to the end of his life to sit and vote as a Past Grand Officer . Still , there seems nothing in the Book of Constitutions to prevent such a thing . It would appear as if it were considered that a brother who has once attained to such eminence as to be honoured with an appointment as an Officer of Grand Lodge has this permanent right to a seat and vote as a privilege due to the exalted position he has one : held .

By Article 81 , a similar privilege is given in Provincial Grand Lodge to Past Provincial Grand Officers ; but in their case the right to sit and vote is limited by the condition that they must be subscribing members of a lodge in the province .

A Past Provincial Grand Officer , th refore , who ceases to subscribe to any lodge in his province would retain his past rank , and he entitled to wear the clothing , but would lose his right to vote in Provincial Grand

Lodge until he again joined a lodge in the province , when his right would revive . His being a subscribing member of a lodge in another province would not give him a right to vote in the province of which he holds past rank .

" H . R . G . " is not correct in saying a Past Master loses his rank by ceasing to subscribe . A Past Master who ceases to subscribe for 12 months to any lodge under the English Constitution retains his past rank , his title , his clothing , and if he joins another lodge , becomes a Past Master in , and if he re-joins the lodge in which he served as Worshipful Master , and Past Master of the lodge which he so joins .

What he does lose is his right to sit and vote in Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge " as a Past Master . " See Arts . 9 and 81 . The latter article seems to confine the disqualifying clause "if members of Grand Lodge" to the claims of Past Masters in , as distinct from Past Masters of , lodges in the Province ,

so that a brother who has been a Past Master of a lodge in a Province , though not a Provincial Grand Officer , and who by ceasing to subscribe for 12 months has lost his membership of Grand Lodge , would seem on rejoining his old lodge to become again entitled to vote in Provincial Grand Lodge as a Past Master of a

lodge in the Province , without the necessity of serving as W . M . again , as he must before he can regain his seat in Grand Lodge . The last part of Art . 9 being a penal clause , must not be strained against a brother , and the same remark

would apply to Art . 81 . 1 trust this answer will satisfy your correspondents . I think a little close attention will make the matter clear to them . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally ,

LEX SCRIPTA . 24 th November .

RESIGNATIONS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In recently miking fraternal visits to two lodges in the same province , I observed a different procedure adopted with reference to the re-admission

to membership of brethren who had both recently resigned by letter addressed to the lodge ; in both cases the resignations had been duly recorded in the minute books . During the year both brethren desired to be re-admitted to the lodge . In the one case the brother was duly proposed and seconded as a re-joining brother

in accordance with the Book of Constitutions , and balloted for in due course ; in the other case a different course was adopted . A resolution was passed ( without any previous notice ) rescinding the resolution which some months before had been entered in the minute book '" recording the resignation , " and which ,

according to the opinions of the Past Masters and the ruling of the W . M ., was sufficient to re-instate the brother—who had resigned—to full membership of the lodge . Now , according to my view , this latter procedure is quite insufficient to restore a brother who has

resigned his membership ; indeed , the resolution could not affect the resignation-which was the act ot the individual member—it simply rescinded the minute or resolution ( the act of the lodge ) recording the resignation , ( which was of itself complete without any such resolution recording it ) , and I submit left the

Correspondence.

resignation itself untouched , and the brother still outside membership . The object of this procedure was clear , for as no annual return of members had been made to Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge since the resignation , it was intended to include the brother ' s name in the next returns as if there had been no resignation . After all , perhaps , this is a matter

affecting the particular lodge , and in case the resignation does not get returned to Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge—and the brother in question con . tinues to pay his subscriptions notwithstanding—his status in the Craft may possibly not be affected , but is

it really so ? As I like to sae things done in order , I would like the opinion of some of your readers of experience in Masonic jurisprudence , as to the proper and legitimate course to be adopted , in order properly to restore to lodge membership a brother who has resigned . —Yours fraternally , EX-SECRETARY P . M .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1060 ] — Bro . Ernest Arthur Ebblewhite , F . S . A ., on Thursday , the 22 nd ult ., exhibited to his brethren in the Mount Moriah Lodge ( No . 34 ) , at Freemasons' Hall , an old Masonic parchment certificate of unusual interest , explaining that from his knowledge of such curiosities , he could testify to its being almost unique . The

wording of the document is entirely in manuscript , and is as follows : " To All whom it may concern We the Worshipful Master Wardens and Worthy Brethren of Lodge No . 202 held forth under the sanction of the Right Worship ful Grand Lodge of England do hereby certify that our true and well beloved Brother Samuel Beltz who has signed his name in the margin was by us regularly

entered An Apprentice , passed to a Fellow Craft and as a Recompence due to his zeal and capacity we have confeired on him the sublime Degree of Master Mason Therefore with confidence we recommend him as a Worthy Member of The Royal Art , to all the Fraternity of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons round the Globe Given under our . hands and seal of our Lodge at Gibraltar this 16 th day of .... in the year of our Lord 1813 of Masonry 5813

" ( signed ; R OBERT STARK—Master " ( signed ) GEORGE FRANCIS—Senior Warden " ( signed ) ROBT WEIR—Junior Warden " ( signed ) E LISHA ROBINSON , Secretary . " On the face of the certificate is an impression in black printing ink from a steel stamp or die , with a Masonic device and the legend " No . 202

Ordnance- Lodge , Gibraltar , " and the same device and legend are on a red sealing wax impression ( from a metal seal ) attached to a double " Masonic blue" satin ribbon , pendent from the left margin . Bro . Beltz's signature also appears on the left . Bro . Ebblewhite gave a short account of the original owner of the certificate which he had prepared from

documents in his possession . Bro . Samuel Beltz was the third and youngest son of George Nicholas Beltz , of St . George ' s , Bloomsbury , gentleman , and Elizabeth , his wife , only child of Samuel Guthridge , of Purley co ., Berks , gent . His eldest brother was George Frederick Beltz , Esq ., K . H ., F . S . A ., Lancaster Herald , who died at Basle , Switzerland , in 1841 . Bro . Beltz

was born about 1780 , and when quite a young man settled in Jamaica , where he was living in 1804 with his other brother , John Philip Beltz . In 1809 , and the following years he travelled a good deal in America and on the Continent of Europe , but it was not until he had reached the age of S 3 tnat he became a Freemason . On the 3 ist March , 1814 , King George III .

appointed him Deputy Assistant Commissary-General to the Forces . In 1816 , Bro . Beltz resided at 18 , Fludyerstreet , Westminster , and about that time was in regular attendance at the Commissariat Department in Treasury Chambers . In 1839 , he lived at II , Blandford-square , Regent's Park , and two years later travelled

on the Continent with his sister , Miss Beltz . On returning , he settled at Fulham , Surrey , and was living there in 1848 . Three years afterwards he went for a journey to Paris , and died in or about 1863 , at Fulham . The W . M . ( Bro . Arthur Dutton ) , and other members of Mount Moriah Lodge were much interested in Bro . Ebblewhite's communication .

1061 ] LODGE No . 63 , DUMFRIES . Masonic students will be glad to learn that my friend and Bro . James Smith has decided to write a history of his mother lodge , "St . Michael's Kilwinning , " No . 63 , Dumfries . It will be published by authority of the lodge . The volume will contain a frontispiece , a copy of the lodge charter ( 1755 ) , and some details of tne trans

founders of the lodge ; a record of the lodge - actions from 1789 to the present day ; biograp hical notices of the R . W . Masters and other prominent brethren ; a complete roll of members , and a list ol the principal office-bearers from 1789 ; full details of the centenary celebrations , Ac , & c . Price to subscribers , 3 s . 6 d . ( post free ) . Only a limited edition will be issuedBroSmith has alread published an

. . y able and most interesting history of the Old Lodge or Dumfries , and also of Royal Arch Masonry in the province , so the work is in good hands . ( Dumfries ¦ . J . Maxwell and Son , Publishers ) . Its advent may be expected early in 1895 , but subscriptions should on sent at once . W . I . HUGHAN .