The New Grand Officers.

three Charities . His father was a Mason before him , as were several of his ancestors . He is at present a subscribing member of the St . Mary ' s , All Souls ' , and Friends in Council Lodges , and of three Royal Arch Chapters , and is a honorary member of several other lodges and chapters .

J UNIOR GEAND DEACON . Bro . Raphael Costa was in 1847 initiated , passed , and raised in the Bank of England Lodge , No . 329 , now No . 26 _ . In 1849 he was exalted in the Chapter of Fidelity , No . 3 , and in 185 1 was installed W . M . of the above lodge . On

retiring from the chair he received a jewel with the following inscription : — " Presented by the members of the Bank of England Lodge , No . 329 , to Bro . Raphael Costa , P . M ., on his retiring from the chair , as a token of their sense of his high Masonic attainments , his truly amiable and generous character , and his able conduct in presiding

over them , 1852 . In 1856 he was installed M . E . Z . of the Royal <\ . rch Chapter Hope and Unity , at Romford . He was an orig inal member of the Friends in Council Lodge , No . 1383 , and Chapter . He has taken great interest in the Craft and greatly helped the Masonic Charities . He is a Life Governor of the Girls' School , and is now one of the Stewards for the next festival of

the Boys' School . He has continued a subscribing member to the above two lodges and chapters . He is a P . Em . Commander , K . T ., and a P . Grand Captain of the Ancient and Accepted Rite . He is a Thirty-third Degree of the Order , and on the 24 th ult . he was appointed and invested a Grand Deacon by the M . W . G . Master , His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales .

GRAND SWORD BEARER . Bro . William H . Lucia was initiated into Masonry in the United Friends Lodge , No . 313 , Great Yarmouth , in April , 1847 , and continued a subscribing member for several years . In 1853 he joined the Friendship Lodge , No . 100 ;

this lodge had been dormant some time , and he joined it for the purpose of assisting in its resuscitation , and sat for two years as Senior Warden from the time of its being re-opened . After successfully carrying out the duties of this office , he was unanimously elected to and served the

office of W . M . in rS . tf . In 1 S 61 Bro . W . H . Lucia went to reside in Bury St . Edmunds . Finding no lodge there , he founded the Royal St . Edmund ' s , No . 100 S , in March 1864 , in which he sat as W . M . for the first two years , and was afterwards ' appointed and continues to

hold the office of Secretary . In this year he was appointed Prov . Grand Sword Bearer in the Province of Suffolk . In 1865 he was elevated to the Junior Wardenship , which office he filled for three years . In 1870 he was appointed , and has since held , the office of Prov : Grand

Secretary ofthe same province . In 187 ¦; he had the honour of being one of the Stewards to attend upon the occasion of the installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales at Albert Hall . He founded a second lodge in Bury St . Edmunds , which was consecrated in January , 1876 , the Abbey ,

No . 1 592 , and sat as the first W . M . Bro . W . H . Lucia was exalted in the Alexandra Chapter , No . 959 , Ipswich , in 1 S 6 7 , served the office of S . E ., and passed the chair of J .: but seeing into and understanding the Royal Arch Degree , he was determined to attach a

chapter to the Royal St . Edmund's Lodge , and was successful in having the White Rose Chapter , No . 100 S , consecrated in 1873 , in which chapter he passed the chairs of H . and Z . He was one of the companions that agitated and obtained a Grand Superintendent for the

province of Suffolk , and at the inauguration of the chapter in January last he was appointed Prov . G . S . E ., and we have now to record that our brother was appointed to fill the office of G . Dir . of Ceremonies in the Grand Chapter of England , on Wednesday last . Bro . Lucia , although taking a lively interest in the business of

the Craft , did not lose sight of the brightest ornament that adorns the Masonic profession—Charity . He is a Life Governor of each of the three Charitable Institutions , and has for several years interested himself in their behalf , by serving six Stewardships at the different festivals . Bro . W . H . Lucia has also interested himself in other degrees ; he was exalted as a M . M . M . in the Freeman Mark Lodge , No . io _ , Stowmar-

The New Grand Officers.

ket , in 1874 , and was elected W . M ., on its bein g removed to Bury St . Edmunds . He is also a member ofthe Prudence Encampment of Knights Templar , Ipswich , in which he was enrolled . ASSISTANT GRAND DIRECTOR OF CEREMONIES . Bro . James Lewis Thomas was initiated in

1848 , in the Albany Lodge , No . 151 , Isle of Wight In 1851-2 he filled the office of W . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , Antigua , No . 492 . He passed the chair of St . Thomas ' s Lodge , No . 142 , in 1871 . He founded the Granite Lodge , No . 1328 , in 1870 , also the Campbell Lodge , No .

1 41 J , in the Province of Middlesex , and now holds the office of Prov . Junior Grand Warden in that Province . He was exalted in 1866 , in Chapter 13 , Woolwich , and was M . E . Z . in 1872 , and has been elected for the last three years lo serve on the Grand Chapter Committee

of General Purposes . He is also W . M . of the Thistle , No . 8 , Lodge of Mark Master Masons , and Preceptor elect of the Kemeys Tynte Preceptory of Knights Templar . He is a Life Governor of all the Masonic Charities , having filled the office of Steward in each .

ASSISTANT GRAJTD PURSUIVANT . Bro . Wiliam Wilson is a veterinary surgeon , having an extensive practice in Hertfordshire . He was initiated in the Berkhampstead Lodge , No . 504 , in 1866 , and was installed W . M . in 1871 . He has acted as Honorary Secretary since

1869 . Was Prov . Grand Director of Ceremonies from 186 S to 18 74 , when he was appointed Prov . Junior Grand Warden . He has received many jewels from the Prov . Grand Lodge and private lodge , as well as a life-size portrait , which hangs in the Berkhampstead Lodge room . The prosperity ofthe Craft in the Province of

Hertfordshire is in a great measure due to his untiring zeal and activity . He is well known to London Masons as the indefatigable manager of the enjoyable summer excursions in the neighbourhood of Berkhampstead , and by many of whom " the day in Hertfordshire" is an event never to be forgotten .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc elo net hole ! ourselves responsible for , or even as approving ol * the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in ¦ » spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1 - *

PROVINCIAL CHARITABLE FUNDS . To Ihe Editor of the " Fi-ccmason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I notice this discussion at the last I ' rov . Grand Lodgeof West Yorkshire , but it is quite clear to me that the proposition is illegal by section 4 , page 33 , Book of Constitutions . The proposer and seconder coulel not have read , much less understood , the words of that section ,

anel how the Prov . G . M . or D . Prov . G . M . could allow such a proposition to be put , I know not . I think I may fairly say , that it would not have been allowed in Lord Ripon ' s or Bro . Bentk-y Shaw's time . It may be said that it has been done elsewhere , but it is none the less " illegal . " I wish brethren would study thc Book of Constitutitutions . Yours fraternally , LEEDS .

QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES . To the Editor if the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Are the Ancient Charges supposed to be in any way binding upon us now , or are they not ? No . IV ., on " Masters , Wardens , Fellows , and Apprentices , " says that no Master should take an Apprentice

unless he be a perfect youth , having no maim or defect in his body . I went into a lodge the other elay and saw one of the brethren who hael lost his right arm ; I , of course , assumed that he hsel met with the misfortune after joining the Craft , but was astonished to finel such was not the case . When I inquireel how the brother could make the signs of the Three Degrees , my companion replied he did not know , but he added that he knew of a blind gentleman

who was made Prov . G . Chaplain in the same province . Will you kindly enlighten us on this subject—because an artist friend , who has unfortunately become blind , lamented one day to me that he could not become a Mason on account of his calamity—anel I should be glad to tell him , nous avons changes lout cela , and that we now take in the blind , the halt , anel the lame . Yours fraternally , A . P . M . IN A . REMOTE PROVINCE .

PROGRESS OF FREEMASONRY IN THE PROVINCES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir anel Brother , — A good deal is said just now in your paper about the rapid progress of Masonry , but out of the metropolis , and perhaps in Lancashire , I doubt the fact very much . As a proof of this I believe I am correct when I say that in West Yorkshire last year only 88 initiations took place ,

Original Correspondence.

and I fancy that this tale mi ght be repeated in other provinces . Otherwise there must be something special in the case of West Yorkshire to account for so small an increase . Cornwall , I see , had 148 initiations , with 156 7 members , and Kent , if I remember ri ghtly , had its fair proportion . Can any one throw any light on these figures ? Yours fraternally , STATIST .

FREEMASONRY IN NEW ZEALAND . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Brother Lieut .-Col . Shadwell Clerke , the Secretary of the Supreme Council of England , in his letter in the FrccmasM of 27 th April , 1878 , says that my letter of the previous week contains " many misstatements . " He , however , questions my accuracy on Hire- ; points only . These

are—1 . My statement that his Supreme Council issued a manifesto protesting against the recognition of the spurious Supreme Council of Scotland . Unfortunately my copy of this manifesto is not presently beside me , and Bro . Clerke , who is in possession of it , has not deemtel it prudent to quote its terms . But 1 unhesitatingly assert that the

Supreme Council of England elid publish a resolution , ceasing to hold any alliance , or Masonic intercourse , with the Supreme Council of Scotland , and did prohibit the subordinate bodies uneler it from holding communion with the members ofthe various botlies established by or owing allegiance to the Supreme Council of Scotland . The difference between Bro . Clerke and me resolves itself ,

therefore , into one not of substance , but of expression j for if the Supreme Council of England has broken off its alliance with that of Scotlanel , and prohibited intercourse between its members and those of Scotlanel , surely that amounts to non-recognition of the latter . 2 . My accuracy is next questioned , in saying that the only objection raised by the Supreme Council cf England

to the recognition of the Supreme Council of New Zealand was that it was not formeel by the former . The facts are as follows . The Supreme Council of England claims exclusive jurisdiction not only in Englanel and Wales , but in all the dependencies of the British Crown . New Zealand is such a dependency , and , as such , the Supteme Council of England claims exclusive jurisdiction over it .

In October , 18 77 , it published a resolution embodying its objection to the recognition of thc Supreme Council of New Zealand in the following terms : "This Supreme Council ( England ) having been informed that a body has been established in New Zealand , styling itself the S . C . 33 A . & A . Scottish Rite for New Zealand—and , whereas no such boely can legally exist in the dependencies of the

British Crown , under the Constitution , which recite that there shall be but ONE Supreme Council 33 in each state or nation—do now decide that instructions be sent to the ' Star of the South ' Chapter Rose Croix at Grcymouth , New Zealand , pointing out that the said body is illegal . " The Supreme Council cf England elid not say that any botly other than itself exercised a jurisdiction in the colony

prior to the existence of the Supreme Council of New Zealand , and , as it die ! not specify any objection other than what I have quoted to the latter's validity , I was surely justified in setting forth the one it gave as being its only objection . If , therefore , tlie charter of the Supreme Council of New Zealand is only questioned , because of the exclusive-jurisdiction claimed b y ihe Supreme Council of

Englonel , its validity becomes undoubted when it is found that Englank has no jurisdiction . An attack is made on the genuinene < .. s of the Grand Orients of France and Egypt , as powers validly exercising the Ancient and Accepted Rite . I am reluctant , in this somewhat long letter , to enter on this question . But permit me simply to say that the Grand

Orient of France is the mother of all the Supreme Councils in the world , and is the fountain from which they have all sprung . If it be spurious , its offspring is also necessarily spurious . But , by a resolution recently issueel by the Supreme Council of England itself , it appears that it was only on 7 th November last that that Council resolved from that date only to " cease to hold any alliance

or Masonic intercourse" with the Grand Orient of France ; and that resolution was formed not because the Grand Orient was a spurious Council , but for another well-known reason . If , therefore , the Grand Orient was a genuine body prior to last November it follows that its warrants granted prior to that date were likewise genuine . As regards the Granel Orient of Eg ) pt , as a Supreme Council it

does not , as Major Clerke states , derive its title from an irregular body at Palermo . It holds its title from regularly constituted Supreme Councils , one of which did exist at Palermo , and one at Naples , and which are now incorporated in the United Supreme Councils at Italy . These United Councils recognise the Supreme Council of Egypt . The Supreme Council of Ital y is in alliance with that of

England , and is recognised by all the other Supreme Councils with which the Supreme Council of England is in friendly alliance . Further , the Grand Orient of Egypt has been recognised , after careful consideration , by tbe Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotlanel ; and the Supreme Council of Scotland itself some time ago issued a statement , in which it set forth that , if that recognition

were accorded to Egypt , it would be difficult to see how the validity of the Supreme Council of New . Zealand could be impugned . 3 . The next , and last , statement , in which I am said tn be in error , is in stating that it was only on 24 th January ,

1878 , that the Rose Croix Chapter was opened under England in New Zealand . I don't know what the date of that chapter's warrant may be ; but its existence was never publicly beard of , or known , until long after the institution of the Supreme Council of New Zealand , nor did even that Illustrious Brother Malcolm Murray Irving