Hiram Lodge.

this article been necessarily made . We expect delight and instruction from everything he shall write . We aro satisfied he can add light to the coming light upou the question

now before us , if with his usual care and impartiality he will grasp and discuss fche real issue , and will forgive oar continuing to call ourselves by no other name than thai of JlJSTITIA .

Freemasonry In South Africa.

FREEMASONRY IN SOUTH AFRICA .

AMONGST the matters of a more or less controversial nature which occasionally crop up where Masons congregate , is tbe advisability or otherwise of an attempt being made to erect South Africa into an independent

Grand Lodge . At present South African Masonry is divided amongst threo different jurisdictions , those of England , Holland , and Scotland . There is nothing whatever to prevent any other Grand Lodges from issuing

charters , as , by the unwritten law of Masonry , it is laid down thafc where a country does nofc possess its own Grand Lodge , it is fair field for any jurisdiction whatever . This unwritten law is however interpreted in two different ways ,

so far as Colonies are concerned . Some hold that they should be treated as being , for Masonic purposes , totally independent countries ; and others hold that they should be considered as part and parcel of the mother country

which politically controls them . If the latter view were taken as the correct one , it would follow that no other Grand Lodges could issue charters in British Colonies , save those of England , Scotland , and Ireland . Thus far we are

not aware of any Lodges existing in British Colonies under other Warrants , save only in our own , where Ave have a number of very excellent Dutch Lodges , and for this there is a special local reason , inasmuch as the Cape Colony is

nofc so much a " Colony " in the strict sense of the word , as an appenage , with certain distinct national features of its own . But , we repeat , there is , in the present state of the

question , nothing to prevent half-a-dozen Grand Lodges from establishing themselves in South Africa . It is partly in view of such a contingency that many worthy Masons look forward to the elevation of South Africa into a Grand

Lodge of its own . Thoy argue , and with some show of reason , that the existence of Lodges in the same country but under different jurisdictions interferes considerably with the due maintenance of Masonic discipline . A

number of Masons , for instance , make up their mmds to apply for a Charter to Grand Lodge A . This Grand Lodge , perhaps with perfect propriety , considers that it is not to the interests of Masonry to grant this , perhaps

because the town or village is not likely to support a Lodge in a proper manner . Straightway the disappointed suitors apply to Grand Lodge B , and by next mail out comes a charter . Or , to take another case . A Lodge is dissatisfied with some decision of its Grand or District

Grand Lodge , and at once resigns its charter and goes over holus bolus to another Constitution . Or , in a third class of cases , a little knot of dissatisfied Brethren secede from a private Lodge . Their own authorities justly refuse

them another charter in their own village , and they at once have recourse to another Constitution to obtain what they require . And this latter state of things , secession from Lodges , is most likely to occur just because a Lodge has

exercised a laudable discretion in rejecting unworthy members . In all these cases , competition between Grand Lodges works dire evils to the Craft in general . Constitutions should not compete against each other , bufc

unfortunately experience shows that they will do so , glossing over the moral or Masonic wrong by arguments more or less fallacious , but possibly satisfactory to themselves . It is this that leads many Masons to seek for a remedy in the

establishment of one local Grand Lodge which would of course be supreme iu its jurisdiction , and be able to enforce its edicts on one uniform standard . Whilst fully admitting the evils which are complained of , we should nevertheless

hesitate long before allowing this step to be the only available remedy ; indeed it is questionable Avhether the remedy would not be worse than the disease . We resrard the

multiplication of Grand Lodges as an unmixed evil . Each is a sovereign Masonic body , with full power to legislate for itself on the most weighty Masouic matters . It may therefore , and in fact does , deviate very materially from established Masonic rale . Small Grand Lodges , moreover ,

Freemasonry In South Africa.

are very apt , like small States , to legislate on excessively narrow and parochial lines . A small clique rules everything , and that clique may very likely be composed of men who know but little of either outside Masonic life , or

literature . Supreme legislative bodies , whether in Masonry or out of it , should be composed of sufficiently large numbers of men to ensure questions being impartially viewed from every side . Small bodies are prone to hasty

and impulsive decisions . How many men could we find in South Africa really sufficiently conversant with Masonic jurisprudence and history , to competently lead the multitude in the important concerns of legislation ? Compare

our little knot of really learned and thoughtful Masons with the galaxy of literati to be found in the Grand Lodges . Would English , Scotch , or Dutch Masons find anything in a bran new Masonic body to compensate them

for the loss of the prestige possessed by the old Grand Lodges ? Would its honours be half so valuable in their eyes ? We trow not , and moreover we should only partly attain our object . The Republics could hardly be joined

in one Grand Lodge with the politically separated British Colonies . District Grand Masters now possess almost every necessary local power , and the remedies for any

existing grievances lie rather in strengthening their hands , and in bringing about , if possible , an informal understanding between the branches of the different Constitutions . —South African Freemason .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Review should be addressed to tho Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill . Pentonville , London , N " . — : o : — Architects ' , Surveyors ' , and Engineers' Compendium } Specialists ' Directory and Diary for 1888 . Edited by John E . Scars , A . R . I . B . A ., F . A .. S . E . Marlborough auu Co ., 51 Old Bailey , London , E . C .

To our brethren and other readers connected wifch the building trade , whether iu a professional capacity or in the practical performance of contracts for the erection of small or large edifices , we commend this Compendium as a valuable and useful book of reference during the present year . Irrespective of the daily use for which it

is admirably adapted as a record of business and cash transactions , it contains abundant information and tables necessary to even the most practical , aa aids to memory and economisers of time . Our attention has been particularly attracted to the ten sectional maps of London , which , with the list of district surveyors preceding them ,

cannot fail to be exceedingly useful to the practical builder ; whilst the transcripts of the Metropolitan Building Act of 1855 , fche Metropolis Management Act of the same year , the respective Amendments thereof of 1858 , 1862 , 1878 and 1882 , with the Byc-laws of the Metropolitan Board of Ayorks , the Public Health Act of 1875 , Heads

of Conditions in Professional Practice , and the particulars of nuraerons important legal decisions , must be of tbe utmost service to the large body of those gentlemen in whose interest this mass of in . formation has been collated . Nor does the utility of the Compendium stop here : —under the head of general information will be found , in

addition to concise and evidently carefully prepared tables of weight aud measurement , interesting treatises on the several materials used in the builder ' s art , with rules for the guidance of masters aud their foremen in respect of proportions and use of same . A Directory of Manufactures , with illustrated and priced catalogue , is an important

feature of this work , and , together with tbe foregoing , ina ddition to Calendar specially noted for reference to the principal meetings connected wifch R . I . B . A . and A . A . Institutions , Diary , Cash-book , Ledger , and mortgage and rent insurance Registers form a handsome

volume which , in its full gilt clcth binding , it surprises us to find is purchasable at so low a som as five shillings . In every respect , as to utility and cheapness of the work , we again commend it to all concerned .

There was one hfcfcle matter in connection with the annual New Year ' s Entertainment at the Boyal Masonic Institution at Croydon , to which we did not refer in our report last week , although it fully deserved

mention as a factor in securing the enjoyment of the assembled company . Good wine , we are told , needs no bush , so we will not attempt to beat about the bush in praising the champagne used on that occasion . Ifc was branded

"J . Hofele-Elwall and Co ., Cuvee de Reserve , 1880 Vintage , " and was pronounced excellent ; bufc what wonder , when we remember the experience of those . who " founded the feast ? " Surely such well- versed judges may be relied on

when ifc comes to deciding what wine shall be provided for themselves and their guests . Their choice en this occasion was a good one , and was deservedly appreciated , which is saying much , when we call to mind the knowledge possessed by those who were present .