Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

requirements of the province , thus establishing a reciprocity mutually beneficial and pleasing . On Saturday last I attended the meeting of the Prov . Charity Committe . It was a large and very representative gathering . At that meeting a change was made , of which some of you of course have heard . Bro . T . Batemin Fox , who

has presided for four years , retired , and Bro . William Harrop was chosen to succeed him . Whilst congratulating the Committee upon obtaining so able a successor , we must also acknowledge our obligation to Bro . Fox ; and when I tell you that he is now lying upon a bed of sickness , I know I shall speak only what is in the minds of you all when I express the hope that his illness will speedily pass away , and that he will experience no injurious after effects .

The Craft , brethren , let me point out , has done great and noble work in aid of those who could not help themselves . That during the past io years the enormous sum of . £ 621 , 400 should be contributed to our three Masonic Institutions speaks highly for the generosity of the members of our Order , and the beneficent work which Freemasonry undertakes . I need not press that matter further , beyond saying that West Yorkshire has been well to the front in all these undertakings .

I am rejoiced to hear from my Deputy and others that the general condition of the province is very satisfactory , that the lodges are working vigorously and well , and that the true spirit of harmonv and brotherhood prevails in our midst . I now come to another subject , the last upon which I shall make any observations . We meet to-day under a cloud of great trouble . Our Order hat lost a prominent and distinguished leader in the person of Bro . Tew . I feel quite

unable to give adequate expression to what I feel in this regard . Bro . Tew , so well known to you all , filled with honour and dignity the Masonic positions which he occupied . Born in 1828 , Bro . Tew entered the Craft in 1856 . This was in the Scarsdale Lodge , No . 681 , Chesterfield , near to which he was then engaged on engineering work for the Midland Railway . In i 860 he came to Pontefract , and entered the bank of Messrs . Leatham , Tew , and Company , of which his father

was principal partner . In 1 S 62 he founded St . Oswald Lodge , No . 910 , and was three times its W . M . He was appointed Deputy Prov . Grand Master by Sir Henry Edwards in 18 75 , and , upon the latter ' s retirement in 1885 , was selected to fill the post which I at the present moment have the honour to hold . Through failing health in 1 S 93 he resigned his oflice , and , after a painful and distressing illness , died on Friday Ias , the 29 th day of March , 1 S 95 .

Brethren , it was to me , as you will easily understand , a cruel disappointment that engagements , which I had no power to postpone , prevented me being with you to pay my tribute of respect by following our dear brother to his grave . I wrote , tendering my regret , to Mrs . Tew , and received a reply appreciating the difficulties of my position , and acknowledging my expressions of sympathy .

Now , my brethren , if we look back upon the life of Bro . Tew we shall find that in his commercial and magisterial , equally in his Masonic , capacity , he stood out prominently as a man actuated by the highest motives and tendurest heart . Of him it may be said that the Queen had no more loyal subject , the Church no more devoted son , and the Craft no more enthusiastic leader , more diligent student , more faithful adherent , or more liberal and generous supporter .

He devoted a large portion of his life to the work and welfare of our Order , and it is melancholy to reflect that when in his zeal for the success of the enterprise he induced the Marquess of Ripon some few years ago to lay the foundation-stone of East Hardwick Church with Masonic honours , he , doubtless , little thinking it , was building his own mausoleum . Whilst , however , we may mourn and deplore

his loss , let us remember , as he indeed would be the first to remind us that our duty is to the living , not to the dead . His work is done . Let us then pray that thc G . A . O . T . U . may comfort his sorrowing widow and children , that he may take them into His tender care , and may keep them in the safety of His Divine protection .

The Records Of The "Howard Lodge 01 Brotherly Love."

THE RECORDS OF THE "HOWARD LODGE 01 BROTHERLY LOVE . "

The exceedingly valuable contribution b y Bro . Hughan , in last week ' s Freemason , serves to convince us that there yet remains much to he discovered in relation to Masonic lodge history , kc . It affords me no satUfaction , however , to disagree with my good friend and brother upon one point on which he appears to lay some emphasis , for I confess my inability to accept his conclusion in reference to the continuity of the lodge .

The whole affair , on a careful consideration , seems to show that the London lodge was in the last stages of decay , and lhat the VV . M ., Bro . Henley , a solicitor , who was apparently about to , and subsequentl y did , remove from London to Arundel , was desirous of taking with him the warrant ( if it existed ) , books , and other documents of the lodge , which , in

consequence of his departure , might speedily collapse , and thus become liable to erasure under the regulations then in force in regard to London lodges not meeting for a period of 12 months . Consequently two persons from the souih coast of Sussex , Mr . J . Bradley , of Petworth , and Mr . W . Keen , of Arundel , who were to be amongst the first officers of the new lodge , were

induced to journey to London , a distance of about OD miles , to be admitted members on the 15 th December , 1781 , all three Degrees being specially conferred upon the same day . It is noticeable that neither of these newly made Sussex brethren ever appeared again in the old London lodge , for they were absent seven days later when the formal resolution to " remove " was carried .

It stems to me that the whole thing was a matter of " arrangement " by the W . M ., Bro . Henley ( two meetings are recorded as having been held at his own chambers ) , whereby the London members relinquished all their claim to the property of the lodge except the small balance ol £ 2 4 s . iod . in

the Treasurer ' s hands , which , with any sums to be subsequently received , was to be at the disposal of the majority of the then members should they remain in town , which I consider they unquestionabl y did . Such a condition as to the reservation of the money is scarcel y in harmony with a hotul-fide " removal " of a lodge , for clearly such a " removal " would justify the in-

The Records Of The "Howard Lodge 01 Brotherly Love."

ference that the funds , being the property of the lodge , would accompany it wherever it went as a matter of right . It appears to be also doubtful from the evidence supplied as to the possession by the lodge of any " charter" or " authority" at that period . London lodges constituted as early as 1730 ' do not seem to have had

" warrants . " At any rate , we are informed that in 1 S 04 no regular warran for this lodge existed : still , whatever thc lodge possessed of that nature ( if anything at all ) may have been "lost" between 17 SS and 1 S 04 , although one mig ht reasonably conclude that a warrant would have been preserved with as much care as the minute and other books .

The information supplied in Bro . Hughan s most valuable paper does not convince me that there was a proper " continuity " of the original London lodge . I treat it as practically a new lodge at Arundel from 6 th May , 17 S 9 ,

and whilst regretting my inability to see the matter in the same light as Bro . Hughan , I am candidly avowing my own convictions with all deference to his superior knowledge , for it is quite possible that Bro . Hughan ' s conclusion may be the more correct after all . JNO . LANE .

St. Paul's Cathedral And Freemasonry.

ST . PAUL'S CATHEDRAL AND FREEMASONRY .

Apropos of Sir Christopher Wren and the Freemasons , Mr . II . F . Millar , of Bath , questions Mr . R . F . Gould ' s assertion that the office of Grand Master was created in 1717 . " May I ask , " he writes , " on what grounds Mr . Gould bases this statement ? De Quincey , in his elaborateand , as far as I understand , accurate—account of the origin of the

Rosicrucians and Freemasons says : ' The original Freemasons were a society that arose out of the Rosicrucian mania , certainly within the thirteen years from 16 33 to 16 4 6 , and probably between 1633 and 1640 ; ' and , further on , he says , ' Sir Christopher Wren was himself elected Deputy Grand Master of the Freemasons in 1 ( 160 ; and less than twenty years after

—in 1685—he became Grand Master . ' De Quincey is quite severe on the 1 silly histories , ' for which Mr . Gould expresses such great and well-justified contempt , which would ascribe to Freemasonry a portentous antiquity , and the intimate connection of all the learned , the good , and the great of sacred and secular history . "—Daily Telegraph . .

A World-Wide Brotherhood.

A WORLD-WIDE BROTHERHOOD .

The tenets and princi p les of Freemasonry are world-wide . They are based in and are part of the " Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhiod of Man . " They are broader and stronger than , the Brotherhood of Masonry , because they are universally applicable and practicable . They are the essence and spirit of pure religion , pure homes , pure governments , pure societies , and pure business . No man , no woman , no child exists that is

exempt from their influence and effect . Although selfishness abounds everywhere and trammels their fruitage , they never fail in producing good results ; never fail in mitigating distress , in relieving sorrow and want , and in aiding true Master building . T « mptation , symbolised by the most beautiful and most enticing woman of Ethiopia , may desperately and persistently assail them , but cannot phase their integrity and fidelity , nor prevent the

accomplishment of their benevolent , beneficent , and Godly purpose and work . Greater and mightier in influence and effect than both the Gulf Stream andthe Japan Current , they create everywhere spring , summer , and autumn , and annual , winter ' s power . Thus their Brotherhood is world-wide , and a blessing to every human being . This being true , how wonderfully great is Freemasonry ' s responsibility ! Its mission is world-wide and eternal . Its light is

for all of earth , and all of time , and all of immortality . Its work is for all its devotees : not one is or can be exempt ; but Some may fail in performing their share of it , and may suffer accordingly . That some have failed is evident , as arbitration , comity , conciliation , mutuality and reciprocity—all comprehended in the golden rule—are not practised by governments , by commerce , by employers and employees , as Freemasonry requires . Our

own government , now a great highway of thc world , is derelict in this work . It seems not to realise as it should its immense responsibility in promoting world-wide brotherhood , world-wide fraternity , and world-wide progress and prosperity . True , it did aid the World's Fair in Chicago , but it has not made the world a fair for American products , nor even best promoted the true welfare and interests of its own citizens . In a considerable sense , it

has been blind to its own greatest good , and that is why there is depression and confusion and discord within its domain . We say this of the nation , and not of any party in and of the same . We have a brotherhood of states , and what is good for one of them is for the good of all of them . Mutuality —fraternity—cannot be disregarded by one without injuring all . This being true , thc highest statesmanship is essential within , as well as without , our

country . Not a few , but all true interests of the states and of the nation demand just and perfect consideration and promotion , and , as every Freemason is bound to be true to his government and just to his country , every Craftsman is bound to see to it that no interest of the nation , or of any of its states , is imperiled , jeopardised , or sacrificed . His patriotism is that of a world-wide brotherhood , and hc is to govern himself accordingly . — Voice of Masonry .

Ladies' Banquet And Hall Of The Confidence Lodge, No. 193.

LADIES' BANQUET AND HALL OF THE CONFIDENCE LODGE , No . 193 .

The fourth annual ball was given hy this lodge at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , on Tuesday , the 9 th inst ., when a gathering of 115 members of thc lodge , ladies and visitors assembled under the presidency of Bro . Francis Haines , W . M . A dispensation having been obtained , ( lie brethren were enabled to receive their visitors attired in full Masonic Craft clothing , ami the brilliancy of the Indie * toilettes added to the wealth of colour so essential to an exceptional occasion .

The W . M ., Bro . Francis Haines , assisted hy his Wardens , Bros . Plowrig hl and Kington , and Bros . Penhock , Spice , Simeons , I ! tillie , Boyes , Bushell , Clay ton . W . Cutting , Elvin , Owen , and Westley as Stewards , received the numerous visitors at 7 p . m ., and shortly after adjourned to the banquet table , where a recherche menu was supplied by host Bro . Clemow ,