1879.

most esteemed Grand Secretary , Bro . John Hervey . He had long been suffering from illhealth and a painful maladj ' , but his services to Masonry never grew slack , and his zeal for Masonry was never extinguished . He discharged his important duties to the very last , until

weakness overpowered him , with that assiduity , address , and amiability which have rendered the name of John Hervey a household word among Freemasons . At the Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge , held on the 3 rd , his resignation was officially announced , and he was granted a

retiring pension of £ 500 a year , and an immediate gratuity cf £ 300 . Among other matters of importance discussed at this meeting of Grand Lodge was the resolution of Bro . Stevens for an enquiry into Uniformity of Working , " which was carried , a numerous and most influential

minority voting against it , and an alteration of the regulations with regard to Chanty jewels . Bro . Clabon ' s motion for appropriating a portion of the funds of the Lodge of Benevolence for other objects was postponed until the next

communication . ' In its present form it cannot , in o ur our opinion , legally be passed . Warrants for thirteen new lodges were granted . H . R . H . the Piince of Wales was again nominated as M . W . Grand Master , amid the plaudits of all the assembly . Grand Mark Lodge met on the

2 nd , when Lord Skelmersdale was re-elected Grand Master for the year ensuing ; and warrants for five new lodges were granted . Official information was received of the recognition of the Grand Maik Lodge by the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland . The records of this month

would be incomplete without mention of the festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , under the Presidency of Lord Kensington , and the banquet and congratulatory address presented to our gallant Bro . Major Chard , by the members of his lodge at Exeter .

Thus have we gone through the somewhat dull and even tenonr of our M-isonic course

during the last twelve months . If English Masonry has had nothing striking to record , no vexata qurestio to move it , no bone of contention to rend it in twain , happily for the peace of the Order , its historian can gladly proclaim to-day that its material prosperity has been great , and its advance

in prestige and popularity unprecedented . One historical fact must , however , here be noticed , viz ., the resignation of Bro . John Hervey , G . S ., through ill-health . Of his labours for Freemasonry who can speak in fitting terms ? of his

actual loss to our Order who can venture to doubt ? Kind and courteous , polished and urbane , accessible to all and difficult to none , he has left a mark on English Freemasonry which none of tlie brethren who witnessed his work or shared

his labours can ever underrate or forget . During his tenure of office several hundred lodges have been added to our roll , and the office work at Freemasons' Hall has become both a heavy duty and a serious responsibility ; and here we leave the matter , for it is not for us to indulge in

conjectures as to whom the Grand Master in his wisdom shall confide the . important office of Grand Secretary . We could not , however , leave the summary of 18 79 in thc Freemason without referring in heartfelt terms of sincerity and admiration to the Masonic services and engaging

personal character of Bro . John Hervey . Our readers will perceive that our English Masonic life has sped away in 1879 in the quiet discharge of lodge routine and the warm support of Masonic charity , amid depressing difficulties of trade and agriculture . Never at any period were our

lodges better attended ; never at any time in our history has the great cause of Charity witnessed more abundant proofs of the large-hearted liberality of our English brotherhood , and so we leave 1879 and welcome 1 SS 0 with just confidence and pride in our good old Order , trusting that it may

please the G . A . O . T . U . to preserve it in its unity , integrity , efficiency , and reality , for the welfare of the brotherhood and the happiness of mankind . Abroad we have very little to report , either what is interesting or satisfactory . The

spirit of agitation and violent change which prevailed , unfortunately , in the Grand Orient of France a couple of years ago and led to a most hurtful and unsound revolution , which placed French Craft Masonry out of harmony entirely

1879.

with Cosmopolitan Masonry , affected the Rite Ecossais to some extent in 18 , 9 . A proposal was made , supported by violent speeches and bitter pamphlets , ignoring the whole history and very princip les of the " Rite Ancien et Accepte , " to make it practically a second Giand Orient ; and

to render the whole body subservient to the ruling of Master Masons . Properly speaking , the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ought not to meddle with Craft Masonry , for it is quite clear that its own princip les are utterly antagonistic to the idea of a Craft Grand Lodge as its governing

body . We were appealed to because we were Craft Masons , and had a Grand Lodge , to support this incoherent proposal , but as we " could not see it " in any form or light , we preferred to uphold what was just and right , even at the expense of a little

popularity among some of the movers of this unwise and un-Masonic agitation . It only shows how sentiment overpowers right reason and logic . The Convent of the Grand Orient , 1879 , witnessed , indeed , a certain spirit of calmness and conciliation , but we fear

that such a happy change is to a great extent only on the surface . Bro . St . Jean has retired from the presidency of the Cpnseil as if he feared a coming storm , and that the comparative quietude of 18 79 was but a prelude to other and more violent proceedings in 1880 , for it must be

borne in mind that a revision of the ritual has taken place , and , if we are correctly informed , the only result will be , and can be , that the name of the G . A . O . T . U . must ere long entirely disappear from all French Masonic ceremonial . The Grand Orient of Belgium has followed suit

and in some jurisdictions there seems an unhappy tendency to imitate the unwise example of the Grand Orient of France . Happily other jurisdictions stand -firm to their duty and the true teaching of Cosmopolitan Freemasonry , such as the Grand Lodge of St . John , in Hungary , the

Grand Orient of Egypt , the Grand Orient of Italy , the Grand Lodges of Sweden and Danmark , the Grand Orients of Spain and Portugal , and , we bel ' eve , the majority of the lodges in Germany . In America and Canada and thc Antipodes Freemasonry holds on its prosperous

way , its loyal adhesion to the religious tenets of our Great Order ; indeed , the simple fact that in the United States there are / 00 , 000 Freemasons is a remarkable fact in itself , and one deserving the attentive notice of the opponents and calumniators of

Masonry , for , strange to say , as if the Roman Catholic Church had nothing better to do , it has given itself up in 1879 to the amusement of cursing and persecuting Freemasonry wherever its influence extends . Like the famous Jackdaw , immortalized by Barham , Freemasonry

seems to heed neither ban nor blessing , but moves on with unruffled feathers , uninjured and undaunted , and long may it so continue—may its beneficent and tolerating principles spread from pole to pole , proclaiming in unmistakeable language the fatherhood of God and the

brotherhood of man . We have had to deplore during the last twelve months the melancholy loss of many excellent comrades and distinguished brethren from the ranks of Masonry . Among them we note Bros . Wm . Archer , P . G . D . W . Lane ; W . H . Bartle ;

Bedford , W . M . 581 ; P . W . Benham ; J . Wade Bennett ; Sir E . R . Borough , Bart , Past D . G . M . Ireland ; Rev . Dr . Bowles , P . G . M . Herefordshire ; J . Boyd , P . G . P . ; W . Brown ; H . Browne W . A . Butt ; J . H . Cox , P . M ., P . Z . ; J . S . Cuthbert ; Duff' M . P . ; T . Durkin ; J . S . Ellison ; J .

Francis ; H . J . Frew , P . M . 82 *;; R . W . Haynes ; B . Head , P . G . D . ; John Hegarty ; E . Hughes , P . M . 249 ; John Johnson , 140 ; George Kell y King , P . M ., & c . ; Jno . Lazar , R . W . D . G . M . Westland , N . Zealand ; R . Lister ; E . Martel , P . M ., & c . ; T . S . Mortlock ; E . J . Page , P . G . S .,

& c . ; C . B . Payne , Grand Tyler ; Payne , I . P . M . 342 ; G . Phythian , P . M . 22 ; Jos . Poore ; C . H . Pulham ; Alex . Riddell ; R . Rodda , P . P . G . Reg . Devon ; John Seager ; Jno . Shaw , P . M . 79 ; W . Jenkin Thomas ; George Thompson , P . M .,

Sec ; John Tunnah , P . G . Sec . East Lane ; Rev . G . T . N . Watkins ; Capt . George Wattson ; A . J . Wheeler , P . M . 140 ; Thos . White , P . M . 22 ; A . Winkup , P . M . 1356 ; H . Winton ; and Bryan Wormald . The following consecrations have taken place

1879.

during the year : — -Craft Lodges—Abereorn , 1813 ; Alliance , 1827 ; Atlingworth , 1821 ; Burrell , 1829 ; Clapham , 1818 ; Coborn , 1804 ; Cornhill , 1803 ; Creaton , 1791 ; De Vere , 1794 ; Duke of Cornwall , 1839 ; Fidelis , 1809 ; Heretaunga , 1812 : Hervey , 1788 ; Lullingstone ,

1837 ; Old England , 1790 ; Penge , TSIJJ ; St . Andrew , 1817 ; St . Leonard ' s , 1842 ; St . Petroc , 17 jS ; Sir Charles Bright , 1793 ; Sic Thomas White , 1820 ; Southdown , 1797 ; Ubique , I / 8 9 ; and Zion , 1798 . Royal Arch Chapters—Dinbych , 1177 ; Duke of Connaught , 1524 ; Eryri , 1509 ; Etheldreda ,

S 09 ; Granite , 1328 ; Marlborough , i-3 g <); Marquis of Dalhousie , 1159 ; and Nicholson , 371 . Mark Lodges—Darlington , 250 ; Prince Leopold , 238 ; Royal Naval , 239 ; and St . Andrew ' s , 237-Royal Arch Mariners—Brixton , 234 ; Panmure , 139 ; and United , 34 .

The Appointment Of Grand Secretary.

THE APPOINTMENT OF GRAND SECRETARY .

Up to the present no appointment has been made . We have heard of seven candidates for the office , though , we confess , we somewhat doubt tha propriety , Masonically speaking , of brethren putting themselves forward , and in any way canvassing for support . The appointment

is purely within the prerogative of the Grand Master , who is responsible to Grand Lodge for a proper appointment , and all public anticipations of the brother , ultimately selected by the Grand Master are we venture to deem alike

inopportune and unwise . We will only venture to express our hope , as , indeed , we doubt not , that the appointment when made will tend to maintain the prestige and independence of the greatest Craft Grand Lodge in the world .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

t \ V « : do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even 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 . ]

UNliY OF HITUAL . Dear Bro . Kenning , — As Bro . Perceval has in a long letter mentioned my name in connection with a recent discussion in Grand Lodge , with reference to Bro . Stevens's motion , and has characterized my speech as " illogical , " will you allow mc in your crovveieel columns a little space , to point out how

unreasonable , in good truth , are his remarks , and how much more filly the word " illogical" applies to his letter than to my speech ? It is quite clear to myself , and I fancy it will be equally so to many more , that Bro . Perceval has not yet clearly understood what my argument was I Simply and shortly stated , it was this . Bro . Stevens based the necessity of his

motion , first on the old Grand Lodge resolution , secondly on dtvere-ity of ritual on many points , and certain alledged illegal practices , and thirdly on the desirability of having one authority for the ritual and ceremonial of our Order . In answer to this argument , I ventured to submit that neither before the Union nor since the Union was that

unity really attainable . Be-fore the Union there were 110-toriouslv six or seven systems iti vogue , and that , though ac the Union a Lodt / c of He-conciliation was formed to endeavour to form one ritual , and a fresh ritual was drawn up , yet , as four systems at thc very least still prevail in England , Grand Lodge , in its wise toleration , has never attempted to enforce what was at the best a compromise in

1813 . There was an " established mode" of " working " alluded to in the Book of Constitutions , but most wisely Grand Lodge had simply required that the great " essential ; , " should be observed . I illustrated the difficulty of the position of Grand Lodge by the fact of the difference about the " Star in the East , " to point out , however willing Grand Lodge might be to

attempt to enforce the particular injunctions of 181 . -5 , it failed to do so when they ran counter to thc feelings and traditions of the Cratt . I have , as you know , spent much of my Mnsonic life in the provinces , and , despite Bro . Bodenham ' s hasty remarks , I fancy that very few people know the depth ot the feeling of the provincial lodges on such matters of old ceremonial .

I also pointed out , that such a motion , to be good for any'hi'irjfi mu . 't lead to a revision of the ritual of 181 , * , and wc should soon then find ourselves in the face of unsupp . irta-ble difficulties . Therefore , it was that I recommended Gra ^ Lodge " quieta non movere , " and to leave the matter where the designed inaction ol Grand Lodge since 1870 had left it- I may be wrong in my facts , but if my facts

are right , I certainly am not illogical , my premises and my conclusion are equally sound . The word ' illogical " however , very forcibly ( though I always object to " tu quoques , " ) applies to Bro « . Perceval and Stevens , who assume that because they have , as they say , found certain irregularities in ritual , therefore , they prove the necessity of an uniform ritual . Thc whole argument rests upon a pure fallacy .