Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 359 Special Grand Lodge 359 The Grand Master ' s Proposed Visit to York 3 61 CORRESPONDENCEThe Special Grand Lodge at York .... 362 Royal Masonic'Institution for Girls 363 " The Same Usages and Customs "•363

Roval Masonic Institution for Hoys .: 3 << 3 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 363 Provincial Grand Loik'e of Middlesex 363 Presentation to Bro . A . W . Fcnner . P . M . t 327 364 The Masonic Ceremonial at York 3 * 14 Summer Festival of the Robert Burns Lodge 364 Annual Picnic ot the Hundred of Elloe Lodge , No . 469 ..: 3 6 4

The Quebec Status in re Freemasonry 3 6 4 A Lodge of Instruction at Sea 363 West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution 365 REI ' URTS HE MASOMC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 36 $ Instruction 36 ( 1

Mark Masonry 366 Knights Templar j 16 New Zealand 366 Masonic and General Tidings 367 Consecration of a New Lodge in New Zealand 3 6 H The Theatres 3 68 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 3 68

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WE feel sure that the welcome given lo H . R . H . the GRAND MASTER at York on the 18 th inst . will be most loyal and significant . The attachment of Yorkshire Freemasons alike to the House of Brunswick and the constitutional ruler of our Craft is well known and most vivid . They do such things very well in Yorkshire , and we doubt not to hear of another great Masonic gathering , and of another memorable Masonic success . We desiderate for the good old city of York , and our many worthy and enthusiastic brethren there , a triumphant " Grand Assembly . "

* # * BEFORE we again greet our readers the Quarterly Courtof the Girls' School will have taken place , and the important business of the " land question " will have been settled one way or the other . From what we know of the subscribers to the Girls' School , we feel sure that their decision will be one which will strengthen the hands of the House Committee , and seek to

maintain distinctly the unique position and invaluable liberty of the Girls ' School . ' * Est modus in rebus , " says the Latin adage , and of coursethis is absolutely true as to land purchase and reduction of capital . But , in our opinion , it may besafely left to the House Committee , under instructions from the Quarterly Court , to pursue a course alike wise and moderate . sagacious and

befitting , and to compass arrangements which , while they will preserve the untellable blessings of unenclosed space and free outlook , will not entail any very serious consequences in respect of the funded property of the Girls ' School . Even if , however , we have to make an apparent sacrifice of funds , such is entirely justified by the imperious necessities of the position and safety of the Girls' School .

* # * OUR attention is called by private and public correspondence , ( see elsewhere ) , to a charge which has been made on the Past Grand Officers for entrance to the enclosure at the Masonic Ceremony at York , on Wednesday next , though summoned to attend on their Grand Master . There is undoubtedly a slig ht technical difference as between the

Grand Officers of the year and Past Grand Officers , but we cannot think it right to discount the difference , or to accentuate the distinction by the payment of five shillings . We think this proposed payment a mistake , probably arranged hurriedly and without much thought , and should be glad to see it annulled . We wish so well to our good brethren at York , we sympathize so much with them in their labours and zeal for Freemasonry in all

they aspire to effect , and all they seek to accomplish , that nothing but a sense of paramount duty would have induced us to strike even a quasi inharmonious chord in that felicitous programme which their Masonic sympathy has arranged , and their Masonic loyalty has brought about . But we always like to " run straight " and " speak the truth" at whatever hazards , as

nothing in our opinion is gained in this world by Jesuitical evasions or timid suppression of the facts of the case . There may be a good reason for the charge in itself , but without such an official explanation , it seems to us , we confess , derogatory to the dignity of Grand Lodge , and specially hard on Past Grand Officers .

* * THE more we consider the last special Grand Lodge , the more we feel it to be a subject of sincere regret that arrangements had not been made by reference to a special Committee to reconsider " moot points , " to amalgamate and review amendments , and save a serious collision of interests and a deplorable waste of time . But having begun we shall have to persevere .

Several very important amendments and matters will be debated keenly on the next occasion , and a practical solution of all such vexed questions is greatly to be desiderated in the grave interests of us all alike , whether in the Metropolis , Provinces , or Colonial Dependencies . We beg therefore to suggest that at the next occasion a special Grand Lodgein September shall be called at 11 . 30 fori 2 , that it shall work from 12 to 2 , that then an hourbeallowed for

refreshment ; that it be resumed at three and work from three to 6 . 2 , 0 , that at 6 . 30 it be again called off from 6 . 30 to 7 . 30 , and that then it work steadily on to eleven . In this way , and this way alone , judging from the past , we shall be able to finish the whole Book of Constitutions and it can come up "for report" in December , and so finally appear in print in 1884 . Otherwise our " sederunts" will be many , and the discussion never ending . There are certain worthy brethren who will speak ,

and certain irrepressible orators , the " enfans terribles " of Grand Lodge , who will" pose , " and it will be as much as we can do to keep the tendency to be garrulous and confidential , at the same time , in our great Masonic "Talking-House" within reasonable bounds . We therefore commend these humble suggestions of ours to the thoughtful and practical attention of all who , like

ourselves , prefer " succinct speeches" and "terse observations" to longwinded orations , and become peculiarly impatient in heat and a long sitting of that " tediousness of iteration , " which is such a mournful infliction on us all alike , that desperate determination to speak " nilly-willy , " often on nothing whatever at all ; above all do we deprecate that hopeless persistence in impossible "fads , " which neither Masonic precedent nor

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customs can safely endorse , and which are fought out before a weary and perspiring audience to the " bitter end truly , " and with an earnestness and solemnity utterly disproportionate to the point involved , as if the fate of nations depended upon their determination .

* * * WE would recommend at the next Special Grand Lod ge some arrangements may be made for an "Ordinary , " or as we should ' rnore politely say , a " Buffet , " at which , for a reasonable sum , the Grand Officers and members of Grand Lodge may get something to eat . Many went without food on the last occasion until 10 o ' clock . Some indeed slipped out and came in again , having got a mouthful elsewhere ; but for those who had

breakfasted at nine , and had no luncheon , and do not partake of the pernicious dissipation of afternoon tea , the last Special Grand Lod" -e was a very great trial indeed to not a few in this respect , and will be long remembered by the after sufferings of serious indigestion . The waiting for food was very trying , and bad alike to the bodily and mental condition of many distinguished brethren . Our Grand Stewards or some other patriotic body of brethren might surely arrange this little matter .

V WE call attention to a statement elsewhere respecting the legal position of the Masonic lodges in the Province of Quebec . By this it appears that by the original enactment no Masonic bodies were lawful which did not derive warrants from the Grand Bodies in Great Britain . Even the Grand Lodge of Canada was not a legal body until it was made so by a subsequent

enactment with a retrospective action . We fear very much that , as before the laws , the Grand Lodge of Quebec and its lodges , as severed from England & c , are not legal associations in the sense of being legitimatized by legislation . If such an interpretation of the law be correct , if there be no loop-hole , no special plea , no overruling of plain words , then only , as before the law , the legal bodies outside the Grand Lodge of Canada are the

English lodges at Montreal . What a " curious coincidence this would be if it be the fact . " We leave such a " vexata qurcstio " and such a " Crux " to wiser heads than ours to unravel and decide . Sufficient for us that we have called attention to a very peculiar state of affairs . We have to thank our very able Canadian brother for his correct summary and learned interpretation of the "Quebec Statutes . "

* # * WE have had several letters from Canada relative to the correspondence between our GRAND SCRIBE E . and the Grand Chapter of Quebec . We are requested to state that papers are on the way which will prove the essential correctess of the position taken up by our Grand Scribe E ., Bro . Colonel SHADWELL H . CLERKE . The difficulty of the case so far has been that what one side confidently alleges , the " other side as peremptorily denies . Quis judicet ? * *

WE shall attempt to deal with some lengthy correspondence from Quebec next week , relative to a complaint of another invasion of the rights and jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of Quebec b y the Grand Mark Lodge of England . From a cursory inspection of the correspondence it would seem to us " prima facie" that , as the French say , the " point de mire" of the two parties , is as " far as the two poles asunder , " and based on an entirel y opposite point of view . „ _ .

ALL our readers will learn with deep regret of the premature and regretted decease of our distinguished Bro . the Duke of MARLBOROUGH . Though he had not taken a very active part in Freemasonry , he was well known and valued for the kindness of his disposition and his great consideration for

others . As a landlord and master , as a friend and neighbour , he will be difficult to replace and greatly missed . His public services have been many and considerable , and the noble aid to suffering humanity rendered in his vice-royalty by his amiable duchess will not soon be forgotten in Ireland . The sympathy of our entire Craft will go with his bereaved and afflicted family .

Special Grand Lodge.

SPECIAL GRAND LODGE .

At the special meeting of Grand Lodge on the 29 th ult . there was a long discussion upon the alterations proposed to be made in the Book of Constitutions , of which the following is a summary . Bro . LE FEUVRE , Prov . G . Sec . Hants and Isle of Wight , drew attention to the f act that certain proposed amendments forwarded by his province had been accidentall

y omitted from the agenda paper , although he believed the GrandSecretary would admit that they had been received , and he asked to be permitted to refer to them when the clauses were recorded ; one was upon clause S 1 relating to the power and status of the Prov . G . Master in his province Bro . Sir J MONCKTON said that when the clauses were reached he thought proper explanations would be forthcoming .

The M . W . PRO G . M . said that as this seemed to be an exceptional case , it might be referred to at the proper time . Bro . Sir J MONCKTON suggested that the report of the Board of General I urposes should not on that occasion be looked upon as a report to be taken as a whole ; it mi ght be better to take it clause by clause with the proposed amendments . The clauses were then proceeded with .

On clauses 1 and 2 no amendments were proposed . It was resolved that clause 3 should commence " every brother who shall Sec , and that the word " other " on the eighth line should be omitted . That clause 4 should stand unaltered . That small verbal alterations not affecting the sense be made in clause 5 With regard to clause 6 , Bro . C . D . HILL DRUUY , W . M . 85 , P . G . R Norfolk , said that as that clause stood on the amendment paper some mis