The Approaching School Elections.

or lodges for io years and upwards , but onl y in one-fourth of them had he done anything in behalf of our Institutions . It onlv remains for us to make our usual earnest appeal to Governors and Subscribers who are not already committed to

the support of any particular candidate to g ive all their votes to , and exercise all their influence in behalf of those children , both girls and boys , who , if they fail at this election , will have their names removed from the lists and be thereby deprived of all

chan v of obtaining those educational benefits of which they have been adjudged worthy , and we make this appeal on the usual grounds , that others can wait for a further six months , but

these unhappily-placed candidates cannot . I he children who are thus circumstanced rank as Nos . i , 15 , and 28 on the Girls ' School list , and as Nos . 2 , 6 , 13 , and 30 on that for the Boys ' School election .

Christianity And Freemasonry.

CHRISTIANITY AND FREEMASONRY .

The letter signed " OlTF . lRl . VD , " which appeared under the above heading in the Church Times of the 14 th uit ., and which wc reproduced and commented upon in our issue of the 29 th ult ., has not unnaturally evoked a considerable amount of

discussion in the columns of our contemporary , some of those who have taken part in it expressing opinions which are in sympathy with those of Ol- 'FElRl . VD , while others as strenuousl y defend Freemasonry from his uncalled-for onslaught . We do not

suppose that the controversy , if it is continued for an indefinite period , will ever be allowed to terminate in favour of either side . Parties to a religious difference are never convinced . The views of each are orthodox in their own estimation , while those

of their opponents are heterodox , and if it were possible that we who are witnesses of the present discussion , who read carefull y the letters which are appearing , and it may be even go so far as to contribute a few remarks , could return to this mortal

state two centuries hence , we should find that a church congress was going to be held in some part or other of the habitable globe , and that an animated discussion as to whether professing Christians were or were not justified in countenancing

Freemasonry , had arisen in connection with it and was being conducted with all the fervour of the most bigoted zealot . We do not , therefore , imagine that such opinions as we may deem it our duty to express will have the slightest influence upon our

opponents and induce them to exhibit more of the true spirit of Christianity in their writings , or treat those who differ with them somewhat more in accordance with what one o ! the chiefest of the Apostles so beautifull y sets

forth in one of the many Ep istles he addressed to the professing Christians of his clay . But while we do not object to professors of this or that form of Christianity , or , indeed , of any reli gious creed , putting their own interpretation upon the tenets

of their own particular faith—which we assume they have made themselves acquainted with , and are therefore qualified to interpret according to the light that is in them—we most decidedl y object to their putting their own interpretation upon the

principles and tenets of a Society of which they arc not members , and cannot possibl y possess the sli ghtest knowledge , except what they derive from hearsay evidence . If such persons as these were summoned as witnesses in an action at law , and when

called upon to give evidence as to certain important facts , were in a position to say no more than that they had heard this , or read of that , their testimony would be summarily rejected

as worthless . What right then have such people to come forward and denounce Freemasonry , of which the onl y knowledge they possess has been obtained secondhand , either from the casual statements of men who are

Masons , or from books professing to explain what Masonry is r We pointed out in our former article of a fortnight since that " OITF . IKIAI ) " knows little or nothing about our Society , and yet a correspondent , signing himself " SlGMA , " whose letter

appears m the Church 7 tines of the 28 th ult ., describes his ( " UITEIRIAD ' S" ) orig inal letter as "calm and weighty , " while the communications in the same issue from Bro . the Rev . J . W .

HORSLKY and others , who have some knowledge of what they are writing about , arc spoken of sli ghtingly . If is also a curious fact , and one that cannot fail to have its effect upon the minds

Christianity And Freemasonry.

of those vvdio are not prejudiced one way or the other in this discussion , that , while all those who condemn Freemasonry beginning with " OFFF . IRIAD " himself , who started the controversy , conceal their identity from the public b y writing anony .

mously , nearly all those who defend the Craft write in their own names , without any attempt whatever at concealment . However as we have expressed our opinion that nothing in the shape of argument will convince these opponents of Masonry , we do not

propose to do more than publish sundry of the letters which have appeared in support of , or opposition to , that of " OFFEIRIAD ' " of the 14 th ult ., and for those letters we must refer our readers to another part of our columns .

Great Priory Statutes.

GREAT PRIORY STATUTES .

The new edition of the Statutes of the " Great Priory of England and Wales and the Dependencies thereof " is now ready for delivery , and makes a fine handsome volume . It has been edited with considerable care and efficiency , and is " Published by Authority . " This edilion will doubtless

long be known as that of 1896 under the new regime , and will be diligentl y examined and studied by fratres of the " United Religious and Military Orders of the Temple and of St . John of Jerusalem , Palestine , Rhodes , and Malta , " whether connected with the English Great Priory or those of Scotland , Ireland , Canada and the United States of America .

The " Convent General " ceased to exist from and after the 19 th July , 18 95 , each " Great Piiory " becoming wholly independent and separate ( as before 1 S 72-3 and the installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as Grand Master , 7 th April , 18 73 ) ; the funds also have been divided pro rata between the Great Priories of England and Ireland .

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has most graciously consented to be Sovereign of the Order in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , and is likewise Past Supreme Grand Master of Canada . Both are honorary appointments , and much appreciated by the fratres of these Great Priories , especially because his Royal Highness continues to take interest in the welfare of Knight Templary throughout the Masonic world .

The present Regulations combine those of the " Convent General " and " G : cat Priory , " subject , however , to necessary alterations and additions , so that no little attention will have to be paid to the Statutes of 1896 , that the various changes may be duly mastered and understood . The question of rank and precedence first requires consideration . The Supreme Head of each Great Priory is the M . E . and S . Grand Master

( who , if a Piince of the Blond Royal may appoint a Pro G . M ) , the next 1 fficer being the Y . H . and E Great Seneschal ( virtually a Deputy G M . ) just as formerly with the Convent General , and previously the Grand Conclave . The Very Eminent Provincial Priors follow , and th n the Great Prelate , Chancellor , First and Second Constables , Treasurer , Registrar , with Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders ; the three prefixes being to distinguish the three classes of office as noted .

The lemainder of the Great Officeis are the Vce-Chancellor , the Marshal ( who formerly came before the Treasurer , such taking rar . k as Past Second Constables ) , the Almoner , Warden of Regalia , Herald , two Standard Bearers , Banner Bearer , Sword Bearer ( moved up ) , two Aidesde-Camp , Chamberlain , two Captains of Guard , ( Past Sword Bearers , prior to 1 S 06 , rank before the next officer ) , O / ganist and Pursuivant , all of whom .

with the Preceptors , Past and Present , are entitled to the prefix Eminent . The Great Priory alone has the power of erasing Preceptories and expelling Knights , save when the Grand Lodge , Grand Chapter , the Supreme Council of the A . and A . Rite , or the Mark Grand Lodge have passed sentence , in which event it is operative in Great Priory subject , however , to appeal , duly provided for .

The Grand Master is to be elected for a term of three years , and may be re-elected . All communications to the M . E . and Supreme must be made through the Great Vice-Chancellor . The Grand Master , as the fountain ol honour , has the exclusive prerogative of appointing Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders of the Temple , subject to the Rule 28 , as respects the number ol each Dignity , and , moreover , has the appointment of P' ° heretofore

vincial Priors and Great Officers ( excepting the Treasurer ) as . All the Grand Ofli . ers , excepting the Great Constables and Organist , must be Installed Preceptors . The Great Vice-Chancellor holds office during the pleasure of Great Priory . The Great Mirshal has the arrangement and direction of all processions and ceremonies of Great Priory , and a fine of half-guinea to the Fun do Benevolence is payable b Great Officer who fails in his duty to tn

y any Great Priory , by non-attenda-xs without a valid excuse duly made and lor ' warded accordingly . .. In Provincial Prio . ies the roll of officers includes t he Sub-Prior , Chancellor two Constables , Treisurer , Registrar , Vice-chancellor , Marshal , Alm ° ^ Warden of R ., Herald , two Standard Bearers , Banner Barer , S * 'or Bearer , two Aides-de-Camp , Chamberlain , two Captains of Guards , a

Organist ; also such Pursuivants and Guards as may be necessary . Each Prov . Priory consists of the Prov . Prior , the Present and / Prov . Officers , with the Preceptors , Pa ^ t Preceptors , and the two L stables of each Preceptory , with those Present and Past Preceptors un the English Constitution who are members of any Preceptory m s Province .

The special feature adopted by the Great Priory as respects its re V ^ sentatives from the 'Preceptories is most commendable and strictly " t same lines as the Grand Lodge , viz ., the Preceptor ( as Master ) . . Preceptors ( as Past Masters ) , and the Senior and Junior C ° . , prothe two Wardens ) are members of the Great Priory and of their own 1 vincial Priory , and in like manner , subject to subscription to a Precep Installed Preceptors continue to be members alter due service . .. 4 Every new Preceptory must be formally consecrated and consU ^ before any privileges of the Order can be enjoyed by its members , a