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CONTENTS . PAGE . LEADERSThe So-called " Fourth Degree" ... ... ... ... 627 Masonry in the Transvaal ... ... ... ... ... 62 S United Grand Lodge of England ( Agenda ) ... ... ... ... G 2 S Grand Lodge of Mark Masons of England and Wales , & c . ( Agenda ) ... 629

Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire ... ... ... ... 629 Provincial Grand Lodge of Oxfordshire ... .,. ... ... 630 Provincial Priory of Cheshire ... ... ... ... ... 630 Consecration of the Earl of Lathom Rose Croix Chapter , No . 137 ... ... 630 Ladies' Night of the Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 ... ... ... 631 Presentation to Bro . W . M . Bywater , P . G . S . B . ... ... ... 631

MASONIC NOTESUnited Grand Lodge and its Agenda Paper ... ... ... 633 Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and its Agenda Paper ... ... 633 Boys' School Scholarship Fund ... ... ... ... 633 Annual Meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire ... ... 633

Correspondence .. . ... ... ... ... ... 634 Removal of the Boys' School ... ... ... ... ... 634 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... C 35 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 637 Masonic Service at St . Philip ' s Church , Earl's Court ... ... ... 638 Masonic Service at St . Catherine ' s Church , Hatcham ... ... ... 638 Lodge of Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... 638 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... .., 640

The So-Called "Fourth" Degree.

THE SO-CALLED "FOURTH" DEGREE .

We vvere reminded the other day , when vve came across certain remarks by Bro . JOSIAH H . DRUMMOND , Past Grand Master of Maine , on the subject of Grand Lodge banquets , which were quoted in one of our American exchanges , that there are many

worthy and well-meaning brethren who consider it derogatory to the grand principles of Freemasonry that so much attention should be paid to what is variously spoken of as the " Fourth " or " Knife and Fork " Degree . They say , in the first place , that

it is not an essential part of our Masonic system , and , in the second place , that , rightly or wrongly , Masons are credited with over-indulgence in the good things of this life , and they argue that , though a little refreshment after labour is by no means

undesirable , it is far better to forego that refreshment , and , by so doing , give the lie direct to so injurious an allegation . The question is one that has been discussed for a number of years , and , in all probability , will continue to be the subject of

discussion until the arrival of the Greek Calends . There is , of course , a certain amount of reason in the arguments of those who favour the abolition of the "Fourth" Degree , and , on the other hand , there is an absence of all reason from some of the arguments

employed by those who think it impossible that a Masonic meeting , of any kind or for any purpose , should be held without refreshment following labour . But , on the whole , it is our belief that there is rightly a preponderance of opinion in favour of

refreshment . We see no reason why it should not be provided whenever it is known that a number of brethren intend meeting together for the discharge of their duties , so that those who desire it may refresh themselves , while those who do not have

the option of going empty away ; while , as regards the manner m which it should be served , we would far rather see it take the form of a set meal , such as dinner , tea , or supper , than have it served promiscuously and in a rough-and-scramble fashion .

But we are forgetting the text we have chosen , namely , Bro . DRUMMOND ' S remarks about Grand Lodge banquets . Bro . D RUMMOND does not object to " banquets per se , nor to the annual feasts' of the Grand Lodges whose usage it is to have

them , but , " he adds , " the Grand Lodge meets to transact important business , and it is the universal experience that entertainments' always interfere seriously ' with the proper Performance of the duty of any legislative Masonic body . " We " afraid we do not quite grasp our brother ' s meaning . He

The So-Called "Fourth" Degree.

does not object to "banquets /?; - j

when it takes the form of a set banquet . Nor does he object to the " annual feasts" of those Grand Lodges whose usage it is to have them . The term "feast" is generally understood to imply a greater amount of eating and drinking than is necessary

for man ' s sustenance . Still , he has no objection to them in the case of those Grand Lodges which have made them a part , as it were , of their Masonic usage , and which , like all other Grand Lodges , meet , we suppose , for the transaction of important

business . But though he does not object to " banquets perse " or " annual feasts" where it is the usage to hold them , it is both his and everybody else ' s experience that " entertainments " —which are not necessarily " banquets " or " feasts , " but may

be lectures or musical and dramatic performances—interfere materially with the transaction of that important legislative business which it is the duty of Grand Lodges to perform . It follows that our distinguished brother both objects and does not

object to banquets . He does not mind a dinner , and no doubt considers it allowable to indulge in one , both per se and cum quibusdam aliis , and especially when he is visiting a Grand Lodge whose usage it has been from time immemorial to dine at its annual communication . But in the case of those which

do not dine on the ground that dinners , banquets , feasts , and entertainments seriously interfere with the transaction of important Masonic business , he figuratively pats them on the back , tells them they are all brave Grand Lodges , and earnestly implores them never to be guilty of the sin of dining .

It is to be regretted that Bro . DRUMMOND should have written so contradictorily that it is almost a matter of impossibility to determine what he really means . We in England are not without our differences of opinion upon the question—To dine or not

to dine , but happily it is only a small minority which inclines to the latter alternative . As for our Grand Lodge it solves the difficulty which Bro . DRUMMOND connects with the banquet or dinner , by not dining together as a body at those regular

Quarterly Communications at which it meets for the transaction of business , and not transacting any business—beyond that of appointing and investing the Grand Officers for the ensuing year —when it meets for the purpose of dining . The majority of

the American Grand Lodges meet only once a year , and as the Grand Officers and brethren attending these annual communications come from all and even the most distant parts of the States —which' , in some cases are as big as half a dozen European States

put together—we imagine that when they arrive at the place of meeting they will be in a lit state to do justice to the dinner , banquet , feast , or entertainment that is prepared for them . If it is a non-banqueting Grand Lodge then the brethren will

transact their business and go about their business till the next annual meeting . Our Provincial Grand Lodges which , as a rule , only meet annually , have a happy knack of combining business and the banquet in such a manner that neither

interferes with the other . The hour appointed for meeting is generally early , so that by the time the important business of P . G . Lodge is ended the brethren are in a fit state to enjoy themselves

at the festive board . As for our private lodges , the brethren , as a rule , meet in greater numbers , and discharge the duties of the lodge more smartly and efficiently when they know that refreshment will follow labour , and that in partaking of such refresh-