Catholic Opposition To Freemasonry.

majority of the " Grand Orient" Lodges . The first Lodge to offer the full privileges of membership to the fair sex in the person of the late Mdlle . Maria Deraismes is known by the candid title of " The Freethinkers of Le Pecq . " These few facts should go a good wav towards making it plain to English

non-Catholics why it is that the Catholic Church has adopted so persistently hostile an attitude towards Freemasonry in Continental countries , while among the members of the English Lodges so little antagonism exists towards the fundamental interests of religion . — " Catholic Times . "

Scope For New Lodges.

SCOPE FOR NEW LODGES .

THE Prov . Grand Master of Cambridgeshire , present at the Installation meeting of the Scientific Lodge , spoke of the friendly rivalry which existed between Nos . 88 and 441 , and said that this could not but conduce to the efficiency of the two Cambridge Lodges . Nevertheless , without desiring to impair

that efficiency , he should like to see more Lodges established in the Province , and could wish that the Brethren of the Cambridge Lodges would devote some of their superfluous energy to that purpose . Cuttings from the tree could well be spared without

injury to the parent tree itself , and he thought that Lodges might very well be establised at such places as Ely , March and Chatteris . In doing so they would also help to increase the support which was given to the Masonic Charities . He commended the suggestion to the Brethren of the Province .

Women Freemasons In London.

WOMEN FREEMASONS IN LONDON .

From the " Sunday Times . " [ The Editor received an article , published in a Scotch paper some years ago , on the peculiar fitness of women for Freemasonry , from Mrs . Tweedale , of Milton Hall , Cambridge , who , in the letter containing the enclosure , stated that she was

herself a Mason and belonged to a London Lodge . Mrs . Tweedale kindly sent us the following letter as reply to a request for further information respecting the history of mixed Lodges in London , their aims , work , & c . The members of the English mixed Lodges do not appear as yet so ready to speak publicly of their work as those of the Paris Lodges . ]

To the Editor of the " Sunday Times . " MADAM , —Yours received this morning . I cannot say publicly any more than is contained in the article sent to you . The Lodge I belong to is secret , and is mixed—two members of the Cabinet being present last Equinox . That there are other Lodges to which women belong I discovered in a very

simple manner . Being a Mason myself , I recognised last year m three cases ( all women ) that I was speaking to Masons , and I ascertained they did not belong to my Lodge . We hold our meetings in the Freemasons' Hall . I do not know why there should be any necessity for secrecy , except that tho world at large might be rather shocked at females being initiated and taking steps exactly as men do , on the score of indelicacy . Lately , a celebrated

Indian Officer came up for initiation , he was practically dying , and had to be supported all through the ceremony . Being very keen he was ready to take a step soon after , but the night before the ceremony fixed he died . No alteration was made , and the dead man took his step by proxy . I believe this to be unusual . Ours is a very hard-working Lodge , and the only form of hospitality is entertaining any members of a certain Paris Lodge with which we are in touch .

Yours faithfully , VIOLET TWEEDALE . Milton Hall , Cambs .

Joining Fees.

JOINING FEES .

AWEITER in the " Indian Freemason " says : — " We put the financial side of the question out of sight altogether , as the loss to Lodge funds would not in any case be very great . Moreover , this argument regarding the decrease or increase of funds hardly comes within the pale of true Freemasonry . I will at once admit that it is very often hard upon Brethren in this

country , with constant changes of station , to be called upon to pay joining fees ; but it is impossible , in a society constituted as Freemasonry is , to expect to have our established customs altered for the sake of a very small portion of our community . On the other hand , would this abolition of joining fees be the boon that

it is claimed to be ? Is it not a good thing to have some check upon the growth of Lodges ? Is it desirable , for a few months to have a large influx of joining members , who it is known will only remain , as such , for a limited period ? On the contrary , I think it is most undesirable . The Treasurer and Secretary of a Lodge

have quite enough to do nowadays , without having their work increased , which it would be , without doubt , if greater facilities were given to Brethren to join Lodges ; and with Brethren being perhaps members of three or four Lodges in a District at the same time , a very false idea of the state of the District , as judged from its returns , would be gained .

Joining Fees.

No ; Freemasonry is a Conservative Institution , and I do not think Lodges would for one moment , as a body , desire to increase their rolls by the addition of members who would , at the best , be only birds of passage . Moreover , the class of men described by Bro . Ward in his article , as such desirable additions

to a Lodge , " Men who would take an active ; instead of a dormant interest in the work , " ( whatever a dormant interest may be ) , " Men who would contribute to the funds of the Lodge , " " Men who would be willing to give their mite to the local Masonic charities , " Ac , would surely not be deterred from joining a

Lodge by a small joining fee ? I think not , and I would almost go further and say that men who would be prevented from joining a Lodge on account of its joining fee , would , as a rule , be men that the Lodge could well do without . The joining fee does , no doubt , in some instances press heavily upon Brethren ,

who are sojourning for short periods in stations other than their own ; but surely the remedy for this may be found in more constant visiting . Are not visiting Brethren always received with open arms by a Lodge ? Is not this an opportunity of practising Masonic hospitality in the truest sense of the word ?

There may be a certain amount of modesty about visiting a Lodge more than once or twice , but at least this is not warranted by the welcome that is extended to visiting Brethren On the contrary , the more visiting Brethren there are , the better is a Lodge pleased , for the right of Brethren to visit as often as

possible is fully recognised by the Constitutions , in Article 152 , with one limitation only . Brethren , as a rule , do not care to visit a Lodge unless they are asked . But , if utter strangers in a place , they cannot expect to be asked unless they make themselves known . I look upon the presence of visitors in

Lodge as one of the greatest privileges a Lodge possesses , and think that if visiting were encouraged to the fullest possible ' extent , far greater good would ensue to Freemasonry as an institution than by the abolition of joining—or for the matter of that of any other—fees .

Centenary: St. John's Lodge, Lisburn (I.C.).

CENTENARY : ST . JOHN'S LODGE , LISBURN ( I . C . ) .

THE centenary was celebrated by the Officers and Members dining together in the Assembly Booms , Lisburn , when several Visitors were present . An original poem on the centenary of the Lodge , from the pen of Bro . Joseph Hope , was read , and it was much admired . The evening was one of the pleasantest ever spent under the auspices of the Lodge .

Some of our Scottish friends , referring to the holding of a Lodge of Instructiou in that country , speak of it as quite a rarity . The meeting was under the auspices of the Dramatic Lodge , the Master of which , Bro . De Banzie delivered an excellent

educational lecture on the various points of Masonry , in the course of which he gave it as his opinion that a Lodge of Instruction was absolutely necessary for any Mason who desired to advance in the mysteries and the beauties of the Craft . He desired that

they would all give him their assistance in the matter . He wished every member to have a practical acquaintance with the various duties of the different Offices . To know merely the

signs and grips was to know only the husks and shells of Masonry , although a man could not be called a thorough Mason unless he could at once give these without the slightest hesitation when necessary .

We have several times pointed out that Deacons , whilst traversing the Lodge in discharge of their duties , need not salute the chair . The wands entrusted to these Officers are tokens to denote their right to be exempt from this duty . Please note , Bros . Deacons . — " Masonry . "

The Worshipful Master and Brethren of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1736 , Halifax , gave a ball for the children and friends of the Brethren connected with the Lodge , in the Masonic Hall , on Wednesday , 16 th inst .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

" A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

THE funeral of Bro . G . A . Oldham , who died on Monday , 14 th inst ., after a long illness , took place at Colchester on Friday . Bro . Oldham , who was a member of the United Lodge , 697 , was much respected , and practically the whole of the business premises in his district were closed at the hour fixed for the funeral .