Ars Quatuor Coronatorum.*

understanding , "the Grand Lodge Diet will settle the question . " Our idea of jurisdiction is that it must , in the nature of things , be " exclusive " as regards the three Kingdoms of England and Wales , Scotland , and Ireland , but " concurrent" as regards those portions of the British Empire in which there arc no recognised Colonial Grand Lodges . Thus , as regards the United Kinp-dom ,

it is an unwritten law that the Grand Lodge of England can only issue warrants for new lodges within the territorial limits of Eng land and Wales ; that of Ireland within those of the Kingdom of Ireland ; and that of Scotland within those of the King dom of Scotland . In the Dominion of Canada , where there

have from time to time been established the Grand Lodges of Canada ( Province of Ontario ) , Quebec , Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , British Columbia , and Manitoba , as well as in the Australasian Colonies of South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania—to which at an early

date we shall be called upon to add New Zealand—the local Grand Lodges having been recognised b y us , have sovereign jurisdiction within their territorial limits , while in the other Colonies and Possessions of the British Empire , seeing that the peop le who migrate thither are , indifferently , Englishmen ,

Irishmen , and Scotchmen , who , if they happen to be Masons , take with them their particular systems of Masonry—English , Irish , or Scotch , as the case may be—the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom exercise " concurrent jurisdiction , " each of them being free to issue warrants for the establishment of

new lodges , and as these increase in number , patents—issued by the Grand Masters respectively—for the appointment of District or Provincial Grand Masters . There is also another portion of Bro . Greiner ' s paper which is worth referring to , namel y the statistical information he furnishes . From the

Tables at pp . 75 and 7 6 , it appears that the ei g ht German Grand Lodges muster together 402 lodges with an aggregate membership of 43 , 6 9 8 , while the five independent lodges raise the latter figures to 45 , 080 . It appears also that there are 17 lodges which have a membershi p ranging from 303 to as hi g h as 632 .

There is much else in Bro . Greiner ' s paper to which we should g ladl y refer if our space permitted , but we must content ourselves with stating generally that the vote of thanks passed to

him b y the lodge was of the most cordial character , while as regards the main points which were made the subject of discussion , his explanations in repl y would appear to be for the most part satisfactory .

The other important paper is from the pen of Bro . S y dney f . Klein , F . L . S ., F . R . A . S ., and treats of " The Law of Dakheil tnd other Curious Customs of the Bedowtn . " This also is

replete with information of the most instructive kind , and well deserves the eulogiums bestowed upon it b y the brethren present at the meeting at which it was read—on the 24 th May , sundry of

them praising it because they accepted the conclusions at which the author had arrived , while others were equally read y with their commendations in spite of their non-agreement with some of the material opinions expressed by him .

Among the other contents are a brief paper b y Bro . Chetwode-Crawley on "The Ordeal of the Poker ; " an elaborate catalogue b y Bro . Hughan , which he very fitl y entitles " Bibliography of the ' Old Charges' in Book form or Facsimile , " from 18 40 to 1895 ; and "A Curious Tablet , " belonging to the Lodge

" Zu den drei Kronen , " at Konigsberg , which Bro . C . Kupferschmidt , Assistant Gr-nd Secretary German Correspondence , has succeeded in deci phering . In addition , there are Notes , Reviews , Obituary , Chronicle , and an account of the summer outing of the lodge , which was this year made to Leamington

and the surrounding country . The Part , indeed , is most interesting throughout , and we think it would be well if Bro . Greiner ' s paper were reprinted b y itself in book form , so that brethren who may not be members of the lodge may have the opportunity ° f carefull y stud ying it separately , as so meritorious an essay deserves .

The Scottish Constitutions.

THE SCOTTISH CONSTITUTIONS .

A new edition of the " Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland " has just been issued in two sizes . The larger at 3 s . 6 d ., and the smaller at 2 s . 2 d . per copy ( inclusive of postage . ) It is by far the best

ever published , and Bro . D . Murray Lyon , Grand Secretary , may well be congratulated on its advent . There are several important changes in the "ew edition , and the several additional portions add much to the attractive features of the handsome volume .

The Degrees officially recognised are those of the first three , the Mark , ar 'd lhat of the Installed Masters , which , since 1872 , has been the same as tne ceremony worked in England . The Mark , as conferred by either the Gr and Lodge or Grand R . A . Chapter in Scotland is mutually recognised b y both Bodies , and so by the Mark Grand Lodge of England . The Grand Cashier is now termed Grand Treasurer , which is a more appropriate title , and , like the Grand Secret ? ry , is not subject to re-election .

The Scottish Constitutions.

These two officials and the Grand Master arc exempted from the rule , which provides that no Grand Officers " shall hold the same office longer than two years consecutively , " and so also as respects the Provincial Grand Lodges . Seme prefixes vary from ours , lhat of M . W . belonging to the G . M . only . The R . W . designates the P . G . M ., G . M . D ., S . G . M ., Grand Wardens , G . Secretary and G . Treasurer . V . W . is devoted to the Grand Chaplains to Grand Bible Bearer , and W . from G . D . of C . The Master of a lodge , however , is still entitled to Right Worshipful .

Confirmation of minutes of Grand Lodge " implies that the res gesta- of a previous meeting have been correctly recorded , " so that no matter discussed and voted on at Ihe previous meeting can be reopened when the minutes are read . "Standing Orders of Grand Lodge" may , on cause shown , be suspended by a majority of two-thirds , and if any doubt should exist as to the interpretation of a Law , the power ot deciding " shall be vested not in the chair , but in the meeting . "

The proxy system prevails in Grand Lodge and the roll is made up annually and printed of all brethren having the right to vote . Honorary members of Grand Lodge have a special medal or badge to wear , which is specially provided for the purpose . Excepting sons of Masons under the Scottish Constitution , candidates must now be 21 years ol age before bein ? entered as Apprentices , and the minimum sum for initiation has been raised to twoguineas . It is still lamentably low . I am glad to note that

advancement as Fellow Crafts or Master Masons cannot take place at a shorter interval than two weeks , and a rigid scrutiny is kept as to such ceremonies . Installation of office bearers is in an Apprentice lodge . The books of Daughter lodges are periodically examined and reported upon , and every lodge must apply for and obtain a certificate from the Grand Lodge annually , or no meetings can be held . This is to meet the requirements of the Act of Parliament of 1799 , and a declaration must be signed .

Office bearers of lodges may wear sishes , and in the complete roll of 597 lodges , carefully printed in the volume , the " colour of clothing " —more ¦ varied than the rainbovs—oi each is duly given , as well as many other interesting particulars . There is also a list of military lodges , formerly existing 1747 to 1 S 5 O , the roll of provinces and districts , and also of the Grand Master Masons , 1736 to 1 S 96 .

The ceremonial and ritualistic observances at dedications , consecrations , funerals , ' kc , are most fully described , and an excellent index is a real bojn for the brethren . The illustrations of the regalia and jewels are also most welcome .

The first separate edition of the Scottish Constitutions was not printed and published until 18 3 6 , being 100 years after the Grand Lodge was formed—a unique experience undoubtedly . There was an edition published with what is known as Lawrie ' s History of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ,

1 S 04 , but . as a matter of fact , the first authorised edition was not until 1836 . Bro . D . Murray Lyon gives the dates of all succeeding issues , for the first time in the Law 5 .: viz .. 1 S 1 S . 186 ^ , 1866 . 1 S 6 S 1871 . 187 . 1 . 1 S 70 . 18 S 1 .

18 S 6 , and 18 96 , 11 in all . A large paper edition was also published of the 1848 issue , most handsomely illustrated , 2511 copies only . W . I . HUGHAN .

Consecration Of The Cestrian Conclave, No. 154, Birkenhead.

CONSECRATION OF THE CESTRIAN CONCLAVE , No . 154 , BIRKENHEAD .

The first Red Cross Conclave established in Cheshire was consecrated on Friday , the 4 th inst ., at the Masonic Chambers , 9 , Hamilton-street , by Sir Knight Right Hon . the Earl of Kuston , Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign ,

assisted by Sir Knight C . F . Matier , Past Grand Viceroy , Intendant General West Lancashire , Grand Recorder ; Sir Knight Dr . J . Balfour Ccckburn , Intendant General for Guernsey j Sir Knight Chailes Btllon , Intendant General Berkshire ; and Sir Knight Rev . C . E . L . Wright , Grand High Prelate .

The petitioners for the charter were Sir Knights Dr . L . S . Brewer , 15 ; A . H . Baird , 15 ; Rev . G . R . Johnson , 35 j and John Armstrong , 97 . The warrant is dated the 22 nd June , 1 S 96 . At three p . m . a conclave of the Red Cross was opened by Sir Knights Dr . J . B . CocUburn , as Sovereign ; Rev . C . E . L . Wiight , Viceroy ; J . Armstrong , S . G . ; A . H . Baird , J . G . ; Rev . G . R . Johnson , Prelate , and

Dr . C . S . Brewer , Prefect . In due time the undermentioned brethren , who are all companions of the Royal Arch , were admitted ard installed in the Degree of Knights cf Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine : Bros . W . H . Arnolt , A . Biikett , Pcaison Chambers , John Clajton , A . E . Coveney , L . Croslhwaite , Col . C . S . Dean , J . Stanley Derbyshire , W . J . Doran , Rev .

Robert Edwards , D . M . Foulds , James Gamhn , H . C . Howell , W . Hudson , J . H . Jackson , J . B . Johnson , O . JoneF , S . Jones , W . H . Jones , T . Keene , W . H . Landers , S . H . Lawrence , Hugh Lowndes , F . W . Marsh , S . S Morris , E . G . Parker , Rev . H . V . P . got , George Proudman , W . F , Robinson , A . Rutherford , A . Saunders , James Smith , F . K . Sievenson , John Watt , Wm . Williams , and Chas . A . Young .

The new sir knights having retired the conclave was opened as a Sanctuary of K . H . S ., and a commandery of St . John the Evangelist , the knights re-admitted , and duly created K H . S . aid Knights of St . John . In honour of the occasion the rank of Past Sovereign of the Order was conferred upon Sir Knights John Armstrong , Rtv . G . R . Johnson , A . H . Bjird , and F . K . Stevenson , who , during the ceremonies , represented the other

brethren . At five o ' clock the M . I . G . Sovereign and his attendant Grand Officers were announced , admitted and received under the Arch of Steel , and the Grand Sovereign assumed the throne , and was saluted with the customary honours . The founders of the conclave to the number of 40 having been arranged in their proper places the RECORDER read the warrant of Constitution , alter

which the beautiful and impressive ceremony of consecration was proceeded with , and the Grand Sovereign constituted the conclave . During the ceremony Ihe GRAND PKELATK delivered ihe following oration on the objects of the Older : We are met here to-day to add one more to the list of conclaves of this Order , already existing on the register of the Grand Imperial Council . The name which the founders have chosen for it—that of the Cestrian Conclave—is , I ven-