Ars Quatuor Coronatorum.*

GRUBER , S . J . ) . Bro . SPETH , when he is so minded , can strike hard , and he does not spare Father GRl . 'BER . He allows in one p lace that "the book is intensely clever ; " that thc descriptions of occurrences on which he relies " are copied from genuine

Masonic sources ; " and , speaking from memory , that "the quotations are not garbled ; " but in another place hc remarks that "the devilish ingenuity with which Father GRUBER manages to pervert his text to his own ignoble purpose is simply

marvellous , and not a little amusing , just as thc dexterity of a thimble-rigger is marvellous and amusing withal . " We trust thc author will be satisfied with Bro SpETIl ' s plain speaking . We are also indebted to Bro . SPETH for a readable account of a

work entitled " Leicester Masonry , 1103-1327 / ' being , in fact , a review of a portion of a work recently issued from thc Cambridge University Press— " Records of thc Borough of Leicester . Beinsr a series of Extracts from the Archives of

the Corporation of Leicester , 1103-1327 . '' Edited by MARY BATEMAN , Associate and Lecturer of Newnham College , Cambridge * * * 1 S 99 . There is also from his pen a record of the Summe Outing of thc Lodge to Exeter , with much else relating

to that event , the letter press having the further merit of being fully and adcquatelv illustrated . Among the other contents are the usual Chronicle and Obituary and reviews of " The Builders ; the Story of a Great Masonic Guild ; bv LEADER SCOTT ; S 3

Illustrations , '' London , Sampson Low , Marston , and Co ., 18 99 , by Bro . HAMON LF . STRANGE , and " KENNING ' Arch .-eological Library , Vol . IL . " & c , & c , in which Bro . Sl'E'l'lI does full justice to Bro . W . J . HUGHAN ' S labours in the compilation

ofthe volume . In addition to the Illustrations already mentioned in connection with the lodge ' s visit lo Exeter , ( here are others , among them being a portrait ol liro . E . T . SciIULT / ., a prominent American brother , who has been compelled to retire from active Masonry b y failure of his eyesight .

Lodge Officers.

LODGE OFFICERS .

No . IL—THE SECRETARY .

[ COMMI'NICATED . ] The virtues of regularity and punctuality arc more desirable and , indeed , essential in Brother Secretary than in any other officer of the lodge . What we mean is that every other officer ' s p lace can be filled by a substitute at a pinch . If anything

detain the Worship ful Master , there is generally some other Worshipful Brother present , who can , at all events , carry on the routine , and , as to the other offices , the private brother is rather g lad than otherwise when a casual vacancy gives him a chance to assume office , if only lor one evening . But Brother Secretary

has charge of the minute book and the declaration hook , and is in possession of information about the candidates , and has all the lodge correspondence with him , and he , therefore , bears a double share of the responsibility which devolves upon everv officer .

The Secretary ' s duties are of three kinds . Firsl , and most important , are those concerned with candidates ; then the keeping of the lodge records ; and , lastly , making the returns . The last of these is little more than routine , and we cannot understand

why any Secretary should ever allow his returns to Provincial ( irand Lodge to i * et into arrears . The quarterl y return is at mo > t an hour ' s work , and when one is being drawn up , that for the succeeding quarter can be copied from it—eliminating the le'ignalions , and leaving open spaces for the additions lo be made when it is actually due .

The annual return ol Master , Wardens , and Past Masters is only a ten minutes' business once a year , and the registration return of new members lakes but the same time once a quarter . And yet , si range to sa ) ' , these an- the only secretarial duties ever allowed to get into arrears . The minutes are always up to

time : everything wilh regard lo candidates is done at the proper time , and in each case a certain amount of physical and mental work is involved—but how many Secretaries are there who make' a point of having their returns in ihe hands of the Provincial Grand Sccivlarv on due date . And the cf feels of

his negligence in this respect are not confined to himself . In fad , I iiey scarcely allecl him al all personally . It is Ihe Past Mailers ol the lodge who fail lo gel Provincial ( irand rank In cause iheir existence is not officially known lo the Provincial ( irand Master , who have a right t <> complain . Or it maybe ( he Master and Wardens who go to ( irand Lodge , and are sent

Lodge Officers.

back again because no record of their appointment has come to hand , ft is the Worshipful Master who is blamed by the authorities for all this ; and though he may , and doubtless does , pass it on , still the stigma remains . Thc Secretary has charge of the lodge records , and has to

keep them up to date , which means hc has to write up the minutes every month . Every lodge has its traditional way of expressing things , and some lodges positively wallow in archaeological phraseology . A new Secretary will do well , then , to

study his predecessor ' s records before writing out the minutes from his rough notes . He ought to regard any subsequent decision of the lodge-to erase or alter any part of his minutes as a reflection upon his Secretarial capacity .

Writing up minutes seems a simple enough operation , but there are several things which may be touched upon . A list of thc brethren present comes first , and though he will be quite justified in relying only upon the attendance book , it is equally

desirable that he should make a list of his own . He should be careful about the order in which he places them , c . q ., Past Masters of the lodge will take precedence of worshipful brethren , who are only members of the lodge .

Much as arch .-eological phraseology may be admired , superfluity of expression might be avoided . For instance , "Thc lodge was opened in due and antient form with solemn prayer . " The last expression is unnecessary , as it is included in the fact that the lodge was opened in due form and in antient form .

Absent members arc often very sensitive on the subject of their apologies for non-attendance being duly recorded , and this is a matter that should be carefully noted at thc time , so as to avoid thc necessity of interpolating them when the minutes are subsequently read . Especial tact is needed when there has been

r , debate in lodge , and the remarks of various brethren have to be chronicled . To report one brother verbatim , and simply to record the fact that the discussion was continued by other brethren , is calculated to cause a certain amount of soreness .

I o make a careful abstract of each brother ' s speech demands a professional experience which possibly brother Secretary lacks . He should consult the Worshipful Master in such matters , and , in fact , it would be well to submit a rough copy of the minutes to the Worshipful Master in every case .

After the minutes have been read the usual thing is to confirm them . What confirmation of minutes reall y means requires some explanation , because J . he Constitutions have meddled with the subject . It is contrary to common sense to suppose that b y refusing to confirm the minutes or any portion of them , a lodge

meeting should thereby have the power of revising what has been done at a previous meeting . Yet the article in the Book of Constitutions relating to the election of a Worshi pful Master is so worded that the power of revision is not infrequently exercised . When the Worshi pful Master puts the minuies for

confirmation he simply means " Do you consider this a correct record of what took place . " He docs not say " Do you approve of what took place . " Non-confirmation should not imply disapproval but only a doubt as to accuracy . And yet we have

been in a lodge where a majority of the members declined lo confirm a portion of the minutes which referred to thc blackballing of a candidate , with the result that the latter thus escaped the provisions of a by-law which would have made him wait six months .

The Secretary has lo see that a candidate ' s papers are in order , and to certify that all fees are paid . In the case of a joining brother the papers include the application , duly signed by proposer and seconder , the Grand Lodge certificate and a no-dues certificate from thc last lodge , and it would only be

carrying out the spirit of the Constitutions , though not required by the letter , to ask for a no-dues certificate from each lodge the brother belongs to at the lime of his joining . In the case of an initiate , a declaration is required and an application form . These should all be filed in a convenient way .

Since the summons is issued in the name of the Master , it goes without saying that a proof of it should always be submitted to the W . M . before it is issued . The onl y business that is absolutely necessary to appear in the summons is that concerned with the admission of new members and elections , & c .

The conferment of subsequent Degrees is usually added , and controversy is avoided if proposals for grants of money are inserted . There is one point more to be mentioned with regard to Brother Secretary—the performance of his duties should not make him oblivious of the necessity of standing to order during lodge ceremonies .

A good Secre ' ary is never forgotten . He may not receive promotion immediately , but he is practically sure of a Warden ' s chair , lie can do wonders for his lodge if so disposed . All its business arrangements are in his hands , and it is equally true in Freemasonry , as in other concerns of life , that business is business . We have not said anything yet about thc corres-