Masonic Notes.

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire is to assemble at Stafford on the Sth of May , under the presidency of its active and popular Grand Master Col . Foster Gough . A very full agenda is printed , and amongst other notices of motion is one by the Prov . G .

Treasurer , Bro . Bodenham , for the consideration of a new code of by-laws . The report of the Committee appointed at the last annual meeting to consider the best means of keeping the Prov . Grand Lodge Registers , & c , will also be presented . * * *

The volume of Masonic reprints just issued by the Lodge Quatuor Coronati is an excellent fac-simile reproduction in photo-litho of the rare Book of Constitutions of 1738 , vvith an introduction by Bro . W . J . Hughan ,

which exhibits that well-known writers critical acumen at its best , as mig ht be expected from one who has made that department of Masonic study his own . We shall , at the earliest possible date , attempt to give such a notice of this production as its importance demands .

A beautiful painted window has just been placed in the parish Church of Burghclere , near Newbury , as a memorial to its late rector , Bro . the Rev . Canon Portal , Past G . Chaplain , and Past G . Master of the

Grand Mark Lodge . There is also in course of erection near the church , on a site presented by Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro G . M ., as a . further memorial to our late brother , a handsome and spacious room for the use of the parishioners , to whom he had so greatly endeared himself . # * *

Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , P . G . D ., whose funeral took p lace on Thursday , played a very conspicuous part in Freemasonry till within the last few years , when health failed him , and he was but seldom seen

at the Hall . He vvas a most strenuous supporter of our Institutions . He was a trustee of the Boys ' School , and had served many Stewardships for all the Charities . * * *

In Grand Lodge , too , he did all in his power to promote their interests . It vvas he who proposed that the annual grant to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution should be increased from ^ 800 to . £ 1600 , the additional payment , however , being made from the Fund

of General Purposes , while the first £ 800 came and comes out of the Fund of Benevolence . It was he , also , who generally moved the grant of . £ 70 towards providing the inmates of the Institution vvith coals during the winter . Lastly , it was he who moved the

grant of , £ 2000 to each of the three Institutions by way of commemorating the Queen ' s Jubilee . We shall have more to say of our deceased brother ' s career on

another occasion , but what vve have said will serve to show that he was a good working Mason , who had achieved in his day many things of which even the best among us would have good reason to be proud .

* * * An open-air service for the West London Volunteer Brigade vvas held on Easter Sunday in Fort Grange field , Gosport Lord Abinger and his staff attending .

The service vvas conducted and the sermon preached by Bro . the Rev . J . Kingston , R . N ., P . Prov . G . C . for Dorsetshire , Chaplain of the 3 rd V . B . Royal Fusiliers , the music being rendered by the band of that regiment . * * *

Arrangements are being made by the members of Lodge 25 ( I . C . ) to give a ball during Punchestown week in aid of the funds of the Masonic Orphan Schools . Friday , the 25 th inst ., has now been fixed for the event , vvhich will come off in the Leinster Hall ,

under the patronage of the Lord Lieutenant , who is Provincial Grand Master of North Yorkshire , and the Countess of Zetland , their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar , their Graces the Duke of Abereorn , the Grand Master of Ireland ,

and the Duchess of Abereorn , and the Lord Chancellor , Bro . Lord Ashbourne , and Lady Ashbourne . The decorations of the hall will be on a very grand

scale , and the members of the Order attending the ball will wear their full Masonic insignia ; naval , military , and constabulary officers will appear in their uniforms , so that the scene will be a very brilliant one .

" Mems . for Masons , " which appears in the Glasgow Evening News weekly , is a very readable column , and the writer presents a marked contrast to many contributors of Masonic news to the non-Masonic press on

this side of the Tweed , whose knowledge ofthe subjects they profess to enlighten their readers on , is of the crudest . * * *

Last week ' s issue contains some remarks on the advantage of Masonic libraries in connection vvith Provincial Grand Lodges , vvhich are as applicable to us as to Scottish Masons . He says : " There is much

Masonic Notes.

more to be learned of Masonry than that taught in the Degrees , beautiful and powerful as a monitor though they be , and information beyond that can only be gained from the writings of the learned brethren vvho have given the result of theirstudy of the origin , history ,

and legends , and who have elucidated the deep and hidden meanings of the symbols of Masonry . Indeed , I am of opinion that the Craft is guilty of a serious dereliction of duty in this matter . The Master Mason

is informed that he is only on the threshold of Masonic knowledge , but how can he peruse the subject without that Masonic book-lore vvhich should form part of the ' effects , ' if not of every lodge , at least of every Provincial Grand Lodge .

* * * " If Glasgow possessed a Masonic Temple , no doubt a library would form one of its departments , but there is no reason why we should continue to lack both . However essential a recognised Masonic centre would

be to the growth of a library and as an aid to its usefulness , they are not necessarily co-existent . The nucleus of a library mig ht be formed if our Provincial Grand Master and those acting vvith him could make arrangements to receive contributions in books , for I

have every confidence that the more fortunate of our brethren , if appealed to , would be ready to share with their less opulent brethren the possibilities

of research . A collection of books is a thing which grows , and , however small the beginning , a beginning should be made , and at once . " * * 3 .

Bro . Wallace , W . M . of Lodge St . James , Nevvtonon-Ayr , 125 ( S . C ) , on his retirement from the chair , has presented the lodge with a massive gold signet ring in token of his appreciation of the kindness he had experienced while in office . The ring is to be

worn by each successive Master of the lodge in all time coming . It bears a suitable inscrip tion , and has the Wallace coat-of-arms , vvhich the donor inherits from his illustrious ancestor , Sir William Wallace . * * *

The New Zealand Craftsman for February contains some interesting particulars relating to the conference of the Provincial and District Grand Masters under the three Constitutions in New Zealand , at the Masonic Hall , Dunedin . It seems that Bro . G . S . Graham ,

D . G . M . ( E . C . ) Auckland , presided , and there were present Bros . Pierce , P . G . M . ( E . C . ) New Zealand ; Thompson , D . G . M . ( E . C . ) Canterbury ; Bevan , D . G . M . ( E . C . ) Westland ; J . Gore , D . G . M . ( S . C . ) New Zealand South ; and T . S . Graham , D . G . M . ( E . C . ) Otago and

Southland . Bros . Sir Harry Atkinson , D . G . M . ( E . C . ) Wellington ; Sir F . Whitaker , D . G . M . ( S . C . ) North Island ; and Chas . Louisson , D . G . M . ( S . C . ) Canterbury , vvere unable to attend , but Bro . Sir F . Whitaker authorised Bro . E . T . Gillon , his Dep . D . G . M ., to attend , but the latter declined .

The following resolution was adopted : "That this conference of Provincial and District Grand Masters commend the action of the Masonic Union in postponing their proceedings , and consider that in the best

interests of Freemasonry , and with the view of preserving harmony in the Craft , it is not desirable to form a Grand Lodge of New Zealand at present , so that time

may be allowed for a little understanding between the various lodges of the several Constitutions , and a greater unanimity arrived at upon such a vital question to Freemasonry in New Zealand . "

% = » . # We think this vvas a wise resolution to come to , and after the figures we gave last week , in vvhich vve showed that , while there are 8 9 lodges in favour of the movement , there is the very formidable minority of 65 lodges against it , it will be still more difficult to gainsay its

wisdom . It does not deny that the time may come when it will be decidedly for the interest of Freemasonry that the lodges under the several Constitutions should combine together to form one Grand

Lodge for the whole Colony , but it points out that until there is a nearer approach to practical unanimity among the lodges , the immediate formation of a Grand Lodge will be a mistake and calculated to cause great injury to the Craft .

This is certainly a reasonable proposition in the face of existing circumstances . Out of 8 9 English lodges , 47 are in favour of the change , while 42 have not given in their adhesion to it . Of the 50 lodges under the

Scottish Constitution , 32 are for and 18 against , while of the 15 Irish lodges 10 are in favour and 5 against . Thus , close on half of the English lodges , vvith

onethird of the Scotch and one-third of the Irish lodges stand out . Why cannot the leaders of the movement wait till the time for a change is ripe V Will it injure their cause ?

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , oreven 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 . " !

THE CLAPHAM MS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Kindly allow me to correct a small error in Bro . Watson ' s description of the means by vvhich the Clapham MS . came into the possession of the Province of West Yorkshire .

When the discoverer , Bro . Clapham , of Austwich Hall , sent me the MS ., t saw that it vvas of great interest , and determined that it should be preserved . On casually mentioning this to Bro . Tomlinson , he promised to hand the MS . forward to the Librarian , and see that a copy vvas taken and published .

What I wish to make quite clear is that I did not think so lightly of Bro . Clapham ' s MS . as to give it away to anyone . I considered myself as a trustee , whose dut y it was to see it placed vvith other ancient documents of the Order , and it vvas to this end I sent it to Bro . Tomlinson , vvho expressed a desire to see it , and to transmit

it to Bro . Watson , with whom he was personall y acquainted . There was no " generosity " in the matter . I may say that Bro . Clapham has promised to make further search for the missing portions and for any other Masonic documents , so that vve may hope to have the find supplemented and completed . —Yours fraternally ,

ALLAN E . KERSHAW , April 10 . P . M . 1522 . UNION LODGE . EXETER .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Bro . Vernon might have added that Trewman ' s book of 1777 contains an engraved frontispiece of the medal of the Union Lodge , Exeter , vvith the date 1766 on the reverse ; but Bro . Lane ' s work states that the lodge vvas not named till 1770 .

Trewman ' s work was exhibited b y Bro . Lane and myself at Shanklin under the Nos . 48 and 1378 . How is it that Bro . Vernon has not shown his books at any of the recent exhibitions ? It is well to know what books are in existence , and where they are . The lines about a fig-leaf apron have nothing to do with Eve ; they will be found in most of the old books . The song is No . 13 in " Ahiman Rezon , 1764 , " and

commences" You people who laugh at Masons draw near . " Verse 4 runs" Our first father Adam , deny it vvho can , A Mason vvas made as soon as a man And a fi g-leaf apron at first wore he In token of his love to Masonry . " —Yours fraternall y , FLEJ .

Reviews

REVIEWS

MASONIC CALENDAR ^ FOR THE PROVINCE OF HERTFORDSHIRE , 1890 .

This neat publication , brimful of information , is edited b y the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . Charles Bullock , of Great Berkhampstead . There are now 19 lodges in the province , being an increase of two since last year ' s issue . The number of members has also

advanced from 571 to 629 . The chapters now number five , vvith 100 members , the proportion being lower than usual , and as there are four Mark lodges , vvith 64 members , and one Kni ght Templar preceptory , it would appear that the Hautes Grades , & c , are more supported in London b y the Herts brethren than in their

own province . For the " Charities " the record is an especially creditable one , over 15 pages being taken up with the lists of subscribers to the Central Masonic Institutions . " Little Herts " has a bi g heart , and does its part nobly and most generously as respects the " distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason . " Accord

ing to the roll of Provincial Grand Masters , the province began in 1 798 , but the senior lodge at the present time is No . 403 , of the year 1829 . The next lodge is 404 , of the same year , followed b y No . 409 of A D . 1831 . No . 449 is dated 1838 , and then all the

remaining lod ges have been constituted within the last 50 years , two being of 1889 . The province is well managed in every respect , and must be a source of great pleasure to the esteemed Prov . G . M . , Bro . T . F . Halsey , M . P ., who has an able supporter in his respected Deputy Prov . G . M ., Bro . George E . Lake , of Watford .

f At the recent annual festival , at the Hotel Metropole , in aid of the London General Porters'Benevolent Association , in the course of the evening the Secretary of the Institution , Bro . W . I . Rickwood , vvas presented with a testimonial consisting of a bronze and marble clock , vvith a pair of tazzas to match , and a pair of bronze vases , in recognition of his valuable services . The number of porters subscribing to the testimonial was 2000 .