Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS , 331 Lodgeof Benevolence 332 Provincial Priory of Hampshire 332 Rosicrucian Society of England 332 Early Use of the Word Freemason 333 Connection of Freemasons and Templars ... 332 Laying the Corner Stone of a New Masonic Hall at Poole 333 Festival of thc Restoration Lodge , No . in , Darlington 333 Consecration of thc Derwent Mark Lod

ge , No . 2 S 2 333 The Holy Rock at Jerusalem 333 Summer Banquet of the Royal Kensington Lodge , No . 1625 333 CORRESPONDENCEPrecedence of Grand Officers 334 Where and When was William Preston Initiated into Freemasonry 334 Masons' Marks 33 S The First and Most Eminent Mason in the World 33 $

CORH -..-OXDEXCE ( Continued)—Adectid English 33 $ Bradlangh in ths Surrey Masoni : Hall ... 33 $ A Query 33 fi Reviews 33 & Masonic Notes and Queries 33 G Annual Summer Banquet o £ thc Upton Lodge , No . 1227 33 < i Summer Outing of the Perseverance and Cabbell Lodges , Nos . 213 and S 07 337

Freemasonry and thc Great Pyramid 337 Jamaica 337 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry - 337 Instruction 33 < J Obituary 339 Masonic and General Tidings 340 Lodge Meetings for Next Week III . Royal Arch III . Mark Masonry HI . Advertisements I ., II . III ., IV ., V ., VI .

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IT is a great pity that Grand Lodge is in abeyance , and that its members are scattered in all directions , or else the natural thing would have been to offer a welcome to that zealous and enlightened Mason King KALAKAUA . A letter in last week ' s Freemason points out lucidly his moral worth and his Masonic sympathies , but most unfortunately just now any emergency meeting of Grand Lodge would almost seem to be out of thc question .

* * THE question of Masons' marks is now assuming much interest , and it s most important that we should always remember that it is impossible lo dogmatize on the subject , as we have very little , except "inferences , " to enable us to come to a conclusion on thc subject . One point is clear—lhat

the original marks were " alphabetical , " that is , composed of letters of alphabets , nnd that thc geometric marks are of late use , in Europe apparently , though the Pentalpha and SOLOMON ' S seal , " Hexapla , " arc found in the East . It has been observed by Bro . CREED , and there is great force in his remark , that one curious fact remains unaccounted for , namely , that we

do not find " marks" on all stones , and that on some we find two and even three " marks . " It seems impossible lo limit their use , as some think , to lhe mere fact of " distinguishing thc work ; " there must bc some further use and meaning in them . So important is the question " per se" when we look at the history of Freemasonry , that wc are rejoiced ^ o see , by a note

from lhe Editor of the " Masonic Magazine , " it is proposed to reprint , in the August or September number of that publication , Bro . CREED ' S most interesting paper , with his cheerful consent , and with the kindly and courteous sanction of Mr . R . S . FERGUSON , the accomplished editor of thc Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmoreland Archaeological Society . *

WE wish once more , in the interest of Masonic archaeology and history , to impress upon all Secretaries of lodges the duty incumbent upon them of making themselves acquainted with the records of their lodges . There are many boxes still stowed away in forgotten corners and neglected lumber rooms , covered wilh dust , full of mildewed or worm-eaten documents , in

which no one takes any interest whatever , and whicli yet may contain MSS . of vast importance . Wc may yet stumble upon , after patient research , some old minute book between 1700 and 1717 . We may light upon a MS . roll or

curious " memoranda , " and though we fear lhat our words may seem to man ) ' as "idle words , " we do earnestly impress upon all our Bro . Secretaries a minute investigation into , a correct cataloguing of , all lodge minutes and collections .

WE rejoice to see lhat the Masonic Advocate , in the best interests of the Grand Lodge of Indiana , is advocating the " reduction of Grand Lodge expenses . " It seems that the allowance and mileage of members on the "pay roll " in 1 SS 0 amounted to the large sum of 8000 dollars .

* * WE call attention lo an extract from the Times elsewhere wilh reference to the " Holy Rock at Jerusalem , " which has a special interest for us as " Freemasons . " In the Royal Academy this year is a painting by CARL HAAG , which ALFRED J . HARVEY tells us , in the Times , was completed

under great difficulties , for he says , " Since the Holy Rock , which occupies thc centre of the area of what is popularly known as the Mosque of Omar , is , after the Kaaba at Mecca , the most venerated spot connected with the Mahomedan religion , the difficulty of obtaining a drawing of it is proportionall y great . The interior of the Mosque has , I believe , never been

painted before . Mr . CARL HAAG could obtain entrance into it only by a special firman of the SULTAN , granted him at the request of Her Majesty the QUEEN , and , though constantly attended by guards , ran imminent risk of losing his life . Never before had any artist dared to plant his easel on thc

sacred spot . The painting was begun and completed in thc Mosque . The measurements given elsewhere were kindly furnished by Mr . HAAG , and were taken b y himself with great care . " We are sure our readers will read the extract we have alluded to with great interest .

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AN excellent confrere of ours , who shall be nameless—both as to country and " cognomen "—apologizes to his readers for the non-appearance of the August number of his valuable periodical , as he expects " to be away from home until the end of the month . " The Freemason cannot afford to take things so easily . Neither can we say , as does our facetious brother ,. " orders for speckled trout will receive prompt attention . "

* * * THE GRAND MASTERof KENTUCKY has recently ruled , it seems , that ' nearsightedness " is no disqualification for Freemasonry . We should have been

much surprised had he said otherwise . We know' several admirable and most wide awake brethren who wear spectacles habitually . American Masonry would be stronger , we think , if there was a Court of Appeal to reduce conflicting decisions into one consistent code .

* * * IT is reported from Indiana that Grand Master MATHER latel y laid the corner stone of a new Court House at Marion Grant County with Masonic honours . We are expressly told "that the Grand Master followed the ceremonies with an appropriate and well written address of fifteen minutes-. "

Thc " Masonic Advocate" adds— "The distinguished speaker made an eloquent oration , but most of it , we think , was inappropriate to the occasion , being devoted to Odd Fellowship . " We say nothing of the length of the " oration , " which seems to be reasonable enough , but we think devoting the time of a Masonic oration to Odd Fellowship is a very abnormal

Masonic proceeding , and is but an equivocal compliment to Freemasonry . We arc reminded " perforce" of the old story : " A certain literary gentleman , wishing to be undisturbed one day , instructed his Irish servant to admit no one , and if any one should enquire for him to give an ' equivocal

answer . ' Night came , and the gentleman proceeded to interrogate Pat as to his callers . ' Did any one call ? ' ' Yis , sur , wan gentleman . ' ' What did he say ? ' ' He asked was your honour in . ' ' Well , what did you tell him ? ' ' Sure I gave him a quiviklc answer just . ' ' How was that ? ' ' I axed him was his grandmother a monkey . ' "

* * * WE have many complaints of Masonic mendicancy , and we fear it is on the increase amongst us . They seem to consist of persons of all nationalities , colours , languages , who sought Freemasonry originally from unworthy purposes , and now make of it the basest of trades . We recommend a

communication m many cases with the police , as while Freemasonry is meant to be " Charity , " it is not intended to be " Imposition . " Some of us may remember the following story , which well illustrates the unreasonableness and absurdity often of the habitual mendicant : "A

Frenchman , soliciting relief of an English lady , said gravely to his fair hearer , * Madame , I nevaire beg , but dat I have one vife vid several small family dat is growing very large , and nossing . to make deir bread out of but de perspiration of my own eyebrow . ' "

WITH reference to the remarks of Bro . J SYMONDS at the last quarterly meeting of the Girls' School , we note the following paragraph in a contemporary , which refers to the same subject : " It appears that the

managers of the Haberdashers' School , London , have started a ' swimming club , ' and that it has met with merited success . Every English boy ( and , for the matter of that , girl , too ) should learn how to swim , and it is to the credit of thc managers of this great City company that they appreciate this , and act up to it . "

* * THE hot weather seems to bc thinning London and filling the places of summer resort . We fear that it must be conceded that the heat is intense , and thc " smells " of our " little village " many . Perhaps it may be well for us lo remind our readers compelled to stay in London that Dr .

DOMETT-STONE recommends for the counteraction of such smells chloride of lead , as superior to carbolic acid . It is prepared thus : Half a drachm of nitrate of lead dissolved in a pint or so of boiling water , to be mixed in a pail of water , in which two drachms of common salt have been dissolved . A cloth dipped in the mixed solution and hung up in any place where bad odours prevail , will make and keep the atmosphere sweet .

* * * LITERATURE and archaeology have lost a most zealous and distinguished friend in the late Dean of Westminster , Dr .- STANLEY . Of course , in a " mixed body" like the public , and even the Masonic Order , for which we mainly write , there will always be honest differences of opinion about this or

that " individuality , " this or that " public man . " But the voice of censure must be hushed , the words of carping criticism must be silenced , before that general recognition of the loss and the worth of EJean STANLEY , and that warm appreciation which our English People ever have of " work " honestly done , " thoroughly" done to the very last .