The Boys' School.

point at issue . Our view , as originally expressed , has been more than confirmed by the unimpeachable and exalted authority of our good old and faithful G . Master , Lord Zetland , and we can , therefore , afford to smile at the pretentious impertinence of the sciolist or the illogical

aberrations of the unmasomc . The point at issue is this : Can a Provincial G . Lodge , or G . Lodge , pass a resolution as a corporate body affirming the necessity of an enquiry into any matter connected with the school and appoint a committee of investigation ? vVe say no ; and Lord Zetland

said no on a former occasion . A very distinguished brother of our Order , Bro . Beach , P . G . M . for Hampshire , had submitted a resolution to the Board of Masters for discussion in G . Lodge . This was an abstract resolution , enforcing the advisability of an annual examination for the two

schools . The Board of Masters declined to allow the resolution to appear on the agenda paper , on the ground that G . Lodge was incompetent to pass such a resolution . On appeal by Bro . Beach to the G . M ., he sustained the action of the Board of Masters , and for this reason : — to

The G . Lodge gives ^ 150 per annum the schools . Such an annual payment only placed it in the category of subscribers . The only course open to subscribers was to pass a resolution to that effect either at a Quarterly General Court or Special General Court , or at a General

Committee , Lord Zetland ' s dictum goes to this effect , that G . Lodge , through its annual gift of £ 150 , has no exceptional privileges as none are accorded to it by the laws of the Institutions , and that therefore all such resolutions can only be

moved by individual subscribers , not by the G . Lodge or P . G . Lodges , or lodges as separate bodies . This is the common sense view of dealing with the matter , the practice and course of all similar institutions . Anv one who has the

hardihood to assert the contrary , in a Masonic or profane print , or is so perverse as to seek to mislead others , either through crass ignorance or Jesuitical evasions , has no claim to be listened to , and is out of court altogether . One should pay no more attention to

his remarks than if they had been never penned , put forth , as such silly animadversions evidently are , in a spirit of childish opposition , and in a way which shows limited acquaintance with Masonic teaching . The distinguished Province of West Yorkshire has passed an abstract

resolution ( much altered from the original matter in the P . G . L . agenda paper , ) affirming the need of enquiry into the present condition of the school in all respects , and has also passed a resolution for a West Yorkshire Committee of Investigation of twelve members . This is a fact , though

for some reason kept back in a report sent to us from W . Yorkshire , but we give elsewhere the shorthand writer ' s notes of the actual speeches and resolutions . We are , then , distinctly of opinion that on Lord Zetland ' s dictum the resolution so carried and the action so taken are ultra

vires and can have no practical effect . If any body has any complaint to make , or grievance to expose , or wrong to redress , he must act legally and give notice of a motion that the General Committee shall call a Special General Court to devise a special resolution on the subject . Hid

the P . G . Lodge of West Yorkshire passed a resolution calling upon the General Committee to convoke a Special General Court to consider a certain resolution to be brought forward relative to the administration of the Institution , ( though even in such a course it would be going beyond

its constitutional right ) , yet considering all W ' est Yorkshire has undoubtedly done for the Boys' School , the General Committee would , we think , probably have acceded to such a request . But as it is , the action of AVest Yorkshire threatens

the very independence of our great educational institutions , is altogether taken in ignorance or forgetfulness ot the constitutional position of the P . G . Lodge in the matter , and cannot be sustained b y any who have the real and lasting interests of the Boys' School at heart .

Masonic Jewels.

MASONIC JEWELS .

Some controversy has been going on lately in our pages as to what jewels may or may not be Worn in lodge , and we therefore think it well to caU attention to a subject which has a special

Masonic Jewels.

interest for many and a general interest for all . It is quite clear in the first place that all jewels or decorations which belong to the Christian grades in Mark Masonry are not wearable in a Craft Lodge , or P . Lodge , or G . Lodge . The Book of Constitutions distinctly lays down the

norinal regulation of English Freemasonry in the provisions of its pages , but all tending to the same one point and end . At page iS it is said " Nor shall any member be permitted to wear in the lodge or in any private lodge any jewel , medal , or decoration belonging or appertaining

to any order or degree not recognised by the G . Lodge of England as part of pure antient Masonry . " The G . Lodge having decided that " pure antient Masonry " consists of the three Craft Degrees and the R . Arch , necessarily in limine forbids absolutely all "jewels , medals

or decorations " in Craft Lodges which belong to any grade or degree except these four . But " Ex converso" "jewels , medals and decorations " belonging to such recognised degrees may be wornjn Craft Lodges . Here the question arises , what are the "jewels , medals , and decorations "

belonging to such recognised degrees as may properly be worn in lodge ? And here we confess we feel much difficulty in answering the question . In two other places in the Book of Constitutions G . Lodge has dealt with the question , in addition to the section just specified ,

and we must go to them to see what G . Lodge really says on the matter . At page 68 , sect . 22 , we find these further words— "No jewel shall be worn in a lodge other than those specified for the officers , except such honorary or other jewels as shall be consistent with those degrees

recognised by the G . Lodge as part of antient Masonry . " Thus , having previously said " belonging or appertaining to" the Book of Constitutions now adds " consistent with . " At page 118 , sect . 2 , the G . Lodge thus further deals with the matter : " No honorary or other jewel or emblem shall be

worn 111 the G . Lodge which shall not appertain to or be consistent with -chose degrees which are recognised and acknowledged by and are under the control of the G . Lodge as part of pure and antient Masonry . " Thus we see all jewels , emblems , medals , or devices which are not

consistent with and do not belong or appertain to one of the degrees acknowledged and recognised and under the control of G . Lodge are illegal . At first sight this last section would seem to exclude R . A . jevvels , which belong to a grade not actually under the control of G . Lodge , but as the three

sections quoted are based upon and all allude to the recognition of the Grand Lodge of certain degrees , as forming true and antient Masonry , we are led back to the Articles of Union for 1813 , in which the three degrees including the Royal Arch are acknowledged and declared

to be such . lhe Roval Arch jewels are worn under the direction of the regulations for Royal Arch Masons , and we do not feel quite sure , despite custom , that a strict interpretation of the words " under the control of Grand Lodge " might not even exclude them from a Craft or

blue lodge . It seems too that the general idea of the Book of Constitutions is to be very chary indeed of jewels at all , and that the only jewels it actually recognizes , in addition to the jewels pendent to collars , and significant of rank , are such honorary or other jewels as shall be consitent

with the three degrees it recognizes . The Book of Constitutions recognizes centenary jewels , and it mentions , as we have seen , honorary jewels , whatever they may be , but it does not allude to the charity medal , nor does it apparently give any authority for any dispensation for any other kind

of jewel . Still , as often happens , custom is more powerful than law , and " mos est lex . " We wear in our lodges many honorary jewels , medals , emblems , and devices , such as those of P . M ., the five-pointed star . & c . ; and some lodges , though very few , have a lodge jewel granted by special

authorisationof the Grand Master . The number of lodges having a lodge jewel is so small that it cannot , we fancy , exceed a dozen , if so many . Now , we believe that under the law all devices , emblems , medals , or honorary jewels , which are

consistent with the degrees recognized by the Grand Lodge , may be worn legally . An Entered Apprentice might wear a jewel on which were represented the working tools of the First Degri-e , for instance , and so too , as regards the Second

Masonic Jewels.

Degree , and in respect of the Third Degree , tither the five-pointed star , its emblem , or a jewel with its working tools , might constitutionally , we apprehend , be worn in lodge , and for this reason—if not , what emblems , devices , jewels , or medals are

legal ? The jewels specified by the Book of Constitutions belong actually to officers , not to degrees ; and if the Book of Constitutions admits that , other honorary jewels , emblems , devices , or medals may be worn , if consistent " with the recognized degrees . " What are they ? The word

"degrees " cannot by any possibility be strained so as to mean " degrees of rauk , " so that it can only refer to the three Craft Degrees , including the Royal Arch . Wh y should it not then be stated what jewels , & c , may be actually worn in lodge ? Why should not the charity- medal

come under the same law as the centenary jewel r And hence the question naturally almost arises , would it not be well to modify the law , and settle it fully and finally , aud once for all . Why should not each lodge have its own lodge jewel , by sanction ofthe Grand Master , and by regulation

of the proper authorities , and by the provisions of the Book of Constitutions ? Each lodge would then keep up its own " esprit de corps " by the possession of its distinguishing badge , and a very large sum might be raised for the Fund of Benevolence , which , if the present strain on it

continues , will want ere long increased supplies . We have spoken simply , and we trust clearly , and we venture to think what we have advanced may be worthy of a little consideration by those who we know well have ever the best interests of our great Order uost truly and loyally at heart .

The Westminster Gazette Again.

THE WESTMINSTER GAZETTE AGAIN .

The proceedings and deliverances of the Roman Catholic body in this country would be very saddening were they not so very ludicrous . Here is a religious organization of great power and greater influence , agitated aud troubled about Freemasons and Freemasonry to a degree we

could hardly have thought possible or credible . We have never in the history of the past , or in the controversies of the present , witnessed an excitement so silly , or a fear so craven . Day b y day , in one form or other , the various publications of the Ultramontane school are pouring

forth the most childish invectives , and the most venomous diatribes . There is nothing too hard or too bad to say of Freemasons and Freemasonry . We are accustomed to the violence of foreigtiRomanCatholtc journals and ecclesiastics , but sve confess we are not prepared for this

absolute manque of all " egards" of politeness , even for this unscrupulous use ot perverse calumny , the ' ¦ ' suppressio veri , " and the " suggestio falsi , " which we hav ^ to encounter in freespoken , truth-loving England . But we fear , after a certain correspondence at Hastings that has

appeared in the public prints , that , ve may expect anything at the hands of some Ultramontane partisans which violence can suggest or vulgarity inspire . Sir Geo . Bowyer in his kindness , attempts an appeal ad inisericordiam , and ask us all not to judge of the many by the

few , but , alas " facta" are more powerful than " verba , " and at this moment some of the more violent and the least scrupulous of ultramontane writers have got the bit between their teeth , and words of moderation and counsels of restraint are worse than vain .

The " Westminster Gazette , " a sober Roman Catholic journal , in its issue of October 20 th , puts forward an article entitled " The Secret Societies and their Aims , " which we deplore , protest against , and laugh at at the same time . We deplore it in the interests of religion and of

truth ; we protest against it on behalf of a peaceful , loyal , and unrevolutionary society ; wis laugh at it because it simply displays at this moment the Ultramontane monomania , and as regards Freemasonry is a burlesque on fact , anil a mockery of common sense . Any Roman

Catholic taking up the article , or a non-Roman Catholic , for the matter of that , would believ « that the whole of Freemasonry is simply a camp of secret conspiracy , a focus of revolutionary , socialistic , communistic , irreligious intrigue , , 1 dangerous and destructive combination against all order , law , government , morality , and religion