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CONTENTS . PAGE LEADERFreemasonry in Scotland ... ... ... ... ... 7 Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire ... ... ... - ... 721 Provincial Grand Chapter of Cambridgeshire ... ... ... ... 722

Provincial Grand Chapter of Essex ... ... ... ... ... 723 Masonic Banquet to Lord Valentia ... ... ... ... 7 3 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... — 724 Royal Arch ... ... ... ... ... ... 724 Science , Art , and the Drama ... ... ... ... ... 725

MASONIC NOTESMeeting of the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... ... ... ... 727 Half-yearl y Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire 727 The Province of Cambridgeshire ... ... ... ... 727 Death of Bro . Sir A . H . Bevan , P . G . Treas . ... ... ... 727 Death of Bro . John Purrott ... ... ... ... ... 727 Provincial Grand Chapter of Durham ... ... ... ... 727

Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... 728 Reviews ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 72 S Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 728 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 73 ' KNIGHTS

TEMPLARProvincial Priory of Kent and Surrey ... ... ... ... 732 Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 732 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 734

Freemasonry In Scotland.

FREEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND .

It must have been with very great pleasure that our readers perused the report we published last week of thc proceedings at the Grand Festival , on the 30 th ult ., of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . They must have known , or , at all events , have heard ,

lhat about a quarter of a century since the Scottish Craft was in a very critical condition , from which it could hardly have emerged with credit had it been a less ancient and influential organisation , presided over by rulers of less tact and judgment , and officered

by men of less ability and determination . Many , indeed , must have known , or have gathered from the reports which are issued periodically , what great and ultimately successful efforts were made to restore thc fallen fortunes of the Craft in Scotland , and

these in particular will be hardly able to contain themselves with joy when they contrast the state of things as it is now with what it was when Bro . D . MURRAY LYON was elected , early in 18 77 , to the important oflice of Grand Secretary . This was made

especiall y clear at the recent Festival by the Grand Master Mason of Scotland , Bro . the Hon . JAMES Ho / IER , M , P ., who seems determined , as far as in him lies , that the story of this marvellous revival and how it has been brought about , shall be

published as widel y as possible . Early in 18 99 , Bro . LYON compiled and laid before the Committee of Grand Lodge a " tabular statement of thc intrants recorded in the book of Grand Lodge in each year between 1800 and 1898 , both inclusive , " ancl

from this it appears that in 18 7 6—the year immediately preceding his election to office—thc number was 357 S , and that in 18 9 8 it had increased to 7058 . Since then , as Bro . Ho / . IER informed Grand Lodge , there has still been further increase to 7513 , in

it > 99 , and to 7 65 S during the present year , nor had he any scruple about adding at the close of his remarks that " it was no exaggeration to say that in this present year , 1 9 , there were upwards of 100 , 000 hailing from lodges under the Scottish Constitution . "

Again , as regards its financial position , Bro . HoziER ' s statement was equall y emphatic : " The General Fund amounced to £ 19 , 246 , the Benevolent Fund to £ 8035 , and the Annuity Fund to £ 29 , 652 , making a grand total for the three Funds of £ 59 , 6 34 , exclusive of the heritable and moveable property , which was valued at

Freemasonry In Scotland.

£ 25 , 400 . Thus , including this last item , "the assets of Grand Lodge came to the princely sum of £ 82 , 334 . " Contrast this with the state of the finances when Bro . LYON was elected , and Grand Lodge was in debt to the extent of £ 20 , 000 , and we

shall have no need to concern ourselves about the change that has taken place during the last 24 years in the fortunes of Scottish Freemasonry . Yet the further figures that were included in the G . Master ' s statement are worth noting . The

income for this year is returned at £ 73 64 , as compared with £ 7211 in 18 99 . The grants from the Benevolent Fund amounted to £ 73 8 , and the Annuities to £ 1305 , the total sum disbursed in Annuities since the foundation of the

Annuity Fund in 188 9 being , in round figures , £ 12 , 000 . In accomplishing this the chief actor under successive Grand Masters has been Bro . LYON , and it is evident that at this moment , particularly when that officer has just retired , the Grand Master is desirous the fact should be made public .

But the foregoing facts and figures are not the only evidence that is forthcoming as to the degree of prosperity to which the Scottish Craft has attained during this period . Not only has the work of the lodges been better carried out , and the

organisation of the Society , both , at home and abroad , both ' strengthened and confirmed , but the number of lodges on the register has been greatly increased , and the lodges themselves widely

distributed . At the close of 18 7 6 the highest number on the roll was 581 , now it is 910 or thereabouts , so that in these 24 years upwards of 300 have been placed on the register .

Moreover , notwithstanding that the Scottish lodges founded in South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and to a great extent in New Zealand , though not lost to Masonry , have disappeared from the roll of Grand Lodge ; but there are many districts ,

such as West Australia , Natal , the Transvaal , Syria , and Nicaragua which have been established , and have in some cases quite a formidable muster-roll of private lodges . But there is no need for us to go more minutely into statistics . Enough has been said

to show that in our Colonics and possessions abroad the Scottish Craft is as widespread and flourishing , as at home it is well administered and strong . The contrast between its state in 1876

and now brings out this fact very clearly , and if we hark back , say , to the accession of thc QUEEN , in 18 37 , it will be still more remarkable . Wc hope that this prosperity will be continued .

It remains for us to add that a special Communication of Grand Lodge was held on Thursday for tlie purpose of electing a successor to Bro . LYON in the olfice of Grand Secretary . There

were at the outset 16 brethren who offered themselves as candidates , but thc Grand Committee returned six only , and out of these the choice of Grand Lodge fell upon Bro . DAVID REID , who was elected by an overwhelming majority on the first ballot .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cambridgeshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE .

The annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the University Masonic Hall , Cambridge , on Friday , the 7 th instant , and was attended by 84 brethren . The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Col . R . Townley Caldwell , in opening the lodge at 5 . 30 , was supported by Bros , the Rev . J . H . Gray , D . P . G . M . j R . Smith , 800 , P . S . G . W . ; W . H ,

Francis , 859 , P . J . G . W . j Rev . A . L . Brown , 859 , P . G . Chap . j C . H . Davey , 2107 , P . G . Treas . j Oliver Papworth , 88 , P . G . Sec . ; A . S . Bell , 859 , P . S . G . D . ; R . J . Sharman , 809 , P . J . G . D . ; H . S . Davison , 88 , P . G . Supt . of Worlti ; F . Dewberry , 441 , P . G . D . C ; Frank H . Potts , 2107 , P . A . G . D . C ; H . Kempton , 2727 , P . G . S . B . j W . H . Berridge , 441 , acting P . G . Org . and J . W . Armitage . 859 , P . G . Purst .