The Grand Treasurership.

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .

ONE of the most exciting contests ever Known connection with the Grand Treasurership of the English Craft was brought to an end on Wednesday , when nearly three thousand Brethren recorded their votes on behalf of one or

other of the two candidates who were nominated for the appointment . In the result Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall proved the successful candidate , with 1 , 558 votes ; while Bro . Capt . John rsarlow was defeated—but by no means disgraced—with a record of 1 , 213 .

I he question of personal voting , its drawbacks and its inconvenience , has come strongly to the fore on this occasion , and already we have received letters—one of which we publish elsewhere—touching upon the subject . As our correspondent argues , it seems positively absurd that personal attendance the onlOffice

should be required in order to vote for this , y in the hands of the Craft , and we believe it would only be necessary to propose some adequate means of proxy voting to get the system altered . Surely nothing can be said in favour of continuing the barbarous custom now m vogue , while much may be urged in support of a change to proxy

voting . Capt . Barlow has already signified his intention of going to the poll again next year , and we hope the very large number of supporters he has enrolled for this week ' s contest that occasion

may be so increased as to ensure his success on . We cordially congratulate Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall on his success ; he has worked hard to secure it , and well deserves any honour the Craft can bestow upon him .

Bro . the Bishop of Rochester has been initiated as an Oddfellow . * «

The regular meeting of the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 will be held on Thursday next , at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street , E . C ., at 4 . 30 p . m . There are four candidates for raising , and six for passing , so that the Worshipful Master Bro W J . Carroll will be fully occupied with work during

the meeting . * * * At a recent Masonic meeting a Brother , just returned from the front , prefaced some remarks by saying that of course he had no sympathy whatever with the Boers , but as

the result of his personal observation he could say that in places where the Boers had ransacked , pillaged , and ruth-1 P « W rlestroved Drooertv . thev had invariably left the

property of Masonic Lodges uninjured . As a matter of fact , in some cases they had signed their names in the books of the Lodges as visiting members , attaching in some cases the initials indicating their rank in the Craft . — " Daily Chronicle . "

« 9 The Marquis of Ripon ( Past Grand Master ) and the Marchioness are to celebrate their golden wedding , on . the 8 th of next month , and the citizens of Ripon have resolved to mark the event by presenting an illuminated address .

His lordship is the first Marquis . His predecessors passed through the various decrees from a member of Parliament to an earldom , and the present Marquis received the higher tide in 1871 . During his political career he has filled many prominent positions , and was also Grand Master of

the English Craft until he became a convert to Roman Catholicism . Half a century ago all but a month , he married his cousin , Henrietta , daughter of the late Mr . Henry Vyner , of Gautby Hall , Horncastle , who was for some time Lady of the Bedchamber to the Princess of Wales .

The Ballot.

THE BALLOT .

THERE is a great deal of mischievous nonsense tor which a wron ? understanding of this principle is responsible , says the " 'I yler . " Some Masons seem to think that the doctrine means that a Mason must not make known his

objections to a candidate , if he has any . Such a theory is absurd . We are a family of brothers , and can discuss as such the admission of new members to the family . We are not afraid of each other , nor malicious toward each other . The secrecy of the ballot must be protected . We can

imagine a case when the appeal to such a right would be valuable , but it is a shelter for extreme cases , not for every day—a cyclone cellar , not a living room . The writer has and

seen nearly five hundred men Drought into his Lodge , has never yet seen the time when he was afraid to tell everything he knew or believed or had heard or thought about any one of them .

Suppose I bring in a petition in good faith , and it is rejected , and no one vouchsafes to me a reason . My situation is very unpleasant . I am tormented with a dozen suspicions . Am I deceived in my friend ? Ought I to be on my guard against him ? If so , in what way ? Ought I

to refuse to lend him money , or to keep my wife from his company ? Or is it only that I am not a judge of what is good material ? But have I no longer the confidence of my Brothers ? Do they think me unworthy of it , or why do

they conceal from me their oojections ? Do they think me so unjust that I would not listen to objections , or so spiteful that I would seek for revenge ? Do they think I am mean enough to betray their confidence ? Such are some of the reflections that are certain to occur to the unfortunate

proposer ; and justly . Where a candidate is rejected in silence it is a slap in the face to the Brothers tnat proposed him , and also to the members of the investigating committee , if they recommended him . The " Tvler" believes that sud conduct arises from a

misapprehension of a Mason ' s duty . It is true that one must not say , " I will black-ball So-and-so . " But with these two exceptions he may say whatever he is man enough to say . He may go to the proposer and say to him , " You are mistaken in the character of So-and-so , " or " There is

something about So-and-so which you may not know , and which in my opinion makes him unsuitable material for Masonry "; or " Mr . So-and so is perhaps entitled to the privileges of Masonry , but he is very offensive to me , and I advise you to get leave to withdraw his petition , and let him send it to

some other Lodge . " If for any reason that step is not agreeable , he can go to the Master or to the investigating committee and teil them what he knows , or what they

should investigate . There can be but two occasions when it is necessary or proper to silently and secretly cast a black ball : one is when the objector is a coward , and the other when the proposer is a rascal

In connection with the resolve of the King not to sever his connection with the Freemasons , even although resigning the position cf Grand Master , it is interesting to remember that it was in Sweden , and by the King of that country he was first admitted a Freemason . That was thirty-three years

ago , and seven years before he was elected Grand Master of England in place of the Marquis of Ripon . It is curious that the King ' s father , the late Prince Consort , refused to have any connection with Freemasonry . The late Queen , on the

other hand , smiled upon the Craft , and on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee Lord Amherst spoke of the Queen ' s deep interest in Masons , and referred to her as the daughter of a Freemason , the mother of Freemasons , and the patron and helper of the Order . — " North British Daily Mail . "