Masonic Material.

although the idea is excellent in theory , yet in practice the results are not as a rule very reassuring . Too often this duty , being distributed over the whole membership of the Lodge , is neglected , and when the time arrives for the ballot to be spread little or nothing is known of the candidate beyond the facts communicated by the proposer and seconder . Other Lodges appoint a Committee of Enquiry , consisting of the Wor . Master

and Wardens or Past Masters , and this mode is generally satisfactory—the duty being specifically allotted is in most eases faithfully perfomed . In passing , I may be allowed to refer to the practice observed in one of the oldest and best worked Lodges of this city , viz ., it is uniformly understood that every candidate must be introduced to the Wor . Maste * before the balloting period , to enable that officer , by conversation and inspection , to guage his characteristics and to form some estimate of his worthiness .

But when the candidate for our mysteries hails from a distance , and his qualifications are not so easily ascertainable , we are directed by Clause 112 , B . C .: " A Lodge shall not ballot for or initiate into Freemasonry any person who is not a resident in the neighbourhood of the Lodge into which he seeks to be admitted until due enquiry shall have been made of such Lodge , of

Lodges , as may exist in the neighbourhood of his residence , respecting the character of the applicant for admission , and a satisfactory reply shall have been received and read in open Lodge under a penalty of having its warrant suspended or cancelled , " & c , & c . This rule is most important—in fact , it may be regarded as one of the buttresses of the Craft—and , if

rigidly enforced , will do much to remove the stigma so often hurled at Masonry as to the unworthiness of its constituent members . It is most stringently insisted upon by the Board of General Purposes . Recently a most admirable candidate was proposed in a city Lodge in this colony , who lived in the

neighbourhood of a country Lodge . Through inadvertence the Lodge which received the proposition omitted to make the necessary enquiries as per Clause 112 , although exercising every precaution otherwise . The consequence was that the Board of G . P . felt bound to take cognisance of the omission and to proceed under the provisions of the clause .

And if it is necessary to enforce the rule in the case of candidates residing in this country , but at a distance from the Lodge approached , how much more essential is it that we should demand its observance in respect of proponents arriving here from other countries , and who may be temporarily sojourners here ? Strictly speaking , if a captain of a ship , whose home is

in England , be proposed in Sydney , a letter of enquiry should be sent to the Lodge nearest his home in the mother country , and no action should be taken by the local Lodge concerning his candidature until a reply shall have been received and submitted to the members of the Lodge . On account of the importance of the subject of proposals from travellers or sojourners , I shall here

enter rather fully into its consideration . Unless it be on the ground of strong personal friendship , or of extended aquaintance , it would be preferable not to initiate candidates arriving from other colonies , and I would now present some reasons for this conclusion . The ancient charges pronounce that "None shall show envy at a Brother ' s prosperity , nor supplant him , nor put

him out of his work if capable to finish it . " Now a person residing in England , an old settled country where there is a multiplicity of Lodges , presumably sufficient in numbers and in characteristics of membership to supply the requirements of an intending candidate as to propinquity , community of tastes , and personal preferences , should be able easily to select a Lodge

with members suitable for his companionship ; and it seems only reasonable that he should apply to such Lodge if his intentions are sincere and honourable . Also it is the duty of an Australian Lodge , in accepting a proposal , to consider whether it is supplanting an English Lodge , and putting it out of its work , for I suppose it will be at once conceded that the English Brethren are

capable of " finishing it . " Moreover , when a candidate is proposed in a Lodge , removed by the difference of half the circumference of the globe from the scene of his past history , can it be surprising ii the local Lodge approached should entertain some suspicion that he may have been rejected or disregarded by the Brethren on the other side , who best know his character ,

and who are on account of that knowledge better judges of his fitness for our mysteries . Also in the event of his acceptance here , although perhaps unworthy of that honour , what must be the opinion of our Brethren over the sea concerning us when they shall have learnt that what they regard as worthless has been considered by us as suitable material wherewith to construct

the Masonic edifice . Whetker suspicion with regard to these possibilities be well founded or not , it must be agreed that a candidate who has lived for jears in England , the birthplace of Freemasonry , and has suddenly evinced a strong regard for the Craft , and desires to be admitted to membership in a country where he is little known , ox unknown , should be regarded at least with caution and discrimination . ( To be continued . )

Masonic Material.

The following document has been found in the Old Star and Garter Hotel , Pall Mall , which is now being converted into a restaurant;— " Thursday , 6 th February 1787 . HiR . H . the Prince of Wales was initiated into Masonry , at an occasional Lodge convened for the purpose at the Star and Garter , Pall

Mall , over which the Duke of Cumberland presided in person . Friday , 1 st November , following , his Royal Highness the Duke of York w , as initiated into Masonry at a special Lodge at the same place , over which the Grand Master presided , being

introduced by his royal brother , the Prince of Wales , who assisted at the ceremony . " The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York were , of course , the first and second sons of George III . — " Daily Chronicle . "

The " Norfolk Standard" gives the following as an extract from the minute book of the Boyal Alfred Lodge , formerly held at Diss : — " 5 th July 1773 . It was agreed to celebrate the anniversary of the constitution of the Boyal Alfred Lodge on Monday , the 26 th iustant , BrO . J . Simpson to provide a decent

and savoury dinner for thirty Brethren at the price of 2 s per man , dinner and supper included . For the proper and regular conducting of this amicable feast it was unanimously agreed to appoint the following Brethren as acting Stewards—W . W . Simpson , H . Thompson , Esq ., Thomas Mann , and E . Self , all

Visiting Brethren , to pay for the entertainment of the day , 5 / 3 each . In case any of the honorary members should generously present this honourable society with venison , that the fee to the Park keeper be paid by Bro . James Simpson . Memo . — Every Brother present sung a song , and the evening concluded with cheerfulness , mirth , and true social festivity . "

The following , from an old P . M . and P . Z ., appeared in a recent issue of " Society : " I am not one of the many Brethren of the Craft who rave about the interest our Boyal Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , takes in Freemasonry . I am rather one of those who

think that he might show his interest somewhat more actively than he does . It is now two-and-twenty years ago since H . R . H . was first elected Grand Master , when the Marquess of Ripon , the Earl of Ripon as he then was , ' verted' to Rome , and had , of course , to resign his Grand Mastership ; and think I am speaking

well within the mark when I say that I don't think the Prince has been in a Lodge , Grand Lodge or other , more than twenty times during all these years—an average , say roughly , of once a year since his installation in February 1874 . But I am not going to deny that his years of office have been anything else

than a blessing to the Order . The numbers of English Masons have more than doubled during that time ; and the Prince has given a ' cachet' which has sealed the fraternity with a stamp of social consideration it never had before . Above all , where he has exerted his personal feeling on the appointment of Grand Officers

he has shown his usual tact , to the great good of our Order . Notably when , at the last Quarterly Communication , he bestowed the rank of Past Grand Warden upon the President of the Board of General Purposes Bro . Thomas Fenn , and upon Bro . Robert Grey the President of the Board of Benevolence .

Very few of us can remember when Bro . Fenn was not a protninent London Mason . Thirty years ago the Masonic ritual had about as many various forms as the ritual of the Church of England till the Prayer Book Reviewers swept away the Sarum Use , and the Hereford Use , and all the other uses ,

and ordained that there should be but one use all England over . Bro . Fenn and some other Brethren , most of whom have joined the majority , by the way in which at the Emulation Lodge of Improvement they taught how the various ceremonies should be performed , revised and purified Masonic ritual , and brought it to

its present pitch of excellence and uniformity . The ability which he there displayed got him the purple of a Grand Officer , and marked him out as the man for President of the Board of General Purposes—a body which is something like a Masonic

Committee of General Security . Indeed , it is a sort of Cabinet of Grand Lodge ; and Bro . Fenn may say of the Board of General Purposes—as a French king said of the State : ' I am the State '— 'I am the Board , '

Both these Presidents are City men . Bro . Fenn is a wellknown stockbroker , while Bro . Robert Grey is head of the Eastcheap firm which bears his name . Before Bro . Grey was appointed President of the Board of Benevolence the monthly doles were dealt out generously enough , but without any system . Now , all

is changed , and the thousands of pounds the Board deals out annually are given just as generously , but more carefully , than they ever were before . This is mainly due to Bro . Robert Grey .

' Bob ' Grey , as old members of the Craft affectionately call him , was initiated in the Lodge of St . Andrews in the East , of which for years he has been the ' , Father . ' He is a pillar of the Prince of Wales Lodge , in which , by special request of H . R . H .. he