Masonic Notes.

Quebec and England , and it being held that the withdrawal of the edict against England would materially strengthen the hands of the mediator , the edict has now been formally withdrawn under the proclamation dated Montreal , the 23 rd October , 1889 .

* * * We sincerely trust that the mediation of Bro . Walkem will be successful , and that the G . Lodges of Quebec and England will speedily be on the best of

terms . We do not think the G . Lodge of England is to blame for what has happened , but we are sure it will recognise the kindly spirit which has prompted Quebec and its G . Master to remove the edict against it .

* * * However , as matters are restored to their old footing as prior to 1885 , there ought to be no difficulty in adjusting matters in dispute between them , and we trust

the two bodies will soon be interchanging representatives . We shall have more to say on the subject next week . * * *

The meeting of the Drury Lane Lodge , on Tuesday , was attended by a large number of members and visitors . " The Profession " was in great force , both the Dramatic and " The Services . " Bro . Admiral Inglefield occupied the chair of W . M ., and the Lord Mayor

that of S . W ., while Bro . Fernandez was J . W . It is hardly necessary to say that Sir H . A . Isaacs was unanimously chosen as W . M . for the ensuing year , on the nomination of Bro . Edmund Yates , supported by Bro . J . C . Parkinson . The Lord Mayor expressed his

thanks for the honour , and remarked that had he been consulted on the matter , Bro . Yates was of all men the brother he would have chosen to nominate him . The

Secretary , Bro . Broadley , referred to the candidature of Bro . Augustus Harris for the office of Grand Treasurer , and announced that he had received the names of nearly 2000 brethren who had promised him their support .

The Baltimore Sun , in its report of the Catholic Congress now being held at Baltimore , says that the most radical resolution adopted at the Congress related

to secret societies , it appearing that the opposition to the Church to all such associations vvill be withdrawn , except in regard to the Freemasons . This is a distinction the Craft should be proud of .

We learn from the Australasian keystone that at the August meeting of the Board of Benevolence of Victoria , only the President and five members attended , and vve quite agree with our contemporary that it is on all accounts desirable the members of this Board

should be regular in the discharge of their duties . It is also clear that if the attendance is scanty that necessary inquiry into the cases which come before the Board becomes almost impossible , or is indifferently

made . On the occasion referred to only six cases were on the agenda , so that the President and his five faithful coadjutors were able to do what was necessary . But had there been 60 cases instead of six it mi ght not have been possible to get through the work .

We see no objection to the constitution of the Board , which is modelled upon the same lines as our Board of Benevolence , that is to say , it consists of a President , all Present and Past Grand Lodge Officers ,

the Masters of Lodges , two Vice-Presidents , and 12 Past Masters , to be elected in December . Out of such an array of members as this there ought to be no difficulty in obtaining a full and sufficient attendance . If , however , only a few attend , there is a likelihood of the

cases submitted being relieved either insufficiently or excessively . It is ridiculous to suppose that a small number can be so thoroughly posted in all the details as to be able to determine the just measure of relief that should be given in every case .

* * * We trust , however , that whether the attendance at the Victorian Board be scanty or full , it will insist on the Master , or a P . M . or Warden , as his representative , attending from the lodge to vvhich the applicant

for relief belongs or has belonged . It is to his lodge that the Board must look for information respecting the merits of a distressed applicant , and no case should be disposed of finally unless a representative of the lodge is present to furnish the requisite particulars .

WE agree with our 'Australasian contemporary that it will be just as well if the question of precedence in the Grand Lodge of Victoria is settled as speedily as

Masonic Notes.

possible . But it strikes us that the best way to settle it will be to appoint a Grand Director of Ceremonies , a brother who understands the duties of the office . For the present the Grand Lodge of Victoria is

working under the Constitutions of our Grand Lodge , and in them the Table of Precedence of the members of Grand Lodge is set forth so clearly that no G . D . of C . has any excuse for ignorance on the subject .

* * * But we fail to see why a prominent brother who held the office of Prov . G . Registrar in England should have intervened to " test the rig ht of every Past Grand Lodge Officer to enter with the Grand Master . " The only

Prov . Grand Officers who are included in our Table of Precedence are the Provincial and District Grand Masters , and Past Provincial and District Grand Masters , and then in rank in the order of precedence , after Past Deputy Grand Masters and before the Grand

Wardens . The other Present and Past Provincial and District Grand Officers have no status as such in our Grand Lodge , and if or when they attend Grand Lodge , it is not in virtue of their Provincial or District rank , but as Masters , Wardens , or Past Masters of private lodges .

It seems to us , therefore , that this " prominent brother who held the office of Provincial Grand Registrar in England , " had no locus standi , unless , indeed , he considers that Past Grand rank having been

conferred by the United Grand Lodge of Victoria on all Present and Past District or Provincial Grand Officers of Victoria , the rule would apply to him as the Past Grand Registrar of a Province in England . The position is not as clearly defined in our contemporary ' s article as we

could wish , and , therefore , we are unable to offer a precise opinion . However , two things are evident ( 1 ) the Table of Precedence should be settled at once ; and ( 2 ) it must be so settled that nothing in connection with it is left to the discretion of the Grand Director of Ceremonies or any other Grand Officers .

* * * The Combermere Lodge , No . 752 , one of the two English lodges in Melbourne that did not join the local Grand Lodge of Victoria , has on its roll over 100 members in good standing . A steady increase of

elig ible candidates , also joining members , is noted at every monthly meeting . The initiation fee and annual subscription have been on a higher scale than the great

majority of the lodges in the colony for some years past . Sir W . J . Clarke , Bart ., the M . W . Grand Master of Victoria , is still a subscribing member ofthe Combermere Lodge .

* * * We have received almost at the moment of going to press the mournful news of the death of Bro . Frederick

Davison , P . G . D ., P . G . Treas . and P . G . W . of the Mark Grand Lodge , & c . A full account of our deceased brother ' s services will be published in our issue of next week .

Bro . the Rev . G . Warburton Weldon , M . A ., vicar of St . George ' s , Bickley , upon whom the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., vvas pleased to confer the brevet rank of

Past Grand Chaplain at the Masonic celebration of the Queen ' s Jubilee on the 13 th June , 1887 , died , we regret to say , in the early part of the present week , and of his services , also , vve shall furnish an account in our nnx-t issue .

The London Scottish Rifles Lodge will have a busy nig ht on Thursday next , when it meets for the first time since its consecration in May last . The names of five gentlemen appear on the agenda for initiation , besides several ioining members .

* * * West Lancashire is about to add another lodge to its already large roll . " The Horwich " is to be consecrated in a week or two , and it is hoped that the Prov . Grand Master , Lord Lathom , will perform the ceremony . * * *

We have received from a correspondent at Reading a report of the laying of the foundation stone of the new Masonic Hall , on the 30 th October , by the Prov . Grand Master , the Earl of Jersey , vvhich we regret vve are not able to find room for , but the description of the building shall appear next week .

We regret to hear that Bro . Jabez Hogg , vvho is at present in Rome , has met with an accident while exploring the Collosseum , having injured his leg by making a false step . We trust the injury is not a serious one .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ] ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS

To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother , As you have thought proper in the exercise of your discretion to give admission , without note or comment , to a letter signed " E . V . Greatbatch , " I am constrained to avail myself of the earliest opportunit y

of replying to this latest attempt to mislead , and to complain of the unscrupulous manner generall y in vvhich the personal attack upon me has been conducted . The purport of the statistics given in the letter referred to is to induce your readers to believe that I have been in the receipt of a salary of ^ 700 per annum from this

Institution from the time of my entering on my duties in June , 1861 , to this date , whereas the known fact is that my commencing salary was £ 150 per annum , and that it is only during recent years that it has reached the present amount . As an instance of unscrupulous assertion note the

item— " Average annual grant from Stewards' Festival Fund , £ 125 "—corrected by actual figures this would be a little less than . £ 50!—which , by inquiry , could easily have been ascertained . Again , " Salary as Grand Secretary Grand Mark Lodge , ^ 250 "—true , that amount ni * my salary .. was as stated ; but here inquiry

would have resulted in proving that from this I have regularly applied one moiety towards payment , of the necessary assistance to obviate the necessity , of an attempt on my part " to be in two places at once "—so that the candid and impartial critic , who generousl y disclaims being actuated by " malignity , "

wilfully or wantonly credits me with , at least , . £ 200 per annum in excess of the amount actuall y received . It may , perhaps , interest him and others to know that if this excess had been realised , there would be a " not unreasonable hope " that I had made some provision for myself . Unhappily for me ,

with a necessitated annual expenditure of , at least , £ 100 per annum in ¦ association vvith official positions , from litigation , and unfortunate investments , that hope must be abandoned . I could add to what I have written much that ought to be , and probabl y at no distant date vvill have to be , stated ; but I forbear . I will , however , take this opportunity to beg , in all fairness , if this

unhappy controversy is to be continued , that those who have assumed the duties of prosecutors , or persecutors , vvill be content to " speak of me as I am ; nothing extenuate , nor aught set down in malice . " This conceded , I may endure , though without being unmindful of , the undeserved censure so recklessl y directed against me . —Yours fraternall y , FREDERICK BINCKES .

November 12 th . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Referring to the " Masonic Notes" of your issue of the 9 th inst ., I desire to draw your attention to

the fact that the brother who at the recent Quarterly Court " called upon the brethren to subscribe to a fund of ^ 5 ° o to carry the question to the Chancery Division of the High Court" was not present at the General Committee held on the and inst .

In that Committee it was I who asked the Chairman whether , under Law 34 , the resolution of the recent Quarterl y Court voting Bro . Binckes a pension of £ 350 per annum , for life , being a resolution for a grant of money , did not require confirmation at the next Quarterly Court . The Chairman having courteously

informed me that the Provisional Committee were considering the matter , and would report upon the construction they placed upon Law 34 on the first opportunity , I rose , and explained that 1 put the question in consequence of a rumour that proceedings vvere to be taken to contest such resolution , and that , in common

with several brethren , I should have liked an answer to my question in order that the necessary steps might be taken b y the opponents of the pension to prevent such resolution from being carried into effect b y the Provisional Committee . I added that if the resolution had to come before the next Quarterly Court , as I

anticipated , vve should then know vvhat steps to take .. The steps 1 intended advising the opponents of the pension to take were to send out a circular to the whole of the Subscribers to the Institution , calling their particular attention to the matter , and asking them to attend at the next Q uarterly Court , and vote against

the confirmation of the resolution . I neither threatened the Provisional Committee vvith Chancery-proceedings , nor mentioned the word Chancery . Bro . Cumberland subsequently , in addressing the Committee , stated that I had " threatened proceedings in Chancery against the Committee" and 1 asked the Chairman if Bro . Cum '

, berland was in order in imputing words to me that 1 had never uttered . Bro . Cumberland at once expressed his regret for the mistake he had made , and withdrew the words , and the matter ended . I have read with great interest the able letter of Bro .

Greatbatch in your issue of the 9 th inst ., and his reasons for opposing the grant of the pension to Bro . Binckes seem to me unanswerable . A large number of the opponents of the pension , myself amongst them , are opposed to a pension being