Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
LEADERS 6 7 Supreme Grand Chapter 68 The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ( Conti ' nueit ) 68 Modern Rosicrucianism 6 9 CORRESPONDENCEThe Election of Grand Treasurer 71 The Stewards for the Benevolent Festival 72
A Mysterious Inscription 72 The Hughan Testimonial 72 Provincial Honours 72 Royal Arch Queries 72 The Connection of King Solomon with Freemasonry 72 The Military Service and Masonry . —A Query 72 Historical Chairs 72 Review * 72
Notes and Queries 7 ' Royal Masonic Institution for Hoys 73 Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire 73 Visit of the Duke of Albany to Durham ... 74 West Lincashire Masonic Educational Institution 75 The Recent Visit of American Knights Temlar to York 75
Masonic Balls 73 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 75 Instruction 77 Royal Arch 78 Mark Masonry 78 Australia 78 The Theatres 78 Masonic and General Tidings 74 Lodge Meetings for Next Week So
Ar00101
WE have often observed that the support of our Charities is neither commensurate with the Masonic vitality of our lodges nor the needs of our great Institutions themselves , but as some "Statistics " as to what lodges arc doing for the support of one of our Metropolitan Charities have lately fallen under our eye , and though neither complete in themselves nor exhaustive
as regards all the Charities combined , we deem it well specially to call attention to them , because we think they may be fairly assumed to be a fair test and gauge of what our lodges and chapters are really doing for the best of all work , and to be approximately correct at any rate as to the general result and outcome of lodge zeal and chapter energy on behalf of one
of our Masonic Charities . That is to say they fairly represent the margin of apathy and do-nothingness . If indeed these figures fall short in this special respect or that , if they are deficient as regards one Charity or another , they yet , we repeat , give an entirely reliable general " Coup d'ecil" of Masonic Charity as developed and exercized in our lodges and
chapters at this very hour . It would seem then , —if we leave out the " Chapters , " as their returns are altogether insignificant , —that out of 2000 lodges on our roll 215 only seem actively employed in supporting the charitable work , especially of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Now these 215 returning lodges come under the following divisions , and it is
interesting to note how the older and younger lodges do not come out so badly , when from 600 to 1200 there is a region of apparently what the French call "Sommeil . " Thus from No . 1 to 100 there are 28 returning lodges ; 100 to 200 , 20 ; 200 to 300 , 13 ; 300 to 400 , 9 ; 400 to s °° > " 5 500 to 600 , 8 , In all up to this point , 89 . From No . 600 to 700 , 3 ; 700 to
800 , 7 ; 80010900 , 8 ; 900 to 1000 , 7 ; 1000 to 1100 , 2 ; 1100 to 1200 , 4 , in all for this division , 31 . Bene notancla est . From No . 1200 to 1300 , 12 ; 130010 1400 , 9 ; 1400 to 1500 , 10 ; 1500 to 1600 , 13 ; 1600 to 1700 , 18 ; 1700 to 1800 , 14 ; 1800 to 1900 , 8 ; 1900 to 2000 , 10 . This third list returns we sec 95 ; in all , as we said before , 215 . The Stewards in
no way represent the real number of lodges remitting , as the " unattached" Stewards and duplicate and triplicate Stewards swell the list . Now , we invite the attention of our readers and the Craft to these figures , for they are both striking and startling , —must wc not add alarming ? —in the highest degree . Assuming that Bro . BIXCKES repeats his great
success and claims another 100 remitting lodges , What is that number compared to the 2000 lodges on our roll ? If we could suppose that different lodges were represented at the three Festivals in succession , that would indeed g ive a result of which few could complain . Neither can anyone find fault with the noble results of eaqh year ' s work in our Festival returns .
They are in themselves very striking and moving facts , and reflect the greatest credit on our warm-hearted Fraternity . Compared with all other charitable meetings and returns , they place them in the shade and afford a most serious contrast . But the weak point is here . The same lodges remit year by year ; the same Stewards come up year by year ; a large proportion
of our lodges make no return year by year . Now , there is no lodge so poor that it cannot do something . There is no lodge , we believe , with so little appreciation of Masonic principle and practice that , if the matter is clearly put before it , it will not at once set about to remedy an admitted shortcoming , to amend an undoubted error , to make up for an admitted defect .
We trust that when our good brethren have sufficiently " digested " the above reality , so clearly brought home to them , they will set to work to put in an appearance at the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival . We trust speedily to announce a considerable accession to the number of Stewards . They now number 252 .
* # » WE wish to call attention to three special points in the statistics above quoted . It will be seen that our 2000 lodges may be fairly divided into sections . The first—from 1 to 600—is doing something ; the second—from 600 to 1200—is doing positively nothing ; and the third—from 1200 and
Ar00102
2000—is again doing a little . But one fact is clear and stern , —that the lodges from 1000 to 1100 have only two remitting lodges , and as the members of these lodges may be said to be among the old and seasoned lodges of our Order , this deficiency in charitable effort suggests many painful thoughts . Wc must be honest in the Freemason , and we must add that
these figures arc not pleasant ones , and we fear tell a tale of lodge weakness which to all experienced and thoughtful Masons must be patent and serious . It has been asserted for some time that many lodges spend too much on the social circle and loo little 011 charity ; that many lodges are extravagant and even reckless ; that a considerable number are in debt to
their Treasurers ; and that a large proportion do nothing whatever annually for charity of any hind . Let us hope that these assertions are somewhat onesided and exaggerated , and that , as there is nothing perfect or infallible here , wc may frankly admit there may be here and there apathetic lodges and defective balance-sheets . But to the general and remarkable
outcome of charity exhibited by our good old Order we must give credit and extend admiration . Wc feel sure that these " spots in our feasts of charity" will speedily disappear when Masonic public opinion w aroused and directed to the point . Wc will conclude this article by repeating an oft expressed opinion of ours in other forms and verbiage . A' 0
lodge is doing its duty in its hour and generation , acting up to its light , improving its opportunities , or realising its professions , which does nothing for our great Masonic Charities year by year . There are of course exceptional
positions and circumstances for all lodges , but the adage we have ventured to submit to our readers is alike normal in respect to Masonic teaching and performance , and absolutely essential for the true progress and real value of Freemasonry in the world .
» , .
Wii have read another publication of the Grand Chapter of Quebec without at all altering our original view on the subject , though we are always open , wc hope , to argument and right reason . Indeed , wc think the last "deliverance " of the Grand Chapter of Quebec leaves the matter more obscure than it was before , and affords not a few presumptions that the Grand Mark
Lodge of England is right in the course it has adopted . A fact which seems to be forgotten is this , and which constitutes a great " factor" in the discussion , namely , that the connection of the " Mark " with the "Arch " is entirely disapproved of by English Masons , and very properly so , as it is altogether incongruous , unsound , and untenable , in our opinion . The Grand
Mark Lodge is only legislating for members of English lodges who wish to be Mark Masons , and has no concern with any other ; indeed , those lodges are not permitted to receive any brethren who do not hold Grand Lodge of England certificates . It is impossible for members of English Royal Arch chapters to place themselves under the Grand Chapter of Quebec ,
because it equally challenges the right of English chapters and the English Provincial Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons . The Grand Mark Lodge therefore keeps up the system in Canada in vogue in England , as it has a right to do . The Grand Chapter of Quebec can claim no rights over English lodges and over English Royal Arch Masons
still holding to the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England , and " pari ratione " the Grand Mark Lodge is not going outside its rights in allowing English Masons and English Masons alone in Canada to form English Mark Lodges in correspondence with the English Grand Mark Lodge . Of course by way of reply the " Recognition " is pleaded , but may
we ask what did that recognise r Did it admit the sole and supreme authority of the Grand Chapter of Quebec over English Mark Masons in Canada ? If it did not do so , we cannot say or see that it has exceeded its powers or abandoned any jurisdiction it may claim to possess . It may be probably true that the Grand Chapter of Quebec assumed and asserted that
such constituted the form and force of Recognition ; but did the English Grand Mark Lodge do so ? From the correspondence we doubt it , and it seems " stat pro ratione voluntas . " This position was far too readily assumed , we repeat , as it appears to us by the Grand Chapter of Quebec
and without any admission or consent from England . We are among those who have always objected to the " inclusion" of the " Mark" with the "Arch , " and never professed to understand why the Grand Mark Lodge of England recognized a system so opposed to its own as that worked by the Grand Chapter of Quebec .
»*»
AN amusing " skit " by Bro . SPETH seems to have aroused some questions and attracted some attention , from letters before us . It is quite clear that our esteemed brother has recently made the acquaintance of the great Professor TEUFELDRSCH , in his German researches , and has sought to import into our pages full of duller lodge reports , and normal lodge speeches , & c , a lighter element , and a genial and witty contribution .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
LEADERS 6 7 Supreme Grand Chapter 68 The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ( Conti ' nueit ) 68 Modern Rosicrucianism 6 9 CORRESPONDENCEThe Election of Grand Treasurer 71 The Stewards for the Benevolent Festival 72
A Mysterious Inscription 72 The Hughan Testimonial 72 Provincial Honours 72 Royal Arch Queries 72 The Connection of King Solomon with Freemasonry 72 The Military Service and Masonry . —A Query 72 Historical Chairs 72 Review * 72
Notes and Queries 7 ' Royal Masonic Institution for Hoys 73 Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire 73 Visit of the Duke of Albany to Durham ... 74 West Lincashire Masonic Educational Institution 75 The Recent Visit of American Knights Temlar to York 75
Masonic Balls 73 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 75 Instruction 77 Royal Arch 78 Mark Masonry 78 Australia 78 The Theatres 78 Masonic and General Tidings 74 Lodge Meetings for Next Week So
Ar00101
WE have often observed that the support of our Charities is neither commensurate with the Masonic vitality of our lodges nor the needs of our great Institutions themselves , but as some "Statistics " as to what lodges arc doing for the support of one of our Metropolitan Charities have lately fallen under our eye , and though neither complete in themselves nor exhaustive
as regards all the Charities combined , we deem it well specially to call attention to them , because we think they may be fairly assumed to be a fair test and gauge of what our lodges and chapters are really doing for the best of all work , and to be approximately correct at any rate as to the general result and outcome of lodge zeal and chapter energy on behalf of one
of our Masonic Charities . That is to say they fairly represent the margin of apathy and do-nothingness . If indeed these figures fall short in this special respect or that , if they are deficient as regards one Charity or another , they yet , we repeat , give an entirely reliable general " Coup d'ecil" of Masonic Charity as developed and exercized in our lodges and
chapters at this very hour . It would seem then , —if we leave out the " Chapters , " as their returns are altogether insignificant , —that out of 2000 lodges on our roll 215 only seem actively employed in supporting the charitable work , especially of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Now these 215 returning lodges come under the following divisions , and it is
interesting to note how the older and younger lodges do not come out so badly , when from 600 to 1200 there is a region of apparently what the French call "Sommeil . " Thus from No . 1 to 100 there are 28 returning lodges ; 100 to 200 , 20 ; 200 to 300 , 13 ; 300 to 400 , 9 ; 400 to s °° > " 5 500 to 600 , 8 , In all up to this point , 89 . From No . 600 to 700 , 3 ; 700 to
800 , 7 ; 80010900 , 8 ; 900 to 1000 , 7 ; 1000 to 1100 , 2 ; 1100 to 1200 , 4 , in all for this division , 31 . Bene notancla est . From No . 1200 to 1300 , 12 ; 130010 1400 , 9 ; 1400 to 1500 , 10 ; 1500 to 1600 , 13 ; 1600 to 1700 , 18 ; 1700 to 1800 , 14 ; 1800 to 1900 , 8 ; 1900 to 2000 , 10 . This third list returns we sec 95 ; in all , as we said before , 215 . The Stewards in
no way represent the real number of lodges remitting , as the " unattached" Stewards and duplicate and triplicate Stewards swell the list . Now , we invite the attention of our readers and the Craft to these figures , for they are both striking and startling , —must wc not add alarming ? —in the highest degree . Assuming that Bro . BIXCKES repeats his great
success and claims another 100 remitting lodges , What is that number compared to the 2000 lodges on our roll ? If we could suppose that different lodges were represented at the three Festivals in succession , that would indeed g ive a result of which few could complain . Neither can anyone find fault with the noble results of eaqh year ' s work in our Festival returns .
They are in themselves very striking and moving facts , and reflect the greatest credit on our warm-hearted Fraternity . Compared with all other charitable meetings and returns , they place them in the shade and afford a most serious contrast . But the weak point is here . The same lodges remit year by year ; the same Stewards come up year by year ; a large proportion
of our lodges make no return year by year . Now , there is no lodge so poor that it cannot do something . There is no lodge , we believe , with so little appreciation of Masonic principle and practice that , if the matter is clearly put before it , it will not at once set about to remedy an admitted shortcoming , to amend an undoubted error , to make up for an admitted defect .
We trust that when our good brethren have sufficiently " digested " the above reality , so clearly brought home to them , they will set to work to put in an appearance at the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival . We trust speedily to announce a considerable accession to the number of Stewards . They now number 252 .
* # » WE wish to call attention to three special points in the statistics above quoted . It will be seen that our 2000 lodges may be fairly divided into sections . The first—from 1 to 600—is doing something ; the second—from 600 to 1200—is doing positively nothing ; and the third—from 1200 and
Ar00102
2000—is again doing a little . But one fact is clear and stern , —that the lodges from 1000 to 1100 have only two remitting lodges , and as the members of these lodges may be said to be among the old and seasoned lodges of our Order , this deficiency in charitable effort suggests many painful thoughts . Wc must be honest in the Freemason , and we must add that
these figures arc not pleasant ones , and we fear tell a tale of lodge weakness which to all experienced and thoughtful Masons must be patent and serious . It has been asserted for some time that many lodges spend too much on the social circle and loo little 011 charity ; that many lodges are extravagant and even reckless ; that a considerable number are in debt to
their Treasurers ; and that a large proportion do nothing whatever annually for charity of any hind . Let us hope that these assertions are somewhat onesided and exaggerated , and that , as there is nothing perfect or infallible here , wc may frankly admit there may be here and there apathetic lodges and defective balance-sheets . But to the general and remarkable
outcome of charity exhibited by our good old Order we must give credit and extend admiration . Wc feel sure that these " spots in our feasts of charity" will speedily disappear when Masonic public opinion w aroused and directed to the point . Wc will conclude this article by repeating an oft expressed opinion of ours in other forms and verbiage . A' 0
lodge is doing its duty in its hour and generation , acting up to its light , improving its opportunities , or realising its professions , which does nothing for our great Masonic Charities year by year . There are of course exceptional
positions and circumstances for all lodges , but the adage we have ventured to submit to our readers is alike normal in respect to Masonic teaching and performance , and absolutely essential for the true progress and real value of Freemasonry in the world .
» , .
Wii have read another publication of the Grand Chapter of Quebec without at all altering our original view on the subject , though we are always open , wc hope , to argument and right reason . Indeed , wc think the last "deliverance " of the Grand Chapter of Quebec leaves the matter more obscure than it was before , and affords not a few presumptions that the Grand Mark
Lodge of England is right in the course it has adopted . A fact which seems to be forgotten is this , and which constitutes a great " factor" in the discussion , namely , that the connection of the " Mark " with the "Arch " is entirely disapproved of by English Masons , and very properly so , as it is altogether incongruous , unsound , and untenable , in our opinion . The Grand
Mark Lodge is only legislating for members of English lodges who wish to be Mark Masons , and has no concern with any other ; indeed , those lodges are not permitted to receive any brethren who do not hold Grand Lodge of England certificates . It is impossible for members of English Royal Arch chapters to place themselves under the Grand Chapter of Quebec ,
because it equally challenges the right of English chapters and the English Provincial Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons . The Grand Mark Lodge therefore keeps up the system in Canada in vogue in England , as it has a right to do . The Grand Chapter of Quebec can claim no rights over English lodges and over English Royal Arch Masons
still holding to the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England , and " pari ratione " the Grand Mark Lodge is not going outside its rights in allowing English Masons and English Masons alone in Canada to form English Mark Lodges in correspondence with the English Grand Mark Lodge . Of course by way of reply the " Recognition " is pleaded , but may
we ask what did that recognise r Did it admit the sole and supreme authority of the Grand Chapter of Quebec over English Mark Masons in Canada ? If it did not do so , we cannot say or see that it has exceeded its powers or abandoned any jurisdiction it may claim to possess . It may be probably true that the Grand Chapter of Quebec assumed and asserted that
such constituted the form and force of Recognition ; but did the English Grand Mark Lodge do so ? From the correspondence we doubt it , and it seems " stat pro ratione voluntas . " This position was far too readily assumed , we repeat , as it appears to us by the Grand Chapter of Quebec
and without any admission or consent from England . We are among those who have always objected to the " inclusion" of the " Mark" with the "Arch , " and never professed to understand why the Grand Mark Lodge of England recognized a system so opposed to its own as that worked by the Grand Chapter of Quebec .
»*»
AN amusing " skit " by Bro . SPETH seems to have aroused some questions and attracted some attention , from letters before us . It is quite clear that our esteemed brother has recently made the acquaintance of the great Professor TEUFELDRSCH , in his German researches , and has sought to import into our pages full of duller lodge reports , and normal lodge speeches , & c , a lighter element , and a genial and witty contribution .