Notes On The Ceremony Of Installation.

the printer ' s demand . He died in a state of " hard up , " and if I am not mistaken his widow endeavoured to "carry on the business , " but probably finding the most profitable portion of it scarcely suitable for a lady of her refined tastes , she soon had to put up the shutters and retire . One of my reasons for thinking that this performance was never authorised by the Grand Lodge of England is , that one of the bodies that formed

the "United Grand Lodge" had no Installation ceremony for a long period prior to 1810 , and if it had been practised by the other side , I feel pretty sure that something would have been known of it by the old Masons amongst whom I have recently made enquiries , whereas the oldest of them ( Bro . Canham ) has no recollection of ever having heard of such a practice , and this was also the

experience of Bro . Vallentine . Bro . Buss , Past Assistant Grand Secretary , never heard of it being done in London , nor anywhere else until about 20 years ago , when questions began to be asked by country brethren as to its legality . The Freemasons' Magazine of the year 179 6 , contains a graphic description of "The Manner of Constituting a Lodge according to Ancient usage , with the Ceremonies of Consecration

and Installation , " but it does not even hint at any such practice as that to which I have alluded . Those brethren who have not an opportunity of study ing the Grand Lodge records of the past may think it strange that the settling of so important a ceremony as that of the Installation of Master should have been left entirely to the option of the Grand Master ; but , in my opinion , it is not unlikely that some provision of the kind was made at

the conclusion of the labours of the Lodge of Reconciliation , if such a step should be found desirable ; but , unfortunately , the minutes of that body are of the most meagre description , and as yet I have not seen anything in the shape of a report of the proceedings . We must , however , bear in mind the great difference in the condition of Masonry in 1827 and our almost perfect organisation of the present day . The union of the two former

rival bodies in 1813 marked a new era in the history of the Order in England , and the Duke of Sussex may fairly be looked upon as the trusted and skilful pilot , who at this most critical period took the helm , and safely steered the good old ship " Masonry " clear of the numerous rocks and shoals which beset her passage to the harbour of prosperity . I doubt whether any other man of his class and time was so peculiarly fitted for

the position for which he was unanimously selected , and so long and worthily filled . An earnest Iovir of the Craft , he made himselt familiar with its minutest details , and was trusted and revered by all ; hence when anything occurred of a contentious nature—and such cases were not infrequent- the matter was invariably referred to the Grand Master , and his decision was final . Nothing of importance relating to the property of

Grand Lodge or to the administration of its affairs was transacted without being first submitted for his opinion . It is not , therefore , a matter of surprise to me that the settlement of the ceremony of installation should have been left in his hands , and that the Grand Lodge should have accepted his decision without question . I have been informed that his Royal Highness was a perfect master of the ceremonies , and a most strict disciplinarian in

all appertaining thereto . It is on record that he personally installed his brothers , the Duke of York and the Duke of Clarence , in the chair of the Prince of Wales Lodge , the former in 1823 , and the latter in 1828 , thus to some extent verifying my previous surmise—that there was probably little difference between the ceremony of 1811 and that of 1827 . In 1841 , he invited a celebrated teacher of Masonry to work the Sections of the First

and Second Lectures in his own private lodge ( the Royal Alpha , No . 16 ) , with VV . H . White , Grand Secretary , who was also Secretary of the lodge . The name of the brother who was honoured with this distinction will be found in the list of those who attended the " Board of Installation . " His name was George Aarons ( commonly called " blind Aarons" ) , Master

of the Joppa Lodge in 1827 . The first three Sections of the First Lecture were worked on the 22 nd May , and the other four at the following meeting on the 19 th June . On the 31 st July , the first two Sections of the Second Lecture were worked by the same brethren ; this being the last meeting fcr the year .

Bro . Aarons was then Master of the Lodge of Israel , in which lodge he was initiated in 1819 . He was a pupil of Gilkes ' , who introduced him to the leading lodges of instruction in London , in many of which he continued to hold the post of " Lecture Master" up to the time of his death ( 1848 ) He regularly installed the Masters in several of the Metropolitan lodges , and was the last to perform that ceremony for his former instructor in the

St . Michaels Lodge , in 1 S 33 , Gilkes dying in December of that year . About the year 1830 he was afflicted with a severe illness , which terminated in total blindness , but this deprivation made not the smallest difference in his enthusiasm or zeal for Masonry , " and so little had he the appearance of a blind man , that strangers have been known to hold lengthened conferences

with him without being aware of his affliction . This used to please him . He observed the Jewish customs strictly , unless that he relaxed at Masonic banquets , when he was wont to observe that the directions of the great law-giver Moses had reference to the early Eastern times , and not to the temperate climate of England . " *

I have met with several brethren who knew him well , one of these being the Rev . Thomas Robinson Past Grand Chaplain , who was one of Aarons numerous pupils in Royal Arch Masonry in which branch of the Order he excelled , if possible , more even than in the Craft lectures and ceremonies ; his wonderful memory and store of biblical knowledge being of the utmost value to him after the revision of the R . A . ritual in 1834 .

I should be exceedingly sorry if this terrible propensity of mine for gossiping about old times and old Masons should be in the smallest degree wearisome to my readers , and as these " Notes " have far exceeded their original limits , and my attention is urgently needed in a more personal subject now under discussion in another Masonic Journal , I will conclude by offering a few words of friendly advice which I venture to think from my quarter of a century of close application to the study of Masonry both historical and ceremonial should be entitled to a certain amount of consideration . I would strongl y urge those who are in search of Masonic knowledge to ascertain for themselves by conversation with , and enquiries of , the oldest Masons they know or can know , what are the old and authorised ceremonies of the Order , and having satisfied themselves on this point let nothing tempt them to deviate from the recognized forms and established customs ; at the same time I would advise them to carefull y abstain from pedantic quibbles on points of mere verbiage , which only tend to create friction and unpleasantness in our assemblies where all should be smooth and agreeable and harmony and Brotherly Love should reign supreme .

Masonic Benevolence In 1888.

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE IN 1888 .

The several statements of receipt by our Masonic Institutions during the year 1888 , which we have much pleasure in appending , will be found unusually gratifying as a whole , though , as was remarked in our article of last week on " Freemasonry in 1888 , " the distribution of receipt is more unequal than we have known it for many years past . The income of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , owing to the celebration of its

Centenary Festival , is far and away in excess of any previous year ' s income of either of our Charities . Indeed , in three out of the last seven years , it exceeds the total of the amount received by the three said Charities . On the other hand , it is many years since the Boys' School has been supported to so small an extent ; the amount received in the way of subscriptions and donations , which , as a matter of course , is the main source of income , being lower than many years since 1874 ; while , as regards its permanent

income , we have again and again pointed out that it stands at a very considerable advantage as compared with its sister Charities . However , for our remarks on these and other points which we have deemed worthy of comment we must refer our readers to our editorial columns . Here are the statements of income as we have received them from the offices of our Institutions , the various items of receipt , however , having been re-arranged for the purposes of more convenient comparison : —

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION Donations and Subscriptions ... ... ... £ 14 , 982 S g Dividends ... ... ... ... ... 2 , 253 8 9 Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... ... 1 50 0 o Grand Lodg-e ... ... ... ... ... 1 , 600 o o >> ,, —Special ... ... ... ... 2 , 000 o o Interest on Cash at Deposit ... ... ... ... 175 17 7 Legacy ... ... ... ... ... 200 0 o £ 21 , 361 15 1 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLs ! ' Donations and Subscriptions—including £ 1050 for special Presentation from Province of Kent , and £ 105 as a special donation from Grand Chapter ... ... ... £ 44 , 660 14 11 Dividends ... ... ... ... ... 1 , 978 13 5 Grand Lodge ... ... ... ... ... 150 o o

> , 11 —Special ... ... ... ... 2 , 000 o o Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... ... 10 10 o Interest on Deposit ... ... ... ... 112 1 0 Three Admissions by Annual Payment ... ... ... 150 o o . Music Money ... ... ... ... ... 177 9 o Sale of Pianos , & c ... ... ... ... 17 14 o „ Subscribers' Lists ... ... ... ... 220

£ 49 , 259 4 4 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . Donations and Subscriptions ... .., ... £ 9 , 384 3 6 Dividends ... ... ... ... ... 657 ig n

Grand Lodge ... ... ... ... ... 150 o o ,, >> —Special ... ... ... ,,. 2 , 000 o o Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... ... 10 io 0 Music Fees ... ... ... ... ... 87 3 o Sale of Subscribers' Lists j ? ... ... ... ... 360

£ ' 2 . 293 2 5 The table that follows shows ( 1 ) the amounts received b y each Institution during the seven years 1 S 82—1888 , the fourth column containing the aggregate of the three for each year ; ( 2 ) , the average per year for each Institution , as well as for the three together ; and ( 3 ) the average receipt per year per Institution for the septennial period .

R . M . B . I . R . M . I . B . R . M . l . G . Total . 18 S 3 £ 16 , 595 7 7 £ 14 , 879 15 S £ 15 . 969 ' 5 8 £ 47 . 444 iS 11 1553 18 , 449 6 ° 25 , 010 1 7 1 12 , 650 12 56 , 110 4 3 1554 19 , 901 7 S 13 , 993 10 11 14 , 92 s 19 o 48 , 823 17 7 1555 21 , 374 7 ' 16 , 272 16 o 16 , 768 19 6 54 , 416 2 7 1556 18 , 194 13 6 13 , 056 15 5 15 , 546 ' 18 10 46 , 798 7 9 1557 28 , 968 4 4 15 , 661 16 1 16 , 429 o 6 61 , 059 ° " 1 S 8 S 21 , 361 15 1 12 , 283 2 5 49 , 259 4 4 82 , 914 1 10

tlie ° 7 yea ° rs . i £ l 44 ' ' 3 £ ! II ' l 68 l 3 7 £ ' 41 . 552 19 o £ 397 , 566 ' 3 10 per y ' efr ! } £ 20 > 9 2 3 o £ i 5 , 8 Si 4 9 £ 20 , 221 17 0 £ 56 , 795 4 10 Average per year Institution ... ... £ 18 , 931 14 11 The following is a statement , month by month , of the cases relieved , and the total of the sum expended in relieving them by the Board of Benevolence : Cases relieved . Amount . January ... ... 27 ... ... £ 782 February ... ... 46 ... ... 120 5 March ... ... 35 ... ... 8 S 5 April ... ... 44 ... ... 1075 May ... ... 42 ... ... 101 5 June ... ... 35 ... ... 990 July ... ... 32 ... ... 1000 August ... ... 27 ... ... 6 37 September ... ... 26 ... ... 74 6 October ... ... 45 ... .,, 1182 November ... ... 3 S ... ... 9 S 4 December ... ... 42 ... ... 967 439 £ " , 468 This statement shows that , on comparing the number of cases relieved and the total disbursed , with the number and total of the year 1887 , there was an increase of 34 in the number of cases and £ 9 68 in the amount disbursed , the number and total in the latter year having been 405 and £ 10 , 500 respectively . Moreover , while the lowest amount disbursed in any one

month in 1887 was , £ 255 , in September , when only 13 cases were relieved , the lowest in 1888 was £ 637 , in September , when 27 cases were relieved . The hig hest monthl y amount was £ 1205 , ' February , as against £ , ' 1255 , in November , 1887 . The Board has now sold out £ 12 , 000 of the surplus it possessed some years since and was £ 1100 in debt at the commencement of its last meeting in December , 1888 .

BERKELEY HOTEL ( late St . James ' s ) , 1 , Berkeley-street and 77 , Piccadilly , London , VV . First class accommodation for residents , ( with a Restaurant newly-Attached for high class luncheons and dinners , at fixed prices and a la carte , C . DIETTE , Manager . [ ADVT . ]