At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

The American Tvlei is responsible for the statement that the Turkish Freemasons have lately addressed an appeal to King Edward on behalf of ex-Sultan Alourad , elder brother of the present ruler of Turkey . The appeal refers to him as " one who , for the last quarter of a century , has been

imprisoned on the pretext of a mental malady , " and begs King Edward to use his inlluence to secure " the freedom of a brother Mason . " It goes on to say , " It is fortunate that before the petition had reached its destination King Edward had surrendered the Grand Alastership of English Freemasons to the Duke of Connaught , and had severed his

connection with the Craft , otherwise he would have been placed in an exceedingly awkward position , since his Alasonic obligations would have clashed with the political interests of his kingdom . "

The writer in our usually well-informed and instructive contemporary must , we think , have drawn largely on his imagination in the above statement , but it serves to provide him for a reason for the retirement of His Majesty from the active government of the Order . " It is , " he says , " for the

purpose of avoiding just such quandaries as these that old world Sovereigns find it convenient to sever their connection with the Craft on ascending the throne , and King Edward had only followed the example of the King of Sweden , the Emperor of Germany , of Emperor Frederick , of the King of

Denmark , and of several of the Sovereigns of the German confederation . " And this is how Alasonic history is sometimes written !

We take leave to doubt whether any such petition has been received by His Alajesty , and we entertain much stronger doubts whether , if received while King Edward was still Grand Alaster , it would have placed him in such a quandary as the writer suggests , for it is a canon of English

Freemasonry , and we had fondly imagined also of the American Craft , that no interference with politics is permitted , and such a petition , therefore , could not have been entertained . Neither is it a fact that His Alajesty has severed his connection with the Craft ; on the contrary , he

has graciously accepted the title of Protector of the Order , and judging from the past , the Protectorate will be a real one . The statement with regard to the other crowned heads of Europe is also misleading , if not altogether devoid of truth . We had not heard that King Oscar had resigned the Grand Alastership of Sweden or Norway ; neither were we aware

that the German Emperor had ever been Grand Alaster of any Grand Body in Germany . Seriously our contemporary should put some little check on its too imaginative contributor .

Bro . W . Burdett Coutts , ALP ., Past Grand Deacon , whose recent efforts in connection with the working of the hospitals in South Africa will be still fresh in our minds , is , we are sorry to hear , still confined to his room , although he is making decided recovery from a rather severe illness . The rank

of Senior Grand Deacon was conferred on Bro . Burdett Coutts in 1887 . The limited accommodation of the Temple was taxed to its utmost at the last meeting of Grand Lodge , the large

attendance being chielly due to the annual election of members of the Board of General Purposes . We cannot help thinking that the question of the provision of further space for our legislative assembl y will soon have to be faced , for it is needless to say that at present , onl y a very small

proportion of the brethren qualified to attend Grand Lodge can be sealed there . It will be remembered that when additional premises were acquired by Grand Lodge last year at the rear of Freemasons' Hall , mention was made from the dais of the possible extension of our Temple , so that the authorities are , we have no doubt , quite alive to the situation .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

We have received from Bro . General J . Carson Smith the Venerable Chief of the Alasonic Veteran Association of Illinois , the following copy of a letter from Lord Lansdowne , acknowledging- the receipt of an address from that body to His Alajesty the King : — " Foreign Office , London ,

" Alay 13 th , 1901 . " Sir , —I duly laid before the King , my Sovereign , your letter of the 2 nd ultimo , transmitting an address which the Alasonic Association of Illinois desired to present to His Alajesty , as a token of their respect for Her late Alajesty Queen Victoria , and in which they also express their good

wishes on the occasion of His Alajesty's accession to the Throne . And I have received the King's commands to reques ' : you to be good enough to convey to the members of the Alasonic Veteran Association of Illinois , his sincere thanks for their message of sympathy and good-will , which

His Alajesty has received with high appreciation . " I am , Sir , " Your most humble servant , " LANSDOWNE . " General J . C . Smith , " 6 5 , Sibley Street , " Chicago . "

To advertise your Alasonic affiliations with your business is not only poor taste , but it is a sin against Masonry . Alasonry has no connection with business . It is as distant as possible from all pecuniary considerations . Business is business ; Alasonry is quite a different thing—entirel y

incompatible with it , keep them distinct . It is all very well to desire your brother to assist you by doing business with you , but if you cannot conduct your business successfull y without the aid that comes from your connection with Alasonry , you would better give up your business . There is one thing and only one that should commend you to the

buying public , and that is the merit of the article you have to sell . Advertising your Alasonic affiliations with your business is not much better as a business proposition than as a Alasonic proposition . Keep your business and your Alasonry separate and distinct—in this respect at least . Both will be the healthier for the separation . This is the advice of the American Tyler , with which we cordially agree .

We note that the New Palace Steamers have resumed their pleasant seaside trips , and that the " Royal Sovereign " sails daily ( Fridays excepted ) , with its freight of jaded Londoners to the sunny shores of Margate and Ramsgate . It

is also announced that on June 26 th the Continental trips will commence , the favourite , " La Marguerite , " under the command of our genial Bro . Fishenden , will sail on that clay , and each succeeding clay , for Boulogne and Ostend .

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