Lodge Officers.

should make a point of seeing all the Masonic ceremonial they possibly can during their year of office , and of getting all the information they possibly can from every brother of experience they come across . The Master is , of course , ultimately responsible for everything that goes on , but lie generally

has , or considers that his office demands , a certain amount of amour prop re , which makes it difficult for him to go about picking up hints . But the Deacons need not be so troubled . Just as the Archdeacon has been defined to be oculus episcopi , so his Masonic anti-types should regard themselves as oculi

madstri . With regard to their other Masonic duties , it is incumbent on the Deacons that they should look up sick brethren . Masonry does not only consist of ceremonial . They should report such cases to the Wor . Master , who would himself regard it as not the least of his duties to act in a fraternal way

to afflicted brethren . They should also make a note of brethren who are habitually absent from lodge . There are many such in our lodges . The } 7 find that so long as their dues are paid they are left alone , and the only attention they ever get from the lodge comes when their dues have been allowed to get into arrears .

Resignation follows in course of time , and" discredit must inevitably fall upon the Order in consequence . There then the Deacons could perform invaluable duties . Such brethren would learn that the dues were not Mie only matters the lodge cared about . If a junior brother , the Deacon could himself say the

word in due season , and remind him of his Masonic obligations . If a senior brother , the responsibility could be transferred to the Wor . Master . And we venture to say , in conclusion , that no brother has a better chance of learning all that Masonry can do for a man than a brother who carries out the duties of a Deacon in the conscientious manner we have tried to describe .

"Red Book" Of The A. And A. Rite.

"RED BOOK" OF THE A . AND A . RITE .

This very welcome publication , popularly know as the " Red Book , " is now ready for issue , and is corrected to 31 st July , 1899 ; the I ^ u ' i Regulations , and List of Members being to date . It is by far the largest book of the kind ever published , running , as it does , to 2 S 2 pages , though the subscription

remains at one shilling , nett ., as hitherto . It has been printed by Bro . George Kenning , and makes a creditable production , both textually and typographically . The labour of compilation

has been considerable , and I congratulate Bro . Captain W . Portlock-Dadson , the courteous Secretary to the Supreme Council 33 , on its advent , as well as for its most praiseworthy accuracy and excellent arrangement .

The changes have been so numerous that the handy volume is like a new work , and therefore I purpose to say a few words as to its general character and contents . The Rules and Regulations call for no special comment , neither does the " Schedule of Fees , " but in passing reference must be made , to the table that follows , which is devoted to the

" Charitable Donations b y the Supreme Council . " The list begins in 18 57 , and to 18 99 , includes £ 1575 donated to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 1480 to the Boys , and £ 1402 to the Benevolent Institution , in which the Supreme Council is Patron for the first two and Vice-Patron for the third ,

and has 396 , 300 , and 320 votes respectively . In the column of Sundries the sum of £ \ 132 is included , being amounts subscribed to Masonic and general funds for disbursement at home and abroad , ( lie whole donations making a grand total of £ 5590 19 s . iod . contributed during the last 40 years .

1 here are 27 Supreme Councils in Amity with that of England , Wales , & c , including those of the two bodies in the United States ( i . e ., the Mother Council and the Northern Jurisdiction ) , Canada , and others on that vast Continent . Also

Ireland , Scotland , I-ranee ( not the Grand Orient ) , Egypt , Greece , Bel gium , Italy , Netherlands , Portugal , Spain , Switzerland , & c . ; the names of the representatives to and from being dul y given .

I he chronological list of members of the Supreme Council for England , Wales , and the Dependencies of the British Crown , from the date of Warrant , 26 th October , 18 45 , begins with the names of Dr . Crucelix , Dr . Oliver , and Henry Udall , and in all there are some 51 noted , 39 have died and three have

retired ( Major-General Henry Clerk , P . G . D ., Lieut-Colonel J . G . Sandeman , and R . W . Bro . Hugh D . Sandeman , P . Dist . G . M . iieitgtil ; the first and last being honorary members of the Supreme Council ) . Would it not be well for the deceased brethren to be indicated by a dagger ?

I here are nine members of the S . C , the Grand Commander being the veteran Craftsman , Captain N . G . Philips ( P . G . D . ) , having as Lieut . G . Com . the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M . Norths

"Red Book" Of The A. And A. Rite.

and Hunts . The Grand Treasurer is Bro . Frank Richardson ( P . G . D . ) , the Grand Prior is the Rev . Canon J . S . Brownrigg ( P . G Chap . ) , and the Grand Chamberlain is Bro . James Henry Matthews ( Pres . Board of Benevolence ) . Bro . Loveland-Loveland , Q . C . ( Pres . of the Board of G . P . ) , is . the Grand

Chancellor , the Earl of Dartrey ( P . G . W . ) , Grand Capt . of Guards , the Viscount Dungarvan ( Prov . G . M . ) , Grand Marshal , and the Earl of Lathom , Prov . G . M ., G . Registrar . It will be noted that these brethren are distinguished members of the Grand Lodge of England . So also are the Grand Inspectors

General of Districts , 11 in number , there being one Prov . G . M ., two District G . Ms ., a P . G . W ., and all but one else are Past Grand Officers . The 16 additional members of the 33 number amongst them two Dist . G . Ms ., three Prov . G . Ms ., two Past G . Ws ., the Grand Secretary , five Past Grand Deacons , and others .

Although the Craft titles of the members of the 32 , 31 st , 30 th , and 18 are not appended , the Roll embraces many Past Grand Officers . I mention this so as to emphasise the fact of the intimate connection subsisting between the Grand Lodge and the A . and A . Rite of England and Wales , & c . There are

54 members cf the 32 nd , and 90 of the 31 ° , besides supernumeraries and honoraries , but many more of the 30 th , though the latter position is far from easy to attain , the Supreme Council keeping a tight hand on additions to the "higher degrees . "

Since the inauguration of the Supreme Council , 14 6 R . C . Chapters have been warranted or acknowledged , 27 of which have ceased to work , leaving 119 still on the roll , the most being situated in England and Wales . There are , however , many held beyond seas , one each assembling at Gibraltar , Malta , Jersey , Hong

Kong , Georgetown ( British Guiana ) , Antigua , Barbadoes , Tokio ( Japan ) , Singapore , Ceylon , and Bermuda ; two in Jamaica , three in Australia , four in New Zealand , and nine each in India and South Africa The names of these chapters are arranged in alphabetical order , as well as according to their age , with dates

of warrants , & c . Then over 100 pages are devoted to the roll of members of each chapter , with other particulars , and , finally , there is an alphabetical register of members of the several Degrees , occupying nearly 100 more pages . It will be seen that this work is of considerable importance and utility , and should

be obtained , not only by the chapters , but the individual members of the Rite should secure copies , so as to bring their knowledge of this prosperous organisation down to date , and it is to be hoped all will gratefully recognise the labour which has been bestowed on the publication , tor the information of all concerned .

W . J . HUGH AN .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The October Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of this Institution was held on the 13 th instant in the large hall of Freemasons' Tavern , London . Bro . C . E . Keyser , M . A ., F . S . A ., J . P ., P . G . D ., Treasurer and Patron of the Institution , was unanimously voted to the chair . He was supported by the following members of the Board of Management : Bros . A . C . Spaull . Maior

J . E . Le Feuvre , H . Bevir , Major Oliver Papworth , j . W . Burgess , R . D . Cummings , W . Russell , G . Everett , E . Margrett , C . Pulman , H . Manfield , W . A . Scurrah , C . K . Benson , H . Pritchard , J . J . Thomas , W . F . Smithson , J . Stephens , J . D . Langton , and J . P . Fitzgerald . The Court was also numerously attended by other brethren . After the minutes had been disposed of ,

Bro . A . C . SrAULt , P . G . Std . Br ., rose and said that in the absence of Bro . Richard Eve , the Chairman of the Board of Management , a very pleasant duty devolved upon Bro . W . Russell , as Vice-chairman of that Board ; but Bro . Russell with his usual kindness and courtesy had allowed him ( Bro . Spaull ) to be his mcufhpiece on that occasion . They must always feel that it was a proud event to occupy the chair which had been occupied by the Most Worshipful

Grand Master , but that pride was increased this year when the Chairman was expected to bring up sums of money sufficient to enable the Management of the Masonic Boys' School to carry out the objects ol the institution during the yeir after the pockets of the brethren had been depleted by the previous Festival at which the Prince of Wales presided . It was mentioned to the brethren what was considered to be some difficulty to obtain a Chairman . It required some

moral courage in any brother to accept such an office under the circumstances but nevertheless Bro . Keyser stepped into the breach , and volunteered to preside , if allowed , on the occasion of the Festival which followed the unprecedently prosperous Festival at which the Grand Master took the chair . ( Cheers . ) The brethren were very grateful to Bro . Keyser for having done so , for , in addition to his own munificent donation , subscriptions came in quite sufficient for carrying on

the work of the Institution for the year without encroaching on the invested capital of the Institution . Therefore , the Quarterly Court thought the act of Bro . Keyser was a proper thing to acknowledge by a vote , and it was resolved that Bro . Keyser should be asked to accept a replica of an album which was presented to the late Earl of Lathom alter the Centenary Festival of the

Boys' School . The Board of Management thought that it was only suitable that Bro . Keyser should accept that at their hands as a slight memorial of his taking the chair on the 28 th of June last . They hoped that an inspection of it from time to time would awaken in his mind a pleasant recollection of his chivalry in offering to take the chair when the management were