Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS , 29 J Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 298 Royal Masonic Institution for Roys 299 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 300 Freemasonry in Spain 300 " Masonic History and Historians 301 CORRESPONDENCE" Quotation "—New Grand Officers 302

The Status of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers 302 A Query 303 Bro . Creed on Masonic Marks 303 Reviews 303 Masonic Notes and Queries 303 Provincial Grand Lodgeof Lincolnshire 303 Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey 305

West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution 3 ° i Testimonial to a Distinguished Mason 306 Presentation to liro . Frank Green , C . C 306 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINOSCraft Masonry 3 ° Instruction 3 ° *? Roval Arch 308

Mark Masonrv 30 S Scotland . ' 3 ° Obituary- , 3 ° 8 Masonic Tidings 3 ° 9 General Tidings 3 ° 9 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 310 Amusements 3 10 Advertisements ^ L , II .

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THE Anniversary Festival of the Boys' School was held at the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , under the most distinguished presidency of Bro . the Marquis of LONDONDERRY , Prov . G . M . for Durham , and , in the presence of about 500 ladies and brethren , when the admirable return was announced of £ 11 , 600 , in round numbers , wilh fourteen lists to come in .

We congratulate all concerned in so successful a result , and beg to remind our readers that Masonic Charity—never slack and never dormant—will thus have certainly raised £ 40 , 000 , at the least , in 1 S 81 for our great

Charities . What better commentary can we have in the use and value of Freemasonry , sometimes questioned by the ignorant and cavilled at by the unreasoning . We have in these facts an incitment for zeal , and a groundwork for pride in respect of our kindly and ancient Fraternity .

* * ALL the ' arrangenienlsfor the Brighton gathering seem tohavebeen excellent , and to have culminated in a complete success . We hear of no hitch ; we have ourselves listened to several commendatory remarks . We are rejoiced at the

fact , and think that great praise is due lo Bro . BINCKES for so carefully and triumphantly meeting the difliculties of a new position , and the countless demands of the occasion . Whether the " change of scene" can be repeated elsewhere as well is , we venture lo think , a matier of doubt . But we do not wish to seek to forestall " public opinion " in this respect in

any way . * '*' * THE gathering for giving the prizes at the Boys' School was a very successful one . We congratulate the authorities on the thoroughly efficient state of the School , which , we apprehend , is destined lo take a very leading position among the educational institutions of the country . * * *

A MOST important and interesting correspondence appears in our last impression relative to the respective rank of Grand Officers and Provincial Grand Oflicers . We understand the question arose al the late Gloucestershire gathering , where , it seems , it was " ruled " by the Provincial authorities that Provincial Grand Wardens took precedence of Present and Past Grand

Officers beneath that rank took precedence , according lo dale of Grand Officers below that rank , and lhat all Grand Oflicers and Provincial appointment respectively . This is , in some respects , a novel contention , ancl is a departure from the usages of the Craft " in like cases , " for many years . At the same time , we say this : we admit that there is a " vagueness " in the special

provision of thc Book of Constitutions on the subject , which , at first sight , favours Bro . NKWMARCII ' S contention ; and we quite agree with him that , " strictly speaking , " the question itself is lo be settled not by usages , or customs of any kind , but by the exact provisions of the Book of Constitutions . We do not think that Bro . MCIXTYRK ' S dilemma has , however , been met .

The logical sequence of Bro . NKWMARCII ' S able argument would be , lhat in a Provincial Grand Lodge meeting thc Prov . G . M . must take precedence of the G . M . himself , and the D . P . G . M ., ( not even " vertutc officii , " a member of Grand Lodge ) , take precedence of the D . G . M . Bro . MCINTYRE well reminds us that much must turn on the exact position of the Provincial

Grand Lodge " quoad " Grand Lodge . The Prov . G . M . is an " emanation " from the G . M . ; the Provincial Grand Lodge is an " emanation " from the Prov . G . M ., and ceases with his life , or demission , or removal , and can only be revived by the Grand Registrar acting " pro tempore , " - — -according to the provisions of the Book of Constitutions , —as Prov . G . M . It seems to us

that the clear provision of the Book of Constitutions is , lhat while in the Provincial Grand Lodge a Prov . Grand Officer is invested with all the rank of a Grand Officer while in office in it , as soon as the Grand Master and Grand Officers are present they necessarily take precedence , on the old law principle , " cessante ralionc cessat cex . " The supreme fountain of honour

being " in presence , " all those officers directly emanating from him take precedence over those who only ' * emanate " from his representative or " emanation . " We say this because we agree with Bro . MCIXTYRK ' conclusion on the whole , admitting the vagueness of the Book of Constitutions , but we feel bound to add that in this , as in most other questions , a good deal may be fairly urged on both sides .

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WE are indebted to Bro . HUBERT , in the Chaine d'Union , for the following amusing extracts from the " Mandement" of the Archbishop of BESANCON , this very year of grace and light , to his faithful flock . Freemasonry far sonic reason or other is the main subject of his address , and this is what he says of it , Risum teneatis fratres et amici : "The ultimate object of the

Masonic sect is the destruction of everything . Satanic counterfeit of the Church , of which it aspires the overthrow , it seeks to govern the world in its stead , and , erasing the past altogether , to found a new social order of things—let us rather say a new barbarism—on the ruins of our civilization . No more God ; no more Spiritual Being ; no more immortal soul ; and ,

consequentially , no more duty ; no more principle of authority ; no more religious or civil power ; the negation of all belief ; the extinction of all morality ; the destruction of all superiority ; in one word anarchy everywhere ; and under all forms , in the understanding , in the heart , in the family , in the city , in the government . Behold the ideal

future which the " lodges" are preparing for us , and which a great many do not fear loudly to avow . " These charges are surely " strong meat" for "babes , " and yet the good Archbishop thus proceeds in his accurate description of Masonic teaching : " Law is an oppression ; power a mistake ; obedience a defilement ; insurrection a duty ; the liberty of

others an instrument lo play upon ; the great institution of marriage an evil ; family a vain word ; justice a deception ; property a robbery made by him who possesses it . " As Bro . HUBERT truly says , " what a heap of abominations . " Once more , let us conclude these extracts from our Archeopiscopal charge with a sigh and a shrug of the shoulders , as we realize how

far folly and untruthfulness , and fanaticism and injustice , can really go . " The Masonic sect has expressed its opinion with cynicism : to break down Catholicism you must suppress the female , but since the suppression is impossible , let us corrupt her . " It is quite possible the Archbishop has never heard of our famous English Masonic refrain -.

" No mortal can more , The ladies adore , Than a Free and Accepted Mason . " Seriously , such foolish invectives do Freemasonry rather good than harm . The papers are once more full of " MORGAN ' S bones . " We are " * sick " of

the whole subject , and feel very much inclined to say , with " BRET HARTE , " if any such discovery has beeii really made , which we doubt . * " Which my name is Bowers , and my crust was busted , Falling down a shaft in Calaveras County ; But I'd take it kindly if yu'd send the pieces

Home to Old Missouri . " We believe in truth that the whole affair is " Bogus , " another fraud palmed upon a too credulous public , and upon reporters just now being very hard up for " news , " and poor printers " perspiring " for " copy . " Certainly the

anti-Masonic party in America have now got something totalk about and put forward , and if they only " work the oracle " properly , who can tell but that wc may live to see an anti-Masonic President , and the suppression of 600 , 000 American Masons '* In this hot weather we want a little excitement .

* * IT is well sometimes to remember , in our passing " epitome" of events and persons , those who leave us , excellent and useful members of our Order , though they may not have risen lo very high rank amongst us . English Freemasonry is really and truly made up of its " working Masons , " the

" rank and file" of our great army , who often leave us silently , one by one , their journey over , their labours ended , unnoticed and unrecorded by friendly pen , or kindly critic . Comp . J . E . MIDDLETON , whose obituary appears in our present impression , is an illustration of this kind , both patent and speaking . Unknown almost , perhaps , comparatively speaking , beyond

his own lodge and chapter , and that Masonic work he always carried out so "thoroughly , " he was yet a very worthy man , a kindly companion , a most sincere Mason . Many who knew him long and well will long recall his kindly and unobtrusive disposition , his gentlemanly and forbearing manners ,

and , above all , his hearty interest in all that concerned his brethren and companions , and especially Freemasonry . He had been , unfortunately , in ailing health for sometime , he had had much personal affliction to bear , but nothing had changed or affected his sympathy with his Masonic duties , or his unswerving regard for old companions and many friends .

WE rejoice to note that the collections for the Hospital Fund up to the present date already exceed £ 25 , 000 , and wc have no doubt that the Committee at the Mansion House , when all the collections are paid in , will have obtained more than last year . This is a fact lobe noted ; and we congratulate our readers upon it in the great interests of suffering humanity .