Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

R EPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS : — Craft Masonry .,,, , 607 Mark Masonry 608 Royal Ark Mariners 608 Scotland 608 Lodge of Benevolence 608 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 608

The Freemasons and the Marquis of Ripon 609 Consecration of a Lodge in New Zea ' and 609 Lord Carnarvon on Public Affairs 609 Freemasonry in Western Australia 610 Masonic Notes and Queries 610 Obituary 610 Provincial Grand Lodge of Cumberland and

Westmoreland 611 Masonic Tidings 611 A Ritualistic Attack upon Freemasonry ., 612 Verbum Sat Sapienti 613 C ORRESPONDENCE : — Designation of Lodges 610 Our late Grand Master 614 Royal Visit to Plymouth ( Letter of " Leo" ) 614

The Order of the Temple and Malta 615 The Order of the Temple and Malta in Ireland ... 615 Visiting Brethren , 615 Scottish Fiecmasonry 616 Withdrawal of Propositions 616 Royal Patronage ( " Reviresco " ) 616 Lodge Meetings next week 616 Advertisements 60 S 606 612 617 618 619 620

SUPPLEMENT ( FOUR PAGES ) . Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund 622 Establishment of the Order of the Eastern Star in Glasgow 622 Anniversary Festival of The Star Lodge of Instruction 623 Notes on Literature , Science and Art ... j 623 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 624 Reviews 624

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

teft UfasffnrB . KENDAL . —Lodge of Lights . ( No . 148 ) . —The regular meeting of this old lodge was held on Monday , Sept . 24 th , the W . M ., Bro . J . Bintley , Prov . G . Superintendent of Works , in the chair , The W . M . was ably and influentially supported . Ihe lodge was opened in the first and second

degrees , when two candidates , Bros . Thomas Taylor and Francis J . Thornber claimed preferment , and having sustained their respective claims were entrusted , and retired . The lodge having been opened in the third degree , and the candidates re-admitted , the W . M . called for the

assistance of Bro . John Bowes , P . M ., Past P . G . Reg ., who assumed the chair of K . S , and raised the two brethren . After some routine business the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , to which they were invited by Bro . McKay , I . G .

LIVERPOOL . —Alarmer s Lodge ( No . 249 ) . — The brethren of this ancient and flourishing lodge met in the New Masonic Temple , Hope-street , at six o ' clock in the evening of Thursday , the 1 st instant , Bro . Hayes , W . M ., in the chair , assisted by Bro . Price , S . W . : Bro . R . R . Martin ,

J . W ., a full compliment of officers and a large number of members and visitors ; the business of the evening consisted of the First and Third Degrees , and after the usual communications had been disposed of , and several sums of money voted to " charity" in the unanimous style

characteristic of the Mariners ; the W . M . presented Bro . J . J . Rose , I . P . M ., in the name of the brethren , with a valuable P . M . jewel , executed and prepared specially for the occasion at the establishment of Bro . George Kenning , ( who , bythe-bye , was this evening elected a joining member

of the lodge prior to the closing , ) and at the solicitation of the W . M ., Bro . Edwin Hughes , R . M ., arose and said , W . M . and Brethren : It is with considerable feeling of depression , a sensation which seems to me to have been shared by all our members present and to have pervaded

the whole of our working and ceremonies this evening , that I address you upon a subject painful and distressing to us all , and especially so , to those of lis , the older members of this lodge , who can more thoroughly feel the loss , M'C ) I fear , irreparable loss this lodge and the

whole Masonic community of West Lancashire has sustained since the last regular monthly meeting . At our last gathering we numbered amongst us , the father of our lodge , its senior member , our old and beloved Past Master , James Hamer , but now he is at rest . To speak

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

of his character in any Masonic assemblage in this province is but to repeat an oft told tale , but to the many young members I see present here I would say , our late Past Master had for nearl y forty years made the constitution , tenets and ritual of our Order his closest study , and a quarter

of a century ago when the lodge , after being for many years the most prosperous in the county , was under the very darkest cloud , with barely sufficient subscribers to furnish funds for its support or members to hold its warrant , James Hamer came to the front , the purity of his

character , his well known integrity , his sterling worth and great knowledge of Masonic lorefor , I believe , I am correct in saying , he was unequalled , at least , in this part of the country , as a preceptor and instructor of all that appertained to the Masonic Degrees , to which he had

been affiliated , at once caused attention to be bestowed upon the lodge , rendered its meetings popular , and under his sway its members rapidly increased , not only by initiations , but by the joining of other brethren who really admired good work and loved order and true Masonic

discipline , and ere the term of his Mastership expired , and let it be remembered here with honour that he was by special dispensation from the Grand Lodge of England for three years consecutively our Worshipful Master ; the lodge was resuscitated — restored once more to the

pride of p lace it had before enjoyed and admitted to be one of the very strongest and most prosperous branches of the Masonic bod ) in England . His pupils were exceedingly numerous , and a large majority of the very best working Masons in this province received their first instruction

from him , and acting in conformity with his teaching , for he was a great stickler for " the right word , " and that only , soon rendered it an axiom that to have been under Brother Hamer was a sufficient passport for admission to the chair as an able exponent of our

ceremonies . His interest in Masonry was unbounded ; in easy circumstances—unfettered by business and financially independent , without family ties , for he had outlived them all , he was enabled and did devote the whole of his time to the work he loved so well—ever ready to go

anywhere , no matter how great the distance , to help a new lodge in its work , or assist to establish or consecrate another ; he was perhaps the best known brother of our fraternity in Lancashire , he had been the Master of several lodges , and passed through the chair , both in the Mark

and Royal Arch Degrees , frequently , besides this , too , he was for nearly a dozen years P . Grand Treasurer of West Lancashire , a position , it is almost needless for me to add , he fulfilled with the greatest zeal and acceptance , and was duly permitted to retire from three years ago tinder

the plea fiequently urged and reluctantly listened to by our late R . W . G . M ., that age and the infirmities of nature rendered him , as he said , unable to devote the attention he desired to the duties of the office . Upon his resignation being accepted , a large sum of money was raised for the purpose of presenting him with a

testimonial , but here the kindliness of the man , the very simplicity of his nature spoke out ; he declined to receive any ornament or gratuity , but requested that the whole sum , a considerable one , should be devoted to the work of Masonic benevolence—truly , our brother must have , indeed , believed

In faith and hope the world will disagree , But all mankind's concern is charity . " For some time past it was painfully clear to all his most intimate friends that our Past Master would ere long receive his summons to the Grand Lodge above , he was with us almost up

to the last and attended here nightly , even to within a few days of his demise , full of years , a friend to all mankind , beloved by every one , without a single enemy ; for who could say one word or hold one thought antagonistic to that

good kindly benevolent old man—111 the very odour of Masonic sanctity , he passed away gently and quietly as he had lived—without a doubt as to the future , without a hope , but in eternity—his end was peace" True as the needle to the pole , Or as the dial to the sun , "

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

Such was James Hamer to Masonry . Many a long day , brethren , will have passed and gone ; thousandsvvill have been admitted into ourOrder , and thousands' love followed him to his rest ere the Masonic bod y in this town , at least , will look upon his like again . I believe our brother

left neither kith nor kin behind to bear his name or deplore his loss , but we , his Masonic children , will live with life , keep green his memory ; brethren , our lodge has lost a jewel , our Order one of its noblest and best sons . I feel , indeed , unequal to the task of moving a resolution of

condolence in fitting terms . This I am assured , but I call upon you , one and all , to testify by your supporting votes , the estimation and affection in which you hold the revered name of him who , though no longer amongst us in his accustomed place , is " Not lost , but gone before . "

Bro . Hughes sat down amidst subdued expressions of the deepest sympathy . Brother Rose , I . P . M ., then moved , and Bro . the Rev . Phillip Pennington , P . M ., seconded , earnestly supported by Bro . Joseph Wood , and others of the brethren , that as an expression of sincere respect for our deceased brother James Hamer , P . M . and P . Z .,

P . P . G . T ., W . L ., this lodge do assume and wear Masonic mourning for three months , and that the proceedings of the evening be carefully recorded in the minute book , which was carried unanimously , and the lodge was then closed in due form , the whole proceedings having been of the most impressive and solemn description .

STOKESLEY . —Cleveland Lodge ( No . 543 ) . — The monthly meetings of this lodge were recommenced on Monday evening , after the summer recess . Bros . F . H . Wilcox , W . M . ; W . G . Forbes , S . W . ; John Rontree , as J . W ; J . Coulson , J . D . ; W . S . Dixon , I . G . ; and W . Harrison , Tyler . There being no business

announced on the circular calling the meeting , and several of the members being from home or otherwise engaged , the attendance was not so good as it ought to have been . We are of opinion that lodges ought to be held all the year round , except in rare cases , to keep alive the real life of Masonrv .

WOODFORD . —Chigwell Lodge ( No . 453 ) . — The last meeting of the season took place on Saturday , 26 th September , when Bro . Cox , P . M ., occupied the chair in consequence of the lamented death of the late W . M ., Bro . Day , the late J unior Warden , Bro . jeftery , having also

been unfortunately drowned at Margate since the opening of the season . There were also present Bros . Hogard , S . W . ; Glass , P . M . and Treasurer ; Motion , P . M . and Sec . ; Reed , S . D ., Trent , J . D . ; Coble , I . G . ; Egan , M . C . ; also Bros . Storr , P . M ., Tanner , P . M . ; Wienn ;

Dr . Sanders Scott ; and other members and a goodly array of visitors , amongst whom we may mention Bro . J ohn Hervey , G . S . ; Bro . C . Hutton , G . S . D ., and his son ; Bro . Clarkson , P . M . 865 and W . M . elect of the Bagshaw

Lodge , 1457 . The business of passing Bro . Scott having been disposed of , Bro . Cox proceeded to install the S . W ., Bro . Hogard , into the chair of K . S ., which he did in a manner which called for much encomium from the numerous

P . M . s present , being well ssconded by the newly installed Master , who invested his Officers as follows : Bro . Cox as I . P . M . ; Reed , S . W . ; Trent , J . W . ; Glass , P . M ., Treasurer ; Corbie , S . D . ; Egan , T . E ) . ; W . Glass , I . G . j Motion , P . M . and P . P . G . J . W ., Essex , Secretary ;

Harness , M . C ; Smith , Tyler . At the banquet which followed , the W . M . in proposing the health of the M . W . G . M ., said : that had they met a few clays earlier the toast must have been omitted , owing to the unfortunate circumstance of the resignation of the Martinis of Ripon ; but

he was very happy to be able to propose the health of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . of English Masons . He felt that the acceptance of that high office by H . R . H . at that particular time was a most important fact , and would tend to soften in a great measure the

blow which the resignation of the Marquis might have inflicted on the Order . H . R . H . had already identified himself with our Order , and he had no doubt would make a most efficient G . M . In proposing the health of the Deputy G . M . and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , Bro . Hogard took the opportunity of