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As usual , at these festive meetings at Croydon , the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite showed its exceeding goodwill towards the Institution by presenting each resident widow with a pound of tea and a pound of sugar and each male resident with half a pound of tobacco . Mrs . Scotter , too , wife of our worthy Bro . Scotter , gave to each of the widows , a two-pound jar of preserves .

In our analysis of the Stewards Returns to the Mark Benevolent Fund , we erroneously described Bro . George F . Jones , who returned the highest London list—amounting to £ 37 16 s . —as having represented the Henniker Lodge , No . 315 . He was set down in the list as the representative of the Onslow Lodge , No . 361 , of which , at the present time , he has the honour to be W . M . We much regret the occurrence of the error .

The annual convocation of the Prov . Grand Chapter of Kent will be held at the Sun Hotel , High-street , Chatham , on Wednesday , the 24 th instant , at 3 p . m ., when business of the usual character will be transacted . The banquet will take

place at the same hotel at 4 p . m . The South-Eastern and London , Chatham , and Dover Railway Companies have very considerately arranged to issue return tickets at a single fare from all stations not less than 10 miles distant from Chatham , on production of the summons to attend .

•The District Grand Lodge of Bombay has sustained a grievous loss through the death , from pneumonia on Monday , the 24 th ult ., of Bro . William Henry Hussey , Past Deputy District Grand Master , who for the last 26 years had fulfilled the duties of District Grand Secretary . Bro . Hussey was one of the most prominent members of the Craft in Bombay . He was well known to , and

highly respected by , all the brethren in the district , and to the energy and courtesy he exhibited in the discharge of his duties must be ascribed much of the success which has attended the proceedings of our Order in Bombay during later years . We offer our most sincere sympathy both to the brethren of Bombay , who in . Bro . Hussey have lost [ one of their chief supports , and to the members of his family .

As showing how great is the energy and activity of the Secretaries of our different Institutions , and how early in the field they are in their endeavours to enlist the patronage and support of illustrious and distinguished brethren , we call the attention of our readers to the report , which appears elsewhere , of the recent Quarterl y Court of the Boys' School , to the effect that H . R . H . the Prince of

Wales has very graciously promised to . preside at the Centenary Festival of that Institution in 1898 . But this is not the only case in point . Bro . James Terry , the Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , was able to announce the name of the distinguished brother who had promised to preside at the 18 9 6 Festival , even before that ot 18 95 had taken place , and now he is working hard to

obtain a Chairman and Stewards for the Jubilee of the Widows' Fund of the Institution , which , as our readers are no doubt aware , was established by Grand Lodge in 1849 , or seven years after the elder , or Male , Fund . This is , indeed , looking ahead , and we can only hope that the early efforts of Bro . J . M . McLeod for the Boys' School , and Bro . James Terry for the Jubilee of the Widows' Fund of the R . M . B . I ., will meet with the success to which they are justly entitled .

The following has been received from the iU . W . G . Master of Maryland , Bro . General Thomas J . Shryock , of Baltimore , U . S . A ., framed and placed in the lodge room of the Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2191 , at the Criterion , Piccadilly at the installation meeting on the 18 th June last . It was received with great acclamation :

© THOMAS J . SHRYOCK , GRAND MASTER OF MASONS IN MARYLAND , U . S . A .

The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Maryland , Brother General Thomas J . Shryock , Acknowledges the receipt of

The Congratulatory Address tendered him by Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2191 , of London , England , Worship ful Brother George Reynolds , Worshipful Master , On the occasion of the Completion of the New Masonic Temple in

The City of Baltimore . The duty and labour has been one of love to the Grand Master , as well as to the Brethren of Maryland . Its doors are always wide open to extend Fraternal greetings and hospitality to the Freemasons of the world in general , and to the brethren of the Anglo-American Lodge in particular .

The Grand Master of Maryland extends to all the brethren of the Anglo-American Lod ^ e a courteous and fraternal invitation to visit the building , of which he feels they will be as proud as are the brethren of this Grand Jurisdiction .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We tlo not ImM ourselves responsible for tin- opinions expressed by our coni'hpomlcnls , but \\ c wish , in a spirit of fair play \ t > all , to permit—within i ertain ntrussary limits—Uvv JiM'iission . J

THE FREE HOME FOR THE DYING . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It may interest those of your readers who support " Our Brother ' s " bed in this Home , to learn that its last occupant , Sergeant Thos . Conolly , of Lodge No . 179 ( I . C . ) , formerly ( if the 107 th Regiment , now Royal Sussex , died yesterday from cancer in the throat .

He was an inmate of the Home for several weeks , and will be buried in the ground appropriated to the St . James ' s Servants ot the Poor , at Nunhead Cemetery , on the Kjth inst . Our work is very real , and 1 shall be glad to alford any information ab to it

Correspondence.

to any enquirers . We would specially ask for contributions from lodges , as well is small annual subscriptions from individual brethren , as our expenses for maintenance and funerals are heavy , and we depend entirely on Charity . —I am ; dear Sir and Brother , very fraternally yours , W . PORTLOCK-DADSON , July 17 th . P . M . 1383 , Honorary Secretary .

W . M . IN THE CHAIR . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I cannot claim to be one of the learned brethren whom " D . C . " asks to enlighten him on this important subject , but he may not , perhaps , despise the news of one who is not even a P . M . He must not forget that the S . W . is the next officer in the lodge , and the position the writer takes is this—the W . M . when in

lodge should retain his seat , the S . W ., by right of his office , doing all the work of his own and the Master's chairs . This is assuming that the . S . W . is competentif he be not , he has no right in the S . W's . chair . " D . C . " must not forget that the Master and Wardens are the rulers of the lodge , all others , even including P . Ms ., being subordinates . The point raised is certainly a very nice one , but I think when looked at carefully , the position given by me is correct . —Yours fraternally ,

O . B . J . Sydney , 27 th May .

P . S . — " Bro . . . . your regular and punctual attendance . . . is essentially neccessary , for in my absence you are to rule the lodge , & c , & c . ' It may be said , however , that this is contrary to Art 141 , which says a P . M . shall

tahe the chair—not so , and in no place does it say he shall rule the lodge . Granted , he may rule , but at the request or invitation of the S . W . The case , as put by " D . C , " would certainly seem to favour this view , the W . M . occupying the chair , but not being well enough to do the work ; consequently the next responsible officer does it . O . B . J .

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your last issue Bro . Lovegrove totally misrepresented ( doubtlessly unwittingly ) the status of Bro . W . H . Bailey , when he stated that the latter is to all intents and purposes a London Mason .

Bro . Bailey is at the present moment , and has been for upwards of 20 years , a member of the Abbey Lodge , No . 624 , Burton-on-Trent . He filled the various offices in that lodge with extraordinary efficiency and zeal , and was installed W . M . thereof in 1884 . He has always been a munificent supporter of the Staffordshire Masonic

Charitable Association and has been to the fore in every good work in the province , and the fact that the R . W . P . G . M ., Bro . the Earl of Dartmouth , only last year appointed Bro . Bailey S . G . W . of the province , fully disposes of the allegation that Bro . Bailey is not- a provincial Mason . We in Staffordshire are too proud of Bro . Bailey to let even London claim him .

A provincial Mason he is , and it is as such that we hope in due course to see him elected Grand Treasurer . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , E . V . GREATBACH , P . M . 418 , S . W . 2487 , P . S . G . W . Staffordshire .

Dear Sir and Brother , To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Judging from the letters appearing in your columns in reply to mine ol the 12 th ult ., it seems that the arrow I then shot into the air has fallen wide of the mark . I concern myself but little with the merits of the candidates whose

claims are advocated by Bros . Stephens and Lovegrove respectively . My aim was to try and elicit some plan of an inexpensive and workable character , that might tend to diminish the scandals of touting and treating in connection with the election of a Grand Treasurer ; at the same time maintaining the right of the members of Grand Lodge , as a whole , to choose their Treasurer , and securing to the Provinces a fair share of representation .

I draw a twofold conclusion from this , either the leading Masons in the Provinces do not trouble to read your valuable paper , or they are entirely apathetic in the cause . In the latter case , I am afraid the chances of mitigating the growing scandal , which we all deplore , are still very remote . —Yours fraternally , "A Master of a County Lodge . " July 17 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

' | ANNALS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF IOWA . " Volume XIV ., Part II . —1895 . By T . . S . Parvin , Grand Secretary , Cedar Rapids , Iowa . —This volume contains a full record of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Iowa at its 52 nd annual Communication held in the Odeon Opera House , Marshall Town , on the 4 th June and two following days '; the annual statistical and financial Returns showing the condition of the Craft in Iowa as regards numbers and funds ; and the Report on Fraternal Correspondence , compiled by Bro . J . C . W . Coxe , of Washington , Iowa , in which are carefully and impartially reviewed by that brother the proceedings of a considerable number of other

Grand Lodges . The address delivered by the Grand Master , Bro . L . E . Fellows , is , as usual , the great feature of the Record , and from this we gather that during the past year dispensations were granted for four new lodges , and that the total membership in the jurisdiction is 26 , 103 . The brother who was installed Grand Master in succession to Bro . Fellows is Bro . George Washington Ball , while the venerable Bro . Theodore S . Parvin remains at his post of Grand Secretary . ^ It is almost needless to say that these annuals form an important addition to the historical records of Masonry in the United States , having been compiled with the utmost care and attention to accuracy , and being furnished with such an array of statistical details as cannot fail to enlighten students of Iowa Masonic history in respect of the events that have occurred during the past 12 months .

" PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTY - FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE M . W . GRAND LODGE of FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE STATE OK INDIANA HELD AT INDIANAI'O LIS , MAV 2 ST 11 AND 20 TH , A . D . 1 S 05 , A . I .. 5895 : "—Indianapolis , Baker-Randolph Litho . and Eng . Co ., 1 S 1 J 5 . This also is a carefully compiled record of the proceedings of this important Grand Lodge at its 74 th annual communication , and like the Iowa volume will be found to contain not only a detailed account of the work done

at the meeting , the reports of various kinds that were submitted , the Grand Master s address , statistical and financial tables , & c , but also a very full report on Foreign Correspondence / m which the proceedings of other Grand Lodges are considerately reviewed and opinions judiciously expressed , where thought desirable , as to the policy pursued by each Grand Lodge in respect of important publicquestionsof conduct , discipline , & c . > in which all jurisdictions must of necessity take an interest . The present Grand Master is U 10 . Edward O'Kourke , while Bro . W . II . Smythc remains Grand Secretary .