Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons held the monthl y meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday , December 14 th , Bro . Major J . Creaton , V . P ., P . G . D ., in the chair , and there were also present :

Bros . B . Head , W . Young , J . Hogg , S . Gale , W . Farnfield , R . H . Giraud , E . Cox , F . Walters , J Brett , G . Bolton , N . Wingfield , C . A . Cottebrune , R . J . Spiers , Fraser , Hemsworth , Adlard , J . Bellerby , and other brethren . The minutes of the meeting held on Nov . 9 th

were read and unanimously confirmed . The deaths of Bros . Kent and North , male annuitants , and of Mrs . Greenall , female annuitant , were announced . Two applicants as candidates to annuity funds were admitted and approved of , viz . : A member

of Lodge 65 , for male annuity , and an application from Lodge 147 , for a female annuity . It was duly proposed , seconded , and carried unanimously , " That a minute be placed on the books expressing the deep regret all felt for the

loss of Bro . John Udall , P . G . D . and V . P . of all the Masonic Charities " ( who died since the last meeting of the committee ) . Other business having been disposed of , and the usual vote of thanks given to the chairman , the meeting was closed .

Biography.

Biography .

•—?—COLONEL WM . J . BURY McLEOD MOORE , S . G . I . G . 33 ° , Grand Prior of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital for Dominion of Canada , iS-v . The following short biographical sketch of the Illustrious Head of the Chivalric Orders in Canada is taken from The Craftsman , of Hamilton , Ont : —

Colonel Wm . J . Bury McLeod Moore is b y birth an Irishman , and the last descendant of an old military family who for generations had followed tlie profession of arms ; first settling in Ireland , in the County Meath , during the

" Commonwealth , " having obtained from Cromwell a grant of the lands of "Saleston , " adjoining Carton ( which remained in the family until a late period ) , being originally from Dorsetshire in England . His name of McLeod he inherits

from his father ' s mother , who was an only daughter of the Chief of the Clan , Norman John MacLeod , of MacLeod , and Dunvegan Castle , Isle of Skye , by his first marriage into the family of " The Macdonald , " of Slate , in Skye—the

ancient Lords of the Isles . Colonel Moore received his early education in the city of Aberdeen , Scotland , and was a student at the Marischal College—the famed "Alma Mater" of Scott ' s "Dugald Dalgettyj "

from thence he was sent to the Royal Military College of Sandhurst , and subsequently obtained an Ensigncy in the the 69 th Regiment , with which he remained for upwards of twenty years . In the fall of 1852 , he arrived in Canada as

staff officer , to organise and enrol the Chelsea Out-Pensioners residing in the Bytown and Kingston Districts , and , until 1857 , was stationed in the city of Ottawa ; when , selling out of the army , he was appointed Commandant of thc

whole active Volunteer force there . During his military career he served principally in the West Indies and Mediterranean , and was employed for some years on the general staff of the army . Colonel Moore is thc author of several papers

on military subjects , which were favourably noticed in the columns of the Naval and Military Gazette , particularly a treatise on the practical use of the ' xidsword and bayonet fencing , A being early noted for his skill as a swordsman and proficiency in all athletic exercises .

We will now turn to his connection with the Craft , and his introduction of the Templar and other Orders of Freemasonry into Canada , commencing from his being first brought to light , which took place at the early age of seventeen years , receiving the three Craft degrees of

Biography.

Masonry on the same day , the 17 th of August , 1827 , at a special lodge held in the Mansion House of R . W . Bro . Major-General Sir Alex . Leith , K . C . B . , W . M . of the Glenkindie Lodge , No . 333 , Aberdeenshire , on register of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Early in 1837 he was

exalted in the St . Macher s Royal Arch Chapter , No . 37 , held in the city of Aberdeen , and in 1843 we find that he joined the St . Patrick Lodge and Chapter , No . 50 , Dublin , as also No . 4 Victoria Mark Lodge , all on the register of Ireland . In the following year he was installed

a Knight Templar and Knight of Malta , and was elected and served as Senior Warden of of Lodge 242 , in Boyle , County Roscommon . In 1847 he was affiliated under the Grand Lodge of England , in the St . John and St . Paul ' s Lodge , No . 437 , in the City of La Valetta ,

Island of Malta , and in 18 49 installed W . M ., this lodge , the oldest in the island , being instituted b y Judge Waller Rodwell Wright ( a wellknown and distinguished Mason , and former Grand Master of the Chivalric Orders in England ) , on the 12 th April , 1815 , at the Hope

Tavern , Strada Mezzodi , La Valetta . A Masonic lodge , it has been ascertained , had existed in the island for a short time in the last century , when under the rule of the Knights of Malta , hut was suppressed by order of the Pope , and . the members dispersed . Bro . McLeod Moore was also a member of

the Union of Malta Lodge , No . 588 , and Royal Arch Chapter , of which he was third principal J . ; and here , in the Island of Malta , famed as the last refuge of the Order of the Knights of St . John , he established the first Templar Encampment in connection with Freemasonry ever held in the island—the Melita—a warrant of

confirmation being granted by the Grand Conclave of England and Wales , on the 10 th May , 1850 , although the Sup . Grand Master Colonel Kemys K . Tynte was at first doubtful whether he could exercise jurisdiction out of England and

Wales , the Grand Conclave being only revived in 1846 after many years of inactivity . In May , 1852 , at the Grand Conclave of Knights Templar , held in London , the Grand Master installed our 111 . Bro . Moore second Grand Captain of the Grand Conclave .

At Kingston , Canada West , in 1854 , he joined St . John ' s Lodge , No . 191 , E . R ., and Ancient Frontenac Royal Arch Chapter , No . 1 , and was elected to the second Principal Chair of H . It was here he learned that an old Knight Templar Encampment called St . John , long dormant , had

been attached to thc lodge and Chapter ; on examining the warrant it appeared to have been issued in 1824 by the self-constituted authority of the Provincial Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Masonry for Upper Canada , Ex . Comp . Zebba M . Phillips . A petition was drawn up

forwarding this irregular warrant to the Grand Conclave of England , when a new one was issued under the title of the Hugh de Payens , nominating Sir . Knt . McLeod Moore , Eminent Commander . From this Encampment , ( which , by a resolution of the Sup . Grand Conclave , of the 10 th of May , 1855 , was permitted to rank

in the S . G . Conclave , from the 12 th September , 1824 , thedateof the surrendered warrant ) the first establishment of the Temple Order in Canada on a Constitutional basis took its rise . To commemorate this event , the late Sir Knt . Major-General Alex . Gordon , Royal Engineers , instituted , for members of the Encampment , an Order of Merit called the Gordon Order . The

Supreme Grand Master also appointed Sir Knt . Moore Provincial Grand Commander of Knights Templar for Canada , which high position he retained until the year 1868 , when his patent was changed to that of Grand Prior of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital for

the Dominion of Canada ; and he was presented by the Supreme Grand Master , Sir Knt . William Stewart , with a beautiful star and an enamelled badge , the insignia of his office . Referring back to 1854 we see he was invested

Senior Grand Warden ol the Provincial Grand Lodge of . Canada on the 25 th October , and on the 1 st May , 1855 , he founded the Corinthian Lodge of the City of Ottawa , of which he was installed W . M . In December , 1859 , D X n '

Biography.

exertions the Carleton Royal Arch Chapter was opened there , when he was chosen the first Principal Z . In April , 186 3 , our illustrious brother was appointed in New York a Deputy Inspector-General , 33 rd degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , and Representative of

the Supreme Grand Council in Canada for the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States ; and as such was acknowledge when the treaty of Union , in May , 1 S 67 , took place between the two Grahd Bodies of New York and Boston , merging into one Grand Council 33 ° for the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States .

At the Grand Royal Arch Chapter held m this year , at Toronto , he was nominated to the chair of H . as second Grand Principal of the Grand Chapter of Canada . In 1868 the Sup . Grand Council for England and Wales 33 ° having affiliated him as a

member , appointed him their representative when the A . and A . Rite was formerly introduced into the dominion , and which is now , since Illustrious Bro . Moore ' s retirement , ruled by his successor , Illustrious Bro . T . D . Harrington , 33 . On the revival , within the last few years in

England , of the Red Cross Order of Rome and Constantine , Illustrious Bro . McLeod Moore was appointed by the Grand Sovereign Lord Kenlis , Representative for Canada and Chief Intendent-General of the Dominion , also elected a Past Grand Viceroy of the Grand Council in England . This Christian Order is one of those classed

amongst the Chivalric degrees , acknowledged by the Articles of Union of the Grand Lodge of England in 1813 . A long and gallant record of service in the cause of Light . In Ancient Craft Masonry , in Capitular , Cryptic Masonry , in the Chivalric Orders , and in

the degrees of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , Illustrious Bro . Moore has worked zealously and faithfully ; and , especially during the earlier days of Masonry in Canada , overcame difficulties that would have daunted many a less determined , less enthusiastic brother . Ambition mean with him

a laudable and determined desire to spread the three great Principles of Masonry abroad in all his journeyings , and if honours in plenty have been conferred upon him , they have been honourably won , and have been used commendably as aids to promote still further the best interests of the Order . «

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

——?—The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . THE " RECTANGULAR REVIEW " ON " FREEMASONRY : ITS USE AND ABUSE . " 1

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR AND BROTHER , —Bro . Binckes' second letter on this subject is very wordy and very unsatisfactory . He wanders away from any close examination of the questions at issue . Will Bro . Binckes supply a clear , detailed reply to the following

inquiries : — 1 . A statement showing how much of the £ 12 , 847 collected for the Boys' Masonic Institution in 186 9 was actually spent upon the maintenance and education of the boys ; how much went actually to reduce the debt upon the institution : and how

much it cost to administer the funds , either as ordinary or extraordinary expenditure , giving full details ? 2 . How much was received from Stewards' Fees , showing how the amount was expended , giving full

details ? Wc are engaged in a search for the truth , and if we have made anyserious error in our statements , we shall have much pleasure in making the amende honourable . Yours truly and fraternally ,

THE EDITOR "RECTANGULAR REVIEW . " London , Dec . 12 , 1870 . BRO . FORSYTH AND THE "ENCYCLO PEDIA METROPOLITANA . "

( To the Editor of Thc Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I beg to thank Bro . Forsyth for his interesting communication in today ' s FREEMASON , and for the sketch he has given of thc article in the above work on Freemasonry . My chief reason in alluding to this matter is front the fact , that Bro . Matthew Cooke in No . 4 of The Masonic Press ( a short-lived , but spirited magazine )