Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS i . '; , The Royal Arch in America ( No . 2 ) 154 The Provinces and the Charities 1 S 4 Masonic Insurance I 5 S Masonic History and Historians 155 A New Alasonic Temple iJS Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ,. iSS Answers to Queries 156 CORRESPONDENCEA Serious Matter ijfi Dean Swift's Satire on Freemasonry 156 Thc Boys'School .. 156 Encyclopa-dias and Masonic Cyclopardias 156 Bro . Wilson and the Boys'School 157 Reviews 157 Masonic Notes and Queries iff ? Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire ... ifj * 7 Provincial Grand Chapter of Lincolnshire ... 158

Laving the Foundation Stone of thc Indust ' rv Masonic Hall , Gateshead i *; S Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Fund 159 The M . W . Grand Master ' s Visit to Stamford i $ t ) Roval Masonic Institution for Girls ijo Annual Soiree of Thc Great City Lodge , No . 1426 160 Aged Craftsmen 160 REPORTS OF MASOMC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 160 Instruction iGr Royal Arch 161 Mark Masonry 163 India 162 Masonic Tidings tr ...... 163 General Tidings 16 3 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 164

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WE have read the rules , or bye-laws , of the Dorset Masonic Charity with much interest , and notewith sincere approval the formation of such a valuable and useful adjunct to Dorsetshire Masonry . About ^ 1000 have been raised by donations , while the amount produced by annual subscriptions is also a promising feature in thc scheme . It will probably , as is desirable , assume

larger proportions , and a more permanent character . To two rules only do we think could any exception be taken , namely , Rule XXIV ., on a question of policy , and Rule XV ., on a point of Masonic law . Would it not be wiser to leave the selection of candidates absolutely in the Committee ? Is it worth while to adopt in the province the trouble and expense of proxy or

personal voting ? It is quite a different matter when the subscribers are many thousands , but the " game is not worth the candle , " when , at most , the subscribers can be a few hundred in number , As regards the point of Masonic law a wider issue is raised . Is it competent for any body , except

Provincial Grand Lodge itself , to desire a " lodge" to elect a committee of the lodge , with definite duties and a special object , and to report to such body , not to Provincial Grand Lodge . We commend these remarks of ours in all friendliness and fraternal feeling to those worthy brethren who have set on foot what promises to be a very useful and laudable undertaking .

* * * IT will be seen elsewhere that for some time a most interesting and ably conducted discussion has been going on in our pages , anent " Masonic History and Historians , " and to it we beg to call attention for special and several reasons . It shows how much may be said about Freemasonry , its annals ,

and its realistic existence , while , at the same ' time , it points out forcibly how much has to be learnt and unlearnt before we ' ean hope or venture to pronounce decisively on several " moot points . " If , no doubt , it be somewhat humiliating to confess , at first sight , that we must give up much we have readily accepted , and , moreover , much , very much , on

which we have "traded , " so to say , for years ; if the stern and reentless " Genius" of criticism sacrifices at its shrine of rational truth all that is merely sentimental or purely traditional , yet , at any rate , this is a better state of things than that Masonic " sheepwalking" in which it has been our fashion to indulge . At the same time the warning of

one of the writers may well be borne in mind , which would lead us to be on our guard against a " positive , " as well as a " possible" dogmatism , against what is commonly called " post hoc propter hoc , " against that inevitable reaction of thought , andstudy , and tendency , Vhichhavingescaped oneerror falls into another . Each generation has probably its " specialite"of thought , taste ,

and temperament , and " cycles of fancy and theory come to us , apparently , as we move on through revolving years . The tendency of the day is to what is popularly called "strict evidence , " though , after all , it is often only but a partial view of the case , based on a certain amount of evidence , but which is dignified by the title of " conclusive evidence . " The history of

Freemasonry has so far not been written in what the Germans call the " purely critical spirit , " though many distinguished names of writers will recur to our memory , all with " views" of their own , and there is a great fear

lest , just now , we arc about to sacrifice to a misleading " realism , built up on an insecure foundation , the true outcome of Masonic history . If that be so it can only happily be for a time , as in turn this modern hypothesis will give way to the unfailing Nemesis of an equally destructive criticism .

* ' ¦ * WE call attention elsewhere to a description of a new Masonic temple in California , which appears in our excellent contemporary , the Keystone , Philadel phia , and which reflects credit , from the account , on all concerned

in its erection . We always rejoice to note such paragraphs , as they seem to us to point in unmistakeabieterrnstothe happy increase of aesthetic tastes , and a truer appreciation of Freemasonry amongst the members of our Craft . For Freemasonry is neither , be it ever remembered , a benefit club , or a social symposium .

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SOME of our readers may have heard of the Yorkshire Penny Bank , a most admirable institution , per se , and one calculated to advance the good cause of thrift , steadiness , self help , and sobriety . We who pen these words were privileged to be among its earliest supporters , not so very many years ago . It began with a few hundreds , became a few thousands , and at the end of

1 SS 0 there was due to depositors , in 571 branches and 120 , 657 accounts , £ 1 , 115 , 008 iSs . iod . The reserve fund now amounts to . £ 43 , 391 . 163 . gd . This most striking and satisfactory state of things is owing to excellent management , to careful supervision , and not in a little measure to the unceasing zeal , energy , and discretion of Mr . PETER BENT , its intelligent and courteous manager . * * *

BRO . R . W . A . GIDDY was installed D . G . M . of Griqualand on the 15 th ult . We understand that he is now on his way to England . He has appointed Bro . F . H . S . ORPEN as his Deputy .

* * IT is interesting to note the progress of our Provincial bodies , especially in their financial balance-sheets and their statistical returns . The balancesheet of West Yorkshire for 18 S 0-S 1 is before us , and wc observe the following particulars . The annual income of the province appears to be about

£ 400 in round numbers , inclusive of banker ' s interest . Its normal expenses appear to be under £ 200 , including all salaries . This year the Provincial Grand Lodge has voted £ 210 to thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and £ 21 to the Girls' School , in Bro . HENRY SMITH ' S name , the

wellknown and zealous Provincial Grand Secretary . The balance last year in favour of Provincial Grand Lodge , was £ uoj 5 s . 2 d ., this year it is £ 1007 is . 8 d . No votes for Masonic relief , curiously enough , a fact almost unexampled we apprehend in the annals of West Yorkshire , appear in the accounts for 1 S 80-81 .

WE call thc attention of our readers specially to a report of an American Masonic Insurance Company elsewhere , as it strikes us that such an association on the same lines might perhaps be well and seasonably introduced into England . The facts are very striking .

**• * WE often hear of short memberships in England and late initiations . We give in another column the names of thirteen aged American Freemasons , one of whom was actually initiated in 1801 . We should like to have such a return " capped , " if possible , with a like English "thirteen . " Perhaps some of our excellent correspondents can help us .

* * * THE London Masonic Charity Association has received [ a large number of votes , for which it is very grateful , but we have been requested to state on its behalf that the Secretary , Bro . A . TISLEY , NO . I , Clifford's Inn ,

Fleetstreet , will be much obliged to all subscribers who are intending to send him their votes if they will kindly transmit them at once to [ the address given . Masonic Charitable Elections are not now what they were ten years ago , and a good deal of time is taken up , necessarily , in sorting and arranging the votes .

* * THE report of the East Lancashire Masonic Systematic Educational and Benevolent Institution for 1880 is before us , and a very interesting and highly satisfactory one it is . It has materially relieved six applicants with / 'So , and has aided to educate sixteen children . The Almoners have

examined into the cases of sixty-four applicants for relief in 1 S 80 , as against eighty-two in 1879 , and having dismissed twenty-four as altogether unworthy of relief ( we beg our readers' attention to this statement ) , relieved thirty-four of the sixty-four with small sums amounting to £ 0 . is . 6 d . Of these sixty-four fifty-eight were " itinerant Masons , " and six local cases

were paid in instalments the sum of £ 33 us . Thc Association is flourishing , and has now , though it sold out £ 1100 of investments last year , £ 6195 invested capital . Its actual income from subscriptions , donations , and dividends seems to be in round numbers £ 740 . Wc wish it all success in its praiseworthy labours . * * *

ALL our readers and the whole country will hear with great concern and sympathy of the serious and alarming illness of the EARL OF BEACONSFIELD , which causes the deepest anxiety to his numerous friends , and gravely affects the entire English public .

* * Nc BEFORE we greet our readers again the " census" for 1 SS 1 will have been taken , which will demonstrate undoubtedly some very remarkable facts . We impress upon all our readers , especially our fair friends , the absolute necessity of being very precise and particular as to their real age . We publish elsewhcr some pleasing and appropriate lines from our old friend Punch .