Masonic Missions.

MASONIC MISSIONS .

L 03 D 0 X , SATURDAY , AUGUST - . ' 0 , 1809 .

IT is our mission at this period of the year to record tho sayings and doings at the various Provincial Grand Lodges , and to make such notes upon them as they may seem to merit , with the view , as far as possible , to establish that uniformity of practice which ought to exist throughout tho Order . "We now , therefore , propose to ourselves briefly to

review the proceedings at those Provincial Grand Lodges whicli have been held and reported since the commencement of our present series . ' First ou our list comes Surrey—and certainly the business of this province is so well conducted under the direction , of the Right AVorshipful Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Dobie ,

. Past Grand Registrar , and his excellent and indefatigable . Deputy , Bro . Dr . Harcourt—and tho proceedings of the Prov . Grand Lodge are marked by such close attention to tho laws of the Order , that it would be impossible to do otherwise than commend its working to the attention of the brethren of other provinces . One most gratifying fact was ,

that tho Provincial Grand Lodge met in the town containing the youngest Lodge in the province and which had been only consecrated a few weeks prior to this meeting , and under the direction , of the members of which every possible provision

had been made for the comfort of the brethren . Perhaps the only noticeable point of the evening to which we need allude is to be found in the observations of the Ei ght Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , on some remarks contained in the Magazine condemnatory of ladies having been allowed to take part in the musical ceremonies consequent on the formation of the new Lodge . Bro . Dobie clearly

showed that they were not in the "Lod ge , and stated that he was as convinced as any brother of the importance of sacredly guarding the ceremonies from innovations and the outer world . In our remarks we never intended in the slightest degree to reflect on the R . W . Bro . Dobie , Bro . Wilson , or others taking part in the ceremony—making no doubt that

the ladies were ; so placed as to be heard whilst they could not see ; but we felt bound to enter our protest against the innovation whilst ifc was yet in its infancy , in order to prevent its extending ; for had we merely reported that ladies added their voices to swell the harmony of the anthems ancl choruses , without comment—it mi ght , perhapsat some distant part of

, the kingdom or the globe , have been taken as sufficient authority for their being brought more closely into connection with our ceremonies , and the Freemasons Magazine ancl Bro . Dobie would have been alike astonished to find

themselves quoted as authorities for an act which they could not too strongly repudiate . Again congratulating the Ri ght Worshi pful Provincial Grand Master on the prosperity of his province , we may just hint to the brethren that we should like to hear a little more of the proceedings in their various Lodges , and that if their appointments do not generally

appear in our weekl y list , it is because we have not received a . return from a single Lodge in reply to our application for the dates , places , and hour of meeting . We Avill now proceed to Kent , tho Provincial Grand Lod ge of which was held on the 18 th nit . ; and here we must be allowed to express our regret that the Right

Worshi pful Provincial Grand Master should have overruled the proclamation of the Director of Ceremonies , calling upon all brethren below the rank of Warden , to retire prior to the opening of the Prov . Grand Lodge , as a violation of the constitution of the Craft—and wc say this with all deference to the learned brother—to whose dictum regards the law of

as the land we should readily bow , though we cannot do so as respects the law of Freemasonry . A Provincial Graud Lodge consists only of Past Masters , actual Masters , and Wardens lor the time being ; and no others should be allowed to be present , cither during the opening and closing , though tho

Provincial Grand Master may , if he see fit , admit other brethren to be present as visitors during the period of conferring honours and the transaction of other business , in which however they can take no part . Indeed , we believe it is rather desirable that they should be so admitted , in order to induce them to take such interest in the

Provincial Grand Lodge as to attend from a distance ; but they have no more rig ht to be present during the opening and closing of the Prov . Grand Lodge , than have brethren below the chair during the ceremony of installation . Beyond the appointment of the Provincial Grand Officers but little business was transacted , that being reserved for a Provincial

Grand Lodge of Emergency , the day for holding which we believe has not yet been fixed . Amongst tho new appointments we notice that of Bro . Harvey Boys ( who has longbeen well known in tho . province ) as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . As regards the proceedings of the latter part of the day , it is not our province here to speak ; but we must

be allowed to suggest , that the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master having once granted his dispensation for the brethren to give a ball in Masonic clothing , should not havo at the last moment withdrawn it merely because he was

disp leased at the shortcomings of ono brother in carrying out the arrangements intrusted to him . It was unfair to the rest of the brethren , and caused great disappointment to their fair friends . Passing onwards we come to Hampshire , Avhere the Provincial Grand Lodge was held on the same day as that of

Kent , and here we find that something like business was transacted . That excellent specimen of the old English gentleman and sailor , the Right Worshipful Bro . Sir Admiral Lucius Curtis , presiding , having held the office of Provincial Grand Master for a period of nineteen years with honour to himself and advantage to the Craft . The first business was

the confirming the minutes of the previous regular Provincial Grand Lodge , and of a Lodge of Emergency held to consider the report of the committee on charities , the onl y question arising being , whether the number of thirty-one , as forming the committee , was not too large ; but after some discussion , the number as originally agreed to was ajiproved .

After a short discussion on the oft mooted subject of the Provincial Lodges being represented by proxy in Grand Lodge , which was very properly allowed to drop , the most p leasing part of the business of the day was proceeded with —that of the presentation of a testimonial to Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing , in acknowledgment of the great services he has

rendered to the Craft in the province ol which , he is so distinguished a member . It is our misfortune , occasionally , to disagree Avith Bro . Stebbing on questions of policy , but wo have ever felt that a more independent , able , and well inten .-tioned brother , does not exist in the Craft ; and we therefore may be allowed to congratulate him upon his services beiii"

so handsomely acknowledged by the brethren amongst Avhom he is best known ; and the testimonial must be the more valuable from the manner in which ifc was presented in presence of the Grand Lodge of the province . Next in order appears to be Somersetshire—the distinctive feature of which Avas the consecration of a UCAV

Lodge in . the ancient town of Glastonbury , by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Randolph , in the absence of the venerable Provincial Grand Master , Col . Tynfce , in consequence of illness . The remainder of the business transacted does not appear to call for any comment . AVe now come to the province of [ Norfolk , which a short

time since occupied a portion of our attention—and our columns were freely opened to our correspondents to prove , if they could , that on some points AVC were in error . Our articles on Masonic Missions must necessaril y , from want of sufficient data , be somewhat deficient in their details , and Ave may perhaps be occasionally led into false conclusions for the Avant of those data . As regards Norfolk , hoAvever , all the