Royal Order Of Scotland.

Comp . Thomas Clarke Tatham , 18 ° . „ Kenneth Robert Mnrchison , 18 ° . „ Lieut .-Col . J . Herbert Frerne , R . B . G ., 18 ° . „ Major Francis Charteris Wemyss , R . B . G ., 18 ° . „ Charles Sherwood Jekyll , 18 ° .

W . Bro . the Rev . Frederick Kill Harford , M . A ., was thou inducted as the first T . R . S . T . A . of the Royal Bruce Chapter , and proposed a vote of thanks to the officers of tho Provincial Grand Chapter , which was carried unanimously , and acknowledged by tho Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master . The following officers wero proposed and elected by the Chapter : —

Bro . The Rt . Hon . the Earl of Donoughmore , Deputy T . R . S . T . A . „ The Right Hon . Lord Henniker , Senior Guardian . „ Rev . and Hon . Francis E . C . Byng , Junior Guardian . „ The Right Hon . Lord Brooke , Marshal .

„ Ralph D . Makinson Littler , Q . C ., Deputy Marshal . „ Major-General Sir Charles Daubeney , K . C . B ., Steward . „ Right Hon . Lord de Clifford , Steward . „ Captain Portlock Dadson , Treasurer and Secretary . „ Thomas Clarke Tatham , Guarder .

The Chapter was then closed , and the Provincial Grand Lodgo of R . S . Y . C . S . having beeu duly opened , the above-named Companions were promoted to the Knighthood of the Order . Among those present on this occasion were : — V . W . Bro . Major-General H . Clerk , F . R . S ., Deputy Prov . G . Master .

„ C . F . Matier , D . Prov . G . M . of Lancashire aud Cheshire . „ Captain N . G . Philips , P . G . W . „ Samuel Rawaon , Prov . S . G . G . „ Rev . T . F . A . T . Ravenshaw , P . P . G . G . „ R . W . H . Giddy , Prov . J . G . G . „ Raphael Costa , Prov . G . Secretary .

„ Major Shadwell H . Gierke , R . B . G ., Prov . G . Treasurer . „ W . Hyde Pullen , Prov . Grand Marshal . „ S . Rosenthal , Prov . Dep . Grand Marshal .

„ Lieut .. General J . Stndholme Brownrigg , C . B ., Prov . G . S . B . „ George Lambert , Prov . G . Guarder . „ C . Edwin Willing , Prov . G . Organist . W . Bro . R . Loveland Loveland . „ Major-Charles Harding .

„ E . B . Webb . „ Walter Spencer . „ Joseph F . Starkey . „ Charles Allen . The banquet took place at the Cafe Royal , 68 Regent-street , at 8 p . m ., the R . W . Bro . the Rev . F . K . Harford , the T . R . S . T . A , presiding .

New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND

FROM New Zealand we lcaru that there is great activity in Blue Masonry , especially under the English Constitution , and in the Province of Auckland . Our excellent brother , M . S . Leers , who has always shown himself so able and active , has lately consecrated ( as the Pro District Grand Master for the North Island ) , two Lodgesthe Remuera Lodge , in one of the most beautiful and wealthy suburbs

of Auckland , and the Rodney Lodge , which is held at the settlement of Mahurangi , a few miles north of the city . The first W . M . of the Rodney Lodge is Bro . Moat , who is a well known and worthy Mason , and he is supported by a good team of officers . Nearly all the officers of the two new Lodges are members of the Prince of Wales Lodge ,

No . 1338 , which is now the leading English Lodge in the North Island , chiefly owing to the exertions of Bro . Leers P . M . the Secretary , and one of the original founders . A few days after the late mail left last month , a new Masonic Hall

was to be opened in Onehunga , a flourishing sea-port , about four miles from Auckland , and the occasion was to be celebrated by a , concert and ball ; in a few weeks another Masonic Hall was to be opened in the Waikato , an extensive pastoral district south of Auckland .

The Mace Fund

THE MACE FUND

11 HE Treasurer of the Dorcas Beneficent Society acknowledges , with many thanks , the following donations received in answer to the Appeal of the 14 th May : — £ a d Aldershot Camp Lodge , No . 1331 - 5 0 0 Major George Barlow , 33 ° - . 110

Further donations are asked to enable Mr . Mace to complete his University course , and will be thankfully received by the Treasurer , Captain P . Dadson , 33 Golden-sqnare , W ., or Bro . F . Binckes , Freemasons' Hall . The Trustees of the Fund are Bros . W . Paas and B . Head .

The Paxton Lodge will be consecrated on Wednesday , the 30 th June , nt the Crystal Palace , by Bro . H . E . . Frances P . P . G . S . D . Surrey . Bro . the Rev . Pv . J . Simpson P . G . Chap ., will officiate as Chaplain .

The Summer Festival of the Metropolitan Lodge will be held at the Castle Hotel , Windsor , on the 18 lh of July , nnder tho able direction of the W . M . Bro , Thos / gWilliams , and an efficient body of Stewards .

Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

We do not hold vurselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspond ents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AH Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

POWERS AND PRIVILEGES OP MASTERS . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIB , —What does our Brother " W . M . Regispons" mean ? He reads a judgment one way , aud says if his reading is right , " we are all wrong , and ho hopes wo are all wrong . " I fancy he has forgotten his obligation , " that he would not permit or softer any deviation from

the ancient customs and established landmarks . " Surely ho does nofc hope that the time may come when a W . M . may bo a figure 0 > and call upon his brethren to do his work . Iu a well constituted Lodge , sufficient for each officer is the work thereof , and it seems to me that the Wardens can learn their future duties at a Lodge of Instruction , oven if , as your correspondent implies , the W . M . is not up to his

work sufficiently to teach them by his example . Let me advise your correspondent to seek to do his duty in the high office in which he is placed , and not attempt to shirk his work by putting it upon the Wardens' shoulders , before they are , by the training of a good example , fitted for the task ; for , in my opinion , if the suggestion were followed , our regular Lodge meetings would bo virtually Lodges of Instruction , aud would lead to manifold abuses . Fraternally yours , PRIMUS .

FREEMASONS AT ISSUE . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —From the remarks of the plaintiff ' s counsel in the case lately before Mr . Justice Field , referred to in your article of Saturday last , it would appear that the plaintiff had submitted the matter in dispute to the G . M ., and had been referred by him to a court of law .

The facts are that the P . G . M . had , and still has , the matter before him for his consideration ; and that he has not declined to adjudicate . It is to be inferred from what the plaintiff's counsel further stated that the action if founded on a letter written ( presumably ) outside

the Lodge ; the fact is , the action is brought upon the Lodge summons , against the W . M ., the Secretary , and a third brother , whose name appeared on it as the proposer of a motion to take into consideration the conduct of tho plaintiff aud other brethreu , in reference to certain alleged blackballing in the Lodge . I am , Sir , yours fraternally , Tin : DEFENDANT ' S SOLICITOR .

REGALIA . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I should like to make a few remarks on a subject which has an interest for a great number of Masons , a large proportion of whom aro amongst the most active members in the Craft . I refer to the qnestion of regalia or clothing , with which , if my memory does not deceive me , you dealt editorially some few

weeks since . For the sake of making matters clear , I will quote the Constitutions , p . 118 : " No honorary or other jewel or emblem shall be worn in the grand lodgo or any subordinate lodge which shall not appertain to or be consistent with those degrees which are recognised and acknowledged by and are under the control of the grand lodge as part of

pure and ancient masonry . " I am well aware of the interpretation pat upon this law by our late noble Grand Master the Earl Zetland , and others high in authority , and , of course , in a question of this kind a legal decision once formally made must be final . Nevertheless , I believe no decision has been formally promulgated , and , therefore , I presume that it is still

competent for any brother to open out the question . The point to be decided would appear to be the interpretation to be put on the word " consistent , " and it seems to me that any or all of the " outside " or " high " degrees are consistent with " pure and ancient masonry . " Blue Masonry makes no pretence of being anything more than a

system of morality . We are expressly taught that it is not intended that Masonry should be put in the place of religion . Masonry then can be nothing more or less than a basis or ground work , a solid foundation , on which may safely be erected any edifice , provided the temple be perfect in all its parts , and honourable to tho builder . It is unnecessary , save for the sake of the maintenance of the thread

of the argument , to urge that many eminent Masons aro also excellent Christians , aud yet by this patent fact we aro driven to admit that Christianity is uot inconsistent with pure aud auoieufc Masonry , and if this be so , how can it be said that tho Christian degrees are not consistent with tho Royal Art . I do not arguo for tho amalgamation of Craft aud Christian Masonry , because that would be a deliberate infringement of a principal

landmark , but I maintain , that according to our Constitutions , if a brother chooses to adorn himself with euibloms of other than Craft degrees he is strictly within the letter of the law . If my view of tho case be erroneous , then I submit that tho badgo of any Order - , be it the Bath , St . Michael and St . Georgo , or auy other British or Foreign Order or Society , cannot be legally worn in a Masonic Lodge . I am , yours fraternally , ll . S . Y . O . S ,