Reviews

REVIEWS

PROCEEDINGS OF GRAND COMMANDERY OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR FOR MAINE . i An excellent part of Vol . V . is now being circulated to the fratres of Maine , and most creditable to the veteran , Bro . Ira Berry , the Grand Recorder , as well as to the printer , Bro . Stephen Berry , who is Chairman of the "Foreign Correspondence . " This department is always well done by the junior Berry , and never fails to be most interesting even to the fratres of other jurisdictions . Bro . S . Berry gives as his authority Bro . Huffhan for the statement that the K . T . comes through the Military lodges to the U . S . A ., and certainly if one more trustworthy is to be found we shall thrice

welcome such a brother ; but where is he ? Bro . Berry also says "The Historian Gould considers that the Temp lar Rite originated with the Clermont Rite , or the Rite of Strict Observance , about 1 754 . " Again he quotes a sure guide . " We are depending [ he remarks ] on our kind friends Bros . Hughan and Gould to inform

us when they find traces of the order in England between 17 60 and 1770 . " Well ! We hope he will have patience as a true knight , for he will need more than an extra stock of that useful article , as , save the K . T . references of 1779 and 1780 , there is absolutely nothing in this kind dating during the eighth decade of

last century ! Those who deny this assertion have only to produce the evidence to ensure ample acknowledgement . The singular part of this matter is that the K . T . dates from 176 9 in U . S . A . ! Bro . Berry ' s statistics are always an important annual contribution ,

and for this year exhibit a total of 80 , 910 Knights Templars in the world , of whom 75 , 313 are in the United States , a most astounding proportion , and a puzzle to many not versed in the character of the Order . THE LANCASTER MASONIC CALENDAR FOR 1889 . Bro . H . Longman is again to the fore with his handy guide to Freemasonry in Lancaster . It must be most useful forthe members of the various Masonic bodies meeting in his town , both for the calendar portion and the lists of officers of the Fortitude Lodge , No . 281 , the Rowley

Lodge , No . 1051 , the Duke of Lancaster Lodge , No . 1353 , and the Morecambe Lodge , No . 1561 , with other particulars concerning Royal Arch , Mark , and Rose Croix Freemasonry . The votes held by the members located in Lancaster are carefully noted for the Central Masonic Charities and the local funds , for which West Lancashire is so famous . The " Masonic Notes " from

178 9 are of special interest , thus dating from the formation of the Lodge of Fortitude , which is to celebrate its centenary this year , and has the promise of the coveted Centenary Jewel Charter in due course . We hope Bro . Longman will prepare a history of his old and respected lodge on the occasion , and then have it printed and circulated for the information of the many concerned .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft fIDasonn > . Metropolitan Meetings , . Lodge of Perseverance ( No . 1743 ) . —The installation banquet of the above lodge was held on Saturday evening in Anderton's Hotel . At the lodge meeting previousl y held , the report of the Audit Committee , which was satisfactory , was adopted . Thereafter Bro . John W . 1 rtindale , ' 685 , was unanimously elected a joining niemle !> and MessrsEWWHancock and LWebster were

. . . . . Wloted for , approved , and initiated . The installation of Bl'o . W . Smith , W . M . elect , was performed with much impressiveness by the Installing Master , Bro . C . G . Sparrow , "'' ¦ and P . Z ., and thereafter the appointment and invest'" Mt of officers took place . 'Y the banquet the newly-installed W . M . was supported 7 Uros . L . A . Leins , P . M ., Treas . ; Kearney , P . M . ; C . ^ Parrow , P . M .. Installing Master : Eade . P . M .: Reed .

! ,. ; - ; Mitchell , I . P . M . j andC . E . Ferry , P . M ., Sec . '" e visitors included Bros . J . Gladwell , P . M . 1470 ; A . W ,. H ldeV 51 ; A- J- KiA > 65 ; F . Goodchild , 743 ; W . 3 P -M . 1 S 6 ; C . L . Bridge , P . M . 1797 ; S . Johnson , ,: -M . 1297 ; A . G . Pritchard , y ; W . Coleman , 1022 ; \ v , \ eathc ° te , 15 G 3 ; G . S . Danton , 1949 ; W . F . Packer , ir ' 57 ' i and W . G . London , 15 S 0 . i ' l „ excellent dinner had been discussed , , l » e W . M .. Rrn . W . Smith , raw Hip nsiinl lnv . nl tn ; isR .

said H POsins . " The Health of tIle Prince of Wales" he kj ., at during the present year a very happy event had IcwiV ' Freemasonry in Grand Lodge had not nan " I ' to congratulate the M . W . G . M . on the event , tli ,. S' marriage of the Princess Louise of Wales and u V- > uke 0 f Fife . ,, ,.. the Pro Grand Master . Dpniitv Grand Master , and

l ) i'n , , ; of t , le Grand Officers , Present and Past , " having . " "onoured , \ V . ; vp , -M - > . Bro . Mitchell , gave the toast of "The a ' ' . " e said Bro . Smith had been known to them for uf i , | | erable number of years , and from what they knew an PK y nad every reason to believe that he would prove "nce -pL and capable Master of the Lodge of Perseverollice 1 ^ " ' hed him a successful and happy year of sati r' f - tnat ' le would leave them with the same sense of action as regarded the prosperity of the lodge as his

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

predecessor had done . It was not necessary to go into the many good qualities of Bro . Smith as they were known to all members of the lodge . The W . M ., in his reply , said he had great pleasure in responding to the toast of the W . M . It was a pleasure which fell to few men , for many who aspired to the office failed to reach it . In a lodge like theirs , he , joining at an early

stage , had a better chance than some others , but when a man at about the age of 3 S joined a lodge in which there were about 70 brethren , it was almost a forlorn hope . He thanked the I . P . M . for the kind words he had used in proposing- his health . He exceeding-ly regretted that the family to which he belonged were not given to speechmaking . There was a record kept not far from there to

show that on one occasion one of his ancestors was permitted to make a speech in the neighbourhood of St . Sepulchre's Church , and immediately after that a great accident befel him , as he got his neck entangled in a rope , and thereby met his death . It would be his endeavour to steer clear of that during his year of office . Speaking seriously , however inefficiently he might discharge his

duties , it would not be for want of a desire to perform them in a proper manner . He would endeavour to do his work to the best of his ability and to the satisfaction of every member of the lodge . The W . M . then gave the toast of "The Initiates , " expressing - the hope that the ceremony which they had witnessed had made an impression upon them .

Bro . Hancock , in acknowledging the toast , said he was pleased to become a Mason , and he hoped he would continue to be a member of the Lodge of Perseverance until he quitted this life . Bro . Webster thanked the brethren for the kind reception they had given to the toast . The ceremony of the evening had made a lasting impression upon him . He should take

great interest in the lodge , and in everything connected with Masonry , and he hoped on some occasion he should occupy the position of their W . M . The W . M . then proposed the toast of "The Visitors , " declaring his assurance that the hospitality of the lodge was accepted in the sense in which it was offered—such as we have we give unto thee . *

Bros . W . Westley , P . M . 1 S 6 , and F . Goodchild , 1743 , responded . The next toast proposed by the W . M . was that of " The Installing Master . " The thanks of the lodge , the W . M . said , and certainly his own thanks , were due to Bro . Sparrow . He was young in Masonry—only about 11 years old—and he did not despair of seeing ; the time when the M . W . G . M .

would see fit to institute a special Degree for brethren in Masonry who made it their study , , and who discharged their duties so satisfactorily as Bro . Sparrow had done that night . There ought to be some recognition i those who devoted their lives almost to Freemasonry , and among those he would include Bros . Leins and Sparrow , and several others whom he saw present .

Bro . Sparrow , in acknowledging the toast , impressed upon _ the young members of the lodge and those who had just joined , that they might all perform the ceremony of installation as well as he could do if they would onl y take some pains . They must give their time and attention to the ceremonies of Masonry , and attend zealously and assiduously lodges of instruction . On the night he was

initiated , Freemasonry took such a hold upon him that he made up his mind he would succeed in it , and he attended lodges of instructions four or five nights a week . They had a lodge of instruction attached to the lodge , which numbered 52 members . Many members of the lodge had joined , but their attendance must be better , and he asked them to turn out regularly and encourage the others .

The Worshipful Master then gave the toast of "The I . P . M . " On behalf of the lodge , he tendered to Bro . Mitchell their sincere thanks for the very successful and pleasant year they had passed through . It had been the most successful the lodge had enjoyed . At the conclusion of his remarks , the W . M . presented , on behalf of the lodge , a splendid P . M . ' s jewel to Bro . Mitchell .

J . he I . P . M . said he was very proud to accept the office which they gave him a year ago , and he hoped he had fulfilled its duties to the satisfaction of every member . He could only say he had tried to do so . When he accepted office he did so under circumstances different from the present . He had suffered from loss of health , loss of dear friends by death and by estrangement , and had passed

through a deal of trouble , and he was unable to accept the office of Installing Master which he had hoped to have done . He should be proud to wear the jewel which had been presented to him , and for which he returned his thanks to the members of the lodge . The subsequent toasts were " The Past Masters , " " The Treasurer and Secretary , " "The Masonic Press , " "The

Officers , " and the Tyler ' s toast . The enjoyment of the evening was greatly enhanced by the musical performance of several brethren . A sketch , hitting off the weaknesses of modern comic opera , given by Bro . Pritchard , was deservedly appreciated , as was Bro . Packer ' s magnificent rendering of "Alice , where art thou ? " Bros . Goodchild and Phillips also contributed to the entertainment .

Duke of Cornwall Lodge ( No . 1839 ) . — The installation meeting of this lodge was held on Saturday last at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Walter B . Marcus , W . M ., presided , and there was a larg'e number of brethren present . Mr . Walter Thomas Perrins was initiated by Bro . Marcus , who also ^ installed Bro . Alfred H . Jakins , S . W . and W . M . elect . The following brethren were invested as officers for

the year : Bros . Walter B . Marcus , I . P . M . ; C . H . Cox , S . W . ; J . T . Williams , J . W . ; T . C . Corpe , P . M ., Treas . ; J . W . Dewsnap , P . M ., Sec . ; J . Bladon , S . D . ; J . Culver , J . D . ; H . S . Trego , I . G . and Org . ; M . Keith-Frith , D . C . ; W . H . Foot and W . H . Lowry , Stewards ; and Bowler ,

Tyler . A Past Master ' s jewel was presented to Bro . Marcus , I . P . M . Assistance was voted to the widow of a deceased former member of the lodge , and her petition to the Board of Benevolence was duly signed in open lodge . The following letter was received by the W . M . from the lodge in Auckland under the Irish Constitution in which he was initiated :

" Ara Lodge , No . 34 S , I . C ., " Freemasons' Hall , Auckland , July 12 th , 18 S 9 . " Alfred Jakins , Esq ., W . M . ( No . 1839 ) " Duke of Cornwall Lodge . " Worshipful Sir and Brother , "The Freemason you so kindly posted to the W . M . of 'Ara' was duly received , and that portion that particularly concerned yourself and * Ara' was read to the

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

lodge , at which all present were exceedingly pleased at the exalted position you have attained as a ' ruler of the Craft , ' and hoped you would have a successful and prosperous year of office . I am also directed by the W . M . to post to you the Herald , containing a brief account of the 50 th installation in our lodge . I also enclose therein a programme , balance sheet , and a circular , which will easily explain itself . Bro . P . M . ' s Russell , Rees , Pierce , and several of the brethren desire your congratulations , which are heartily

endorsed by—Yours fraternall y * "GEORGE H . POVVLEV , P . M ., Sec . 34 S , I . G " _ a / d—34 , Shortland-st . " The brethren , before closing the lodge , discussed a motion for reducing the number of meetings a year by one , but ultimately adjourned that business till next meeting . An excellent banquet was then partaken of at Freemasons' Tavern , and the list of toasts was subsequently honoured .

lhe W . M ., in proposing the toast of "The Queen and the Craft , " said that loyalty to her Majesty was spread over the four quarters of theglobe like the Craft . Wherever they went loyalty sprang forth , and so did members of the Craft . He had had the honour of drinking her Majesty ' s health in Norfolk Island , which was as far south as one could go .

lhe W . M . next proposed "The M . W . G . M . " Those members of the Craft who hacl had the pleasure of meeting the Prince of Wales had been struck with his attention to all that concerned lhe Craft . Those who met him in the Albert Hall the year before last came to the conclusion that the Prince of Wales was the best speaker they had that day .

lhe W . M ., in proposing "The Earl of Carnarvon , Pro G . Master , the Earl of Lathom , Dep . G . Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " said this toast was always well received in the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , as they always had some Grand Officer present at their meetings . They regretted that the Grand Secretary was not present , but he wrote to say he had a

previous engagement . 1 hey had , however , a Grand Officer with them in the person of the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , Past G . Chaplain . Bro . the Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , P . G . C ., in responding , said that was certainly not the first time , and as far as he was concerned he hoped it would not be the last , he had to return thanks for that toast . Sometimes he had

returned thanks for it alone , and borne on his own shoulders the accumulated wei ght of the thanks of others combined with his . But sometimes he had had more distinguished brethren present to return thanks . That night , however , he was as the last rose of summer left blooming , not blushing , alone . But there were other friends equally blooming as himself who were not present , and it was their 1 egret

that they were not there . On their behalf and his own he returned thanks . Bro . Marcus , I . P . M ., in proposing "The Health of the W . M . " said the way in which Bro . A . . 1 . Jakins had conducted the work that night in the lodge in investing his officers had won general favour . He had been in hopes to see him initiate the candidate , but as the W . M .

considered it was the duty of the I . P . M . to do it , as the ceremony came in his year of office before the installation , he acceded to his wishes , but he should have preferred to see the W . M . do it . He had seen him do the work most successfully in the lodge of instruction he was so regular an attendant at , and where he was trying to qualify himself to discharge those duties which every Master was proud to perform . As a good social brother they knew him well .

He had been with them several years , and everyone in the lodge respected him . At the end of his year of office he would feel that he had done his duty as the other P . M . ' s had done . It was a pride to all P . M . ' s to know that they had fulfilled their duty to the satisfaction of the lodge . He ( Bro . Marcus ) , as the I . P . M ., felt he had done his duty as best he could , and he could do no more . When Bro . Jakins left the chair he would feel the same with regard to himself .

In reply , the W . M . thanked the brethren very heartily for the warmth with which they had received the toast so gracefully proposed by Bro . Marcus , who had stuck to him all the time he ( Bro . Jakins ) had been in office in the lodge . Without Bro . Marcus ' s good fellowship and instruction he would never have been able to attain the high office of W . M . He thanked the brethren one and all .

Bro . Brooke , P . M ., who comes to England every year from Germany expressly to attend the inscallation meeting of the lodge , proposed "The Health of the Installing Officer , the I . P . M ., " and said he need not assure the brethren that it was with great pleasure he rose to do so , because it was simply due to his old friend , Bro . Marcus . The words "Installing Officer , " he felt quite surewere

, enough to commend themselves to the acceptance of all the brethren , for the simple reason that during Bro . Marcus ' s year of office he had well and ably performed his duties . His ability had culminated that evening in his performing the office of Installing Master . The way he had performed it they had all witnessed , and he felt that Bro . Marcus was the man of the future , and that he had made his mark in

Masonry . Bro . Marcus , I . P . M ., said , in response , that he thanked the brethren most heartily for the cordial way in which they had received the toast proposed by Bro . Brooke , P . M ., the first Master of the lodge . Bro . Brooke was " the observed of all observers . " They all looked on Bro . Brooke with the greatest affection ; he never failed to come once a year and

propose the toast of "The Installing Master . " It was a great honour for that toast to be proposed by such a brother , who came so many hundred miles to propose it . He had spoken in the lodge with respect to himself , and he could not say more . He had tried to do his duty as W . M ., and he felt in going out of office with the Past Master ' s jewel on his breast he had the affection and respect of the brethren .

Bro . Perrins , in responding to the toast of " The Initiate , " said he felt very much impressed with the ceremony he had gone through , and he gave his very best thanks to the brethren for their kind and cordial reception . He trusted as he grew older in the Craft and was initiated in all its ways he might be a credit to it .

Bro . Walter Martin , as one of the respondents to the toast of " The Visitors , " said he had had the pleasure of knowing the W . M . and the P . M . ' s in lodges of instruction , and in the Duke of Cornwall Lodge of Instruction under Bro . Vallentine they had made progress in Masonry and performed their duties with great credit to themselves . Bro . Vallentine , P . M . 1017 , impressed upon the brethren