The Late Bro. Sir Alfred Bevan, P.G. Treasurer.

The late Bro . Sir Alfred Bevan , P . G . Treasurer .

We regret to record the death of Bro . Sir Alfred Bevan , which event took place at Mentone , on Saturday , the 8 th December . Bro . Bevan was elected Grand Treasurer in

18 99 , and in the same year became Sheriff of the City of London . The illness to which he has succumbed lirst manifested itself shortly after he had entered upon his

shrievalty . For some months he bravely endeavoured to carry out liis duties , and it was not until near the close of his

year of office that he was compelled to relinquish all public work . On the advice of his physician , he left England for the South of France . LTnhappily the disease from which

he suffered had taken too deep a root , and it soon became evident that there could only be one conclusion to his illness . Sir Alfred Bevan was a Director of Barclay Perkins and Co ., the well known brewers in Southwark , with which firm he had been associated for

thirty-Tin : LATK HIKI . . Siit ALKRI'D UKVAX . { J'huln . A . Jlmvniin ) .

eight years , continuing a connection with it of his family for several generations . The late Grand Treasurer and Ex-Sheriff was a munificent benefactor of numerous

charitable institutions as well as philanthropic and religious movements , and his private charity was boundless . No real case of distress or need was ever disregarded by him , and the cheerful and unostentatious

way in which he dealt with all matters appealing to his generous instincts carried with it a charm that was peculiarly his own . We have not space to chronicle a tithe of the good

works in which he was engaged , and it is needless to say that he was a generous contributor to our Masonic Charities , being a Patron of all three Institutions .

Sir Alfred received the honour of knighthood at the hands of Her Majesty in commemoration of the visit she paid to the City in the Spring of last year .

An Old Masters' Lodge.

An Old Masters' Lodge .

AS attention will be directed to the subject of Masters ' Lodges by the publication of Volume IX . of the Masonic Reprints of the " Quatuor Coronati Lodge , " No . 2076 , London , it may be as well to remember what is the earliest year of which actual Lodge Records that are preserved of

the Third Degree being conferred . Interesting particulars are to be obtained as to this point in "An Old Masters' Lodge , " by Bro . W . J . Hughan ( London : George Kenning , 1897 ) , from which the following facts have been quoted , with the consent of that well known author : —

" The oldest minute book of any regular Lodge known , constituted by the Grand Lodge of England , has been quite overlooked until recently , possibly owing to its preservation in the Province of Durham , through the Lodge formed at Stockton-on-Tees on 2 nd December , 1756 .

" Seven brethren petitioned Lord Paisley , as Grand Master , January 31 st , 1725 ( O . S . ) , to be ' form'd into a Lodge at the . Swan and Rummer , or elsewhere in Finch Lane ' ( London ) , with Bro . Martin O'Connor as the lirst W . M . " The original Records from 1725-6 to 1734 are still preserved , and are of great importance and value in relation

to the subject of Degrees . The Volume really should be in the Library of the Grand Lodge , and if the members of the present Freemasons' Hall Co ., of Stockton-on-Tees ( who have been most kind in affording facilities for its perusal ) , would donate the precious Book to that great collection ,

Bro . Henry Sadler would not only rejoice with joy unspeakable , but the old Tome would be placed where its great interest would be better recognised and utilized by Masonic students .

The By-Laws of 1726 have been reproduced in the pamphlet noted , and likewise several of the special minutes have been facsimilied in a Paper by Bro . Hughan concerning this unique MS . in the Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge ( No . 2076 ) for June , 18 97 .

" The Lodge had a very distinguished membership , including Lord Kinsale ( of the ' De Coi my privilege ) ; Lord Kingston , afterwards Grand Master of England , and then of Ireland ( three times ) ; Sir Winwood Mowat , Sir Thomas

Mackworth , and others . There were also numerous Visitors of high position in the Craft , and one especially that calls up curious feelings"' Mr . San ' , 1 . Prilchard , Harry ye 8 th , head of 7 Dyalls . ' This was on September 25 th , 1728 , his notorious publication

not being issued until some two years later . "The first leference to ' a Lodge of Masters' is dated April 27 th , 1727 , and the next , of April 29 th , 1729 , mentions that four brethren . . : '" Were admitted Masters , '

That is , ' raised' to the Third Degree in a particular Lodge called for the purpose , but the term then used was ' passed . ' " The Lodge met in Exchange Alley , Bartholomew Lane , the shop behind the Royal Exchange ; and Pope ' s Head , in the Alley of that name . It lapsed , however , in the first half

of the 6 th decade of last century , and in 173 6 was started afresh , with the number held by its immediate predecessor ( 23 ) , at Stockton-on-Tees . In Bro . John Lane ' s great work , 'Masonic Records , 1717-1895 , ' all the places of meeting are duly described , with the years thereof . "

We have great pleasure in reproducing the seal ( for the first time ) as used by the Lodge , when No . 19 , which was from 1792 to 1813 . The erasure of the Lodge took place in 1838 . The arms of the Grand Lodge , thus represented , excepting the motto , distinguished the regular or " modern " Masons from early in the 18 th century to the Union of

December , 1813 , the supporters , operative bearers , being very appropriate . The name of the Lodge , it will be noted , was " Philanthropy . "