Consecration Of A Mark Lodge In Douglas.

and in response to the recommendation of the petitioning brethren , Bros . G . C . Heron , Hy . Brearley , and C . E . Johnson were named by the Grand Master as the Most Worshipful , Senior Warden and Junior Warden respectively . The interesting ceremony of consecration was then gone through in an imposing manner , Bro . Dalrymple and the brethren by whom he was accompanied acquitting themselves

in the discharge of the onerous duties devolving npon them in a manner whioh elicited the hearty approbation of all present , and which will long be remembered in the annals of Insular Masonry . Tho presiding Officer having formally dedicated the Lr 3 ge , Bro . Nesbitt nominated , and Bro . Mayle seconded , twelve candidates for member , ship , who were unanimously elected , and nine subsequently advanced

to the most honourable degree of Mark Master Mason in a praiseworthy manner : The brethren who had nofc attained to the rank of W . M . having retired , Bro . George C . Heron was installed in the ohair in ancient form by Bro . Dalrymple , and the brethren having been re-admitted , he was saluted and proclaimed in the manner customary amongst Masons , and dnly appointed and invested his Officers for the ensuing twelve months , as follow : —Bros . Hy .

Brearley S . W ., 0 . F . Johnson J . W ., L . G . Hannay M . O ., T . H . Nesbitt S . O ., Secretary and Registrar of Marks , W . A . MoKown J . O ., J . A . Brown Treasurer , J . Morrison S . D ., J . H . Stretch J . D ., W . J . Brown I . G ., and J . Lanaghan Tyler . Bro . G . M . Lofthouse presided at the organ during the various ceremonies of consecration , advancement , & o ., and the ability and execution displayed by him in the manipulation of the instrument gave general satisfaction , aud well deserved the encomiums he received . On the motion of Bro . J .

A . Brown , a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . Dalrymple and the rest of the visiting brethren for their assistance and cooperation in the establishment and consecration of the Lodge . After a ru . nning fire of hearty good wishes from the visitors , and the nomination of eleven candidates for advancement , the Lodge closed in brotherly love and harmony . After the completion of the Masonic

ceremonies , the brethren , upon the invitation of Bro . Heron , the newly-installed Master , adjourned to the Peveril Hotel , where an excellent dinner was served . The toast list included the Qneen , proposed by Bro . Heron ; tbe M . W . Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers , proposed by Bro . Heron and responded to by Bro . Dalrymple 5 the W . M . M . Bro . Heron , proposed by Bro . Dalrymple ; the Visiting Brethren , proposed by Bro . Heron and responded to

by Bro . Peacock ; the Mark Masons of Manxland , proposed by Bro . Dearden and responded to by Bro . G . M . Lofthouse ; the Promoters of the Peveril Mark Lodge—Bros . Nesbitt and MoKown , proposed in felicitous terms by Bro . Heron and responded to by the brethren named ; and the Host and Hostess , proposed by Bro . J . A . Brown and responded to by Bro . Nattan . The brethren separated afc one a . m ., having spent an enjoyable evening .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

BENEVOLENT OUTLAY AND RETURNS .

To the Editor of the FBEEMASON ' CHRONICLE ; DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Responding to your invitation , I desire to say a few words anent your thoughtful article in last week ' s issue under the heading of " Candidates for tbe Schools and their Parents ' Benevolence . " To my mind you have put the pros and cons very fairly , with the result that few , if any , can fail to understand the

issues raised . I am disposed to accept your conclusions , for the simple reason that it is impossible to define the measure of support given to onr charities by individual brethren and their friends . I know of no means by which claims could be adequately considered upon the basis of subscriptions , and I shonld not like to be engaged in the task of selection . The inquiry , to be just , would have to be

far-reaching and exhaustive . If it were possible to get afc fche facts it would need fche services of a skilled actuary to determine relative merits , for not only would amounts have to be considered , bub time and cironnutances under which support had been given to Masonic work and charity . There are many brethren who cannot subscribe a large sum , but whose subscriptions are only locally credited to them .

Others , again , give time ancl work . All these conditions would have to be taken into account , and what that would involve I leave fco bo imagined . As an abstract proposition it is right that those who support tho Charities in their prosperity should have preferential claims in their adversity , or tho adversity caused by their death . ¦ Like many other abstract pi-oiwuitions , however , ifc id subject fco tho

control of circumstances , anil cannot be applied in tho pure and absolute form of justice . " God kelps those who help themselves , " and although tho manner of fulfilment of this axiom u nob always apparent , it would be an insult to the principle of eternal justice to suppose tbv . b tho cheerful giver should altogether lose his reward evou Jii this world . The difficulty of rewards consists in marshalling facts * md in deciding claim a . No law would meet the case , and as far as CT " - ^ ™ - > " ~ 1

can see no system thafc could bo framed would bo even approximatel y just . . Many . brethren subscribe to our Charities who have uo children , or j * they have , thoy aro frequently of such an age afc the timo of need as 'O bo ineligible for the Schools . Many subscribers aro not members cr t " p & , and' ifc would bo manifestly unfair to handicap their Worts by giving preference to candidates who would be virtually removed from the test of coaapofcifciou . ' There aro some deserving

Correspondence.

cases no doubt that fail in consequence of not being known , from lack of influential support , whoso claims ate unquestionably great , even paramonnt . These aro pitiable exceptions , and not tho rule , for which I fail to see how provision can be mado . What can and ought to be done is , to place the facts of each case before tho brethren , so that those having Votes , and who dispose of them upon

their individual responsibility , may have a fair opportunity of making a choice . The voting power , however , to a large extent is concentrated in Lodges and in Provinces , and as theso bodies have a full knowledge of the candidates they support , it is fair to suppose thafc most pressing claims are as a rule preferred . It shonld also be remembered thafc no candidate is accepted unless found worthy according to well defined rules , and that tho claims of each are put

forth officially as fairly and as fully as can well be done by the Corn * mittee of selection . Speaking generally then , all candidates are placed on an equal footing , and the result depends npon the agency each can command . This ia a matter for the friends or candidates to see to themselves , for whioh no law can' be framed . Upon the whole I think the present system works well , notwithstanding the shook that sentimental justice sometimes receives . Yours fraternally , WATCHMAN .

MASONRY AND MUSIC .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CIIRONICXE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I was not a little startled , and I may add not less agreeably surprised , at some remarks I noticed at the close of a report in your issue of the 13 th inst . of the Installation Meeting of St . Martin ' s-le-Grand Lodgo , No . 1538 . They say the ating lies in the tail , and this is true of tbe report referred to .

Fortunately for me I belong to a Lodge where work and benevolence are the rnling motives . We occasionally indulge in show , and sometimes I f ear we are getting leavened with the vice of extravagance" , but hitherto the humblest brother amongst us has had a fair chance . Work , character , and devotion to the Craft hitherto have been the only credentials necessary for office . So long as a brother has kept up

his subscriptions , been regular in attendance , punctual and skilful in the discharge of his duties , the path to the chair has been free from the obstructions of lavish personal expenditure and the exercise of inordinate ambition . In a word , money has b « en regarded as the means to certain ends , and nofc the ends themselves . I am a lover of music , I am no enemy to fchjLprofession . but I do

nofc like musio , however sweet its sounds , to '^ jBbstruct business , to lengthen banquets , so as to make them a painful necessity , instead of a pleasurable observance . I do not want the rich Master to set the example of lavish expenditure to the temptation , and it may be the injury of his successors . I am glad , therefore , that you have had

courage to assail growing evils—those of excessive expenditure and the waste of time afc banquets . I hope you will follow up the charge and continue to be outspoken in all matters relating to the interests of the Fraternity . Yours faithfully , I . P . M .

INSTALLATION CONCERTS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It will , and not without reason perhaps , be made the subject of remark that yonr comments on tbe very common practice of having professional vocalists at installation banquets would have carried with them greater weight had they been made in general terms , and not with reference to a particular Lodge . You

have unquestionably laid yourself open to this kind of criticism . Bufc looking at the matter from a general point of view , I am very much inclined to think your remarks are well worthy of consideration , and for this , if for no other reason , that it unnecessarily prolongs a meeting which , in fche very nature of things , must be of unusual length . An installation meeting must occupy a good deal of time , and however

much the majority of us brethren may be in love with Masonry and all its works , I confess thafc I for one , and I fancy there must be a good many more of the same opinion , do nofc appreciate long sittings , especially if they can be kept within reasonable limits . I am not ashamed to say that I am very partial to the society of my brother Masons , that I respect good working in the Lodge , and that I

invariably find the work gives me a good appetite for the banquet that follows . In short , I do not attach undue importance to the " knife and fork " degree , but I conform to its ritual on all suitable occasions , and there are none more suitable than after one has played an humble part iu a long course of Lodge business . I delight in listening to a good speech ; and music , be it vocal or instrumental , hath charms to

soothe my savage breast . Bufc I take the liberty of suggesting that a sot concert , by professional artists , is oufc of place at our Lodge banquets . I have said that I am partial to music , and ifc is not the music as such thafc I object to . Ifc smacks too much of formality and involves co end of expense . This latter point is , of course , of no consequence where a W . M ., or the Lodge over which he presides ,

lias always a large balance afc his or its bankers . Bufc how will ifc fare with me , who am not so lortuuately placed , if in my turu I should happen fco be installed in tho chair of K . S . My immediato predecessor , and ifc may bo all my predecessors in the chair , have beeu blessed with long purses , purses which seem to be almost

inexhaustible . If I follow their example , and engage the services of half a dozen professional singers , I suffer in pocket ; if I do nofc follow their example , I run fche very common risk of being dubbed " niggardly , " or " poor devil , " while , in facfc , I am neither . But thero ia another and almost equally forcible objection . In tho case