Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS gs Seventeenth Century Masonry g 6 Consecration of the Granite Lodge , No . 2028 , at Narborough 97 Board of Benevolence 97 Lodge Duties 97 Consecration of the Godson Mark Lodge , No . 330 , at Kidderminster 99 A New Mark Lodge for the London District

99 Opening of a New Royal Arch Chapter of Instruction , 99 Presentation to a Preceptor 99 Annual Soiree of the Caledonian Lodge at Manchester . 99 Extract from the Recent Address of the Grand Master of Quebec 99

CORRESPONDENCE- — The Election of Grand Treasurer . 100 The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institu-¦ tion 101 The Charity Jewel and Stewards' Badges 102 Royal Arch Regulations 102 King Solomon and Freemasonry 102 Reviews 102 Notes and Queries 102

Craft Masonry 102 Instruction 10 $ Royal Arch 10 b Mark Masonry 106 Knights Templar 106 Obituary 107 The Theatres 107 Masonic and General Tidings 108 Lodge Meetings for Next Week ... Page 3 Cover

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BEFORE we again address our readers the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will have taken place , and we trust to have to report a most successful gathering . Financially , we trust that it will embolden the authorities to reduce the serious margin of waiting and needy candidates for its great benefits , as we know of no institution which does more real and

great good , is more essential for our Order , or does greater credit to English Freemasonry . VVe are gratified in announcing that in consequence of our appeal to the Craft the number of Stewards has been happily increased to 280 . It is not yet too late for any brother to send in his name to Bro . TERRY . We rejoice to note that ten additional widows are to be elected .

#% FOR fear of any little harm occurring to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution by the reason and effect of notices of change , we think it well to add that , giving Bro . LACEY all claims for thoughtful consideration and kindly motives , we feel sure his proposal to lower the annuities is a mistake , and is

not likely to be approved by the subscribers or Grand Lodge . It is a retrograde movement , for which there is not , in our humble opinion , the slightest need or the smallest justification . In the present state of the price of provisions and everything else , the amount of our male and female annuities is

not too high , and wc trust Bro . LACEY will withdraw at once his motion , for fear of injuring the prospects both of the Festival and the future support of the Institution . Needless changes are never desirable , and thc gain to be obtained cannot be immediate , and must eventually even be very small .

ON the other hand , we cordially approve of the proposal to alter thc age to 65 . There are many reasons why this change should be made , and we feel sure that it will work well , and prove of great help to the funds of the Institution . " Verbum sat . "

• * SOME conversation took place at the recent monthly meeting of the Managing Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution as regards the correctness of certain figures recently published in the Frtemason . Bro . TERRY seems by the reporter to have been represented as saying more than

he really did say , and conveying more than he intended to convey . AH that he seems to have meant to state was , that the question as regards the expenses must be settled by the printed official statements of the Institution itself , and not by totals or commentaries in any paper or on any other authority . The absolute correctness of the figures printed in the Freemason

is undoubted ; but we do not understand that that point is touched upon in any sense by Bro . TERRY . There is a slight difference of verbiage , as of meaning , to which our attention has been specially called , in the reports of Bro , TERRY ' "ipsissima verba " as recorded in the Frtemason and a contemporary .

THE Statistics as regards the lodges sending Stewards to the last Festival of the Boys' School are before us . There were 256 lodges represented , 10 chapters , 26 unattached Stewards , 6 representing provinces , 11 not attached to any lodge , 3 Mark Degree . It may be observed that many

lodges sent up 2 , 3 , 4 , or more Stewards . As regards the lodges , from 1 to 100 , there were 40 represented ; from 100 to 200 , 26 ; from 200 to 300 , 22 ; from 300 to 400 , 13 ; from 400 to 500 , 11 ; from 500 to 600 , 8 ; from ' 700 to 800 , 19 ; from 800 to 900 , 6 ; from 900 to 1000 , 12 ; from 1000 to 1100 , 7 ; from 1100 to 1200 , 9 ; from 1200 to 1300 , 13 ; from 1300 to 1400 , 13 ; from

from 1400 to 1500 , 7 ; from 1500 to 1600 , 12 ; from 1600 to 1700 , 14 ; from 1700 to 1800 , 12 ; from 1800 to 1900 , 10 ; and from 1900 to 2000 , 8 . These figures suggest many considerations , and might afford matter for many commentaries . We shall recur to the subject before long , as we hope , by still clearer figures to set before our readers the exact number of lodges sending Stewards to our great Charities in 1883 .

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WE call attention to a portion of the address by the retiring GRAND MASTER of the Quebec Grand Lodge elsewhere , to which we shortly alluded last week . It seems to us permeated by a considerable ignorance of the true facts of the case , and a want of judicious appreciation of the serious import of the struggle he invites the Grand Lodge of Quebec so recklessly

to commence . * Nothing the Grand Lodge of Quebec can do or say can really affect either the practice or position of the Grand Lodge of England . That body , the oldest of all existing jurisdictions , the source and fountainhead of all existing Craft Grand Lodges , is not likely to be turned from its onward and honest course , or shaken in its loyal promulgation of ancient

Masonic law and precedent by " modern " instances , by partizan writers , by the "fulminations " of the creation of yesterday , by the " Boycotting " of ungrateful offshoots . Independently of all questions as to newfangled theories of " state rights , " and which , if justified on the soil from which

they spring as arising out of the necessities of the case , are utterly unsuited to other bodies and other climes , the Grand Lodge of England having kept its part of an open concordat , expects the other contracting party to adhere loyally to what it admitted , what it recognized , and what it promised as before the Masonic world . To admit for onc moment a Masonic

doctrine of " repudiation of any kind , in any form , or in any shape , is antagonistic to the whole moral teaching of Freemasonry , destructive to international comity as well as jurisdictional honour , and is never likely to be assented to or approved of by the Grand Lodge of England . What the Grand Lodge of Canada , through Grand Master WILSON , originally and

spontaneously offered and avowed , and which , acceded toby Lord ZETLAND and the Grand Lodgeof England in full reliance on Canadian Masonichonour , H . R . H . the GRAND MASTER and the Grand Lodge of England are pretty certain , it isclear , to hold to and abide by now . In fact , if it were not for the impatience of some and thc irresponsible animosity of others , the whole question

is so petty in itself , of such narrow bearing , such a "tempest in a glass of water , " that " a priori" we should have thought it was , in fact , as utterly unlikely to create a Masonic agitation as it is one utterly beneath the dignity of a Masonic body to go wild about , whether it be by idlelcss indignation or foolish proclamations . But some minds like little things , and arc urged and

egged on by little men and little considerations . Our good brethren alike in Quebec have been told over and over again that according to the present feeling here , and of course unless something very extraordinary supervenes , all their grievances , such as they are , are best left to the " efflux of time . " Lord ZETLAND said that while safeguarding

the interests of those lodges which thought fit to adhere to their warranting Grand Lodge , he should not grant fresh warrants nor keep up the Anglian organization . And this avowal thc Grand Lodge of England stands by to-day loyally and honourably as ever . It would be an act of the greatest moral cowardice , a proof of the greatest Masonic weakness , to desert brethren whose

only fault is loyalty to their mother country , to their original warranting body , and as the Grand Lodge of England has now for 187 years been leading the Masonic world , and is legitimately thc hope and trust of Cosmopolitan

Masonry at this hour , it is not likely , by idle menaces or childish assumption , of unauthorized claims , to do anything to derogate from its high position , or forget its duties alike to far off members of its Fraternity , as well as to its own distinguished body at home .

• • We have said nothing here of the position of the Grand Lodge of Quebec in respect of their own statute law in the Dominion . There can be little doubt but that until legalized they are " hors de la loi , " and have no lawful existence . In fact , under the provisions of their own laws , they are an

illegal secret association , and incur the penalties of the Act . Until made legal by a special Act , the Grand Lodge of Quebec cannot be recognized as a Masonic legal jurisdiction , and all the legality remains with the Provincial Grand Lodge of Montreal and the English lodges under \ 1 , in the Quebec jurisdiction . Curious fact 1

• • # WB understand that the supporters of Bro . J . D . ALLCROFT and the friends of Bro . H . B . M ARSHALL are making mutually strenuous efforts to ensure success to their candidates , and they are quite right to do so . We observe that one correspondent alludes to an early occupation of Grand

Lodge by the friends of one or the other candidate . But any such idea and attempt are rendered nugatory and idle by the fact of "overflow meetings" being possible , nay , certain , so that all members of Grand Lodge present may record their votes . If needs be a larger hall must be

secured , as it is quite clear that Grand Lodge is in no humour to submit to the caprices of a " Caucus , " or indulge in the vulgar infliction of a " snap " vote . AU such ideas may be dismissed at once from the Masonic mind , as the peace and harmony of Grand Lodge are of too great importance to us