Masonic Jurisprudence.

Granted then that there is an authorised ritual , wh y not have it worked under authoritative conditions , at such frequent intervals as shall ensure continuity and uniformity . There is of course the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , but it has no official locus standi that we know of . It is not safe to leave

such things to tradition . Everyone knows how even the simp lest statement of fact becomes distorted until unrecognisable , even in contemporaneous circulation , and it is easy to understand how our complex legends and teaching and ritual , handed down in one lodge for the best part of a century , may ultimately pass

beyond the pale of recognition . There is a well-worn story of the Principal Sojourner of a certain chapter relating the story cf Cyrus , King of Prussia , & c . The candidate , who thought he knew better , ventured to suggest that Persia was meant , but was told it had always been Prussia in that chapter , and was always going to be !

Some day we may have a " Grand Preceptor ' s Lodge , " with a " Grand Preceptor " at the head of it . If our ritual is to descend through our many lodges in a pure and unsullied stream , all thc more reason for thc fountain head being pure . A correspondence on this subject appeared in the Freemason during

April and May , 186 9 , and at Grand Lodge in December , 186 9 , Bro . Stevens proposed and carried a resolution appointing a committee to enquire into it . No agreement was arrived at , however , as to the constitution of such committee , and the matter eventuall y dropped .

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has its authorised " School of Work , " which corresponds in some measure with our Emulation Lodge of Improvement , the difference being that

it is practicall y a Sub-Committee of Grand Lodge , and , therefore , all its proceedings are stamped with official approval . Its meetings are open , and are held on the day preceding the Quarterly Communication .

The second landmark affirms thc existence of three degrees and no more . This is according to Mackey , whose list is generally accepted , but , as our readers arc aware , much interesting discussion has been going on of late years as to whether there were not ori g inally onl y two . In the face of

Article I . such discussion , however , is onl y academic . There is no doubt but that the celerity with which thc neophyte attains to the 3 has taken away much of the importance that used to be attached to the 2 ° , and the statement made to the Fellow

Crafts in the Hiramic legend , who yearned for advancement , as to the possibility of their patient continuance in well doing entitling them to it , seems to have little meaning , especially when the patient continuance referred to never exceeds a month , and may be reduced to seven days .

The third landmark affirms thc genuineness of the Hiramic legend , a question which does not lie within our present

province . Nos . 4 to 14 refer to questions already dealt with . No . 15 affirms the necessity of every visitor , unless known or vouched for , being examined . It has been decided of late

years , with reference to a case in South Africa , that . neither examination nor being satisfactoril y vouched for dispensed with the necessity for producing the Grand Lodge certificate if required .

This ought to be thoroughl y understood , and it would add much to general Masonic efficiency if the examination were also compulsory . Vouching for a brother ought to be defined . Article 1 . 50 says , " Unless he be personally known to or well vouched for , after clue examination , by one of the brethren present . "

Vouching means that the brother who thus pledges his Masonic faith as to the bona jides of a visitor , has actually sat in lod ge with him , or has strictl y examined him , and such examination should onl y be made in one p lace , that is , in the anteroom of the lodge . It is quite within the Worshi pful Master ' s

province to enact that every visitor , attending his lodge for the hrst time , shall be examined . In such a case the vouching becomes simpl y a certificate of respectability . The ri ghts and disabilities of visitors have been alread y treated of in these columns .

No . j 6 says that a lodge must not confer degrees upon brethren not in membership . Article 191 affirms this as fains initiates are concerned . As regards candidates for the Second Degree and Third Degreethe spirit of the injunction is

, observed when a lodge declines to confer these degress upon non-members , otherwise than at the special rcqucstof the lodge of which the candidate is a member . This is a frequent occurrcm e in the colonies .

There are nine more , landmarks , but they have cither been referred to in previous ? irtictes , or else have no bearing on our subject .

H . R . H . TUB PKINCRSS OK "WALES has graciously consented to open the National nazaaron the 2 . 1 th jnit ., \ a the Firnprenr . Rooms , Royal Palace Hotel , Kensington .

Masonic Brotherly Love.

MASONIC BROTHERLY LOVE .

I COMMUNICATED ] . Bro . Canon VV . H . Cooper , a Mason of 44 years' standing , who completely broke down six months ago from the effects of overwork , is , we are glad to learn , now so much stronger that he is about to leave England on the 25 th instant , by the advice of his medical advisers , for a voyage to Australia . Bro . Cooper ' s philanthropic work for poor , sick , and disabled

clergymen is well known . During the last eight years he has founded , and now leaves in a prosperous condition , two valuable institutions—the Hostel of St . Luke and the Homes of St . Barnabas . In the last-named institution he arranged that special provision should be made for the reception of poor clergymen who are Freemasons . While Bro . Cooper was giving all his spare time gratuitously as secretary to the institutions he had founded , Mrs .

Cooper worked as hon . lady superintendent and matron , living with the inmates , and caring for them both when they were well and when they were sick and dying . Nearly five years of such trying work brought on severe nervous prostration , rendering a complete rest and change absolutely necessary for wife as well as husband . Unfortunately , Bro . Cooper has not only had to give up all honorary work , but also , has had to resign his

connection with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel , under which auspices he went out as a missionary to Australia in 1 S 64 . For 30 years he has worked in connection with the venerable society . As a pioneer missionary taking up new ground he has been very successful , and his work which was continuously carried on for 17 years at home as a deputation preacher and lecturer has received the highest commendation

from the officers of the Society . When , in January last , Bro . Cooper ' s resignation took effect , he naturally applied to the S . P . G ., in the service of which he had spent all the best years of his life , and contracted the diseases that incapacitated him , he was met with the cold formalities of unsympathetic officials and Committees , and this old and valuable servant of the Society was recommended to appeal as a pauper to

the clergy Charities for help . The Standing Committee expressed the warmest sympathy with his sad case ; but they felt they could not give him any pecuniary assistance , as there was no precedent for pensioning a " Deputat'on , " and they dare not make one . It was , indeed , a matter of thankfulness for Bro . Cooper that he was a Mason as well as a Christian . On his applying to his Masonic brethren , they did for him what his mere

Christian brethren refused to do ; the Priests and the Levites passed by on the other side , but the Good Samaritans of the Craft are helping to pay Bro . Cooper and his wife ' s passage to Australia , in the hope they will return sufficiently restored to health and strength to resume the good work for which they are noted ; thus illustrating the beautiful and practical principles of Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth upon which the Craft is founded .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

The annual meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Surrey-street , Sheffield , on Thursday , the 3 rd instant . In consequence of a delay of trains the R . W . Prov . G . Master , Bro . C . Letch Mason , was unable to take part in the earlier portion of the proceedings . Britannia , No . 53 , under whose banner the province was meeting , opened a lodge about 4 . 15 , and at 4 45 the W . Deputy and the Officers of Prov . G . Lodge entered .

Those present comprised W . Bro . John Barker , Dep . Prov . G . Master , acting Prov . G . M . ; V . W . Bros Geo . H . Parke , P . G . Treas ., acting Dep . Prov . G . M . ; VV . VV . Clayton , P . M . 374 , Prov . S . G . W . ; H . J . Garnett , P . M . . S 3 , P . G . D ., as Prov . J . G . VV . ; Geo . Martin , P . M . ( T . I . ) , Prov . G . M . O . ; S . Pegler , P . M , 398 , Prov . G . S . O . ; Wm . Flockton , W . M . in , as Prov . G 4 . O . ; the Rev . J . W . Clough , Prov . G . Chap , j R . Wilkinson , P . M . 352 , Prov . G . Treas . ; A . J . Forsdike , P . M . si , Prov . G . Reg .

Joseph Matthewman , P . M . no , Prov . G . Sec ; T . G . Howell , P . M . ! J 7 and 493 , as Prov . S . G . D . ; F . Bateman , P . M . 352 , as Prov . J . G . D . ; G . F . Carr , P . iVl 457 , as Prov . G . Org . ; Geo . Fdwards , P . M . S 3 , Prov . G . D . of C . ; J . F . Dyson , P . M . 137 , as Prov . Asst . G . D . of C . ; J . W . iilackburn , P . M . in , Prov . G . S . B . ; K . Billington , P . M . 127 , as Prov . G . Std . Br . ; Geo . Wragg , P . M . 53 , as Prov . G . Org . ; Joe Naylor , P . M . 137 , Prov . G . I . G . ; and C . If . Rose , P . M . 58 , A . G . Mabin , P . M . 457 , A . Rose , P . M . 493 , and Wm . Chambers , P . M . 501 , Prov . G , Stwds .

Others included Bros . H . S . Holdswoith , P . M . 58 , John Unwin , P . M . 53 , Richard Hodgson , P . M . 5 8 , M . J . Dodworth , P . M . 53 , and VV . E . Smithies , P . M . 137 and 493 , P . P . G . Wardens ; Thos . Norfolk . P . M . ( T . L ) , and Thos . Roivbotham , P . M . 53 , P . P . G . Overseers ; John Reed , P . M . 398 , P . P . G . Treas . ; Wm . Langbridge , P . M . 398 , and J . P . Hewitt , P . M . 53 , P . P . G . Registrars ; and J . H . Pawson , P . M . 39 8 , and A . Leach , P . M . no . P . P . G . Dirs . of C .

There was a good attendance of W . Ms , and brethren from all parts of the province , Britannia Lodge , notwithstanding the absence of the W . M . who is travelling for his health , mustering strongly . After the usual salutes , the Prov . G . Registrar called the roll , when it was found that all the 16 lodges of the province were represented , some very numerously . Of the 23 acting Prov . G . Ollicers only five or . six failed to answer to their names .

The minutes of the half-yearly meeting held at Elland on the 15 th November , 1899 , were presented by the Prov . G . Secretary , put to the meeting and confirmed . The Prov . G . Registrar , Bro . A . J . FORSIUKE , reported that since the last annual meeting two lodges hail been added to the roll , the Ilaywra , No . 5 J 5 , Harrogate , and the Bronte , No . 535 , Hawoi'ih ; that during the

year ending 31 st December , 1 8 « , there had been 6 9 additional members added to the lodges ; that through death and other causes 28 had been lost , shovwi g an increase on the year of 41 ; that the total membership at the date named was 544 j that the arrears were not worth mentioning , numbering four only , and that the condition of the province was harmonious and progressive .

The balance sheet , presented by the Prov . Grand Treasurer , Bro . R , Wilkinson , Mayor of Ripon , was , on the motion of Bro . T . ROWIIOTHAM , seconded by Bro . Tims . NOKICI . K , unanimously adopted . Bro . R . WILKINSON then proposed , as his successor to the office of Treasurer , Bro . Benjamin Sykes Bailey . P . M . 371 .