The Ritualism Of Freemasonry.

now exists in many Grand Jurisdictions . The differences that may be found are only of minor importance , and represent individual op inions of local instructors on mooted points . In Indiana the Webb work , as taught by Bro . Morris , is used in nearly every good working lodge . The exceptions are but few , ancl these

mainly from a want of proper instruction more than from any opposition to the work . The sticklers for some pet idea , or form of words , for no better reason than that they were taught that

way by some old Mason , have mostly passed away , and others have taken their places who are willing to yield an individual op inion on an unimportant point for the sake of uniformity . — Masonic Advocate .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Hants And The Isle Of Wight.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HANTS AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Hants and the Isle of Wi ght was held at the Town Hall , Andover , on Tuesday afternoon , the 13 th inst ., under the presidency of the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P . There was a numerous attendance of Present and Past Grand Officers and of the brethren of the Craft generally . The report of the Prov . Grand Lod ge Committee on grants of money for relief and on elections to the Masonic Institutions having been presented and adopted , the P . G . M . invested the officers for the ensuing year as follows :

Bro . Major Campbell , 257 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ G . H . Barclay , 1373 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . Ramsay , 6 94 ... ... ... ... " ** „ Rev . Dr . Burton , 151 ... ... j Prov . G . Chaps . „ Dr . C . G . Beaumont , 1112 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ J . W . Gieve , 1990 ( re-elected ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ E . Goble , 309 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ Rev . A . A . Headley , 309 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ George Davies , 130 ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ J . H . McQueen , 186 9 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ F . P . Ansle , 551 ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ G . Farley Brown , 18 34 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ Buck , 342 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ Francis Cooper , 18 34 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Heasome , 723 ... ... ... ... p v . D . G . D . C . „ A . J . Brown , 1461 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ H . J . Long , 1 903 ... ... ... . ... Prov . G . S . B . „ W . A . Hill , 309 ... ... ... ... * - _ „ W . J . Borrow , 1958 ... ... ... J Prov . G . Std . Brs . „ C . B . Birch , 2074 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ F . J . Bolitho , 1 705 ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ G . D . Lovegrove , 257 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ A . Farr , 1373 ... ... ... ... "* „ L . T . Wilkins , 2169 ... „ J . Rudd y , 1428 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Stwds . „ Rogers , 195 „ A . J . Blackman , 359 ... " R . Eames " " ... " . ' .. " . ' .. **; j Prov . G . T ylers .

The brethren afterwards dined together at the Foresters' Hall , the Provincial Grand Master presiding , when the usual Masonic toasts followed .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Monmouthshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MONMOUTHSHIRE .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Monmouthshire , which assembles annuall y in rotation at the principal towns in the county , was held at the Masonic Hall , Monmouth , on Thursday , the ist instant , under the banner of Loyal Monmouth Lodge , No . 457 . A large number of brethren was present , the following being- the list of officers for the ensuing year : 6

Bro . Capt . Homfray ... ... ... ... prov . D . G . M . ..* - Pt- J- A . Bradney ... ... ... ... p . S . G . W . " J o , ~ - - - - Prov . J . G . W . " » " h 0 n - - Prov . G . Chap . " W b " , - M - .- T Bidweil - Prov . A . G . Chap . " w *^ ford Prov . G . Treas . " 7 * ?* ? arnett - - ... - Prov . G . Reg . " ?* J y ° ... Prov . G . Sec . " X M , l ^ Prov . S . G . D . " r Ml " , - Prov . J . G . D . » J-P . Fowler ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . " n D ? *•¦ - - •••Prov . G . D . C . " Rw J T ° - - - - Prov . A . G . D . C . " llffr „ Prov . G . Swd . Br . 1 PR ett ge 11 Prov . G . Std . Br . j' J wB B f Prov . A . G . Sec . " H ' " - Prov . G . Org . :: ££ & ¦¦ : P ^ . ^ . " Chas . C . Powell :: E : wi n fi n ei ° d : ;; :::::::::k-. G . stwd , " J ° hn Jones " £F £W " ••- - - P ~ v . G . Tyler , r-ietcher ... ... ... _ Prov . A . G . Tvler .

catering- t-J I brethren afterwards sat down to luncheon at the Rolls Hall the ln ° st tasS * ? trusted t 0 Bro - J- Thomas , of the King ' s Head Hotel . The hall was and other mT f corated with flowers and Masonic emblems , the front of the stage while the tM hal 1 bein £ & Iow with P lants in bloom and foliage plants . * lnd the Us , ? TM Were - ° Iaid with £ reat taste * Br 0 * Co 1 * Lyne > P G- M -. Presided , A numb * f a ? . toasts were proposed . st ; i ge and tlT J S Wh ° received invitation tickets occupied seats on the ban d , under R pr ° ceedln gs were much enlivened by the playing of the R . M . E . M . * aer Bandmaster Renecle .

L ° ndon , * W F ? r P * T ( e St * J ames ' s ) , 1 , Berkeley-street , and 77 , Piccadilly , attached f 0 ' hicrh 1 accommodation for residents , with a restaurant newlyc -DI ETTE lUolf c'ass luncheons and dinners , at fixed prices and a la carte . — 1 manager . —[ ADVT . ]

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Northumberland And Durham.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Northumberland and Durham was held on Tuesday afternoon , the 20 th inst ., at the Freemasons ' Hall , Berwick-upon-Tweed , under the banner of the St . Cuthbert ' s Lodge , No . 192 , of which Bro . H . T . Heron is W . M . The Provincial Officers and brethren were received in a most hospitable manner b y the brethren of the Berwick lodge . After a meeting of the General Purposes Committee , the Prov . Grand Lodge was

opened by Bro . Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., P . G . Chaplain of England , supporting whom were Bros . R . B . Reed , D . P . G . M . ; T . Y . Strachan , P . D . P . G . M . ; John Strachan , P . S . G . W . ; J . C . Moor , P . G . M . O . ; W . F . Carmon , P . S . G . O . ; J . F . Wilson , P . J . G . O . ; J . S . B . Bell , P . G . Treas . ; Wm . Davidson , P . G . R . of M . ; J . S . Wilson , P . G . Sec . ; G . S . Riddle , P . S . G . D . ; D . G . Anderson , P . J . G . D . ; J . Ferguson , P . G . I . of W . ; T . Bell , P . G . D . C ; W . Brown , P . G . Std . Br . ; R .

Luck , P . G . I . C ; J . Curry , P . G . Tyler ; and among the Past Prov . G . Officers were Bros . M . Corbitt , Thomas Coulson , John Page , C . S . Lane , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . Logan , T . Dinning , T . J . Armstrong , P . P . J . G . W . ; R . Thompson , J . R . Pattison , G . Porteous , Adam Wilson , R . Whitfield , C . Spencer , T . Purvis , T . Metcalfe , W . Slater , T . Horn , A . S . Cockburn , A . H . Miller , T . M . Morrison , W . M . Green , W . P . Carr , W . Burn , R . Craik , Dr . Carr , J . A . Forbes , P . P . S . G . W . ; George Moor , and J . Baker .

The roll of Provincial Grand Officers was duly called , after which the report of the General Purposes Committee was read by Bro . J . S . WILSON , P . G . S ., showing the continued prosperity of the Order . Forty new members had been added during the year . Deducting those struck off , the net increase was 12 . The amount subscribed by Provincial Grand Mark Lodge to various Masonic Charities from 1873 to 1888 was .- £ 245 15 s . Theaccounts showed a balanceof . £ 28 17 s . in hand , out of which the Committee recommended that , £ 15 15 s . be given to the Mark Benevolent Fund and £ 10 to the Mark Education Fund .

The report was unanimously adopted , on the motion of Bro . R . B . REED , D . P . G . M ., seconded by Bro . T . Y . STRACHAN , P . D . P . G . M . The roll of the lodges in the province was then called , and showed a stead y increase in the membership of the respective lodges . Bro . the Rev . Canon TRISTRAM , P . G . M ., addressing Provincial Grand Lodge , spoke of the great pleasure it afforded him for the 16 th time in succession to

preside over them . Since they did him the honour to place him in the chair in 18 73 the Mark Degree had advanced , as the D . P . G . M . had already remarked , not like the supple willow , but like the oak , slow and firmly . It had been great pleasure to him that all the lodges had been represented on that occasion at this the northern extremity of the province . He was sure they were all very glad to find themselves in Berwick . He proceeded to speak of the progress of the Degree , and repeated the great p leasure it gave him to witness their steady advancement . Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram afterwards appointed the following as his officers for the ensuing year

Bro . R . B . Reed , P . P . S . G . W . ( re-appointed ) ... ... Deputy Prov . G . M . „ J . Straker Wilson , P . P . G . Sec . ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Richard Luck , P . P . G . I . G . ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ H . T . Heron , W . M . 192 ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ Adam Wilson , M . D ., W . M . 346 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ Jos . Robson Pattison , W . M . 124 ... ... Prov . J . G . O . „ Rev . E . Thornton ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ Robt . Whitfield , W . M . 293 ... ... ... Prov . G . R . of M . „ C . B . Ford , P . P . G . D . ( absent ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . . B . Bell ( re-elected ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ H . Main , M . D ., 1626 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ A . S . Cockburn , W . M . 1626 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ M . J . Wheatley ( absent ) ... ... ... Prov . G . I . of W . „ * Thomas Bell , W . M . elect 356 ( re-appointed ) ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Charles Spencer , S . W . 122 ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ Thomas Metcalf , W . M . 39 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ W . Mayson , P . P . G . S . B . ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G . „ William Green , S . W . 192 ... . ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ Joshua Curry ( re-appointed ) ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

The Committee of General Purposes was re-appointed , and the Auditors , and it was intimated that the next meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge would beheld in Durham . The brethren afterwards dined at the King ' s Arms Hotel , where a very splendid menu was served . In the course of the evening , " The Health of the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Canon Tristram , " was proposed in most befitting terms b y Bro . T . Y . STRACHAN , P . D . P . G . M . Bro . Canon TRISTRAM , in reply , gave an eloquent address upon the historical connection of the Mark Degree , to the great edification of the brethren . He also proposed " The Health of Bro , R . B . Reed , P . D . G . M ., " who suitably re ' sponded . Bro . J STRACHAN , P . P . S . G . W ., responded to the toast of "The Grand Officers . " The ceremonies of the occasion were ably directed b y Bro . Thomas Bell , P . G . D . of C .

THE ROYAL ARCH . —A grade peculiar to English Freemasonry in its exact position in the system , and of English orig in and growth . Some writers have declared it to be of foreign importation ; others have contended that it is of Ramsay ' s manipulation , and is still to be found in more than one of the foreign Hi gh Grades . Some will have it that Dermott took it from the " Rite de Bouillon , " and introduced it into the system of the Ancient Masons . It was not formally

adopted b y the English Grand Lodge until the Union in 1813 , though a Grand Chapter , in connection with the " Modern" Grand Lodge , had been in existence forty-seven years previously . In our opinion , all these theories as regards the origin of the Royal Arch are entirely erroneous . The Royal Arch Degree as * we have it ( we say nothing of its nomenclature or of its ritual arrangements ) , is far older than either Ramsay or Dermott .

It is not the same with any known foreign grade , nor can any veritable similarity be adduced or proved . It is , as our Grand Lodge says , part of true and ancient Masonry , and was , though not clearly worked as now exactly , well known to the older Master Masons . The difference between the Moderns and the Ancients on this point was more a " logomachy " than anything else , though we quite believe that the words " Royal Arch " were in themselves

new to the Modern Masons , and may have been taken from Ramsay . But if Dermott took the name , he certainly did not borrow from Ramsay the essential portion of the Degree ; and after many years' patient and careful study of the question , we feel quite persuaded of this , that the Royal Arch Degree is both in form and substance of very old date , though its terminology may have been modernised , and

very properly and truly forms the conclusion of Craft Masonry . That some little identity may exist between the English Royal Arch and some othes grades we do not deny , as we have before said ; but we believe that all such grades are modifications or adaptations of the Royal Arch Degree , and not the Royal Arch Degree of them . —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .