Masonic Notes.

animal was divided into two parts and placed North and South that the parties to the contract might pass between them from East to West . " Perhaps some of our readers who are well posted in " ancient

Hebrew" ceremonies will be kind enough to enlighten our worthy correspondent as to the accuracy or otherwise of this account , which he tells us he obtained " from a very old Mason , " who had received it " when a young man himself from another old Mason . "

* * * We have been favoured with a communication from Bro . Maurice Spiegel on the subject of the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution , and that of H . R . H . the

M . W . G . M ., but as a definite appeal has been addressed to lodges and chapters in relation to the former , we do not consider it advisable to lay his letter before our readers .

* * * "A Cheshire Steward" has favoured us with asecond letter , in which he takes us to task for having commented on his previous communication—about the surplus Stewards' Fees at the recent Boys' School

Festival—without publishing it in our Correspondence columns . He concedes us the right to exclude letters which , in the exercise of our judgment , we may consider are best left uninserted , but denies us that of commenting on their statements . With due deference to

our correspondent , we think he is wrong in this matter . We stated fairly the main purport of his letter , and we expressed our opinion that his complaint against the grant of 100 guineas as an honorarium to Bro . McLeod was uncalled for . His is not the first letter of

complaint we have received on this subject , nor were our opinions on it made known for the first time last week . We therefore see nothing in the course we thought proper to adopt to which exception can reasonabl y be taken .

There is , however , just one point on which it may be as well we should disabuse our correspondent ' s mind . We did not exclude his letter because his

opinions and ours were at variance , but , if he will excuse us for saying so , because one or two of its paragraphs were not , in our humble judgment , conceived in quite the best possible taste .

* * * The following paragraph appeared in our last week ' s issue , but as no result has followed up to the time of going to press , we repeat it in our present issue : " We are asked to make known through our columns that a

Past Grand Deacon , who was a visitor at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey last week , lost his full dress Grand Deacon ' s apron . As it was no doubt accidentally taken up by one of the Grand Officers and put

in his case , it will , of course , be discovered , but probably not until the meeting of Grand Lodge in September , unless this should meet the eye of the said brother , in which case we shall be pleased to place him in communication with the owner . "

Reviews.

Reviews .

REMINISCENCES OF TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF FREEMASONRY . By A PAST PROVINCIAL GRAND OFFICER OF NORFOLK . London : J . Andrews and Co ., 84 , St . John-street , Smith - field , E . C . 1890 . The aspirations of the author of this volume are very modest . His ambition has been to interest his

readers with matters of everyday Masonic life , and as he has served as W . M . of two Norfolk lodges and one in London , and appears to have exhibited a special liking for lodge work , his reminiscences , though relating to matters of very sli ght historic importance , are pleasant reading , while his experience will , no

doubt , serve as a guide to those who may . read his compilation , and are desirous of emulating his example as a painstaking and conscientious member . The book is light and chatty , and introduces to our readers many of the more distinguished brethren of the Province of Norfolk . No attempt has been made

at fine writing , and the book is what it purports to be —a narrative of personal experiences which show satisfactorily the inner life of our private lodges without disclosing what may not be lawfully divulged . We have to thank the author for a leisure hour spent to excellent purpose in stud ying his reminiscences of Freemasonry during upwards of a quarter of a century .

ANTECEDENTS OF FREEMASONRY . A Paper read b y Bro . THOMAS H . COLE , M . A ., P . M . 40 , P . P . A . G . D . C . Sussex , in the Derwent Lodge , No . 40 , Hastings , on Monday , October 13 th , 1890 . Hastings : Printed by Bro . C . J . Ticehurstj 21 , Havelock-road . 1891 .

There is nothing new in this paper . Indeed , the author , in his Introduction , frankly states that he is indebted for the information it contains to the first volume of Bro . Gould ' s "History of Freemasonry , "

Reviews.

which he justly eulogises as a work of pre-eminent merit . The title , too , is not sufficiently precise . The author in his lecture or paper does not concern himself about the antecedents in the sense of what preceded Freemasonry , but about the early forms of Freemasonry " antecedent to the Modern authorised" system as established in the early years of the Gengian era . But

though the title is to this extent misleading , and the matter contained in the paper derived from the published history of a distinguished brother , thelecture is worth reading , and it would be well if other brethren who have devoted time to Masonic study followed Bro . Cole ' s example , and occasionally read a paper in lodge when there was no ordinary work to do .

FREEMASONRY : ITS NATURE , OBJECTS , AND PRINCIPLES . Oration delivered at the Dedication of the Masonic Rooms , Ramsey , Isle of Man , Tuesday , April 21 , 1891 , by W . Bro . THOMAS H . NESBITT , P . M ., Dep . P . G . Master . Douglas : Printed by Bro . F . W . Spencer , at the Manx Sun Office .

Bro . Nesbitt is known and respected as an able executive officer of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Isle of Man , but the oration before us , which he delivered at the dedication of the Masonic Rooms , Ramsey , in April last , places him before us in a new character , and gives him an additional claim on our

regard as a painstaking student of the history and princip les of Freemasonry . The oration is of greater length and somewhat more ambitious than usual , but Bro . Nesbitt ' s auditors must have been too deeply interested in his remarks to have noticed what , in a less carefully prepared address and one containing

less valuable material , might have somewhat tried their patience . Bro . Nesbitt has travelled over the usual ground in his historical sketch of our Society , but he by no means adopts the grand ideas as to our origin which enthusiasts have fashioned for us out of their imagination , any more than he adopts as actual Grand Masters the long line of illustrious personages who

have had the office assigned them by writers of the same imaginative school . The oration , indeed , is one that will be perused by all friends of Masonic literature , and we trust that Bro . Nesbitt may find many other opportunities of enlightening our Manx brethren on the " nature , objects , and principles " of Freemasonry : they will most assuredly derive great benefit from his instruction .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Cratt riDasonrp . METROPOLITAN MEETINGS .

Corinthian Lodge ( No . 1382 ) . —A regular meeting of this lodge was held at the George Hotel , Cubitt Town , on Wednesday , the 15 th ult ., under the presidency of Bro . R . J . Pitt , assisted by Bros . W . J . Millington , P . M . ; C . McLeod , P . M . ; G . Smith , P . M . ; and J . Morrison , P . M . Thefollowingofficerswerepresent : Bros . G . A . Saunders , S . W . ; J . Carnaby , Treas . ; A . Hoakley ,

Sec ; B . Barcham , S . D . { pro tern . ); W . Bliss , J . D . ; and E . Brindley , Stwd . Among the brethren present were Bros . A . Harper , Lewis Griffiths , W . C . Flint , W . H . Horner , H . Hawkins , H . K . Duan , J . W . Reynolds , C . Wheeler , W . Lea , G . Carter , G . T . Crayford , Jas . Hoods , J . H . Knightscales , Jno . Mills , 17 G 5 , and others . The lodge being opened , the minutes were read and

confirmed . Bros . Harper , Wheeler , and Norman were passed to the Degree of F . C . Other business having been transacted , the lodge was closed . The brethren then adjourned to an ample and well-served repast , which reflected credit on the purveyorship of the worthy host , Bro . Innocent . After banquet the W . M . proposed the toasts of " The

Queen and the Craft " and "The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " which were enthusiastically received . Bro . Millington , P . M ., then , in his usual earnest and impressive way , proposed "The Health of the W . M . " and congratulated the lodge that in him they had a successor worthy of those who had preceded him . Bro . Pitt was always at his post , and anxious to forward the business and

promote the success of the lodge . Bro . Pitt , having suitably replied , he proposed " The Past Masters . " In response , Bros . McLeod , Millington , and Geo . Smith spoke briefly . Other toasts were proposed , and various brethren contributed to the harmony in the intervals , the proceedings terminating with the Tyler ' s toast .

Anglo-American Lodge ( No . 2191 ) . —The regular meeting of this popular lodge was held at the Criterion ( Masonic Temple ) , Piccadilly Circus , S . W ., on the 21 st ult ., when there were present Bros . James I . Woolley , W . M . ; Theodore H . Tilton , l . P . M . ; W . Hancock , S . W . ; George H . Reynolds , J . W . ; J . B . dimming , Treas . ; G . Reynolds , Sec ; J . Skinner ,

S . D . ; A . Hams , J . D . ; F . Jackson , I . G . ; H . W . Schartau , Org ., J . Rowe , G . A . Bergholz , and C . 0 . Burgess , Stewards ; J . Walkely , Tyltr ; F . Kedge , P . M . ; H . Vrtain , A . 11 . P . Snow , C . G . Rotter , W . J . Thrussell , G . T . Atkinson , S . Spooner , F . Hansen , H . E . Sanders , C . D'Alton , C . Hirsch , H . Lewis , G . A . M .

Bowles , G . P . Bertim , C . G . Sherwood , W . S . Lincoln , J . Woodward , J . Williams , and others . Visitors : Bros . O . C . Connor , 32 , Past G . M . Tennessee , U . S . A . ; G . R . Langley , W . M . 23 S 1 ; S . F . Cross , 1366 ; J . Dawe , 12 SS ; W . B . Fendick , P . M . 1321 ; F . J . Williams , 101 ; D . Haslett , P . M . 145 ; and E . D . Dalzell , P . M . 1540 .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

The lodge having been opened , the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . The Treasurer reported the state of his account . A ballot was taken for Mr . C . G . Sherwood , a candidate for initiation , which proved unanimous , and , being in attendance , he was initiated into the mysteries of the Order . The P . G . M . of Tennessee , U . S . A ., Bro . G . C . Connor , was unanimously elected an honorarv

member of the lodge , and presented with the jewel of the lodge . All Masonic business being ended , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the Prince ' s Room where a capital banquet was served under the superintendence of Bro . G . P . Bertini , assisted by his deputy . After the brethren had done justice to the good china ' s placed before them , the Worshipful Master gave the usual

toasts in a most happy manner , and in reply to the toast of "The Sister Grand Lodges of the United States of America and the Dominion of Canada , " Bro . G . C . Connor , P . G . M . of Tennessee , U . S . A ., said it had afforded him much pleasure to be amongst them , and he wished the Anglo-American Lodge every success . He should have been sorry not to have been with them that evening , for it had been one of

the happiest he had spent while in Europe . The idea of the lodge was grand , and he hoped at some future time again to visit them . He should always remember with delight the great honour conferred upon him of beinounanimously elected an honorary member of the lodge , and being presented with the jewel , which he should wear on his breast and take back to America as a mementoto

, remind him of how English Masons had received him . He was delighted with the work , although it differed somewhat from that in America , but it had the same meaning . The evening had been to him one of enjoyment and geniality , and would always remain in his memory as a happy visit to

the Anglo-American Lodge . The Tyler ' s toast brought the evening to a close , which had been much enlivened with some excellent singing by Bros . Curtis D'Alton , H . Bagge , E . D . Dalzell , W . H . Schartau , Org ., under whose direction the music was arranged , and other brethren .

Scots Lodge ( No . 2319 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge was held in the Scottish Corporation Hall , Fleet-street , on the 23 rd ult ., and another success in every sense was scored by this energetic and prosperous lodge . As usual the proffers of hospitality were widely extended , and while there was a full assemblage of the lodge members , brethren representing all parts of the Empire were

present as well . Had it not unfortunately been the day of meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Surrey at Croydon , which caused manyeminentbrethren regretfullyto decline the hearty invitation of the Scots Lodge the meeting would have been a record one for attendance . As it was , however , the company numbered nearly 60 , amongst whom were the following : Bros . John Whitehead , P . M ., M . E . Z ., W . M . ;

John Page , P . M ., W . M . elect ; Lord Saltoun , Prov . G . M . Aberdeen City , S . G . W . Scotland , S . W . designate ; D . F . Gellion , J . W . ; James Thompson , Secretary ; E . Johnston Gordon , Asst . D . of C . ; D . R . Duncan , Org . ; Peter Greig and Joseph Whitehead , Stwds . ; David Chatteris , Gray , F . Faithfull , Begg , Jas . MacArthur , J . P ., W . S . Beaton , J . Plenderleith , Wm . B . Smith , Dan

McKay , A . Gordon , Balfour Allan , Wm . Craig , William Laurie , T . Drummond Duff , Capt . G . P . Airey , T . Sandiland , Major F . W . Allan , C . de fcels Brownlie , John Milton , Piper ; and Peter McLean , Piper . Amongst the visitors present were Bros . Peter Maclagan , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Linlithgowshire ; James Hozier , M . P ., VV . M . 2 o ( S . C ); J . Parker Smith , M . P ., Partick Lodge ; H . Goddon , P . M .

helix Lodge , Aden ; John Gordon , P . M . 4 ( S . C . ); J . J . Thomas , P . M . 753 ; J . J . Berry , P . M . 554 ; James Edmeston , P . M . 1635 ; Dr . Nathaniel Goodchild , P . M . 704 ; W . H . Chalfont , P . M . 1425 ; Frank Whitehead , 110 ( S . C . ); Jos . Whitehead , S . D . 1446 ; E . Churchman , A . D . C . 1425 ; John Milton , 259 ( S . C ); J . William Stevens , 2234 ; W . Brooks , VV . M . 766 ; Earnest Flint ,

S . D . 33 ; W . D . Church , W . M . 1365 ; E . Gabriel , 1 S 1 S ; J . M . Hanks , 2256 ; Donald McKay , St . James ' s Lodge ( S . C ); Wm . Robertson , 2310 ; and H . Massey , 160 , P . M . dig and 1920 . Letters of apology expressing their willingness but pleading inability to attend , owing chiefly to absence or pressure of Parliamentary duties , were read from over 30 eminent brethren , amongst whom were Bros .

the Duke of Fife , Sir Archibald Campbell of Blytheswood , G . M . Scotland ; Sir Charles Dalrymple , M . P ., Substitute G . M . Scotland ; the Lord Mayor ; John Aird , M . P . J Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec ; D . Murray Lyon , G . Sec . Scotland ; David Reid , G . Cashier Scotland ; Lord George Hamilton ; Geo . Shaw , CC , Treasurer ; Dr . D . M . Forbes , I . G . ; Capt . Fletcher Campbell , D . C ; T .

Grant , S . D . ; John Wilson , M . P . ; Seager Hunt , M . P . J J . Corbet , M . P . ; VV . Burdett-Coutts , M . P . ; Col . Lumsden of Pitcaple , W . M . 2310 ; Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . M . Scotland ; the Earl of MarandKellie ; C F . Matier , P . G . Std . Br . ; and Lord Euston , l . P . M . The lodge was opened , and after letters and

communications and the Auditor ' s report , which showed a balance to the good , had been read , the ceremony of installation was performed by Bro . Whitehead , who duly installed Bro . John Page into the chair of K . S . The Worshipful M aster then invested the following as his officers : Bros . Lord Saltoun , Prov . G . M . Aberdeen City , S . G . W . of Scotland , S . W . ; D . F . Gellion , P . M ., I . W . ; Geo . Shaw , P-M' ,

Treas . ; J . Gray , P . M ., Trustee ; Jas . Thomson , Sec . J W . B . Smith , S . D . ; Joseph Whitehead , J . D . ; Jn ° - Whitehead , l . P . M ., D . C ; D . Chatteris , I . G . 5 fetet Greig , D . R . Duncan , and W . Craig , Stewards ; &• Johnston Gordon , A . D . C ; Ashley Gordon , Org . ; and Wm . Robertson , Tyler . Bro . Lord Saltoun having had a four-line whip sent him from the House of Lords , and he

having four amendments in charge upon the Scotch DM under discussion there , his lordship said he was "' j P , y grieved to leave before the banquet , but he thanked the brethren for the high honour conferred upon him in having been appointed S . W ., and he hoped that as S . W . he would be found an active and willing worker . He assured the lodge that his investiture as S . W . was looked upon as a great coin-L 110 . L 1113 lUVt-OUlUl C CIS * J . VV •WCID lUUIV ^ U UjJUii " ¦ - ' — Q 1 trustcu

plimentto the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and he that every Scots Mason resident in London would raiy round the national banner , and make the Scots Lodge wriai it ardently desired to be-the natural home of a '' . jie brethren , and the representative lodge of Scotland in Metropolis . Bro . Lord Saltoun then nominated , and DI ¦ Major F . W . Allan , Prov . G . M . Gibraltar , seconded , ™ election as joining members of the lodge Bros . _ MacLagan , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master Linhthgowsnui-,