Contents.

CONTENTS .

LlADIRK 463 Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 4 6 4 Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk 46 J Consecration of the Pegasns Lodge , No . 2205 * ... ( 16

The Old Charges of British Freemasons ... 4 66 " Ars Quatuor Coronatorum " —1 467 The History of the Royal Masonic Insti . tution for Girls from its Origin , 1788 , to its Centenary , 188 S —( Continued ) 467

East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational Benevolent Institution 469 District Grand Chapter of Victoria ( E C . ) . 160 Sonth Africa ... 469 Australia 469 The Gordon Lodge , No . 2113 469

i Mark Masonry 4 6 9 I CoRRESPOVDEMHE—1 Charles Dibdin 471 I "Tne History of Freemasonry ** 471 ! Reviews 471 ' PEPOBTS M M — 1 nnruniei vir iriAouiii

; . OF ASOMC EETINOS - u IULIIIIIMIH j Craft Masonry 471 Instruction 472 Royal Arch—Instruction 473 Reception of a Chinese Naval Officer into

Masonry at South Shields 473 Theatres 473 Obituarv 473 The Craft Abroad 474 Masonic and General Tidings 474 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iii .

Ar00100

The first part of the premier volume of the Transactions of Quatuor the Lodge Quatuor Coronati , No . 2076—Ars Quatuor Coronatorum . " Coronatorum—[ he new Home of ike Masonic Literati , is now being issued to the members and to the brethren enrolled in the rapidly increasing " Correspondence Circle . " So great is the value of the

" papers" which are thus published , so interesting are the sketches appended of the lodge proceedings , and so artistic is the " get up '' of the volume , that the indefatigable editor , Bro . G . W . Speth , of Margate , is being congratulated on every hand , as lie deserves to be , on the advent , general appearance , and contents of this initial number of what will

doubtless prove to be , a series of volumes of immense importance to the literary portion of the Craft . The carefully selected members and the numerous friends of what may be emphatically termed the Students ' Lodge will rejoice , as we do most thoroughly , to see such an unmistakable evidence of the determination of the founders and officers to carry out the

distinctive objects set before them on the formaiion of the " Quatuor Coronati . " All doubts as to the success of the enterprise—the new movement—are now dispelled ; for we take it that no one will rise from the perusal of this elegant and deeply interesting number without feeling assured that a bright and most useful future is in store for No . 2076 , which

will not only reflect the greatest credit on the "immortal nine" who started the organization , but prove of lasting benefit to the Fraternity at home and abroad . In another part of the Freemason we draw attention to the varied and attractive contents of this new departure , and shall take the opportunity of considering the important papers in detail , as lime and

circumstances permit . Meanwhile we have to fraternally warn our English , our British readers especially , that as ihe edition is limited to some 250 copies , and more than half lhat humber is already exhausted in consequence of the "' Correspondence Circle" running up to close on one hundred , no lime should be lost in either qualifying as members of the " Outer Circle" so as

to secure copies whilst they axe to be had , or by subscribing in the ordinary way . The fee is only half a guinea for each member of the ever-increasing staff of correspondents , subject , of course , to election . Membership of the "Inner Circle" is , of course , of a much more restricted character , and

from a literary point of view , is beyond question , thc "blue ribbon" of the Craft . All particulars may be obtained from the able and most courteous secretary , to whom so much of the success o : the lodge is due , or from any of the members whose names alone are sufficient to guarantee the prosperity ol any enterprise in connection with our beloved society .

TI ,. r * .- 0 UR brethren in the Province of Hants and the Isle of tue Craft in Hants and the Wight have every reason to De gratified with the proceedlg ' ings at ihe annual meeting of their Provincial Grand Lodge on the 15 th instant . There was a strong attendance , and much enthusiasm

over the various reports that were handed in by the principal executive ofiicers . The lodges are numerous and efficiently worked , while the finances showed a high standard of prosperity , there being a balance at bank of about £ 190 , notwithstanding that the sum of 250 guineas had been voted at

the beginning of the year to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , at whose Anniversary Festival the rejpected Provincial Grand Master , Bro . W . VV . B . BEACH , M . P ., presided , and a further 50 guineas since to the other Institutions . Moreover , the result of the said Benevolent Festival

was so splendidly successful that our Hants friends may be excused for lay-! n g the flattering unction to their soul that on that occasion in particular they did their duty as men and Masons . We have frequently remarked that a distinguished brother undertakes no light responsibility when he consents to preside at one of our Festivals , and it must also be

allowed that a Chairman ' s Province , if hc is so fortunate as 0 preside over one , takes upon itself in supporting him a uty of almost equal weight . It is permissible , therefore , that when these Uties have been discharged as admirably as they were in this instance

y wo . BEACH and his province that the two should take the first availle opportunity of congratulating each other on the success of their joint ours . Again as regards the compliments and congratulations that were Paid to Bro . the Earl of CARNARVON , Pro Grand Master of England on s a Ppointnient to the Lord Lieutenancy of Hampshire , and Bro . RICHARD

EVE on his election as Grand Treasurer of LTnited Grand Lodge , it was natural the brethren in their capacity of Hampshire men should compliment a brother Mason so distinguished as a statesman and county magnate as Lord CARNARVON on his appointment to such an office , and that as Masons they should felicitate Bro . EVE on his success at an election , in which so

many of them had taken part . All lhis part ot the proceedings was as creditable as it was allowable , and we trust that what passes at future meetings of the Prov . Grand Lodge may be as justifiably gratifying . The year that has just closed will be a memorable one in the annals ol Hants Freemasonry .

* * * THERE are few measures that have been adopted in celebration Alasonic Charity in of the QUEEN ' Jubilee which are calculated to prove more New Zealand . real ) y serv j ceab ] e than t \ rlt la j . y lhe Ara Lodge , No . 348 ( Irish Register ) , New Zealand , which at its last monthly meeting

unanimously resolved lhat in honour of that auspicious event , a Fund to be called "The Ara Jubilee Widow and Orphan Fund ' "' should be formed . We offer no opinion as to the resolutions for establishing this Fund and rendering it permanently useful to the indigent members of the Craft in the Colony . They commended themselves to the wisdom of those locally competent to

judge , and that is enough . But there can be no doubt that the character of the proposal is essentially Masonic , and at the same time fully worthy of the Gracious Lady who has reigned over the British Empire lor so many

years , and who during that period has done so much to benefit those whom misfortune may have overtaken . We congratulate the brethren of the Ara Lodge on this admirable scheme , and trust its establishment will be carried out satisfactorily .

* * * WE do not revert to the Quebec difficulty because we have Quebec altered or modified the opinions we have already expressed , or ' - * because we are in a position to throw new light on the question .

We have no new suggestion to offer which is likely to terminate the difficulty . Indeed , we fancy that any fresh opinions we might propound would be met in the same manner as those we have already advanced . We should be told in plain English that we did not understand the doctrine of Grand Lodge sovereignty as interpreted on the North American continent , or that ,

understanding it , we were incompetent , through prejudice , 10 pass judgment on the point at issue . It occurs to us , however , that greater respect may perhaps ba shown to the arguments employed by the Committee of an American Grand Lodge , and the resolution which it adopted , lhan to anything we have said , or may have further to say . As our readers are aware ,

the Grand Lodge of New York last year set itself decidedly aga nst ttie adoption of any course that could be interpreted as lavourable . to the pretensions of the Grand Lodge of Quebec in its differences with England in the matter of the three Anglo-Montreal lodges . Now we have the opinions of the Committee on Correspondence of the sime Grand Lodge , as

interpreted by Bro . J . W . SIMONS , Past Grand Master , and from these wc gather that the Committee , while it cheerfully concedes tiiat the Grand Lodge of Quebec is "just and legally constituted , " that "its juiisdictional limits are coincident wilh the political lines of the province within which it is located , " and consequently that " no act of Masonic sovereignty can

can now be inaugurated therein without its consent , " it is not prepared to admit that " there is any known Masonic law under the operation of which just and regular lodges hailing lrom a recognised and unquestionable authority , and at the time of tiieir formation in possession ot vacant

territory , can be forced to give up their existence or change their allegiance except by the exercise of their own free will and accord . " The Committee very properly distinguish between what people say " ought" to be done " in the interests of peace and good Masonic government , " and what they say " must " be dore legally . They state that " after long and patient

examination of the various journals and acts of Grand Lodges " ihey have found " nothing of greater weight than opinions which , however plausible , are not law . " Tney consider " the solution ot the difficulty is to be sought in fraternal persuasion , not in edicts ol non-intercourse . " They , therelore , submit a resolution to the effect " That the Grand Lodge of the Slate of

New York , while earnestly upholding the rights of the Grand Lodge of Quebec as a sovereign and independent Masonic Government , reluses to accept the doctrine that lodges legally constituted by competent and acknowledged authority can be compelled by any known law to transier their allegiance against their will . At the same lime it is fraternally

recommended to the three lodges in Montreal holding English Warrants , that they cease their opposition , and become part ol the constituency of the Grand Lodge of Quebec . " It is almost needless to add that this Resolution , which contains nothing but the plainest common sense , was adopted , so that Uuebtc , in its conduct , as in its exposition of

Masonic international law , finds no sympathy whatever in the Grand Lodge of New York . In conclusion , let us add that the Committee ' s Resolution embodies the opinions we have heretofore expressed and still

hold on the Quebec difficulty , and we trust that now they have been set forth by an American and unprejudiced authority instead ol by an English , and therefore presumably a partisan one , the Grand Lodge ot Quebec will show itself just a little rnore amenable to reason and Masonic feeling .