The Royal Arch Degree.

The Royal Arch in Scotland is worked under the direction of a Grand Chapter , established in 1 S 1 S , which has always been entirely independent of the Grand Lodge . Assuming the plea of emergency to be accepted , as it generally is , there is nothing to prevent a Scottish brother from being raised at one sederunt ( nr meeting ) , and exalted a few minutes afterwards . The only requirement and

cf the chapter being , that the candidate should be a Master Mason , whether his standing as such can be measured by years or moments is wholly immaterial . If he has already received the " Mark" in lodge , the chanter merely " afh iates " him , otherwise it confers that Degree , sitting as a M-irk l » dge . Next , the chapter sits as an " Excellent Master ' s " lodge ( working a further ceremo . iy ) , and finally as a Royal Arch chapter .

Formerly there were three preliminary Degrees—Mark , Past , and Exctllent—but that of ( constructive ) Past Master has now for some years been discontinued . Separate chair secrets are imparted to the three Principals at their

installation , and generally in a severely concise form , each ceremony lasting for a few minutes only . A companion can be elected to the First Chair without having previously filled the others , and on such occasions the secrets pertaining to all three are communicated to him . The Principals are not required to have sat as actual Masters cf lodges .

Besides the Supreme Grand Chapter erected ( as above stated ) in 181 S , there is another organisation which claims the right of controlling ihe Royal Arch Degree in Scotland . This is the Early Grand Scottish Rite , formerly called the Early Grand Mother Encampment of High Knight Templars . Scotland . The laws of the rite are entitled the " General Statutes and Ordinances

enacted fur the government of Red , Black , Green , and White Masonry " [ in Scotland ] , Prefixed to these laws or " statutes " is an " Historical Sketch " ( 1 ^ 93 ) , from v \ h ch I shall next quote , premising , however , toat I do no : in any way youth for the accuracy of the statements presented , and merely cite them ( in an abridged form ) as resting entirely on the good faith and credibility of the compiler .

According to this " Historical Sketch —during the latter part of the 18 th century a variety of Degrees—Red , Black , Green and White—wereworked in the lodges . But in the year 1800 the Grand Lodge of Scotland passed a resolulion forbidding the practice , and limiting the control of the lodges to the first Three Degrees . Whereupon tie votaries of the "high grades " applied to iheir fratres in Ireland , who had an established Grand

Encampment , for charters , and soon between 40 and 50 encampments were at work in Scotland , under warrants issued by the " Early Grand Encampment of Ireland . " In 1811-12 , however , Alexander Dturrhar , of Edinburgh Encampment , No . 31 ( Irish " Early Grand" Jurisdiction ) , established a schismatic body , whicn he styled the " Supreme Grand Conclave of Scotland . " This

conclave continued to work the Red and Black under one head , as had been customary under vhe Irish " Early Grand . " Hence arose a further division , and in 1 S 1 S , the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter sprang into existence as the spawn of a schism—being in fact the illegitimate grand-daughter of the Irish Grand Encampment . The "Deuchar " Grand Conclave may here be permitted to drop out of the narrative .

On the 22 nd June , 1 S 22 . Frater Robert . Martin , of No . 33 Encampment , presented a petition from Nos . 28 ( Muir Kirk ) , 39 ( Ayr ) , and 4 * and 42 ( Kilmarnock ) , to the " Early Grand " of Ireland , prajing that the Scottish Encampments might be erected into a Sovereign jurisdiction . The request was granted , and Era . Martin appointed Provisional Grand Master—a nomination which was ratified at a tepresentative meeting r-f ihe Scottish

Encampments in July , 1 S 22 . This brother retained the office until 1857 , and has had 12 successors , from oneof whom , Bro . Matthew M . 'B . Thomson , of Ayr ( 1877-81 ) , I have derived all the information I possess wilh regard to the history of the Early Grand Scottish Rile , and which I relate on his . auihorityand on lhat of books and documents he has been so obliging as to send for my perusal . Subsequently to 1822 a schism befell the Supreme Grand Royal Arch

Chapter at Edinburgh ( erected 1 S 1 SI in the form of a Glasgow ofMuot . best known as " Donald Campbell ' s General Grand Chapter . " The new Grand Chapter sought a union with the Grand Encampment ( of Scotland ) , but the negotiations fell through owing to irreconcilable differences in working . The ' fate of the Glasgow Grand Chapter is not disclosed by any papers before me , but it must have long since died out , or ceased to exist as an independent body .

Thc first event of rcil importance in more modern times was a resolution of the Grand Encampment in 1880 , " deliminating the powers of Grand Encampment and the Grand Council of Rites , enumerating the Degrees to be controlled by each , and handing over the control of Red Masonry to the ' Early Grand Mother Chapter , '—the three bodies working in harmony with each other and having many tics in common . "

In 1891 a committee was nominated by the Supreme Grand Chapter at Edinburgh ( erected 1818 ) to confer wilh one from the " Early Grand , " and lo endeavour to arrange a union between the two bodies . This came to nothing , and a second conference took place at the Central Hotel , Glasgow ,

on February 13 th , 1893 , with apparently no happier result , though the negotiations are seemingly not yet exhausted , as in the " Historical Sketch " belore me , "It is hoped , for the sake of Masonic unity , the strayed sheep ' mi aning the Supreme Grand R . A . Chapt r of Scotland ] , may be brought back to the Early Grand fold . "

The 3 rd of the Statutes and Ordinances of the Early Grand Alother . Chapter is as follows : " The Early Grand Mother Chapter recognises the Degrees of Funeral Master , Fellow Craft Mark , Master's Mark , Architect , Grand Architect , Master of the Blue , Past Master , Royal Ark Mariner , Fugitive Mark , Link and Chain , Jacob's Wresile , Scarlet Cord , Brotherly Love , Roval Master , Select Master , Most Excellent Master , Excellent

Mason , Super-excellent Mason , Holy Royal Arch , and the installed degrees of Noah , J „ H ., and Z . " The Grand Encampment in its S'h Statute " Recognises and controls the Degrees of Ktrght of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine , Knight of St . John the Evangelist , K . H . S ., Knight of the Christian Mark , Knight of the Holy and Illustrious Order of the Cross , Pilgrim , Knight Templar , Mediterranean Pass or Knight of Si . Paul , and Knight of Malta . "

The ; th Statute of the Scottish Grand Council of Rites runs : " Thc degrees of Green and White Masonry as recognised by the S . G . C . ol . Riles are : The Green . Prince of Babylon , Prince Mason , Knight of thc Black Cross , Knight of Bethany , Knight of thc While Cross , Knight of Patmos , Knight of Death , Knight of the Rosy Cross , Knight of the Black and While Eagle , the White , Priestly Order of the Temple or While Mason , Priest ot the Sun , Priest of Eleusis , Mother Word or Royal Secret . "

The Royal Arch Degree.

The number of degrees worked under the " Early Grand Scottish Rite " is as follows . * Chapter Series , 4 th to 22 nd ; Encampment ditto , 23 rd to 31 st ; Green and White ditto , 32 nd to 44 th ; total , 41 . To obviate any possible misunderstanding , let me here state , before concluding my remarks on Scottish Capitular Masonry , that the Supreme

Grand R . A . Chapter ( 1 S 18 ) is , so far at least as I am aware , the onl y governing body of the degree which is ' recognised as such ( or in any way whatsoever ) by the Grand Chapters of other jurisdictions .. But the existence of the " Early Grand , " which claims the right of controlling the Royal Arch in Scotland , is nevertheless a fact that cannot be got rid of by ignoring it . —New Zealand Craftsman .

Consecration Of The Shirley Woolmer Lodge, No. 2530.

CONSECRATION OF THE SHIRLEY WOOLMER LODGE , No . 2530 .

The 6 nth lodge in the Province of Kent was consecrated at St . John ' s Hall , Sidcup , on Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., by the Prov . G . M ., Earl Amherst , assisted by Bros . Rev . C . H . Fielding , Prov . G . Chap ., as Chap . ; Humphrey Ward , P . G . S . B ., as D . of C . ; and many Provincial Grand Officers . The new lodge , which takes its names from the respected vicar of Sidcup and the first Master , possesses a strong body of founders , and starts its career with every indication of success .

The following are the founders : Bros . Rev . C . E . Shirley Woolmer P . M ., P . P . G . C ; C . Wallington , P . M . ; E . Blanks , P . M . ; E J . S . Layton ' , P . M . ; Thomas Francis Peacock , P . M ., P . G . S . ; T . B . Sandercock ; P . M . ; A . Sharp , P . M . ; F . Dewsbury , P . M . ; R . H . Hale , C . Sheath , J . R . Creasey , H . W . Francis , M . Hewitt , G . Davis , R . G . Bassett , D . T . Corke , Tyson Crawford , G . Dawson , C . Forwood , W . Pearcey , W . Wade , and S . H . Wright .

Amongst the large number of visitors present were Bros . J . S . Eastes , D . P . G . M . ; Rev . A . Jackson , P . P . G . Chap . ; Alfred Spencer , Prov . G . Sec , P . G . S . B . ; W . J . Hughes , P . G . Reg . ; W . M . Bywater , P . G . S . B . ; Rev . C . H . Fielding , Prov . G . Chap . ; J . Poulard , Prov . G . S . B . ; F . ! Jordon , P . G . Steward ; A . Ronaldson , P . G . Steward ; H . Ward , P . P . G . S . W ., P . G . S . B . ( acting D . C ); ] . D . E . Tarr , P . P . G . D . Middx . ; G . Gohle , P . A . G . D . C ; A . F . Bird , P . P . G . S . W . ; R . J . Emmerson , P . P . G . W . ; G . Anderson , P . G . S . ; W . Moulder ,

P . P . G . P . ; W . A . Valon , P . P . J . G . W . ; C Woollett , S . W . 21 ; R A . Jack , 14 ( S . C . ); A . H . Hale , P . M . 1209 ; W . A . Dowling , P . M . 2012 ; W . Dunk , P . M . 558 ; T . F . Clarke , I . P . M . 1837 ; T . Adams , P . M . 181 ; G . R . Davies , P . M . 13 ; H . E . Sanders , S . W . 917 ; H . J . Adams , P . G . S . B . ; G . Sourgeon , P . M . 558 ; A . W . Dawson , S . W . 829 ; W . Kiddle , P . M . 2277 ; G . W . Davis , 1 ; G . H . F . Pryman , J . D . 1826 ; J . Farrier , P . M . 829 ; H . Milt , W . M . 829 ; G . Martin , J . W . 829 ; S . Hastings , P . M . 829 ; A . C . Pennie , 1027 , Shanghai ; W . Russell , P . M . 1464 ; T . ' Elmore , P . M . 503 ; W . W . Lee , W . M . 1897 , P . M . 3381 ; and many others .

The brethren assembled in the vicarage , and walked in procession- to the lodge room , where the PROV . GRAND MASTER took the chair and . opened the lodge . He then addressed the brethren , and said they had met together for the performance of a ceremony the like of which had not beei ^ ggen in that town fof 34 years . One of his first acts as Prov . Grand Master-was to recommend ; the M . W . Grand Master to sanction a warrant for a Masonic

lodge in Sidcup . That lodge was then the 18 th in the province , and they thought they had arrived at a number which marked a great record . On the present occasion they had met to consecrate the 6 nth lodge , and there was no Mason who would not feel satisfaction at the progress made . Lodges were now thick upon the ground in Kent , and one of the most anxious duties of a Provincial Grand Master , when a petition was submitted , was to see

that the new lodge should not injure the older lodges already formed Happily , they were so circumstanced there that lodges to-day stood much thicker than in other parts without prejudice to the first lodges . He charged the new lodge to be careful whom they admitted , for the character of the Order was not determined by the number of members , but by their

personal worth . Each brother had it in his power to heighten or diminish the credit of the Craft . They should not seek for numerical increase , but see that the candidates were such as were likely to prove a credit to the Order and good social companions . He was sure they all wished the new lodge well , and with those few words he would proceed to perform the ceremony .

The ceremony was proceeded with , and an oration having been delivered by Bro . Rev . C . H . FIELDING , the Shirley Woolmer Lodge was solemnly consecrated in due form . Bro . J . S . Eastes , D . P . G . M ., then assumed the chair , and installed Bro , Rev . C . E . Shirley Woolmer , P . M ., P . P . G . C , as the first W . M . The following officers were invested : Bros . C . Wallington , P . M ., acting I . P . M . ; E .

Blanks , P . M ., S . W . ; E . J . S . Layton , P . M ., J . W . ; Thomas Francis Peacock , P . M ., P . G . S ., Treas . ; T . B . Sandercock , P . M ., Sec . ; A . Snarp , P . M ., S . D . j R . H . Hale , J . D . ; C . Sheath , I . G . ; F . Dewsbury , P . M ., D . C . * , J . R . Creasey , A . D . C . ; H . W . Francis and M . H ewitt , Stewards ; G . Davis , Org . ; and G . Randall , Tyler . Bro . T . F . PEACOCK , P . G . Stwd ., was appointed to represent the lodge

on the Charity Committee of the province , and the lodge was closed . An adjournment was made to the Public Hall , where an excellent banquet was served in an admirable manner by Messrs . Hill and Son . " The Queen and the Craft , " and "H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . " were afterwards proposed by the WORSHIPFUL MASTER , and cordially received .

Bro . ALID . SFENCER , P . G . S . B ., Prov . G . Sec , replying for " The Grand Ofiicers , Present and Past , " said their work was shown in the management of the three great Institutions , and on the Board of Benevolence and General Purposes . Bro . H . WARD , P . G . S . B ., also briefly replied . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER then proposed what he considered the toast

ol the evening—" The Health of the Distinguished Nobleman who ruled over their province . " A long and distinguished career had been passed by their principal guest . He began by serving his country in the field in the Crimean Campaign , as a Captain in the Coldstream Guards , and when <] e retired he came to Kent , where , for 21 years , he represented thc county in one of the Divisions . No name was more familiar throughout the whole of