Bro. J. H. Drummond, Past G. Master Of Maine.

at . the same time ranks among the highest authorities in American Masonry on the statistics and jurisprudence of the Craft . There is , indeed , no more highly cultured or more enlig htened Mason throughout the American Union than Bro . J OSIAH H . DRUMMOND , and Bro . GOULD has described his career as such in a manner

worthy alike of his own fame and of that of his American contemporary . With such a mass of material from which to compile his chronicle , Bro . GOULD has , of necessity , been very sparing in

his quotations of Bro . DRUMMOND ' opinions on the leading Masonic questions of the day ; but he has quoted sufficient to show that Bro . DRUMMOND is in every way entitled to the respect in which he is universally held by his American

brethren . Thus on the subject of the Negro Grand Lodges , when , in 18 7 6 , it was advocated by a Special Committee of the Grand Lodge of Ohio to recognise the African Grand Lodge established in the same State , Bro . DRUMMOND offered his most

strenuous opposition to the proposal , pointing out that " it introduced into Masonry a distinction founded upon race and colour which is contrary to its fundamental principles , " andthough this difficulty is fast disappearing—that it is directly

opposed to what in American Masonry is a landmark , that " no one can be made a Mason unless he be freeborn . " As regards the question of lodge refreshment , Bro . DRUMMOND is declared tp . be strongly in its favour , as appears from a statement that " a

series of resolutions advocating a return to the old custom of having refreshments at meetings of the lodges was passed , " at the instance of Bro . DRUMMOND , by the Grand Lodge of Maine on the 7 th May , 18 9 6 . The following on the same subject is

also very much to the point : " It has been often said that a Mason who goes to the lodge only when there are to be refreshments served might as well stay away . We do not so believe . A haK-ar .-hour spent at the table over a very simple collation

would cultivate intimacies more than a whole year of lodge meetings . An old friend of ours used to say— ' Speeches are often interesting ; but toe-to-toe talk is what does tlie business !

If we mingle the instruction of the lodge with thc pleasure of social intercourse at ( he table , we carry out one of the original plans of Masonry . "

Opinions occasionally differ as to the grounds on which one brother may vouch for another . Bro . DRUMMOND puts the matter clearly and concisely when he says : "A Mason is permitted to vouch for a brother in these three cases ; i . From having

sat in lodge with him . 2 . from having privately examined him , and 3 , from positive and reliable information . " From the paragraphs in which " Exclusive Jurisdiction " is referred to we take the following as more immediately concerning English Masons .

" Ihe British Grand Lodges recognise concurrent jurisdiction in British territory . The American doctrine of exclusive jurisdiction is nominally not recognised by the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland , but while nominally repudiating

the doctrine , the Grand Lodge of each of these countries actuall y insists upon it in its own case , while denying it to others ! As to the Dependencies of the British Crown , all these Grand Lodges recognise the doctrine of concurrent jurisdiction among

themselves , but exclusive as to all the rest of thc world , thus reall y maintaining the American doctrine . It is a question to which we have given much thought , and upon which we have not as yet come to a definite conclusion , whether in such a country a

Grand Lodge maynot be recognised as legal , but without exclusive jurisdiction . " As regards the foregoing passage we may remark that in South Africa , while the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and ' Scotland exercise concurrent jurisdiction among

themselves , that jurisdiction is not exclusive as against thc lodges holding under the Dutch Constitution , many of which were established before the Cape became a British possession and have been allowed to remain under their own

Grand Lodge . As regards the question of Grand Masters' Prerogatives , Bro . DRUMMOND , while he holds that " a ( irand Master should never attempt lo set aside the positive law of his ( irand Lodge , " i . s fain to admit that the prerogatives exist , and he

illustrates his meaning by quoting the case of our J AMES II ., who " lost his crown in 168 9 in consequence of pushing his prerogatives beyond bounds . Still the existence of the prerogative was fully admitted . " The difference between a " landmark " and a

Bro. J. H. Drummond, Past G. Master Of Maine.

"fundamental princip le" is well put . "A 'landmark , ' " says Bro . DRUMMOND , " is something set , and an ' ancient landmark' is one which has remained a long time . On the other hand , ' fundamental principles' are , like truth , from everlasting to

everlasting . ' Landmarks ' are of human origin , and ' fundamental principles' are GOD ' S law . Belief in GOD is not a landmark of Freemasonry ; it is a divine law ; but the law , that only those who believe in GOD can be made Alasons is a Masonic

'landmark . ' " The following is also well worthy of being carefully weig hed and considered : " The question of jurisdiction is threatening the friendly relations of Grand Lodges ; the question of the status of non-affiliates is threatening the violation , if not

the existence , of the ancient landmarks ; and the question of Masonic relief is threatening one of the fundamental principles of the Institution , and turning it into mutual insurance

company . " With this we conclude our quotations , those alread y given beinsr sufficient to enable our readers to estimate the o o m merits of Bro . DRUMMOND as a foremost American Mason and the value of Bro . GOULD ' S memoir of his Masonic career . Those

who desire to know more about Bro . DRUMMOND are recommended to read , mark , learn , and digest this story of his Masonic life .

Masonic Veterans Of Illinois.

MASONIC VETERANS OF ILLINOIS .

The 12 th annual report of the " Masonic Veteran Association of Illinois , " has been published by order of the members , and like all the previous issues , is a very rematkible and deeply in ' eresting volu-ne . The Society was founded in lSS 5 and now consists of 330 subscribing members who have each been actively engaged as Craftsmen for over 21 years

( many for a much longer period ) , and 9 8 honorary members . The Venerable Bro . Gen . John Corson Smith has again been re-elected the respected Chief of this live Organisation ; and there are a ' so seven Assist . Chiefs . Bro . Gil . W . Barnard , of course , continues the esteemed Secretary and Treasurer , and the Registrar is the indefatigable Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge , Bro . J . H . C . Dill , There are three Reverend Chaplains , a M irshil , four Stewards , and the Guard .

The annual meeting was held at the Mansion of General John C . Smith's ,

his beloved wife issuing numerous invitations to brethren ana their dames the reception taking p ! a : e Irom " Early c-. nd ! e-light until Low Twelve . " The invitation circular has a tandem bicycle at foot , to suggest companionship and unity doubiless , and the summons sent to the venerable brethren was printed within an excellent reproduction of the old summons used by the " Grand Lodge of all England , at York . "

Twelve deaths were reported , including our lamented frieni , John Sirtiin , the celebrated engraver , known to miny on this siie of th : ' oig ponl , " his portrait and several of the others being given . General Smith his alwiys si-ne surprises to introduce to h " n nun : r > ufriends scattered over the " Four Qmrters of the Glob ; , " arjd this time they are certainly fully equal to the previous report-.

The frontispiece is an engraving of a carious diptoniof Cir .-ic' -c-Fergi-, said to be of 1726 , t . vo of the Veterans in Ireland bVin * a-kel for thVrr opinio 1 . It cannot be of sa early a period by some 50 or 6 ) years , bit I awiit th-i " . aim ite of my valued Iriend , Dr . Ch = twode Crawley . The original copp : r plite still exists , but it is understood that either the yeir is not legible , or WH m : ntt > be filled in as . \ . » . 17—and A . M . 57— . Another important reproduction ot an old certificate is of the year 17-16 , and seem 4 to be , 1 regular Dimit from a Craft lodge at Middletown , Connecticut ; the seal ha- the well-know 1 cipitil letUr " peculiar to the Mark Degree .

The Correspondence , in pirt printed in the Proceedings , is of a m ) it interesting character , as it always is on such an occasion , one of the first c ) rnvinications being from H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , tha-iking our General for the 11 th Volume of the Veterans . The article tb . it J wrote for the P i-enuson respecting the handsome address sent in the name of the Association b / G : neral Smith to her Majesty the Queen , last year , is reprinted in full ; and my other article on Masonic Veteran Associations , published in the special Freema on , was also reprinted , by order ot the members , " the beautiful illustrations which appeared in the original being omitted for want of the plates . "

At refreshment , Veteran Brother Judge McCurdy and the oldest Veteran present , Bro . Theodore S . Parvin , the well-known Grand Secretary , of Iowa , delivered addresses , which were much appreciated , and are duly reported . The numerous letters that are given are of special value this time , as several are in facsimile , notably those from Bros , the Prince Abdul Rahman , of Johore , Fred . W . Byers ( language of the Sioux Indians ) , John H . Soper ( Sandwich Islands ) . C . D . Furdoonjee ( Parsee ) , and others in Arabic and Spanish , making with Un-English seven languages in all .

The great attraction , however , is the lengthy paper by General Smith , entitled " My Winter in the Tropics , " which is lavishly illustrated , and , beyond question , is one of our dear friend ' s best efforts . The Craft has not been forgotten in this valuable sketch , for Masonically and generally Jamaica has been most lovingly and thoroughly attended to , and I feel assured this last literary service rendered to the Fraternity by Past Grand Master John Corson Smith will long begratefully lemeinbered . W . J . HUGHAN .

An Address To The Robert Burns Lodge No. 25.

AN ADDRESS TO THE ROBERT BURNS LODGE No . 25 .

Bv W . Bito . HKNKY SADI . KR , ON Tin * 7 x 11 FKIIRUARY , 1898 . Worshipful Master—Before trying to redeem the promise made on the nig ' 01

of your installation—to come and tall- to the brethren about the early history their lodge—I think it might possibly interest them and also simplify my remark " if I were to give a brief sketch of Freemasonry in London at the period when th' "" lodge came into existence .