Freemasonary In The Western Division Of South Africa.

FREEMASONARY IN THE WESTERN DIVISION OF SOUTH AFRICA .

Last week we commented upon the splendid start which has been given to a Masonic Educational Institution which has recently been established in one of the Districts of South Africa , to wit , that of the Transvaal , the brethren of which have already

subscribed or promised the munificent sum of £ 15 , 000—just as a send-off—towards its maintenance . This week we have much pleasure in calling attention to another charitable scheme which has been successfully inaugurated under the auspices of the Dist .

Grand Lodge of the Western Division of South Africa and which is" intended to serve as a memorial of the completion of the 60 th year of Queen Victoria ' s reign . At the annual meeting of the Dist ! G . Lodge on the 16 th March last , it was decided

unanimously to establish a " District Masonic Pension Fund for Aged Freemasons and Widows" in commemoration of the anniversary just mentioned , and in order that it may be placed at once on a permanent and stable footing , it has been arranged

that the administration of the Fund shall be placed in charge of the District Board of General Purposes , the effect of which will be that , except for printing , postage , and stationery , the costs of management will be nil . But this is not all in the way of help

which Dist . G . Lodge has resolved on affording . At the same meeting it was resolved that as a permanent contribution towards this most benevolent object , Dist . Grand Lodge should devote one half of its yearly Benevolent Fund , the other half

being retained for the relief of casual distress . At the same time , both to make assurance doubly sure and likewise to allow of the benefits to be dispensed by the new Fund being as substantial as possible , a circular has been issued by the Dist . G .

Secretary inviting subscriptions from the pnvaie loc . ges and individual brethren and in order to encourage this class of contribution , it is proposed to give

donors and subscribers a quid pro quo in the shape of votes at the election of candidates , " each guinea subscribed entitling the donor to vote for three candidates . It will thus be seen that the " District Masonic Pension Fund " in the Western

Division of South Africa has been started on pretty well the same lines as our Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , the Male Annuity Fund of which was established 55 years ago by Grand Lodge with a permanent endowment of £ 400 per annum

from the Fund of Benevolence , while seven years later the Widows' Annuity Fund was started with a similar endowment ; donations and subscriptions being invited from lodges and brethren and votes given in recognition of such contributions to all

donors and subscribers . It only remains for the brethren who will administer the S . African Fund to arrange that a Festival in its behalf shall be held periodically and the resemblance between the General and District Charities will be complete . Need we

add that this further South African scheme of benevolence has our sincerest sympathy as well as our heartiest wishes for its success , and that at all times we shall be onl y too glad to encourage its support by every means in our power .

Supreme Grand Chapter And Regulation 43.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER AND REGULATION 43 .

The debate at the August Convocation upon the extraordinary decision of Grand Chapter at the May meeting cannot well be regarded with any other feeling but that of intense

dissatisfaction , and , in fact , only makes " confusion worse confounded . " It will be deplorable if some method cannot be found of putting the matter right ,

All the speakers ( except the Dep . Grand Registrar)—Comps . Le Feuvre , Fenn , and the M . E . Z . in the chair—seem to have admitted the correctness of the view taken of the law in question by the present writer , by Comp . Hughan , and by Comp .

Lovegrove in the columns of the Freemason ; but some difficulty appears to have been felt as to the best way to rectify the error . The Dep . Grand Registrar said he had to take the law as he

found it . Granted ! The M . E . Z . pointed out the same thing , though , with all deference , it is submitted he was wrong in speaking of its being the Grand Registrar ' s duty to " administer " the law ! The Grand Registrar advises Grand Chapter , but he

Supreme Grand Chapter And Regulation 43.

has no power to administer . Where is there any authority for considering the Grand Registrar as the Executive ? He advises , but Grand Chapter is not bound to adopt his opinions as a final judicial decision . The Court of Appeal to decide what is the true meaning of the law , is Grand Chapter itself ; and if it considers that the Grand Rear , has misconstrued the

law ( as in this case it is contended he has undoubtedl y done ) , Grand Chapter should unhesitatingly refuse to adopt his ruling . It is true that there has of late been a tendency to fall into the error of considering that because Grand Registrar takes a certain view it must necessarily be adopted . But even a Grand

Registrar is not infallible , and it would be most dangerous to the interests of the Craft if the representatives of the Brotherhood were bound by the opinion of any one man , however eminent and skilful he may be .

The fact is that Regulation 43 lias nothing whatever to do with the appointment of officers ! It relates soley to the government of Provincial and District Grand Chapters , and has no connection at all with Regulations 3 6 to 41 .

That this is so becomes very clear on reference to the previous edition of the Regulations . Reg . 43 in the Regulations of the 1886 edition is identical , word for word , with Reg . 41 of 18 79 ; and relates to Regulations 13 to 22 .

These , with the exception of 14 , which is new , are practically the same as Regulations 11 to 19 of the 18 79 Edition , in which book they form a separate division under the heading , "

REGULATIONS for the GOVERNMENT of the SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER during the time of PUBLIC BUSINESS to be read at the Convocation in May" This heading is omitted in the present Edition , as the reading in May had become obsolete .

It is hardly conceivable that E . Comp . Morton 'Smith would have adhered to his interpretation had his attention been called to this fact , and it is somewhat extraordinary that it was not brought to his notice in August . If this view of the law be correct , as it certainly appears to

be , any alteration of Regulation 42 is not only unnecessary , but would be a great mistake . To add words to the effect that "this Regulation does not apply to the appointment of officers " would be superfluous ; and if a statement that it " never had applied " were not added , all the old appointments and

nonappointments would be left in the state of doubt and confusion in which they are placed by the May decision . If it be impossible or inexpedient to rescind that decision , a simple resolution of Grand Chapter in Novr ., " that Reg . 43 applies only to the government of Provl . and Dist . Grand Chapters during the

time of public business and has nothing to do with the appointment of Officers , " would be sufficient . It would be declaratory of the law , and would pass over in silence the decision which

had evoked the declaration . No great injustice would be done in the actual case under appeal , as Comp . Coates is allowed to have his Past Rank , alul Comp . Gray ' s rank could be confirmed by his being re-appointed .

The statement that Supreme Grand Chapter adopted its May resolution on the ground that it had nothing to do with the matter seems hardly correct , and must be by some error in the

report . Otherwise , all appointments by Supreme Grand Superintendents of Provinces or Districts , however illegal , could never be questioned—a position which could not be maintained either in Arch or Craft .

It is to be hoped that now the matter has been ventilated , and has evoked such strong evidence of the universal practice being contrary to the Dep . G . Reg ' s , interpretation of the law , some steps will be taken in November to put the matter beyond question . LEX SCRIPTA .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cornwall.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CORNWALL .

The above Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Public Hall , Liskeard , on the 31 st ult ., under the banner of St . Martin Lodge , No . 510 . The town was gay with bunting , and the local brethren made excellent preparations for the reception of the visitors , who numbered about 400 . The Provincial Grand Ledge having been opened , the following were among

those present . Bros , the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , P . G . M . ; Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , D . P . G . M . ; N . J . West , P . S . G . W . | P . T . Chirgwin , P . J . G . W . f Rev . H . W . Millett , P . G . Chap . ; G . H . Small , P . G . Treas .: E . Boase , P . G . Reg . ; E . Anderton , P . G . Sec . ; E .

W . Carus-Wilsm . P . S . G . D . ; H . Opie and J . Pendray , P . J . G . Ds . ; J . T . Lttcher , P . G . I ) C . ; W . H . Lake , P . D . G . D . C . ; W . R . Brewer , P . A . G D . C . ; and others . The Prov . G . M . invested his officers as follows .: