Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS £ 91 United Grand Lodge 592 Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons 593 Grand Lodgeof Ireland 595 Freemasonry in Guernsey , 1753 to 1882 ... 595 C ORRESPONDENCEFreemasonry and the Editor of " Old and New" 597 The Freemason Exchange 59 S REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 59 S Instruction 599 Roval Arch 599

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS ( Continued)—Mark Masonry 600 Red Cross of Rome and Constantine ... 600 Cryptic Masonry 600 Metropolitan Masonic Benevolent Association 600 Grand Masonic Ball at Manchester 600 The First Annual Dinner of the Ubique Lodge of Instruction , No . 1789 600 The Theatres 6 ot Masonic and General Tidings 602 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 602

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THE proceedings of United Grand Lodge on Wednesday , as will be seen from the report which appears in another part of our columns , were not so protracted as might have been anticipated . The reports of the Board of Benevolence and Board of General Purposes offered no particular cause for remark . The nomination of the Prince of WALES as Grand Master , which

was carried by acclamation on the motion of W . Bro . BURDETT-COUTTS , M . P ., evoked the genuine enthusiasm with which it is always greeted , and three candidates , Bros . R . B . MARTIN , D . P . CAMA , and S . POPE , Q . C , were nominated for the office of Grand Treasurer . The motion of Bro . H . B . M ARSHALL , P . G . T ., that a sum of /' looo be granted from the Funds of the Board of

General Purposes towards the cost of the land recently purchased by the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , was at once agreed to , the proposition being received with that unanimity which the mere mention of any scheme or proposal that will benefit our senior Institution invariably elicits . These matters and the election of 12 brethren to serve on the Board of

Benevolence constituted the business of the evening , and having dealt with them in their appointed order , there was nothing left for Grand Lodge but to adjourn . It may be mentioned that sundry foreign brethren of distinction were present and appeared to be greatly impressed with the smoothness , promptitude , and good feeling with which the work of Grand Lodge was carried out .

* # * WE have more than once remarked on the amazing increase in popularity which the Mark Degree has made during the last few years among the general body of Freemasons , and the culminating piece of good fortune which fell to its lot on Tuesday , when Bro . the Earl of KINTORE , M . W .

G . M . M . M ., nominated the Prince of WALES as Grand Master for the ensuing year , with the concurrence of His Royal Highness , will be hailed with none the less satisfaction because it has come upon our readers as a surprise . That members of the Mark Degree will be delighted beyond measure with the announcement goes without saying , nor do we imagine

that any other feeling than that of hearty congratulation will be experienced by members of the other Masonic bodies . Indeed , why should there be any other feeling ? The P RINCE is head of the Craft , and , as a matter of course , also of the Royal Arch ; while the Mark , though it is recognised in Scotland , forms no part of our English system of Ancient Free and

Accepted Masonry . Some thirty years since it seemed as if the Mark Degree would have been accepted as belonging to that system , but the late Earl of ZETLAND , then Grand Master , had conscientious scruples against disturbing the articles of the Union , and the Mark remained on its old footing , though a supreme authority in the shape of the Mark Grand Lodge

was established , and ever since the D egree has gone on its way flourishing ever more and more , until now it is among the most prosperous of our Masonic organisations . But though the Mark forms no part of our English Craft Masonry , there is nothing incongruous in the same personage occupying the position of Grand Master in the two separate and distinct Grand Lodges .

No possible objection can be raised to the most strictly constitutional Mason enrolling himself a member of extra-constitutional Masonic societies , and the PRINCE and the majority of our most distinguished Craftsmen being Templar and Ancient and Accepted Rite Masons , it would be absurd to

suggest that the tenure of the two Grand Masterships—of Craft and Mark Masonry—by His Royal Hig hness could exercise any influence calculated to prove detrimental to the interests of the former . However , this is neither-the time nor the place for discussing so elaborate a question .

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It is enough that the Prince of WALES , who is already a Past G . Master of the Mark Grand Lodge , has very graciously consented to accept the office of Grand Master for next year , and our Mark brethren are to be congratulated on the circumstance . # .. *

WE mentioned incidentally the other day that the GRAND MASTER had given his sanction to the issue of a warrant for the constitution of a new lodge , to be known as the Northern Counties Lodge , and intended for the convenience of brethren hailing from the northern counties of England who are resident in , or may visit London from time to time , say at our School

elections , at the Festivals of our Institutions , or to attend Grand Lodge . The idea , which is most excellent , owes its origin , we believe , to Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND , a leading N . and E . Yorkshire brother , and sundry of his fellow workers in the Craft in northern England , and we are very pleased indeed to hear that the prospects of the lodge , when organised , receiving a

hearty measure of support are so promising . Lodges which are established , like the Empire and Northern Counties Lodges , for special purposes of the character we have indicated , have nothing exclusive about them , and though the stickler for the right of everybody to go everywhere and do everything he pleases may perhaps shake his head ominously at tlie idea

that these are class lodges of a new variety , we have no better advice to offer him than that , when the Northern Counties Lodge is in working , he should seek an opportunity of visiting it . If he succeeds in his attempt , we are satisfied he will find everything in the best of form , and himself much

edified , and all the better and happier for the hearty welcome which will have been accorded him . These lodges are likely to be of great service in strengthening the ties of Masonic goodfellowship , and , to employ an Irish style of speech for the occasion , we say unhesitatingly , " More power to them . "

*»* FOLLOWING up our remarks of a fortnight since on the misconduct of an Irish lodge in utilising its Masonic organisation for political purposes , but not apparently in any direct way associated with those remarks , we had last week , curiously enough , a letter from an English correspondent , in which he

gave it as his opinion that it was contrary to the principles which underlie our Craft that any reference whatever should be made in lod ge to the political or religious services of any brother or brethren , no matter how distinguished he or they might be . We do not gather from the letter of "SURPRISED " that in the instance he referred to anything was said of a character

to provoke discussion ; in which case , of course , there would be a most decided objection to such references being introduced during the proceedings . As far as we can make out , the distinguished P . G . Officer merely mentioned the fact that the P . G . M . was a candidate for Parliamentary honours . We see no objection to this . The

fact that a P . G . M ., be he Liberal or Conservative in his politics , is considered worthy of being elected a member of Parliament , is one of which he and all his brethren have reason to be proud . It shows that our rulers are men of position and prepared to play their part , according to their several political inclinations , in the good government of their country . But there

would be a most decided objection to . a P . G . M . being commended for his services as a Liberal or Conservative politician . This was precisely what the Irish lodge we referred to the other day did . Though not assembled as a lodge , the members agreed to support their Worshipful Master in his candidature for an Irish constituency , and

in doing so , they , as we hold , violated one of the fundamental principles of Freemasonry . The introduction of any such conduct into our lodges is certain sooner or later to provoke retaliatory movements in behalf of opposing candidates , and there is an end of our Masonic system at once . The mere allusion , however , to a brother being a prominent politician is

harmless . We , for instance , feel a national pride in the fact that half-adozen members of Mr . GLADSTONE ' S Cabinet were , and some four or five members of Lord SALISBURY ' S Cabinet are , members of the great Masonic Fraternity . We do not concern ourselves about their politics ; but we are proud that men of such intellectual calibre are among us . If the P G