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SATURDAY , DECEMBER 26 , 18 9 6 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

Once ajrain the agreeable duty devolves upon us of wishing our readers the Compliments of the Season . True , there are none of those appearances which we are accustomed to associate with the presence of Old Father Christmas . The sky , with a few brief , very brief , intervals of sunshine , has been overcast , and ,

instead of ice and snow , we have had more than the ordinary allowance of mist and mud . However , we are pretty well accustomed lo these eccentricities of the Clerk of the Weather , and may console ourselves with the reflection—that if the snow of Christmas is just now conspicuous by its a sence , it will probably turn up—or , more correctly ; peaking , come down—

Masonic Notes.

later , perhaps , about Easier-tide , 18 97 , or later still , about Derby-day , as it did in Hermit's year , when the race was very nearly run in a snowstorm . Still , if the weather is unconventional , our Hearty Gold Wishes are not ; and we sincerely hope that all our rra ^ eis may enjoy themselves to the utmost during the present festive season .

* We are glad to be in a position to announce lhat Bro . Terry has been making satisfactory progress in obtaining the services of brethren as Stewards for the approaching anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . When we brought the Festival

more immediately to the notice of our readers in our article of the 5 th inst . the Board of Stewards was less numerous by between 40 and 50 members than was the case at the corresponding period of 1 S 95 with the Festival of February last . Since then , however , he has succeeded in reducing the difference to about 20 .

Of course during the next few days Bro . Teiry will have few opportunities of recruiting for the Board , and as , we regret to say , Bro . Mason has been too ill to attend to his duties , the energies of our respected brother and his small staff of assistants have been

severely taxed . Still there is this advantage attending the occurrence of the holidays just now . The rest will give Bro . Terry time to recruit himself and enable him to set about his task ot enlisting Stewards with renewed vigour when the lodges have resumed their labours . * * *

Comp . Ensor Drury ' s address , as Acting Grand Superintendent at the recent convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire , contained references to several matters connected with Royal Arch Masonry which are well worthy of consideration . Thus , in noticing the progress made by the White

Rose of York Chapter since its consecration in March last , he remarked that it" now numbers 26 subscribing members and six Hon . P . Zs ., all , I think , without exception , enthusiastic Royal Arch Masons , " and he added " I wish , companions , that I could truthfully use that expression in speaking of Royal Arch

Masons generally . " We are afraid Comp . Drury is right , and that enthusiasm is not a prominent feature of Royal Arch Masonry . The reason probably is that the work of the chapter is ordinarily restricted to the annual election and installation of oflicers and the occasional exaltation of a candidate . The

meetings , too , are few in number , and take place only at long intervals . It is difficult to imagine how any brethren can become enthusiastic about a branch of Masonry when , as a rule , the members meet only two or three times a year or , at the most , once a quarter ; and it is still more difficult to suggest a remedy . But

if chapters are to meet more frequently , they will need more funds , and people will very soon tire of meeting and incurring additional expense , when they find the only work done is to open and close the chapter . Were the ceremonies occasionally rehearsed or a

lecture or lectures delivered by a competent companion , it might have the effect of creating a little enthusiasm . We fear there is no alternative but to admit that enthusiasm is not ordinarily associated with Royal Arch Masonry .

* » * Comp . Drury does not seem to be very fully impressed with the results of the reduction of the qualifying period for the exaltation of Master Masons from 12 months to one month . Indeed , from one of the remarks he let fall , it strikes us he does not appreciate the change .

" When , said he , " I recollect the eagerness with which I and the young brethren of the lodge took the Degree the very earliest day we possibly could do so after the 12 months' probation , I am inclined to hold the opinion that in this , as in most things , people do not value that which is too easily obtained . " But if

we remember rightly the principal argument that was employed in support of the proposed reduction of the probationary period was that , in consequence of the length of the prescribed interval between raising and exaltation many brethren had come to regard the Royal Arch as a separate and distinct branch of our

Masonic system , and that the really essential part of Masonry , instead of including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch , was limited to what are known as the Craft Degress of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , ft was , therefore , proposed that the qualifying period between raising and

exaltation should be the same as between initiation and passing , and passing and raising , and it was hoped that by the adoption of this change , brethren would bring themselves to realise that the Royal Arch was a part of Free and Ancient Masonry as defined in our Book of Constitutior . s .

Masonic Notes.

We agree with Comp . Drury that hardly time enough as yet has elapsed to enable a true estimate to be formed of the effect of the reduction in the probationary period from a year to a month . Fewer warrants for the constitution of new chapters have been granted , but on the

other hand there may have been , by way of compensation , an increase in the membership of chapters previously existing . So far , however , from regarding it as " almost incredible " that " only about one Mason out of every three " in the Province becomes a Royal Arch Mason , we feel inclined to congratulate both him

and his Province of West Yorkshire on the sli ghtness of the disproportion between Craft and Arch . We know of Provinces in which they stand to each other in the proportion 6 or 7 to 1 , and there may be Provinces in which the disproportion is still greater . Indeed , we

have always looked upon West Yorkshire as being exceptionally strong in Royal Arch Masonry , seeing that it musters 43 chapters to its 78 lodges , while West Lancashire with 115 lodges has only 46 chapters , and East Lancashire with 111 lodges only 39 chapters .

* We have been favoured with a report—which , to our regret , we are obliged to hold over till next week—of the meeting held at the Masonic Hall , Lewes , on Monday , the 30 th ult ., for the purpose of celebrating the centenary of the constitution of the South Saxon

Lodge , No . 311 , and we take this opportunity of congratulating the lodge and its members on the distinction which it has thus obtained and , by reason of its continuous working and the services it has rendered during its long and honourable career , so well deserves . At the commencement of this report the lodge is referred

to as having been at one time " the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex , as is testified by a warrant from the Grand Lodge of England exhibited in the lodge room . " The warrant , which we believe is unique of its kind and will be found in the " History of Freemasonry in Sussex , " by Bro . Thomas Francis , P . M . No . 56 , is as follows :

" To All and every to whom these Presents shall come & may concern . " Know Ye that I , Samuel Hulse , Esq ., Lieutenant General of His Majesty ' s Forces , Treasurer to the Prince of Wales , Colonel of the 19 th Regt . of Foot , and Provincial Grand Master of Free and Accepted

Masons for the County of Sussex , Do , by virtue of my said office , & under the immediate authority of His Royal Highness George Augustus Frederick Prince of Wales , & c , & c , Sec , Grand Master of England , first had & obtained espec ially for this purpose , hereby nominate , constitute , it appoint the

' South Saxon ' Lodge , held at Lewes , the Provincial Grand Lodge of the County of Sussex , to consist of the Grand Officers hereunder named , and twelve Grand Stewards ( subject nevertheless to such new Elections as occasion may from time to time require ) with full power to make Masons , constitute Regular Lodges ,

and to frame and enforce such Bye-laws & Regulations as may be deemed necessary for the Good Government of the Institution , also to do and execute all & every such other Act or Acts , Thing or Things , as appertain to the Duties of a Regularly constituted Provincial Grand Lodge . "

* * * The " Grand Officers hereunder named " include Lieut .-General Hulse , P . G . M . ; Capt . Henry Shelley , D . P . G . M . ; Mr . William Lee , P . A . G . M . ; Captain Joseph BJagrave , P . G . S . W . ; Mr . W . Balcombe Laneridge , P . G . J . W . ; the Rev . Arthur Iredell , M . A .,

P . G . Chaplain ; the Rev . Francis Joseph Fearon , M . A ., P . D . G . Chaplain ; the Rev . Harry West , A . M , P . G . Orator ; the Rev . Robert Briggs , P . D G . Orator ; Mr . Francis Whitfield , P . G . Treasurer ; Mr . James Nicholson , P . G . Secretary ; Mr . John Charlton , P . D . G . Secretary ; Mr . Edmiind Scott Scot ' , P . G .

Portrait Painter ; Mr . Christopher Kell , P . G . Record Keeper ; Mr . Joseph Goldsmith , P . G . Architect ; Mr . Edward Egles , P . G . Seal Keeper ; Mr . John Bray Gates , P . G . Master of the Ceremonies ; Mr . lames Cook , P . G . Standard Bearer ; and Mr . Thomas

Till , P . G . Sword Bearer . Of the foreg . ing , Bro . the Rev . A . Iredell was nominated in the warrant—bearing date the 15 th October , 1796 , under which the lodge was constituted—as the first Master , and Bros . William Lee and John Bray Cater—or Cator—as the first Wardens .

The warrant constituting the lodge as the Provincial Grand Lodge concludes as follows : " Given under my Hand and Seal at London , this Seventh day of March A . L . 5801 , A . D . 1 S 01 , " and is signed by " S . Hulse , P . G . M . " Appended is a note—we presume by Bro . Francis—to the 1 fleet that "the seal attached to the document is an oval a . J in . by 2 in ., " with a coat

of arms in the centre like the Lewes borough seal , but probably made for the occasion and bearing the inscription ''' South Sixon ' Lodge , 357 . Presented b y Bro . W . B . ilcombe Langridgc—the same , no doubt , who is given among the G . Os . as P . G . J . W . We will add that the History compiled by Bro . Francis from which these highly interesting particulars are derived , was published in 18 S 3 .