Royal Arch In West Yorkshire.

and symbolisms of this degreo , which is tho perfection of Masonry , as practised in tho different Lodges . It is my earnest desire that every brother on the completion of his third degree should , if possible , enter a Chapter of Royal Arch Masonry , and work out for himself thoso meanings of our ritual which timo and circumstances can only now develop to him . I am most . anxious to see au increaso of tho numbers

of Companions in tho Lodges in my province forming tho different Chapters , and I hope tho Companions will do their best to use all proper Masonio influences to enable eligible brethren to join our ranks . I expect very shortly to be called upon to open a new Chapter in Barnsley , having signed a recommendation to Grand Chapter in support of a petition ; and I sincerely hope before ont next annna !

Meeting to be able to report that many of onr valued and experienced friends in tho Craft will havo joined our ranks ns Royal Arch Masons . Royal Arch Masonry is an order which every Master Mason ought to snpport iu the best way his means and time can permit . Many of tho Companions present at this meeting wore present at the last Charity meeting , as well as that of tho Provincial Grand Lodge ; and it was

extremely gratifying to notice the success which had attended the labours of our Charity Committee . All onr candidates have either been presented or elected ou the faith that the money would be subscribed , as it is now guaranteed by myself and Companion Tew , One girl has been presented . Wo are now pledged to the £ 1050 to the Bentley Sbaw Memorial Fnnd . The last statement famished by onr

Prov . G . S . E . states that abont £ 93 remains to be collected . I hope the fifteen Chapters which have not yet subscribed will now come forward and help before tho close of this year , as well as the twenty , three Lodges which have not yet done anything . I hope our Treasurer will be able to tell us that our funds will permit of the resolution that stands in Companion Tew ' s name receiving a favourable

response . Wo have 939 Companions on tbo register . We havo now uniformity of bye-laws , and we shall be glad to receive suggestions by which a uniformity of ritual in the Chapters could be brought about . In conclusion , I wish all the Chapters continued success , and sincere thanks to the three Chapters in Leeds for their reception of

ns to-day , tho excellence of their arrangements , and hospitable entertainment . The resolution of Companion Tow was afterwards carried . The resolution of Companion Booth was adjourned to next meeting . The companions were afterwards entertained at an excellent meat tea , served by Companion Oate 3 , of the Masonic Hall . —Yorkshire Post .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Let ' ers must bear the name an I address of the Writer , n < t necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

ST . GWYNEDD CHAPTER , No . 384 , BANGOR .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR Stu AND BROTHER , —At the last Convocation of Snprome Grand Chapter it appears that the Chapter attached to the St . David ' s Lodge , Bangor , No . 384 , was removed from tbeKegister . Comp . Thomas Fenn , to my mind very properly , asked by whose authority it had been done , and lam certain that if any one had . been present to

explain matters , the question would have been adjourned . I will not go into the reason why this Chapter was removed , but will explain hpw it got reported . About this time last year the Chapters in this Province were ( and still are ) wishful to start a Prov . Grand Chapter , and tho Prov . Graud Secretary wrote to . somo of them respecting it , and amongst others he writes to some member of tbe Bangor Lodge about

giving up the Charter . This communication is not to the Worshipful Master or the Secretary , and the Prov . Grand Secretary styles himself Prov . Grand Scribe E . This correspondence goes on until Grand Chapter , acting npon the information received from the self-appointed Graud Scribe E ., acts as it has done . Now , I think that Grand Committee are wrong in allowing assumption of titles , to start with , as it

stauds to reasou that if there is no Prov . Grand Chapter there can be no Prov . Grand Officers . Some time back , December 1872 , we were wishful to consecrate the Welchpool Chapter , and I was referred to Prov . Grand Superintendent j bnt on my pointing out tho facts to the Grand Scribe of England , he acknowledged that there was no such official , and his letter I am referring to at this time of writing .

The Province has had no communication as to the appointment of a Grand Superintendent , so that wo must therefore even be without a Prov . Grand Scribe E . ; and as it does not necessarily follow that tho Prov . Graud Master and the Prov . Grand Secretary respectively have to 1111 the Chapter Offices , at present no one has any right to sign himself as Prov . Grand Scribe E . for North Wales aud Shropshire .

Even this morning I receive a summons to attend the consecration of a Chapter , at Portmacloc , which is issued "by command of tho 31 . E . Provincial Grand Superintendent . " Considering that wo have au Official Pocket-Book , I really think that tho Calendar Committee ought not year after year to perpetuate tbe error of publishing a Prov . Grand Supt . aud Scribe E . for N . Wales anil Shropshire .

As regards the seeming contumacy of the Bangor Lodge in not returning the Charter , it should havo been explained that the Lodge was iu recess , but immediately on its reassembling the W . M . forwarded the Charter , when requested by the proper authorities ; and it has now been in possession of Graud Chapter upwards of a month . It is a great pity that there has been so much interfering , for at the installation meeting , last January , there seemed every

Correspondence.

desire to set the Chapter working again , but this will bo such a damper that it will tend materially to stay the spread of R . A . Masonry in that district . Some time back thero was an attempt mado to recognise the "Mark : " could not au offort bo mado to amalgamate the Craft , Arch , and Mark undor ono supervision and one set of Constitutions

as they are so intimatoly blended tho one with the other ? I am sure that there would be more forvour amongst many now lukewarm Masons , if they had not quito so much trouble in taking the Arch , which is ono of the most beautiful parts of tho whole of our Masonio structure . Yonrs fratornally , D . P . OWEN P . Z . 998 . 10 th November 1879 .

PAST MASTERS' PRIVILEGES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have just received tho Freemason's Chronicle for 30 th Aug ., and notice the reply of " QUIDNUNC " to my query in the previous week's Chroniole . My inquiry was whether the conditions limiting tho right of a Past Master to a seat in Grand Lodge equally apply to his right to a seat in Provincial Grand

Lodge . From apparently not noticing the words " election and in tho last paragraph of my letter "QUIDNUNC" seems slightly to have misapprehended the object of my inquiry , and so failed to fully answer it . It will be observed that the question hinged not on tho dato of installation , but on the executing the office of Master , or ruling the Lodge for a full year , and therefore the instance given

clearly applied to the previous question . But that there may be no misunderstanding I will attempt to state a case more clearly : —Tho ordinary date of election in a Lodge is , say , in November , at which regular meeting A is elected . At the regular meeting in December the minutes are not confirmed , and a second election therefore takes place in January , when B is elected . Tho minntes are confirmed in

Febrnary , and B is W . M . till the following December , when he retires in due course in favour of his successor . When B retires , though nevertheless he is a Past Master of his Lodge , yet , not having execnted the offico of Master for ono year , he undoubtedly , according to Constitution " Grand Lodges , " sec . i . pago 18 , loses his right to a seat in Grand Lodge . Does ho also loso his right to a soat in his

Provincial Grand Lodge , no such condition affecting his right to a seat in the latter being specially laid down in tho Book of Constitutions ? ( "Prov . Grand Lodges , " sec . ii . page 52 ) . Again another instance : —C , a Past Master , ceases to subscribe to a Lodge for the space of twelve months . On his rejoining a Lodgo he has lost his right ( or rather privil-ye ) to a seat in Grand Lodge ,

but docs he suffer any further deprivation ? How is his seat in Provincial Grand Lodgo alfected , no such condition as continued membership of a Lodgo being specially laid down with respect to Prov . Grand Lodge ? I think several reasons might bo adduced to show that a limitation which was very desirable to be established as

to the seats of Past Masters in Grand Lodge is not only not equally necessary , bnt pcrhap 3 inadvisable , when applied to a Provincial Grand Lodge . What however we want to arrive at is , not what might or should be , but what is the law affecting Past Masters' seats in Provincial Grand Lodge , and as it appears to be a matter of somo littlo importance I would again bog to draw attention to it .

Yours fraternally , W . S . L Cradock , South Africa , 6 th Oct . 1879 .

APPOINTMENTS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Will you kindly allow me , through the columns of your valuable paper , to ask a query or two as to appointment and investment of Chaplain and Organist in our Lodges . I am a member of a Lodge fonnded some twelve months ago , and at tho

investment of Officers I was rather surprised that the W . M ., thon a Provincial Officer , should have appointed to tho position of Chaplain and Organist two brethren who were not subscribing members to the Lodgo ; further , the Chaplain was invested with collar and jewel pertaining to the office . The Brother who was appointed Organist

refused to be invested . I am of opinion these appointments were illegal , and shall esteem it a favour if any Brother can inform me " Which is Correct ?" At a future time , with your permission , I may supply yonr readers with a brief history of this Lodge , the method of conducting its business , and treatment of its members .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , 10 th Nov . 1879 . A LBERT EDWARD

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

Will bo vjorked as under : At the Constitutional L"dge of Instruction , No . 55 , Bedford Hotel , Southampton Buildimrs , W . C , on Tuesday , 25 th November 1879 . Bros . Abell W . M . 1599 W . M ., Gush I . G . 1541 S . W ., Brown 8 G 2 J . W .

FIRST LECTURE—Bros . Lee , Liddall , Sanders , H . C . Soper , Hallam , Brown , Tate . SECOND LECTURE—Bro 3 . Linscott , Dickins , Bingemann , Murstou , Pate . THIRD LECTURE—Bros . Dodson , John Soper , Gates . At six o ' clock precisely .