Craft Masonry.

Essex ; G . Norman , 41 , Bath ; E . Miles , P . M . 1564 , and R . Stileman , 1395 , Guildford ; F . Bartlett , 1110 , Crovdon ; J . A . Jones , 2391 , Middlesborough ; R . Stewart , P . M . 24 , Gateshead ; W . M . Cuckow , C . H . Downes , C . G . Havell , and A . J . Haward , allot 2371 , Felixstowe ; ] . W . Aplin , 1314 . and W . R . Kirkman , 913 , Chislehurst ; J . Wood , P . M . 1 G 3 G , Brighton ; and in London , H . Happold , 2121 ; | . A . Tharp , 122 S ; E . S . Stidolph , P . M . 1544 ; B . H . Brough , 1415 ; J . Kay , P . M . 742 ; J . S . Chapman , 355 ; ) . M . Mitchell , W . M . 92 ; E . D . Oopert , P . M . 92 ; E . Anderson , P . M . 40 ; J . Pinder , 15 ; j . Grisdale , 1703 ; B . F . Stratton , P . M . 49 J H . S . Wilton , P . M . 49 ; W . Bellamy , 1627 ; C . A . C . Keeson , S 22 ; J . E . Anderson . iS ; T . G . Robinson ; A . de Beer , 7 SG ; O . Marsland , 19 ; Dr . Wells , 2323 ; and R . N .

Crane , 2397 . Several letters apologising for unavoidable absence having been read from members of the lodge , Bros Sir C Warren , Sir Walter Besant , Dr . Chetwode Crawley , and others , and from intending visitors , the Grand Secretary , Bros . Sir J . B . Monckton , T . Fenn , and others , the Secretary called attention to a handsomi Scottish Master s jewel , which had been sent for exhibition by Bro . Macadam , of Edinburgh . Bro . Gould then proceeded to install Bro . Edward Macbean , the W . M . elect , who appointed and invested his officeis as foUo-Ns . Bros , the Rev . C . J . Ball , I . P . M . ; C . Kupferschmidt and C . Purdon Clarke , CLE , Wardens j Sir Walter Besant , Treas . j G .

W . Speth , Sec . ; S . X . Klein and T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B ., Deaconsj R . I ' . Gould D . C . i E . Conder , jun ., I . G . ; J . Lane , Stwd . ; and J . W . Freeman , Tyler . The W . M . then delivered his installation address , for which he chose as his theme the literary work and general progress of the lodge during the previous 10 years of its existence , pointing out wherein the arch . e ilogy of the Craft had made advance , what new facts had been elicited , what new theories broached , what old errors dissipated . He also alluded feelingly to the high death rate which the lodge had had to endure , depriving it of some of its most prominent workers . The address will be printed in the

Transactions of the lodge , and is too long to even condense in these columns , but it will well repay perusal , as showing what this peculiarly constituted lodge has effected in a comparatively short time . Bro . E . J . Barron , P . G . D ., then read the paper announced for the evening . It consisted of a description of a portion of the series of engravings by Schellenberg , with commentaries by Musaeus , known as the " Dance of Death , " or " Danse Macbre , " the special engraving under consideration being entitled " Death , the Freemason , " representing Death introducing a candidate into the lodge , through the open door of which the assemb ' ed brethren are seen . The description and comand evoked considerable

ments of the lecturer were listened to with great interest , discussion , in which Bros . Speth , Kupferschmidt , Lovegrove , Klein , Rylands , Conder , and Rev . Horsley took part . Two prominent questions were debated . Was Musaeus a Mason , and where did he derive the knowledge of Masonic matters displayed in his remarks and the pictuie ? And what was the real derivation and significance of the term " Danse Macabre ? " A vote of thanks was heartily accorded Bro . Barron for his interesting paper . The usual illuminated testimonial to the retiring W . M . was then signed , the lodge closed , and the brethren adjourned to the H Iborn Restaurant for dinner .

. . In proposing " The Oueen and the Craft , " the W . M . said they recognised in her Majesty the qualities of a ~ Sovereign , but they loved her more for her womanliness and domesticity . The toast of " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " having been honoured , The W . M . proposed "The Grand Ofiicers , " and said it was a matter of considerable satisfaclion that in a small lodge they had such a large proportion of Grand Ofiicers . He should couple the names of Bros . Eve , who was one of the most enthusiastic Masons they had of 40 years' stindinz , Dr . Gooding , who had been before them

years , and Barron . Bro . R . Eve , P . G . Treas ., in reply , slid that although he had not visited this lodge for a year or two , yet he had always been interested in its publications . ^ and was conscious of the great work it was doing . It had presented to them the history and archieology of Freemasonry in a way never presented before , and afforded facilities for brethren to meet and study Freemasonry from its most ancient periods , and discuss the various questions arising in their minds alter those studies . The work done would be a constant credit to their Secretary , Bro . Speth , who was following in the lines of their

great historian , Bro . Gould , and it proved that they had the minds of men brought to bear upon subjects they were able to understand . He was glad to be present , and hear an important matter brought forward with reference to an engraving which seemed to have been executed years ago . There seemed a difference of opinion as to whether it was engraven by a Freemason . His own opinion was in the negative , and , after listening with interest , he was inclined to think the engraving was not done with the idea of advancing a gocd opinion of Freemasonry . The picture he looked upon for the first time was said to allude to the " Dance of Death . " It opened the minds of all to research .

That engraving did not present to his mind tVat view ot Freemasonry { which they , in those latter periods of life , were able to form of it . They did nctllook upon Freemasonry as a sign of death , but as something to give them light , more light , as much light as they could get , and they were not afraid ot death in their search for it . Immediately they entered Freemasonry they found the principle good and true , and that it afforded them a better opportunity of making themselves more extensively serviceable to

their fellow creatures . Knowing what Freemasonry was they were not afraid of the picture presented to Ihem , tar they knew it did no ; concern them in the slightest degree . They looked upon death as the tenninalion ef their usefulness here . The question raised would have to be fuither investigated , and they were glad to have such a body of brethren devoted to the history ol the Order and the development of Freemasonry , and t J bring tr-eir experience to bear , so that succeeding ages might criticise their institution as they had had to do .

Bro . IC . J . Barron , F . S . A ., P . G . D ., in response , said that if he had contributed to their entertainment in the subject brought before them , that was quite sufficient reward for him . Bio . R . Cocding , P . G . D ., said it was neaily 10 years since he had the honour of acting as the cor . secrating J . W . in that lodge , when he was told it would be a " small affair , " but he thought it would be select , and it had proved so . The number of members in the lodge was small , but included great men like Bro . Gould and others , who had done great things for Freemasonry , which they all appreciated . With regard to the Grand Officers , they had certain trusts imposed upon them , and endeavoured to carry them out with Ihe best advantage to the Order .

Bro . Gould said : Bro . Waidens and Brethren , —Though there may be differences ot opinion on ordinary occasions as to what should properly and legitimately be ftyled the toast of the evening , there can be none whatever at the annual festival of this lodge , that it is the health ot the worthy and dislinguished brother whom wc have elected to preside over us for the ensuing year . Our W . M . joined the Correspondence Circle in May , 1 SS 7 , and was elected to full membership in May , 18 S 8 . In . he November following—that is to say , precisely seven years ago—he was appointed Steward , and has continued to hold oflice uninterruptedly throughout thc whole of that period , until his final

promotion to the highest honour which it has been in the power of the lodge to bestow . Our brother ' s capabilities arc , therefore , not unknown to those who usually attend the meetings of the lodge , and 1 think I may also say that even by the visitors who are here for thc first time , his manner of presiding over us , both at labour and refreshment , has already satisfied them that he will reflect credit on our choice . But we have a custom that , however well known our new Master may be—and even supposing that everyone piesent was his personal friend , which , 1 can assure you , it will not be the fault of Bro . Edward Macbean if they fail to become in the course of the evening—that he should be

re-intioduced to the brethren , and just the barest outline be given of his past career , both as a citizen of the world and a Freemason . Our brother was born in America in 1845 , but his very early recollections are associated with the Island of Ceylon , where for some years his father was the Colonial Chaplain . He then travelled very extensively , visiting India , Egypt , South Africa , Australia , and New Zealand , and he ^ has made more than one voyage round Ihe world . But about 20 years ago he settled down definitely to mercantile pursuits , and entered into business at Glasgow — where Ihe firm still continues to flourish—with himself at the head of it , and in the neighbourhood of which City he dispenses , as several who are present can bear witness ,

a most generous hospitality . Bro . Macbean was initiated in St . John's Lodge , Glasgow , No , 3 bis , in 1 SS 4 . The next year he was exalted in the Glasgow Chapter , and I may here mention , that in Scotland , the Mark Degree is always conferred by way of preliminary on a cr ndidate for tre Royal Arch . Our brother is an Ark Mariner , a Red Cross Knight , Knight Templar , Knight of Malta , and a member of other High Degrees . He is also an Vlllih in the Rosicrucian Societies of England and ScotUnd . Returning , however , to Cr & ft and Capitular Masonry—our W . M . isa full member of the oldest lodge in Scotland , the Lodge of Edinburgh , No . 1 ; an Honorary Member of several Masonic bodies ; a founder and the Treasurer of King Solomon's Chapter , No . 2029 ; a P . Z . of the Glasgow Chapter , No 50 ; and a Past Grand Chancellor of the Grand

Craft Masonry.

Chapter of Scotland . He is also the Grand Representative of the Grand Chapter 0 f Maine , at the Grand Chapter of Scotland , a distinction he much prizes , and with good reason , as it was conferred upon him at the instance of Bro . Josiah H . Drummond , one of the greatest American Masons of the century . Bro . Macbean ' s first literary effort or if not the first , at all events the earliest of which I have any personal knowled ge ' was a valuable essay on Symbolism ; and since joining this lodge he has been a diligent contributor toits Transactions . The following papers have been read by him at our meetings : "Scottish Freemasonry in the Present Era ; " "The Formation of the

Grand Lodge of Scotland , " and " Master Masons of the Crown of Scotland . " He has also figured very often as a reviewer , and in other spheres of action ( outside the Quatuor Coronati Lodge ) , has delivered lectures distinguished both by originality and research on "The Egyptian Mysteries , Aryan Migrations , Solar Myths , " and "PhiUic Worships . " Our present W . M . has served longer in the subordinate offices of the lodge than any brother who has preceded him in the chair . During the seven years he has been thus working his way up , many things have happened , and among them there is , perhaps , no more remarkable occurrence than the strong hold on the public favour which has been

attained by Ars Quatuor Coronatorum . In 18 SS there were 4 6 9 subscribers to our publications , while the list now passing through the press will show a grand total of about 2200 , consisting , it may be observed , of lodges , brethren , and societies in every fiortion of the globe . Figures like these not only attest the far-reaching influence of the odge , but they suggest in the most expressive manner—I was going to say the expediency , but a better phrase will be , the imperative necessity , of annually electing as the head of our vast anel still growing Circle , a brother whose Masonic record may inspire confidence in every member of it—and such a result , I shall now affirm , without a

shadow of misgiving , to have been fully ensured for the coming year by the installation of Bro . Macbean . I have only a word or two more to say . Much good work has been done in the lodge du ing the first decade of its existence , but as the old proverb may serve to remind us— "The mill cannot grind with water that ' s past . " One ol our founders , the late Bro . Woodford , has been taken from us , and alas , more than one of those early joining members whose labours assisted so materially in raising the lodge to

the position it has attained . Upon the younger men , therefore , in our ranks , and particularly on the officers of the lodge at the present time , must now devolve the principal heat and burden of the day . That they will , however , be found quite able to perform any duty that may fairly be laid upon them , I do not doubt for an instant , especially during the year on which we have now entered , and under the guidance of so popular a man , so experienced a Freemason , and so sagacious a ruler as the W . M . in the chair .

Bro . E . Macbean , W . M ., in responding , said he did not say he could do as much as his predecessors , but with any ablities given him—which was a moot point—he had enthusiasm . He would do the best he could for the lodge according to his lights , with the advice of the very strong Board of Past Masters . He would probably look upon some matters in a different manner to some of his predecessors . He was the first commercial man who had achieved that position , and it was quite possible that while they had done in certain directions

good , he might do some good in other quarters . As a travelled man , he had come in contact with men every day of his life , and might see his way , with the assistance of the Secretary , in doing some good thing for the lodge to help keep up the record . He had a strong desire that the number should not diminish during his year . He felt the high encomiums Bro . Gould had passed upon him , and would particularly try to live up to that iieal , and expressed his hsarty and grateful thanks for the enthusiastic manner in which the brethren had received the toast .

Bro . Capt . Leslie , R . A ., replied for "The Correspondence Circle , " and gave his experiences as a local Secretary in the Punjaub . He could not give a very favourable report ot the work , because it was extremely difficult to work up the brethren there to the point of joining . "The Visitors" next received a cordial welcome from the W . M . He said they would be glad to see more visitors , because there was this strange feature—that they usually became members of the Circle . Bro . Newton Crane , of the United States Embassy , in responding , said he had but recently been made a Mason , and while he knew nothing of the organisation , yet he had the profoundest respect for it . That night a new vista had opened for him , for he had no idea there was so much in the study of the Craft .

"The Founders and Past Masters" was next introduced by the W . M ., who remarked that many knew that the beginning of the lodge was very small indeed , there being but three or four members of the Inner Circle present . The least they could do was to honour those and remember them for their services . Bro . Rylands , F . S . A ., said they were very gratified at the progress made , as they never expected the lodge to reach such magnitude . They would endeavour to keep to the lines laid down , and keep to the old traditions . Bro . Rylands then proceeded to allude to the paper read in the lodge and the subsequent remarks of Bro . Eve , to which

space alone precludes further r . ference . "The Officers" was acknowledged by Bro . Kupferschmidt , S . W ., after which the W . M . proposed " Thc Treasurer and Secretary , " especially alluding to the enormous labours of Bro . Speth , Sec , who regarded that work as a labour of love , as he was a literary Mason before the lodge was formed . _ Bro . G . _ W . Speth , P . M ., Sec , in the course of his reply , alluded to the excellent assistance given him in the clerical work by his daughter . It had been the kindness of every Master to give him more than he deserved in the way of praise for the work done .

He hael answered to that toast for 10 years , and could say no more than that he always appreciated the kindness shown him individually by all the members . The year they had ju it passed through had been a memorable one for the Quatuor Coronati Lodge . It had been a record year in the matter of accession to their ranks . They had never previously received more than 3 S 7 members into the Correspondence Circle , which was last year , but this year the total was 420 . When they were about to issue the first Transactions , Bro . Hughan—than whom none could have had more experience—advised them not to print more than 100 , as they would never have more members . When he

said that in this year alone they had more than quadrupled that estimate , he thought his feelings were those of astonishment . He hoped that possibly in the next year they might admit 500 members . In spite of the accession to their ranks they did not somehow seem to have more money to dispose of . As their numbers increased so did thc contributors increase , and therefore the amount of valuable matter he was called upon to publish also increased in proportion . They had been in debt since 18 92 , and had not been able to reduce it , and he was afraid that this year the deficiency had increased . That could not go on , and the question must arise— "Shall we reduce the volume of our

Transactions and give you less matter , or print it in a less costly form with fewer illustrations , or raise the contributions ? " He was pleased to hear that loud " Yes , yes , " to the latter put of the question . He was strongly of opinion that the time must come when in justice to themselves , and the aspirations of literary Masonry , they must raise the amount to one guinea . They would lose a few members , of course , but the question was , how many . ' If they did not lose one half they would make a gain , but if they lost more it would be an injudicious matter to enter upon , and that was the question to be fought out in Committee . He appealed to tfiem— " Was there any other literary society

in or out of London which for ios . Gd . gave them the same amount of printed matter as they did ? " Everything connected with the lodge , qua lodge , was paid for b y the full ledge members , and when they took the subscriptions of the Outer Circle , which were devoted to the literary side only , lhey found there was a certain surplus over the actual cost of printing , yet thc salaries of their servants , rent of offices , cost of library , and posting of transactions more than swallowed up the balance . He did not think the lodge should proceed on a losing system . He was sure the brethren present , and he hoped the great majority throughout the world , would agree that the bet'er way was to

raise the subscriptions . It that was done they should not only continue their transactions but better them , and it there was sufficient surplus they could attain their great object—the establishment of a central home for the puatuor Coronati Lodge—where brethren could write their letters , receive their Masonic friends , consult their Horary , and transact such Masonic business as they required . He did not think that lodge could be said to have attained its position , and the object with which it set out until that had been accomplished . Very few realised what had been done in their lodge . They had prayed to the literary world that there wis more in Freemasonry than eating , drinking ,

ceremonies , and Charity . They had shown that Masonry had an immeasurable past , of which they could not fathom the depth , that there was much in Masonry worth thc close study of arch . uologists and literary men , and they had been able to produce volumes ol transactions which—although he was the editor—he was not ashamed to say could be compared with the transactions uf any literary society in the world . It would be their study to continue that course , and bring the Quituor Coronati Lodge more to the front , and assert more and more its claims as a worthy member of the great literary societies of this great world . The Tyler ' s toast then closed the proceedings .