New Hall At Calstock.

exacted by his Queen led him to the conclusion that it was desirable that he should resign the position he has so honourably , so generously , and so characteristically filled for a period of nigh upon fifteen years . In Earl Egerton the Province of Cheshire , indeed , possesses an ideal head ,

and in the interests of Freemasonry we sincerely endorse the appeal so admirably expressed by the Deputy Grand Master Sir Horatio Lloyd , that his Lordship will reconsider his decision . His Lordship ' s influence , his urbanity , his integrity of will and purpose have all fitted him in a peculiar

manner for the Master ' s chair , and his genitility of action and tenderness of rebuke , whenever that quality has been drawn upon , have endeared him in no limited degree , and to every Brother who has owned loyalty to his sway . Of these things the interested body of spectators who watched

the procession to the church know literally nothing , but to those bound in such Fraternal fetters , signalised and symbolised bv the gorgeous apparel which is just as little understood , all we have said or can say will be fully appreciated . The choice of local Brethren to fill vacancies

in the Provincial appointments is also another feature that yields its unquestionable joy to the Brotherhood , and if for reasons that we can well understand there was no . t that general display of welcome and gaity that has been extended

to the Provincial Lodge in neighbouring towns , Stockport was at the core none the less satisfied , and gratified that it was again the centre of everything that is good in principle and practice , if only for a single day . — " Stockport Advertiser . "

Banouet To Sir George Hare Philipson.

BANOUET TO SIR GEORGE HARE PHILIPSON .

A MEETING of the Brethren of the city of Newcastle and district was held at the Grand Hotel , Barras Bridge , on Friday evening , 20 th tilt , when it was resolved to entertain Sir George Hare Philipson , M . A ., M . D ., D . C . L ., F . R . C . P ., at a complimentary banquet , in celebration of his

receiving knighthood . An influential committee , under the presidency of Bro . Aid . R . H . Holmes Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland was appointed , and having Bros . Seymour Bell P . P . S . G . W ., and Dr . Jos . W . Luck P . M . as Secretaries . It is understood the banquet will be held

towards the end of September , when it is hoped the Prov . Grand Master Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart , M . P . may be able to take the chair . Judging by the support already accorded to the movement , and the worthiness of the object

in honouring a distincuished Brother , who , by his exemplary services in the cause of suffering humanity , has brought reflected honour upon the Craft in his native city , the gathering will be of a most enthusiastic and successful description .

The " Temperance Record " rejoices over the establishment , at Southport , of a Freemason ' s Lodge , a feature of which will be " total abstinence from alcoholic liquors on the part of the Brethren . "

The Lodge de Goede Hoop , Cape Town , is the mother Lodge of South Africa , and a good idea of its popularity may De gathered from the fact that during the last twelve months it has entertained no less than 750 visitors .

We lately had the pleasure of visiting the Aldgate Hotel and Restaurant , 76 and yj Aldgate High Street , City , and renewing our acquaintance with uro . G . f . R . Hille , who has great pleasure in informing the Brethren and his numerous

friends that he has taken the management of this establishment , where he offers good accommodation for large or small parties . We can VOUCH for the cleanliness of the place , and the reasonableness of the charges .

* * * The wildest popular delusions respecting Masonic rites are put into the shade by a report in the Irish papers oi " the making of an Orangeman . " It is the report of a

case at Limavady , in which J ames-Warke , a farm servant , summoned his employer and three other men for assaulting him . Warke ' s story was that the defendants told him they would make him an Orangeman , and that they then tied his legs together , put a cloth over his eyes , and branded him

Banouet To Sir George Hare Philipson.

with a pair of red-hot tongs . This was his initiation . Two days later there was a further ceremony , in the course of which the defendants stripped him naked , fastened his feet together with one rope , suspended him from a beam with another rope passed round his waist , and then swung him ,

backwards and forwards , while they stung him with nettles ' and pricked him with pins , a process which was continued till he fainted . I do not know whether this barbarous form

of practical joking is much practised in County Kerry ; but in any event the Limavady Bench were extremely lenient in permitting the defendants to escape with fines of £ 2 each and costs . — " Truth . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writers , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

SCARCITY OF PROVINCIAL HONOURS . To tho Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —I notice that you havo a leading article in connection with the above in your issue o £ the 4 th inst ., and whilst it is possible that , in some of the Provinces , there may be a few cases of actual hardship , yet I think your suggestion that the Provincial Grand Master should have authority to amend the present sliding scale so as to award Collars in proportion " say three to every four Lodges , " would be , to my mind , and many old Masons , most absurd .

I am not a Provincial Officer myself , and so write from an impartial standpoint . The Provincial honours are naturally sought after , and , I believe , very highly esteemed by the recipients ; and the Brethren who are not so highly favoured naturally look upon the Provincial Officers , at the present time , with some considerable degree of respect , knowing that the

honour has been nobly wen by hard and efficient work in Masonry , and with few exceptions , well deserved ; but if , as suggested , " three Collars were given to every four Lodges" it would practically mean that , with very few exceptions , every P . M . would be a Provincial Officer , in consequence of whicn the value of the honour would be very greatly depreciated , and the Collars scarcely worth acceptance .

There is no doubt the honours are fairly well distributed on the whole , and , as I said before , designate the worthy Brother as one who has performed the duties connected with his various offices with credit to himself and honour to the Craft , and , in all probability , contributed handsomely to the various Charities . Now , Sir , what I think you might with advantage propound is , that " no more than one Collar should be given to one particular Lodge in any one

year . " I have noticed in some of the Provinces two , three , and in some cases as many as four Ooliars given to one particular Lodge , and this , in not a small Province , whilst other Lodges have been totally without , and although there may be expressions of regret and disappointment at not being able to bestow more Provincial Collars on Pro . incial Brethren , still I think they might comfort themselves with the thought that there are thousands of

Metropolitan Masons , good and worthy men , who have discharged their duties faithfully as Masons , given liberally to the Charities , and yet have no opportunity , nor ever will have , of receiving any purple collar , simply because they are London Masons . If an increase of higher Officers is desirable , I think it wants making in connection with the Grand Lodge , for the Town Brethren , and not in the Provinces .

Why not divide the Metropolis into say four " District Grand Lodges , " so that the thousands upon thousands of London Masons would have an opportunity of wearing the purple , which to my mind is not hard , but easily obtained in the Provinces—even our largest Provinces ? Whilst speakiug about Provincial matters might I say that I visited recently a Provincial Grand Lodge for the first time . I observed that my invitation summons " commanded " me by order of the Provincial Grand

Master to wear " Dark morning dress . " What was my surprise on entering the ProTincial Grand Lodge to find one of the Past Provincial Grand Officers of the very highest rank in " White duck trousers " I Now , Sir , I believe even in the obligation we are taught to obey any summons we may receive , and I ask is this carrying out the tenets of Freemasonry ? Is it respectful to the Provincial Grand Master , whether he be Earl or Commoner ? Is it a good example to the younger and many Brethren attending the Grand

Lodge?—and if a Grand Officer be permitted to attend in such a dress ( presumably for the sake of comfort ) then why not allow others to attend in flannels and any description of light apparel for comfort ? —and then I ask what would tne Grand "Lodge degenerate into ? Simply a summer outing , with no respect or dignity attached to it . Still the youngest Brother has as much right to attend in white duck and flannels as any other Brother of higher rank and dress , seeing that we are all supposed to be on the level . Pray pardon my lengthy epistle , and allow me to remain , Yours faithfully and Fraternally , 14 th August 1900 . A LONDON 1889 P . M . D . C .

Books Received.

BOOKS RECEIVED .

Jan Oxber . By Orme Agnus . Illustrated by Bertha NeWcottibe ( 3 s 6 d ) . — - Ward , Lock and Co . , Limited . A Millionaire of Yesterday . By E . Phillips Oppenheim . Illustrated by Stanley L . Wood ( 3 s 6 d ) . —Ward , Look and Co ., Limited .

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