The Death Of Bro. Thomas William Tew, J.P., Past Prov. Grand Master Of West Yorkshire.

become more frequent and his weakness greater . His last public Masonic act was to open the New Masonic Hall which has been recently erected for St . Oswald Lodge , at Pontefract . He , on that occasion , delivered one of his characteristic addresses , which appeared in our columns at the time . This was on the ioth October , 1894 . From the very pathetic farewell which he then took of his brethren , it was clear that he knew it was the last visit he

would pay them , and , on Friday , March 29 th , he closed his life of usefulness and beneficence in love and charity with all men . Much most interesting information relating to Bro . Tew ' s life and Masonic career may be found in the introductory chapters to his Masonic addresses which were edited and published by Bro . Matthewman in 1 S 92 . We understand a second or companion volume is in the press , which will give further particulars of the late Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire .

Bro . Tew was buried in the churchyard of St . Stephen ' s Church , East Hardwick , on Tuesday last . To the building fund of this church Bro . Tew gave , £ 2000 ; he , moreover , induced the Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , the Marquess of Ripon , to lay the foundation stone , and in every possible way helped on the good work . This function , it may be mentioned en passant , was the last in which the noble Marquess , as Grand Master of Pnorlanrl . rnnk naif . 1 1

"" 1 , , — --The funeral was of the simplest character , but the numbers of sympathising friends who crowded thc church and churchyard most clearly showed how highly our departed brother was esteemed . Amongst the clergy present were the Bishop of Beverley , the Dean of York , and the Vicars of Pontefract , Carleton , East Hardwick and Goole . The neighbouring gentry , the various corporate bodies of Pontefract , and the

tradesmen of that ancient borough were largely represented . The Freemasons were very numerous , brethren from all parts of the Province as well as from North and East Yorshire having , many at great inconvenience , a'sembled to pay a last farewell to their beloved chief . Sit tibi terra le-ois was the thought of all . AH were actuated with the feeling so beautifully expressed by the late Bro . Robert Morris , who said to a loving friend when dying : We'll not forget thee , we who stay

To work a little longer here ; Thy name , thy faith , thy love shall lie On memory ' s pages bright and clear ; And when o ' er-wearied by the toil Of life , our heavy limbs shall be , We'll come , and one by one lie down Upon dear Mother Earth with thee .

Bro . Tew was born on the 13 th of May , 1828 , and was , therefore , just about completing his 67 th year . He leaves a widow , one son , Mr . Edward Grosvenor Tew , at present at Magdalene College , Oxford , and three daughters .

Ancient Freemasonry.

ANCIENT FREEMASONRY .

It is worthy of the very careful and earnest study , by those Freemasons of this generation who are in very truth Freemasons , to investigate what was Ancient Freemasonry . There is in this age an epidemic of moral disintegration as well as in the minds of men , that enervates the power of the mental capacity to record , reflect , form unbiased or unprejudiced opinions on questions that are of vital interest in the maintenance of truth .

What has been for ages established , is now looked upon as beneath the attention of the flippant , superficial , unthinking talkers who cry out , "keep step with the progress of the age . " They delight to follow a brass band and a circus parade , and arc content in the shallowness of their information to believe they are the great men of the day . Keep step with the progress of the age is always circulated as their wisdom , wisdom to them , not

understood , but talked , which is the tag they put out to impress the beholders . The true , enlig htened student of Freemasonry knows that Ancient Freemasonry existed , was believed in , held in honour and maintained in its integrity for ages . It made its indelible impression on the hearts and minds of the greatest thinkers , philosophers and earnest men of many generations . They were deeply impressed by its sublime truths , they were taught

all its lessons , they practised its precepts , they devoted their lives to the preservation and perpetuation of its mysteries , they defended its laws and regulations , they made penalties for every destructive agency that endangered the landmarks and the symbology . From one generation lo another they were bound to preserve Ancient Freemasonry as they in each generation received it . They did not permit any assault on its foundations .

They protected its truths from invidious enemies . He who in the days of the g lory of Ancient Freemasonry would have dared to hint at keeping step with the progress of the age , to inject novelties into the ceremonial of the Ancient Fraternity would have met his deserved penalty . Thus it was that for ages the Masonic Craft grew and became a great Temple , built by the wisdom and knowledge , the integrity , devotion and faith of those who were

entrusted with the duty of preserving and perpetuating the truth of the ancient laws , landmarks and principles of the Fraternity . But , alas , here and there in this age it is not rare to find men who wear the apron , and collar , and jewel of the Craft to talk about keeping step with the progress of the age , introducing novelties , unknown , unheard of words and things that the " circus show " and the " variety show " rejoice to use to

bring the thoughtless and ignorant to their entertainments . Ancient Freemasonry !!! in costumes , in uniforms , in parades , in public with females or the dolls of grand potentate ' s patronesses in maternal habiliments lecturing in a Masonic lodge room , keeping step with the progress of the age . When these things come to pass , lodge rooms will be turned into shrines

—consistories will be music halls , the song and the lute will articulate the secrets , the feminine fraternity will publish in a periodical devoted to the modern music of keeping step with the progress of the age . Ancient Freemasonry will then be found in the ruins of King Solomon ' s I ' empie , in the catacombs of the illustrious dead of the Ancient Craft , in the

mausoleums of great Grand Masters , in the grave of K ing Hiram , in the hill sides , and forests , and the quarries . Thus will the march go on , if keeping step with thc progress of the age 's not promptly condemned by the Craft in all places where Ancient Freemasonry exists in her strength , wisdom , and beauty . The casual reader may smile at these thoughts , and incredulous pay no attention to them . But . dear brethren of the Ancient Craft , remember that

Ancient Freemasonry.

those who sought to destroy Troy filled a structure resembling a horse , and thus undisturbed entered the city , and it was destroyed . Beware , then , brethren , of a novelty in Freemasonry like unto that Trojan horse , keeping step to the progress of the age . It may , might , destroy your temples and put to flight the brass band and the circus that undertook to get it into your temples . But be of good cheer ! There is seed left of A . F . and A . Masonry that will never die . Rejoice and be exceedingly glad , brethren . Yes , there are witnesses left even to this day , —Keystone .

Jubilee Festival Of The United Pilgrims Lodge, No. 507.

JUBILEE FESTIVAL OF THE UNITED PILGRIMS LODGE , No . 507 .

The United Pilgrims Lodge , No . 507 . celebrated thc jubilee of its existence on Thursday , the 28 th ult ., when its 51 st Worshipful Master was installed in thc chair . A very valuable contribution to the proceedings of thc evening , which wan spent at the Bridge House Hotel , London Bridge , was -a succinct history of the lodge collected after considerable research b y Bro . Charles W . Peters , P . M ., and Secretary , who laid it before the brethren in his reply to the toast of the "Past Masters . "

Ihe proceedings were most successful throughout . Bro . Robert P . Gilson , W . M ., presided in lodge , which was held in the well known beautiful ball-room of the hotel , and there were also present Bros . Chas Thomas , P . M . ; Thomas J . Noakes , P . M . ; Charles Hy . Stone , P . M . ; H . E , Cockell , P . M . ; S . Ellson , P . M . ; Geo . Beste , P . M ., S . W ., and W . M . elect ; C W . Peters , P . M ., ; Sec . ; Wm . Lipscombe , S . D . ; G . W . Terry , I . G . ; Geo . W

Comfort , Charity Steward ; F . C . Atkinson , P . M ., Org . ; W . Chaneys , A . W Brewer , E . A . Jacobs , B . M . Jacobs , and C . W . Stone . Visitors : Bros . M . Delmard , 2190 ; J . H . Laing , J . W . 2469 ; C . Garton , S . D . 192 ; H . Massey , 160 , P . M . 619 and 1928 ; J . W . Dickinson , 913 ; Spencer West , 2182 ; A . C . White , W . M . 141 ; G . A . Pickering , 29 , P . G . S . ; J . Speller , P . M . 1677 , 2256 , P . P . G . D

Essex ; W . G . Hunt , P . M . 452 ; William Baker , J . D . 192 ; A . C . Haycraft , J . W . 2424 ; W . J . Breever , 1853 ; R . J . Day , D . C . 1853 ; J . F . Seaton , P . M . 822 ; Hy . Brown , P . M . 822 ; Walter Robin , S . D . 890 ; H . Pynegar . S . W . 890 ; J . Jenkins , P . M . 126 9 ; Frank Heywood , 862 ; A . A . Drew , P . M . 890 ; Walter F . Bull , P . M . 1707 ; Rushton Odell , 2077 ; and R . J . Stoneham , J . D . 2046 .

Bro . Gilson installed Bro . George William Beste as W . M ., performing his work in splendid style , and receiving afterwards the collar of I . P . M . The other brethren who were elected to ofiice were Bros . W . Lipscomb , S . W . ; G . W . Terry , J . W . ; J . S . Terry , P . M ., Treas . ; Charles W . Peters , P . M ., Sec . ; C . H . Gold , S . D . ; G . W . Comfort , J . D . ; W . C . Chaney , l . G . ; S . Ellison , P . M ., D . C ; C . W . Stone , Collecting Steward ; F . C . Atkinson , P . M ., Org . ; and

Harrison , Tyler . After Bro . Gibson had completed the ceremony by fluently delivering the addresses , Bro . Beste initiated Mr . Rowland Allan Brangwin ; and after the report and accounts had been adopted , 15 guineas were voted to the W . M . ' s list as Steward for the next Festival of the R . M . I , for Girls , and i , " io to a brother in distress . The lodge , however , refused assistance to one of those itinerant Masons , or self-styled Masons who employ their time in soliciting alms from lodges and lodges of instruction .

After the lodge was closed , a sumptuous repast was partaken of , and the usual toasts were honoured , the speeches being interspersed with some beautiful music by Mrs . H . E . Cockell , Miss Lily Beste , Miss Annie Matthews , and Bros . H . E . Cockell , P . M . ; Ruston Cockell , and C . Spencer West , accompanied by Bro . F . C , Atkinson , P . M .

Thc toasts were admirably brief . Bro . GILSON , I . P . M ., proposed " The W . M ., " who was so well known to the brethren , and had shown such good working that evening , that it was not necessary to repeat to thebrethren what they knew before . They were very fortunate in having such a W . M . in the jubilee year of the lodge .

Bro . G . W . BESTE , W . M ., in replying , said he felt it agreat honour to fill the high post of W . M . in the jubilee year . He should continue , as he had tried hitherto , to advance the cause of Freemasonry , and particularly the welfare of the United Pilgrims Lodge . It was commencing a new era , and taking a fresh lease of life . It had certainly had its ups and downs , but was going now to take anew departure . He hoped in a year or two that the lodge would be very flourishing , and that in his endeavours to make it so he would have the assistance of all the brethren . With that help no doubt the lodge would go forward .

Bro . BESTE , W . M ., in proposing ' Thc Initiate , " referred to what hc had just said as to infusing new life into the lodge . They had started on that course by having one initiate that evening . At their next meeting they would have two initiates . That progress , he trusted , would continue . He knew Bro . Brangwin would reflect great credit on the lodge , he had long wanted to become a Mason , but had lacked the opportunity of coming forward .

Bro . BKANGWIN , replying , thought himself particularly fortunate in his initiation commencing on the 50 th birthday of his lodge , also in having such an energetic father in Masonry as Bro . Beste . He trusted that under Bro . Beste ' s rule the year would be a prolific one . In the interests of Masonrv in general , looking at its age , a lodge 50 years old was rather in its youthful prime and might be expected to have a prolific progeny . That was only by the way . He came as

a humble novice into this ancient and honourable Craft of Masonry , which had been handed down not only in jubilees but centuries and thousands of years , and whose principle inculcated brotherhood between man and man , truth and right dealing , and when this Iodge celebrated its centenary and those now alive had passed on their pilgrimage , he trusted that Masonry would not only have promoted brotherhood between man and man , but between nations and nations . The Charity box realised £ 2 6 s . od .

Bro . BESTE , W . M ., in proposing " The I . P . M . " and presenting Bro . Gilson with a Past Master ' s jewel , said all the brethren were very much attached to Bro . Gilson , who was the very essence of kindness . He ( Bro . Beste ) had never come across any man in Masonry who had displayed a more Masonic heart than Bro . Gilson . The jewel of a Past Master had never been pinned on a breast more worthy than that of Bro . Gilson .

Bro . GILSON , I . P . M ., said the success of his year was due to the kind support of all the ofiicers , from his I . P . M . to the I . G . He had nothing but assistance from every brother of the Iodge , and he thanked them all for it . Bros . H . C . WHITE , I . MES SPELLER , and DREW responded to the toast of " The Visitors , " one of whom , Bro Laing , the W . M , thanked speciall y for hia kind gift of the floral decorations of the table .