Disappointed Masons.

DISAPPOINTED MASONS .

IT is incomprehensible to us how a man who calls himself a Freemason can write , or cause to be written , such a letter as we extract elsewhere in this issue from " Tit-Bits . "

Therein our contemporary is informed a certain person was " strongly advised to join the Craft , as he was told if he were a Mason he need never be out of work , or know what

want is , and later on this same person is referred to as a smart , all-round , popular young gentleman—a description that is incorrect on the face of it , for no smart young gentleman would believe such a tempting bait in the first instance , nor

turn round and accuse himself of wilful misrepresentation when he found things were hardly what he was led to believe . Victims of the confidence trick are not usually regarded as smart , and as we can but regard the tempting proposals by

which this young gentleman was allured as but a species of that well known arrangement we can only say that like many other victims who have gone before him he has learnt experience —and had to pay for it . But it is not so easy to dispose of

the Mason who calmly turns round upon the Craft which he professed to enter-of his own free will and accord , uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motives , and now says he meant to make a profit out of it , and is very disappointed

because he finds that the members of the Order believed his solemn declarations , and proceeded to admit him to privileges many good men and true have found to be a just reward and full compensation for their early trust . Such a man may have

been made a Mason in a regular Lodge , but he has not yet become a Freemason , at heart , and we are not at all surprised that the many Lodges he has explained his unfortunate position to have declined to assist him if he goes to them in the spirit that is evidenced in the letter under consideration .

We should like to know how this young man came to be discharged from his situation " through being a Freemason , " as if that really happened it would put a somewhat different aspect on the case , and members of the Order would no

doubt feel sympathy for him , despite his very un-Masonic professions as to the motives which actuated him when he sought admission' to the Graft , but such things do not happen very often , and even when Freemasonry is blamed for one ' s

troubles it generally turns out that the fact of being " a clever pianist and entertainer , " or an expert player at billiards , or a backer of race-horses , has far more to do with

the trouble than association with the Craft , the members oi which are in the habit of doing all that lies in their power to assist the less fortunate among their number .

The installation meeting of the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , will be held on Thursday next , at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street , Bro . G . A . Peters being the Worshipful Master-elect . The gathering is called for 4 o ' clock , and in addition to the Installation there is one candidate on the Agenda for Initiation , and four for Eaising . We hope to report the proceedings in our next issue .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , when the attendance was much smaller than is usual . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Hampshire and the

Isle of Wight presided . Dr . Balfour Cockburn acted as Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Thomas Fenn as Past Grand Master , the Bev . W . K . Biland Bedford as S . G . W ., the Bev . C . J . Martyn as J . G . W ., and the Bev . J . S . Brownrigg as Grand Chaplain .

After the minutes of the Grand Lodge in June and of the special Grand Lodge of 29 th July had been read and confirmed , Bro . Beach read the following letter received from Marlborough House : — " Sir Francis Knollys is desired by His Boyal Highness

the Grand Master to thank Grand Lodge for their address of congratulation and for the expression of their good wishes on the occasion of the twenty-first anniversary of his installation as Grand Master of Freemasons of England . —27 th July 1896 . "

The report of the Board of Benevolence was adopted , and , on the motion of Bro . Robert Grey , seconded by Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , the recommendations of grants were confirmed . The report of the Board of General Purposes was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes :

and subsequently the alterations in the laws of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , agreed to at a special meeting in July , and embodied in a motion , in terms as set out in the copy of the Agenda we published last week , by Bro . T . W . Whitmarsh , seconded by Bro . C . A . Cottebrune , were agreed to without discussion . Grand Lodge was then closed .

Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge is fixed for Tuesday , 22 nd inst ., at Penzance . It is feared that the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe the esteemed Provincial Grand Master will not return from the Continent in time , in which event Bro . Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , Bart ., P . G . W . will

preside , says the " Western Morning News . " The Prov . G . M . has presided over all the Provincial meetings held since his lordship ' s appointment in 1873 , and has long taken a most active interest in all tbat concerns the welfare of the Cornish Craft .

The Mount Sinai Lodge , No . 121 , is next to the senior Lodge on the local register , and has often entertained the Provincial Grand Lodge , the last time being in 1884 . But the assembly this month will only be the second during the genial rule of Lord Mount-Edgcumbe , There are now 30 Lodges in Cornwall ,

having 1 , 800 subscribing members , 13 Boyal Arch Chapters , 12 Mark Lodges , a Knight Templar Preceptory , and one Bose Croix Chapter . The Cornwall Masonic Annuity and Benevolent Fund

is in a very heaithy state , and the progress of the Province in all respects is most satisfactory . The Provincial Grand Secretary is Bro . E . D . Anderton the present Junior Grand Deacon of England .

Dorset.

DORSET .

rriHE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was JL held at the Grammar School , Wimborne , on Thursday , 27 th ult ., the use of the building having been kindly granted by Bro . E . Fynes-Clinton . There was a large attendance of Brethren , but the Provincial Grand Master Bro . Montague Guest , who had an engagement at Torquay , was unavoidably

absent , and the Deputy P . G . M . Bro . Colonel Brymer , M . P ., presided . Among the distinguished visitors present were Bro . Judge Philbrick , Q . C , Grand Registrar of England , and Bro . McLeod P . G . Sw . B . Secretary of the Boys School . The usual business of the Province having been transacted