Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS ; 5 ° i The Revised Constitntions J 02 Laving the Foundation Stone of St . Agnes ' Church , Moseley Jo *; C ORRESPONDENCEBro . W . I . Hughan S 06 The Late Fire at Freemasons' Hall Jo 6

Rebuilding the Temple Jo ; A Historv of Freemasonry in Wiltshire ... 507 The Knights Templar Degree 507 The " Antient and Primitive Rite ' Socalled Soj A . Little Mistake Soj Reviews S ° 7 Notes and Queries 5 ° 7

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys - { 07 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , 507 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry i ( oS Instruction 513 Royal Arch 512 Mark Masonry 512

Ancient and Accepted Rite 513 Knights of Malta , , 513 Cryptic Masonry 513 Obituary 513 Australia 513 The Theatres 513 Masonic and General Tidings 514 Lodge Meetings for Next Week ... Page 3 Cover .

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B EFORE we again greet our readers the elections for the Girls' and Boys ' Schools will be over . We still hear unprecedented accounts of high polling likely to occur in both elections , and when our next issue appears we shall

be able to announce how far such prognostications and prophecies have been fulfilled and made good . We are inclined to think that , as often happens , there is a little exaggeration in the matter ; but time and the poll will prove all things , and make all things clear and certain .

* * # THERE is a proposal at the Quarterly Court of the Girls School , to make compulsory retirement obligatory on a certain proportion of the Girls' School House Committee annually . Abstractedly there is a good deal to be said in favour of the theory ; in practice , nothing . In clubs it is done , but even in

clubs the law is not uniform , as experience shows us that the effect of the rule is for the most part to take off the very members whose absence most is missed , and to put on those who are valueless as Committeemen , because they have the " routine " work to learn . We know of several instances where the best men go off year by year , and members are put on who never learn

their work , until the rule once so common is now practically condemned by all who have had much experience in Committee work . In the Girls' School there are grave objections to Bro . TATTERSHALL ' S motion , which appears to be the reflex and outcome of certain personal struggles , in which a large majority of the subscribers deliberately decided adversely to

his views . In our humble opinion he had better "let well alone . " If the House Committee either forfeits the confidence of the subscribers , or any members of it are proved to be unattentive , negligent , or useless , a change can be carefully and deliberately made at the annual period of election . But compulsorily to retire a certain proportion , whether by ballot

or seniority annually , is certain to impair the efficiency of the House Committee , to interfere with its unity and regularity of action , and import an element of discussion and agitation , cabal and clique , year by year into its proceedings , which may be productive of the worst possible consequences to the well ordered progress and prosperity of our Girls' School . We hardly think that the Quarterly Court will agree to the change involved .

* * * WE have heard a good deal against the "double votes , " but we are quite clear that they are perfectly permissible and even beneficial . There is one point , no doubt , which requires consideration . Will the future support of the Institution which adopts them in any way be affected ?

We are inclined to think that not much fear after all need be apprehended on this head . If it may seem " a priori" all but impossible to keep up our normal subscriptions at their present abnormal height to our Charities , yet after all a good deal of " margin " may fairly be claimed for the expansion and growth of our Fraternity . True equally it is

to assert , that there is a large portion of" untitled soil in our Brotherhood , from which the Secretaries of our Institutions may yet reap a goodly harvest . A large portion of our lodges , chapters , and brethren have not yet done anything for the Charities , and we do not ourselves feel at all sure , that the true level of our yearly returns , large as they may seem to be , has yet been

reached . So great has been the success of the movement financially for the Boys' School , that we venture to think , if the cause should justify the expedient , that the Secretaries of the other two Charities may well take a " leaf out of Bro . BINCKES ' S book . " If , as rumour sometimes whispers , our properties at Croydon and Wandsworh may some day be required by irresistible

railway companies , surely it will be a very reasonable course to pursue to obtain from a generous Craft the needed funds on similar terms . We congratulate Bro . BINCKES on the success of his experiment , and trust that it m ** y tend to the wise extension of the inestimable benefits of the Boys ' School .

* * * THE opportune publication in the Freemason of the Book of Constitutions as * t is now amended previously to confirmation at next Grand Lodge , su £ gests several thoughts and considerations which we may do well to realize

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and keep before us . We ought to be much obliged to Bros . RIACH and HAW - KINS who have so patiently placed side by side the alterations made and the amendments approved of . There can be no doubt , we think , that the revision has been very carefully and thoughtfully completed , and constitutes a great improvement on the preceding form . The grouping of similar matters , and

the better collocation of specific enactments , will be a great boon and help to all who have to study the Book of Constitutions , either as Worshipful Masters , or on questions of reference and privilege and the like . We think , therefore , we all owe to the Board of General Purposes and its Chairman , and especially to the Sub-Committee charged with the primary redrafting ,

our grateful thanks for the pains and attention bestowed , for the wise amendments introduced , and the salutary alterations acquiesced in . Wo are also glad to note that there has been evidently no straining after undue "immobility" on the one hand , or " change for change's sake" on tho other . The moderation and yet comprehensiveness of many of the verbal

and sectional amendments are equally to be commended and acknowledged . We trust that the same spirit will be evinced by Grand Lodge in December next , and that we shall not have again occasion to allude to any , even the slightest apparent unwillingness , to hear any speaker dispassionately . No doubt some speakers are tedious in the extreme , and long winded tin a

mournful degree ; but as we all have equally to bear the infliction , Masonic courtesy and Masonic forbearance must induce us to restrain our impatience , and calmly endure the suffering . There are some good brethren who never know when to leave off j and some who think that all are equall y interested with themselves in a lugubrious marshalling of grievances , a persistent

recommendation of "fads . The Book of Constitutions is a code of Masonic law equally valuable and important for us all alike , and which , as far as we know and have read or seen , has not its equal in Masonic form , good sense , and lucid enactment . It therefore demands ready assistance from us all in perfecting its provisions and handing over to another

generation what has been of such untenable value and importance for our fathers and ourselves . When completed it will dererve , as it will receive , the affectionate adhesion of all English Freemasons who have tested its value and have progressed in safety , peace and prosperity under its elaborate pro . visions and its sagacious directions .

# # WITH respect to Bro . WHITEHEAD ' letter in our last , Bro . GEORGE KENNING has consented to act as Treasurerof the fund proposed to be raised in recognition of Bro . HUGHAN ' S literary services . We have much pleasure

in calling attention specially to the fact . We await fuller information and a more detailed proposition from Bro . WHYTEHEAD and all who are interested in this well-deserved testimonial to our able and amiable brother . We direct attention to the corespondence elsewhere on the subject , which , our readers will note , warmly endorses Bro . WHYTEHEAD ' S suggestion .

«* * Is anything being done about the Junior Boys' School ? The authorities have received far more than £ 8000 , whether asa " maximum" or a " minimum . " Would it not be well as some return for anxious efforts and . kindly contributions to try and make the benefits of the scheme available for many poor

boys at an early a date as possible ? What is to prevent the authorities from taking a house until the building is ready , and striving in April to confer a great boon on the subscribers , and afford a wondrous hel p to many

candidates by clearing off very nearly the "dead weight" of disappointed claimants who have come up several times in vain , and if things go on as they are , will have little or no chance of success ? We shall recur to the subject , ** . # *

SOME of our student readers may recall to mind that Governor POWNALL , whohad a correspondence with HORACE WALPOLE concerningthe Freemasons about 90 years ago , had some searches made in the Vatican , with the Papal permission , to find if any " Bulls" existed " incorporating the Masons . " None such were found , and such were averred not to exist , Quite recently , a

Jesuit Father , STEVENSON we think his name is , has it seems , at the request of the English Government it is alleged , been entrusted with the overhauling of the Vatican Archives for historical purposes . He said at Edinburgh it seems in a lecture , as we understand , that he found the Archives in great confusion , some in boxes , and some loose on the floor . They were

principally Papal Bulls . He ascribes the confusion existing to the French when they left Rome in Pius THF . SEVENTH ' S time , and whether this be true or not , it is quite clear that the " BuIIarium , " great as it is , cannot be depended upon as containing all the Bulls of the Popes . In our opinion , if

any such document as a Papal incorporation of the Freemasons exists , it will be a permission to constiute a fraternity for a specific purpose . But DUGDALE ' authority may yet be found for the assertion , for he is the real father of it . and not WREN ' S " Parentalia . "