Contents.

CONTENTS .

L « ADIRS S & S Provincial Grand Lodge nf South Wales ... £ 66 Provincial Grand Lodge of North and East Yorkshire S ° & Provincial Grand Lodge of the Isle of Man 567 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Cheshire 567 itfjiirrhi- Temnlarv * 67

CURRESVONDSNCEThe Proposed Masonic Jubilee Fund ... juo Notice of Lodge Meetings 569 ¦ ' Old Masonians" 569 Grand Orient of France 569 Reviews 5 <> 9 Notes and Queries 509

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 570 Instruction 572 Royal Arch—Instruction . 572 Mark Masonry 572 Scotland 572 Opening of a Freemasons * Hail at Dover ... 573 Devon Masonic Educational Fund 573

Masonic Reading 573 Masonic '' At Home" 573 Masonic Presentation at Bingley 573 Obituary S 73 The Craft Abroad ... J 73 The New Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor Elect 5 J 4 Masonic and General Tidings 57 $ Lodge Meetings for Next Week 576

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THERE will be a feeling of deep sorrow in the Province of North and East Yorkshire , and indeed generally throughout the country at the news of Bro . J , PEARSON BELL ' S death on Sunday last . Bro . BELL had long been entitled to rank among the higher and more particular Masonic luminaries of our time . He was a Craftsman , not only of long experience in the sense of having been one of us for a great number of years and having several times filled the chair of W . M . or Z . j but he was indeed a man of wisdom , a

capable administrator of our government , and well versed in the abstruser branches of Masonic lore . He was also a genial and kindly brother , one who lent a ready ear to the sorrows of his poorer neighbours , and was always anxious to arrest the progress of and arrange a difficulty or disputation among the members of the Craft . Such a man as this was certain to be

popular , and our readers will be pleased rather than surprised when we remind them that about the last time on which we had occasion to refer to our deceased brother and his Masonic career was a few months ago—in April last—when he and Mrs . BELL celebrated their golden wedding , and several of his brother Masons joined together and presented to Mrs . BELL

a bust of her husband as a memorial of the love and respect that was felt towards him in the Craft . This circumstance will probably be a source of consolation to many in the midst of their present grief , for when they call to mind his death and the loss sustained by it , they will also be reminded that their last association with him and his brilliant services was at the same

time one of the most pleasant . We give elsewhere a brief sketch of Bro . BELL ' Masonic life , but this part of our columns is the most appropriate for recording , as we do most sincerely record , our sympathy with the widow , the

friends , and the brethren of our late brother , and likewise with his chief , R . W . Bro . the Earl of ZETLAND , and the Province generally of North and East Yorkshire , in whose government Bro . BELL for many years had played so leading a part .

* * * By the death of Bro . E . C . MATHER our Masonic Institutions , and particularly our Girls' School , have lost one of their most valued friends and supporters . Bro . MATHER had been for many years one of the most active members of the House Committee of the Girls' School , and in that capacity

had rendered many signal services to the Institution , He had served nearly a dozen Stewardships in its beha'f , and had qualified as a Vice-Patron . But though his aid had been given principally to our Girls , the claims of the Boys' School and Benevolent Institution had not been overlooked , for Bro . MATHER was a Vice-President of both , and had served some five or

six Festival Stewardships in behalf of each of them . Bro . MATHER died at the comparatively early age of 64 , when many years of useful work might reasonably have been expected of him . But it has been ordained otherwise and his place at the Committee Board or on the dais will know him no more . However , in paying this last tribute of respect to the memory

of so worthy a Mason , we , and those who were more intimately acquainted with him , have the consolation of feeling that the late Bro . E . C . MATHER , while he had made for himself the respect and friendship of many , had excited the enmity of none . In our next issue we shall give a more detailed notice of Bro . Mather ' s Masonic career .

WE print elsewhere an article from the Masonic columns of the A ew York Dispatch in which is reiterated the old complaint about the indifference of the brethren to Craft literature , and the writer of which speaks in the reverse of complimentary terms of much of what is published for the

edification of the Craft . We feel bound to echo most of our contemporary ' s remarks . There is probably not another Society in the world of equal standing and strength which shows such utter contempt for all kinds of literary matter , whether ephemeral or otherwise , as that of Freemasons ,

and whether we regard the fact in the light of cause or effect , there is equally no doubt that much of what is palmed off upon brethren as literature is worthless . There are many standard books on the mysteries and history of Freemasonry , but the number of those who are familiar with

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their contents is by no means legion . There are numerous periodical publications in which current events and matters of general interest to Masons are chronicled . Many of these publications exhibit an amount of literary ability which will compare well with that displayed in other class publications . But it matters not whether the budget of current news is limited or extended , or

whether the general matter ' 15 of great or little interest , the readers are seldom forthcoming in numbers sufficient to make it worth peoples' while to run a Masonic newspaper or a magazine . The Army and Navy , the Civil Service , the Clergy , the various Scientific and Art Societies , and the majority of the different trades , have their newspaper organs in which their

several interests are upheld , and a mass of instructive and interesting matter appears . We do not say that all these find the financial conduct of their periodicals is always smooth sailing—it is oftentimes far otherwise—but there is seldom a dearth of readers . The members of the profession , service , or trade to which an organ of opinion appeals for support

are willing enough to have their interests well looked after , and to pay for the afterlooking . But Freemasons are , or profess to be , stolidly indifferent to what is passing around them within the limits of their own Society . Tell them they are to have a banquet the less , or wear jewels of silver instead of jewels of gold , and there is instantly a commotion in all

directions , which , if it occurred in any other society , would cause a revolution or its destruction . But place before them half-a-dozen pages of home and foreign news , interspersed with remarks on the policy pursued in certain circumstances by a particular Grand Lodge , or on the latest historical dis . covery about Degrees or mysteries or what not , and they will have none of

it . They care nothing about grades , the mysteries have no attractions for them , and as for . news they attend lodge and chapter regularly , and are conversant with what passed there—what more is required of them ? But if we all adopted this course , if all of us were actuated by similar feelings , there would-be no society at all , no sympathy , no harmony of work . no

care for anything " or " anyone but self and the interests of self . Elsewhere people exhibit a pleasure in reading about the pursuits of their fellows , their plans and opinions , and generally the circumstances in which they are placed ; but Masons , as a rule , though the promotion of goodfellowship among all classes is one of the primary objects of their Society , show no

desire to gratify this pleasure , and hence their indifference to Masonic publications of all kinds . Many , no doubt , will urge that the comparative worthlessness of many of these publications will account for most of this indifference , and we feel compelled to admit there is some truth in this . There are some Masonic publications which are

hardly worth the paper they are printed on . But there are also many which , as regards literary ability , will , as wehave pointed out already , compare favourably with other class publications , and our own opinion is that the tone and character of Masonic periodicals generally would be vastl y improved if their proprietors and writers had more encouragement , and were

able to stir their readers and supporters to a more generous display of interest . Moreover , as the New York Dispatch very properly points out , the Society at large will benefit in proportion as its members become better

acquainted with its past and current history . However , we have said more than enough to justify our reprint of an article which , though it applies to , and is indeed intended for , American Craftsmen , will be found to contain some truths that will be easily recognisable by English brethren ,

* * * THERE are none so blind as those who will not see . In one of our August numbers we drew attention to the offensive tone adopted' by the Toronto Freemason in its advocacy of Quebec interests , and especially to the charge made by it against the Grand Lodge of New York to the effect

that it ( the Grand Lodge of New York ) had " sold its principles for GOODALL ' S English jewel . '' It is difficult to imagine anything more unwarrantable or more obnoxious to kindly feeling and good taste than this suggestion , yet our Toronto contemporary does not appear to consider it has written anything at all objectionable . It commences one of its articles

headed " The Quebec Question , " in its September number : "The London Freemason takes us to task for vigorously championing the soverei gnty of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , and while deeply concerned about the language we used in expressing our views , it ignores the fact , " & c , & c . In another part of its columns it reproduces "the paragraph that has

aroused the ire of the London Freemason , " and , in doing so , it takes the opportunity of reiterating its offensive attack on the Grand Lodge of New York . Thus it is clear both from the article and the paragrap h that there

is nothing to be gained by suggesting an observance of the ordinary amenities of Masonic journalism to a contemporary which resolutel y declines to recognise that there are any such amenities to observe . In our August article we drew the necessary distinction between what may rightly be