Craft Masonry

Craft Masonry

New Forest Lodge , No . 319 . A monthly meeting of the above lodge wis held at the Masonic Hall , Ashley-lane , Lymington , on the 13 th instant , when there was a Urge attendance of the brethren , including several visitors . Ths ceremonies of the diy were impressively performed by the W . M ., Bro . G . S . Love , whose year of office is just expiring . The choice of the brethren for a new W . M . unanimously fell upoi Bro . J . W . Bog-rein , the S . W . of the lodge , and he will be duly installed at the September meeting . Bro . R . E . Jack-nan , P . M ., was re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . A . Algar , P . M ., the lodge's Representative

on the Pmv . Grand Lodge Charities Committee , and Bro . J . Bailey was re-elected Tyler . The services of Bro . Love during the past year were suitably alluded to , and it was unanimously agreed to present him wi'h a . Past Master's jewel in gold upon the rccssion of his quitting the chair of K . S .. as a slight recognition of his successful work , and as a mark of the respect ard esteem in which he is held by the brethren . The sad and sudden death rf Bro . W . W . B . Beach , the beloved Prov . G . Master , was also referred to , and the Secretary directed to express to the sorrowing relatives feelings of sincere regret and condolence on the part of the whole of the members of the lodge .

At the close of the lodge the brethren adjourned to the Bugle Hotel , where a banquet was served by Bro . Dore , P . M . Though the sad loss the province has sustained naturally cast a gloom over the whole of the proceedings , and the usual toa st list was omitted , very hearty were the congratulations passed to Bro . Boggeln upon his election to the chair of the lodge for the ensuing year .

Weyside Lodge , No . 1395 . An emergent meeting of this distinguished lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Woking , on Tuesday , the 13 th instant , for the purpose of conferring the Third Degree upon Bro . Charles E . Bowles , in view of his approaching return to rrilitary duty in South Africa . In the unavoidable abserce of Viscount Cranley , the W . M ., who is

in Scotland , the chair was fi led by Bro . A . H . Bowles , P . M ., P . G . D ., father of the candidate , and whose other son is still serving at the front . There were also present Bros . S . Boorman , S . W . ; J . H . W . Cleave , J . W . ; Rev . J . H . Robson , P . M ., P . P . G . C , Chap . ; C . T . Tyler , P . M ., Prov . G . Sec , Sec . ; J . Smythe , J . D . ; Ralph Nevill , P . M ., P . P . G . Supt . of Works ; S . C . Knight , P . M . ; A . W . R . Sowman , P . M ., P P . G . Std . Br . ; C . E . Bowles , H . F . Thomas , Col . John Davis , A . D . C , Prov . Grand Master ; R . F . Gould , P . G . D . ; J . A . Sherer , F . E . Pearse , H . Dickenson , A . B . Burnell , and J . Chapman , Tyler .

The lodge having been duly opened , the Prov . Grand Master was admitted , and greeted with the usual formalities . The business of the evening was then proceeded with , Bro . Charles E . Bowles being raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason by the W . M . in the chair . The ceremony throughout was performed in a most impressive manner , to which an additional interest was lent from the circumstance that the candidate r < ceived the Degree at the hands of one who was at the same time his brother in the Craft and his father in the flesh .

All business being concluded , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment . The customary toasts followed , namely , " The King , the Protector of English Freemasonry "; " The Duke of Connaught , Grand Master " ; " The Grand Officers , " responded to by Bro . R , F . Gould , P . G . D . ; " The Provincial Grand Master , "

acknowledged hy Bro . Colonel John Davis , A . D . C , in a speech which was much applauded ; " Ihe Newly-raised Brother , " replied to wilh singular earnestness by Bro . C . E . BowKs ; "The Presiding Officer , " acknowledged in eloquent terms by the acting W . M . ; " The Officers of Ihe Lodge , " coupled with the . name of the Senior Warden , Bto . S . Boorman ; and lastly , the Tyler ' a toast , which brought a most agreeable evening to a close . '

The "Lodge Of Research," No. 2429.

THE "LODGE OF RESEARCH , " No . 2429 .

1 ; iking the " Quatuor Coronati , " Lodge , No . 2076 , as its model , the "Lodge of Research" was warranted in 18 9210 assemble in the Freemasons' llall , Leicester . Its consecration was by one of its founders , Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G D . C , of Log ., Dep . Prov . G . M ., and Bro . J . T . Thorp , P . M . 523 , was

installed as the lirst W . M . by the lamented Bro . Geo . VV . Speth , who was one . of the founders and Secretary , to his regretted decease , of No . 2076 . The Rev . IL S . Biggs , B . A ., was

Secretary of 2429 for the lirst year , ancl Bro . Thorp has been the indefatigable Secretary ever since , as well as Editor of the Transactions from the inauguration of the lodge to the present lime .

The membership is restricted to 33 brethren , but the " Correspondence Circle , " as with my Lodge , No . 2076 , is unlimited . The subscription is only five shillings per annum , and includes the valuable Transactions , as well as the additional papers so frequently and generously presented by the zealous Secretary .

So far , nine parts , or volumes , of Transactions have been published—1892-3 to I 900-I—with tjuitc a number of important works , the gifts of Bro . J . T . Thorp , F . R M . S ., representing in

all nearly IOOJ pages , those given to the members and the " C . C . " accounting for over 400 pages of that copious supply of interesting literary matter concerning the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons .

The Transactions are very readable , because they not only give complete reports or excellent diges ' s of the Papers or Lectures read or delivered before the Lodge , but also brief accounts of the discussions , and lists of special exhibits at the meetings . Besides which , each number contains several illustrations and

facsimiles , & c , of considerable interest , and not a few very curious in character , rarely met with , and most welcome sights to Masonic students . They do not , of course , rival or equal those of No . 2076 , and make no pretensions in such a direction , but , undoubtedly , in proportion , they are quite as good and useful ,

ancl as respects the style of execution , ancl the appearance of the volumes generally , they cannot well be improved upon in any respect . The gifts particularly noteworth y are Histories of the" John of Gaunt , " No . 523 ; " Chapter of Fortitude , " No . 279 ; "Ancient Lodge , " No . 91 { extincl ) ; " Kni ghts of Malta Lodge , " No . 50 :

The "Lodge Of Research," No. 2429.

" French Prisoners Lodges , " and " Masonic Papers . " I must not forget two contributions also after my own heart ; viz ., Reproductions of the " JohnT . Thorp" and the " John Strachan " MSS . of the " Old Charges . " The current Part of the Transactions is by far the largest

yet published , running as it docs to 139 pages , besides the presentation copy of the "Masonic Papers ,. ' ' being more than 60 pages . The meetings described arc those from the 41 st to thc 45 th inclusive , and include excellent reports of Lectures or Papers by Bro . J . T . Thorp on " References to Freemasonry in

Early Printed Books" { all known and most valuable , with Portraits ) ; "The Landmarks of Freemasonry , " by Bro . F . VV . Billson , LL . B . ( suggestive , argumentative , and descriptive ); "An Attempt to Fix the Date of the Union of Speculative and

Operative Masonry , " by the Rev . H . S . Biggs , B A . ( worthy of careful study ); "The Origin and Meaning of the Letter ' G' in Freemasonry" ( introduced by * : the Secretary , but not settled , there being still room for investigation ) ; " Some Papal Pronouncements against the Fraternity" ( read by Bro . J . J . VV .

GEORGE , 3 N * D LOUD RANCI . ll-l-E ( From a Painting hy T . Barber , Nottingham , / Sj-tJ . Knowles , ancl historically interesting ); and " Freemasonry : its Traditions , Ritual , and Teachings / ' by Bro . E . V . Grcatbatch ( only briefly reported ) . There are also other attractive features ,

particularly an article on "Thc [ Spurious ] Grand Lodge of Philadelphes , " by the Secretary , with a reproduction of one oi the Certificates , after the French pattern . The " Masonic Papers" include admirable sketches of { a ) George , 2 nd Lord Rancliffe { with Fori rait ) ; { b ) the Masonic Benefit Society of I 799 ;

( Certificate of 1 S 00 facsimilied ) ,. { c ) Andrew , lifth Lord Rollc ( with plate ) , { tl ) The Grand Lodge " Royal York of Friendship " ( And a handsome certificate of 1816 reproduced ) , { c ) Rev . Samuel Oliver . These are all b y Bro . John T . Thorp , F . K .

Hist . S ., as already intimated ,: and like all he does , are well done and of considerable interest ancl value . Space will not permit of a full notice of the several contributions , but as they can b .: had for the subscription of a Crown , wilh the Transactions for 1900-1 , or separately a review is not at all necessary .

Finally , be it observed that the Correspondence Circle now numbers 133 members , including several distinguished and learned Craftsmen from far and near . It seems " to me , however , that were the Transactions of the lodge better known , they would enjoy , as they deserve , a much wider circulation by an

increase ofthe "C . C , " which I hope ancl believe will occm * through the publication of this article in my old friend tin-Freemason . It is the only acknowledgment Bro . Thorp desires for his labours , and certainly is one that will do much

also lo foster or engender a love for Masonic literature , which happily is now so much on the increase by the meetings nn ^ Investigations of the "Quatuor Coronati Lodge , " and other similar Institutions , such as the "Research" in the Midlands , ancl the "Humber Installed Masters" in the North . \ V . J . HUGHAN ' .