Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS— . . . . PAGE . Mark Masinry in Weit Yorkshire . ... ... ... ... 6 47 What Freemasonry is and why it Exists ... ... ... ... 6 47 Provincial Grand Lodge of Camtridgeshire .., ... ... ... 6 4 S Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland ... ... ... 6 49 Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire ... ... 650 The Aberdeen " Old Charges" ... ... ... ... ... fico

Centenary Festival of the St . Michael's Lodge , No . 2 n ... ... ... 651 General Committee of Grand Lodge and Board of Benevolence ... ... 6 53 Red Cross of Rome and Constantine ... ... ... ... 6 53 Masonic Notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 55 Correspondence ... . ... . ... ... ... ... 6 5 6 Reviews ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 5 6

Craft Masonry ... ... ... .... ... ... ' 57 Royal Arch ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 59 Our Portrait Gallery ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 59 Annual Supper of the P . osperity Lodge of Instruction , No . 65 ... ... 6 59 Lodgesand Chaptersof Instruction ... ... ... ... ... 059 Masonic and General Tid ' ngs ... ... ... ... ... 660

Mark Masonry In West Yorkshire.

MARK MASONRY IN WEST YORKSHIRE .

We are not exaggerating when we say that thc year wliich is shortly about to close has bcen the most eventful in the history of Mark Masonry in West [ Yorkshire . hi the Craft , West Yorkshire ranks as third among our Provinces in the matter of

numerical strength , while as regards its support of the Centra ' Charities of the Order it is surpassed by none . In the Mark Degree , though / it has been organised as a Province since 1871 ,

its strength is not in the same proportion . The number of its lodges is only 12 , as compared with the 77 or 7 8 on its roll in Craft Masonry , and of these seven were in existence at the time that West Yorkshire received its Provincial organisation . The

progress , therefore , that has been made in the years that have since elapsed cannot be described as remarkable , though under the auspices of its present Provincial Grand Master—Bro . C . I . KTCH MASON , who has presided over it since 1 ^ -83—it may

undoubtedly be set down as substantial . But the events of thc year ieSgs appear to tis to indicate that our West Yorkshire Mark brethren are desirous of making further and proportionately greater progress . Bro . MASON himself is a most energetic

ollicer , as attentive as he is able in the discharge of his duties , a strict disciplinarian , who , however , is careful to encourage good work in others , and one who , sparing not himself , is cerl . 'iin to find his efforts appreciated and his example in the long

run closely followed . Moreover , he has about him good oilicers , a worth y Deputy in Bro . JoilN BARKER , and a most indefatigable Srcretary in Bro . MATTHEWMAN . He has also been greatly favoured by Dame Fortune , and on the 23 rd March last in the

Copley Lodge , No . 111 , Leeds , had the pleasure of advancing none other than tlie Right Hon . W . L . JACKSON , M . P ., Prov . ( irand Master in the Craft , lo the Mark Degree . As was pointed out in our report of the proceedings , there can be no

doubt that , though the Degree had bcen making steady progress for some years past , Bro . JACKSON ' S advancement has given to it a further impulse . About two months later , thc annual meeti » g of Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was held in Leeds , and

U ' . 'is attended by Bro . the Earl of El'STON , Pro Grand Master of U'e Order , to whom a most cordial welcome was extended , and who , in acknowledgment of an Address presented by Provincial Grand Lodge , expressed the pleasure it had given him to be

amongst them , and offered thc Provincial Grand Master and all Present his heartiest congratulations on the prosperous condition of Hie Province and its constituent parts . Still more recently , l 1 " - ' autumn half-yearly meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge

'' is been held at Barnsley , nnd it has been resolved , in view of Ihe growing importance of the Mark Charities , that a Charity organisation somewhat similar to that which alread y exists under the Craft Provincial Grand Lodge ,

Mark Masonry In West Yorkshire.

amf has been able to work so admiral )) ; ' in regard to the Central Masonic Charities , shall be established in Mark Masonry . It is certainly wise on the part of our West Yorkshire Mark brethren to have proposed such- a scheme , and

lo be alread y in thc way of carrying it into execution . It is , indeed , no longer a scheme , but an accomplished fact , the resolution , proposed in an able and exhaustive speech hy IJro . G . M . PARKE , for the establishment of a Charity Committee for the

Province having bcen unanimousl y adopted at the meeting on the 31 st ult . This Committee has bcen formed " for the purpose of promoting the interests of the Mark Benevolent Fund , and for the investigation of all claims or applications for relief that may

be referred to it b y the Provincial Grand Master or Provincial Grand Lodge . " As regards the constitution of this body , we refer our readers to the particulars contained in-our report last

week . Thus it only remains for the several lodges to elect theii representatives , and the Committee will at once be in a position to fulfil its purposes .

Under any circumstances it would be our duly to congratulate the Mark Province of VVest Yorkshire and its able and popular chief on the promplncss wilh which this proposal has becn carried out . But there is a special reason why our

congratulations should be forthcoming in this particular instance . Bro . MASON has undertaken to preside as Chairman at the next Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund ,-and it is manifestly desirable that ' everything should be done that is

possible by his Province 111 order to ensure the success of his Chairmanship . West Yorkshire did well , considering its strength , at last year ' s Festival , when Bro . the liarl of YARBOROUGH presided , and better still , in July last , when Lord

SKELMERSDALE was 111 the chair ; but now that a Committee has been organised " for the purpose "—as wc have already pointed out— " of promoting tlie interests of the Mark Benevolent Fund , " the success of next . year ' s Festival under Bro . MASON ' auspices

seems to be already pretty well assured . At all events , the likelihood of its being olher than a decided success is reduced to a minimum by thc step which thc Province has just taken in providing this Mark Charity organisation ns nearly as possible on thc lines of a Craft Committee which has achieved such marvellous successes in connection with the Central Masonic Institutions .

What Freemasonry Is And Why It Exists

WHAT FREEMASONRY IS AND WHY IT EXISTS

A number of articles have recently appeared , particularl y in American Masonic periodicals , in which the character of l «" reemasonry , and thc purposes for which it exists are discussed calml y and dispassionately , and at the same time in a manner which shows that the opinions expressed b y the several writers are ( he outcome of their convictions . In the carvvnt mimber of ( lie Voice

of Masonry alone , the bulk of tlie contents have a more or less direct relation to these two subjects . Thc opening article , which extends over about a dozen pages , is the Address delivered by Bro . Past ( irand Master J OSIAII II . DRUMAIOND , at the 75 th Anniversary in May last , and is entitled , " What has

been , and what is . Jo this we have hacl occasion to refer in a former issue of the Freemason , and wc shall therefore notice it—if we notice at all , only incidentally . This is followed bv an

article from the pen of Bro . WALTER CLARK , Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Carolina , and is entitled , " What and why Masonry is . " Then comes a further instalment of Bro . WILLIAM