Diamond Jubilee At Halifax.

DIAMOND JUBILEE AT HALIFAX .

A SPECIAL meeting of the St . James Lodge , No . 448 , Halifax , was held in the Masonic Hall , on Tuesday evening , 4 th inst ., when the Brethren assembled to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of the . formation of the Lodge . A large number of Brethren from the sister Lodge of Probity and other Lodges in the town and district and several Provincial Grand Officers were also present to pay honour to the occasion .

After a substantial repast , a small toast list was gone through . The Queen was proposed by Bro . A . B . Spencer W . M ., whilst His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . was given in due form , as was also that of the Eight Hon . W . L . Jackson Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire .

Bro . Kaye P . Prov . G . D . responded on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodge . Bro . W . G . Morie submitted the toast of the newly-initiated candidate Dr . Finlayson , and of Bro . Edward Lord , who had been raised , in very eulogistic terms . The two Brethren responded in a few well-chosen words .

The Visitors was given by Brother Spencer W . M ., and responded to by representatives from the different Lodges present . In proposing the toast of St . James , Bro . E . N . Kerr P . M . of the Probity Lodge remarked that it was indeed the toast of

the evening . It gave him very much pleasure in submitting it . In his opinion it was a great thing that two such important Lodges as the St . James and the Probity should be able to dwell together with such amity in the same building . He hoped that that good fellowship would continue .

Bro . C . T . Ehodes Past -Prov . G . D ., responding , agreed with Brother Kerr that it was the toast of the evening . He supposed that as the oldest Past Master present he had been selected to tell their friends a little about what he knew of the doings of the Lodge during its existence . He thought he could not do better

than give them a resume of what appeared in the " Freemason " of 1895 . The history of the Lodge had been prepared by Brother Austin Eoberts P . P . G . A . D . C . West Yorkshire . What he gave them was an amplification of the account the author had given of their origin and progress at the Jubilee Commemoration Festival

on the 23 rd October 1888 , in the presence of a large and influential gathering of members and visitors , prominent among whom was the late respected Brother T . W . Tew , J . P . It was a notable occasion in the annals of the Lodge , which , like most other Lodges , had experienced its vicissitudes of fortune during

the fifty years of its existence , but which , at all events during the latter part of that period , had been uniformly strong in numbers , and exemplary in the discharge of its appointed duties . The petition for a Charter of Constitution for the proposed Lodge bore the date 24 th December 1837 , and was transmitted by the

then Deputy Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire Brother Ch . Lee , but it was not until the 27 th August of the next year that Brother Lee was in a position to announce to the W . M .-designate and his Brother Founders that the Charter had been received . More delay followed , but finally on 27 th August the

long looked for Warrant was in the possession of the Deputy P . G . M . The Lodge was consecrated on the 29 th October , that is to say , ten months after the petition was sent , and more than seven months subsequent with the actual date of the Warrant . The ceremony was performed by the D . P . G . M . in the presence

of fifty Brethren , of whom fourteen were members , the style and title being the Eoyal Ancient St . James ' s Lodge , No . 656 . The place of meeting was a private room in Thornton . There , after a few years , the Lodge suffered from a paucity of members , and at length it became manifest that unless something was done it

would pass out of existence altogether . It was therefore resolved to move the Lodge to Halifax , and on the 6 th July 1856 the members held their first meeting m that town . The change proved so beneficial that in tbe first six months a large number of names were placed on the roll . In 1860 it joined with the

Lodge of Probity—now No . 61—in entertaining Prov . G . Lodge , while the year following it obtained the sanction of the authorities to change its name to St . James ' s . A few years later it became a question , not as at Thornton , as to how , considering the paucity of its members , it should continue to meet and fulfil its duties ,

but where , in consequence of its increased numerical strength , it could find premises large enough to accommodate the Lodge . It was ultimately decided to purchase a site and erect on it a building of their own . The Lodge of Probity expressed a wish to join in the erection of the premises , and arrangements having

been agreed upon between the two bodies , the first stone was laid by Bro . Sir Henry Edwards , Bart ., M . P ., P . Prov . G . W ., and on the 26 th August of the following year the two Lodges entered into occupation of their new Hall . Since then the Lodge has

gone on prospering , and , as stated , had celebrated the jubilee of its construction . Bro . Ehodes concluded by remarking that the Lodge , like most other Lodges , had done great work in the cause of charity . This work was one of the distinguishing characteristics pf Freemasonry .

Diamond Jubilee At Halifax.

The toast of the Past Masters and Officers was i > roposed by Bro . Spencer , and responded to by Bro . C . T . Ehodes , Bro . W . Sykes S . W ., and Bro . Ehud Hanson S . D . Others who contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the evening were Bros . A . Eobertshaw Past Prov . G . D ., Sykes Broadbent , E . Lord , E . Potter , & c . — " Halifax Courier . "

Sussex Masonic Club.

SUSSEX MASONIC CLUB .

THIS Club , which has recently acquired central and commodious premises in the Queens Eoad , Brighton , but two minutes walk from tbe Eailway Station , is making most satisfactory headway . Already numbering some 225 members , the Committee show that they are alive to the requirements of the Club , and are sparing no detail to make the members comfortable .

One of the attractions at the present time is a billiard handicap , with thirty-two entrants . The Club possesses a special Lodge of Instruction room , which they place at the disposal of any of the Worshipful Masters of the Province , free of charge . The Hon . Sec . is Bro . H . W . Butler J . W . 1829 , who has long been well

known on the south coast as a Chess player , indeed we may say that to Bro . Butler is due the rise of Chess play in Sussex , and as that was one of the earliest English counties to show a live interest in the game , and acted as an example which many others

have followed , it may be said that English Chess owes much of its present popularity to him . We trust he may be equally successful iu directing the affairs of local Freemasonry , now that he has taken up official position in connection with the Craft .

Advertising The Craft.

ADVERTISING THE CRAFT .

WE regret to learn that certain of our friends take exception to a small paragraph appearing in our last issue with reference to " advertising Freemasonry . " If we are rightly informed their contention is , that if it is allowable to wear Masonic clothing at a ball , the public should , by the same token , be admitted to a Lodge of Sorrow . Surely it must be recognised

there is no analogy between the two . One is a semi-public function under Masonic auspices , the other purely Masonic ritual ceremonial , where Masons are convened to meet and in the most solemn manner mourn the loss of their departed Brother . The public may feel some interest in it as a show , but cannot be

expected to enter into the spirit of the ceremony or appreciate the feelings which inspire the meeting . If our Brethren will calmly reflect we think they will agree that the admission of the profane to such a ceremony , even were it legitimate , would be to incur the suspicion of a desire for ostentatious display where only the utmost humility should obtain .

With regard to the general question of Masonic clothing , we . are prepared to admit we hold very pronounced—perhaps extreme—views , but we know those views are largely shared by many thinking Masons , and are upheld by the Constitutions of high authority . In our opinion Masonic clothing should only be worn at one' ceremony or function outside the Lodge room , viz .,

the laying of foundation stones of Masonic edifices , the only occasion where the duties of operative and speculative Masonry are combined . In Masonic funerals the custom of appearing in what is termed " regalia " is falling into disuse , especially in the large centres , it being recognised that the occasion is one for sorrow , not show . The 1876 edition of the Constitutions of the

Grand Lodge of England provided a modus operandi for Masonic funerals ; but this was omitted in the revised edition of 1884 , and a circular note was issued strongly deprecating the custom . The Grand Lodge of New Zealand has no law on the subject , and although it has not promulgated any edict against the practice , we know most of the leading Officers are strongly opposed to it .

In tbe future we shall consistently oppose the use of Masonic clothing except in the Lodge room and for the ceremonial named . The ball room has no more claims to it than the grave . The only object of its irregular use is either to advertise the Craft , or minister to personal vanity . The former is in direct opposition

to all Masonic precept . Freemasonry should not seek , but be sought . The neophyte should solicit admission unbiased by improper solicitation . To advertise in any form is to solicit , and whether by newspaper , street , or ball room parade , the procedure is inconsistent and at variance with the spirit and teachings of Freemasonry . — " New Zealand Craftsman . "

A BOGUS FREEMASON AT ASHTON . AT the Ashton Borough Police Court , on the 10 th inst ., an elderly man , ' named George Scott , was charged with obtaining relief by false pretences from the local Lodge of Freemasons . On the 28 th ult . the defendant called on the Treasurer and , representing himselt as James Purcell , of the Eoyal Standard Lodge , Halifax , obtained relief out of the Sojourners ' fund . It was afterwards ascertained that he had had relief several times before under false names . Defendant was committed to prison for one month . — " Manchester Courier . "