Ar00200

tions of iooo rupees—not necessarily , however , in one sum—constituting a Vice-Patron , 500 rupees a Vice-President , 100 rupees a Life Governor , and 50 rupees a Life Subscriber , a donation of 10 rupees sufficing for an annual subscriber , and entitling him to one vote at all elections during the year for which the subscription is paid . The balance sheet for the year 1 S 86

shows a total of receipt , including a balance of 980 rupees brought forward from the previous account , amounting to 3840 rupees . The school payments ( four children ) were 820 rupees , and the charges account 35 rupees , while 2031 rupees were dispersed in the purchase of 2000 rupees Government

Paper , yielding 4 $ per cent , per annum interest . The balance at close of account was 954 rupees . It is scarcely possible there can be a better local Charitable Association than this of Bombay ; we certainly know of few , if any , in which the cost of management is so low as £ 3 ios . for the year .

* * * THE New Zealand Freemason for June 21 st contains a capital Ne and t nd leader on her MAJESTY ' S Jubilee , and concludes by declaring Jubilee . t ! - unjson wity , our brethren in all parts of the Southern

Hemisphere , we feelingly exclaim G OD BLESS THE Q UEEN . Under the heading of " Jubilee Honours " the announcement is made that telegrams had been received of the gracious compliments paid to Australasian brethren . " With respect to the New Zealand appointments , we think they are on the whole judiciously made , Bro . Sir ROBERT S TOUT representing Otago j

Bro . Dr . DEAMER , Canterbury J Bro . GEORGE S . C OOPER , Wellington ; Bro . WILLIAM LODDER , Auckland J and Bro . J AMES KERR , Westland We congratulate our exalted brethren on their preferment , and hope that they will live many years to enjoy the distinction while so working in the good cause , so as to merit hig her advancement . " We are gratified to find

that the appointments thus conferred by our M . W . GRAND MASTER have been so well received in New Zealand , as doubtless they were also in Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania . Every effort was made to appoint those brethren to brevet rank who were the most deserving , of that we may be assured .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Dorsetshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF DORSETSHIRE .

Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorsetshire assembled at Swanage on Thursday , the iSth inst ., under the presidency of the R . W . P . G . M ., Bro . Montague Guest . The announcement was made that the Dep . Prov . G . M ., Col . Hambro , M . P ., having received Jubilee honour , had placed his provincial office in the hands of the P . G . M ., who appointed in his stead Bro . E .

Brymer , late M . P . for Dorchester . The P . G . CHAPLAIN delivered a lecture of an uncommonly able and bold character , contrasting with the English rite some marvellous realistic ceremonies observed by foreign Masonic bodies . The P . G . M ., in his address on the general state of his province , said the

progress was satisfactory . He commented with approval on one W . M . who had performed 21 out of 22 ceremonies , and installed his successor , and this brother , who already held the rank of Registrar , was promoted to be Prov . S . G . W . One brother , it appeared , had attended a Jubilee celebration in

Masonic clothing , but he was said to be only six months old . The Treasurer ' s account showingabalance of over £ soon the year , Bro . L , H . RUE-JG , P . P . S . G . W ., suggested that 20 guineas should be voted to Bro . Rev , M . Heath , Prov . 'G . C ., who is a Steward for the Girls' this year , and the

suggestion was acted on . The Provincial Masonic Charity has now a fund of over ^ , 2200 , and it was mentioned by Bro . GEORGE BURT , the Chairman , that the Court , in addition to grants of money for the relief of necessity , had lately voted sums for the education of the children of poor brethren . The following appointments were made

;—Bro . W . E . Brymer , P . M . 417 ... .., ... Dep . Prov . G . M „ J . Trevor Davies , P . M . 1168 ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ j . Shearman , W . M . 1146 ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . Arthur Hill , D . D ., P . M . 170 ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ R . D . Thornton , P . M . 1037 ( re-elected ) ... Prov . G , Treas . „ H . F . Harvey , P . M . 622 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

„ Robert Case , P . M . 417 ( re-appointed ) ... rrov . - j . bee . „ F . Turner , P . M . 707 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ Allan McLean , VV . M . 170 ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ W . H . Kerbey , P . M . 665 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W „ F . Buddtn , VV . M . 622 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . VV . Tribbett , W . M . 386 ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C .

„ J . btewart , VV . IVI . 1200 ... ... ... rrov . u . o . c . „ W . T . W . Robinson , P . M . 1266 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ C . Roberts , W . M . 472 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ F . A . Sharp ... ... ... ... " ) „ S . Whettam ... " ^ JS / , Prov . G . Stwds . „ J . Ii . Hill

„ J . F . Hatchard „ R . Tucker , jun . „ F . Long ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The brethren afterwards dined together , under the presidency of Bro Geo . Burt , P . P . S . G . W ., ex-High Sheriff of London .

MEHMET VON KONIGSTREU , G . M . —His father had been brought from Candia by Prince Maximilian of Hanover , to Hanover , and baptised under the name of Ludwig Maximilian Mehmet . He was aftewards ennobled with the name of " Konigstreu . " He was founder and first W . M . of the Lodge Friedrich , in Hanover , 194 6 , having been initiated in the Lod ge Absalom , at Hamburg , in 1744 . He was an active Mason , one of the attendants of King George I ., and died at Kensington Palace , 1726 . —Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .

"Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, 1886-7."—Ii.

"ARS QUATUOR CORONATORUM , 1886-7 . "—II .

WOODFORD'S ORATION AND ADDRESS . The Consecration Oration { re No . 2076 ) by Bro . Woodford is an able production , the introduction being descriptive of the broad aims and true scope of Freemasonry as understood by the Student Class , of whom the lodge is composed , as distinguished from the narrower views of the ordinary Mason . " In that revival of the literature and study , the archeeology and

esthetics of Freemasonry , which we have happily witnessed and welcomed in these our days , the legends of the past , in connection with our wonderful Brotherhood , full of interest as they are to any thoughtful mind , have demanded ( as in truth they deserved ) , the close investigation and consideration of Masonic Students . " The Orator considers , as we do , that " Masonic

Students have to consider in their survey of the Masonic Records of the past the accretions of early ages , and the peculiar aspect and colouring of mediaeval tendencies ; " asa rule , however , there has been no lack of attention to these , the misfortune being that the evidences which are near at home , these which may be said to be around us , such as actual Lod ge

Records , have been neglected . Until certain prominent members of the "Quatuor Coronati , " in years gone by , took the matter up , Masonic History was mainly built on the very remote past , to the exclusion of facts relatingto the Craft during the last few centuries . True , as Woodford declares " The legends of the Craft , properly , so called , are those which bear

on the esoteric teaching and exoteric organisation of Craft Masonry , whether affected by contemporary influences or dominated either by monastic , mystic , or hermetic symbolism . " There seems , even now , to be no danger of the legends being neglected ; the real crux being at times overlooked , i . e ., the proof of the continuity of the Fraternity Irom ( say ) the period of the " Halliwell MS . " to early last century .

Naturally the legend of the Quatuor Coronati is referred to , the soldiers and the Sculptors , four and five respectively ; represented b y the Founders of No . 2076 , according to their eloquent and accomplished W . M . ( Sir Charles Warren ) as follows : The W . M . { Royal Engineers ) , Rev . A . F . A . Woodford ( formerly oi the Coldstream Guards ) , Bro . R . F . Gould ( late

31 st Regiment ) , and Major S . C Pratt , { Koyal Artillery ) take the place of ihefour soldiers , and Brothers W . H . Rylands , W . Besant , J . R . Rylands , W . J . Hughan , and G . W . Speth being the five Sculptors . Nine in all The legend , however , seems a little hazy as to details , as we read " Whether the nine , or the four , or the five , is a point which is not clear . " We need

not insist on an exact agreement at this remote period , but substantially the " Four Crowned Martyrs " have been gratefully remembered for their fidelity from very early days . They are referred to in the noted ' * Halliwell MS . " ( British Museum ) of the 14 th century , circa . Truly , as Woodtord states , " the day of the Four Crowned Martyrs being fixed in the Sarutn Missal of

the eleventh century , all Bro . Finders ingenuity—misplaced , we decidedly think—as a German patriot , to connect our Masonic Society with the Steinmetzen , because the latter preserves the legend in its Statutes , is entirely thrown away and falls to the ground , for the German Steinmetzen were not organised until the thirteenth century . The name of the lodge , though

curious , is most distinctive , and Sir Charles Warren , though not naming it , considers the title " a very happy one , " su we may accept the particular cognomen as suitable , however it may sound . The aims of the lodge are ably sketched . " It is proposed from time to time" ( says Woodtord ) "to have papers read on subjects tar off or near , recondite or common-place , to

invite discussion ( in which visitors may freely participate ) on the successive subjects brought belore us by ' expert workmen , ' and to issue Transactions . We trust that by this means we may help forward the important cause of Masonic study and investigation , may induce a more scholarly and critical consideration of our evidences , a greater relish for historical facts , and

subserve at the same time the increasing and healthy movement for the extension of libraries and museums in all lodges . " We entirely concur in the estimate that " in thus adding another name to the long list ot honoured

lodges , we feel sure that a good day s work has been effected , the more so as the Quatuor Coronati Lodge seems ^ to emphasise and vivify all those peculiar conditions and attributes which give to Freemasonry its charm , its reality , and its utility , both to the Order and to the world . "

FREEMASONRY AND HERMETICISM .

This lecture by Bro . Woodford , delivered to the members on Dec . 2 , 1886 , is one of his best efforts , is interesting , descriptive and historical , without being in any way dogmatical , and will repay one tor a critical and careful perusal . We fail to iollow him in respect to some of his statements on the subject , in which we are " wide as the poles apart , " but , nevertheless ,

we submit that the Lecture is a capital digest of the question , and contains many points about which , we , in common with many Craftsmen , can heartily agree with . On the other hand , we cannot conceal from ourselves the fact that wherein we disagree with the lecturer , will be exactly the points of agreement with some other Students . In the discussion which followed and

which is capitally narrated , we should have sided with Bro . Gould . Woodford warmly acknowledges the indebtedness of the Craft to the following brethren who are certainly not at all agreed as to Hermeticism . He says " we have studied with profit and pleasure the elegant periods of Bro . Fort , the erudite work of Schauberg , the reliable contributions of Bro . Hughan , the important

addenda of Bros . Clifford P . MacCalla and Carson , of Bros . Ry lands and Speth , and Lane , oi Bros . Lukis , Whytehead , Ramsden Riley , and many more , and last , not least , the invaluable History of Bro . Gould . We may note with some little satisfaction , en passant , that six of the brethren are members of our Lodge "—seven are now members . His conclusion is a very fair one , and we give it to confirm our estimate of the Lecture— " Like other tentamina this present theory of a possib e