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isiSffliSil SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 18 , 18 97 .

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

The Grand Lodge of New York , at its annual communication in June sent by the medium of Bro . Joseph J . Little , the representative of the Grand Lodge of England in that Masonic jurisdiction , a telegram of congratulation to the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., and through his Royal Highness to her Majesty the

Queen on the completion of the < 5 oth year of her reign . At its Quarterly Communication at the Masonic Hall , Philadelphia , on the first instant , the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania adopted and directed its Grand Secretary to transmit to our Grand Lodge a minute of congratulation on the magnificent success of the meeting held in the Royal Albert Hall , South

Kensington , on the 14 th June , to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee , and the generous offerings to Masonic and other Charities of the English Craft in honour of that joyous event , and echoing the hope expressed in our address to the Queen " that the reign of her Majesty , herself the daughter of a Freemason , ' may always be attended with the blessings of Peace , Unity , and Prosperity . '"

» * These congratulatory messages , which by no means represent all that have been received on this auspicious event from Masonic bodies in the United States , are not only very pleasant to read , but they are likewise particularly appropriate in the case of New York and Pennsylvania , which are among the oldest , as well

Masonic Notes.

as the most important , of the American Grand Lodges , and derive their Freemasonry direct from the G . Lodge of England . Deputations to brethren to act as P . G . Masters in what were then British Colonies in North America were issued from as early as 1730 , or within a few years after the constitution , in 1717 , of our own

Grand Lodge , while many years later warrants for Provincial Grand Lodges in Pennsylvania and New York were granted by our "Ancient" Grand Lodge , these Provincial Grand Lodges being subsequently erected—after the declaration of American Independence—into Grand Lodges . Hence the association of

these and other early Grand Lodges in the United States with our Grand Lodge is far closer than that of the newer States . It is , therefore , the more gratifying to know that , though the two countries are separated politically , the bonds of union between the brethren

in those and our Masonic jurisdictions are as firmly maintained as ever , and that an event which is the cause of so much rejoicing vvith us is also hailed with pleasure by our American brethren . Thc full text of the minute will be found in another part of our columns .

Nor is England the only country or tbe English Craft the only Masonic body to which the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has transmitted minutes of congratulation . Oscar IL , King of Sweden and Norway and head of Freemasonry in those kingdoms , is about to celebrate the 25 th anniversary of his accession to the throne , and as his Majesty has been

Protector and Grand Master during the same period , the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania adopted at the same meeting a series of minutes congratulating his Majesty on his successful administration of the Craft , and praying " that a Merciful Providence may grant a long continuance of this prosperity " under his guidance as Protector and Grand Master . This address also will be found elsewhere in our columns .

We are indebted to the courtesy of the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of all Scottish Freemasonry in India for a copy of the proceedings at the special communication held in Bombay , on the 4 th June , when His Excellency , Bro . Lord Sandhurst , was installed as

M . W . G . Master in succession to Bro . J . W . Smith , who retired on the completion of his five years' tenure of the G . Mastership . The meeting was a most enthusiastic one , and the attendance far more considerable than on any previous occasion . His Excellency , who is Pro District Grand Master under the English

Constitution , being exceedingly and deservedly popular with the Craft . As a matter of course , everything passed off successfully , while at the banquet , which was held subsequently for the purpose of doing honour to the occasion , the enthusiasm of those present was even greater than in Grand Lodge .

» * The duty of proposing the health of thc newly-installed Grand Master devolved on his predecessor in office , who , in referring casually to certain opinions offered by the critics , that , as his lordship was " primarily " an English Freemason , the interests of

Scottish Freemasonry would be subordinated to those of the English Constitution , expressed his belief that should the interests of English and Scottish Freemasonry in India clash , or appear to clash , his lordship would act "impartially and dispassionately" and " decide with justice and discrimination so that while neither Constitution will be allowed to encroach

upon the domains of the other Constitution , each Constitution will enjoy perfect freedom in its own particular sphere of action . " * * * In acknowledging the toast , Bro . Lord Sandhurst naturally referred to these remarks , and , in doing so , said he did not " believe in the competition between

English Masonry and Scottish Masonry , " and that if ever any such competition did arise anywhere it would be found to be caused by bad management , adding , for the benefit of the brethren of the two Constitutions then present , the assurance that so long as he had the honour of presiding over both , no such competition should ever arise . * * *

We are satisfied that his lordship ' s efforts to prevent this competition will be successful . Nowhsre throughout the British Empire has the harmony that should exist between different sections of thc Craft been more remarkably illustrated than in India . It is , of

course , well understood that English Masons and Scottish Masons have each of them their separate and distinct interests , but at the same time it is fully realised that there is a community of interest existing between the two bodies . Each has its separate organisation and is governed by its particular

Masonic Notes.

code of laws ; but in many cases the lodges own the same meeting places , while the interchange of visits between the two bodies is of the most cordial character and of almost every day occurrence . For many years past they have worked

side by side together under different chiefs and without the slightest feeling of rivalry , nor do we see the slightest reason why they should not continue to exhibit towards each other the same kindly feelings of mutual consideration and mutual forbearance under one and the same head as under different heads .

* » * In another of his speeches—in acknowledging the toast of his health as Past Grand Master—Bro . J . W . Smith gave some very interesting statistics of the position of Scottisb Freemasonry in India , showing the progress it had made during the five years he had

presided over it as Grand Master . When he was installed in office there were , he said , 3 6 lodges on the roll , of which , however , only 26 were in active work , the number of subscribing members being 917 , or an average of 35 per Iodge . Now there are 43 lodges , of which 35 are in active work , with a total of 1268

subscribing members , or an average of 36 per Iodge . Thus there had been seven new lodges constituted during his year of office , while three had been revived as against one which had become dormant owing to paucity of members and the destruction of its charter and property by fire . During the same period the

Scottish Masonic Benevolent Association , which maintains seven annuitants and six orphans , has prospered , its funds at thc close of 1896 amounting to 27 , 360 Rupees , of which 21 , 700 Rupees were invested , while the Fund of Benevolence , which was only started in 1891 with a credit of 1357 Rupees , had been the

means of affording temporary relief in a number of deserving cases , and yet had 2162 Rupees to its credit . Such testimony as this to the progress of Scottish Freemasonry in India during the last five years must have been as gratifying to Bro . Smith as it was to the brethren to whom it was addressed .

* * Appended to the proceedings of which we have just furnished an outline is the Report of the gathering held on Saturday , the 5 th June , when Lord Sandhurst laid the foundation-stone of the new Masonic Hall about to be erected in Bombay for the accommodation of the brethren of the English and Scottish Constitutions .

The project is one on which our brethren in India have for some time past set their minds , but the chief difficulty they have had to contend with has been that ot obtaining a suitable site . However , this difficulty has at last been overcome and we trust it will not be long before this new home of the Craft in Bombay is erected . The gathering on the occasion was in every way worthy of the importance of the function .

* * * We have also a copy of the Proceedings of thc regular convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of R . A . Masonry in India under Scotland , which was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Bombay , on the 13 th May last . Tne meeting was not a large one , nor was

the business of an unusual character . In his review of the events of the past year , the Grand Superintendent—Comp . K . R . Cama—took the opportunity of describing what had been done towards obtaining the services of some eminent companion to succeed him as Grand Superintendent . However , their efforts in this

direction had proved unsuccessful , and Comp . Cama , while declaring that he was quite " willing to bear the burden until the nomination was a success , " and had no intention of throwing up the duties he had undertaken , while he had the energy and leisure to perform them ,

gave it very clearly to be understood that he was desirous of being relieved of his responsibilities as soon as possible . He , too , in the course of his remarks , bore ample testimony to the cordiality of the relations that had always existed between the English and Scottish Constitutions during his term of office .

Among the brethren of whom Obituary notices are to be found in Volume X . —Part 2—just issued , of " Ars Quatuor Coronatorum , " is the late Bro . Sir Norman Pringle , Bart ., who died in London on the 2 istjuly , in the 61 st year ot his age , and in whose family the love of Freemasonry would seem to have

been hereditary . One of his ancestors—Walter Pringle , Advocate—was , we are told , admitted and received as a Fellow Craft in the Lodge of Edinburgh on the 24 th June , 1670 , at the same time as the Right Hon . William Murray and Sir John Hirper . The second baronet—Sir John—nephew of the said Walter Pringle—was elected W . M . of the Lodgeof Kelso in

June and again in December , 1702 . Again , at a meeting on St . John the Evangelist ' s Day , 1707 , there were present at a meeting of the extinct Haughfoot Lodge as many as four Pringles out of a total of 15 . members . There are not many families whose connection with our Order has extended over SD long a period .

¦ * ¦ * * As for our recently deceased brother , he was , it seems , initiated in the Moira Lodge , No . 92 , on the iSth October , 1 . SS 0 , and during the following year , while stationed with his regiment at Malta , was admitted to the R . A ., Mark , and R . C . Degrees . He was W . M . of No . 92 in 1 S 90 , and at the time of his death was I . P . Z . and Scribe E . of chapter , No . 02 .