Masonic Notes.

The closing meeting for the season of the Earl of Sussex Lodge , of which Bro . Clowes is W . M ., took p lace at Brighton on Saturday last . The two M . P . ' s were there as well as a contingent from London , which

included the Grand Secretary . There was much work done , and at the subsequent banquet some excellent speech-making , a report of which must stand over till next week .

* * * A special Convent General of the Orders of the Temple and St . John is announced for Friday , the 9 th inst ., at Mark Masons' Hall , when some very important resolutions are to be submitted to the members , chief

among them being the proposals to reduce the fee for inception into the Order from £$ Ss . to £ 3 3 s ., and to alter the clause requiring a service of two years as a Master Mason to a minimum service of 12 months . A meeting of the National Great Priory is to precede that of the Convent General .

* * * The Masonic lodges in the Province of Kincardine have unanimously recommended the appointment of Bro . Major Disney Innes , of Cowie , as Provincial Grand

Master , in succession to the Earl of Kintore . It is expected that this recommendation will be cordially confirmed by the Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication on ist May .

* * * The Order of the Secret Monitor , under the fostering care of its zealous Grand Recorder , Bro . Spratling ,

appears to be enlarging its borders . A warrant for No . 19 Conclave , " The Watatra , " at Pietermaritzburg , is about to be issued , and applications from other districts are pending .

* * * We reprint in another page the announcement we made last week in connection with the Boys' School Pension Indemnity Fund , with the additional subscriptions received during the week , the total now

amounting to ^ 839 3 s . This amount does not , of course , include the sums voted by lodges but not yet remitted to Bro . Langton . It should be clearly understood that

the Committee will be g lad to receive contributions from lodges of smaller sums than £ 2 10 s ., that amount being only named as a reasonable average , based on a membership of 40 .

* * * Still further satisfactory progress has been made in strengthening the Board of Stewards for the

approaching Festival of the Girls' School , and the Board which , according to our report of last week , was 217 , now numbers 236 , the result of the week's work being represented by an addition of 19 Stewards .

* * * The Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut , Bro . Joseph H . Hough , has entered on his 52 nd year of secretarial duty . This is a long spell of work , such as it is given to but few to boast of .

* * * The Grand Lodge of Michigan , of which Bro . John ' S . Cross is the newly-elected Grand Master , at its recent communication , at Lansing , voted a sum of

S 3000 ( £ 600 ) , as a donation to the Michigan Masonic Home . We heartily congratulate our Michigan brethren on the generous support thus afforded to a Masonic Charitable Institution .

* * * According to the Canadian Craftsman , Bro . J . G . Howard , of Toronto , whose death has occurred recentl y , offered to the Masonic Fraternity in that city , some years ago , a magnificent site , consisting of 20 acres of

High Park overlooking the lake , for the purpose of erecting a Masonic Asylum and Home . The only condition to the offer was that the building should be commenced and the land fenced in within a year . The

Masonic Fraternity did not avail themselves of the opportunity thus generously afforded them , and now the property could not be purchased for § 300 , 000 (_ £ 6 o , ooo ) sterling .

# # # The increase in the number of Masonic Flails is a marked feature in modern Masonry . Without altogether admitting that the private meeting place is in every instance superior to tbe hotel or tavern , we think

there can be no doubt that as a rule the interests of the Order are best served by the establishment of Masonic Halls in buildings more or less set apart for the purposes of Masonry . The latest addition is the Masonic

Hall at Buckingham , which has been erected by the Mayor and present W . M . of No . 1787 , and hired to that lodge at a nominal rental . The building is said to be admirably adapted to the purposes of the lodge , and a decided improvement to the town .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion , ]

THE OLD MASONIANS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Sir , I desire to call your attention to the fact that this association , which is composed entirely of boys who have been educated at the Institution at Wood Green , will hold its fourth annual dinner at Anderton ' s Hotel ,

Fleet-street , on Thursday , the Sth inst ., at 7 oclock . Bro . Rev . Charles J . Martyn , Past G . Chaplain , Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk , Patron of the Institution , the President of the Association , has kindly consented to take the chair , and I feel sure that I can promise all a very pleasant and interesting

evening . I would point out that this will give many an opportunity , and , I trust , a gratifying one , of personally renewing acquaintance with those who in days gone by received , and still acknowledge their indebtedness for , the benefits of the Institution .

I shall be glad to forward tickets ( Ss ,, exclusive of wine ) to any of your readers who would wish to be present . —I am , Sir , yours faithfully , R . HAROLD WILLIAMS , Hon . Sec . 7 F , Oxford and Cambridge Mansions , Hyde Park , W .

Reviews

REVIEWS

MASONIC CALENDAR FOR WEST LANCASHIRE .

Bro . W . Goodacre , the indefatigable and courteous Provincial Grand Secretary , has edited this very handy publication with his customary skill and thoroughness . West Lancashire is now the largest province in England , and , in fact , of the world , having 103 lodges on its roll and 6096 subscribing members . The last return of the

latter exhibited 5751 , so the province is still on the increase , the average per lodge being unusually large . The growth of lodges has not been at the expense of reducing the average in each , as will be noted from these figures , the average being 50 per cent , hig her than in several provinces . East Lancashire has almost

the same number of lodges , and was the first to have the 100 th existing lodge chartered . Its membership , however , shows a much smaller average per lodge , the total being 4316 for 1888-9 . Either of these provinces singly far exceeds in size that of many Grand Lodges , and , together , for the whole of Lancashire we have

thus over 200 lodges and exceeding 10 , 000 subscribing members ! These figures are surely startling , and reveal an amount of prosperity under the two Provincial Grand Masters ( the Earl of Lathom , D . G . M ., and Colonel Le Gendre Starkie ) that prove not only the popularity of these two beloved rulers , but demonstrate how able

must be the administration of Masonic affairs generally in that truly Masonic county . Bro . Goodacre supplies a list of all the Provincial Grand Officers from 1826 to 188 9 , thus including the whole of the period of the separate existence as a province of West Lancashire . The names of the officers and Past Masters , & c , of

the several lodges , chapters , & c , are all dul y detailed , and the days of meetings for all these bodies throughout the year are given in tables , which must have cost considerable patience and labour to compile . Bro . Goodacre has earned the hearty thanks of the brethren for this excellent guide , and he himself is a capital

example of what an extent of work can be accomplished by systematic and well-directed efforts , as the trusted Prov . Grand Secretary . But West Lancashire is also to the fore in relation to its magnificent local Charities —the largest and most varied of the kind anywhere . The Honorary Secretaries of the West Lancashire

Masonic Educational Institution ( Bros . G . Broadbridge , J . Macnab , and T . H . N . Walker ) report 221 children on the funds , several of whom are being wholly maintained . All the applicants—34 in number—were placed on the foundation . The Secretaries call attention to " the smallness of the working expenses . " These are

so small that we almost failed to find them , being a sum for " printing , stationery , and postage , " and insurance . Simply these and nothing more , and the invested funds are over ^ 20 , 000 . The " Hamer" Benevolent Institution has 12 annuitants of £ 20 each on its funds , and about ^ 3500 balance in its favour , and the " Alpass "

Benevolent Institution has a similar sum in hand ( invested , & c ) , with nine annuitants on its funds . For the " Hamer" Fund Bros . H . H . Smith and A . J . J . Barnford are the Hon . Secretaries , and Bros . J . H . Barrow , R . Foote , and W . C . Erwin , kindly act in like manner for the " Alpass " Fund , the expenses of management being for pure necessities only .

FREEMASONS ' . CALENDAR FOR PROVINCE OF SOMERSETSHIRE , 1890-91 . The editor , Bro . C . L . Fry Edwards , states that , " in compiling this ninth yearly issue , he has followed the lines of last year , but he would gladl y receive any suggestions for alterations or improvements . " It

Reviews

would not be easy to ask for more matter when so much is given , and as respects arrangement it would be still more difficult to make any suggestions . We anticipate- that his province will gratefully accept his efficient services as editor , without thinking about any possible improvements , feeling assured that all needful

and desirable particulars are duly given in this indispensable for Somerset . Last year , a capital portrait of Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro G . M ., Prov . G . M . of Somersetshire , was inserted as a frontispiece , and in this issue one of the respected Deputy Prov . G . M . appears , viz ., Bro . R . C . Else ,

P . G . D ., who well deserves any compliment that can be paid him for his noble exertions on behalf of the Craft . There are 25 lodges , 10 R . A . chapters , nine Mark lodges , four K . T . preceptories , and four Rose Croix chapters , the names of all the officers , Past Masters , & c , being given , with many other particulars of especial value and interest to the local Fraternity .

'I he charities are also duly detailed in relation to Somerset , and exhibit a total of 2992 votes , the number of members being 1144 . This is a larger return , as respects votes , than ever before . Some 130 closely printed pages make up a wonderful compilation of most valuable facts creditable to the province ; and all are well digested and arranged by the editor .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

8 S 9 ] OLD MASONIC JUGS . Bro . Captain Walls is evidently learned in all the mysteries and technicalities of the ceramic art . I am not , so can offer no opinion as to the age or value of pottery as such , much as good specimens please me and make me long for a more intimate acquaintance with the subject . As respects , however , the Masonic

designs on such , they offer legitimate scope for my examination and knowledge of symbols , figures , & c , in relation to the Craft . In the question at issue , viz ., the age and value , Masonically , of Bro . Ferguson ' s old jug , I entirely fall in with Bro . Walls' views as to its rarity and exceptional importance , so far as respects

the design . A similar design is used at the present time on its circulars by the " Royal Kent Preceptory " of Knights Templars , Newcastle , which was not established before 9 th October , 1812 , so could not have originated it . The dates , or years , 1122 , 1314 , and 477 ( two of which puzzle Bro . Walls ) , of

themselves prove when the symbols were so artistically arranged . 1122 apparently is an error for 1118 , for . the " Anno Ordinis" 1 of the K . T ., whilst the year 1314 possibly refers to the period when De Molay , the last G . M . of the ancient Templars , was murdered . As however " Anno C . tdis " is often noted on old K . T .

documents ( or " A . C . " ) , and hence may refer to the Battle of Bannockburn , 1314 , as the year of slaughter , 1 , when the Knights Templars and those of the " Royal Order of Scotland " are supposed to have amalgamated in North Britain , it seems to me more probable that " 1314 " refers to that event . Either way , 1314 being thus the year 1 , of Anno Cadis , 477 would mean A . D

I 7 QI ( 477 x 1314 = 1791 ) , which gives the date of the design . In that year the Grand Conclave of K . T . was established , with Thomas Dunckerley as Grand Master . At that period the Rose Croix and Kadosh Degrees were conferred in Encampments , and all the mottoes , symbols , & c , are connected , directly or indirectl y , with the K . T ., and not with the " Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , " though the latter was worked at the time . W . J . HUGHAN .

P . S . —Bro . Carson has kindly sent me photos of his handsome Masonic jug . The main features of the design are to be found on a summons issued b y the " Patriotic Lodge , " Croydon , in 1785 , a copy of which ( reduced ) is given by Bro John Lees in his " History of the Surrey Lodge , No . 416 , Reigate . " Also No . 37 , Bolton , uses a similar design .

890 ] A CURIOUS MEDAL . I do not consider that the medal noted b y " Lex Scripta " ( 888 N . & Q . ) is Masonic , as we understand the term . According to Merzdorf , it has onl y an apparent connection with the Fraternity , having been struck for some gathering of operative Masons in Paris . It has been rather extensively muled , and Bro . Marvin says

that in the "Tresor Numismatique Napoleon , " Nos . 11 and 12 , of plate 46 , show these pieces engraved . Marvin , the best living authority on the subject , rejects it as Masonic . Possibly Bro . G . L . Shackles has one in his unrivalled cabinet , or Bro . Geo . Taylor may

have secured one for the grand collection in Worcestershire Library and Museum ; and I should like the opinion of either of these brethren or that of both on the subject , as they have so long been collectors - W . J . HUGHAN .

891 ] FREEMASONRY IN CHESHIRE , & c . The extracts kindly supplied by Bro . J . C . Robinson are numbered I to 10 , and I note them in order , as follows : 1 . —1777 seems to be an error in copying as the

lodge was formed at Flint in the early part of the previous decade . 2 . —The year should be 1768 ( or 1769 ) apparently , when a lodge was warranted at the Swan , Neston , but Bro . Lane only gives the year . It was erased in 1811 .