Art In The Lodge Room.

buck-handled knife with which he is adorned would better equip him for the chase or to attend a meeting of a court of the Ancient Order of Foresters . Let him have a proper dirk . And the heavy cavalry sabre with which the Tyler is supposed to repel the cowan should be replaced b y something more appropriate . Again , whilst that brother ' s const-ant

p lace is at the door of the lodge , what happens to an unprotected lodge whilst he is engaged in the preparation of candidates . In this connection it might be said that a course of training in the office of T yler is about ( he best preparation that can be imagined for more honourable

office , and there is more than one lodge , the junior brethren of which take it in turns to assist brother T yler in the discharge of his functions . It is a mistake to suppose that our ceremonies can onl y be impressively rendered amid ornate and expensive

surroundings . These , if possible , but it must be remembered that they have to be lived up to , and the effort may not inconceivably impose a breaking strain on ( he capacities of the several officers , resulting in a bathos . We have said that the absence of any assertion of

personality is the lirst requisite of a perfectly rendered ceremony . Beau Bruminel is credited with saying that the perfectly dressed man was one , not a single article of whose attire could be remembered . The principle is the same . The personality of ( he officers may and should count for

much in its proper place , but in ( he most important parts of lodge work the officers are but ( lie vehicles of instruction handed down to us from time immemorial .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The late Hro . Sir Henry Irving was initiated iu the Jerusalem Lodge , Xo . 1 97 , by ( he late Sir William Cusins P . G . Organist , in the year 1877 , but it was not until the year 1882 that he was passed and raised in the same lodge by the present Grand Secretary , Sir Edward Letchworth . On the occasion of his taking the Secon 1 Degree the ceremony was

performed in the presence of his late I . ova J Highness the Duke of Albany . Bro . Irving remained a subscribing member of the Jerusalem Lodge until his death . He became a subscribing member of the Savage Club Lodge , 21 90 , and was its lirst Treasurer . He was a Vice-President of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , a Life Governor of the

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and a subscriber to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The roll of Grand Officers is being depleted this year by the death of some of its oldest members , amongst these being

R . W . Bro . Sir Wyndham Portal , Past Grand Warden , who was appointed to that oflice so long ago as 1868 by the then Grand Master , the kite Earl of Zetland . Sir Wyndha -i devoted much of his efforts to the social and philanthropic side of public life . He was , too , for many years identified

with the commercial activities of the age , first as a director and afterwards as Chairman of the London and Southwestern Railwav Company , a position which he filled with much ability .

«& <&¦ <_» One of Sir Wyndham ' s hist public acts as chairman of the company was to take part in the laying of the last coping stone of the Southampton Docks Extension in August , 18 9 8 , on the sixtieth anniversary of the laying of the lirst stone . The late Bro . W \ W . Beach , M . P ., was a colleague of Sir

Wyndham ' s on the South-Western Hoard , and as both were Freemasons , Bro . Beach himself being Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , it was arranged that the ceremony should be of a Masonic character , and a notable

gathering it proved to be . There was an immense attendance of brethren from all parts of the province . Bro . Beach laid the stone , and Sir Wyndham Portal delivered an interesting and appropriate address on the occasion , which was quite historical in the annals of Hampshire and Isle ol Wight

Freemasonrv . Born in 182 . 2 , Sir Wyndham Portal , before he came to manhood's years , engaged himsell in that philanthropic work in which his active interest never ceased so long -as his physical power for it lasted . But advancing years told their inevitable talc , and seeking rest Sir Wyndham has enjoved it for some live or six years in the quiet

retirement of his beautiful home at Malshanger . The name of Portal has been known for generations in connection with till that was worth knowing or doing' in the county , and now he has passed away full of years and full of honour , conscious he must have been , as long as consciousness was vouchsafed to him , of duty done , and well done .

o c- o While chronicling the removal by death of such a veteran of the Craft , it is pleasant to remember that wc have still amongst us a still older officer of Grand Lodge in the person of Sir Francis B . Alston , K . C . M . G ., who was appointed Senior

llUO . Silt KltAXl'IS It . ALSTON , K . C . M . O . Grand Warden so long ago as 1850 . He was born iu I 8 JO , was educated at Eton , and from 1866 to 18 90 occupied the responsible position of Chief Clerk at the War Oflice . We

trust he will remain for many years the doxeu of the Gra : ; d Officers of the Grand Lodge of England . < D » < 5 > & It is with much regret we record the death of Bro . W . G . Kentish , P . G . Std . Br ., which occurred at his residence .

The Glebe , Blackheath , on September 22 nd . A prominent figure at all great Masonic gatherings , aud of late years chairman of scrutineers of votes at the elections of candidates for the three central Masonic institutions , of which he was , with his family , a generous supporter , he perhaps achieved