Decorations—What Are They Worth?

annnslly voted to Past Masters in any other light than in mockery . This love of show does not confine itself to Knglish Freemasonry , if we may judge from a writer in our cowtenmovttTv , tho Musonic Adcoeuh ; published at

Indianapolis , who , in commenting on the recent election of Officers of the various Lodges iu that city , remarks that " most of the important stations hare been filled with Past Mustors . ' ' The reason for this the writer is unable to trive . It cannot ,

in his opinion , lie" from a want of good material among the membership from which to make a selection , lor there is plenty of such iu » U the Lodges . " He rather inclines to

the idea that it ia done from motives of economy , " for the practice has so long prevailed of presenting the rotiring master with a costly testimonial that it has become a heavy annual tax on the members . " He also thiuks that " these

Past Masters having all beeu supplied with testimonials can hardly expect another , aud thus the practice can he broken up without hurting tho feeliugs of auy one . " Wo only hope , as does our transatlantic brother , that such an end may be accomplished , for it would remove

what is , in our opinion , the most obnoxious principle in connection with Freemasonry . We do not know to what extent American Masons havo carried the system ,

but judging from the remarks of the Advocate , we think they have gone as far as the mother country . In this country very many Lodges would as leave think of passing over an installation niirht without investiiio' the various

Officers JIS they would think of omitting to prcsoufc the retiring W . M . with a jewel . That such a system , carried out without tlio slightest regard to the services of the outgoiug Master , ia demoralising , is patent to any ouc who gives consideration to the matter . Here is a Lodgo

which started tho year iu a prosperous condition , harmony and good feeling being predominant . The W . M ' ., either by bad management or wilful injustice , or perhaps eager to take advantage of the first opportunit y he ha . of exercisiug his power , causes ill-feeling to he engendered , and divisions to arise amomr the members ; instead of

trying to settle the difficult y amicably , he acts in such an arbitrary manner as to widen the breach , and not unfrequentl y drives , during his term of office , sevoral members from the meeting * of tho Lodge . Then , again , there is the liro tho i' who enters the chair totall y unable to work

a ceremony , his duties having to be performed b y the Past Masters . Suuh brethren usuall y attempt to upon and closo their Lodge , stud then tho members aro compelled to listen to an unintelli g ible jumble of words which seem

totally beyond tho comprehension of tho elected Master . Theso are among tlie disadvantages which arise from promoting Officers b y seniorit y , without auy regard being paid to their capability for a post , and then going through the fni « e of voting a jewel for services (?) rendered .

We are afraid the evil is not likel y to be so easil y remedied as our contemporary points onb . The vauit y of somo member ? of our Order is such that thoy will even go so for as to buy their own jewel , and fur ever after refer " vr \ l \\ jud pride (<> the moment n-lteit it tvus presented to

them , and never miss an opportunity to couimeiit on the very pleasant evening ? they spent when " conducting the affairs of the Lodge . " Bui even this would be better than allowing the inuds of a Lod ge to bo wasted as they too often are . It has often appeared to us very peculiar ;

and often we wouder that the propositions for P . M . ' s jewels when they are brought forward are not more frequently opposed ; it can onl y be that brethreu are thoroughly imbued with the spirit of charity , and are thus kept from

expressing their feelings ; yet , is this charitable ? does it not tend to bring our Order into ridicule , not onl y from within hut from without ? where , as often as not , a man ' s aptitude for p residing over an assembl y is widely known .

Committee Meeting—Girls' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING—GIRLS' SCHOOL .

r | iHE monthly meeting of the . General Committee of tlio Royal J- Masonic Institution for Girls was held in the Board Room , Freemasons' Hull , on Thursday afternoon . Bro . Joshua Nunn presided . Tho brethren assembled in ' urge uuuibui-g to vole nt the election ol two snecessors on tho House Committee to liro . iJonjutniu Head and

Bro . John L ' oyd , both deceased . Three candidates for olocliou in October wore accepted . A letter was ordered to be written I . Bro . S . Leith Tomkim :, acknowledging his offer for tho Capitsd and Conntie * f > : uik to receive subscriptions in the Oily lor the Masoinu-Girls' School . At . tlie election for the House Committee , Bros . William Hope , M . D .. und Edward Cos were the successful candidates .

Consecration Of The Southdown Lodge, No. 1797.

CONSECRATION OF THE SOUTHDOWN LODGE , No . 1797 .

IV / roST of our readers are doubtless familiar with the "Devils i » X " Dyko , " which is sibout six miles from Brighton , and whioh occupies a position on tho northom verge of tho beautiful range of Sussex Downs , so famed for tho Southdown mutton , and which overlook the wide expanse of country forming tho Weald . At about a milo and ; i half duo north , and forming a prominent object in the great panorama , is seen tlie handsomo early Knglish Church , with

its tall spire , erected about forty years since , from the designs of the celobvated Hurry , of llui'stpierpoiut , a town-village situated in the midst of charming scenery , and a favouri to resort in summertime for Brightonians . Like in most country places , there has been a great lack of sociality existing , and an entire dearth of amusement , or rather of intellectual and usofnl occupation , especially during tho

long wintor evenings , and an old and enthusiastic London Mason having sottled down thero he wns not long in conceiving tlie idea of remedying this monotonous state of things by founding a Masonio Lodgo , and so bringing together a lot of loose material—so to speak - and uniting it in a common bond of fellowship . Praiseworthy as was this idea , tho task was not an easy ono , as not a Freemason

could be fouud in tho parish . A Brother , however , of another London Lodge , had settled at Hoiilield , a small town adjacont , and shortly after one of the largest bnsiuess establishments in the placo fell into tho hands of an old Past Master , and steps were at once taken—with the assistance of several Brighton brethren—in the direction of petitioning (' rami Lodge for a Warrant of Constitution . Some delay wns

uecasiouod by the very stringeut , though commendable practice which obtains iu the Province of Sussex , of requiring clearance notes from the former Lodges of the signatories , but these having been at length supplied , and tho petition presented to Sir Walter Wyudham Bnrrell , the Prov . G . M ., it was in due course forwai'ded , with his recommendaliou to Grand Lodge , and a Warrant was issued . Tho meetings

of the new Lodge aro to be regulated by the full moon , so as to givo members residing at a distance the benefit of the " Parish Lantern , " as the nocturnal luminary has been sometimes called . This con . tiugoucy renders it necessary , in order that the candidates might not lose tho chance of advancement in the several degrees , that the first regular maoting of tho Lodgo should take placo on Wednesday , the

6 th March , that being the nearest to full moon , and iu order to get the interval of seven days between tho proposition of members aud the ballot , tho Consecration of the Lodgo was fixed b y tho Prov . Grand Mastor for Tuosday last , on which occasiou Hie ceremony , in the unavoidable absence of tho Eight Wor . Bro . Sir W . W . Burrell , Hart ., M . r ., Prov . Grand Master , was performed ,

at tlio Musio Boom , llurstpierpoinfc , by W . Bro . John It . Scott Deputy Prov . G ' raud Master , assisted by the Provincial Grand Officers . At three o ' clock the brethren assembled in tho Lodge room , after which the Prov . Doputy G . M . aud the visitors of distinction met in an adjoining room , and then walked to the Lodgo room in procession . Tlio Lodge being opened in the three degrees , the

Doputy Prov . G . Master addressed tho brethren . Au address was also given by tho Prov . G . Secretary , when * tho Deputy G . Master directed that the members of the now Lodgo should be arranged in order . This was done by the Prov . Grand Dir . of Ceremonies and his Assistant . After the petition had becu road by the Prov . Grand Secretary , the Prov . G . Registrar road the warrant . A very

impressive address was thou giveu by the Past Prov . G . Chaplain . After somo very oxcellent choral singing , tho Deputy Prov . G . Master and tho Prov . G . Wardens carried the elements of consecration round tho Lodge , tbe ceremony being accompanied by solemu music . Tho Doputy Prov . G . Master having dedicated and constituted the Lodge , its duties were resumed iu tho second degree . Tho W . M ., Bro .

Goorge Kolly King , P . G . Steward England , P . M . 4 and 1511 , was duly installed . He thru appointed his Officers , viz ., Bros . W . Hudsou P . Prov . Grand Deacon svs I . P . M . and Treasurer , James Curtis P . M . 315 S . W ., Walter Fitch P . M . 1110 J . W . . E . Broadbridge Secretary , J . Mussou S . D ., J . Fitch J . D ., R . Pope I . G ., and H . Hughes Tyler , liro . J . Curtis proposed , and Bro . W . Fitch seconded , that

the W . M . and Officers constitnto tho committor to draw np the byelaws , —Carried . Bro . G . Kelly King W . M . was appointed a member to serve on the Charities' Committee of Prov . Grand Lodgce . Tho proceedings concluded with seven propositions for initiation and two for joining . Among the brethren present at the opening ceremony were Bros . John U . Scott Dep . I'rov . Graud Master , W . Sergison Pmv .

S . G . W ., H . M . Davey fast IVov . G . Chaplain , Charles Woolley Prov . G . Itogistrar , V . P . Freeman Prov . (¦ ' % . Secretary , W . Hole Prov . S . G . D ., Mark Tanner Prov . G . J . D ., J . M . Kidd Prov . G . D . of C , W . C . Sharp Prov . G . A . D . ol C , J . II . Farneombe Prov . G . S . B ., Alfred King Prov . G . Organist , W . 'J ' . Xcll Prov . G . I'ursuivaut , G . T . Evershed Prov . G . Steward , r ) . Bright I ' rov . G . Steward , A . J . Hawkes

Prov . G . Steward , Frank Holford Prov . G . Steward , E . B . McWhinnio Prov . G . Steward , C . Toinkiusou Prov . G . Supt . of Works , T . Hughes Tyler , Bros . U . Davey ( Mayor of Brighton ) P . M . Koyal Brunswick 732 , W . Hudson P . M . 315 P . Prov . G . J . D ., W . Dennes P . M . 311 P . P . G . K ., F . J . Kubio P . M . 311 Prov . G . S ., G . Kelly King W . M . designate , James Curtis S . W . designate , Walter Fitch J . W ., Edward

Broadbridge Secretary , J . T . Mussou S . D . designate , J . Fitch J . D . designate , H . H . Hughes Tyler , T . Wilkinson W . M . Koyal Clarence 271 , John P . M . Smith S . W . Koyal Clarence 271 , P . J . Emery Howard 5 H , If . S . Gates St . Cecilia 1 G 30 , C- J . Carter Koyal York . 315 , S . Tanner W . M . South Sa . xon 311 , J . Kobertsou J . D . Yaiborough 811 , K . S . By-ass W . M . Ockeuden 1 . 1-65 , K . Taylor W . M . Mid-Sussex 1141 ,

11 . ! . •' . Hauxwell J . W . Koyal Brunswick 73 : ! , H . FiggP . M . Mid-Sn . sse . v Mil P . P . G J . D ., F . Edward D . C . Mid-Sussox I HI , G . A . Howes Mid-Sussex 11-11 , T . Harms J . W . Mid-Sussex 11-11 , W . M . Agate Mid-¦? us . -fx 11-11 , (' . Holding Koyal York 315 . W . J . Everahed Koyal York 315 , J . Newman Koyal York 315 , (! . R . Johnson Chaplain ' P . irtsineiUh ) hs 7 , H . A . Dowell S . D . llova Ecelesia 1-160 , J . Luttman . Johnson Hovu L ' cclesia 1160 , J . Downard Koyal York 315 , G . W .