Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 639 A New Masonic MS . Constitution 640 l ' rovincial Grand Lodge of Dorset (" 140 National Grand Lodge of Egypt 641 CORRESPONDENCERevised Constitutions 643 Neptune Lodge , No . 1264—Benevolent

i-unu " 43 Obselcte Words in Masonry 6 42 A Memorial Masonic Hall in Egypt 6 42 Simple Saxon 6 43 Mr . Bradlaugh 6 43

Reviews " 43 Masonic Notes and Queries 6 43 l ' rovincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire G 43

Ancient and Accepted Rite 6 44 The Duke of Albany on Orphan Homes ... 6 44 REPORTS OF MASONIC

MEETINGSCraft Masonry O 45 Instruction 648 Mark Masonry 6 4 8 Ancient and Accepted Rite 648 M . W . Bro . His Grace the Duke of Abercorn ,

K . G ., G . M . Ireland 648 The Theatres 6 49 Music 649 Science and Art 649 Masonic and General Tidings 650 ; Lodge Meetings for Next Week iii

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THF . actual number of active French Freemasons under the French Grand Orient , from recent official reports . does notseem now to exceedi 7 , ooo , alike in Franceanditscolonies . and attached bodies . This total appear to us , weconfess , remembering older French statistics , to be a sad falling off , and which wc think must appear , sooner or later to the rulers and members of the Grand

Orient itself , to be a grave fact deserving thought and demanding consideration . Wc feel bound to add that the latest reports of the life and words and acts of French Freemasonry , as given in the " Bulletin du Grand Orient , " or in the Chaine d' Union , do not impress us with much satisfaction

for the present , or with much hope for the future . On the contrary , we think we note signs of still further departure from the straight path , the old landmarks of true Cosmopolitan Freemasonry , with a still newer abjuration of those great principles on which alone Freemasonry can hope safely or fitly to take its stand , to advance and flourish in the world . When French

Freemasonry can gravely and complacently regard the fact that they are ignored by brother Masons , by the Freemasons of England , Ireland , Scotland , the United States , Canada , Denmark , Sweden , and Greece , as a mere matter of fact , and do not see that they are actually ostracized by eight-tenths of

the Masonic world , we fear their exact position is very bad indeed , and that it probably will not attain to anything better until it has even become much worse . We are very sorry for the French Freemasons , as in the peculiar position of France the tolerant and sympathetic principles of true Freemasonry might , we venture to think , do much good .

* * WB hear incidentally that there is a little movement in Belgian Freemasonry . We have always deplored the state of " practical sommeil" in which Belgian Freemasonry , once so flourishing , seemed to be plunged . But we have always , at the same time , made great allowance for the Belgian

Freemasons , if we could not commend their works or approve of their acts . There is , perhaps , no country in the world where the extremes of scepticism and Ultramontanism meet so forciblyas in Belgium , where a very large portion of the young men are avowedly " Libres Penseurs , " and where the Roman Catholic Church openly excommunicates all Freemasons . Still , we think

that under the free Constitution of Belgium , where the rights of conscience are guaranteed , and where , happily , the cruelties of the Inquisition , as once at Antwerp , which served to terrify and disgrace humanity , are a thing of the past , sound-thinking , reasonable , and cultivated minds might find , as of old , much of enlig htenment and gratification in the friendly and fraternal teaching ,

the calm and philosophic speculations of Freemasonry . We shall be glad to receive accounts of the onward and peaceful progress of Belgian Freemasonry ; and we trust that , avoiding all bad examples , and giving up all

specious arguments , it will separate itself , once and for all , from sterile discussions on political matters and religious controversies . Freemasonry is always most dangerous to Ultramontanism when it stands safely within the limits of its own peaceful and tolerant professions .

* * THE ending of the controversy about the Grand Orient of Morocco , so called , is a good thing for all concerned . Henceforth let " bygones be byegones , " and let us think more of the Freemasons in Morocco than some worthy and leading " dramatis persona : " have seen fit to do up to the

present time . The Freemason has been much blamed for not encouraging a movement in favour of the extension of Freemasonry in Morocco . But as there is a right way and a wrong way of doing all things , and as we have never found that any good arises to any one from ignoring distinct laws and rules , or by setting about to compass certain ends wrongly , when the same object could be effected rightly , we , foreseeing the " embroglio " that must

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inevitably arise , stated our mind freely , as is our wont . We may not always please our readers , but we believe we give satisfaction to those who think and those who are fair minded . It is not a little singular that wc should witness in 18 S 2 so absurd a commentary on Masonic forgetfulness of law and custom , as all these proceedings put before us . If there is one corner

of Masonic law more clear than another , it is that a Grand Lodge cannot be formed "proprio motu " by any one out of nothing ; but must be educed from a certain number of lodges , properly warranted and consentient . Had the promoters of AI Moghreb al Aksa been content with having the lodge consecrated by a Past Grand Officer of the Grand Lodge of "Manitoba , no

one would have said a word ; and when we first saw the MS . as it came from Gibraltar , we began to read it over with many good feelings and kindly " memorias " of all and for all in " Gib . " But our astonishment and pain were continually increasing as we perused the statement . It was clear to us at once that some great mistake had been made , that complete ignorance of

Masonic law was displayed , that a dangerous precedent was being established , which might have most serious consequences , and that in the present state of Masonic relations such unheard of proceedings could not be tolerated with safety to any jurisdiction And , therefore , we wrote as we did write , and , we need hardly add , with no personal feeling or

prepossession in the matter , but simply in defence of Masonic law and order , and friendly international relations . To our original view , all in America and Canada , and especially Manitoba , as in Great Britain , have acceded ; and weare , therefore , fully justified in the objections we took , and the opinions we expressed from the very first . But is there no " tertium quid ? " While

no one denies the right of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba to grant a charter for a lodge in Morocco territory , yet we thing it would be better , for many reasons , that the motive authority should be ths oldest of English provincial bodies , the District Grand Lodge of Gibraltar . Why should not the brethren at Tangiers apply to the District Grand Master ( E . C . ) at

Gibraltar , Bro . CORNWELL , and obtain a warrant , and then end the matter amicably and Masonically ? Wc wish to add that the action of the authorities of the Manitoba Grand Lodge seems to have been always most Masonic and fair , and befitting ; and that , after all is said and done , much , we

think , may be attached to a little " excess of zeal , " and some little unacquaintancc with the minutia : of Masonic law , rather than to any determined effort on personal grounds or any personal motives , to act in opposition to lawfully , constituted authority .

* * WHAT a pity it is that we have no Masonic museum worthy of the name , no Masonic library to which with pride we could conduct literary strangers and Masonic students . We are aware of the old and stereotyped objection , that Freemasons are too busy to read or buy Masonic books , much less to

study in a Masonic library . We do not deny that a great deal of apathy exists , but we also know that there are many brethren of ours , whom a little encouragement would cheer on in the following of Masonic studies and culture . Hardly any of our brethren know for certain that there is a very long list of Masonic Works . When Kloss wrote , the " Bibliographic " amounted to

many thousands , and during the last twenty years the list has been more and more continually increasing . Masonic researches have disentombed , and will disentomb , many works altogether unknown to Kloss ; and the next great annotater of Masonic bibliography will have a still more numerous catalogue to announce . So to as regards a museum . There are curious

relics of Masonry to be collected in the shape of gems , seals , tokens , loving cups , goblets , jewels , certificates , prints , glass bowls , & c , & c , which lurk in private corners , and unknown collections , and which all might serve , if collected together , to illustrate and explain many curious points and facts in Masonic history .

* * THE G . S . has been for some time collecting numerous little Masonic curiosities , as they also do at 33 , Golden-square , and we do most heartily commend the work to the sympathy of our readers , trusting it may some day receive greater and more satisfactory development . When we remember

that the Grand Lodge of Iowa will soon have , by the kindness of Mrs . BOWER , the amiable relict of our regretted Bro . BOWER , an unique collection of several thousand MSS ., books , prints , & c , we do feel that the time has come when we should throw off our lethargy and apathy in England , and set to work to have a museum and library worthy of the greatest Masonic Body in the world , —the Grand Lodge of England .

* * * OUR esteemed and well-known Bro . the Rev . C . D . READE is a candidate for the School Board , for Chelsea . And though , as a rule , and a very proper