The Craft In The House Of Commons.

THE CRAFT IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS .

In one of our recent numbers we mentioned in a Note that Freemasonry vvas very strongly represented in Lord SALISBURY'S administration , there being as many as nine members of his lordship ' s Cabinet who have attained to positions of eminence

in the Craft , while among Ministers below Cabinet rank are to be found several who have more or less distinguished themselves as Craftsmen . Since then we have glanced down the list of members of the newly-elected House of Commons , and there ,

too , we have found a large number of them who are Masons , while it is more than probable there are many others , of whose connection with , or status in , our Society we have no knowledge . At all events , as it is a matter which can hardly fail to interest

our readers , we give the names of those M . Ps . who we know or have good reason to believe—are Masons . Among Cabinet Ministers are included Bros . Sir M . E . HICKS-BEACH , Bart ., Chancellor ofthe Exchequer , who sits for one ofthe Divisions , of

Bristol , and is Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire ; Sir M . WHITE RIDLEY , Bart ., Home Secretary , who represents a Lancashire constituency , and is Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland ; Lord GEORGE HAA 1 ILTON , M . P . for the Ealing Division

of Middlesex , Secretary of State for India , Provincial Grand Master of Middlesex ; A . AKERS-DOUGLAS , M . P . for the St . Augustine ' s Division of Kent , H . M . ' s First Commissioner of Works , Past Grand Warden [ of England ; ancl W . HUAIE

LONG , M . P . for the Derby Division of Liverpool , President of the Board of Agriculture , Past Grand Deacon of England . In addition are Bro . J AlRD , M . P . for North Paddington , P . M . Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 259 , Past Grand Deacon of

England ; Bro . HAMAR BASS , M . P . for West Staffordshire ; Bro . W , W . B . BEACH , M . P . for the Andover Division of Hampshire , Provincial Grand Master of Hants and the Isle of Wight ; Bro . Lord HENRY BENTINCK , M . P . for South Nottingham , Provincial

Grand Master of Cumberland and Westmorland ; Bro . Sir ALGERNON BORTHWICK , M . P . for South Kensington ; Bro . W . E . BRYAIER , M . P . for South Dorset , Past Grand Deacon of England , Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Dorsetshire ; Bro . T .

BUCKNILL , Q . C , M . P . for the Epsom Division of Surrey , Deputy Grand Registrar ; Bro . Sir H . BULLARD , M . P . for Norwich , a Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden of Norfolk ; and Bro . W . BURDETT-COUTTS , M . P . for Westminster , Past Grand Deacon of

England . Bros , the Marquis of C ARMARTHEN , VICTOR CAVENDISH , and TANKERVILLE CHAMBERLAYNE represent Brixton , West Derbyshire , and Southampton respectively , and we have seen on several occasions Sir E . CLARKE , senior Member for

Plymouth , with the prefix " Bro . " to his name . Bro . Sir CHARLES DALRYMPLE , who sits for Ipswich , is the Grand Master Mason ot Scotland , and Bro . Alderman DAVIES M . P . for Chatham , Baron HENRY DE WORMS , M . P . East Toxteth Division

of Devonport ; Sir C HARLES DILKE , Porest of Dean Division of Gloucestershire ; and Sir F . DIXON-HARTLAND , M . P . Uxbridge Division of Middlesex , we have reason to believe are Masons . Bro . the Hon . A . DE TATTON EGERTON , M . P . for the Knutsford

Division of Cheshire , ranks high among the Cheshire brethren , and Bro . Sir JAA 1 ES FERGUSSON , who sits for North-East Manchester , is a Past Provincial Grand Master under the Scottish Constitution . Bro . W . HAYES FlSHER , M . P . for Fulham . was

initiated in the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , in 18 77 . Bro . Sir JOHN E . GORST , one of the representatives of Cambridge University and Vice-President of the Council , is a Past Junior Grand Warden of England ; and Bro . A . F .

The Craft In The House Of Commons.

GODSON , M . P . for the Kidderminster Division of Worcestershire , Provincial Grand Master of Worcestershire . Bro . T . F . HALSEY , Provincial Grand Master of Hertfordshire , has been again returned for the Watford Division of that county , and

Bro . Sir R . HANSON , Bart ., Past Grand Warden of England , still represents the City of London . Sir W . HART-DYKE , Bart ., M . P . for the Dartford Division of Kent , is a Past Senior Grand Warden of Kent , and Lord A . HILL , M . P . for the West Division

of County Down , Comptroller of the Queen ' s Household , is Provincial Grand Master of Down . Bro . Sir F . SEAGER HUNT , Bart ., is M . P . for Maidstone , and Bro . W . L . JACKSON , Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , is M . P . for North

Leeds , as he was in the last Parliament . Sir F . LOCKWOOD , Solicitor General under the late administration , is junior member for York , while Col . LOCKWOOD , M . P . for thc E pping Division of Essex , is Provincial Senior Grand Warden of Essex . Bro .

G . LODER has been again returned for Brighton , and Bro . VV . G . ELLISON MACARTNEY for South Antrim . Bro . J . VV . MACLURE , M . P . for the Stretford Division of Lancashire , is a Past Grand Deacon of England and Past Provincial Grand Warden West

Lancashire , and we have always understood that Sir J . B . MAPLE , M . P . for Dulwich , Sir F . MILNER , M . P . for thc Basselllaw Division of Notts , and R . J . MORE , for the Ludlow Division of Shropshire , are Masons . So , too , we believe , is Sir J OHN MOW

BRAY , senior member for Oxford University , while Bro . Sir H . STAFFORD NORTHCOTE is a prominent member of the Mark Degree . Bro . the Hon . D . R . PLUNKET , M . P . Dublin University , is a Past Senior Grand Deacon of Ireland , and Bro . Baron

F . DE ROTHSCHILD , M . P . for the Aylesbury Division of Bucks , has a lodge bearing his name , which meets at Waddesdon . Among others are Bros . AliEL SMITH , Past Senior Warden Hertford Lodge , No . 403 ; Sir GEORGE TREVELYAN , Barf ,,

Viscount VALENTIA , Past Grand Warden England , Deputy Provincial Grand Master Oxfordshire ; R . T . HERAION HODGE , Past Provincial Grand Warden Oxfordshire ; and Bro . H .

SlLVVVSTEWART , M . P . East Renfrewshire , Provincial Grand Master of Renfrewshire West . The names of other brethren who have seats in the New House must be reserved for a further issue .

Early Mention Of The Royal Arch.

EARLY MENTION OF THE ROYAL ARCH .

There is no more important section of Part I . of Bro . CHETWODE CRAWLEY ' S " Caementaria Hibernica" than that in which he treats of the Royal Arch , adducing evidence , which has never previously been brought to light , from a Dublin newspaper of the 10-14 January , 1743 , that the Degree was then known in

Ireland . We quote the passage in full so far as it is necessary to our purpose of elucidating Bro . CRAWLEY ' theory that the Arch , long before it was worked as a separate Degree , was understood at all events to be an integral part of Ancient Masonry . " St . John ' s Day , celebrated by the Lodge in Youghall , No . 21 .

Imprimis , the first Salutation on the Quay of Youghall , upon their coming out of their Lodge Chambers , was the Ships firing their Guns with their Colours flying . Secondly , the first Appearance was a Concert of Music with two proper Centinels wilh their Swords drawn .

Thirdly , Two Apprentices bare-headed , one with the twenty-four Inch Gage , the other a Common Gavel . Fourthly , the Royal Arch carried by two excellent Masons . Fifthly , the Master , with all his proper Implements , his Rod gilt wilh

Gold ; his Deputy on his left with the Square and Compasses . Sixthly , the two Wardens , with their Truncheons gilt in like manner . Seventhly , the two Deacons , with their Rods gilt also in the same ma-oner .