Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS 117 United Grand Lodge 117 Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland 119 Provincial Grand Chapter of Norfolk no C ORRESPONDENCEElection of Grand Treasurer 120 Suspension of Lodges 120

The Late Festival R . M . II . 1 121 Instruction Meetings v . Instruction Lodges 121 Thc Star in the East 121 Reviews f 2 l Notes and Queries 121 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 122 instruction 124 Roval Arch 12 !

REPORTS OF MASONIC MF . ETINOS ( Continued)—Mark Masonry 12 J Ancient and Accepted Rite 126 Knights Templar - . 126 Red Cross of Constantine 126 Rosicrucian Society 126 Greece 126 China 126

First Annual Supper of the Chiswick Lodge of Instrnction , No . 2012 ; 127 The Quebec Difficulty 127 Consecration of a Masonic Hall in South Africa 127 The Theatres 127 Ohituarv 127 Masonic and General Tidings . „ , 128 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iii .

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THE Quarter !}* Communication of Grand Lodge took place on Wednesday last , under the presidency of Bro . W . VV . BEACH , Prov . G . M . for Hants and Isle of Wight . There was a very large attendance . H . R . H . the Prince ot WALES was re-elected and proclaimed Grand Master for the ensuing year amid enthusiastic acclamations of loyal devotion . The election for

Grand Treasurer then took place underthe new law by voting papers . Bro . J . VV . WOODALL was elected by a large majority , securing 749 votes , his competitors , Bro . J AMES WILLING and Bro . CAMA , receiving 424 and 89 respectively . We must refer our readers to our report for the rest of the business of this important meeting of Grand Lodge . According to the

votes there would seem to have been 1262 brethren present . We need not now go into the " pros and cons " of an annual election , as there is and may be a difference of opinion on the subject , but , recognizing it as a "fait accompli , " it is well as we record the past to look as to the future . Grand Lodge has now elected a London and a provincial brother in succession as

Grand Treasurer , and we confess we can see no reason why next year some brother of position as representing distinct dependencies and our colonial brethren , should not be elected as Grand Treasurer . The London lodges only represent a small numerical section comparatively of our Masonic lodges and

we are quite certain of this that our London brethren , despite their many claims for respect and prestige , have no desire to monopolize Grand Lodge honours . Such an election would be a happy commentary on the Cosmopolitanism and largc-heartedness of English Freemasonry .

* # * THE election of Bro . J . VV . WOODALL as Grand Treasurer by a large majority settles the vexed question for another twelve months .

# THE more we think about Monsieur ANDRIEUX ' S recent attack on Freemasonry , the more we seem persuaded of its futility and folly . The world is tired of exposures and attacks on our peaceful and useful Order . Persons will not see who rush into print , thinking that curiosity has so much

influence over the minds of men , so that anything which tends to lift up the veil which hangs over Masonic secrecy is always welcome , that there must be a limit to even human inquisitiveness and mortal credulity . Since 1724 , one hundred and sixty years ago , we have been inundated with pretended revelations and pseudo-explanations of Freemasonry . What effect have they

all had ? None ! positively less than none , if that be possible . A French Abbe , bolder than his English contemporaries , declared that he had " exposed" and "crushed" Freemasonry about 140 years ago . And yet Freemasonry survives . ' The assailants of Freemasonry may be divided into two great classes , —those who profess to be Freemasons themselves , those

who declare they are not Freemasons , but have become possessed of the papers of some defunct , if mythic , Freemason . The goat and the branding are not more absolutely false and ridiculous than their lame stories , their mendacious asseverations . In the first case the writer comes before the world , on ms own confession , a self-asserting breaker of Masonic and human

obligations , and he can neither long expect the credence , much less the sympathy , of the world . In thc second case , if he pretends to explain , what he conlessedl y knows nothing about himself , on the faith of another's evidence , who is nameless , unknown , and non-existent , he is either palming off a deceit , or suggesting a deliberate imposture to his hearers and readers

and thus it is , that between this "Scylla and Charybdis , " all such affected revelations and arrangements of Freemasonry have failed of their object , alien short of their aim , and have been rejected by the common sense , common honesty , and common truthfulness of the world in which we live . Had M . ANDRIEUX , for instance , confined himself to the assertion that French

re emasonry in the main is neither reasonable , tolerant , nor of "sens ¦ j-ommun " just now , he would have found few to disagree with him . Had e gone on to say that many of its customs were ridiculous , hurtful , and ¦ H " per se , " we should gladly have repeated his words . But When he goes on , as we understand his professed attack , to P'oclaim all Freemasonry unsound and mischievous , because he argues r om a particular to an universal , " we join issue with him at once , and

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beg him to remember what he ought not to have forgotten , in the plenitude of his wisdom and experience , that abuse of a thing does never take away actually the use of it , and that all he can fairly say to French Freemasonry is , to retrace its steps and re-adopt the sounder teaching and ceremonials of a better day . Monsieur ANDRIEUX cannot think that Freemasonry generally

cares anything at all for childish imputations or heated incriminations . In America , where that great army of faithful brethren has lived down " the lie " of the MORGAN Episode ; where fanaticism and ignorance to-day are even quoting Scripture , like a certain Satanic personage is said sometimes lo do , to prove the abstract and concrete wickedness of Freemasonry proper ;

and where our brethren are marching on steadily and steadfast ! }' , a " great host , unappalled and unwavering , " we know how idle such attacks have proved to be , and how Freemasonry can and will trample all such foes and all such antagonists beneath its feet . And so it will ever be . Wherever its true and healing principles are rightly professed , wherever its living

reality of loyalty and Charity is verified and demonstrated , wherever its great banner of tolerant brotherhood is displayed , there we find a phalanx of good men and true , trying to " leave the world better than they found it , " asserting the sarced right of a conscientious individualism , and aiding successfully in the advance of the human race , as pioneers in the great and glorious struggle of civilization , light , right , and truth .

» # * WE call attention to some extracts from Canadian contemporaries elsewhere relative to the Quebec difficulty . The GRAND MASTER of the Quebec Grand Lodge is only at the beginning of his difficulties . We know quite enough of our Canadian and Quebec brethren to feel assured that they

dislike arrogance , bullying , and " bunkum as much as we do , and that such a foolish exhibition of impotent anger can be productive , even in their minds as in ours , but of one sensation , —sorrow and humiliation at such a Masonic ( un-Masonic ?) exhibition . The Montreal English Freemasons

have done nothing to deserve this petty thunder of irritative intolerance , and we think , as we feel sure , our brethren will also hold in Canada , that , happily for our race , the days of Bulls , Excommunications , Boycotting , and the spirit of persecution , as well as abject intolerance , are over for ever , and produce no result save derision and contempt among men and Masons .

THE magnificent total of £ 17 , 600 for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival suggests many reflections , alike creditable to our Craft , and most pleasant in the present , still more hopeful for the future . ^ 17 , 600 constitute a large sum of hearty good will , and witness markedly to the

unchanged and vital Charity of our great Order . That 300 London lodges should have sent over £ 9000 , considering the small proportion they bear to all our other lodges on the register of the Grand Lodge of England , whether provincial or colonial , is a fact deserving of serious realization . The London lodges cannot be too much commended for their remarkable

efforts for Charity , and we are glad to see the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge so strikingly " to the fore . " After so munificent an expression of Masonic liberality and good-will we shall expect a considerable addition necessarily , especially to the number of widows to be elected in May .

But we cannot go with those who advocate a constant election of candidates , without any additional source of income to meet the demand , except that which arises from the annual Festival . Such a policy seems to us neither provident nor common sense , and might speedily land the Institution in financial difficulties .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening in the Temple . Bro . VV . VV . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , presided , and more than 1200 were present . The Grand Officers , Past Grand Officers , and members of Grand Lodge who attended were Bros . Major W . H . Smyth , P . G . M . Lincolnshire ; Samuel Rawson , P . D . G . M . China ;

Col . A . Adair , Past P . D . G . M . Somersetshire ; Lord Cremorne , G . S . W . ; Alderman Fowler , M . P ., G . J . W . ; V . A . Williamson , P . G . W . ; Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W . ; the Hon . VV . W . Vernon , P . G . W . ; Maj .-General Hon . Somerset J . G . Calthorpe , P . G . W . ; Rev . H . A . Pickard , P . G . C . ; Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , P . G . C . ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C . ; Rev . J . Sedgwick , D . D ., P . G . C . ; Rev . W . O . Thompson , P . G . C . ; Rev . J . E . Cox , D . D ., P . G . C ; Rev . Thos . Cochrane , P . G . C ; Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , P . G . C ; Rev . Spencer R . Wigram , P . G . C ; Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C ; Horace B . Marshall , G . Treasurer ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . Registrar ; Thomas

Fenn , Pres . Board of Gen . Purposes ; Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec ; h . E Wendt , D . C . L ., G . Sec . for German Correspondence ; Baron de Ferrieres , M . P ., G . S . D . ; F . Davison , G . S . D . ; Jas . Smith Eastes , G . J . D . ; E . Letchworth , G . J . D . ; H . Dumas / . P . G . D . ; Robert Grey , P . G . D . ; W . A . F . Powell , P . G . D . ; T . H . Devon shire , P . G . D . ; Jabez Hogg , P . G . D . ; J . M . Case , P . G . D . ; Raphael Costa , P . G . D . ; Captain N . G . Philips , P . G . D . ; James Glaisher , P . G . D . ; Brackstone Baker , P . G . D . ; J . Pearson Bell , P . G . D . ; Henry Maudslay , P . G . D . ; Lieut .-Col . H . Somerville Burney , P . G . D . ; J . E . Saunders , P . G . D . ; Chas . Minton , P . G . D . ; Hugh D . Sandeman , P . G . D . ; j . Rucker , P . G . D . ; Ralph Gooding , M . D ., P . G . D . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D . ; Horace Jones , G . Supt . of Works ; John Gibson , P . G . Supt . of Works ; Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) , G . D . of C . j A .