Leopold Lodge, No. 1571, Ladies' Night.

Following a short interval , the guests repaired to the ball-room , where the M . C ' s ., Bros . Johns , I . P . M ., and Meadows , S . W ., did all they could to make the remainder of the programme as pleasant as possible . Interspersed with the dances , the following artistes discoursed sweet music : Miss Jessie Hotine , Miss Hannah Jones , Bros . Herbert Emlyn , Arthur Strugnell , and Sam Wright , while Mr . Amies King ' s Band fully maintained its reputation .

Congratulations on the success of the evening were numerous , and the thanks 0 f the company were fully expressed to the Stewards , Bros . A . Watts , W . M . ; W . X Johns , I . P . M . ; H . T . Meadows , S . W . ; J . Hampson , J . W . ; Edmund J . Morgan , P . M ., Sec ; F . P . Langford , S . D . ; C . M . Morris . I . G . ; Geo . Bull , A . D . C ; Percy Leach , and Geo . Hall , Stwds . ; and VV . R . Bentley , W . M . 957 , for providing such an attractive programme . The " night" came to a close only too quickly , and those who were present wlll look forward with much pleasure to the next gathering of the kind .

"The Old Masonians."

"THE OLD MASONIANS . "

The annual concert in aid of the Benevolent and Grant Fund of the above Association of old scholars of our Institution at Wood Green took place on Friday , the Sth inst ., under the presidency of Bro . f . M . McLeod , the Immediate Past President of the Society , in the unavoidable absence of thc President , Bro . George Everett .

The entertainment provided was well varied , consisting of both vocal and instrumental music . Miss Mary Bowler sang " Once " ( A . Hervey ) , and " Rory Darling" ( Hope Temple ) with great feeling and expression ; Miss Bla . iche Goug hjgave "The Enchantress" ( J . L . Hatton ) , and " Marguerite" in a most p leasing style , and Miss Lily Winch sang " For all eternity " ( Mascheroni ) , with violin obligate by Miss Edith Pearce , both being deservedly well applauded ;

Miss C . Flatley agreeably rendered a solo on the pianoforte , and Miss C Bowler accompanied in a most efficient manner . The first two and last named ladies vve were pleased to notice were sisters of two energetic members of the Association . The enjoyment of the evening was greatly added to by a few members and visitors of the Domatic Lodge , No . 177 , who evinced their interest in the

Association by kindly coming forward and taking part in the programme . Bro . Coles gave his inimitable " Laughing Song ; " Bro . Harry Thomas sang " Big Ben ; " Bro . Unwin , " My sweetheart when a boy ; " Bro . Harphan , " The Yachtsman " and " Tally Ho ! " Bro . Lofts played a flute solo , and Bro . R . B . Hopkins delig hted everybody by playing " The Lost Chord " and another piece on his silver bells .

For the remainder of the programme , Signor Luigi Meo drew forth loud app lause by his most effective violin solos— " Calabrese , " " Cavatina , " and " Les Abeilles " —and the contributions of Messrs . C H . Uwins , A . H . Stephenson , C . Ii . Terry , and C . P . O'Doherty were each much applauded and appreciated . At the conclusion of the evening , Bro . GEOKUE EVERETT , who had entered the room shortly before the close of

the concert , in a brief speech , promised that he would do all in his power to further the objects of the Association , which , he said , were well worthy of support , Bro . J . M . MCLEOD also drew attention to the purpose for which the Association had been formed , at the close of his remarks proposing a vote of thanks to the artistes of the evening , to which Mr . C . H . UWINS suitably responded .

Mr . R . S . CHANDLER , the Treasurer of the Society , proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Bro . J ? M . McLeod for presiding , the Chairman ' s reply bringing to a close an enjoyable evening . Contributions to the fund vvere received from Bros . Sir Augustus Harris , Jas . Terry , R . V . Vassar-Smith , and Col . George Lambert , all of whom were unable to attend .

Unique Masonic Collection.

UNIQUE MASONIC COLLECTION .

Mr , fr , J . W . Crowe , of Marsden , choirmaster and organist of St . Mary Magdalene , is the proud possessor of a collection of Masonic certificates , jewels , and insignia , which is unique in the world . This week I had the pleasure of a cursory examination of his collection , cursory because anything like an exhaustive one would have meant days of work . Air . Crowe belongs to the St . John Lodge , and is P . Prov . G . O . Devon ( Craft and Arch ) . He was initiated in 1887 , and shortly afterwards initiated his fellow

Craftsmen In the delights of collecting . Until with considerable perseverance and determination Mr . Crowe started on his self-imposed task , there had been no systematic collection of Masonic certificates , so that first in the field he has reaped Ihe reward of enterprise . A formidable array of portfolios and boxes under whirh my host and his tables and chairs groaned rather alarmed me . I am not a Mason myself , and I have always a certain awe of Masonic doings . However , Mr . Crowe ' s geniality dispersed my fears effectually .

We commenced with his collection of seals and autographs , which is a particularly large and full one . A print of an old tracing board circa 1745 was shown ne first . Very few lodges had these printed , most being content to draw them with chalk and tape or more elaborately to have them painted on the floors of their Masonic Halls . The specimen is a curious and uncommon one . Turning over the leaves of the portfolio , I came to a Dedication Ode used at a Masonic function and written by Mr . Crowe . " It was my first effort , " he explained .

Seals , large and beautifully cut , of the Grand Lodge and the Old York Grand Lodge fixed my attention , and the nine autographs of the Supreme Council of the 33 ° , is something of which to be proud . A seal of the Royal Order of Scotland elicited the interesting information that the Order was instituted by Robert Bruce , and that the Grand Master is the King of Scotland , the chair , when '" ere is no monarch , remaining vacant , as in the present case . The seals of the afferent Grand Lodges include those of England , Scotland . Ireland , Holland , New

Brunswick , Canada , Greece , Frankfort-on-Main , Berlin ( 3 ) , Bayreuth , Spain , Switzerland ( the seals of which were specially sent Mr . Crowe ) , Australia , Liberia , Hungary , Roumania , Bulgaria , United States , Nova Scotia , Egypt , and Quebec , ' was much struck by a paper currency , issued in Bulgaria , for the especial use of " emasons , Mr . Crowe has a set which I believe is a great curiosity . At least , " ) s not generally known that Masons have their own currency , although other Evidences of privilege include an Order of Civil Knighthood in Denmark and Sweden .

Mr . Crowe took me upstairs to see his collection of jewels , which fill a case 01 goodly size , and were exhibited not very long ago at Newton Abbot . He is ?? y proud of one set—a handsome collection of Hungarian medals , which until j " discovery were unknown to Marvin , the eminent Masonic numismatist . Mr . 'arvin , who is an American , wrote Mr . Crowe a congratulatory letter . Among "any specimens , unique and valuable , a set of Dutch , quaintly fashioned with ' ystals , took my fancy . The Masonic medal struck in commemoration of our Queen ' s Jubilee is also a very handsome design , clearer and better than the official y e - lt has the head of her Majesty , and on the obverse the arms of the Grand Of aprons and Other insignia Mr . Crowe displayed before me a quaint and

Unique Masonic Collection.

handsome collection . It was not altogether free from suggestions of Drury Lane and other old alleyed ways of London , where the theatrical wardrobe dealer has his habitation . A Iarce skin of St . Andrew ' s looked large enough to envelope the whole body of any Freemason . A great prize is one apron sent by the Grand Master of Toronto , and over 100 years old . Mr . Crowe was indignant at its

" Cut for ignominiously domestic purposes , " he exclaimed , hotly , in his chagrin at the'loss of a corner of the leather . Some of the insignia were particularly handsome . One of the i 8 ° was heavily trimmed with very handsome gold bullion , and a Continental 32 ° apron has a handsome design hand-painted on the face of the satin . A Dutch , heavily jewelled , a Spanish , jewelled with skull and cross bones on the obverse , and a beautifully engraved Royal Arch of 1790 were among the gems ofthe collection .

In certificates , Mr . Crowe is unapproachable . At the close of last year he issued a catalogue of his collection numbering over 500 . He informed me that now he has over 600 . An " Universis , " the first issue ofthe "Antients ; " two "Ancients , " ist Angel of 1796 and 1803 , a 2 nd Angel of 1812 , and a Three Graces "Moderns" of 1803 , were shown me of G . L . Craft Certificates . The Arch Certificates included two very fine specimens of the " Dermott " Certificate of 1 S 06 and 1810 , " Ancients " and a " Trinity " or " Moderns " of 1810 .

Mr . Crowe was loud in praise of the help accorded him by Mr . W . J . Hughan , whose researches in Masonic lore are widely known . Mr * . Crowe is the author of " The Master Mason ' s Handbook for England " now in its second edition , and of one similar for Scotland , and is now commissioned to write one for Ireland . The publisher is the well-known Mason , George Kenning .

Mr . Crowe told me that he has bequeathed his invaluable collection to Lodge " Quatuor Coronati , " No . 2076 , London , so that it will be preserved to Masons for all time . W . E . G . [ Torquay Times , March ist , 1895 . ]

An Unwise Departure.

AN UNWISE DEPARTURE .

Freemasonry is without doubt the oldest established institution in the world . This is generally admitted by the great majority of people of the present day , whether they are Masons or not . Its great age has been attained by a strict adherence to certain so-called landmarks that it was made unlawful for any man or body ot men to remove . These are recognised as having been established in the beginning and made unchangeable by the

founders of the institution . By whom , when or where this was done may not be satisfactorily established , nor can it be an institution that existed in a prehistoric age and has only traditions for its earliest history . So far as written history of Masonry avails this theory is well supported , and for many generations past it has been generally accepted and adhered to as being finally settled .

The Masons of the present day suppose themselves to be following in the footsteps of their forefathers for many generations . The great mass of them have been taught and believe this to bs their imperative duty , and have no disposition to do otherwise . It is true all have not been taught exactly alike , and hence there is not absolute uniformity in all things pertaining to the government and ritualistic work of Masonry . Experience

has shown that this is not essential to the growth and prosperity of the institution . There is a wide difference in this regard , in many respects , in Masonry as practiced in Pennsylvania and Indiana , and yet in both of these great States there is prosperity , growth , and happiness within the domain of Masonry . In each the Craft are working in harmony according to the light that has been given them . We now come to the special point in this article . One of the cardinal

principles of Masonry has always been that its esoteiic ritual should not be committed to writing . The neophyte is impressively taught this lesson in his very first step in Masonry . There is in the whole system of Masonry , and the great multiplicity of degrees following this first one , no more binding obligation than the candidate takes upon the checkered pavement , and there is no power that can absolve him from it .

It is this that has been the safeguard of Masonry as it has come down through past ages . Men claiming to be Masons have at different periods in the past published what they claimed to be correct expositions of the esoteric ritual of Masonry , but they never had any evidence to establish its correctness , save their own individual , unsupported word . This counted for little with the most of people outside of the Masonic Order . If these

exposers had ever been Alasons , the fact of their revealing secrets , in violation of their obligations to keep them , branded them in the eyes of the world as perjurers , whom honest men would not believe , hence their pretended expositions did no harm to Mavonry . There are , however , some Masons of the present day who seem to have grown wiser in their own conceit , at least , than their forefathers , or even the

founders of this time-honoured Institution . Strange as it may appear to the brother who holds in conscientious regard the obligations taken upon the altar of Masonry , it has come to the point at last where a great Grand Lodge , like that of Ohio , Massachusetts , or Michigan , can willfully violate this most solemn obligation , and order a written copy of the esoteric work made , to be

preserved in the archives of the Grand Lodge , from which cypher copies are to be made for the use of lodges . We are not so very much surprised that this has been done in Ohio , where some other no less absurd departure from ancient usages of the Craft have been perpttrated in the last few years , but in old staid Massachusetts we did not deem such a thing possible . And it is not surprising to us that the Grand Lodge of the old

Bay State should be the first made to feel the effect of this unwise departure from the old method ol transmitiing the esoteric woik from mouth to ear . Much as we dislike to give this matter the publicity of appearing in a Masonic journal that many read who are not Masons , we have already seen it in several of our exchanges , and k . iowing ones may wonder why the Advocate has nothing to say about it . It has developed that in a few months after the written copy was made by order

of the Grand Lodge of Massachusett s it appeared for sale in print , and two prominent Masons were expelled by thc Grand Lodge for publishing it . They claimed that there was no greater offence in issuing one thousand copies than in making a single written copy . One thing is very sure , if the written copy had not been made there would have been no printed ones . The first offence vvas by the Grand Lodge , and the offence of these two brethren was but a natural sequence to it .

Grand Lodges lhat have been led into this unwise departure can not too soon rescind their action , and cause all written or printed copici of esoteric work to be cremated . — Masonic Advocate .