Our First Love.

to bring forth by comparing it with those of years gone by , and if Ave attempt to do so in this case AVO are at once met with the fact that this year the number of SteAvards for the Festival is upwards of seventy short of what it was at the corresnondmo : period last

year ; while to those who are a little behind the scenes comes the conviction that this year's totals AvilJ uot average nearly so much as was the case in 1887 , or for the matter of that , in any recent year . These tAvo matters point to a very severe diminution in tho year ' s return , and it will require the most skilful generalship to prevent their making a strong impression on the Tna + i + n + i / - » Ti i + aal ^

It may be asked—what is the reason for this falling off , as compared Avith last year ? Ancl for ansAver Ave may turn to another of the Masonic Charities—the Boyal Masonic Institution for Girls—Avhich will this year celebrate its Centenary . The three Institutions of the Craft are too intimately associated to alloAV of any feeling of jealousy when one happens to be more fortunate than its fellows , but it requires strong determination to wish success to another , when Ave

feel that much of that success may be purchased at our own expense , and this is really AA'hat Ave may expect during the present year . A Centenary is not an event of every-day occurrence , and Avhen it does occur Ave can readily excuse all that is done to honour it . We should be the last to discourage any one

making a special effort on behalf of the Girls' School this year , but at present our love is the Benevolent . No doubt , in due course , Ave shall fall a slave to the Girls' Institution , but until that takes place Ave hope to remain true to " our first love , " doing all that lies

in our power on its behalf . In furtherance oi this , we have just hit on a coincidence , Avhich may perhaps have struck others , that places the coming Festival almost on the level with a Centenary , or at least a jubilee , or a something . It is the peculiarity attached to the date of the day on which the Festival is to be

held—the 29 th February . This day , of course , occurs each leap year , but as the BeneA olent Festival is usually held on a Wednesday it may be recognised that it Avill be many years before we have another celebration on the 29 th February ; indeed , bearing in mind that some peculiar adjustment of dates is necessary each century , in addition to Avhat Ave are

accustomed to every leap year , we believe it will be upwards of fifty years before we have another case of Wednesday , the 29 th February . Surely this is a good peg on which to hang a plea for special support ! Will the brethren let an event which cannot occur again for fifty years pass by without special notice ? No , not though there be " one of a hundred " as a counter attraction !

Much more might be written , and no doubt many more special attractions might be discovered in praise of " our first love , " were Ave disposed to publish them , but there is sufficient of the genuine ring surrounding the doings of the Benevolent Institution to render further adulation on our part all but unnecessary . We have an appreciative audience to appeal to , and

our love has the benefit of youth on its side—no small advantage be it understood , in spite of the fact that the maidens of Battersea have got old enough to boast of their hundred years ( Ave suppose ladies do tell the truth in regard to age at that period of their

existence ) . While the Benevolent Institution has youth on its side in regard to establishment , it can also boast of old age in regard to those for whom it pleads , and with two such varied attractions surely it should please all . If it does so its success this year is assured , while its future may be left to take care of itself .

Personally , we now appeal to our readers to do what they can on behalf of the Benevolent Institution . We do not wish them to support it to the detriment of others , or wholly ignore it because of more brilliant attractions elsewhere . It is our love of to-day , and

Our First Love.

should be Avith every brother interested in the success of the Institutions , until after the date of its Annual Festival , then another star Avill be absolutely in the ascendant , and other claims Avill come to the front ,

and be urged upon us . Until then Ave would advise our readers that it is best to be off with the old love before AVO take on Avith tho new , and ask them to use every effort in their power to secure the success of the first Festival of 1888 .

Hiram Lodge.

HIRAM LODGE .

Hiram Lodge F . A . M . v . G . L . of Connecticut F . A . M . G . L . of Connecticut F . A . M . v . Hiram Lodge F . A . M . [ COMMUNICATED . ]

WE shall be exceedingly sorry to lose the light which our very greatly esteemed Bro . Hughan is qualified to throw upon the intricate questions involved in the controversy between Hiram Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Connecticut .

But we can do no other than give him the honourable name which we have already affixed to two letters on this subject . Indeed , it seems to us that when the search is simply

for truth , impersonality is sometimes preferable , provided the correspondence is between Masonic gentlemen . Certainly , it precludes personal prejudices and

prepossessions , conscious or unconscious , | irorn any influence to warp the judgments or seduce into the crookedness of casuistry .

We are convinced that thero are questions vitally important for the welfare of Masonry that underlie this controversy . The issue is bigger than its present setting , and transcends in importance the mere interests of these

parties . And though it is not our profession particularly to be charitable , and see that no man suffer wrong at the hand of his brother-man , still we are impressed with the desire that no Mason or Lodge shall be condemned by

hasty and inconsiderate judgments , so long as the truth may be reasonably sought for and evolved , and especially that no untenable rule or princip le shall get lodgment in the body of Masonic jurisprudence .

Now it seems to us that the suggestions of Bro . Hughan in the CHRONICLE of 26 th November last , touching the relations of the two Lodges above named , do bear the marks of haste , and are not suggestions that can stand the

test of reasonable investigation . We will not rehearse the judicious objections made to them by " LEX , " and to which no adequate answer seems to us yet to have been given .

Nor do we propose to encroach upon the line of argument which this learned Brother has foreshadowed for himself , and the illuminations of which we shall look for with the

greatest interest . Brother Hughan states , and with a positiveness that would seemingly shut up the whole subject , that " Subordinaie Lodges are bound by the decisions of their Grand

Lodge all the world over , and must either be content to obey the laws and regulations , or be erased , on which all other regular Grand Lodges will side with the Grand Lodge , not with the erased Lodge . It is as well to face this fact at the outset , and thus save needless writing . "

The principle of Masonic law which underlies this paragraph no one in this controversy does deny , or has ever denied , so far as has fallen under our observation . We have ourselves already stated this doctrine of Grand

Lodge supremacy , and given it its application to Hiram Lodgo . The assertatory statement of our learned Brother is brutum fulmen . In the multitude of cases that arise and

have arisen , the application of the principle is clear , complete ; and exhaustive . There are no facts beyond the law to require its revision or enlargement .

But the difficulty here is , that Hiram Lodge is not under the Grand Lodge , in any condition or in any sense for which the principle was enunciated , or to which it is applicable . New elements , both of fact and law intervene , and

these new facts radically distinguish the case before us from those which our learned Brother so peremptoril y decides . Any scholar , any reasoncr , if he will look , must see that it is so , and we do not care what the law may be for other cases , ifc is the case as made on the record before