Wakefield Masonic Literary Society.

bably ? Pentalpha Lodge , Bradford , has a most beautiful model of one planned by our late Bro . Edward Walker Shaw . Take the two pillars J . and B ., they are symbolic of strength and durability , and symbolise that "the pillars of the earth are the Lord ' s . " ( I . Sam ., v . 2 , 8 . ) The author of the splendid volume now in

your library , on " Solomon ' s Temple , " takes a view of the position of these pillars well worth y of discussion , that B . should be on the left of the building , and J . on the right , when facing the building . There are no less than 48 subjects in the furnishing and the furniture of the lodge for the W . M . to treat upon and interest the Entered

Apprentices . Time vvould fail me to do more than suggest you mig ht have lectures on each of them—the floor , serpent , stars , eye , G , columns , tassels , chains , pedestals , tools , wands , officers , the altar , and the ark . They serve to show you how wonderful a science is speculative and symbolic Masonry . They serve to show

how much the Mason maybe stimulated in zeal for the acquisition of the knowledge of the seven liberal arts and sciences . Science and knowledge are bounded by no space , since Masons can travel from east to west in their pursuit . But , although science is great , she is not the greatest ; she is an instrument , not a power ,

beneficent or deadly , according as she is wielded by the hand of virtue or vice . But her lawful mistress , the only one vvhich can use her ari ght , the only one under whom she can truly grow and prosper in a lodge of Masons , and prove her Divine descent is virtue , the likeness of T . G . A . O . T . U . and the

principles which actuate the pursuit are highly conducive to virtue and morality , the attempt to rule and subdue the passions , and , lastly , where candour cannot commend , their silence will , at least , avoid reproach . Here I must stop , having , I fear , wearied you vvith too long an address . I have , whilst elucidating nothing

novel or startling , simply pointed out that the old symbols and allegories of our system , still veiled many ot them in mysteries , and shrouded by antiquity , are but waiting for exemplification by patient research into their origin , uses , and meaning . I have tried to show how P . M . ' s and W . M . ' s can make a lodge meeting

anything but a weariness to the flesh , or a monotony to the newl y initiated . They can also invite learned and erudite Masonic thinkers and writers and students to come to them and give them help by papers on abstruse Masonic subjects . They can invite discussion upon Masonic difficulties and anomalies , whilst a Society like

this , and with the aid of a good Masonic library , can aid their researches by literature , and keep them well informed as to the progress of Masonic inquiry . You have already 70 members ; you have taken a broad view of this Society ' s labours ; you have invited others than Wakefield Masons ' to join you ; and you have met with

response from Leeds , Dewsbury , Bradford , and other towns . In these practical days , men outside our mystic circle estimate value by results , and it remains with us Masons whether they shall regard our Craft as one " continuall y given to all good works , " or a mere mummery profession and childish playing with things and names ,

if not something worse ; or they shall be compelled to admit that it is something demanding the approval and confidence of honest , serious , and intelligent men , who yearn after brotherhood , love , and friendship . Brethren , I ask you to leave not this lodge without a distinct and earnest resolution as to vvhich , as far as lies in each one of us , Masonry shall be in this city and province * .

So mote it be . The President ' s paper was listened to with the greatest attention and appreciation , and at its close a most cordial vote of thanks vvas awarded on the motion of Bro . A . W . STANFIELD , seconded b y Bro . BOLTON , and supported in eulogistic terms by Bros . C . L . MASON and H . OXLEY .

The PRESIDENT , vvho , on rising to respond , had again a hearty reception , repeated his acknowledgments to the members of the Wakefield Literary Society , and assured them that he was proud to hold the position in which they had placed him , that he hailed vvith great satisfaction the formation and firm establishment of

'his Institution , and that he vvould render them all the aid he could command , and be deli ghted to come amongst them as frequently as possible . Bro . MATTHEWMAN then called attention to Rule 7 , which permits members to suggest subjects for discussion , and intimated that he would be g lad to receive

such communications , vvhich , on obtaining the sanction ° f the Committee , vvould be duly discussed . Questions also vvere invited . The SECRETARY , before the meeting closed , also informed the members that they vvould shortly have the

Pleasure of hearing Bro . G . W . Speth , the Secretary of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , whose labours , Masonic and literary , vvere so generally known . Bro . Speth ' s Paper would probably be given in January , 1 S 90 . This closed the evening ' s proceedings .

An Item Of Interest To The Craft.

AN ITEM OF INTEREST TO THE CRAFT .

PROCLAMATION —THE GRAND LODGE OF Q UEBEC , A . F . AND A . M . Office of the Grand Master , Montreal , P . Q ., October 23 rd , 188 9 . T o all Brethren of obedience to the M . W . the Grand

Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Province of Quebec , and to all whom the following may concern—Whereas—On the first day of January , 1885 , M . W . * " <¦> . E . R . Johnson , then Grand Master of this Grand

An Item Of Interest To The Craft.

Lodge , issued his proclamation forbidding all brethren acknowledg ing the authority of the Grand Lodge of Quebec to hold any Masonic intercourse vvith any member or members of any lodge existing in this province , enrolled on the register of any foreign Grand Lodge , in so far as ancient Craft Masonry is concerned .

And Whereas , —On the fifth day of July , 1886 , M . W . Bro . James Frederick Walker , then Grand Master of this Grand Lodge , issued his proclamation and edict ordering that all Masonic intercourse be suspended and cease between this Grand Lodge , its subordinate lodges and brethren in obedience thereto , and commanding

all brethren of the Grand Lodge of Quebec to hold no Masonic intercourse vvith any brother in obedience to the said Grand Lodge of England . And Whereas , —The Grand Lodge of Canada , in the Province of Ontario , at its annual communication , held at the City of Toronto on the eighteenth and nineteenth

days of July , 1888 , authorised by resolution , its Grand Master , M . W . Bro . R . T . Walkem , to offer his mediation to both the said Grand Lodges of England and Quebec , which mediatorial offer was accepted by the Grand Lodge of Quebec . And Whereas , —The Grand Lodge of Quebec , at its

annual conmmunication held at the City of Montreal , on the 30 th and 31 st days of January , 1889 , passed the following resolution : " That with regard to the withdrawal of the Edicts of this Grand Lodge heretofore issued against the Grand Lodge of England , and its lodges in this city adhering thereto , this Grand Lodge

fully recognises the necessity of strengthening the hands of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario , in his mediation between this Grand Lodge and the said Grand Lodge of England and her lodges , and hereby authorises the Most Worship ful Grand Master

of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , who mhy be in office at any time , at the request of M . W . Bro . Walkem , to withdraw the said edict . " Now therefore be it known to you all that I , Isaac Henry Stearns , Grand Master of Masons in the Province of Quebec , by virtue of the power vested in me

as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , Ancient Free and Accepted Masons , in accordance vvith the foregoing resolution , and at the request and desire of M . W . Bro . R . T . Walkem , acting in his capacity as mediator as aforesaid , do hereby withdraw the beforementioned proclamation and edict of non-intercourse

and interdict issued by the Grand Master of this Grand Lodge of date of ist day of January , 1885 , and also the one issued by the Grand Master of date of 5 th day of July , 1886 , and the said proclamations and edicts are hereby withdrawn . Of all which you and all others , whom the said proclamations and interdicts may in any way concern , vvill

take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly . Witness my hand and the seal of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , and the attestation of the Grand Secretary thereof at Montreal , P . Q ., this 23 rd day of October , A . L . s 88 o . A . D . 1880 .

ISAAC H . STEARNS , Grand Master . [ Attest , ] J H . ISAACSON * , Grand Secretary G . L . of Q .

Scotland.

Scotland .

KILWINNING LODGE . A meeting of the Building Committee was held in the lodge room , on the 28 th ult ., for the purpose of taking steps to erect a new lodge . The meeting was largely attended , and amongst others present vvere Bros , the Hon . Thos . Cochrane , of Dunkeith ; Hugh

Wallace , of Cloncaird ; Patrick Burns , of Auchenharvie ; J . D . Dalrymple Duncan , Glasgow ; Major F . W . Allan , Glasgow ; James M'Cosh , Dairy ; D . Sneddon , Kilmarnock ; J . B . Wilson , Glasgow ; John Armour , jun ., Irvine ; William Scott , Kilwinning ; and Robert Wylie , Secretary Mother Kilwinning .

Bro . William Scott vvas called to the chair . Bro . R . W . Cochran-Patrick , R . W . M ., sent a telegram regretting his inability to be present ; also apologies from Bros . Alex . White , Edinburgh ; J . Fleming , Skelmorlie ; and Wm . Jack , Glasgow .

It vvas agreed to appoint Bro . James Stirling to go through the lodges in Ayrshire on behalf of the Building Fund , and it was arranged that subscriptions should be asked from different brethren throughout Scotland on a more extended scheme after the annual meeting in December .

Australia.

Australia .

A correspondent sends us the following : — " At the consecration of a new lodge in Melbourne , under the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , recently , an incident occurred that in some parts of the world would be considered an undesirable innovation . After the installation of the VV . AL designate and the investiture of the officers , & c , the lodge vvas ' called off . ' None of the officers , however , left their posts , the three ' emblematical lights' vvere exposed , and the lodaje

in every way wore the same aspect as it did before the order to ' call off' was given , when a deputation of ladies was admitted for the purpose of presenting a banner to the lodge . Several Grand Officers were present , including the R . VV . Deputy Grand Master , the V . W . Grand Secretary and President of the Board of General Purposes , the W . the Director of Ceremonies , the R . W . the Senior Grand Warden , and the V . W . President of the Board of Benevolence , the two latter of whom , to mark their disapproval of

Australia.

the proceedings , retired . After the ladies had left , the lodge vvas ' called on' and finally closed . To the foregoing may be added a perhaps more inexplicable incident that happened on the occasion of the installation of Sir William Clarke as M . W . Grand Alaster of Victoria in the Town Hall , Melbourne , last March . While the Grand Lodge was open ancl at work , a part }' of photographers—non-Masonswere admitted , and took a view of the proceedings . It vvas only discovered , when too late , that the artists were ' cowans . ' "

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Miss Grace Hawthorne , the lessee of the Princess ' s Theatre , is just novv one of the busiest women in London , for , in addition to her arduous labours in connection vvith her newly-decorated theatre in Oxfordstreet ( vvhich shortly re-opens with Brandon Thomas ' s new play , " The Gold Craze " ) , she is daily rehearsing

Sardou ' s celebrated play , " Theodora , " with which she opens her provincial tour at Brighton on the iSth inst . She has been for the past month stud ying the role in Paris , under the immediate instruction of the author , M . Victorien Sardou . The English adaptation of this play is b y Mr . Robert Buchanan , and the entire production is staged under the personal direction of Mr .

W . H . Vernon . The dresses , jewels , armour , & c , were manufactured b y M . Duquesnel , the director of the Porte St . Martin Theatre , in Paris , and are very elaborate and expressive , having cost the management £ 5000 . The dresses , jewels , & c , worn by Miss Hawthorne alone are valued at ^ 1500 , and sre said by connoisseurs in art to be the most magnificent costumes ever worn in a stage production .

* * * Mr . Barnum vvill not find any one who will attempt to dispute his title to call his entertainment " The Greatest Show on Earth , " for veril y it is collossal . The proprietor has not exaggerated anything . The 15000 people vvho assembled at Olympia on Monday last to welcome the

( another ) Grand Old Man gave him vociferous cheers as he drove round the arena twice in his Victoria and pair , looking the picture of health and happiness . We can onl y liken the company present to that of half a dozen theatrical first-ni ghts , with a few additional thousands thrown in . Fashion , art , the drama , literature ,

commerce , politics , and certainl y Freemasonryall vvere strongly represented . We believe it vvill become for the next few months the thing to dine and spend the evening at Olympia . The show proper did not commence until 8 o ' clock , but two hours prbr to that vvere easily spent in looking round the vario -, s

other shows the enterprising B . xrnum has provided . The monstrosities—or freaks of nature vve prefer to call them—had enormous crowds around them . There are a dwarf , aged 18 , who is perfect in form , and can easily stand on one ' s hand , two giants from Texas , good looking men , a child with two heads , four arms , and

two legs , a Circassian girl , a tattoed lady , but , of course , vve see only the lower part of her legs and arms , a giantess weighing 464 lbs ., an American dude , vvho is a living skeleton , and a man who has no arms , and can write and do everything vvith his feet , as if he had hands . An interesting explanation is given by a

lecturer , but vve think people of a nervous disposition had better keep away from these deformities of nature . Lions , tigers , leopards , elephants , cheetas , hyajnas , ostriches , camels , bears , and many other wild beasts and birds are to be seen , as also the horses in their stalls . In the arena there are three rings for

performances and two platforms between , so that there are five performances going on at one and the same time . As they are generally of the same kind , it is obvious that in whatever part of the huge building one is seated the entertainment is easil y seen . Many of the things are similar to what one sees at our own

Music Halls and circuses . The most novel and clever performance vvas the running down a plank and vaulting over the backs of five elephants , placed side by side , and turning somersaults in the descent . Of course the steeple chasing , horse racing , dog racing , cowboy riding , and chariot driving , both two and four abreast ,

caused the greatest excitement . One of the most ludicrous events is the riding of monkeys on ponies . The latter part of the entertainment is the representation of " Nero , or the Destruction of Rome , " vvhich occupies the whole of one side of the vast building . Certainly nothing like it has ever been seen in London ,

vve may say in Europe . We vvere reminded of the ballets of the Empire and Alhambra , and Drury Lane pantomimes , but even all these together vvould hardly be so large as Mr . Barnum ' s show . Every , thing is on a gigantic scale . The procession of men and women on foot , on horseback , on elephants and

camels , dressed in all sorts of colour and material , caused tremendous applause . The onl y fault—ancl it is not often people find such faults—is that Mr . Barnum gives them too much for their money . There is so much to see that one becomes bewildered , ancl the eye gets fatigued . Noticing Mr . Arthur Balfour

come in , and wandering about to find his seat—no one seemed to recognise him—we mentioned the fact to the occupant of the next seat to us . He at once looked on his programme , and replied there was no Balfour down , and vvas so intent on the performance that he did not grasp the fact of the Irish Secretary beir . of close to him .