Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS .

The Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wdles and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown was held on Tuesday evening at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Ouecn-strcel , VV . C . The Earl of Euston , M . W . Pro Grand Master , presided . Bros . Col . A . B . Cook acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Thos . I < - enn , as S . G . W . ; Robert Berridge , ns J . G . W . ; Dr . Balfour Cockburn ,

G . M . O . ; Chas . Belton , as S . G . O . ; W . E . M . Tomlinson , M . P ., J . G . O . ; Major Offord Probyn , G . Treas . ; Frank Richardson , G . Reg . ; C F . Matier , P . G . W ., G . Sec . ; Baton Le Ferrieres , the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , Dr . Lawrence , Dr . Clement Godson , Richard Eve , Major C . VV . Carrell , G . D . C . ; James Boulton , H . J . Lardner , Henry Sadler , the Very Rev .

Dean Curne , E . St . C / air , and olher brethren being also present . After Grand Lodge had been opened in ample form , Bro . C F . MATIER said that at the fast meetirg of Grand Lodge , Bro . Bigiiold , who had been appointed one of the Grand Standard Bearers , was unable to be present to be invested , but he was then in attendance and na ty to be invested .

Tbe Karl of Euston then invested Bro . C . A . B . Bignold as Grand Standard Bearer . Bro . the Earl of EUSTON then said : Brethren , before proceed . ng wilh lhe business of the Grand Lodge , I have to announce that a brother who did a great deal for Mark Masonry has since our last meeting passed away lo that destination to which we must all go—I mem our Most Worshipful

Brother and Past Grand Mark Master , Lord Limerick . Lord Limerick tcrved in ( lis Degree in the year 1 S 70 , when he was made a Grand Senior Warden . He was Deputy Grand Master in 1 S 72 , and Grand Master from 1 S 75 to 1 S 78 ; and I think that you will all agree with me when I say this—that this Grand Lodge most deeply regrets the loss of one who served the Order so well , and also lhat we should not be doing the right or proper thing as

Masons if we did not sorrow and condole with those whom he bas left behind . I shall , therefore , move— " That this Grand Lodge do record on lheir minutes their deep sense of the loss the Mark Degree has sustained by the death of the Most Worshi pful Bro . the Earl of Limerick , K . P ., who had filled the oflice of Grand Master from 18 75 to 1878 , and who had by his great zeal materially promoted the best interets of Grand Lodge . "

I shall also move that they desire to record their sincere sympathy and condolence wilh the Dowager Lady Limerick and the family of the brother who bas passed av ay from this mortal sphere . First , I would move that we record our regret on our minutes , and , secondly , that a letter be written to the Dowager Lady Limerick and family , expressing our sincere sympathy aud condolence with them in their bereavement .

Bro . Col . A . B . COOK : Brethren , —the proposition you have heard from the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master I am sure will meet with your warmest sympathy . All of us appreciated the late Earl of Limerick as a gocd Mason . You all know , as I do , who hatl a knowledge of his work many years ago , how well and faithfully he served the Order , and knowing

his work so well , I feel it a great honour to second the motion made by our Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master . The motion was carried unanimously . The minutes of thc Ouarterly Communication of 2 nd June , iSejfi , were then read and confirmed .

The report of the General Boaid was taken and read , and orelered to be icceived and entered-on the minutes , and on the motion of Bro . FRANK KM ' IIAKDSON , seconded by Bro . Major CI . IFIORD PKOISYN , Bro . Edwin Hush , P . M . 143 , was confirmed in the rank and privileges of Past Master . Bro . VV . E . M . TOMLINSON , M . P ., G . J . O ., as a Member of Lodge i . |;„ expressed the appreciation of the lodge of the censideration with which

the matter had been dealt wilh by the General Board . The report of the General Board was then adopted . Bio . the Very Rev . EDWARD REID CURRIE , D . D .. Dean of Battle , Deputy Prov . Grand Master of Sussex , then said : Most Worshipful Grand M .-sler in the chair , on behalf of the Province of Sussex I ask Grand Lodge lo aaepl the portrait which now hangs on the walls of Grand Lodge , of our

Rijjlit Worshi pful Prov . Grand ] Master , his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , K . G ., Past Grand Master , which wenowpiesent as a testimony cf our great respect and esteem towards his Royal Highness in honouring " ;> by becoming our Grand Master in the Mark Degree and also our Provincial Grand Master in the Craft . Bro . the Earl of EUSTON : Brethren , you have heard lhc kind offer of

llit brethren of Sussex who have presented the bsauliful portrait which is now hanging up here . I think the least that we can do as members of Grand Mark Lodge is to thank the Province of Sussex most heartily for their kiiieliiess in presenting the portrait to us and lo congratulate the brethien 0 ! Sussex on having such a Prov . Grand Master to rule over them . Their pr ; icnting t | lc portrait is a proof that they honour him and respect him . I think it ought to be entered on the minutes lhat we thank the Province of sex and do

^> ti most heartily accept the present . Long may the Duke of Connaught live to rule over the Province of Sussex . lhe motion accepting the present and thanking the Province of Sussex 101 jt was carried unanimously . Bro . MATIER announced that the jewels and bars of the Stewards for the ^ festiva l of the Benevolent Fund could be had at the Grand Secretary ' s oll ' « , and Grand Lodge was closed .

Shanklin Pier Carnival.

SHANKLIN PIER CARNIVAL .

, , Shanklin Pier Carnival and Naval Battle tool : place on Monday last . The : ' ,, . r W ;| s perfect , and the sea as calm as a mill-pond . The pier was brilliantly '" mated wilh an immense number of lanterns and fairy lamps , and every kind - "" "stnient was provided for the visitors , who thronired it in thousands .

ir SI Ha . ' f 50 rgc ' 01 ,: i spectacular display , and never was such a : ccne witnessed aJ V '' j"iklin as lhe naval battle ; about 60 vessels all illuminated , took part in it will i ' '" ^'" ion . They cannonaded the war ships anchored in line oil tbe : pier aril ' -1 " '"" ning hundreds of Roman candles and band lights oi every hue '"lour , lhe engagement lasting nearly an hour . tne 01 oiu wnicn izcil

'tit ! f ™ " ! . serene was nring an name-snip , DI away to 1 ¦ ¦•" '' ^ ' - Altogether it was a granel success , anel our readers will be pleased p . '" . " "l ; d it was organised anel carried out by a committee of only three—all Wasters of Chine Lodge , No . 1884—Bros . Bailey , Greenham , and Marsh .

The Family Of Grand Lodges.

THE FAMILY OF GRAND LODGES .

Bv BRO . R . F . Genu ) . ( Continued from page . f > t >) . By way of preliminary , however , I shall Iirst of all adduce the remaining evidence that can be cited , with the most convenience , under the year 1 . - . 1 J 5 . Replying to the strictures of Dr . Robbins , Bro . John D . V'incil , G . Sic , and Reporter on Correspondence Grand Lodgeof Missouri , says : "If it be true that the ' elements ' out of which the Gran Dicta was formed were

' hopelessly clandestine , ' how on earth can legitimate Masonry ever be established in Mexico ? Certainly not by the creation and maintenance of the Symbolic system , when the existing system— ' hopelessly clandestine 'utterly refuses to allow Symbolic Lodges to remain there as independent bodies . If the present ' aggregation ' of Masonic bodies working under the

authority of the Gran Dieta should so conform to the recognised st . tiidatds of Symbolic Grand Lot'ges in this country as to bc regarded as legitimate , would it not be better to have lhat kind of Masonry there than sue : li as has heretofore prevailed in the Republic ? " ( Proceed'ings Grand Lodge cf Missouri , October i = cth , 189 s ) .

It will scarcely surprise us , that Past Grand Master M . AL Miller , of Kansas , who will shortly appear as a prominent actor in the drama I am unfolding , should observe of the foregoing— " Is this the most explicit proiiiinciiuncnto that Missouri can make on the Gran Dieta conundrum ? " Thc same critic then proceeds to inquire—and the question hc formulates should bc carefully recollected when we come to the Resolution passed by

the Grand Lodge of Kansas on February 20 th , iSyf ; , — " As we understand the Missouri record on this question , Grand Secretary Vincil , ' in compliance with the expression of the Grand Lodge concerning this Lodge ( Tollec , No . 520 ) , wrote to Worshipful Bro . Chism advising him of the action taken , and advised said Lodge to accept a charter from the Gran Dieta of Mexico , " etc .

"Tollec Lodge accepted the advice , and this child of ihe Grand Lodge of Missouri , lawfully born and lawfull y adopted by , and wilh the consent of , its genuine mother , is now a member of a new Masonic family . Arc we lo understand tint Missouri advised a child born to it lawfully lo ally itself lo an ' aggregation ' which the parent did not or docs nut consider legitimate ?

VVe have naturally expected that Missouri would speak on this question . Her personal connection with Mexican Masonry is ol later dale than thai of cither Louisiana or New York , and her interest in the subjccl ought necessarily to be greater . How is it , Bro . V ., did you not consider the Gran Dieta a legitimate body when you advised Tollec to accept a charter from it ? " { Proceedings Grand Lodire 0 / Kansas , 18 . 16 ) .

The addendum of eight-and-half pages forms an interesting feature of lhe Report on Correspondence presented tothe G-and Lodgeof Texas by Bro . T . M . Matthews last December . Il informs us thai Uie w , il ; r having interviewed Dr . P . Ornelas at San Antonio , received from tlie litter certain

answers in writing , dated December Oth , 1 . S 9 . ; . These deny iu the mist positive terms "that there is a single article in the Constitutions of the Gran Dicta -which can he construed as allowing , appro-ring , confirming , ur authorising the establishment of lodges for women . " That there is an

Adoptive Lodge composed of women is , however , admitted ( but the deponent states ) : " // isii / jii Hint the Aihplive Lodge happens to be invited to the banquets and feists of the regular lodges , but oitlv lo such as have in no way the secret character of the Institution . " ( fhe italic- ' are those of Bro . Matthews . )

The reporter ( Bro . Matthews ) then extracts from a letter written to him by Bro . Ermilio G . Canton , dated July : ; rd , 1 S 94 : " We beg to stale thai there exist [ sic J a woman lodge , established some years ago . Il is now under auspices and protection ol our Gran Dieta , but by no means under jurisdiction of our Graud Lodge , El Vaile de Mexico , No . 1 . This lodge has no siege ( evidently meaning seat or representation ) iu our Grand Lodge .

On festival occasions this lodge has been invited , but members of our Grand Lodge and dependent lodges are not allowed to visit thi- > woman lodgo . It isa separate organisation , which is governed by itself and controlled by our Gran Dieta . No article of our Constitution provides its legal existence . " Lastly , Bro . Matthews introduces the testimony e > f Bro . S . R . Hamilton , a high official of the Grand Lodge of Texas , who says : " While in Mexico

I made lhe aceiuamtanee of several reliable parlies with whom I have corresponded since my return . ' / ' / trough said cori-cspoiidcKcc j the italics are again those of Bro . Matthews ] , which / consider eminently trustworthy , I have been informed that the Gran . Dicta lius revoked all charters for women ' s lodges , and forbidden the presence of women in any lodge working under ils jurisdiction . "

Bro . Matthews then asks : "Is this enough ? Let those who ae unbiassed and without prejudice answer . We are told in Holy Weil — ' But if he will not hear thee , then take with thee om or two more , that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established ? This , as we think , we have done . " ( Proc . G . L . Texas , Dec . ISIIS ) .

Surely , however , the testimony of Bros . Ermilio 11 . Canton arid P . Ornelas on the one side , and that of Bro . S . R . Hamilton on the o ' . hjr , are irreconcilable ? Moreover , I altogether fail to sec what obj : cl has been atlained by printing at this late stage , the above statement , of th s Mexican G . Sec . General , unless , indeed , it be the further proof it alhirds us of the atmosphere of duplicity which encircles all the official spokesmen who testify to thc actual procedure under lhe Gran Dieta Simbohca .

At the Annual Meeting of the Grand Lodge of Kansas , held on the 20 th of February , ISIJG , a very lengthy report was submitted by lhe Committee on Correspondence , to whom had been referreel the question of the recognition of the Gran Dieta . The chairman , Past Grand Mastcr Miller , travels over ( hc o cl familiar ground ; the decision of the G . L . of Missouri , in i . ^ i ; ,, to " cut elf " T , lt < c Lodge , No . 5211 , is set out fully , and the Report continues : " Another fair

inference from the Missouri report and the address of Grand Master \\< cue ( 1894 ) , where hc repoits advising Tohcc Lodge : to accept a chaitcr from lhc Gran Dieta , which action was approved by the Grand Lodge cf Missouri , is that such action goes far beyond a i / unsi recognition , U is lieyemd el . spule or question a certificate from a mother to a ehmglncr o ! the high standing , unepicstioned regularity and legitimacy of tlu : ancestor , u > well us the iiniiiipciiehtible character of the one lo whom her own legitimatc oil - spring is to be alliul for all lime In come . " ( Italics mine ) . 'the reasoning , especially if we refer te _> the remarks of thc same writer ( already cited ) which appear in the same volume of Proceedings is a little