Correspondence.

guild doea not even so mnoh as invoke the patronage of any saint . It ia aimply the guild of Smiths . " The above proves that there waa sometimes an " exception to the rule " that in some rare cases guilds dispensed with troubling saints for patronage . But , on the other hand , the Masons of the fifteenth

century not only prayed " to moder Mary bright , but to four saints besides ; hence the rejection of Mary , as well as saints from the Cooke MS ., indicates that it was written by a Protestant , for a

Protestant sooiety . And , second , though the Smith guild of Chesterfield had no patron saints , the winding up of the laws of the said guild proves conclusively that the members were devout Roman Catholics . It reads as follows : —

"To keep and faithfully perform these Constitutions , all the brethren have bound themselves by touch of relics . " The bindings of an oath by touch of relics was peouliar to believers of tho old Roman Catholic religion ; but as the Cooke MS .

is totally minus of a shadow of a hint of belief in Catholic religion , it seems to me , therefore , evident that neither the writer of the MS ., nor the guild for whose use it was written , could have believed in the Catholic religion , and consequently tho Cooke MS . must have been written after the Reformation . J . N . Boston , U . S ., 29 th February 1891 .

Consecration Of The Beneventa Lodge.

CONSECRATION OF THE BENEVENTA LODGE .

FOR some years past it has been the wish of several of the brethren belonging to Masonio Lodges in the Province of Norths and Hants , living in and around Daventry , to have a Lodge of their own , in order to obviate tho necessity of proceeding to Northampton or Towoester to atteud their Lodges . To meet the wishes of these brethren the Beneventa Lodge , has been formed at Daventry , and the

consecration ceremony took place under very auspicious oiroumstanoes on Friday , 27 th ult . It had been arranged that the consecration should take place on the 15 th January , but owing to the illness of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Bro . the Earl of Euston , D . L ., it was postponed . His lordship , who ia now very much improved in health , arrived in Daventry about eleven o ' clock , in order

that he might consult with the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Butler Wilkins , and make the necessary arrangements for the important and imposing ceremouy of the day , whioh it is gratifying to state went off without the slightest hitch or mishap of any kind . The new Lodgo-rooms , fitted up at Bro . C . Ward ' s Wb . oit 3 b . eaf Hotel , presented an elegant and attractive appearance .

Chicago Masonic Temple.

CHICAGO MASONIC TEMPLE .

rpHE Columbia Iron and Stoel Company , whose mill is at Union--1- town , and office at Pittsburg , will furnish the stoel for the Masouio Temple of Chicago . An idea of the magnitude of the contract can be gained when it is stated that it aggregates 300 , 000 dols ., and that the building will be twenty storeys high—tbe highest in the world—and that a skeleton building will be constructed

of steel , around which the masonry will be built . Thia skeleton is of interlaced steel shapes , so strongly arranged that it would stand alone and bear the weight of occnpancy without the walls of stone . As tbe beginning of a new era in building in which our iron and steel workers are interested , we give the following brief description . The building will be 113 ft . by 170 ft . in dimensions and will be built on a

foundation of steel rails instead of stone . It will front on three sides alike , and the storeys , instead of being called floors , will go under the name of streets , of whioh there will be sixteen in the building . The steel work will weigh between 3 , 500 and 4 , 000 tons , and will be made ready to put together without any alterations . Every pieoe will be exactly fitted , holes drilled , connections dovetailed , and all

calculations adjusted , so that the work of erecting the skeleton will progress with celerity and neatness . This part of the work will proceed independently of the masonry , and , aa remarked hitherto , will be of such a character that the entire work of ereoting the steel Btruoture could be completed before the masons and bricklayers begin work . Still , thia will probably not be done , the steel work being put in position only a few storeys ahead of the masonry . It is

understood that the Columbia will begin work at once , as the contract calls for their work to be completed and under roof by 1 st September , and the extra buildings finished by 1 st May 1892 . There was sharp competition for the work by Pittsburg and Chioago mills , and it is a "feather in the cap "of Columbia that it "carried the day . " This stylo of building will add materially to the demand for rolled steel , henoe we are especially pleased to note every item of the kind . — Carpenter and Builder .

Tho Tyne Masonic Hall Company , Limited , has been formed , with a capital of £ 2 , 500 in shares of £ 1 each , for the purpose of erecting a Masonic hall at Wallsend . The land has been purchased and the contract for the erection of tbe building has been signed . Arrange-™^ hav e been made for letting part of the premises to Messrs . Hodgkin and Company , bankers , and the Wallsend Local Board , and the remainder to the Tyne Lodge of Freemasons .

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M ^ , ? r ^ WER FtrBIlISH 13 T 0 CO MMIT * LIMITED supply goods on Hire direct from have \ lhnohfJnJn ° A ^ . w ? ° f th , ? r yeara ' credit without security . Purchasers S Wholesale Houses . Call or write for Prospectus . Address-Secretary , 43 Great Tower Street , E . C .

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NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

ROYAL JUBILEE LODGE , No . 72 . THE brethren of this old and popular Lodge , whioh dates back to " the Georges , " held their annual ball at the Horns , Kennington , on Wodnesday , 4 th inst . The affair was a brilliant success . Mr . Laughton Field's quadrille band played a programme of 24 dances , " The Royal Jubilee Quadrille , " an admirable arrangement , winning a well-deserved enoore . Bro . W . R . Russell W . M . wad

President , Bro . A . Daroh did good work aa Hon . Seoretary , tho M . C . 's were Bros . G . Horton and J . H . Wright . Bro . W . F . Dunn ia Treasurer of thia Lodge . Bros . Lloyd , Lewcock , Fountain and Dunkley acted aa Stewards . At the Bnppar the Queea and Freemasonry were toasts proposed by tha W . M . Bro . Darch proposed the Chairman , a toast whioh was enthusiastically honoured . It was

remarked that the W . M . ' s year of office would be distinguished by the presence of ladies at the annnal dinner . Bro . Clarke responded for the Ladies , and Bro . Marks for the Visitors . The opinion was expressed that the sixth ball of the Jubilee Lodge was a thorough success , and all were glad that it took place at the Horns , a convenient place for gatherings of South Londoners ,, who , perhaps , are too fond of seeking their entertainment " over the water . "

LODGE OF AFFABILITY , No . 317 ( MANCHESTER )

A REGULAR meeting took plaoe in Freemasons' Hall , Cooper Street , on Thursday , the 5 th inst . Present—Broa . V . M . Vultohoff W . M ., S . Staton S . W ., J . Read J . W ., W . J . Cunliffa Treasurer , Wm . Garside Seoretary , F . Spencer S . D ., G . Jackson J . D ., John Bladon Dir . of Cers ., Whitehead Organist , Thos . Bushell I . G . ; Past Masters Hine , Dawson , Walmsley , Lisenden , John Garside ,

Akerman , and Chosworth ; Bros . Wihl , Megantz , Brownoll , Ashe , Paterson , Field , Roscoe , Ward , Allen , Rottmayer , and Brocklehurst ; Visitors—A . H . Jefferies P . M . 1161 , Chas . R . Dunkerley W . M . 1147 , Rttthbone P . M . 581 , S . J . Thompson P . M . 2109 , John Mountain P . M . 204 , and J . L . Taylor 852 . The Lodge was opened in the usual

manner at 5 ' 30 , and after the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and confirmed , the ballot wnB taken for Mr . Demetriua IvanofT Veder and Mr . George Oldham Whittaker , who were declared elected . Mr . Veder waa subsequently initiated into Freemasonry by the W . M ., after which the brethren adjourned to tea , and on

re-assembling in the Lodge room Mr . Whittaker waa initiated , by Bro . E . G . Chesworth P . M ., and later on Bro . J . T . Ward was passed to the second degree by tbo W . M . Prior to closing tho Lodge a resolution was passod to support the oandidatare of Bro . J . D . Murray , for Graud Treasurer next , yea" " , and there being no further business the Lodge was closed in peace and harmony , at i ) o'clock .

We had almost forgot to mention that Bro . John Mountain , formerly of the Caldedonian Lodge , No . 201 , and Bro . James Wilson , formorly of this Lodge , wero unanimously elected joining members . At tho sooial board the health of the initiates , the newly passed Brother , arid the joining members were proposed and responded to , a Bhort but pleasant evening being spent .

SHAKESPEARE LODGE , No . 1005 ( MANCHESTER )

A REGULAR meeting was held in the Free-nasons' Hall , Cooper Street , on Friday , the 6 th inst ., when there were present Bios . George Everett W . M ., Brookes I . P . M ., Crossland S . W ., Pringle J . W ., Southwell S . D ., Zilas J . D ., Hilt-m I . G . ; Past Masters Allott , Enticknap , Rome , Killom , and Halden ; Bros . Olive , Clay ,

Besso , Floyd , Capreel , Procopides , Bibby and Baamson . The Lodge waa opened at six o ' clock , and , after confirming tha minutes of last meeting , Bros . Procopidea and Bannison were pasaed to the second degree . After further business the Lodge waa closed in peace and harmony .

DE GREY AND RIPON LODGE , No . 1161 , ( MANCHESTER ) .

A REGULAR meeting took plaoe in the Freemasons Hall , Cooper Street , on Tuesday , the 3 rd inst ., when there were present Bros . S . J . ' Lewis W . M ., Wilson S . W ., W . H . Anderton J . W ., J . M . MOBS Secretary , E . Loebell I . G ., Julius Atenabergh P . M ., Robert Dottie , C . Gleave P . M ., B . Carr P . M ., C . F . Piies , J . Ellwood , and A . Lawton ; Visitora—Archie Christie 1730 , and R . R . Lisenden

P . M . 317 ( FREEMASON s CHRONICLE ) . The Lodge was opened in the usual manner at six o'clock , and the minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed . The bnllot was taken for Mr . Samuel Lookwood , and announced favourable . He was subsequently initiated into

Freemasonry by tho W . M ., who later on passed Bro . A . S . Lawton to the second degree , and there being no farther business the Lodge WU 3 closed in peace and harmony at 8 ' 15 . After Bupper the usual toast list was proceeded with , the health of the initiates and newly passed Brother being proposed aud responded to .

ST . KEW LODGE , No . 1222

LOR D DUNGARVAN , tbe R . W . P . G . M . designate for the County of Somerset , attended , as a Visitor , the monthly meeting at the Masouic Hall , Western-Snper-Maro , on Tuesday , the 3 rd instant , and remained to the supper held subsequently , under the presidency of Bro . W . H . Glass the W . M . Between 30 and 40 brethren wero in attendance . The installation of Lord Dungarvan as P . G . M ., as successor to tbo late Earl of Carnarvon , will take place at Bath , on 14 th May .

DUKE OF EDINBURGH LODGE , No . 1259

A REGULAR meeting of this Lodge took place at tho " Cape of Good Hope " Tavern , on the 3 rd inat ., under the presidency of Bro . George Parrett W . M ., Bupported by the following Officers )—«