Original Correspondence.

on the work , as there is now no fear about the funds being faithfully applied . I cannot understand brethren withdrawing from the position of steward because the Institution is under a cloud ; the funds must be found unless the Craft is to be disgraced before the world . Yours , kc . LIFE GOVERNOR OF ALL THE CHARITIES .

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . "

Grand Lodge a quarter of an hour late ! The good old record of commendable punctuality , " the courtesy of princes " broken ! As a rule the Quarterly Communications of United Grand Lodge are opened to the minute . An exception , however , must be taken in respect of last week's meeting , for it was fully a quarter of an hour

after the appointed time before the procession of Grand Officers entered the temple . We call attention to this exception in the hope that the rule may be in future again honoured by strict observance ; for delay adds greatly to the not unnatural impatience of brethren who , more frequently now than in former days , must attend very early to secure the places to which they have become accustomed .

The impatience referred to would be greatly modified if the hint we have before now given , at the request of many brethren , could be acted upon . There is an excellent organ in the temple , and each year there is appointed to the honourable office of Grand Organist a brother of recognised talent in the musical world . Why should he not give the members of Grand Lodge a taste of his quality on each

of the four occasions when Grand Lodge " communicates " during his term of office 1 The occupants of the " floor of the house " can only take it for granted that the ability of the recipient of the Grand Master's favour is such as to render him worthy of a position on the dais ; for the practical evidence of musical attainments has been always wanting on the occasions referred to .

Stay ! there was one exception , though , to that rule ; and we remember expressing in our pages the great gratification with which the assembling bretliren then listened to a substitute organist who officiated for the Grand Organist whilst that functionary was at Grand Officers' mess . By all means let the appointed officer

enjoy all the privileges attaching to his exalted position ; but , at the same time , if he cannot attend himself he should arrange , as on the occasion we refer to , for an effective substitute . To have a Grand Organist and to get no music is something of an anomaly . Let us have some performance , even if it be only of the " common or garden " variety .

Did the brethren who took their places in the Temple on the ( ith inst ., prior to entry of the Grand Lodge procession , note the solitary occupant of the otherwise , temporarily , " beggarly account of empty benches . " ? He " sat in silent solitude , and there was no one near ' " as the fine old song ha < it . The elect of the Craft , he nevertheless ,

like the Peri at the gate of Eden , sat disconsolate . We saw him f or some moments , and we think we see him now , in the " Craft ' s distinctive purple " and a deep frown on his brow . ' lie can't get in . ' Into what , you ask ? Why into the aforesaid Mess , or Club , or whatever you may please to call it , which should be of the first to recognise practically the equality of Freemasons qua , Freemasons .

but it would appear really sets up distinctions . Like several of those worthy men who held the office before him P . G . T . has found that to be the " elect of the Craft " is not equal to direct appointment from the fountain of official favour . Clubs and Cliques , Cliques and Clubs , you have—and if not now , you will have—much to answer for in respect of many abuses in Freemasonry which help to bring the Craft into contempt !

***** Cliques and Clubs , and Messes—particularly Messes . ' Too much of this sort of thing surrounds all our Institutions , and the true principles of the Masonic Order are neglected in the rage for forming select coteries , the individual members of which may combine

to " sit upon' other men quite equal to themselves in social position , but objectionable because they speak their minds and call things by their proper names . Should we be far out if we said that to " much of this sort of thing" may be attributed the unpleasant position in which some brethren connected with the R . M . I . B . now find themselves ? We think not !

The Toronto Freemason , says The Masonic liecord of Western India , " takes strong ground in opposing the present Canadian practice of transacting the business of a Masonic lodge in the Entered Apprentice Degree . As the rule now is in that jurisdiction , a brother who has only taken the First Degree can participate in

the action of the lodge relating to the most important affairs . He has the privilege of voting for officers , of balloting for candidates , and even of casting his ballot for or against the affiliation of a Master Mason . The remedy for such an anomalous state of things

lies with the Grand Lodge , which will probably sooner or later , make a requirement that all business of a subordinate lodge shall be done in the Third Degree . This will help to a better order of procedure , besides acting as a stimulus to a certain class of Entered Apprentices to move forward and take their places in lodge of Master Masons . "

Our Trestle Board

In reference to the foregoing paragraph it may be a moot question as to the advisability of changing the degree in which a Lodge can discuss and decide upon matters of business , in some particulars of which even a newly initiated brother may reasonably have a right to be a xiarticipant ; but there can be no doubt that it is ' anomalous state of things" which gives a very important privilege to a neophyte , who cannot by any possibility be in

possession of sufficient knowledge to guide his mind aright in the selection of officers , or the acceptance of candidates . In those two respects at least none but Master Masons should have a voice . We have ourselves known of a member of a lodge carrying his own particular crotchet against the wishes of the majority of his brethren , who were Master Masons , by the help of F . C ' s and E . A ' s , who . interested in him personally , knew absolutely nothing of the merits of the question upon which he obtained their suffrages .

Questions And Answers.

Questions and Answers .

% * Querists will please note that we shall in future decline to pay attention to enquiries made anonymously , or itlterwise forwarded than in closed envelopes . In , some instances it may he found impolitic topublish replies , hut answers may he assured ley the enclosure of a stamped and addressed cover .

Q— ' A was e . ralted many years ayo into Itoyal Arch- Masonry , resigned , memhership of his ' Chapter and paid vp all dues . Two ¦ years after such resignation he consents to his name Veiny placed on the summons of another Chapter as a joining Companion , and in his unavoidable absence on the date of ' meeting is ballotted for and , unanimously accepted . Is he , a member , ami is there any sum due from him to the , Chapter notwithstanding his absence on the evening of his election and on subsequent occasions ' /—A . W . M .

A . —He is certainly a member , and his joining fee and subscriptions are due to the Chapter which completed a contract voluntarily entered into by him in assenting to accept membership on a successful ballot , of the taking of which he doubtless had previous notice .

Q . —The Bye-Laws of a , London Lodge set forth that " the W . M . being duly installed , he shall FORTHWITH invest the Treasurer and Tyler anil the other OJicers of the Lodge . " Acting on the strict letter of that Bye-Law the M . C . on the occasion of a ' late installation , presented for investment , firstly , the Treasurer ; secondly , the Tyler , and then the Wardens and Ollicers of appointment by the W . M . Was he in order ?—R . F .

A . —By such action precedence is certainly given to two brethren above two of the jirincipal officers of the Lodge , which cannot be in accordance with our ancient regulations . The M . C . whilst feeling bound to give effect to the Bye-Laws of his Lodge was not wrong although he departed from usual custom . The written law to his mind had more force than custom had . The

Bye-Laws were , however , improperly framed , and it is a matter of surprise that they should have had the approval of the then Grand Secretary . The framers may have thought that the Treasurer and Tyler being respectively officers elected by the Lodge in like manner as the Master had been elected , those officers should be invested

before any of the Masters' direct appointments ; but a reference to the Table of Precedence , published in the Book of Constitutions , would assuredly have set them right , and have prevented the possibility of such a solecism as that of investing the seventh officer of a Lodge before the second in rank .

% * A . M ., PRESTWICH , will find in the correspondence columns of this number , a full answer to his enquiry in our issue of 30 th May .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DERBYSHIRE . —On Monday last the festival of the High Peak Lodge of Freemasons—No . 1952—took place in the Town Hall , Chapel-en-le-Frith , when there was a large gathering of the craft from Buxton , Glossop , Chapel-en-le-Frith , New Mills , and other places . Bro . John Hallam ( superintendent of police ) was installed as W . M . for the ensuinsr year bv Bros . T . E . Jones and J . Line-ard .

and invested his officers as follows : J . St . Leger , S . W . ; Dr . W . S . Anderson , J . W . ; Rev . W . P . Stamper , chaplain ; J . Broadhurst , S . D . ; E . Walker , J . D . ; W . Ward , I . G . ; R . H . Hyde , treas . ; Jamea Whitehead , sec . ; and R . Longden , tyler .

ESSEX . —LENNOX BROWNE LODGE . —A new Lodge is to be added to the register of Lodges in the Province of Essex , under the name and title of Lennox Browne , in compliment to that zealous brother . It is , Ave undersfand , to meet at Buckhurst Hill , a locality in which we opine it will find all the supjjort and prosperity we wish it .

GLOUCESTERSHIRE . — The Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire was held at Tewkesbury on the 5 th inst ., the R . W . Prov . G . M . Sir Michiel Hicks-Beach , M . P ., presiding over an assemblage of about one hundred and fifty of the principal members of the craft in the province .

KENT . —At the late annual festival of the Emulation Lodge , No . 299 , at the Bull Hotel , Dartford , it was stated that the contributions of the Kentish brethren to the Masonic Charities amounted , in 1886 ' , to £ 1 , 725 ; in 1887 , to £ 1 , 920 16 ' s . o'd . ; and in 1888 , to £ 3 , 088 lis ., making a total amount for three years of no less than £ 7 , 3154 7 s Gd ., or an average of nearly £ 2 , 500 per annum . Well done , Kent !

LINCOLNSHIRE . —The Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincoh shire was held in the Masonic Hall , at Grimsby , on the Gth inst . The R . W . Bro . W . II . Smyth , D . L .. Provincial Grand Master , was present , and was supported by a very large number of past and \ resent