Masonic Notes.

Cricklewood Lodge , and , as its name indicates , will doubtless comply with the requirements of the Constitutions , and the desires of the founders , in being " for the convenience of our respective dwellings

and other good reasons , " while Bro . Willing can be trusted to fulfil the other conditions— " to exert our best endeavours to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of our art . "

* * * A special Masonic musical service was held on Sunday afternoon at the Bishop Lee Memorial Church , St . Mary ' s , Beswick . A dispensation had been granted by Bro . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie ,

D . L ., Prov . G . M . of East Lancashire , to permit the brethren to wear Masonic regalia . Bro . J . H . Greenwood presided at the organ , and there was full choral service rendered by the large and efficient choir of the

parish . Madame Webster and Miss Robberds sang special selections from various oratorios . The sermon was preached by the rector , Bro . Rev . E . Bigoe Bagot , Prov . G . Chap . East Lancashire .

* * * It is hardly possible to avoid making some small mistake in the necessarily hurried account we give annually of the past services rendered by the newlyappointed Grand Officers . Thus in the case of the

Junior Grand Warden , Bro . Lord Alfred Churchill , we said that his lordshi p became a joining member of Lodge 1145 , whereas it should have been of the

Marquis of Dalhousie Lodge , No . 1159 , of which he is still a member . Again , we stated that Bro . Vallentine was exalted in the R . A . Chapter Orpheus , No . 1706 , whereas it was in the All Saints Chapter , No . 1716 .

9 F 9 F TF Two other instances have been brought to our notice . One is that of Bro . R . C . Sudlow , whom we described as Past Prov . S . G . W ., instead of Past Prov . S . G . D . of Kent , and of whom we ought also to have

added that he was the immediate P . Z . of the Old King ' s Arms Chapter , No . 28 . The other is that of Bro . T . B . Whytehead , whom we should have described as having been initiated in New Zealand in 18 70 , and as having , on his return to England the following year ,

joined the York Lodge , No . 236 . We ought also to have added that he was one of the founders and first S . W . of the Albert Victor Lodge , No . 2328 , York . For these errors of omission and commission , though we consider they are excusable under the circumstances , we most willingly express regret for their occurrence .

* * * There is also the case of Bro . W . F . Smithson , one of the new Junior Grand Deacons , to whose services in connection with the Charity work of the province to which he belongs—West Yorkshire—we paid no more

than a just compliment , but whose precise position in the West Yorkshire Charity Committee we described erroneously . We said he was " the Secretary of the Masonic Charity Organisation of his province , " by which , as the context shows , we meant that he was

Secretary of the Association Committee , or Organisation , which watched over the election of West Yorkshire candidates , and aroused among the brethren in the province a deep interest in the several Charities . It seems , however , that we ought to have described

the body we had in mind as the West Yorkshire Charity Committee " and Bro . Smithson as its Chairman for the last five years , after having acted for a previous five years as its Vice-Chairman . Therefore ,

Bro . Smithson ' s services in this quarter have extended over 10 years , and they have been rendered in a hi gher and more commanding position than we assigned to him . For this slip we beg to express to Bro . Smithson our regret .

The number of brethren now constituting the Board of Stewards for the 102 nd Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls is 243 , or seven more

than it was at the corresponding period in last week . This is a smaller increase than we had looked for , but it augurs favourably for our prognostication that the Board will ultimately be quite 250 strong .

* * * The Canadian Craftsman having in one of its April articles very keenly criticised the accounts of the Board of Relief of Toronto , concludes b y remarking '' whether the Board ot Relief has outlived its

usefulness or requires simply new bbod and abetter Masonic spirit is a question for the consideration of the Craft in Toronto . " It strikes us there is a still more important question to be considered , namely , whether members of

the Toronto Board of Relief should not be compelled to take lessons in book-keeping until they can prepare a statement of accounts which is intelli gible by the brethren to whom it is issued .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

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

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother ,

Kindly permit me to say that I will g ladly receive from those who can spare them , votes for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on behalf of Mrs . Mary Cooke , by whose husband I was initiated into Freemasonry some 30 odd years ago .

I am , fraternally yours , JOHN B . MONCKTON . Guildhall , E . C , May 5 .

Reviews

REVIEWS

FREEMASONS' CALENDAR AND DIRECTORY FOR THE PROVINCE OF OXFORDSHIRE ,

1890-91 . Bro . W . R . Bowden , W . M . 1515 , the editor and publisher of this vade mecum for Oxon , has no lack of official patronage for his excellent directory , and , moreover , he has laboured so assiduously on behalf of his province for many years past that he surely should

obtain all possible encouragement from the leading Masonic " dons " of Oxfordshire . The present issue is on the same lines precisely as the later numbers of the publication under Bro . Bowden ' s editorship , only this year it is adorned with a capital photo of Bro . the Earl of Jersey . " It is the supreme pleasure of the

editor this year to present to the brethren of the province an excellent portrait of the Prov . G . M ., with his kind permission ; " a boon we feel certain all the members will appreciate , especially as it is particularly well done . The 11 lodges in the province return 572 members in all , being an increase on last year ,

which yielded but 543- The four R . A . chapters have 17 8 members , and appear to be well supported generally . The various rolls of officers and past officers of these bodies represent a brilliant galaxy of Masonic worthies , and the officers and past officers of the province are alike suggestive of " high degree . " From

18 75 to 188 9 the large sum of ^ 4718 14 s ., raised for the Charities , indicates that Oxford , Masonically speaking , is active in the support of our Benevolent Institutions , as well as illustrious in its membership . Various reports and the list of the votes in the Central

Masonic Charities , & c , add much to the usefulness of the calendar , and prove that Bro . Bowden spares no pains as editor to render his annual as complete and accurate as possible . Eighteen stamps sent to him at High-street , Oxford , will secure a copy of the directory , and we hope a few , at least , will be sent for .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

8 94 ] A CURIOUS MEDAL . Referring to " Lex Scripta ' s" medal [ 888 ] mentioned in your issue of the 26 th ult ., 1 know it , but do not possess one in my collection . Marvin , the greatest authority on Masonic medals , refers to it in his " Medals of the Masonic Fraternity , " in a note on

spurious Masonic medals , in the following terms '•There is another piece , mentioned by Merzdorf , of which I have an impression , that may very easily be mistaken for a Masonic , and may , therefore , properly be described here . The obverse has a beehive on a low platform , with shrubs on either side , and the

legend CHAMBRE DES ENTREPRENEURS DE MACONNERIE ( Chamber of Master of workmen in Masonry ) . In exergue—ROGAT . Reverse — a wreath of oak enclosing the inscription in three lines LE 13—JANVIER—1810 ( January 13 , 1810 ) . It is octagonal , of bronze , and size 21 . It has , as Merzdorf

remarks , only an apparent connection with the Fraternity , having been struck for some gathering of operative Masons in Paris early in the present century . The reverse is found with an obverse apparently bearing a still closer connection with the Order , the compasses , plumb , and rule being interlaced , and the

legend REUNION DES ENTREPRENEURS DE MACONNERIE DE PARIS , and under the device L'AN 1810 JALEY FECIT . This latter obverse is also muled with one or more reverses unnecessary to describe . " These medals are engraved in Tresor Numismatiqtie , Napoleon plate 46 , Nos . 11 and 12 . I

should hesitate very much before admitting it as Masonic . I have carefully searched Chariot ' s LTndicateur de la Teune des Loges a L'Orient de Paris for the year 1809 , but can find no lodge of any such name . Would '' Lex Scripta " forward it to me to the address below to examine . I might then be able to give him a clue to further information .

GEO . L . SHACKLES , Member of the Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle . 7 , Land of Green Ginger , Hull .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

89 S ] AN OLD JEWEL . The square and compasses , of which a sketch is here given , was presented to the Quatuor Coronati Lodge by Lieutenant Carr , H . M . S . Scout , and Colonel M . Ramsay , Dist . G . M . of Malta , conjointly . Its history is briefly as follows : The family of Bro . Lieut . Carr owns property in Corfu , and , as the Scout was cruising

off the island last summer , our brother ran over to see the estate . The gentleman in charge showed him a large collection of coins and vessels of the 8 th and 9 th centuries , which had recently been unearthed in digging out new wine vaults . Among these relics was

the jewel in question . He was allowed to keep possession of it , as of no intrinsic value , but the rest of the find was claimed by the Greek Government . On his return to Malta he offered it to Col . Ramsay , but , at the Iatter ' s suggestion , it was decided to deposit it

with the Quatuor Coronati . The jewel is of bronze , and very much corroded , and there can scarcel y be a doubt that it is Masonic . Its age , however , is difficult to ascertainwith anycertainty . The other relics found with it are no guide at all , or rather , may be very misleading , because , in most places that have had a succession of

occupants , antiquities are generally found of all the periods of the occupiers ; much depends on the various levels at which they occur , and information is always vague on this point . In this case it is altogether absent . Any attempt at a decision is , therefore , merely

a matter of opinion based upon general appearances , but experts in such matters , including the British Museum authorities , are inclined to ascribe it to the 17 th century—a very early date for a jewel of this form .

G . W . SPETH , P . M ., Sec . Quatuor Coronati . 896 ] OLD MASONIC JUGS .

The correspondence recently published in your columns on this matter has been of a most interesting and instructive character . I am the fortunate owner of two old Masonic jugs , which , with your permission , I will endeavour to describe . I must , however , first state that I am entirely ignorant of everything relating

to the ceramic art , so that if Bro . Capt . Walls or Bro . Ferguson can tell me anything about them , I shall be greatly obliged . They are similar in every respect , except as to size—one holds about two and the other about five pints . On one side and to the left is depicted a ruined church or abbey ; between two

of the arches enclosed by a heavy moulding , a female figure holding , what I take to be , an infant . This , I presume , is a representation of the Virgin Mary and Our Lord . In the foreground there is a monk , sitting on a piece of the ruin with folded hands , looking up at the Virgin Mary . Other pieces of the ruin

lay scattered around ; to the right is a river with a bridge , and in the middle distance a fortress , or castle , on the brink of the river , with a mountain in the far distance ; the whole surrounded by a rooted tree . On the other side of the jug is the Masonic part—a mosaic pavement raised on three steps , at the further end of

which is the letter G within an irradiated triangle ; above this and between two pillars the compasses on a chevron , between three castles—two over one . The crest is an arm holding a trowel towards the left . Above these a curved and floriated ribbon , bearing legend Amor honor et justitia . and a representation of a man ,

evidently a Worshipful Master , sitting in a chair , clothed with an apron , having on a collar with square attached , and holding in his left hand a pair of compasses . By his side a sun-dial ; to his left part of the radiant sun , and to his right a crescent moon , surrounded by seven stars . To the right of the pavement , and standing on

a pedestal , his feet forming a square , " another figure clothed with an apron and wearing a collar and level . Near his feet a square , pair of compasses , a MS ., the capital of a broken pillar , and a pinnacle supporting a sphere . The pedestal seems to be resting on a species of floriated bracket , from which hangs a protractor ,

enclosing an irradiated face . To the left is a similar pedestal , on which stands another clothed figure , with an apron and a collar and a plumb rule on . At his feet a beehive , the capital of another broken pillar , a pair of compasses , and what I take to be " the Volume of the Sacred Law , " and a similar pinnacle and sphere

to the other . From the bracket on this side hangs a pair of crossed pens , enclosed by a ribbon . On the top step of the mosaic pavement are three lights , at either corner a rough ashlar with a gavel on it , and a perfect ashlar with lewis attached . On a ribbon traversing three sides of the pavement the legend SIT