Knights Of The Red Cross Of Constantine.

Haycroft , George Kenning , John T . Moss , Hy . Parker , Frederick A . Philbrick , William Roebuck , Sig ismnnd Rosenthal , and Thomas W . White . The Acting Grand Sovereign then read the undermentioned list of officers for the ensuing

year , appointed by the Earl of Bective , Grand Sovereign . GRAND COUNCIL . —Sir Knights Sir Frederick M . Williams , Bart ., MP ., Grand Viceroy ; Col . Francis Burdett , G . S . Gen . ; the Right Hon . the Earl of Jersey , G . J . Gen . ; Rev . T . F . T .

Ravenshaw and Rev . Chas . J . Martyn , Grand Prelates ; William E . Gumbleton , G . H . Chancellor ; Wm . H . Hubbard , G . Treas . ; William Robert Woodman , M . D ., G . Recorder ; Henry C . Levander , M . A ., G . H Almoner ; Colonel J . Whitwell , d / . i' ., G . Chamberlain ; Jas . Lewis Thomas , G . Architect ; Raynham W . Stewart ,

G . Marshal ; An gel o J . Lewis , G . Orator ; ancl John Boyd , G . Historiographer . GRAND SENATE . *—Sir Knights The Lord Lindsay , G . Preceptor ; Wm . James Hughan , G . Examiner ; John Trickett , C . E ., G . Prefect ; Rev . W . B . Church , M . A ., G . Sub-Prelate ; Geo . Powell , G . V . Chancellor ; and Thomas Cubitt , G . A . Treasurer .

The Grand Conclave was then closed in imperial form . After the proceedings in Conclave the Knights adjourned to the banquet , under the chairmanshi p of Colonel Burdett , and during the evening the following toasts were given : —•

" Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , and the Christian Orders . " "Their Koyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Koyal Family . " " The Most Eminent Grand Viceroy , Sir Frederick M . Williams , Bart ., H . P ., and the Past and Present Members of the Council . "

" The Illustrious Intendants General of the Order . " "The Wry Eminent Grand Preceptor , and the rest ofthe Grand Senate . " " The Kni ghts of the Grand Cross . *' " The Sovereigns and Viceroys of the . several Conclaves . "

"The Board of Stewards , and Prosperity to the Order . " and "The Sentinel ' s Toast . " The musical arrangements were entrusted to Sir Knt . II . Parker , G . O ., who was assisted hy Miss Susanna Cole , Bros . Frank Elmore and Frederick Penna , who performed the * following selection to the entire satisfaction of the

company :- — Grace , " For these and all Thy mercies given . " The " National Anthem . " National Sons *** , ' * ( foil Bless the Prince ol Wales . " Song , "Tell me mv Heart , " Miss Susanna

Cole . "The Red Cross Song , " liro . Frederic Penna . Song , " Love ' s Request , * " Bro . !•' . Klmore . Trio , "This Magic ; Wove Scarf . " . Miss e-usanna Cole , Bro . F . Elmore and Frederic Penna . Ballad , " I never can Forget , " Bro . Frederic

Penna . Ballad , " Ciochctte , " Aliss Susanna Cole . Song , " I once knew a Normand y Maid , " liro . F . Elmore * . Senerade , "Sleep , Gentle Lady . " I'he following Knights composed the board of

Stewards : — PRESIDENT . —M . E . Sir Frederick M . Wil Hams , Hart ., M . I ' .. Grand Viceroy . \' :-P ; II . SIDKNT :. ; .--- III . Sir Knts . II . C Levander , M . A ., G . Historiographer , (' apt . G Turner , Int . Gen . X . Lancashire ; W . Williams

| r ., Int . Gen . Monmouthshire ; V . I *' . Sir Knts . Col . J . Whit well , d / . /' ., G . Preceptor : Kev . W . li . Church , OLA ., G . S . P . ; W . R . Woodman , M . D ., G . A . Trcasuiar ; Thomas Ciibkt , G . Standard Bearer ; John * Boyd ; G . Kenning , G . A . Marshal : II . Parker , G . ( J nranist ; and ' C . II .

Rogers-Harrison , G . Herald . TREASURER . —K . Sir . Knt . Rosenthal , K . G . C REPRESENTATIVES or Coxci . . —Sir Knts Ji . Sillifaiu , J . T . Moss , K . G . C ., IL A . Dubois f . W . Barrett , W . 11 . Scott , and T . B . Yeoman Premier ; E . H . Thiellay , J . Brett , K . G . C ., IJ . R . Adams , J . Weaver , C . ' Parker Ward , M-D .

Knights Of The Red Cross Of Constantine.

T . W . White , K . G . C , W . Hurlstone , and J Willing , jun ., No . 2 ; D . D . Beck , No . . 3 ; \ V II . Hil ' lsworth , No . -J ; A . C . Morton and W C . Lucey , H . D ., No ' . 6 ; T . Smale , No . 9 ; W

Roebuck ; K . G . C , Capt . C . S . Burgess , F . Binckes , K . G . C , D . M . Dewar , K . G . C , and J . Tanner , No . 15 ; H . S . Williams , No . 55 ; R . Robinson , No . 36 ; G . P . Brockbank , K . G . C , and J . M . Rutter , No . 42 .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

AIDS TO STUDY .

( 7 b the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —• My esteemed friend , Bro . Carpenter , will , I am sure , pardon me for for correcting a slig ht error in his letter , published in the last number of the Freemason , with the pith of which , however , I scarcely need tell him , I entirely concur .

There is no Prudent Brethren Lodge if Instruction . The public , or open night , was given b y the Prudent Brethren Chapier No . 145 , about three months after it was consecrated by Comji . John Hervey , G . K . assisted by Comp . Brett . Whether the open night was a success or

not , I must leave others to form an opinion , and will merely say that those who promoted the movement felt so gratified with the satisfaction expressed b y one of the largest convocations of R . A . Masons on record , that they thought of having an open night twice at least during the Masonic season—so that those companions who

might feel disposed to study R . A . Masonry in its puritv—or aid in an uniformity of working should not be without the * opportunity , however , upon consideration it was seen that this would entail too great au expense upon a Chapter so young as ISio . 143—therefore the idea was abandoned , and the result of several meetings and deliberations ended in the formation of the K . A .

Chapier of Improvement ; and now the companions of the order have every facility of acquiring and perfecting themselves , not only in the beautiful ritual connected with the ceremony of exaltation , but also the lectures and other portions of the supreme degree , not usually given

in the regular chapters . J may also add that discussions occasionally arise and are not prohibited , if confined to the purposes of the meeting , ancl do not interfere with tbe programme of the evening ; bv these means the companions hear and know the opinions of others , who may not

agree in some slight and frequently unimportant difference in the working . This J think my friend Companion Carpenter will agree with me in saying is a move in the right direction . That others believe it to be so , I may venture to assert , or we should not have had the large gatherings of

some of the most influential members of the Craft , as witnessed at festivals of" ' une and February last . 1 am disposed to think there is another step working quietly along in the right direction . I allude to tbe visits of Lodges of Instruction to each other , for the purpose of

working tne sections , east visiting the west , west he east , north the south , and south the north ; each carrying their own working into their neighbours' territories , and may perhaps in time so cross each other as to make as many angle's as our Companion Brett does ofthe R . A . jewel . So

much tlie batter , we shall tben get iiinlormity ol working , for we havelhe means , ( actually in our hands ) without applying to Grand Lodge to legislate upon the subject , ' lours fraternally , ( OIIN Bo YD , P . Z .

I'he above was written before I noticed Bro . Stevens ' s letter in the Freemason , ancl to which I refer Bro . Carpenter . The going out to tea and taking your work with you , was alluded to in consequence of the invitation I had myself received .

[ To the Editor ol' lhe Freemason . ) DEAK SIR AND BROTHER , - It occured to me , after having written the s-aggc : tiw lines which appeared under this heading in the hiat issue of ' / " //; ¦ Freemason , that J

Original Correspondence.

might contribute a few materials , as other brethren also mi ght do , by way of furnishing aids to study , while we await the appearance of some brother , or brothers , who will set about the work of establishing a Masonic library , lectures , and conversations , ancl with your approval , I purpose

contributing , as opportunity offers , something in the way of suggestion towards the study of those branches of knowledge which should be peculiarl y interesting to us Masons , as occupying a prominent place amongst thc subjects which fall within the sphere of our Masonic obligations , ancl which are in themselves as instructive as

they are interesting . In tbe prosecution of my object I shall sometimes offer . my own thoughts , and sometimes the thoughts of others , the latter , probably , more frequentl y than the former , having an eye especially to subjects which do not receive so much attention from many of our brethren as all must admit they should do .

Standing perhaps foremost amongst these subjects , is Ancient History , and more particularl y the Ancient History of the East , about which I think I am not wrong in saying that many of us know but little . And yet , I venture to affirm , that there is not a department of study fraught

with more interest , or one more calculated to expand the mind ancl contribute to an enlarged view of " the wonderful works of the Almighty . " I may also remark , that a mere English reader possesses facilities for pursuing this branch of knowledge , far beyond those available a

fewyears ago , as he has within reach the results of those laborious investigations which scholars , German scholars especially , have undertaken within the last half century , and which have tended to eliminate from the early fragments of

history much that has been proved b y the application of sound canons of criticism , to be , if not mythical , wholly unreliable . We possess much of the results of those labours in recent English works . Nor should I omit to mention , as amonirst thc eminent labourers in this field of

investigation , our own Grote and Hallam , or that most industrious of all literary labourers , Dr . William Smith , any more than I should those indefatigable scholars who have devoted many years of their lives to the successful study and elucidation ofthe preserved fragments of

Egyptian , Assyrian , and Babylonian history , as Niebuhr , Grotefrend , Chanipollian , Wilkinson , Corry , Rawlinson , Hinks , Oppert and Batta , who have made those wonderful discoveries in hierogh'phie and cuniform literature , whicli—at least in the principles of interpretation , ancl in a large mass ol" positive results—have outlived the stage of

incredulity , and become a recognised branch of ancient learning Let me , then , 111 opening this subject , transfer to your columns a very important suggestion in relation to Ancient History , which appears in the preface to Philip Smith ' s " Ancient History of the East , " forming a portion of . "Murray ' s Student ' s Manuals . ¦**

" A knowledge of the History of the East is indispensable to thc student . In the earliest records , he meets with doubtful traditions , and further study undoubted signs of older forms of civilisation , which help to determine those of Greece and Rome . Egypt and Phu-nicia loom

up , however vaguely , in what hc learns of the origin of Greek society , arts , and letters . The earliest and noblest poetry of Greece and of the world , as well as the le'gend of Rome ' s original , bring him at once into contact with an Asiatic kingdom , of whose real existence , however , he is left in doubt . As his first readinsr of Greek

poetry excites his cunorsity about Troy , so his earliest labours in Greek prose plunge him into the history of Persia , and into the heart ofthe great eastern empires . His first guide to the history of Greece is an author who—with a wise prescience of that method of study which we have

only learnt of late—carries him at once to Assyria and Babylon , Egypt ancl Libyia , Lydia ancl Persia , that , in the knowledge of the East be may see the true meaning of the victories which form the glory of the history of Greece . And

at every succeeding step , he finds himself in con tact with Oriental form of government ancl civilisation , and he learns that the victories of Alexander , Scipio and Augustus , were the decisive steps in th ¦ great conflict between Eastern ,