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. ^ S ^ fiasoiil

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

Our Sussex brethren are to be congratulated on the recent annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge , but more particularly on the good fortune which enabled their Prov . G . Master , the Duke of Connaught , to take part in the proceedings . The calls upon his Royal Highness ' s time are so numerous that it is not always possible for him to attend these gatherings . But SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 12 , 18 9 8 .

the brelhren fully realise this , and the only result is that when he is able to be present , the greeting he meets with is the more enthusiastic . But on this occasion additional ' ¦ clat was given to the meeting from the fact that it is close on 70 years since a member of the Royal Family has visited Lewes where the Prov . G . Lodge was appointed to be held . Hence the right royal welcome

Masonic Notes.

which was accorded to the Duke by the townspeople , the decoration of the streets along which the procession was to pass , and the vast concourse of spectators who lined the route on either side and cheered the Royal visitor to the echo . Hence , too , the address presented by the Mayor and Corporation and gracefully acknowledged by his Royal Highness .

But pleasant as must have been these evidences of Lewes loyalty , they were only in the nature of an introduction to the main business of the day , which was inaugurated at the Town Hall with a luncheon and concluded at the Assembly Rooms , where , as soon as Prov . G . Lodge had been opened , H . R . H . the Prov .

G . Master had the satisfaction of hearing from the reports of his several executive officers , how prosperous had been the condition of his Province during the preceding twelvemonth . Having expressed his gratification with the progress thus evidenced in their reports ,

the Duke appointed and invested his officers for the ensuing year and then quitted the lodge amid the same manifestations of respect as had greeted him on his arrival * ; the rest of the proceedings being conducted under the presidency of Bro . the Very Rev . the Dean of Battle , Past G . Chap .

* * » Bro . Lord Mayor Davies , M . P ., brought the hospitable part of the duties which devolve upon the Chief Magistrate of the City of London to a brilliant conclusion on Friday , the 4 th inst ., with a grand banquet at the Mansion House in honour of Bro . Lord

Kitchener of Khartoum , who , earlier in the day , had been presented in the Guildhall by the Corporation with the freedom of the City and a sword of honour in recognition of his great services in annihilating Mahdism and recovering the Soudan for Egypt . So splendid a gathering has been rarely witnessed even

within the hospitable walls of the Mansion House , and Bro . Davies , who has since vacated the mayoralty , and whom we heartily congratulated on becoming Sir Horatio Davies , K . C . M . G ., will have the pleasure of knowing that his year of office as Lord Mayor will be not the least memonble in the annals of the City of London .

* * * It is greatly to be regretted that no explanation has as yet been forthcoming as to the reason for the two different versions of the notice of motion to vote an honorarium to the Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which was presented to and

accrpted by the recent Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers . One of those versions , which appeared in our advertisement columns , vaguely announced that it was proposed to grant " a sum of money" to the said Secretary , in recognition of his services in respect of the Centenary Festival ; the

other , which appeared in the circular announcing the meeting and the paper of agenda , explicitly stated that it was proposed to grant him "a sum of 1000 guineas " --the proposal in both instances being based on "the recommendation of the Board of Management as 1 1 . 1 / " * ! 1 —f .. 1 . U O . I ) l 'Pt bthe Council of the 30 th The

approved y September . point we have raised is by no means unimportant . We have not at the moment a copy of the Rules of the Institution available for reference ; but we believe we arecorrcct in saying that when the paper of Agenda at an approaching Court of Governors is being drawn up ,

all notices of motion to be brought forward at such Court are handed to the Chairman in writing , and these written notices of motion are printed verbatim not only in the paper of Agenda , but likewise in the advertisements convening the Court which are furnished to the daily and Masonic press . * ••

Doubtless a reasonable and proper explanationperhaps half-a-dozen such—can be offered , but the au'horities of the Boys' School will make a grave mistake if they imagine that silence is the best policy to adopt in the circumstances we have described . There are not a few among the supporters of our Institution who are irate , not to say disgusted , at the

course which , in this instance , has been followed o reversing the policy which for many years p > s ! has found favour with the general body of the English Craft , and which , simply stated , consists in restricting the ixpenditure of the funds subscribed for the use of these Institutions wholly and solely to the purposes for which they are subscribed . * # *

We trust also that some announcement will shortly be made as to the date when the final meeting of the Board of Stewards for the recent Centenary Festival will be held , and for this , if for no other , reason , that the very pardonable curiosity of those who have not only the desire , but likewise the right , to make the

Masonic Notes.

inquiry , may be satisfied . We have heard it stated , on by no means despicable authority , that it is not intended to hold any such meeting . If this be the case , let a statement to that effect be made public , and at the same time the reason why , in the case of this particular Festival , the holding of such a meeting is to

be departed from . Here , again , the proper course for the Executive Committee of the Board of Stewards to pursue is to take the' general body of Stewards into their confluence and tell them straightforwardly what is being done or going to be done , not leave them to obtain it haphazard or remain in total ignorance . * * *

Some time since we announced that Bro . Hamon Le ' Strange , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . of Norfolk , would succeed Bro . Lord Suffield , who has retired from active duty after upwards of 20 years' service , as Prov . G .. Master . We have now much pleasure in announcing that the ceremony of installing Bro . Le Strange will take place in Norwich on the ist December , and will be performed

by Bro . the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . Master of Northants and Hunts . On the same day Comp . Sir Francis G . M . Boileau , Bart , Past G . Prin . Soj ., will be installed by Lord Euston , as Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons in the Province of Norfolk , in succession to Comp . Lord Suffield , who has resigned this office as well as that of Prov . G . M ister .

* * » The Grand Lodge of Prince Edward Island some time since declared itself very strongly against canvassing for office . The Constitutions forbid it , but the practice , nevertheless , is continued , and , from the accounts we have read , would appear to be on the increase . The

Grand Lodge , therefore , at its annual session last year declared , and very properly , that " canvassing for office in said Grand Lodge is derogatory to its dignity , subversive of , and contrary to , the Constitutions , " and " dangerous to that peace and harmony which should ever exist among its members . " It , therefore , declares

that any one committing such offence is guilty of a violation of his obligation , and liable to severe censure and punishment . " We trust this outspoken declaration will have the desired effect , but we must confess to being somewhat sceptical as to whether any good will result .

* * * It appears that the Grand Lodges of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are desirous of establishing a Masonic Home for the jurisdictions of the two bodies , but the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick has very wisely expressed its opinion that the first thing to do

is to establish a sufficient fund for the purpose . Accordingly , the whole question is to be referred to the different Grand Lodges , each of which is to elect a Trustee , who shall at the same time act as custodian of the funds that are raised . It has been further

requested by New Brunswick that each of the Grand Lodges interested in the project shall contribute annually to such fund , and that the private lodges shall also be invited to contribute ; the fund to be known as " The Maritime Masonic H > me Fund . "

* « The Joint Committee of the two Grand Lodges which adopted the foregoing resolutions , at the same time , expressed their strong conviction " that closer fraternal relations between the Grand Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons of the Provinces of Nova Scotia ,

New Brunswick , and Prince Edward Island would tend greatly to promote the objects of our Order . " They therefore suggested that the matter should be referred to the Grand Lodges in question with a view to bringing about the closer union desired . The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick , by expressing its opinion that the time is not ripe for establishing a Masonic

Home , but at the same time resolving to continue the Home Committee , may be said to have endorsed the recommendations of such Committee ; while as regards the project for bringing about closer relations among the Grand Lodges of the Maritime Provinces , we shall await with interest the result of the proposal . » » »

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire will be held at Cambridge on Monday , the 28 th inst . » * * In order to remove a want keenly . felt in the edu . cational centre oi Cheltenham , Baron de Ferrieres offered the Council , at their annuaT meeting , the gift

of . £ 1 , 000 towards the erection of an Art Gallery in connection wi ' . h the Free Library , which would also be available for civic receptions and mayoral functions , only stipulating that the smaller of two suggested gaL leries should be reserved for his 30 best pictures , which he intended at a future date to present to the Corporation . The offer was gratefully accepted by the Town Council .