District Grand Lodge Ethics.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE ETHICS .

A short time ago , we promised to continue in the next issue the thread of our observations on certain matters connected with District administration . However , the temptation to sing the praises of that excellent institution the Quatuor Coronati Lodge beguiled us for the time , and deferred the taking up of our parable

until now . All things come to him who waits , including a clue conception of the requirements of District Grand Lodges . Now , we left off at the close of a deliverance on the manifest importance of your model D . G . M . putting himself " en evidence" by personal visitation . Now , we want to warn that ideal

individual in a friendl y manner , about one mode of putting himself " en evidence" which must be with all possible caution avoided , or a very volcano of muffled eruptions will reverberate under his feet . He must especially beware of identifying himself in any way with any one particular private

lodge . And the same rule applies with equal force to his Deputy . Rank brings with it responsibilities as well as privileges , and in order to duly appreciate the one it is necessary to submit quietly to the other . One of the essentials of power is impartiality , and if a District Grand Master and his Deputy do not entirely

withdraw themselves from the internal economy of their private lodges , they cannot maintain the reputation for impartiality which is so essential to effectual control . They may administer the most even handed justice , they may even , urged by over anxiety to appear fair , act in a directly hostile manner towards their own

lodges , but still the " vox populi" is sure to accuse them of an unjust bias . The accusation may be perfectly erroneous , but it will be made all the same . We do not mean to say that a District Grand Master and his Deput y should withdraw themselves from membership of their own lodges . Of course that is manifestly

impossible , as they could not otherwise retain proper status . Neither do we desire them to absent themselves entirel y from the lodges of which they retain membership . This would be equally absurd . But their own lodges should be visited always after an official or semi-official manner , and not more frequently

than other lodges equally convenient of access . And what is more important , the D . G . M . ( or Deputy ) should , whilst visiting his own lodge , carefully abstain from taking any part whatsoever in any of its internal concerns . He should occupy the position of a visitor and inspector . And he should on no account ever

take office in any one lodge of his own District . A thoughtless persistence in a contrary course is sure to lead to discontent and disaster . Unfortunatel y , dissension will from time to time arise between lodges as between individual Masons . The fact is to be regretted , but human nature being what it is such divisions

will happen till the end of time . Now , one of the most important functions of a D . G . M . is to heal these unhappy quarrels , and this he can hardly do if he is in any way identified with one or other of the parties to the dispute . And this he can scarcely avoid if he has taken part in the proceedings of one of the lodges , because he has been a constituent factor in some of its

acts . ^ We are not speaking without book at all . We know one case in which a long standing and lamentable dispute between two lodges has gone on from bad to worse , but which , we believe , could have been healed . long ago had the local chief not been distinctl y identified with one of the disputants . And by this we do

not mean to say that he was in any way unfairly partial . He is a most excellent and earnest Mason , but being an active member of one lodge he was a persona ingrata to the other , and any attempts he made to reconcile matters were looked at from a stand-offish" point of view , however sincere and honest they

may have been . The D . G . M . and his Deputy must neither be partisans nor lie under the suspicion of being so , the latter being much the same thing as the former in this censorious world of ours . They must be above the lodges , not of them . There are precedents for this position in many other walks of life . The reigning Soverei gn does not join in the debates in the House of orci

^ s , the Governor of the Colony has noplace in the Legislative Assembl y , a peer of the realm cannot vote at an election for the ouse of Commons , a judge must avoid litigants sub judice as he wou d the plague . A bishop has no rights in any one church of » s diocese , the colonel of a regiment cannot take command of

iy one of its companies as such . And the like principle should e apphed m Masonry . We speak in no carping spirit , but l ^ rely m the interests of good and peaceable government . The nsiderations we have put forward will make their way by their notVih and We aie SUre that the excellent officials who have fail dt l " . rl < ea - on the cautious lines we have indicated have to H •S ° P y because the matter had never been presented Dist •? ! - . sufficienU y clear light . The more carefully the bette ' t- ! 1 S hed S ed round by a policy of rigid neutrality the r it will be for all concerned . —South African Freemason .

be amon ^ u . ^' f Beresford , Stuart Wortley , M . P ., and Howard Vincent , M . P ., will tal * place on f hursda ' be P''eSent at the SheffieId Cutlcrs' ^ ast , which will

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The following is the business to be transacted in Grand Lodge on Wednesday , 4 th prox . 1 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 5 th June for confirmation . 2 . NOTICE OF MOTIONBy the Right Honourable the Earl of CARNARVON . M . W . Pro Grand Master : —

That an Address be presented by Grand Lodge to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master , on the auspicious occasion of the Marriage of his eldest daughter , her Royal Highness the Princess Louise of Wales , with his Grace the Duke of Fife , K . T ., Provincial Grand Master of Banffshire , offering the most hearty congratulations and good wishes of its members on the happy event .

3 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants : A brother of the Lodge of Prudent Brethren , No . 145 , London ... ... ... ... ... ^ 50 0 o The widow of a brother of the Bute Lodge , No . 960 , Cardiff 50 o o A brother of the Lodge of Sincerity , No . 943 , Norwich ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Royal Sussex Lodge , No .

491 , Jersey ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Star Lodge , No . 1275 , Greenwich ... 50 o o

4 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board have had under their consideration the price hitherto charged for the " Charity Jewel" permitted to be worn by brethren who have served as Stewards for two or more of the three Masonic Institutions , and they have communicated with Mr . Spilling , who has for many years been suthorised to supply them to the Craft on the Certificate of the Grand Secretary , in accordance with page 144 of the Book of Constitutions .

The Board have now to report that Mr . Spilling has , consequently , reduced the price of the jewel from £ 2 ios ., the present amount , to £ 2 , Hall-marked . The material and workmanship to be as before . The Board submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 16 th day of August instant ,

shewing a balance in the Bank of England ( Western Branch ) of ^ 5744 12 s . 3 d ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 100 , and for Servants ' Wages . £ 100 , and Balance of Annual Allowance for Library ^ 26 17 s . nd . ( Signed ) THOMAS FENN , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 20 th August , 188 9 .

5 . APPEAL . By Bro . Samuel Adolphus Roach , of the Hervey Lodge , No . 1788 , Port of Spain , Trinidad , against a decision of the Colonial Board , upholding his exclusion by the lodge for improper conduct . List of lodges for which Warrants have bee : i granted by the M . W . Grand Master since the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge .

No . 2312—The London Irish Rifles Lodge , London . 2313—The Johannisburg Lodge , Johannisburg , South Africa . 2314—The El Dorado Lodge , Malmani , South Africa . 2315—The Royal Albert Lodge , Klerksdrop , South Africa . 2316—The Prince ' s Lodge , Liverpool ( W . D . ) 2317—The Bisley Lodge , Bisley , Surrey . 2318—The Lennox Browne Lodge , Buckhurst Hill , Essex . 2319—The Scots Lodge , London . 2320—The St . Martin ' s Lodge , Castleton , near Manchester , Lane . ( E . D . ) . 2321—The Acacia Lodge , Bradford , Yorkshire ( W . D . ) .

2322—The East Lancashire Centurion Lodge , Manchester , Lane . ( E . D . ) . 2323—The Bushey Hall Lodge , Bushey , Herts . 2324—The Horwick Lodge , Horwick , Lancashire ( W . D . ) . 2325—The Rose of Lancaster Lodge , Southport , Lancashire ( W . D . ) . 2326—The Wigan Lodge , Wigan , Lancashire ( W . D . ) .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cornwall.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CORNWALL .

The annual meeting ot the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall was held on Tuesday last , at Liskeard . The brethren assembled in the Market Hall , which was attractively fitted up for the occasion , and the adjoining streets were gaily decorated with flags in honour of the visit of Prov . Grand Lod ge . The business was opened by Bro . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , the Prov . G . Master , who presided , supported by his officers—Bros . Sir C . B . Graves-Sawle , Bart ., D . P . G . M . ; G . P .

N . Glencross , P . S . G . W . ; H . P . Vivian , P . J . G . W . ; tbe Rev . W . R . Erskine P . G . Chap . ; Rev . R . Fraser-Frizell , P . G . Chap . ; E . Milford Cock , P . G . T . ; R . P . Eclyvean , P . G . Reg . ; T . Chirgwin , P . G . Sec ; T . C . Polglase , P . S . G . D . ; J . W . Higman , P . J . G . D . ; J . Reynolds , P . J . G . D . ; W . Huthnance , P . G . S . Wks . ; P . Giles , P . G . D . C . ; H . B . Neame , P . G . D . D . C . ; G . M . Down , P . A . G . D . C ;

Major J . J . Ross , P . G . S . B . ; W . A . Bennett , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . A . W . Hovvlett , P . G . O . ; ] . Tonkin , P . A . G . Sec ; T . R . Mills , P . G . Purst . ; J . Langdon , P . A . G . Purst . ; J . T . Rodda , J . Richards , W . Colenso , J . A . Bersey , and H . Down , P . G . Stwds . ; J . Nicholas , P . G . Tyler ; and J . C R . Crewes , P . P . A . G . D . C , Clerk to the P . G . Sec .

There were over 400 brethren present , and among them were Bros . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., P . P . S . G . W ., & c ; E . D . Anderton , P . P . S . G . W . ; C . Truscott , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . Nettle , P . P . J . G . W . ; Colonel W . E . Michell , P . P . S . G . W . ; Dr . Bedford Kerswill , P . P . J . G . W . ; T . Hicks , P . P . J . G . W . ; F . Harvey , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . Rowe , P . P . J . G . W . and P . G . T . ; G . B . Pearce , P . P . J . G . W . ; Rev . A . H . Ferris , P . P . G . Chap , ; J , N . Francis , P . P . G . T . ; W . Andrew , P . P . G . Reg . ; J .

Childs , P . P G . Reg . ; B . Gidley Derry , P . P . S . G . D . ; W . King Baker , P . P . S . G . D . ; E . Scantlebury , P . P . J . G . D . ; R . A . Courtney , P . P . S . G . D . ; C . T . Pearce , P . P . J . G . D . ; J . Jose , P . P . S . G . D . ; J . J . Havvken , P . P . S . G . D . ; John Lane , P . P . G . Reg . Devon ; E . Aitken Davies , P . P . G . Supt . Wks . Devon ; John Oliver , P . P . G . S . B . Devon ; J . Bassett , P . P . G . Supt . Wks . ; J . H . Cousins , P . P . G . S . Wks . ; G . ' H . Small , P . P . G . S . Wks . ; J . T . Brooking ,

P . P . G . S . Wks . ; T . Michell , P . P . G . D . C ; J . Doney , P . P . G . D . C ; R . Lean , P . P . G . D . C ; J . Dennis , P . P . G . D . C . ; J . Wearne , P . P . G . D . C . ; T . Gill , P . P . A . G . D . C , and Prov . A . G . Sec . ; W . A . Gerry , P . P . G . O . ; H . Pole , P . P . A . G . Sec . ; J . Brewer , P . P . A . G . Sec ; J . Tonkin , P . P . A . G . Sec ; F . Bray , P . P . G . Purst . ; F . Dinnis , P . P . G . Purst . ; J . T . Williams , P . P . G . Purst . ; E . Edyvean , P . P . G . Purst . ; J . Harris , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; E . Herring , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . Olver ,

P . P . G . Std . Br . Devon ; O . Colmer , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; G . Darke , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W . F . Creber , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; G . Morgan , P . P . G . Std . Br , ; W . H . Roberts , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W . T . Hawke , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W . A . Bennett , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . M . Richards , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; T . H . Spear , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; T . S .. Bailey , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . de Cressey Treffry , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W . Coleman , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; S . Whitford , 1006 ; G . Williams , 1272 ; G . T . A . Staff , 1272 ; J . T . Baker , 1151 ; H . Lander , 1954 ; R . Rundell , 1151 ; T . Turner , 1006 ; G .