Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.
I P followed by an extension of the Mark , ancl , indeed , of all our thcr Masonic organisations , is only what any one with even a lio-lit knowledge of the subject would expect . But there is no loubt the Degree has made marvellous strides in popularity , especiu ,. cinre thc late Duke of ALBANY—who was the first of the Royal
Family to countenance the Mark , in our time at least—was ad-•' cecl as a Mark Master Mason , ancl had the rank of Past Grand Master conferred upon him . This was some time during the V I " ^ —^ our mcmor y serves us—and since then 200 lucres have been warranted . There is , too , a G . Mark Master ' s
r r ] oe of Instruction , at which instruction in the methods of working the ceremonies of the Degree can be obtained , while o-encrally there is a greater appearance of energy ancl activity , nnd the Mark has made for itself many new spheres of uscful-. „ . <¦ * -.. But the improvement has by no means been restricted to
an augmentation in numbers , and the greater energy wc have spoken of , or to the more extensive area over which the Decree has spread , lis organisationhasbeen greatly strengthened . It has now an imposing Hall of its own , situated alongside the time-honoured Freemasons' Hall , of Craft ancl Arch Masonry ,
and whereas early in 18 75 , there were only 18 Provincial G . Mark Masters—of whom only four were in charge of Provinces outside England—there are at thc present time 33 Provinces in England alone , in charge of as many Prov . G . Mark Masters ; and 18 Districts Abroad , presided over by as many Dist . G .
Mark Masters . Among these latter are included the four which were Provinces in 18 75 , namely , Bengal , Bombay , Madras and Burmah , to which has since been added the Punjab ; three Districts in New Zealand , three in Africa , two in the West Indies—Jamaica and the West India Islands generally ; Victoria
( Australia ) , and Tasmania ; Gibraltar and the Mediterranean ; and Quebec in British North America , the establishment of which was the cause of a somewhat violent dispute between the Grand Chapter of Quebec and our Mark Grand Lodge . Add to this , that for the last 10 years thc Prince of WALES—who lost but
little time in following the example of his late brother of Albany , in being advanced to the degree—has been the presiding Grand Master of the Mark , with a Pro Grand Master in imitation of Craft Masonry , and we need not go beyond thc influence which his Royal Highness has exercised upon Freemasonry generally
as Grand Master of United Grand Lodge , and upon the . Mark Degree particularly , as its chief since 1 S 86 , for an explanation of the progress which this particular Masonic system has made since the beginning of 18 75 . As for
CHIVALRIC AND HIGH GRADE MASONRY , the story we have to tell is pretty nearly the same we havc told alread y respectingthe Craft , Arch , and Mark . In thc "Cosmo " for 18 75 , the highest number on the roll of Preceptories of thc Order of the Temple was No . 129 , in the present year ' s " Cosmo , " it is No . 164 . The Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine has on its roll now 153 conclaves , as compared with 115 in 1 S 75 , but in neither [ case do the figures represent the
number actuall y working , for though the Degree is well organised , and has claims upon our respect , it does not enjoy quite the same degree of favour as the other Masonic systems . The Royal and Select Masters which , 21 years ago , had only four councils on its roll—its Grand Council was only established in 18 73 — now musters
111 all 22 councils , and the Allied Masonic Degrees , wlncli ¦ ' •id no organised existence then , has now its Grand Council ancl 2 3 private councils . The fortunes of Rosicrucianism , too , have been looking up , and there are colleges in York and Newcastle-011-Tyne , as well as in London , while , as for the Ancient and
Accepted Rite , with its Supreme Council , 33 ° , to preside over "s fortunes , ancl H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , as Grand Patron , * glance into its golden book will show that of its log Rose ^ roix chapters in working at the present time , as many as 60 have uinc
into existence since the commencement ot 1875 , while ot Ule 26 chapters which have become extinct , or surrendered their Warrants , or are in abeyance , 15 were warranted before 1 S 75 , and since . Moreover , the Rite is well organised in districts , has ound favour in the Colonies as well as at home , and what is
\ y great importance , it has a large amount of invested a P'lal , and always a handsome balance at its bankers . ' jut marvellous as are the evidences we have been able to llr | ii . sh fro m authentic data , of the progress which our whole * . ' , en * of Masonry has made since these eventful years , there is
° 'ie other branch of Masonic duty in which even those who ' , _ . , 'nost bitter in their oppositions to our so-called "Secret " ' ( . A , must allow that wc havc done something of which any •. , )') whether religious , moral , or merely social , would have al
G . Vjause t 0 be P roud * When his ' ^ ° y H ' gli » ess , the M . W . loi ' been placed on the throne of United Grand | , ] , S . t-hat memorable gathering of the brethren which was 111 the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington , on the
Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.
28 th April , 1 S 75 , and at which it was estimated at the time there must havc been fully 9000 Masons present , and rose to address his thanks to the Craft for thc honour it had conferred upon him by electing him its chief , he was pleased to say—and the statement was received with
enthusiastic applause—that the watchwords of Freemasonry were " Loyalty " and " Charity . " Of the former , we need say nothing more than lhat it is of the very essence of Freemasonry that its members should be loyal to constituted authority . It is , indeed , impossible for a true Freemason , one , that is to say , who is
genuinely imbued with thc spirit of Freemasonry , to bc otherwise than loyal to the State in which he lives , or in whicb for thc time being he has taken up his residence . But doubtless our readers will be disappointed if , in an article of this character ,
we do not say , at least , a few words about the Charitable Institutions which it is our pride to have established under the wing of our Grand Lodge , and in the case of the youngest of the three by its act and deed . Of these three Charities ,
THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS , which was founded in 1788 by the Chevalier Rt'SPINl , is the oldest , and at the accession of the Prince of WALES to the Grand Mastership the number of children on its establishment was 14 S . In the 21 years that have since elapsed it has great ! v
enlarged its premises , ancl at thc present time has under its charge close on 270 girls . In 188 S , it celebrated the centenarv of its foundation , the Festival being held in the Royal Albert Hall , under the presidency of his Royal Hi ghness , who , as Grand Master , is ex-officio President of the Institution , while among :
those who were present as Stewards were his Majesty the King of SWEDEN AND NORWAY , who had assisted at the Prince ' s initiation in Stockholm , some 20 years previously ; the late Earl of C \ RNARVON , Pro Grand Master of England ; Sir ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL , M . W . Grand Master of Scotland ; the Earl of
LATHOM , then Deputy Grand Master of England ; the late Duke of CLARENCE AND AVONDALE , then Prince ALBERT VICTOR , Past S . G . W . ; the late Marquess of HEADKORT , S . G . Warden of Ireland ; and a host of Masonic notabilities , including a large proportion of our Prov . Grand Masters . The
Stewards alone dined , but the galleries were filled with ladies and brethren as spectators of the brilliant scene . At this memorable Festival the number of Stewards was 1475 , and the sum raised by their efforts ultimately realised the magnificent total of -651 , 500 and upwards . With part of this money the
School was still further enlarged ancl improved , and a new hall , known as the Alexandra Hall , erected , the ceremony of inauguration being performed by thc Prince of WALES , who was accompanied by thc Princess of WALES , from whom it lakes its name . Since then , the Institution has well maintained its
reputation for the excellence of its training , nor is there to bc found throughout the length and breadth of England a middleclass scholastic institution of a similar , or , indeed , of any other character , which is more successful in discharging its duties towards the girls entrusted to its care . The mental , moral , and
physical training they receive is of the highest character , while the success which has attended them in after life , as far as it has been possible to trace their careers , is such as to justify the pride which all English Masons take in the administration of their senior Charity . But it is a serious responsibility which rests
upon the Craft to maintain the School at its present state of efficiency , and wc can only hope that the rulers of the Charity will continue to exhibit the same tact and wisdom as they have shown during its past career , ancl that the general body of the Craft will extend towards it thc same generous
support . Its permanent income has grown considerably since the Prince of WALES became its President , but its annual expenditure has also grown , and it is hard work year after year raising the needful ways and means to make both sides of the
account balance . Nevertheless , it is done , and we trust the day will never come when for lack of funds the Governing body may find it necessary to diminish the number of its " Charges , " or lower the standard of the education they now receive . The second senior Charity is
THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION EOR BOYS . which was founded in 1 798 , by the "Ancient" Society of English Masons , as the Girls' School had been founded 10 years previously by its " Modern" rivals . When thc Prince of WALES became its ex-officio President , the number of children
on the establishment at Wood Green was 153 , so that the difference in the' extent of the benefits conferred by the two Charities was not very material . Nor is there any material difference at the present time , there being some 273 boys maintained , clothed and educated . Thus the period covered b y the Prince of WALES ' S G . Mastership has been one of almost
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.
I P followed by an extension of the Mark , ancl , indeed , of all our thcr Masonic organisations , is only what any one with even a lio-lit knowledge of the subject would expect . But there is no loubt the Degree has made marvellous strides in popularity , especiu ,. cinre thc late Duke of ALBANY—who was the first of the Royal
Family to countenance the Mark , in our time at least—was ad-•' cecl as a Mark Master Mason , ancl had the rank of Past Grand Master conferred upon him . This was some time during the V I " ^ —^ our mcmor y serves us—and since then 200 lucres have been warranted . There is , too , a G . Mark Master ' s
r r ] oe of Instruction , at which instruction in the methods of working the ceremonies of the Degree can be obtained , while o-encrally there is a greater appearance of energy ancl activity , nnd the Mark has made for itself many new spheres of uscful-. „ . <¦ * -.. But the improvement has by no means been restricted to
an augmentation in numbers , and the greater energy wc have spoken of , or to the more extensive area over which the Decree has spread , lis organisationhasbeen greatly strengthened . It has now an imposing Hall of its own , situated alongside the time-honoured Freemasons' Hall , of Craft ancl Arch Masonry ,
and whereas early in 18 75 , there were only 18 Provincial G . Mark Masters—of whom only four were in charge of Provinces outside England—there are at thc present time 33 Provinces in England alone , in charge of as many Prov . G . Mark Masters ; and 18 Districts Abroad , presided over by as many Dist . G .
Mark Masters . Among these latter are included the four which were Provinces in 18 75 , namely , Bengal , Bombay , Madras and Burmah , to which has since been added the Punjab ; three Districts in New Zealand , three in Africa , two in the West Indies—Jamaica and the West India Islands generally ; Victoria
( Australia ) , and Tasmania ; Gibraltar and the Mediterranean ; and Quebec in British North America , the establishment of which was the cause of a somewhat violent dispute between the Grand Chapter of Quebec and our Mark Grand Lodge . Add to this , that for the last 10 years thc Prince of WALES—who lost but
little time in following the example of his late brother of Albany , in being advanced to the degree—has been the presiding Grand Master of the Mark , with a Pro Grand Master in imitation of Craft Masonry , and we need not go beyond thc influence which his Royal Highness has exercised upon Freemasonry generally
as Grand Master of United Grand Lodge , and upon the . Mark Degree particularly , as its chief since 1 S 86 , for an explanation of the progress which this particular Masonic system has made since the beginning of 18 75 . As for
CHIVALRIC AND HIGH GRADE MASONRY , the story we have to tell is pretty nearly the same we havc told alread y respectingthe Craft , Arch , and Mark . In thc "Cosmo " for 18 75 , the highest number on the roll of Preceptories of thc Order of the Temple was No . 129 , in the present year ' s " Cosmo , " it is No . 164 . The Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine has on its roll now 153 conclaves , as compared with 115 in 1 S 75 , but in neither [ case do the figures represent the
number actuall y working , for though the Degree is well organised , and has claims upon our respect , it does not enjoy quite the same degree of favour as the other Masonic systems . The Royal and Select Masters which , 21 years ago , had only four councils on its roll—its Grand Council was only established in 18 73 — now musters
111 all 22 councils , and the Allied Masonic Degrees , wlncli ¦ ' •id no organised existence then , has now its Grand Council ancl 2 3 private councils . The fortunes of Rosicrucianism , too , have been looking up , and there are colleges in York and Newcastle-011-Tyne , as well as in London , while , as for the Ancient and
Accepted Rite , with its Supreme Council , 33 ° , to preside over "s fortunes , ancl H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , as Grand Patron , * glance into its golden book will show that of its log Rose ^ roix chapters in working at the present time , as many as 60 have uinc
into existence since the commencement ot 1875 , while ot Ule 26 chapters which have become extinct , or surrendered their Warrants , or are in abeyance , 15 were warranted before 1 S 75 , and since . Moreover , the Rite is well organised in districts , has ound favour in the Colonies as well as at home , and what is
\ y great importance , it has a large amount of invested a P'lal , and always a handsome balance at its bankers . ' jut marvellous as are the evidences we have been able to llr | ii . sh fro m authentic data , of the progress which our whole * . ' , en * of Masonry has made since these eventful years , there is
° 'ie other branch of Masonic duty in which even those who ' , _ . , 'nost bitter in their oppositions to our so-called "Secret " ' ( . A , must allow that wc havc done something of which any •. , )') whether religious , moral , or merely social , would have al
G . Vjause t 0 be P roud * When his ' ^ ° y H ' gli » ess , the M . W . loi ' been placed on the throne of United Grand | , ] , S . t-hat memorable gathering of the brethren which was 111 the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington , on the
Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.
28 th April , 1 S 75 , and at which it was estimated at the time there must havc been fully 9000 Masons present , and rose to address his thanks to the Craft for thc honour it had conferred upon him by electing him its chief , he was pleased to say—and the statement was received with
enthusiastic applause—that the watchwords of Freemasonry were " Loyalty " and " Charity . " Of the former , we need say nothing more than lhat it is of the very essence of Freemasonry that its members should be loyal to constituted authority . It is , indeed , impossible for a true Freemason , one , that is to say , who is
genuinely imbued with thc spirit of Freemasonry , to bc otherwise than loyal to the State in which he lives , or in whicb for thc time being he has taken up his residence . But doubtless our readers will be disappointed if , in an article of this character ,
we do not say , at least , a few words about the Charitable Institutions which it is our pride to have established under the wing of our Grand Lodge , and in the case of the youngest of the three by its act and deed . Of these three Charities ,
THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS , which was founded in 1788 by the Chevalier Rt'SPINl , is the oldest , and at the accession of the Prince of WALES to the Grand Mastership the number of children on its establishment was 14 S . In the 21 years that have since elapsed it has great ! v
enlarged its premises , ancl at thc present time has under its charge close on 270 girls . In 188 S , it celebrated the centenarv of its foundation , the Festival being held in the Royal Albert Hall , under the presidency of his Royal Hi ghness , who , as Grand Master , is ex-officio President of the Institution , while among :
those who were present as Stewards were his Majesty the King of SWEDEN AND NORWAY , who had assisted at the Prince ' s initiation in Stockholm , some 20 years previously ; the late Earl of C \ RNARVON , Pro Grand Master of England ; Sir ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL , M . W . Grand Master of Scotland ; the Earl of
LATHOM , then Deputy Grand Master of England ; the late Duke of CLARENCE AND AVONDALE , then Prince ALBERT VICTOR , Past S . G . W . ; the late Marquess of HEADKORT , S . G . Warden of Ireland ; and a host of Masonic notabilities , including a large proportion of our Prov . Grand Masters . The
Stewards alone dined , but the galleries were filled with ladies and brethren as spectators of the brilliant scene . At this memorable Festival the number of Stewards was 1475 , and the sum raised by their efforts ultimately realised the magnificent total of -651 , 500 and upwards . With part of this money the
School was still further enlarged ancl improved , and a new hall , known as the Alexandra Hall , erected , the ceremony of inauguration being performed by thc Prince of WALES , who was accompanied by thc Princess of WALES , from whom it lakes its name . Since then , the Institution has well maintained its
reputation for the excellence of its training , nor is there to bc found throughout the length and breadth of England a middleclass scholastic institution of a similar , or , indeed , of any other character , which is more successful in discharging its duties towards the girls entrusted to its care . The mental , moral , and
physical training they receive is of the highest character , while the success which has attended them in after life , as far as it has been possible to trace their careers , is such as to justify the pride which all English Masons take in the administration of their senior Charity . But it is a serious responsibility which rests
upon the Craft to maintain the School at its present state of efficiency , and wc can only hope that the rulers of the Charity will continue to exhibit the same tact and wisdom as they have shown during its past career , ancl that the general body of the Craft will extend towards it thc same generous
support . Its permanent income has grown considerably since the Prince of WALES became its President , but its annual expenditure has also grown , and it is hard work year after year raising the needful ways and means to make both sides of the
account balance . Nevertheless , it is done , and we trust the day will never come when for lack of funds the Governing body may find it necessary to diminish the number of its " Charges , " or lower the standard of the education they now receive . The second senior Charity is
THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION EOR BOYS . which was founded in 1 798 , by the "Ancient" Society of English Masons , as the Girls' School had been founded 10 years previously by its " Modern" rivals . When thc Prince of WALES became its ex-officio President , the number of children
on the establishment at Wood Green was 153 , so that the difference in the' extent of the benefits conferred by the two Charities was not very material . Nor is there any material difference at the present time , there being some 273 boys maintained , clothed and educated . Thus the period covered b y the Prince of WALES ' S G . Mastership has been one of almost