At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , which is to be held at Freemasons' Hall on the 7 th oi March next , will be presided over by the newly-appointed Prov . Grand Master for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Bro . Sir Augustus Webster , Bart . These Festivals have now become an interesting feature in London Masonry , and

are looked forward to with much pleasure by all who are interested in the uniform and perfect rendering of our beautiful ritual .

Our hearty congratulations to Bro . Letchworth on his approaching marriage . There is no move popular or beloved brother than the Grand Secretary , and we are voicing the unanimous desire of the entire Craft when we wish him and ( he lady of his choice all happiness and prosperity in their married life . We believe the announcement in the papers was somewhat premature , as it is unlikely that the marriage will take place until the early part of Maw

The St . Luke ' s Medical Lodge of Instruction has been formed by a committee appointed by the eight medical Masonic lodges for the use of medical brethren . Meetings will be held at the Criterion , Piccadilly Circus , on the first and third Mondays in every month , from October to May inclusive , at 8 . 45 p . m . The first meeting took place on January 20 th . Bro . G . Rowel ! , 6 , Cavendish Place , W ., has undertaken the Secretaryship of the lodge .

' & '•& ' &¦ Bro . James Graham , who was installed as Worshi pful Master of the White Rose of York Lodge on January 3 rd , was its first Senior Warden , having been designated to that office when the warrant was granted , just a year ago . The

first W . M . was W . Bro . Sir Alfred J . Newton , Bart ., P . G . D ., but owing to his many official duties elsewhere , the real work of the lodge had fallen on the shoulders of the Senior Warden , who has performed them in a highl y creditable manner .

« £ > •?• < $ > Bro . Graham was initiated in the Holme Valley Lodge , No . 652 , Holmlirth , in 1887 . In 18 92 he removed to London , but he not only retained his membership of ( he lodge , but for live years—until he had passed through the

various offices to the Master ' s chair—he travelled from London to Huddersliekl to attend the meetings every month during that period . He was lirst Senior Warden and second Worshipful Master of ( he WaKhatn Abbey Lodge , No . 2750 , and at present holds the office of Senior Deacon in the St . James ' s Lodge , No . 1579 , Enfield . The James Terry Lodge ,

No . 22 , - ] 2 , Herts ., also numbers him amongst its members as well as the St . James ' s Royal Arch Chapter , of which he is a P . Z . In ( he Province of Essex he is a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , as well as a Past Provincial Grand Sword Bearer of Hertfordshire .

V > Bro . Graham's interest in the Charitable side of Masonry is on a par with his zeal for lodge work . He is a Vice-President both oi the Benevolent Institution and Boys ' School , as well as a Life Governor of the Girls' School , and

has served fourteen Stewardships in all . It should not be omitted to mention that during his service as Senior Warden and Junior Warden of his mother lodge he endowed both chairs with votes for the Charities in perpetuity as he passed through them .

1 he quarterly meeting ol subscribers to the Roval Masonic Institution for Boys was held on the 10 th January at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Charles E Keyser , Past Grand Deacon , Patron and Treasurer of the Institution , in the chair , who reported on the progress being made with the extensive new Schools at Bushey . They were to have been handed

over b y the contractors on the 23 th of September last , but unavoidable delays occurred , and by arrangements made with the builders the premises were to be complete bv the 1 st of June next . He could not now give definite information as to the opening , or as to who was to perforin the ceremony , as it was not thought desirable that this should take place

until all the pupils were in residence and the establishment was complete . The Court placed forty-nine candidates on the list for the election of the eighteen into the School on April nth , and Bro . J . M . McLeod , the Secretary , reported that the Institution ' s income for 1901 was £ 31 , 022 19 s . 8 d .,

the highest in one year in the history of the Institution , with the exception of the Centenary , 18 9 8 . He also announced that Bro . Col . John Davis , A . D . C , Provincial Grand Master for Surrey , would preside in June at the next Festival .

¦ v > •©> «»> W . Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , Past Grand Warden , and Treasurer of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , presided on the 9 th January at a quarterly court of subscribers to the Institution , at Freemasons' Hall , when it was announced that at the Festival on May 14 th , R . W . Bro . the Earl of Lathom ,

Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire , would take the chair , and that the income of the Institution for 1901 was ^ . " 33 , 6 x 6 lis . 3 d . The year was the third record year in succession , both as regarded the amounts announced at the Festival of the School and the total receipts , which exceeded those of 1900 by upwards of £ 5500 .

« S » < S > © Bro . Captain W . Newnham Davis , whose portrait we have the pleasure of presenting to our readers , is a wellknown figure in London journalistic circles . Like the illustrious Dr . Johnson before him , he often " takes a walk down Fleet Street , " and he is not unknown at the office of

a certain journal of sporting and humorous proclivities . Bro . Davis was initiated in Pietermaritzburg , in 18 77 , and > at present W . M . of . the Grafton Lodge , No . 2347 . He is also

l ! R () . CAPTAIN \ V . XKWXHA . M DAVIS . a member of the Studholme Lodge , No . 1591 , and of the Studholme Royal Arch Chapter . In Knight Templary he is a member of "St . George ' s" and "St . Michael ' s" Preceptories , and in the Mark Degree fills the chair of Master of the United Service Lodge .