Masonic Notes.

The appointment of Bro . C . F . Matier as Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , vacated by the resignation of Bro . Binckes , was so much a matter of course that it would scarcely appear to call for special note or comment ; but we cannot let the

event pass without offering to Bro . Matier our sincere congratulations and best wishes for a long and prosperous career in connection with the Order , of which he seems to have become almost an integral part . The

Pro Grand Master , Lord Egerton of Tatton , will preside at the Special Grand Lodge , to be held at SA , Red Lionsquare , on Wednesday next , for the formal investiture of Bro . Matier to the office .

* * * A paragraph went the round of the papers last week to the effect that the M . W . Grand Master would honour the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex and the evening party at Lord Brooke ' s with his presence , and we were

led into repeating the announcement ; but we now learn that there was not the slig htest foundation for the rumour . It is a pity the imaginative brother who originated the idea had not " caught his hare " before dishing it up for the delectation of the Craft .

Tuesday , the 30 th , is the day fixed for the meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Kent . No business of special importance appears on the agenda paper ,

but any and every opportunity afforded to the brethren of meeting their Provincial Grand Master is welcomed by the loyal men of Kent , and is always a source of gratification .

The installation of R . W . Bro . W . W . Beach , M . P ., as Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons for Hants and the Isle of Wight , takes place at Portsmouth to-day ( Friday ) . The Deputy Grand Master , the Marquess of Hertford , performs the ceremony- The Mark

brethren are fortunate in having so able a brother to rule over them . Pluralism is not looked on with favour in the Church , but in Masonry we are only too glad to find the example of the Grand Master followed by such able and tried rulers in the Craft as the Provincial Grand Master of Hants and the Isle of Wight .

We hear there will shortly be issued a new edition of "The celebrated Book of Nicholas Flamel , 1824 . " Only 100 copies will be printed , and these will be purchasable by immediate subscribers at the rate of 7 s . 6 d . per copy . The preface will be written by Bro .

Dr . W . W . Westcott , and we are promised that tne edition shall be " illustrated with the whole of the exquisitely beautiful plates , including those in the Book of Abraham , the Jew . " Bro . Robert H . Fryar , Fellow

of the Society of Science , Letters , and Art , 8 , Northumberland-place , Bath , is in charge of the work , and therefore intending subscribers must write , if they do not go , to Bath for a copy .

The Gresham Lodge , No . S 69 , held one of its delightful summer outings on Saturday last at Cheshunt Great Hall , the regular place of meeting . The presence of the ladies , the perfect summer weather , the natural beauty of the neighbourhood , and the

absence of the slightest thing to mar the pleasure of those present , combined to render the gathering one of the most enjoyable on record . We shall hope to give

a more extended notice next week , and , by the kind permission of Bro . Copestick , reproduce the view of the grand old hall , which appeared in his interesting History of Cheshunt Great House a few years since .

Another meeting ot the promoters of the Whitehall Lodge is called for Monday next at thc Terrace Committee Room , Whitehall Avenue . It is announced that owing to the inability of the Victoria Hotel Company

to receive them at present , " the Masonic Hall of the Criteriod has been retained for the lirst Wednesday in November , December , January , February , March , and June , of course , subject to the approval of Grand Lodge .

" Adoniram , London , " is the appropriate registered Telegraphic address of the Grand Mark Lodge . * , ' f * Next Tuesday the 21 st Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will take place . The coming

of age of the I und , and the presidency of so popular and excellent a brother as Sir Lionel Darell should enable Bro . Matier to announce a list of contributions that will beat the record of this useful and progressive Charity .

Masonic Notes.

According to the Victorian- Freemason , the last act of Bro . David Munro , in his capacity of M . W . Grand Master of the late Grand Lodge of Victoria , has been to confer Past Grand Rank on 18 of his Grand and Past Grand Officers , the rank of Past Senior Grand

Warden being conferred on four of them , that of Past Deputy Grand Master on nine , and that of Past Grand Master on the remaining five . We are not surprised to learn from the Australasian Keystone that this conduct of Bro . Munro has provoked a good deal of " adverse

comment . " We should think so , indeed . The lodges in the jurisdiction of the old Victoria Grand Lodge were , we believe , 18 in number , and our worthy Key stone reckons that to place the English , Irish , and Scotch Constitutions on an equal footing about 100 of

their members should be made Past Grand Masters and some 200 Past Deputy Grand Masters . Were this done , the United Grand Lodge of Victoria would resemble a

German Grand-Ducal army in the old days , which had quite a battalion of officers for head-quarters' staff , with a battalion or two , a squadron , and a half battery for an army .

It seems , however , that the question whether the rank conferred on these brethren by Bro . Munro shall be recognised was to be considered at the communication of tbe United G . Lodge of Victoria , which was due

on the 17 th June last , with a fair chance of the appointments not being recognised . We hope it will be so , but if not , we suggest that everybody should be made a Past Grand Something or Other , and then theabsurdity of the whole thing will be apparent .

Following the example of other Provinces , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset intends to have a local Charitable Fund . This is a right step to take , ancl we wish it all success . There is no danger

whatever that these organisations will interfere with the great Central Charities—they rather tend to foster the spirit of Charity and to familiarise the brethren with the needs and claims of their less fortunate fellows .

The installation of Bro . Col . Foster Gough as Grand Superintendent of Staffordshire , which takes place at Wolverhampton on the 2 nd proximo , comes as a natural sequence to bis appointment as Prov . Grand Master ; and we venture to predict that Royal Arch

Masonry in the Province will benefit largely by the infusion of that zeal and energy which our worthy brother always brings to bear on his undertakings . We heartil y congratulate him 011 "the further progress he has made in Freemasonry . "

At the annual festival of St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 4 S 1 , held at the Masonic Hall , Maple-street , Newcastle , on the Sth inst ., Bro . John Spearman , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., was presented by the brethren and companions of St . Peter ' s

Lodge , and Chapter with a very handsome and valuable sterling silver tea and coffee service , in recognition of his able and valuable services as Treasurer for a period of ten years , and Bro . Spearman very feelingly responded .

Ihe Israel Chapter of Improvement , No . 205 , will be consecrated at Tupp's Restaurant , S , Tottenham Courtroad , W . C , on Monday next . The ceremony will be performed by Comp . Frederick Binckes , P . G . S . B ., as M . E . Z .,

assisted by Comp . C . F . Hogard , P . D . G . D . C , as H ., and Comp . S . V . Abraham , M . E . Z . 1017 , as J . Comp . E . H . Norden is the Hon . Sec , and the Preceptor is Comp . H . J . Phillips , M . E . Z . 205 .

On l'nday , the 12 th inst ., the Aire and Calder Lodge , No . 45 S , Goole , celebrated its Jubilee . It first met at the Lowthcr Hotel on the 12 th Jul }* , 1 S 39 , when Bro . Jacques was elected W . M . Thc brethren had read to them the record of the minutes of the first lodge . On the motion of

Bro . Cawthorn , a resolution was ordered to be inscribed on the books , congratulating the W . M . of the lodge ( Bro . R . Dayson ) on the attainment of the Jubilee , and expressed the hope that , under his guidance and that of succeeding

Masters , the principles of Freemasonry would continue to flourish in Goole . Several members spoke to the motion , comment being made on the fact that all the original members had passed away . Congratulatory telegrams were received from several lodges in thc neighbourhood .

The Valley of the Thames presented a charming appearance on Wednesday evening . Bro . Mella , of the Star and Garter , had organised a grand illumination of that portion of the river and banks within view of the hotel , extending some live or six miles , and the river craft were decorated

with Chinese lanterns , and from time to time coloured fires flashed from river to shore . Judging from the immense concourse of spectators , the display was a great success . The Star and Garter was filled to overflowing , and Bro . Mella is to be congratulated on the success of his efforts .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BQ \* To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , As a Steward , as well as the " Steward " u wrote to you last week , I received at the Festival of th " Royal Masonic Institution for Boys a copy of \ i accounts for the year 1888 , and have made inquiries-, ! the office which enable me to answer some of « ' queries . The sum of £ 70 in the hands of the Steward and Matron has been charged in the accounts ye ;> r . ago , viz . —previous to 1870 , to the Matron , . 61 5 * ' j ! March , 18 74 , £ 15 ; and in March , 1886 , £ 40 to ' the Steward . This is placed in a foot note in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee of Inquirv which , at page 38 of their report , called attention to the matter , as follows : " The accounts as published , n 10 re . over , are incomplete , in not disclosing the petty cash in the hands of , or owing to , the Secretary and the

Matron . The accounts as audited contain these matters duly entered . No reason was assigned why these items were not published , and we think the accounts as ascertained and audited ought truly to appear in the pub . lished statement . "

The petty expenditure of £ 20 $ 5 s . consists of fo ur cheques of £ 50 each , and £ 5 5 s . paid to the profes . sional accountant ; and there was a balance of £ 8 14 s , gd due to the Secretary for petty cash wages , & c , as also shown in the footnote .

The amount paid to the servants at Wood Green for beer money , is included in the item of School Wao-es . A careful comparison of the 1888 with the 188 7 accounts will show , as " Steward " points out , that some of the items of expenditure have increased , but the same comparison will , if as carefully made , also show

that other items have decreased , the result being that what was up to 188 7 called the " Ordinary" and "Special" expenditure in that year amounted to £ 12 , 776 6 s . 3 d ., while that of 1888 amounted to - £ 12 , 43 6 13 s . 3 d ., a net decrease of £ 339 13 s . —I remain , yours fraternally , V . P . AND STEWARD . July 15 th . MASONIC IMPOSTORS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I enclose you herewith a copy of a circular issued , as you wil ! preceive , officiall y by the Masonic authorities here and in the States .

No one can know better than yourself to what extent or how great a curse and scandal to English Freemasonry the system of begging adopted by a certain class of Masons is in England , and the experience of American and Canadian lodges is nearly as unfortunate

as our own in this respect . While there are , no doubt , many poor , indigent 'brethren forced to seek relief in our lodges ; there are also many who deserve no better name than cadgers . There are such here , as the enclosed circular will prove , and our American and

Canadian brethren have adopted this method—by combination amongst the various Grand Lodges—to put a stop to relief being obtained by unworthy Masons . The particular circular I enclose was read in a lodge where I was a visitor a few evenings ago .

I shall be glad if you can find space in one of your future issues for the publication of this matter ; it may possibly suggest some means being adopted , by which the evil I have referred to may be stamped out , or , at all events , mitigated amongst our English lodges . —' remain , yours faithfully and fraternally , WILLIAM BALL , P . M . 45 * Toronto , Canada , May 27 th . " General Masonic Relief Association of the United States and Canada . " Office of the Secretary , 20 , W . Lexington-street , Baltimore , M . D . " Official Warning Circular , No . 44 . " May ist , 18 S 9 .

"The attention of subscribers is requested to the following conditions * . " This sheet is a strictly confidential communication * and is prepared and furnished at a price agreed upo " to our yearly subscribers only , at their own request , alld for their guidance and protection in the administratis " of Charities under their charge . "—[ Here follows a I ' of 21 impostors very minutely described . ] " J R . POPE , President , New York , N . V . "Attest . D . F . PENINGTON , Secretary . "

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MIDDLESEX .

lo the Editor of the "Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , I think that your reporter was not quite a . cc'lr 'L in making Bro . Thrupp say that the calendar edited ; me for several years was published without ultl , or ! . *' (! as it was published with as much authority ' <

present issue . . When the matter was talked about , Bro . Wo ^ f , did not see his way to undertake it , and I did , wi "' , . consent and authority of Sir Francis Burdett , vvho < several times thanked me for reviving ( not starting ) calendar , which was started by the late Bro . Little-