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olreemasoiili SATURDAY , OCTOBER 6 , iqoo .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

There will be the usual excitement in and about Freemasons' Tavern next week when the School elections are held , that of the Girls' School being fixed for the Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers

on Thursday , the nth instant , and that of the Boys ' School on Friday , thc 12 th instant . On both days the chair will be taken at the hour of 12 noon , and thc poll will be opened at one p . m ., or earlier if the business of he Court is over , and closed at three p . m . punctually , -n both casts the proportion of vacancies to candidates » um » n % favourable to the latter , and therefore we

Masonic Notes.

may expect that those in charge of the several children ' s interests will bring all the influence they are able to command in order to secure their election . * * * For the Girls' Election on Thursday there are 33 candidates—originally 34 , but a Kentish girl has been

withdrawn and nominated under the Jubilee Presentation of that Province—and of these as many as 24 will be elected . The list is composed of 14 candidates who who were unsuccessful in April and bring forward the votes that were polled for them , and the rest have been approved since . London contributes seven and has a

part interest in three others , while the Provinces and Districts Abroad are responsible for the remainder . For the Boys' School there are 20 to be elected from a list of 27 , of whom II that were unsuccessful at the last election bring forward their votes , and 16 are new candidates . Here London has six boys and two in

which it is jointly interested with one or other of the Provinces or Districts , while the latter furnish the remaining 19 . Thus as many as 44 children will be elected and provided for during the next few years out of the co who have been found worthy of the benefits dispensed so liberally by our Institutions . * a

What adds to the satisfaction with which we scrutinised the two lists is the fact that there is only one out of the whole 60 candidates who has only this one chance allowed him of winning his election , and he is a boy with claims on the Provinces of Staffordshire and Derbyshire , who stands at No . 17 . For him ,

accordingly , we make our customary appeal to all those Governors and Subscribers who are not already committed to the support of any particular candidate , to give him the benefit of their votes and influence , so that , when the result of the ballot is announced , he

may not find himself disappointed of those educational advantages of which he has been adjudged worthy . With 20 to be elected out of 27 , there ought not to be much difficulty in securing his election , more especially as there are no other boys in whom Staffordshire or Derbyshire have apparently any direct interest .

* » * In the absence of Bro . Sir Augustus F . Godson , Prov , Grand Master , who is just now in the very thick of election business , the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire was held at the National Schools , Hales Owen , on Tuesday , the

25 th ult ., under the presidency of his respected Deputy , Bro . W . T . Page . There was a full attendance , due in great measure to its being the Jubilee of the constitution of the entertaining lodge—the Perseverance , No . 573 , which was warranted in 1850 ,

The reports showed that during the past year the Craft in this Province has been making good progress . The officers for the ensuing year were invested , and afterwards the brethren attended divine service in the parish church . In the evening the customary banquet was held . Our report will appear next week .

» » » We beg to remind our readers that an important gathering of the Officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Warwickshire—which held its annual meeting at Solihull on Wednesday , the 26 th ult . —will take place at St , Mary ' s Hall , Coventry , on Tuesday , the 9 th instant , when the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 2811 , will be

consecrated . The ceremony will be performed by Bro . E . Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary , assisted by Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., and Officers of the Prov . Grand Lodge . The W . M . designate will be installed in office , and the officers for the ensuing year invested . The hour of meeting is fixed for 2 . 30 p . m ., and that of the banquet in honour of the occasion at

5-3 ° P- - » # * It will be seen from our report of the annual meeting , at Durham , of the Provincial Grand Lod ge of Durham , that Bro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., Past Grand Chaplain , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , in

the course of his address to the brethren , made sympathetic reference to the great loss the Province in particular , and the Craft generally , had , recently sustained by the death of its late respected chief , Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., who had occupied the

position of Provincial Grand Master for the last 15 years . Bro . Tristram referred at length to the services their late ruler had rendered—firstly as Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and subsequently in the more exalted position hc held at his death .

» He laid the greatest stress on the personal characteristics of their deceased ruler . " They knew , " he said , " Sir Hedworth ' s devotion to Masonry , his genial warmth , and his charming , frank—though it

Masonic Notes.

might some times be thought brusque—manner . " He spoke of him as having been " a true , typical English gentleman of the highest stamp , " who " was intensely devoted to everything in which he took an interest . " Above all , he pointed out " how thoroughly he entered into the spirit of Masonry , and how anxious he was that Masonry in that Province should flourish

on a true and right basis . " These remarks , it is needless to say , found a truly responsive echo in the hearts of all present , and the vote of condolence he subsequently proposed should be sent to Lad y Williamson " expressive of their affection and esteem and sympathy " with the family of the late Provincial Grand Master , and of the deep loss they had sustained , was carried nem . con . in respectful silence .

* » * With its July number the Canadian Craftsman entered upon the 35 th year of its existence , and we warmly congratulate it on the marked success which has attended its efforts to spread a knowledge of Craft doings among the brethren in the Dominion , and the

prominence it has gained among the organs of Masonic opinion of our time . In respect of these matters we can do little more than repeat what we have experienced so much pleasure in saying at stated intervals for many years—that our respected contemporary ' s issues are well-written and well-edited , and that the news they contain is ample ,

and , as far as it is possible for us to judge , remarkably accurate . Its opinions are expressed with judgment , and command our respect even when they do not compel our sympathy ; and we must hope that for many years it will continue what it has been during its past career , an able and conciliatory guide to the brethren in Canada and elsewhere in all questions which affect the interests of Freemasonry . ,

• * * It is not , indeed , surprising that the Craftsman should have prospered as it has done . In announcing the first monthly issue of its new volume , our contemporary remarked , with perfect truth and justice , that it " has always tried to keep the interests of Canadian Masonry

in the foreground , " and that these efforts have been duly appreciated is recognised wherever it has found readers . Later it tells its constituents— " Our aim has always been to present our readers from month to month with the best and most elevating teachings of our ablest writers , " nor can we do better than reiterate the hope so well expressed by * ' the present occupant

of the Editorial chair , " that , when in the fulness of time—we trust , however , that time may be far distant —his place shall know him no more , he " may be succeeded by others who will carry on the good work represented in the tenets of Masonry—Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . " Such a policy as this merits success , and we are confident will command it .

• * According to certain statistics which are published in the Craftsman for last month , there are , according to the latest returns , in the 45 Royal Arch jurisdictions now existing in the United States , 207 , 904 Royal Arch Masons , of whom 105 , 637 are registered in the

seven jurisdictions of New York , Pennsylvania , Illinois , Massachusetts , Ohio , Michigan , and Iowa , and 102 , 267 in the other 38 . New York musters the strongest of all , with 20 , 332 ; Pennsylvania and Illinois being close together with 16 , 973 ar , d 16 , 7 68 , respectively ; Massachusetts and Ohio run a neck and

neck race for fourth honours , the former having 15 , 557 on its roll and the latter 15 , 136 . Michigan numbers 13 , 389 , and Iowa 7482 , Of the 50 States and Territories that have Grand Lodges there are five —those of Idaho , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Utah , and

Wyoming , which at present appear to be without Grand Chapters . As regards the relative strength of the Royal Arch to Craft Masonry , the number of subscribing Craft Masons exceeds 800 , 000 , so that the proportion is about one R . A . to every four Craft Masons .

» » * The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has sustained a heavy loss by the death of Bro . J . Simpson Africa , Past Grand Master , ** j */ ho died somewhat unexpectedly on the Sth ult , at his residence , at Huntingdon , Pa , within a few weeks of completing his * _ 68 th year . Bro .

Africa was initiated in "January , 1866 , and , after filling the different ofiices , including that of W . M ., in the lodge , was elected Junior Grand Warden of Pennsylvania in 1885 , and rose regularly until he was chosen to fill the chair of Grand Master in 1891 , his tenure of each of these several offices in Grand Lodge extending

over two years , as is the custom in Pennsylvania . He also served on various important Committees , and was one of the Trustees of the Temple and of the real estate of Grand , as well as of the Thomas R . Patton Alemorial Charity , Fund , one of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund , and member of the Committee on

Landmarks . He was also a Royal Arch Mason , and at his death was one of the Committee on Correspondence of the Grand Chapter . We greatly sympathise with our Pennsylvanian brethren in the death of one of the most distinguished and respected -members of their Grand Lodge .