Contents.

CONTENTS .

LE . VDF . RS $ jl United Grantl Lorii ; c 54 G Annual Festival of the Kmulntion Lodge of * Improvement ! 54 ( 1 Consecration of the Castle Chapter of Harmony , No . 26 ij $

CORRESPONDENCEProvincial Great Priory of Northumberland , Durham , and Herwuk-upon-Twecd $$ 3 RECORTS or MASON ir : MEETINGSCraft Masonry £ > 3 Instruction $$$ Royal Arch 55 £ Mark Masonrv 55 n

Hamburgh Lotteries : ~ o Thc Ritu . il Question 550 lifting Masons . —A Caution 550 Reviews 550 Masouic Notes and Queries 551 Prov ncial Grand Lodge of Oxfordshire 552 Consecration of the ' Israel Chapter , No , IC 02 , at Liverpool 553

Ancient and Accepted Rite 55 ft Rosicrncian Society $$ <> Provincial Grand Chapter of Middlesex 55 ( 1 Bro . Sir Iirasmus Wilson ^ . R . S 55 « Obituary $ 5 ( 1 Amusements s $ 6 Masonic and General Tidings 557 Lod ^ c Meetings for Next Week 55 S

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THE meeting of Grand Lodge on the 7 U 1 inst ., will be not without importance to the Craft . The agenda paper is now before us and thc lodges . One of the first motions will be a very proper , and seasonable , and fraternal vote of condolence with thc widow of our lamented Bro . General GARITELD , late President of the United Slates—a vote in which all will , if sadly , concur ;

a vote , wc make bold to add , which will elicit " sympathetic response from every member of thc English Grand Lodge . The usual nomination of a GRAND MASTER will take place , and the usual appointments in reference to the Board of Benevolence will be made . One point we do not profess even

to understand—what the object is of "running" another brother , to use a common expression , against our esteemed Bro . J OSHUA NUNN for the first Vice-President of Board of Benevolence . If there is one brother amongst us who understands thc work and routine of thc Board , if there is one brother of our

Order , wc repeat , who has thoroughly mastered thc subject , it is our worthy and zealous Bro . J OSHUA NUNN . To reward his long services and zealous and loyal interest in this grave question by this enforced change , would argue that , as Freemasons , we are at times oblivious of faithful devotion to the best interests of Freemasonry . We hardly think that such opposition can

be pushed to a division , Several appeals are before Grand Lodge , which will be dealt with on their merits and by the advice of thc GRAND REGISTRAR , Thc Board ol General Purposes calls attention to thc expenditure of the Board of Benevolence . After our last report of fifty-six cases and votes of

£ 1600 , there is little likelihood , if any , of any prospective reduction of thc grants . Wc would earnestly impress upon all our readers the sacred and imperative duty in their various localities of checking the indiscriminate admission into the Order of healthy and unhealthy , prosperous ancl unprosperous candidates alike . THERE IS OREAT REASON- TO FEAR THAT MANY

ENTER INTO MASONRY KNOWING WELL THAT , ERE LONG , THROUGH " TAILING HEALTH , OR PECUNIARY DISABILITIES , THEY WILL HAVE TO COME ON THE CHARITIES 01 . * THE ORDER . Bro . PERCEVAL ' S motion is an attempt to assimilate the procedure of the Grand Lodge to that of the House of Commons . No doubt , ; i priori , much may be said in

ihe abstract for such a proposal and change . But in thc concrete it may , wc think , be fairly doubted whether it is advisable to seek to throw round our Grand Lodge any of tlie "formulre" cither of a " debating club" or of the " Great Talking House , " or "Speech House "" morning or evening speech , " as our Anglo Saxon forefathers used to sa )' .

So far thc present system has worked very well for cur little peaceable "Masonic Parliament , " and though we do not ever object to reasonable and seasonable changes , admitting fully lhat times change and wc change with them , yet we confess that , on the whole , wc ven I ure lo think , that thc old adaue is still sound and true , " Otiicta non moverc . "

Bro . RAYNHAM ' STUART ' S motion is a most important one . How far Grand Lodge will consent lo such proposed increase fif thc annual grant remains to be seen . There seems , wc think , little reason to doubt that some increase of thc grant is fairly to be expected and risked for , alike from the special facts of tlie case and the peculiar position

of the Charity quoad Grand Lodge , and of Grand Lodge quoad the Charity . The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution gives a good deal for what it has received and for what it still receives and , though we think that perhaps it would have been more advisable to proceed by steps in thc matter , — lirst , that is , to obtain the assent of Grand Lodge lo an increase , and then to

' fill in the figure of increment " by an unanimous vote , yet there are patent difficulties in thc way of such a course ; and Bro . RAYNHAM STEWART ' S motion has the merit of slriaghtforwardncss and tinambiguity in highest measure . Wc shall await the discussion in Grand Lodge with much interest . The arguments for a " sensible increase , " arising from the

the altered circumstances of the case , are so many , lhat we shall be surprised , without pledging ourselves to any certain amount at present , if Grand Lodge does not cheerfully and unanimously grant a distinct increase of annual subsid y . We speak thus cautiously and reservedly , not because we have any doubt of thc essential justice of the request in the abstract , but because

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we deem it to be more deferential to Grand Lodge , neither to discount nor anticipate its eventual resolution . * * WITH regard to the " application from a body calling itself thc Grand Lodge of New South Wales , " See , requesting " their recognition , " & rc , thc

terms of thc notice are sufficient to decide , wc think , what its fate must be in Grand Lodge . This is the " Body " which , in a district occupied-by the lodges of three jurisdictions , —English , Scottish , Irish—formed a Grand

Lodge of some Irish lodges , two Scottish , we believe , three at the outside , and no English . Tlie widest charily and the largest toleration cannot see in this '' fact" a legitimate creation of a Grand Body . There ought to have been a concurrent majority , at the least , of the three jurisdictions .

SOME changes have been recommended in the laws of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution by a . Sub . Committee , and unanimously approved of by a Special General Meeting of the Managing Committee , and come before the Grand Lodge for approval or rejection . We do not think that there is

anything in these proposals whicii will require debate , or entail opposition . They seemed-lo lie-very needful and sensible alterations when before the Managing Committee , but as they arc still ' sub judicc , " we think it better lo keep back all detailed remarks ancnt them , until after the meeting of Grand Lodge on the 7 lh .

THE roll of lodges under the Grand Lodge is rapidly- increasing . Th ° last recorded on the Grand Lodge agenda paper , is No . 1953 , - Chard , Somersetshire , the Lodge of Prudence and Industry , though probably before the end of 1 S 81 the number in general will be close on lo 1970 , such ' increase not being the proper number by any means . Indeed , wc venture to think that in 1 SS 2 thc lodges ought to be renumbered .

* * . * THE question of whether the ' ( Warden " can do the " work" of thc " chair " is one which for many long years has " exercised " the opinions " and "dicta" of English Freemasons , A good deal may be said on both sides , as thc letter of our able Bro . CHADWICK shows ; but we have " no doubt

ourselves that , strictly speaking , in thc absence of any " P . M . of the lodge " the Warden can " rule the lodge , " alike for technical business and ceremonial purposes , but as a " Warden , " not as an " Installed Worshipful Master . " It is not said any " P . M ., " but " a P . M . of thc lodge , " and a P . M , of the lodge is one who has been an Installed Master of the lodge ,

and after legal service becomes a " P . M . " of the same . But a "P . M . of thc lodge , " is not the same thing as a " P . M . iu the lodge , " and this is a point whicii many forget , —a fact , whicii wc nearly lose sight of . How far if a Warden rule thc lodge , he could , " virtute officii " he temporarily holds , and in exercise of thc " plena potestas " of every

presiding officer for the time being , call on a P . M . in thc lodge to execute the proper duties of the chair , is a somewhat abstruse point in Masonic procedure , custom and law , which we do not feel inclined to make a deliverance upon off hand . Wc are ourselves inclined to think that whatever right the actual lawful occupant of the chair has in this respect , the Warden

who " ex necessitate rci is acting in accordance with the specific directions of thc Board of Constitutions on the subject , possesses likewise . But on this point , as on others , we prefer to listen to the " wisdom " and "light " of

other experts , " Doctors in Israel , " and "bright Masons , " rather than rely on our own conclusions , or expatiate on our own lucubrations . Wc can all afford to " live and learn , " and humility both in the disciple and the " didaskalos " is , Masonically speaking , a " sure indication of merit . "

THE farewell dinner to Sir GEORGE BRAMWELL , better known to thc public and Bar as "Baron BR VM WELL , " was not only , as Lord COLERIDGE observed , " unique " in itself , but was a gathering alike significant and touching in the highest degree . It was " touching " in that it manifested that affection and reverence , which the " Bar" ever retain and display for thc "judges

of the land . " It was significant in that it clearly marked what are the qualities which constitute | a just judge in thc honest and loyal opinion of English barristers . Under the solemn sanction of " Law , " we in England have been accustomed not only to rest on its " enduring sanction , " alike for thc preservation of individual liberty and the maintenance of national rights ,

but wc have accustomed ourselves to regard tbe " unsullied sanctity of thc ermine , '' as the best guarantee for public prosperity , the true index of private safety . Long may this happy union continue ; and may great judges , like Sir GEORGE BRIVMWELL , tweet with such just tokens oi professional sympathy and patriotic approval . It is a very pleasant spectacle for us all to contemplate and to realize .

* * THAT unhappy young man and precocious criminal , LEI-ROY , having now paid the legal penalty for his fearful offence , whether manifold or single matters little now , let us seek to dismiss his hateful and fearful story from our