Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Cornwall.

could with great certainty maintain tho extreme antiquity some claimed for the degree , as it was at present worked . A great deal was to bo said for the opinion that it did not date back further than the early part of the last century . Many supposed it to have arisen in the time of the great schism between Freemasons . In these days they could happily treat that schism entirely aa a matter of ancient

history , because of tho thorough unanimity that now reigned among Masons of tho United Kingdom . ( Applanse . ) In 1738 , however , there was a schism , and it was snpposed that tho Royal Arch degree , aa now worked , was then originated by one of the two factions , and no record was said to exist of its having been worked before that . But consideration should be had to the extreme

difficnlty of obtaining distinctive records of an institution which was almost entirely maintained by oral tradition , especially at a timo when there was very little Masonry going on . Another thing to bo remembered was that if the Royal Arch Degree , as it now stood , was not of very great antiquity , it was almost positively certain that tho mysterious sacred name upon which all its special character hung ,

mnst have been preserved in a separate degree in the Master Masons of that time , and in proof of that a tracing board of a Master Mason ' s Lodge was published on the coutinent a long timo previous to the schism in which that name was placed in a prominent position . Whatever its origin , in the present position of the Master Mason ' s degree , with its aubstituted secrets , it was quite dear that it ( the

Master Mason ' s degree ) would havo been very imperfect , but for the addition of the Royal Arch Degree . ( Hear , hear ) . If they took the mysterious name , whioh was tho test and centre of their work in this degree , and investigated it , they would see the impossibility of its being a modern invention . His lordship proceeded to analyse the mysterious name etymologically , with a view to

establish its antiquity , and to suggest , aa they were making a fresh start , that there was much to intorest in the degreo . Masonry was not only a most important machinery for carrying out the principles of brotherly love and equality , but it was of great interest as enabling them , if its history was at all true , to trace back the plan or system of laws by which God had from tho

earheat days , as it were , gradually developed the moral and religious elements of his intellectual creatures , jnst aa geology and other natural sciencea enabled man to trace the development of God's plan in the material creation . Royal Arch Masonry enabled them to trace back the development of the conception of God as a Trinity . The principal symbol in the degree was used to indicate a Trinity a

thousand years beforo Christ . The Arch Degree , if studied in accordance with views he had expressed , would teach them a higher view of the Deity than as the mere Architect of tho World , and would also givo them a truer idea of their intor-dependenco on each other . He trusted they would be led to study the origin of tho Royal Arch degree , and to see that if Masonry in goneral was deserving of being

kept pure and bright by the non-admission of anything bringing dishonour on it , still more was this necessary in the case of this the highest of its degrees . ( Applause ) . The G . S . then proceeded to invest his officers aa follow : —Comps . Sir Fred . Williams H ., Rev . George Ross 151 J ., W . Tweedy 331 Treasnrer , E . Trnebody Carlyon 331 Scribe N ., Richard John 331

Scribe E ., W . H . Jenkins 331 P . Soj ., G . Kerswill 11 R 4 1 st Assfc Soj ., J . Panll 1006 2 nd Asst . Soj ., W . J . Johns 331 Registrar , W . Guy 1151 Standard Bearer , N . J . West 450 Sword Bearer , C . R , Courtney 510 M . C ., J . Niness 1006 Organist , I . Levin 121 Steward , C . Truscott jun . 496 Steward , J . B . Kerswill 1164 Steward , T . C . Stephens 1151 Steward .

Comp . Tweedy was elected Treasurer on the motion of Comp . T . Webber , seconded by Comp . W . II . Jenkins . The G . S ., investing Comp . Jenkins , remarked of him that it was chiefly owing to hia exertions Royal Arch Masonry was resuscitated in the county . A letter of apology for absence was read from E . Cnmp . Hughan P . Z ., Representative Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania , and his offer to

assist in the compilation of the new bye-laws was most gratefully accepted . The first , second , and third Past Principals , Scribes E . and N ., and the Treasurer of each Chapter , with the present Z ., were appointed a committee to frame bye-laws for the Provincial Chapter ; and before the Chapter was closed , E . Comp . Metham waa cordially thanked for services so kindly and efficiently rendered . —Western Daily Mercury .

Freemasons' Banquet And Ball At Brighton.

FREEMASONS' BANQUET AND BALL AT BRIGHTON .

ON Tuesday , 16 th February , tho York and St . Cecilia Lodges of Masons had , at the Brighton Pavilion , a magnificent entertainment—comprising banquet and ball—at which enjoyment was fairly divided between members of tho Craft and the members of the softer sex . The banquet was served in the banqueting room , by Messrs . Savers and Marks , of Westem-road . Tho partv was presided over bv

Bro . Nell W . M . of tho York Lodge , and the general arrangements were efficiently carried out by the following committee : —Bros . Stnrfc , Peel , Westou Hon . Sec , H . Payne , Pearson , Foat , Sandeman , Eberal , H . E . Cox , R . T . Nye , G . Emery , W . H . Ilarley , Garden , R . T . Pope , and A . J . Hawkes . The company at the banquet numbered about 120 . About nine o ' clock the ball was opened in the Music-room , which was hung with white lace curtains . Bro . Devin ' a

orchestral band was engaged , and went through a long and excellent programme . Li ght refreshments were served in the North Drawingroom , the Sonth Drawing-room being an agreeablo promenade . The rooms and corridor were elegantly decorated with flowering plants and evergreens . The success of the ball was greatl y due to tho exertions of the M . C . ' s , Bros . A . T . Hawkes , R . T . Pope , and S . P . Weston , the latter of whom was most indefatigable in his exertions to keep eyery thing going smoothly .

Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

fT « s do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , ft » J necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

LORD CARNARVON AND OUR CHARITIBS ; To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR A . VD BROTHER , —Let mo shortly reply to Bro . Constable , whoso charitable views entirely coincide with my own , as follows : — Lord Carnarvon did not say that the Charities did not want money ;

his Lordship stated that they did not netd a special grant ; and this I am glad to think is quite correct . The Craft , by its grand exertions , annually supplies the funds required , and the money thus collected is , in the aggregate , almost , if not quite , unprecedented in the history of Charities . Fraternally yours , 20 th February 1877 . A V . P . OF BOTH ScnooLS .

To the Editor of TnE FBEEJIASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —On the principle that the troubles of others are a slight alleviation of our own misfortunes , I must confess I read Bro . John Constable ' s letter in your last issue with a certain amount of melancholy satisfaction that I waa not tho only Steward

for the Boys' School who had met with rebuffs on account of Lord Carnarvon ' s speech . I have the honour to be a Steward for the coming Festival of the Boys' Schools , and , representing as I do a province which is certainly not tho least influential and wealthy , I had made up my mind to a

large and hearty response from those to whom I appealod . Bnt my discomfiture has been great where tho reason given for not subscribing has been , " We are told , on the highest possible authority , that no Masonic Charity will ever appeal in vain , and that they do not want

money , and that of course Lord Carnarvon knows of some hidlen and secret mine of wealth to simply the exhausted coffers . " I sincerely hope his Lordship can make good his words , and that the appeal of tho Institutions will not be mado in vain . For my own part , I fear my individual list will be "beautifully less . " I am , yours fraternally , Manchester , 19 th Feb . 1877 . ROYAL ORDER .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It really appears to me , from the letter of Bro . Constable , in your last issue , in which he refers to certain remarks of our Pro Grand Master , Lord Carnarvon , that ho , Bro . Constable , has somowhat misjudged those remarks , and that instead of injnring his canvass as Steward for the Boys' Institution , they

should and will serve the cause of our Charities . Whab the Pro Grand Master did in effect say was , that our Charities would never lack the goodwill and noble feeling of tho Order , that the Charities would obtain sufficient for all purposes from tho voluntary efforts of the Craft . The truth of these words ia evident in the ever increasing amounts

brought to the Charities annually by the good work of its Stewards . In this work Bro . Constable is known to play an earnest and diligent part . The words of the Pro Grand Master stated , the Craft ' would give , as occasion required , all that the "Charities " needed "—not that the Charities had already gofc all they required .

Therefore , let our Brother be of good cheer in hia canvaas . Ho can bear rebukes , must hear insinuations—coming as they do from those who do not know , and who do not even trouble to find out the good work done by these noble Institutions . Such remarks emanate from those who cannot understand the feelings experienced by thoso who work for our aged and needy , for our parents in Masonry , for our

dear orphan , girls and boys ; work self-imposed , afc the expense of time , labour , and cost , and as a labour of love . Will Bro . Constable , when making an appeal , bring forth authon . tic and well digested figures , culled from the vouched for records of the particular Institution whose interests he ia advocating , and show what our Charities are doing in return for what they securo

from tho Craft . I have begged for our Charities , have met with rebnffs , heard base and unfounded insinuations , havo been told when the money gets to London it goes into a " vortex " of waste , and worse . Very recently , when askiug for aid for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and in tho capacity of Steward for the Provinco and tho Charity , the worthy Treasurer of the Lodge threatened

aloud , that if the motion were carried , he would " give up his collar and leave the Lodge . " While tho W . M ., beforo putting the proposition , which I had succeeded in getting proposed aud seconded by two members of tho Lodge , stated he shonld vote against it . This came naturally , perhaps , from a Lodge that had never given a penny to the Institutions ; but then , this Lodge would find it exceedingly

difficult to either open or close without the timely aid of viaitora . As for work , well , they are wise enough not to attempt it without the aid of neighbouring brethren . Gladly do I change the scene to very different receptions when on begging expeditions for the Charity , whoro the right hand of goodfellowship has been freely given , with a warm response , to the