Consecration Of The Harrogate And Claro Chapter, No. 1oo1 , Harrogate.

Most of the furniture was presented by companions and brethren kindly disposed to the promotion of the chapter , and tributes of praise fell from all sides on the Committee who undertook the selection and arrangements , who have evidently spared no pains in carryin" - out the wish of the ten founders of the Chapter . Its artistic beauty

is beyond question . The regular meeting night of this newly-formed Royal Arch Chapter is on the last Friday , monthly , whilst the lodge meets on the second Friday at 7 p . m ., to which a cordial welcome is at all times given to the fraternity who frequent Harrogate in the season .

Constitutions Of The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

CONSTITUTIONS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

A new edition of the " Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland" was published towards the end of the last year ( 1886 ) , and in many respects is the superior of all previous issues , even to that of 1881 , which was a considerable improvement on its predeceesors . The first separate edition of the Laws , in print , was of the date 1836 , but prior to that year , viz ., in 1804 , Bro . Lawrie ' s " History of Freemasonry " contained the then Constitutions of the Grand Lodge . At least , there does not appear to be any earlier publications known to Masonic Bibliographers .

AH the Regulations in . the new edition are numbered consecutively , as with the Revise of the Grand Lodge of England , and hence are easily referred to , and the index which accompanies the handsome little volume is a most accurate and exhaustive compilation . Several of the Rules vary considerably from the English usage , and some are , beyond question , of great utility and perspicuity . There is an

officer , peculiar I believe to Scotland , termed the Substitute Master , who comes immediately after the "Depute Master , " who follows the Master , in order of precedence , so that there are , so to speak , a Master and two Deputy Masters for each lodge , Prov . Grand Lodge and Grand Lodge , the jewels being respectively—1 . The compasses and square , segment of circle , and sun . 2 . The compasses and square ; and 3 . The Square . The P . M . has for his jewel the compasses , square , and segment . In precedence ,

Prov . G . Masters and Proxy Prov . G . Masters come immediately after the Past Substitute Grand Masters , and are followed by representatives of Sister Grand Lodges , Grand Wardens , Grand Secretary , Grand Cashier , Grand Chaplain , and Grand Deacons . After whom come the Grand Architect , Grand Jeweller , Grand Bible Bearer , Grand Director of Ceremonies , Grand Bard , Grand Sword Bearer , Grand Director of Music , Grand Stewards of the year { no past rank ) , Grand Organist , Grand Marshal , Grand Inner Guard ( past rank ) , and Grand Tyler .

"Past rank is given to Past Grand Officers , and Past Prov . G . Masters , who are qualified members of Grand Lodge . These consist of Past G . Masters ( as such ) , and the present Grand Officers , & c , from Grand Master Depute to the Grand Cashier , with the Master and Wardens , or in their absence the proxy Master and proxy Wardens of each subordinate lodge . So that Past Masters ( as such ) of lodges have no vote in Grand

Lodge , neither have the Present nor Past Grand Officers below the rank of Grand Cashier , unless otherwise qualified by being Masters or Wardens or proxies in either capacity . To the " General Fund , " the fees payable for such are as follows : Commission to Proxy Master , 2 s . 6 d ., and is . on nomination ( by such ) of each proxy Warden . Fiveshillings also are payable by each Master and Warden ( and proxy ) as a test of membership annually ,

and so by every other member of the Grand Lodge save Past Grand Masters and Prov . Grand Masters or their proxies . The fees of honour by the Grand Officers are payable annually , varying from ten guineas by the Grand Master down to three half-crowns by each Grand Steward ; each Master ( and proxy ) also having to pay another crown , and each Warden ( and proxy half-a-crown annually , these sums all going to the " Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence . "

The Grand Officers are elected annually by Grand Lodge ( save the Grand Secretary and Grand Cashier ) , with the exception of the Grand Master depute , and Substitute Grand Master , who are appointed annually by the Grand Master .

Prov . Grand Masters ( or District Grand Masters ) are also elected b y the Grand Lodge , such commissions being subject to renewal ( or being cancelled )] " at the expiry of five years from date of issue . " The members ° f a Provincial Grand Lodge consist of the Prov . Grand Master , the Office Bearers ( excepting the Prov . Grand Tyler ) , all Past Masters , and the

Masters and Wardens of the several lodges in the province , but not the Past Prov . Grand Officers . Proxies for the Masters and Wardens are permissible in District Grand Lodges . The officers of each Provincial Grand Lod ge are elected by the members thereof , save the Depute , Substitute , two Wardens , Secretary , and two Chaplains , who are appointed by the Prov . wand Master by commission .

The annual festival of Grand Lodge is held on St . Andrew ' s Day , and is celebrated in " open lodge" No elective Grand Officers ( exceptln S the G . M . and paid officers ) can hold office longer than two years consecutivel y . The G . M . has to be " assumed and recorded as a member or every lodge , " but is not liable for the payment of any contributions

thereb y , and is styled •' M . W ., " the prefix " R . W ., " being accorded to . Fast G . M . ' s and other Grand Officers down to the Grand Secretary and . wand Cashier . " V . W . " is to distinguish the Grand Chaplains down to ™ Grand Bible Bearer , and " W , " those from the G . D . of C . to the •rar | d I . G . Masters , however , are styled " Right W ., " as they formerly were in England . * *

_ I he G . D . of C . has sole charge of the arrangements within , and the rand Marshal of all which have to be made outside any buildings . T " Not more than fifty brethren " are annually elected by the Grand L ( % e as Grand Stewards .

I ickets are issued annually by the Grand Secretary to all members of the h " P ayment of tneir fees » and none but sucn brethren are admitted to f „ , . ody ° f the hall . The tickets are not transferable " under pain of ^ Confirmation of Minutes of G . L . "implies that the res gesta of a precise m j ' £ . keen correctly recorded , and not that the question sue ! r ant ^ d ' P osed ° f at sucn former meeting can be opened up at the , '— ° l K ° ne when the minutes are read . " This is the reverse of the

, caul ° l Grand Lod S England . Grand Lodge ( Scotland ) may , on e shown , suspend its standing orders by a majority of two-thirds . laid a Vote is to be tal { en > lne door of tne nal 1 > s locked , and the key ; Tif tne G- Sec' . s table , as a precautionary measure , ( f or * ^ 'Or member out of office of the lodge "Journeymen , " No . 8 { med about 1709 ) is entitled to carry the mallet in all processions in the

Constitutions Of The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

Edinburgh district , and the Apprentices of the same lodge are allowed to carry the working tools . On all other occasions , when the G . L . officiates , the senior lodge of the Province is competent for such duties . No brother can be enrolled as a member of Grand Lodge for more than one lodtje at one

time , so that the roll is an exact register of the voting strength of the Grand Lodge , and is made up annually on the first Monday in April ; a copy of which list , with an appendix of unqualified and unrepresented lodges , is sent to every member of the Grand Lodge by the able Grand Secretary . Of course , he may belong to more than one lodge .

The compliment of Honorary Membership of the Grand Lodge of Scotland may be voted , and conlerred " upon Sovereigns or other distinguished Brethren known to be famed in the Masonic Craft , " the nomination of such being exclusively vested in the Grand Master , but subject to confirmation b y Grand Lodge . There is a special medal for Honorary Members . At the present time there are but two , viz ., H . R . H . Duke of Connaught and H . M . the Emperor of Germany ; the Grand Master of England being the Patron of the Scottish Craft and an affiliated member of No . 1 .

Grand Representatives to sister Grand Lodges have an apron , cordon , and ribbon , with badge , provided for their use by the Grand Lodge , which have to be handed to their successors in due course . The Grand Committee ( our Board of General Purposes ) consists of the G . M ., Past G . M ., the G . M . D ., the S . G . M ., and 36 elective members , who to be eligible must be qualified members of Grand Lodge . The Grand

Secretary is ex-officio Secretary to all Committees , and publishes exceedingly able reports of the transactions of the Grand Committee with those of the Grand Lodge . Those who are familiar with the remarkable talents of the present Grand Secretary will not be surprised to hear that the quarterl y proceedings are models of condensed abridgements of the business transacted by the various assemblies of those Bodies . All heritable property

belonging to Grand Lodge is held by Trustees , appointed by the members thereof , and all by-laws of lodges are revised by a Committee of five previous to their being submitted to the Grand Committee . " With each petition or answers , appeal or other pleadings , there shail be paid a fee of five shillings . " This Body does an immense deal of Masonic work , and ( as with our Board of General Purposes ) is a great relief to the Grand Lodge quarterly meetings in respect to the dispatch of business .

In provinces a fee , not exceeding half-a-guinea , may ba charged by Provincial Grand Secretaries for commissions or certificates of office , and the same office cannot be held by any brother ( if elective ) for more than two consecutive years . Provincial Grand Masters , or their Deputes or Substitutes , " shall visit annually every lodge under their charge . " This is a most wholesome regulation , and would doubtless work well in England also , for'the visit of any authorised Provincial Grand Officer is simply unknown

to many lodges in this country , whose members pay their fees to their Provincial Grand Lodge , but know nothing literally ot their officers , personally or otherwise , unless able to attend the annual meetings . This ought not so to be , for those who accept the honourable positions of Provincial Grand Master and Deputy Provincial Grand Master should either visit each of their lodges from time to time , or depute some competent brother to do so on their behalf .

Scottish Prov . G . Lodges are empowered to levy the sum of 55 . on lodges for each candidate to be initiated , as also an annual payment by lodges ; but no annual fee or subscription from the members of the lodges , as in England , is provided for , and , for that matter , neither is there an annual subscription paid by the members of lodges to the Grand Lodge . Doubtless the absence of annual subscriptions payable by the members of lodges to

Grand and Provincial Grand Lodges is due to the fact that a great number of lodges in Scotland , so it is understood , do not require annual subscriptions Irom their members . None are provided for by the laws unless the funds of the lodge prove insufficient for the Charitable purposes thereof , when under stringent regulations an annual contribution may be levied " not

exceeding twenty shillings . " This is rightly looked upon as a great misfortune , for not only does the absence of annual contributions do away with & financial test of membership , but it tends to make Scottish Masonry so " cheap , " as to be even less costly than Friendly Societies . There are not a few of the latter held under the protecting wings of lodges , and exclusively for the Craft , in which , of course , annual dues have to be paid .

Candidates may be initiated at eighteen ( rather juvenile surely ) , and for not less than £ 1 12 s . 6 d ., including fees for registration and diploma ( lis . 6 d . ) This is an exceedingly low sum , and 1 feel assured should be raised to two guineas as the minimum , exclusive of the foregoing fees , better even to be inclusive than as now . There are , of course , reasons , good and

sufficient , why the minimum should be less than that of England ( five guineas ) , but none to my mind are strong enough to prove the wisdom of so insignificant a sum as £ 1 us . 6 d ., which as it includes the fees payable to Grand Lodge , simply leaves the lodge with one guinea , and , as a rule , no annual subscriptions to be levied . Be it remembered also that the fee includes the Mark Degree !

One cannot but be pleased to witness the number of intelligent operative Masons who join the Scottish Craft , as their predecessors before them did centuries back , but those who cannot afford the fee of two guineas are not likely to be any strength ultimately to the Institution , and might well make a more judicious use of their money .

Every Master Mason in good standing is eligible for election as Master of a lodge . Candidates may be advanced to a higher Degree , after an interval of two weeks , save in cases of emergency duly and carefully provided for . No one can be initiated freely , even as a serving brother . A copy of the latest Book of Constitutions must be laid on the table in open lodge , and duly minuted accordingly at every meeting . The books of the lodges are periodically examined by authority , a uniform set of books being compulsory .

I he clauses ( numbered consecutively ) are exceedingly well arranged . The drawings of the jewels are most artistic , and to one fond of such matters , as the writer , their examination is bound to confer much pleasure , because of their beautiful and appropriate designs . Office Bearers of Grand Lodge wear cordons and sashes of thistle green , and office bearers ol lodges are also permitted to wear cordons , according to the colour adopted by the

lodges for the aprons , each lodge being free to select the colour or tartan for the trimmings , not , as in England , the uniform blue . The ceremonials provided for—consecrations , dedications , installations , investments ( each officer takes the oath de-fideli ) , foundation-stones , and funeral services and lodges —are exceedingly good , and are quite a feature of the volume . I congratulate my old friend , Bro . D . Murray Lyon , G . Sec , on the opportune appearance of such a handsome volume . W . J . IIUGHAN .