Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS Gl $ Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 62 G Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 626 Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire 616 Provincial Grand Chapter o £ Cheshire 628 The Warrant 628 The Articles on the Revised Constitutions and Correspondence Thereon 629 Centenarv of the Royal Cumberland Chapter , Bath 629 A Masonic Address 629 Help for Friendless Girls in Liverpool 629 Scotland 629 C ORRESPONDENCEGrand Lodge of Manitoba 630 The Word " Cowan" 630

CORRESPONDENCE —( Continued)—Symbolic Teaching G 30 The Late Bro . Critchett 630 Reviews 63 r Masonic Notes and Queries O 31 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 631 Instruction 6 34 Royal Arch 6 34 Mark Masonry 6 35 Ancient and Accepted Rite 6 3 J Masonic Funeral 6 35 The Theatres 6 3 6 Music 6 3 6 Science and Art 6 3 6 Masonic and General Tidings 6 37 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 6 3 8

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WE call special attention to an eloquent address by Bro . STOPPANI , delivered at a recent meeting of the St . Ambrose Lodge . Bro . STOPPANI is , we understand , a distinguished barrister in his own country ( Switzerland ) , W . M . of the lodge at Lugano , and a near relative of the well-known historian , MERLE D'AUBIGNE . Certainly his address betrays all the marks

of great eloquence and of a very cultivated mind . In its general aim and scope we most fully concur , and are glad to think that so admirable a testimony to the value and importance of Freemasonry was delivered by a Swiss brother in an English lodge . It is a proof of the Cosmopolitanism of Freemasonry , striking and effective , which none can gainsay , and none can

ignore . For fear of any misunderstanding , however , whether on the part of friends or foes , we think it right to add that , according to our English teaching , which we venture to deem the soundest and the safest of all , Freemasonry is not a religion , and cannot be a religion , in the true sense of the word , to us . Such is an idea very popular on the Continent , but never

accepted in England . Freemasonry is an admirable , and tolerant , and beneficent Fraternity , inculcating all Divine morality , as found in GOD ' S Holy Word , and advocating necessarily , in its most extensive application , the Divine message of " Goodwill , Affection , Charity , and Sympathy " for all the children of the dust . A loyal Institution to the Supreme Government

ever , it keeps away from all plots and conspiracies against the State , always seeks to obey law and to preserve order , and to extend the benign principles of liberty of conscience and toleration of opinions to all , as well within its own fold , as on the surface of this wide world . We , however , as all others , our

readers now and the hearers then , cannot fail but to be struck with the effective words of Bro . STOPPANI , and we heartily thank Bro . Dr . RAMSAY , W . M . of the St . Ambrose Lodge , for favouring us with a copy of our excellent foreign brother's kindly and eloquent address .

V * ± WE have seen some correspondence and some remarks about the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , which certainly grate very much on our Masonic memories and Masonic feelings , our understanding of Masonic law , our realization of Masonic comity . We are told , for instance , that

many American Grand Lodges have recognized the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , as well as the Grand Lodges of Quebec and Canada . But why have they done so ? There surely is some well-established rule of Masonic recognition , some " custom of war in like cases . " Yet when we ask what it is , or how it is proclaimed , in fact , how or where it is to be found

or how it all comes about , we are answered , " by the recognized laws of Masonry . " We shrug our shoulders ; yes , and we scratch our heads , we do do not hesitate to say , when we hear such astounding dogmata declared with so much self-assurance , dogmata of which we can find no trace , dogmata of which we have never even heard . But what is the American

law of recognition ,, for we presume that is the recognized law , in the " eternal fitness of things , " intended by these words ? Yes , what is this universal law which these modern sagacious Hierophants declare , with almost as much energy as did their namesakes of old , when the herald had called upon all the profanes to withdraw , and the " aporreta , "

° f the mysteries were to be revealed to initiates and adopts ? We must all ^ member the abnormal position of the United States . Its States are soverei gn bodies of coequal authority , and , therefore , each State forms a self-contained and independent jurisdiction in itself , according to the

favourite State Right Act . Hence the Grand Lodges of American States Wome " ex necessitate rei , " Supreme Grand Lodges . American Masons held another view , that in unoccupied country , ( that is where Aere is no one dominant Grand Lodge ; , any neighbouring Grand Lodge can barter a lodge , and so it comes to pass that when a certain number o f

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lodges are chartered by separate legal jurisdictions , after a certain time a congress of lodge deputies is formed , and a Grand Lodge is proclaimed . There are three views in America as to this question , one being that all the lodges must agree ; the other , that a majority , some hold two-thirds , can bind the minority .

Undoubtedly , such cases have happened in America , and the rule has been , as we have just stated , though there have arisen difficulties even in America , that when once the Grand Lodge is formed , all the lodges in the new State conform to the actually established supreme power . But this is American law , suitable for America ; and has never , so far , been recognized

in England or in Europe . Yet one canon of such law , unfailing and absolutely necessary , has ever been that a clear majority of lodges , at any rate , must concur in the resolution of forming a Grand Lodge . In New South Wales a small section of lodges out of eighty formed themselves into a Grand Lodge , not one-fourth in number ; and yet , strange to say , this

abnormal and unprecedented act Masonically , has been hailed as a legal exercise of Masonic privileges , as if in entire conformity with Masonic law and usage , and a proper outcome of the Masonic teaching of obedience to authority , and recognition of Masonic duty , loyalty , and allegiance . As we see daily many queer things in the world , alike irregular and unprecedented ,

so we must not be surprised if this world-spirit of irregularity and restlessness and geneial disintegration affects even Masonic bodies . We can only regret that well-intentioned and well-informed Masons anywhere can be

found to sympathize in Freemasonry witli these alarming tokens of ignorance of Masonic law and forgetfulness of Masonic decorum ; this hoisting the flag of Masonic mutiny , under the specious claims of Masonic needs , and Masonic rights .

* * * THE extension of the Royal Arch Grade must be satisfying to all loyal English Freemasons . Unpopular abroad , it has been somewhat depreciated at home , the why we know not ; and we trust that its future may be more striking than its past , both in its general acceptance and its particular

developement . We are aware that some of us think there is not much to complain of , either as regards the number of chapters or the roll of companions . We respectfully differ from them . We do not contend that every lodge absolutely should have a chapter attached to it , though we see ourselves no objection to the fact . But this we do venture to suggest , that all new

lodges should have the privilege of having chapters attached to them , if they so wish it , in order that every brother Mason after twelve months probation shall have the opportunity afforded him of entering the Royal Arch Grade . We are also aware , that there are many who think that the separate organization should cease , and that the Grand Chapter should be fused

into the Grand Lodge . We cannot agree with them for very many reasons , some undesirable naturally to express in print , and therefore we trust that the day will never come , when such hasty and needless changes will find approval either with Grand Chapter or Grand Lodge . It is said that the expense might be lowered and the period of probation abbreviated : but

we confess we do not see that there is much room for complaint in these points , and little , we feel sure , would be gained b y any questionable alterations . We do think , however , that any new lodge , as we said before , should have a right , all other matters being regular and in order , to petition for a Royal Arch charter after twelve months' existence , as the old red tape notion ,

that chapters could not be kept up , is alike we feel convinced chimerical and out of date . No doubt , in London , there may well be a certain limit as to Chapters perhaps , though we are inclined to question much , whether any such exceptions need now be maintained , and whether every lodge that desires it should not be able to have a separate chapter attached to it .

* * WE call attention elsewhere to a statement taken from The Masonic Review , Cincinnati , U . S ., relative to a recent Roman Catholic divine on Freemasonry . We say nothing about the view of the Rev . Father Gibaud , further than to remark that though he no doubt fairly represents the

official Roman Catholic view of the subject , there is an unofficial view which he does not attempt to deal with . There are , as we know , a large number of Roman Catholic Freemasons in all Roman Catholic countries , and the liberal and enlightened of the Roman Catholic clergy notoriously take no

cognizanace of the fact . If the fact of secrecy be the point condemned and objected to by Father Gibaud , we are curious to know what he says about the Jesuit Association , with its secrecy , and its " signs " and its mysterious Fourth Degree . Condemned by one , an infallible head of the Roman Catholic Church , as baneful to religion and society , it has been revived by