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^^^' ¦ - ^^ w ^^ lwf- ^ Hi SATURDAY , J 9 , 1887 . *

Original Correpondence.

Original Correpondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed by o-iicorrespondents . but we wish in aspirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ] ——

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In the Jubilee number of the Freemason , which is undoubtedl y in appearance and contents a great success , and cannot fail to elicit admiration from all your numerous readers , I have read with pleasure that capital sketch of

the history of the Craft , its Institutions , appendant orders , & c , during the past 50 years , from the pen of Bro . G . B . Abbott , entitled "The Queen and the Craft . " I am not now about to attempt any criticism on that able article , far be from me any such intention , but I should like to call to the notice of those of your readers who are members of the Order the account of the present state of what

the writer terms "Masonic Knight Templary . " Bro . Abbott ' s article states , and I fear only too truly , that " the Order is not numerically strong , nor can it be described as being otherwise than in a condition of reputable quiescence . It has , at the outside , a muster roll of some 2500 members . " Just so ! very true I doubt not ; but , notwithstanding , the

question naturally arises in my mind—why so ? Is it that the Order possesses fewer claims to the patronage of enthusiastic Masons than the Mark , Rose Croix , or other Degrees which , like itself , are not actually recognised by the G . L . of England , but which , nevertheless , flourish and are popular among Craftsmen ? I cannot think so . Accept or reject as we please the

assumption ( for it is nothing more ) of the origin of the present Order being identical with that of the ancient Knights , who under a monastic vow fought in the crusadesin other words , let us believe or not that the Knights Templar of to-day are the lineal and legitimate descendants ( as an Order ) of the mediaeval Knights Templar—of one thing I am sure , that every Templar will agree with me

when I say that the ritual and ceremonies of the Urder are extremely and peculiarly beautiful and impressive . Anomalies certainly exist—for instance , the style of the members , "Sir Knight , " which unquestionably should be , as Col . VV . J . MacLeod Moore , S . G . M . Canada , stated some few months since in the "Canadian Craftsman , " either frater or brother , and some other points which

probably have occurred to other Templars besides myself ; but , allowing for all these , it seems to me very remarkable that the Rite should languish . We know that among the profane or outside world who are not Masons a strong feeling of admiration exists for the better institutions of the middle ages , and I am therefore quite at a loss to understand why this Order , which

may fairly be considered a historical one , since , according to one of the most eminent members , " it derives its legend from acknowledged secular and ecclesiastical history , and practises a ritual imitated from the oidinary Knightly ceremonial , affording instruction to those who join it , and inculcating a high moial and Christian principle to all its members , " should now be in the unenviable "

condition of reputable quiescence " in which your correspondent describes it . Pray note that I do not doubt the accuracy of this statement , but that the reason for this deplorable state of things is an unsolved mystery to me . To some few brethren perhaps the somewhat high fees—high , I mean , when compared with the minimum fees as fixed by their Constitutions in the Mark and Arch Degrees—have

proved prohibitive , but recently the minimum fee for being made a Knight Templar was reduced from live guineas to three guineas , so that if there has in the past existed such monetary obstruction to the influx , of some new members this can be said to exist no longer . I must draw this letter

to a close , as I fear it is already too long ; but I sincerely trust the influential meml ers of this most interesting Order will , taking into consideration its future prosperity or otherwise , be enabled to devise some means of making it more popular with Freemasons generally , and thereby rprrnir the Order with manv " sood men and true . "—Yours

faithfully , A DEVONSHIRE TEMPLAR . July 4 th .

A QUERY FOR LEGAL BRETHREN . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you kindly insert the following questions in the Freemason , and perhaps some brother versed in the

unwritten laws of Masonry will be so good as to reply to 1 st . ' —If a P . M ., in the absence of the W . M ., I . P . M ., and other P . M . ' s senior to himself , takes the . chair , should he cede it to thc I . P . M ., if the latter presents himself after the lodge is opened ?

2 nd . —Should a P . M . cede the chair to any P . M . senior to himself who enters the lodge after it is opened ?—I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours truly and fraternally , Buenos Ayres , 7 th June . P . M .

The Philadelphia Keystone for the 18 th ult .. contains a readable article entitled " Historical Grand Masters of New York , " in which the salient points in the Masonic careers of sundry of those Grand Masters are carefully noted or described . The Volunteer Review on Saturday last , when some 25 , 000 Metropolitan Volunteers marched past her

Majesty at Buckingham Palace , was a great success , and a general order from the Horse Guards expressing the Queen ' s admiration of the several Corps has already been issued . Great preparations are being made for the greater review at Aldershot to-morrow ( Saturday ) , when it is expected that from 60 , 000 to 70 , 000 Regulars , Militia , and Volunteers , will be present , and there is every reason to anticipate an equal amount of success as on last Saturday .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

< £ raft j & agonr | L HIGHBRIDGE . —Rural Philanthropic Lodge ( No . 291 ) . —On Friday afternoon , the ist inst ., lhe installation of Bro . ) . T . Dunsford as W . M . of the above lodge took place at the Railway Hotel , and was the occasion of one of the largest and most influential and representative gatherings of ' the members of the Craft that has overtaken place here . The W . M . elect was presented for installation

by Bros . A . Duckett , the I . P . M ., and Dr . H . M . Kemmis , P . M ., and the ceremony was very ably performed by the V . W . D . P . G . M ., Bro . R . C . Else , P . G . D . of England . The visiting brethren included Bros Rev . Charles G . Anderson , P . M . 135 , P . P . G . Chap . ; John C . Hunt , P . M . 135 , P . G . Sec ; C . Symons , P . M . 135 , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . B . Soper , P . M . 1 •* ,- ; , P . P . G . Purst . ; W . Adams , 261 , P . P . G . D . C ;

T . G . Williams , I . P . M . 261 ; W . Bidgood , P . M . 261 ; G . Ernest Alford , W . M . 1222 , * W . Reece , W . M . 1199 ; R . Jones , W . M . 1295 ; W . M . Rice , P . M . 1755 ; Samuel Spill , W . M . 973 ; W . A . Woodley , i 87 ; S . J . Laver , 1199 ; A . H . Stringfellow , J . D . 1197 ; andC . R . Humphrey , J . D . 2038 . Several letters and telegrams of congratulation addressed

to Bro . Dunsford , the W . M . elect , were read from other brethren throughout the province , including one from Bro . James Cook , P . M . 135 ( formerly Town Clerk of Bridgwater . ) The W . M . appointed and invested the following as his staff of officers for the year ensuing ; Bros . Arthur Duckett , I . P . M . ; T . Floyd Norris , S . W . ; C . L . Fry Edwards , P . G . Treas ., J . VV . ; Rev . J . C . Lyons , Chap . ;

J . Burnett , P M . Treas . ; E . Fry Wade , P . M . Sec . ; Dr . H . M . Kemmis , P . M ., D . C . ; T . H . Railton , S . D . ; Dr . Peskett , J . D . ; J . Bain Sincock , I . G . j T . M . Reed , Org . ; ] . Holmes and T . Hicks , Stewards ; andW . Woodward , Tyler . The banquet which followed , under the presidency of the VV . M ., was of a recherche description , reflecting much

credit on Bro . Kellaway , the guests being mote than 40 in number . The customary toast list was gone through , and in responding to that of "The P . G . Lodge , " the D . P . G . M . ( Bro . Else ) announced that the R . W . P . G . M . ( the Earl of Carnarvon ) would be present at the next meeting of the P . G . Lodge at Bridgwater , on Friday , the 15 th instant ,

when he hoped there would be a large muster of brethren from all parts of the province . Congratulations were exchanged on the fact that at the recent annual Festival in connection with the Boys' Masonic School , Bros . Duckett and Wade , P . M . 's , who went up as Stewards , contributed as large a sum as £ 130 from the Rural Philanthropic Lodge .

LEICESTER . —John of Gaunt Lodge ( No . 523 ) . —On St . John the Baptist Day , in accordance with time-honoured custom , the annual festival of this lodge was celebrated at Freemasons' Hall , when nearly 50 brethren were present . The chair was taken by Bro . George "Newsome , W . M ., and he was suppoitedon the dais by Bros . Wm . Kelly , F . S . A ., F . R . Hist . Soc , P . M .,

P . P . G . M . ; S . S . Partridge , P . M ., P . A . G . D . C . England , D . P . G . M . ; Geo . Toller , P . M ., P . G . S . B . England , P . D . P . G . M . ; H . Pickard Brown , I . P . M . ; J . T . Thorp , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W . ; Jos . Young , P . M ., Prov . J . G . W . ; and Rev . C . Henton Wood , M . A ., P . M . 1560 , P . P . G . C , Prov . G . Sec . Amongst the visitors were Bros . Carl Lowenstein , W . M . 1007 ; A . Gibson , P . M . ; W . H . Goodwin , W . VI .

1265 ; Samuel Knight , W . M . 1391 ; Geo . Jessop , W . M . 2028 ; R . Leaver , Boswell , and others . Immediately alter opening the lodge Bro . Kelly called attention to the honour recently done to the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland by the M . W . G . M . having , at the great Masonic gathering in the Albert Hall , conferred upon Bro . Partridge , D . P . G . M ., the rank of P . A . G . D C .

England , whereupon the brethren greeted the recipient with the usual honours . After confirming the minutes , approving tbe Treasurer ' s accounts , passing the Stewards' bills , and other formal business , Bro . J . G . Muidin , Prov . G . Steward , S . VV ., W . M . elect , was introduced to the retiring W . M ., who performed the installation ceremony , ably assisted by Bro . Thorp .

After the customary salutations the newly-installed Worshipful Master appointed and invested the following officers , viz . : Bros . T . G . Charlesworth , S . W . ; ] . B . Waring , J . VV . ; F . J . Baines , P . P . S . G . W ., P . M ., Treas . ( re-elected ); W . H . Barrow , Mus . Bac , F . C . O ., Prov . G . O ., Sec ; S . Barfield ( absent ) , S . D . ; A . E . Brice , J . D . ; G . Brocklebank , D . C . ; S . Taylor , I . G . ; Alex . Lawrence , Org . ; W . Bream and T . B . Neale ,

Stwds . ; and T . Dunn and A . B . Derrick , Tylers . A P . M . ' s jewel of unique design was presented to Bro . Newsome by the veteran , Bro . Kelly , on behalf of the lodge . Bro . Thorp was again re-appointed Preceptor to the Union Lodge of Instruction . On the proposition of Bro . Kelly , it was unanimously resolved to ask Bro . Partridge's acceptance of the complimentary gift of Grand Lodge

cloihing ( undress ) , from his mother lodge , in commemoration of the honour conferred by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales selecting him for P . G . L . rank , it being understood that Prov . Grand Lodge would supplement the gilt by providing the full dress clothing and jewel . After various apologies had been tendered , the lodge was duly closed , subsequent to which was the customary

banquet , when additional brethren were present . 'I he usual Masonic toasts were fraternally received and responded to , and the newly-installed W . M . greeted the brethren in " ye antiente lovynge cup . " A noticeable feature in the table decorations was an unusually suitable menu card ( specially provided by Bro . George Kenning ) , having reference tothe Queen ' s Jubilee

year . Some excellent music was discoursed by Bros . Barrow , Birch , Laxton , Page , and others . CROWLE . —Isle of Axholme Lodge ( No . 1482 ) . —Few lodges can show so satisfactory a record , for recent years , at any rate in Lincolnshire , as regards successful work as the Isle of Axholme Lodge , originated at Epworth ,

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

but now meeting at Crowle . The installation gathering held at the latter town , on Tuesday last , will not easil y be forgotten by any of the brethren then present . At the meeting of the lodge at the earlier part of the afternoon Bro . the Rev . Le Gassick was raised to the sublime degree ota W . M . Bro . Stainforth , P . M ., P . P . G . P ., doing thechief part of the work . Then followed the principal business of

the day , Bro . T . C . Horobin , W . M ., having , after a short adjournment , resumed the work of the Iodge , expressed the gratification he felt at the manner in which all their officers and the members of the lodge had worked during his year of office , and congratulated the lodge at the degree of prosperity to which the lodge had attained . Yielding the chair to Bro . Walker , P . M . 242 , P . P . G . D .

West Yorks , the installing Master . He expressed the hope that under the new W . M . they would continue to prosper . H . B . Bellerby , S . W ' ., having been presented , the Installing Master , Bro . Walker , gave the customary charges . Then the work proceeded , and probably in the many installations in which he had taken a prominent part , never had Bro . Walker better succeeded . The W . M . invested the following officers : Bros . T . C .

Horobin , I . P . M . ; Chamberlain , S . VV . ; VV . Burtonshaw , J . W . ; Watson , Treas . ; R . VVood , P . M ., P . G . Std . Br ., Sec ; Le Gassick , Chap . ; J . Constable , S . D . ; Behrende , J . D . j H . Burtonshaw , Org . ; W . Hemmingbrough , P . M ., P . P . G . Swd . Br ., D . C ; Drury , Std . Br . j Steinforth , P . M ., P . P . G . P ., Almoner j Brumjee , I . G . j Fox , Charity Steward ; Faulkner , Colman , Petch , and Pickeiing , Stwds . ; Nayler , Tyler ; Hemingbrough , Treas ; and Ashlin , Sec .

The proeedings were , at this state , interrupted by thc Installing Master asking , with the W . M . ' s permission , Bro . Horobin to invest another officer , and Bro . Horobin proceeded to present Bro . Stainlorth with a Past Prov . Officer ' s jewel as a token of the great esteem and regard in which he is held , and also in testimony of the excellent work he bad done in the lodge as well as in lhe province .

Bro . Steinforth briefly replied , referring to the very unexpected way in which the presentation had been made , he having had no intimation beforehand . At the same time , he said that few—if any—brethren valued the friendship of the members of the Isle of Axholme Lodge more than he did . From them he had received many and lasting kindnesses , which he could never efface from his memory so

long as memory existed . The Worshipful Master read a resolution of congratulation passed by his mother lodge ( Agncola , York ) , on the members of that lodge learning of his election to the Worshipful Mastership ot the Isle of Axholme Lodge . Visitors fiom the VVest , North and East Ridings of Yorkshire , as well as from other provinces , and several of the

Lincolnshire lodges having congratulated the VV . M . on his installation , the lodge was closed in peace and harmony . The brethren then adjourned to the Crowle Market Hall , where , under the superintendence of Bro . Bellerby , W . M . ( who was ably supported by his Wardens , Bros . Chamberlain and W . Burtonshaw ) , a very successful banquet was held .

The Worshipful Master , in giving the toast of " Thc Queen and the Craft , " alluded to tne magnificent way in which all classes had joined in the recent Jubilee . It showed that though there might be divisions on cerlain points , yet in regard to their attachment to the throne all were agreed . The toast of " The M . W . Grand Master and the Grand Officers" was received with enthusiasm , reference being made to the grand gathering at the Albert Hall on the 13 th ult .

The Worshipful Master then gave " The Provincial Officers , " alluding briefly to the honour paid to Lincolnshire by the investiture of Bro . Sissions with Past Grand rank , complimenting Bro . Major Smythe on his able administration of the affairs of the province , and expressed the belief that few , if any , provinces could show a better staff of officers than Lincolnshire .

Bro . Taylor , P . P . G . R ., responded , remarking that in the affairs ot the Isle of Axholme Lodge the P . G . M . and his Deputy , as well as the Secretary , took a keen interest . He , as one of the founders of that lodge , congratulated the brethren on the degree of prosperity to which they had attained , and assured them that all senior brethren were anxious that they should continue to prosper .

Bro . Tasker , P . M ., gave "The Worshipful Master , " saying that he had very great pleasure in once more being among Crowle brethren . He congratulated the lodge on the choice they had made in Bro . Bellerby , a Mason ol undoubted ability , and possessing an amount of Masonic zeal which was characteristic of his disposition . Ceitainly the lodge at Crowle never started a year under better auspices

than at the present time . The toast having been received with enthusiasm , Bro . Ezra Gooderidge , P . M ., sung the " Master's Song . " Bro . Bellerby responded in an able speech in which hc referred to the genial , hearty good fellowship that existed at Crowle and expressing hope that the selection of officers which he had made , with the assistance of the Past

Masters , would meet with the general approval of the members of the lodge . He need hardly remind them , he added , of the necessity there existed for all uniting in the work which they have to do , for he felt sure that from the junior to the senior member of the lodge they were only anxious to do their duty and forward the true interests of the Craft .

To the toast of "The Installing Master , " given in able terms by Bio . Wood , P . M ., Bro . Walker , in reply , said that after having installed every Master in that lodge save the first , he felt after seeing the ability with which their new Master was doing his work that * 'Othello ' s occupation is gone . " _ Still he should be always willing to do what he could , and in no Iodge in which he installed did he see

so much interest taken in the ceremony as in 1482 . Bro . Gardiner , P . M ., P . P . D . C , W . M ., proposed " The Masonic Charities , " to which Bro . Baldwin , W . M . St , Cuthberts Lodge , replied in felicitous terms . To the toast of "The I . P . M . " Bro . Howlin spoke , briefly describing the impression made upon him by the Grand Master of Masons he had witnessed recently " the Albert Hall .

The other toasts included " The Visiting Brethren , ' responded to by Bros . Rev . Wm , Bownie , and Foster , W . " w * 458 ; " 1 he Officers ot the Lodge , " and the Tyler ' s toast . Ihe proceedings were enlivened by songs irom tJf * Webb , Gooderidge , Kingdon , Foster , Kanes , P . M ., eoX , and several other brethren . Bro . Davson accompanied .