Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS , 77 * The Coming Festival 78 Early Eighteenth Century English Freemasonry—A Study 78 The Masonic Muddle in Quebec 79 Opening of the Brownigg Lodge of Instruction , 79 Soiree and Ball of the Shakespeare Lodge

, No . 1009 , Manchester 79 Ball of Lodge of Israel , No . 205 79 Entertainment at the Girls' School 79 Presentation to Mr . H . J . Hitchins 79 West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution ,..... » 79 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 79 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 79

CORRESPONDENCEA Query So Suspension of Lodges 80 Reviews 8 c Notes and Queries 8 r REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 83

Instruction 87 Royal Arch 87 Ancient and Accepted Rite 87 Proposed " Yorkshire " Lodge for London 87 Testimonial to Bro . F . Adlard , P . M ., P . Z . 87 Obituary 87 Masonic and General Tidings 88 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iii

"Fenian High Treason,

"FENIAN HIGH TREASON ,

THE Globe of Wednesday contains the following- paragrah : —

"REWARD OF £ 10 , 000 FOR THE MURDER OF THE PRINCE OF WALES , "NEW YORK , Wednesday . "The United Irishman makes a fresh sensation this morning by a new outrage , which can scarcely escape the interference of the authorities . " It publishes an offer of £ 10 , 000 for the body of the Prince of Wales , dead or alive . "This outrageous proclamation is signed ' Shaun O'Neil , ' and is dated Dublin . "

The Times of Thursday confirms the atrocious paragraph in its main features in these words : — "This week ' s issue of O'Donovan Rossa ' s newspaper , the United Irishman , contains a telegram from Dublin , signed 'Shaun O'Neil , ' saying that it has been-decreed to offer a reward of 10 , 000 dols . for the body , dead or alive ; of the Prince of Wales . "

Anything more outrageous , horrible , barbarous , or cowardly we cannot conceive . We trust that the American Government may deem it well to take notice of a proceeding which will be resented by every loyal citizen of Great Britain and its Colonies .

# * # WE are happy to announce that in consequence of our appeal , we understand , that several of our brethren are contemplating becoming Stewards for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival . Among them we are permitted specially to mention the W . M . of the Aldersgate Lodge , Bro .

FROOM . Last year the Aldersgate Lodge , which has always distinguished itself by its remarkable support of the Charities , sent in a very striking return to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . We trust that this good example will be followed by other lodges and brethren , and that Bro . TERRY will be rewarded by another effective proof of the large-hearted benevolence of our English Craft .

* # * IT is impossible but that all our readers who , though Freemasons , are always patriotic in sentiment and sympathy , must feel deeply the dark news from Khartoum , ar . d the probable sad fate of the brave GORDON , We have many members of our Order of all services gallantly engaged in

the Soudan , and our Bro . Lord CHARLES BERESFORD has been sent up to relieve Sir CHARLES WILSON and his party . We shall wish them " more power to their arm , " a " good deliverance " from fanatic and implacable foes j yes , and a great and speedy triumph over formidable difficulties and countless dangers , and , above all , a thoroughly English vindication of the right and honour of our country , as they gallantly uphold her prestige and

unimpaired position among the nations of the world . Since we wrote the above we fear that the latest reports points to the melancholy fate of the brave GORDON , who died at his post in the massacre of Khartoum , —of which the accounts are sickening . Many of the papers appeared in mourning on Wednesday . The gallant conduct of Bro . Lord CHARLES BERESI ' ORD will be duly read and appreciated by the entire Craft .

* # * WE take this opportunity of congratulating R . W . Bro . LORD KENSINGTON , M . P ., on his installation as Prov . G . Master of South Wales , West Division . His lordshi p was D . P . G . M . under his predecessor the late Bro . COL . LLOYD

PHILIPPS , and is therefore well-known and respected in the province . We may anticipate , therefore , under the new regime a continuance of that prosperity which characterised the old . Full particulars of the event , which took place at Haverfordwest and passed off most satisfactorily , are reserved " 11 next week .

A * * * A very interesting question of English Masonic jurisprudence has been raised in the last Freemason . It is , what is practically the effect of a suspension of a lodge ? It is understood that there are two views on the subject . One is the old-fashioned one , that the suspension affects only the ° age and the members thereof suspended . The other , a novel view , we enture to think , —that the suspension not only affects the particular lodge

"Fenian High Treason,

but suspends all the Masonic privileges of all its members , so that they , though members of other lodges , cannot attendany Masonic meetings at all , during the term of the suspension . By the word suspension , though the Book of Constitutions does not define its effects , we understand , in common parlance , a cessation of the usual meetings of the lodge , —in fact , a stoppage

pro tern , of its Masonic life and work . But a grave question arises if with out the distinct authority of the Book of Constitutions , we are to extend the consequences of such penalties , and to say that a brother who belongs , for instance , to a town and a county lodge , because the county lodge is at fault , is not to attend the meetings of a town lodge , of which he is also a member , which

is not under an " interdict . " In the construction and application of penal clauses we are never to " read within the lines , " or seek to enlarge the penalty , or amplify the jurisdiction . The Book of Constitutions is singularly reticent as to suspension . It mentions it as a possible penalty under certain contingencies . But then it is always and only quoad the peccant lodge ,

or a certain brother or brethren so struck by sentence of suspension . The punishment is that that lodge is dormant for the time , and that the members of it cannot meet as a lodge . We need hardly point out to some of our readers the " reductio ad absurdum" to which the theory that the members of a suspended lodge cannot avail themselves of the privileges of another lodge

of which they are also subscribing members , while theloffending lodge is under sentence , might reduce us . Some of our highest officials might be unable to attend Grand Lodge if such really be the law , which we venture to doubt , supposing that one of the lodges of which they are members is struck by a sentence of suspension . Another point which must be

considered is whether outside a particular lodge , which no doubt may be suspended , any brother can be suspended , except formally and by name . If a brother is suspended " nominatim , " of course his Masonic privileges cease everywhere " pro tern . " with a " power of appeal . " Otherwise the suspension is restricted at least to the particular lodge and its members . Thus it will

be seen that we have a pretty little "Crux to exercise the ingenuity of those who like to discuss such points of difficulty , who interest themselves in questions of law and discipline , and think nothing too little , or great for the matter of that , which concerns the constitutional rights , liberties , and privileges of all the members of our common Order .

* # » THE Toronto World tells us , as will be seen elsewhere , that a number of the American Grand Masters have already telegraphed their approval of the Quebec " Bull of Excommunication . " We are very sorry for the American Grand Masters who have pursued so hasty and undignified a course , if

they have done so . But we do not believe all that we hear . The more we think over the " Quebec Muddle , " the worse and more hopeless it seems to us , a discredit to all professions of Brotherhood , a very melancholy commentary on the outcome of contemporary Freemasonry . The Toronto World admits , as our readers will notice elsewhere , as indeed it could not

help doing , that the English lodges now working in Montreal are perfectly legal , and exist by virtue of a concordat made by Lord Zetland , representing the Grand Lodge of England , and Grand Master Wilson , of the Grand Lodge of Canada . The further comment is alike amusing and suggestive : " This concordat was honourably observed by both the Grand

Bodies of England and Canada until the formation of the Grand Lodge of Quebec . " The Freemason loyal to his principles , an admirer of honourable conduct , a believer in the reality of the professions and teachings of the Craft , may well ask , in bated breath—What next ? The laughable idea that the Grand Lodge of Quebec " found its dignity hurt , "

and its "jurisdiction menaced , by the " existence of the lodges referred to , " can hardly be seriously discussed in England . The Grand Lodge of Quebec is itself a " swarm" from the Grand Lodge of Canada , once also " excommunicated , " and still an illegal association by the laws of the dominion , and therefore that it can be hurt in its dignity , ' or menaced in

its jurisdiction by the existence of admittedly good legal lodges , seems something too absurd to contemplate or realize . We deeply regret the bad animus developed and the un-Masonic temper evinced ;

but we are thankful to remember that the course of our English Grand Lodge has been from the very first up to this hour tempered by dignity , animated by honesty , marked [ signally by true Masonic principles , and dominated by common sense .

* # * SPECULATION is rife , the Toronto World says , in Canada as to what the Grand Lodge of Canada will do . The Grand Lodge of Canada will do nothing , we feel certain to forfeit its honourable character or its Masonic

prestige . That it will itself deliberately disavow its own legitimate and straightforward Concordat with the Grand Lodge of England in in favour of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , we do not for one moment believe . We sincerely sympathize with our good brethren