Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS
LEADERS = ' 7 Services of tl \_ Grand Officers 218 Masonic History and Historians 2 tS Modern French ' Freemasonry 21 S The Grand Lodge South of the Trent 319 Tlie Constitution of the New Lodge at PnH-c . niif It . in oi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ^ A Canadian Mason ' s Reminiscences 2 / 9 CoKKESVOXDENCKThe R . M . _ . Institution FJection 220 Red Cross of Constantine and Bro . Wade , New Zealand 320 John Hervey Memorial Fund 22 . Reviews 220 Masonic Notes and Queries 220 Royal Masonic Institution for JIovs 220 '
Bovs' School Festival 221 Roval MasovAic Benevolent Institution - _ t The London Masonic Charity Association ... 221 Was Shakespeare a Freemason ? 22 r Obituary "' Amusements 221
REPORTS or M _ so _ ic MEETINGSCraft Masonry 222 Instruction 222 Royal Arch 222 Mark Masonrv _ .. 224 Scotland ' 224 Woolwich Masonic CJnb 224 Masonic Tidings 223 American Tidings 22 * Lodge Meetings for Next Week 225
Ar00101
THE Girls' School Anniversary Festival will have taken place before we again appear , and we trust that we are destined to announce a very successful return , both for the zeal of the Stewards and the labours of thc Secretary . All our good wishes go with that excellent Institution , and
despite fears and forebodings , doubts and depreciation , wc do not for one moment really doubt but that thc Festival of 1 SS 1 will testify to the unchanged sympathies of our great Order , the persevering efforts of the Stewards , and that still ituquenched fire of true charity which burns so happily and brightly in the minds and hearts of Freemasons .
* * * ONE very important question to be decided at the meeting of thc Stewards for the Boys' School Festival , on the i 6 lh inst ., is the "locus in quo , " tlie place where the gathering shall be held . We publish a communication on the subject elsewhere . Thc Crystal Palace , the Alexandra Palace , and , last
of all , the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , have all and each found favour with some . The " Brighton move" is somewhat of a bold experiment , but we do not say that it may not be a successful one . On thc whole , we think the
Festival had better be held as near London as possible , as unless Bro . BIN'CKF . K can feel that' the change will bring about a great increase of Stewards , sufficient of itself and by itself to justify thc innovation , we are of opinion that the old adage still holds good , " quieta non movcre . "
# * # WE are happy in being able to announce that it will be recommended in thc annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution to the Quarterly Court on the 20 th inst . to elect five additional male and five additional female candidates . Thus , with deaths , there will , we understand , be
twentyfour males and sixteen females to be elected—in all , forty out of thc original ninety-eight candidates of both sexes . This number has been , we understand , reduced by about ten , six males and four females , leaving reall y eightyeight candidates—forty vacancies ( o be filled . We congratulate the Governing Body on this wise and befitting decision . I
* * WE arc glad to hear that the London Masonic Charity Association have selected as candidates lo support for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Bro . RILEY , an old Waterloo soldier , Bro . MATTHEW COOKE , a literary Mason , Bro . ROGERS , an old Preceptor of Masonry , and two others ,
and four widows . We feel sure that the Association may fairly claim , and will assuredly receive , a large number of votes , in order to make their praiseworthy efforts successful . We rejoice to note that several new members were elected on Monday , and to hear that others will be elected at a nieeting on the tCSth .
* * WE observe among the candidates for the benefits of the R . M . B . Institution the name of Bio . M-. TTUFAV COOKE . Remembering his contributions to Masonic literature in days gone by , calling to mind his valuable and interesting publication of the additional MS ., the earliest prose "
Constitution , " we think it only our duty , regretting , as we all must do , to hear of his unfortunate position , to direct the notice of our many tenders to the fact , as some may like to assist one who m his day was helpful in various ways to the advancement of Masonic literature and Masonic archaeology . * * *
OLTR contemporary the Cuckoo repeats the statement of the proposed Masonic Congress at Rome , and adds this explanation of its object . " It " is proposed that this rc-union shall exclude all discussion of Masonic " ritualism , and shall confine itself to the elucidations of problems affecting "the general welfare of thc Order . " These are very "fine words" in
themselves , but to our cars they sound vague and meaningless . At any rate , English Freemasons have nothing lo do with any such Congress . We have no " problems " to solve . Never was Freemasonry so active or so prosperous ; never was the work or the duty of supporting our excellent Charities
more fully developed or realized amongst us . As a genera ! rule , foreign jurisdictions have few Masonic Charities worthy of the name , if even any ; and until they do give up their minds and energies toa pure spirit of charity , and abandon social problems and semi-political re-unions , their Masonry will always be full of weakness , incongruities , and drawbacks . The question of
Ar00102
" ritualism " at present lies at the bottom of all Masonic progress and . prosperity abroad , as , owing to the unfortunate initiative of French Freemasonry , and the " stone" it set "a rolling , " much of foreign Freemasonry is permeated with most unwholesome ideas and hurtful teaching , and it is hardly properly Freemasonry at all .
* * LODGES of Instruction are an " outcome " peculiar to English Masonry , and deserve the support and sympathy of all zealous Masons . For there we best learn—we only learn truly—those oral mysteries of our Order , which now for over one hundred and fifty years have claimed the assent of the
intelligent and drawn forth the encomiums of the educated amongst us . Nothing is so effective , so good for us all , so conducive to the spread of true Freemasonry , as a comely and careful rendering of our beautiful ceremonial , and that we shall best learn in a lodge of instruction ; there we shall most
conform to the traditions and habits of Masons for now nearly two centuries . We wish , therefore , all prosperity to our lodges of instruction , as we feel sure , from some little experience , that on their vitality , their effectiveness , and their maintenance is based much of the present and all of the future proi spcrity of English Freemasonry .
r * * MASONIC researches still exercize the thoughts and researches of many amongst us . We are always willing to open the columns of the Freemason to thoughtful disquisitions on Masonic subjects . One of the greatest drawbacks of a Masonic press has been the want of seasonable and interesting
topics of discussion . To make " padding , " or to "fill a column , " sometimes the most trivial subjects have formed the " staple " of Jong lucubrations , the weakness of which was apparent on the surfacetheir utter impossibility of pleasing , attracting , or edifying readerswas patent lo all ; and amid much that was unseasonable , and more that
was inappropriate , the most charitable interpretation of " conclusions in which nothing was concluded , " was to attribute them lo the " idiosyncrasies" of a writer who was so little in " accord " with the tastes of his readers or the requirements of a Masonic journal . How many articles have we read which , according to our view , ought never ' to have appeared in a
Masonic journal at all , which had neither originality of thought , nor correctness of grammar , "Attic salt" or sound sense ; the meaning ol which was so hard to discover , if they had any , and thc end and moral of which were marked by the character of an " unknown quantity . " Need we wonder at the difficulties and losses
of the Masonic press in past years ?—Nay , even at its struggles .-r . id drawbacks to-day ? No doubt a Masonic journal is placed in a very peculiar and exceptional position , but still , we venture to believe , judging from the
experience of the Freemason , and looking also at the " even tenour " of the Philadelphia Keystone for instance , that purely Masonic papers may yet command a hearing , and enjoy the confidence and approval of a numerous and affectionate " clientele . "
* * Wis call attention to a short article by " Maskelync" elsewhere on French Freemasonry , which asks a very pertinent question , and touches upon a weak
point , a " runningsore , " so to say , in French Freemasonry to-day , and on the proceedings of all jurisdictions which in any way follow the unwise leading of those who have practically brought about a revolutionary " coup d ' etat" in French and some portions of foreign Freemasonry .
* * BRO . " MASONIC STUDENT " writes to us with reference to an extraordinary statement in the " Proceedings" of the recently formed and alleged Grand Lodge in New South Wales , relative to the history of the English Grand Lodge , but owing lo other matter wc cannot find room for his paper this week . Wc hope ( o do so next .
r-* * WE are glad to be assured by our contemporary , tlie Masonic Review , that thc amount of votes recorded forthe anti-Masonic candidate is incorrect , in that the " votes cast " for the hero of this episode ( PHELPS ) in the last
Presidential Iilection were not 76 , 000—but not even 1700 . This assertion we took " bona fide" from an American paper , and we are glad to find , therefore , that our estimate of the good sense of the American people proves to be thc true one , and that the "fact" is not a "fact" at all , but a " myth . "
* * * A GOOD deal may be said as to whether Shakespeare was a Freemason or not , and we call attention to an amusing extract from an Antipodean journal elsewhere . Wc agree fully with our contemporary , the Masonic Review , in
the following little " note . " " It will be hard to find even in Shakespeare a finer descri ption of what we understand by a good Mason than the following ; " His words are _ on __ , his oaths are oracles , His love sincere , his thoughts immaculate , His tears pure messengers sent from the heart , His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS
LEADERS = ' 7 Services of tl \_ Grand Officers 218 Masonic History and Historians 2 tS Modern French ' Freemasonry 21 S The Grand Lodge South of the Trent 319 Tlie Constitution of the New Lodge at PnH-c . niif It . in oi
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ^ A Canadian Mason ' s Reminiscences 2 / 9 CoKKESVOXDENCKThe R . M . _ . Institution FJection 220 Red Cross of Constantine and Bro . Wade , New Zealand 320 John Hervey Memorial Fund 22 . Reviews 220 Masonic Notes and Queries 220 Royal Masonic Institution for JIovs 220 '
Bovs' School Festival 221 Roval MasovAic Benevolent Institution - _ t The London Masonic Charity Association ... 221 Was Shakespeare a Freemason ? 22 r Obituary "' Amusements 221
REPORTS or M _ so _ ic MEETINGSCraft Masonry 222 Instruction 222 Royal Arch 222 Mark Masonrv _ .. 224 Scotland ' 224 Woolwich Masonic CJnb 224 Masonic Tidings 223 American Tidings 22 * Lodge Meetings for Next Week 225
Ar00101
THE Girls' School Anniversary Festival will have taken place before we again appear , and we trust that we are destined to announce a very successful return , both for the zeal of the Stewards and the labours of thc Secretary . All our good wishes go with that excellent Institution , and
despite fears and forebodings , doubts and depreciation , wc do not for one moment really doubt but that thc Festival of 1 SS 1 will testify to the unchanged sympathies of our great Order , the persevering efforts of the Stewards , and that still ituquenched fire of true charity which burns so happily and brightly in the minds and hearts of Freemasons .
* * * ONE very important question to be decided at the meeting of thc Stewards for the Boys' School Festival , on the i 6 lh inst ., is the "locus in quo , " tlie place where the gathering shall be held . We publish a communication on the subject elsewhere . Thc Crystal Palace , the Alexandra Palace , and , last
of all , the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , have all and each found favour with some . The " Brighton move" is somewhat of a bold experiment , but we do not say that it may not be a successful one . On thc whole , we think the
Festival had better be held as near London as possible , as unless Bro . BIN'CKF . K can feel that' the change will bring about a great increase of Stewards , sufficient of itself and by itself to justify thc innovation , we are of opinion that the old adage still holds good , " quieta non movcre . "
# * # WE are happy in being able to announce that it will be recommended in thc annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution to the Quarterly Court on the 20 th inst . to elect five additional male and five additional female candidates . Thus , with deaths , there will , we understand , be
twentyfour males and sixteen females to be elected—in all , forty out of thc original ninety-eight candidates of both sexes . This number has been , we understand , reduced by about ten , six males and four females , leaving reall y eightyeight candidates—forty vacancies ( o be filled . We congratulate the Governing Body on this wise and befitting decision . I
* * WE arc glad to hear that the London Masonic Charity Association have selected as candidates lo support for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Bro . RILEY , an old Waterloo soldier , Bro . MATTHEW COOKE , a literary Mason , Bro . ROGERS , an old Preceptor of Masonry , and two others ,
and four widows . We feel sure that the Association may fairly claim , and will assuredly receive , a large number of votes , in order to make their praiseworthy efforts successful . We rejoice to note that several new members were elected on Monday , and to hear that others will be elected at a nieeting on the tCSth .
* * WE observe among the candidates for the benefits of the R . M . B . Institution the name of Bio . M-. TTUFAV COOKE . Remembering his contributions to Masonic literature in days gone by , calling to mind his valuable and interesting publication of the additional MS ., the earliest prose "
Constitution , " we think it only our duty , regretting , as we all must do , to hear of his unfortunate position , to direct the notice of our many tenders to the fact , as some may like to assist one who m his day was helpful in various ways to the advancement of Masonic literature and Masonic archaeology . * * *
OLTR contemporary the Cuckoo repeats the statement of the proposed Masonic Congress at Rome , and adds this explanation of its object . " It " is proposed that this rc-union shall exclude all discussion of Masonic " ritualism , and shall confine itself to the elucidations of problems affecting "the general welfare of thc Order . " These are very "fine words" in
themselves , but to our cars they sound vague and meaningless . At any rate , English Freemasons have nothing lo do with any such Congress . We have no " problems " to solve . Never was Freemasonry so active or so prosperous ; never was the work or the duty of supporting our excellent Charities
more fully developed or realized amongst us . As a genera ! rule , foreign jurisdictions have few Masonic Charities worthy of the name , if even any ; and until they do give up their minds and energies toa pure spirit of charity , and abandon social problems and semi-political re-unions , their Masonry will always be full of weakness , incongruities , and drawbacks . The question of
Ar00102
" ritualism " at present lies at the bottom of all Masonic progress and . prosperity abroad , as , owing to the unfortunate initiative of French Freemasonry , and the " stone" it set "a rolling , " much of foreign Freemasonry is permeated with most unwholesome ideas and hurtful teaching , and it is hardly properly Freemasonry at all .
* * LODGES of Instruction are an " outcome " peculiar to English Masonry , and deserve the support and sympathy of all zealous Masons . For there we best learn—we only learn truly—those oral mysteries of our Order , which now for over one hundred and fifty years have claimed the assent of the
intelligent and drawn forth the encomiums of the educated amongst us . Nothing is so effective , so good for us all , so conducive to the spread of true Freemasonry , as a comely and careful rendering of our beautiful ceremonial , and that we shall best learn in a lodge of instruction ; there we shall most
conform to the traditions and habits of Masons for now nearly two centuries . We wish , therefore , all prosperity to our lodges of instruction , as we feel sure , from some little experience , that on their vitality , their effectiveness , and their maintenance is based much of the present and all of the future proi spcrity of English Freemasonry .
r * * MASONIC researches still exercize the thoughts and researches of many amongst us . We are always willing to open the columns of the Freemason to thoughtful disquisitions on Masonic subjects . One of the greatest drawbacks of a Masonic press has been the want of seasonable and interesting
topics of discussion . To make " padding , " or to "fill a column , " sometimes the most trivial subjects have formed the " staple " of Jong lucubrations , the weakness of which was apparent on the surfacetheir utter impossibility of pleasing , attracting , or edifying readerswas patent lo all ; and amid much that was unseasonable , and more that
was inappropriate , the most charitable interpretation of " conclusions in which nothing was concluded , " was to attribute them lo the " idiosyncrasies" of a writer who was so little in " accord " with the tastes of his readers or the requirements of a Masonic journal . How many articles have we read which , according to our view , ought never ' to have appeared in a
Masonic journal at all , which had neither originality of thought , nor correctness of grammar , "Attic salt" or sound sense ; the meaning ol which was so hard to discover , if they had any , and thc end and moral of which were marked by the character of an " unknown quantity . " Need we wonder at the difficulties and losses
of the Masonic press in past years ?—Nay , even at its struggles .-r . id drawbacks to-day ? No doubt a Masonic journal is placed in a very peculiar and exceptional position , but still , we venture to believe , judging from the
experience of the Freemason , and looking also at the " even tenour " of the Philadelphia Keystone for instance , that purely Masonic papers may yet command a hearing , and enjoy the confidence and approval of a numerous and affectionate " clientele . "
* * Wis call attention to a short article by " Maskelync" elsewhere on French Freemasonry , which asks a very pertinent question , and touches upon a weak
point , a " runningsore , " so to say , in French Freemasonry to-day , and on the proceedings of all jurisdictions which in any way follow the unwise leading of those who have practically brought about a revolutionary " coup d ' etat" in French and some portions of foreign Freemasonry .
* * BRO . " MASONIC STUDENT " writes to us with reference to an extraordinary statement in the " Proceedings" of the recently formed and alleged Grand Lodge in New South Wales , relative to the history of the English Grand Lodge , but owing lo other matter wc cannot find room for his paper this week . Wc hope ( o do so next .
r-* * WE are glad to be assured by our contemporary , tlie Masonic Review , that thc amount of votes recorded forthe anti-Masonic candidate is incorrect , in that the " votes cast " for the hero of this episode ( PHELPS ) in the last
Presidential Iilection were not 76 , 000—but not even 1700 . This assertion we took " bona fide" from an American paper , and we are glad to find , therefore , that our estimate of the good sense of the American people proves to be thc true one , and that the "fact" is not a "fact" at all , but a " myth . "
* * * A GOOD deal may be said as to whether Shakespeare was a Freemason or not , and we call attention to an amusing extract from an Antipodean journal elsewhere . Wc agree fully with our contemporary , the Masonic Review , in
the following little " note . " " It will be hard to find even in Shakespeare a finer descri ption of what we understand by a good Mason than the following ; " His words are _ on __ , his oaths are oracles , His love sincere , his thoughts immaculate , His tears pure messengers sent from the heart , His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth . "