The "Red Book."

THE "RED BOOK . "

The well-known " Red Book , " or official annual of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales , & c , has : ust been issued , with most commendable promptitude , the

returns of the chapters being corrected to 30 th June of this year . The roll of members is not only arranged in alphabetical form as an index ( with the subscribing chapters duly noted ) ,

but each chapter has its several members duly arranged in like manner , with the places of meeting and the names of each M . W-S . and Recorder carefully described .

There are now n 1 chapters ofthe Rose Croix on the register , two having been added since June , 18 95 , viz ., the "Adam ' s Peak , " at Ceylon , and the " Humphrey Chetham , " Manchester-One hundred and thirty-seven chapters have been warranted

during the last 50 years , of which 26 have been removed from the active roll . The oldest chapter is the famous " Baldwyn , " Bristol , of " Time Immemorial " origin , the senior of those having ordinary charters being the " Grand Metropolitan , "

No . 1 , London , of June 24 th , 1846 . Some , however , with later numbers and dates Avere at work previously , only not regularly warranted by a Supreme Council , but under Knight Templar auspices , as the " Coryton and Rougemont Union , " No . 2 , Exeter .

The Rules and Regulations remain as they were in 1895 , for it is . rarely these are either altered or added to . The personnel of the Supreme Council has , however , been slig htly changed , the esteemed Bro . H . D . Sandeman having resigned as Grand

Secretary-General , and has been elected one of the honorary members . So also has Lieut .-Col . H . Somerville Burney , making but five in all so honoured . The Earl of Euston , Prov . Grand

Master for Northants and Hunts , & c , and Lieut .-Col . Arthur B . Cook , P . A . G . D . C . of England , have been elected into the historic nine , with the rank of Grand Registrar and Grand Marshal respectively .

Under the heading " Officials of the Supreme Council" are the additional names of our esteemed Bro . Major-General J , Crossland Hay , C . B ., 33 , as Grand Secretary General ; Bro , E . Monteuuis , as Assistant D . of C . ( Sir George D . Harris , 33 °

being still the courteous and efficient D . of C ) , and Bro . Fredk . C . Bevan , 30 , as Deputy Organist . The Inspectors General of the Home Districts remain as in 1895 , the South-Eastern

District being still without any Inspector , and two for South Africa have not yet been appointed , consequent on the retirement of Bros . R . J . Finnemore and R . W . S . Giddy . Five _ new members of the 32 have been created , but the roll of 54 is not yet complete , and , though 13 additional names

appear as memoers 01 tne 31 , its maximum ot 90 has not been attained . The roll of the 30 is arranged alphabetically ; but , so far as I can judge , rather over forty brethren have been promoted to this coveted distinction , about an average really of one 30 ° to three chapters , the ri gid scrutiny and evident intention of the Supreme Council ( whose decision is final ) resulting in so few

auditions being made , though there is no lack of suitable material , and numbers are waiting for an opportunity to be thus romplimented . Undoubtedl y the method followed so long by the Supreme Council has proved most beneficial , for when promotion means

^ ' fit-earned honour the value of all such Degrees is much financed . Sometimes , however , the restrictions imposed as to ; 'ge and service in the Rite are rather hard when applied to wceptional circumstances . Still , I have never heard a

comprint , though disappointment has been keenl y felt when the 30 "as been delayed for a time . . Hie prosperity of the Rite continues , and with H . R . H . the "nee of Wales as Grand Patron , H . R . H . the Duke of ^ onnaught as Hon . Member , and the Riszht Hon . the Earl of

^ uhom , G . C . B ., as the Grand Commander of the Supreme ouncil , there is every reason to anticipate even still more ^ J ' cess in the future . Captain Nathaniel George Philips is the ul

b ( ;; '" ember of the S . C , dating from 1864 ( who has long h ( !n ° ' ° ^ ' most constant supporters ) , the next in seniority . "ng the Right Hon . the Earl of Limerick , K . P ., whose interest of i | c ' ' ^ " ^' * as ' as ever > ^ otncr members for . r > " are c ° lonel Starkie , Prov . G . M . East Lancashire , . ° - i ' rank Richardson . P . G . D . of England : the Rev . T . S .

p J '" * M . A ., P . G . C . of England ; Bro . James H . Matthews , XW •of England ; the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M . wants and Hunts ; and Lieut .-Col . A . B . Cook , P . A . G . D . C . 1 Eng land .

The "Red Book."

General Hay , as G . Secretary-General , has made an excellent Editor of the "Red Book" for 18 9 6 , its accuracy and general arrangement being as near perfection as possible .

W . J . HUGHAN . P . S . —Since writing this , the sad news has been received of the decease of Lord Limerick . His Lordship will be much missed as an earnest and intelligent Craftsman .

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

A Quarterly \ Communication of the above Grand Lodge was held in Freemasons' Hall , Edinburgh , on the 6 th instant . Bro . Colonel Campbell , Acting Grand Master , presided . The Wai dens' chairs were occupied by Bros . J . Dalrymple Duncan and Major F . W . Allan . A letter of apology

was intimated from the Grand Master , Bro . Sir Charles Dalrymple , Bart ., M . P ., on account of indisposition . Lady Saltoun wrote apologising for the absence of Bro . Lord Saltoun , Grand Master Depute , because of an accident which his lordship had sustained when out riding , his back being rather seriously injured .

Bro . J AMES MUIR , G . D . C , presented the Acting Grand Master Bro Major Allan with his commission as Proxy Prov . Grand Master of the Transvaal . The ACTING GRAND MASTER congratulated Bro . Major Allan on his appointment , and expressed the hope that he would be able to keep the Transvaal in order . ( Laughter . )

On the recommendation of Grand Committee , charters were granted to the ( following lodges : Clair , Meerut , India ; Heart of Mid-Lothian , Edinburgh ; Thistle , East London , Cape Colony ; Peace and Harmony , Rangoon , Burma ; Warrego , Cunnamulla , Queensland ; and Rosslyn , Nambour , North Coast Railway , Queensland .

In reply to a question , it was stated that the Heart of Mid-Lothian Lodge was for the Dairy district of Edinburgh , where it was thought a lodge would supply a much felt want among the brethren . It was agreed to authorise the resuscitation of Lodge St . John , Shotts , No . 471 .

It was reported that the Provincial Grand Master of Wigtown and Kirkcudbright shires , Bro . the Hon . Hew Dalrymple , had re-opened the Lodge Myrton , Port William , No . 539 . The minutes of Grand Committee bore that a dozen lodges had been temporarily suspended , and their diplomas withheld , for violating the rules of the Constitution by conferring Degrees at a less interval than two weeks between each Degree .

The action of the Committee was confirmed , and it was remitted to the Provincial Grand Masters of the respective districts , with full powers , to deal with each case and report . It was reported that R . W . Bro . F . Douglas M'Millan had been installed as District Grand Master of the Transvaal by Bro . T . R . Harrison , P . M ., the first Right Worshipful Master in the Transvaal under the Scottish Constitution .

It was remitted to Grand Committee with power to contribute to the extent of £ 50 to the relief of distressed brethren in Aleppo and Aintab . The Annuity Board reported that they had granted annuities of , £ 10 each to 15 out ot 49 applicants . There are now 107 annuitants on the fund , the total annual value of the grants being £ 1000 . The Grand Treasurer ' s statement of accounts for the quarter ending 25 th July showed the income to have been £ 1425 , being £ 790 in excess of the expenditure . Grand Lodge was then closed .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Dorset.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF DORSET .

On Thursday , the Gth instant , at AU Soul ' s Mark Lodge , No . 126 , Weymouth , the annual provincial meeting was held under the genial presidency of Bro . W . E . Brymer , M . P ., P . G . M ., and in the presence of a large and distinguished body of members of this Degree , including Bros , the Rev . W . M . Heath , P . P . G . M ., P . G . Chap . Eng . ; and Sir R . N .

Howard , P . P . D . G . M ., P . G . O . Eng . The usual routine business was transacted and the following brethren appointed officers for the year , viz .: Bro . H . T . George , P . M . 126 ... ... Prov . D . G . M . „ J . A . Sherren , P . M . 126 ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ E . Mills , P . M . 133 , 126 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ the Rev . F . Mondey , Dep . M . 126 ... Prov . G . Chap .

„ the Earl of Portarlington , W . M . 126 , P . G . W . England ... ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ R . Toleman , P . M . 121 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O . „ D . H . Williams , S . O . 126 ... ... Prov . J . G . O . „ G . Habgood , P . M . on ( re-elected ) ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ Zillwood Milledge , P . M . 126 , P . P . J . G . W . ... Prov . G . Sec . „ F . J . D . Reid , W . M . 121 ... ... Prov . G . R . of M . „ W . Hair , J . W . 133 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ D . J . Lawson , S . O . 133 ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ Sidny S . Milledge , R . of M . 126 ... ... Prov . G . I . of Wks . „ A . Ravner , l . W . 126 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C .

„ J . Bagg , J . D . 133 ... ... •••Prov . G . S . B .. „ E . Cox , S . O . 121 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ A . Badden , J . D . 99 ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G . „ H . A . Hurdle , Org . 12 C ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ C . J . Freeman , Sec . 133 ... ... Prov . G . Stwd .

„ A . Hains , Tyler 99 ( re-appointed ) ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The business beinfj- over , the brethren adjourned to the dining hall , whire a recherche dejeuner was provided and the usual Masonic toasts givtn . Bro . Col . Brymer , M . P ., the popular P . G . M ., presided and sent the fruit for the table , which was much admired and duly appreciated .