Qualifications Of Candidates.

no further , and these generally resign after some months . The secrets are but the locks and bolts on the door . Now the candidate is entirel y ignorant of what Masonry can do for him , and especially in the way of increasing his knowledge . It may , therefore , be useful to know that it has been laid

down that a candidate who stated that his motive was ( o acquire a more intimate knowledge of certain members of the lodge , whom he had admired from a distance , was held to express a perfectly Masonic desire . That particular case was decided by an eminent authority . Our next article will refer to a candidate ' s limitations .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

An obituary notice of the late Lord Leigh will be found in another column . His successorship as iloycn of the Provincial Grand Masters devolves upon the Duke of Devonshire , who became Provincial Grand Master of Derbyshire , as the Marquis of Hartington , in 1858 ; and the next in order up to a few months since would

have been Earl Amherst , who , finding his duties as Pro Grand Master sufficiently heavy , has handed over the lesser position to RAY . Bro . F . S . W . Cornwallis . Next in seniority rank the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ( Cornwall , 1872 ) , Earl Ferrers ( Leicestershire and Rutland ,

1873 ) , the Marquis of Zetland ( North and East Yorkshire , 18 74 ) , Lord Glanusk , then Sir Joseph H . Bailey , Bart . ( Herefordshire , 1880 ) , and Sir Michael Hicks-Beach ( Gloucestershire , 1880 ) . Certain District Grand Masters in the colonies may rank with them in seniority : —Charles J .

Egan , M . D . ( South Africa , E . division , 1875 ) , Right Hon . Sir William Whiteway ( Newfoundland , 1878 ) , and others ; but among all who are named , the record of Lord Zetland is the most striking , for there have been only three Provincial Grand Masters of the North and East Ridings since the creation of the province , these being the iirst , second , and

third Earls ( and this last the first Marquis of Zetland ) , while the second Earl occupied the supreme position of Grand Master from the year 1841 to 1870 .

©< C' O ' Lord Llangattock , as Provincial Grand Master of South Wales ( Eastern Division ) , on October 23 rd , laid the foundation stone of a Masonic hall at Barry in ( he presence of a very large gathering of the Craft and the

general public . Masonic ritual was observed throughout , the ceremony being of a very interesting character . Members of the Provincial Grand Lodge and of the local lodge met at the Masonic Rooms of the Barry Hotel , and proceeded in processional order to the site of the building , all wearing full regalia , Craft clothing , and jewels . Bro . the

Rev . J . Alban Davies , Provincial Grand Chaplain , offered the opening prayer , and a hymn was sung . The Worshipful Master of the Barry Lodge ( Bro . George Wareham ) , addressing the Right Worshipful Grand Master , requested Lord Llangattock to lay the foundation stone . The

ceremony was duly performed , and Lord Llangatlock declared the stone laid according to ancient custom , and trusted that the Masonic building would prove a power of the greatest good to the cause of Masonry . " May its members , " his lordship concluded , " be always a body

composed of God-fearing men , whose watchwords are ' Religion , loyally , and charity . ' " < S >> > J > < s < The Provincial Grand Master for Surrey , RAV . Bro . Sir

Thomas Bucknill , has appointed W . Bro . George Edward Redwood to be Provincial Grand Secretary in place of ( he late Bro . C . T yler . The new Provincial Grand Secretary

resides at The Oaks , Wray Common , Reigate , and is a son of the kite Professor Redwood , the eminent chemist . He was connected with one of the best known chemical industries in the country , but retired from business life before coming to Reigate about ten years ago . Bro . Redwood was initiated a member of the Surrey Lodge , No . 416 , Reigate , in 18 9 6 ,

and in 190 ^ -4 he tilled with much distinction the office of Worshipful Master , being subsequently appointed Director of Ceremonies . He is also prominent in Royal Arch Masonry , is a very liberal subscriber to the various Masonic charities , and is well known for his kind-heartedness in other walks of life . In Reigate , where his hospitality and geniality are

wellknown , he is highly esteemed , and his appointment will give great pleasure to his numerous friends in the Craft . Though it is , happily , not unique , it does not fall to the lot of many Masons to initiate their eldest sons . Such a

happy distinction has just occurred to W . Bro . Fred Phillips , J . P ., the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Monmouthshire , who on October 18 th had the satisfaction of initiating into his own lodge ( Isca , No . 68 3 ) , at the Masonic Hall , Newport , his son and heir , Mr . F . Gordon Phillips , and his nephew , Mr . E . Stone Phillips . The Worshipful Master of the lodge ,

\ V . 1 IIIO . KI 1 KI ) I'll I I . I . IPS , . LP . Bro . T . Lloyd-Evans , generously stood aside to allow Bro . Fred Phillips to perform the ceremony , which he did with very great credit in a full lodge . The charge was impressivel y delivered by the Right Worshi pful the Prov .

Grand Master of the Province , Bro . H . Martvn Kennard . Both at lodge and at the banquet , which was afterwards held at the Westgate Hotel , the two initiates were heartily received . O O 0 While the welfare and reputation of a lodge is mainlv

due to the skill and assiduity of the master , its reputation is scarcely less dependent on its executive officers of which the secretary is the more important and responsible . For while the master directs and controls ( he inner working of the lodge , the secretary is its representative in all business

matters and is in a position largel y to make or mar its reputation especially with the supreme authorities . As much judgment and care therefore should be exercised in making this appointment as in the election of a master , seeing that the latter appointment is evanescent and lasts only for the year and the former is more often than otherwise practically

a lixed tenure . Yery few masters of a lodge have the courage to replace an inefficient secretary even when known to be lax in the carrying out of the simplest duties of his office .