Masonic Notes And Queries.

gives it . Spiers tells us that " Louve " was technically " a sling , " "louver" to sling , while Boyer points out that "louve" may be translated slings , or "iron pincers ;" at the same time he gave "louver , " the meaning " to make a hole in the stone , to heave it up . " He seems , hosvever , to consider a " louve " a " piece de fer qui attache a Ia corde d ' une " and "louver" is also "terme de Macon ,

grue , faire un trou daus une pierre pour faire entre la louve . But all this brings us no nearer the derivation , and if we have in medireval architecture a compound system of mechanical terms , though all more or less influenced by the Gothic and German languages , sve may well svish then for some clue to the original meaning of "louve . " Bro . Speth seems dear that it comes from " loup ,- " 1 am not , and hence the little

difterencebetween us . Hoften appears to me , I may besvrong , that we are in danger again now of falling into thc grave , critical error of Oliver and others , " assuming a fact , ( as a learned judge once said ) , " and then arguing upon it , forgetting that the past history of Freemasonry is still involved in doubt , that we are still comparativel y but on the threshold . Bro . Ryland ' s recent find of a Speculative I' reemason in lGo -l raises inevitably questions svhich cannot be put on If there

one side , and must be faced and dealt with . were lodges admitting Speculative Freemasons in 1603 , whence came they ? svhat their history ? The mere Operative Gild theory , however good in some respects , is insufficient to meet such an altered condition of Masonic reseatch . So my svorthy Bro . Speth must not feel surprised if many of us keep " pegging away , " unless indeed he is prepared to recommend and produce a " Masonic Pope . " " Roma locuta est , causa finite est . " AIASONIC STUDENT .

THE TITLE " FREEMASON . " In a leaderette of March ioth the recent contributions of Bro . W . H . Rylands , under the above heading , are cited as carrying the fuse of the term " Freemason "—in connection svith non-operatives — farther back than it has hitherto been'knosvn to prevail . Passing over , hosvever , the familiar instance of John

Boswell of Auchinleck ' s membership * of the Lodge of Edinburgh in 1600 , Bro . W . Officer , P . G . D . Scotland , in the Freemason ot May 24 th , 1 S 79 , communicated a remarkable extract from the MS . records of the presbytery of Jedburgh . The passage cited svent to show , that objection being taken to the Rev . James Ainslie , because he was a Freemason , the neighbouring presbytery of Kelso , Feb . inat ¦ * jim

24 , 10 5 2 , expressed an opinion m •" = J JUICS . . a of this Kirke , Maisons . - . . ' . have been ministers . " The Rev . A . T . Grant , of Rosslyn , Past Grand Chaplain of Scotland , on svhose authority the above quotation svas furnished by Bro . Officer , has since supplied me with two remarks upon this case , svhich I have quoted at p . 444 of my " History of Freemasonry . " The first is that Freemasonry svas then held by many of the strict Presbyterians

as not incompatible svith their principles , the fact that Mr . Ainslie svas deposed on the restoration of Charles II . showing that he belonged to the covenanting section of the Church . The second is , that by the solemn declaration of a Church Court in 1652 , Freemasonry svas practised by men other than operative masons before 1600 , " the purest tymes of this kirke , " to a Presbyterian doubtless being

the years subsequent to the Reformation ot 1500 , or , at any rate , before the introduction of Episcopacy in 1610 . Returning to Bro . Ryland ' s excerpt from the Manchester Registers , in one respect sve are still left comparatively in the dark . This brother ' s communications are generally so fortified by authority , as to be conclusive beyond svhat the mind altogether wishes , but in the present case , there is a weak link in his chain of evidence . The extract dated Feb .

12 , 1603-4 , is not open to cavil , but the alleged connection between the "Edward Holland , gentleman , " and the " Edward Holland / re-mason , " rests solely on an inference drawn by Bro . Ryland ' s correspondent , from entries that are not in evidence . It is highly probable that thc gentleman and the fireemason , svere one and the same person , but in order to determine this point , the nature of the earlier allusions to the former should be disclosed . R . F . GOULD .

AHIMAN REZON . In the last Freemason , Bro . Neilson speaks of Laurence Dermott ' s " Ahiman Rezon , " 3 d . Ed ., 1752 . There is a misprint here of course , but I should like to ask for an exact description of the authority cited . The " Ahiman Rezon " svas first published in 1756 , a second edition follosvcd in 1764 . a third in 1778 , and a fourth in 17 S 7 . Of the last named I knosv but a single copy , svhich is in thc valuable Masonic library of Bro . Grabham , P . M . 19 . R . I ' . G .

Cheshire Masonic Educational Institution.

CHESHIRE MASONIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION .

A meeting of the General Committee of the Cheshire Educational Institution svas held recently at the Masonic Chambers , Hamilton-street , Birkenhead , to determine the amounts to be recommended at the Court of Governors at Crewe on the 28 th inst ., for the education of certain

children for thc ensuing year , to audit the Treasurer ' s accounts , and for the transaction of any other business in connection svith the institution . Bro . J . R . Simm ( one of the Vice-Presidents ) , W . M . G 05 , occupied the chair , and there were also present Bros . F . K . Stevenson , P . P . G . S . B ., Hon . Sec ; L P . Platt , P . P . G . J . W ., Hon . Treas . ; H . J . Llovd , P . M . 721 ; J . A . Hodgkinson , S . D . 461 ; G . Moss ,

W M . 75 S ; W . M . Mellor , P . M . 758 ; H . Barlosv , W . M . 361 ; j : Beech . P . P . G . P ., P . M . 361 ; J . Roberts , P . M . 324 ; A . M . Palmer , W . M . 941 ; T . Maples , 537 ; and J . White , 1384- , „ . , , The Honorary Secretary ( Bro . S TEVENSON ) read the balance-sheet , from which it appeared that the expenses incurred in the education of 24 children during thc year had amounted to £ 161 17 s . 2 d ., the cost ol management to

about £ 40 , svhich shosved a saving upon the year , fhere svas a balance of £ 505 in the bank , and another of £ 00 in the Treasurer ' s hands ; but it was hoped the former sum would soon be safely invested in mortgage , so as to realise 4 i per cent . The fees , donations , and subscriptions from lodges and chapters during 1 S 82-3 amounted to £ 218 12 s . Cd . The interest on investments realised £ iSO His . Od . ihe total invested funds of the charity last year was £ 4121 ,

Cheshire Masonic Educational Institution.

but now it stood at £ 4341 . The Secretary ' s annual report stated that thc funds were gradually increasing , but the claims upon the Institution were growing in proportion . It svas hoped that during the coming year the lodges and chapters svho had not given their support to the charity to the extent to which they should in the past svould see their svay to extend more hearty help The reports svere unanimously adopted , and on the

motion of Bro . LLOYD , seconded by Bro . Moss , a cordial vote of thanks svas passed to Bro . Stevenson ( honorary Secretary ) and Bro . Platt ( honorary Treasurer ) for the extremely valuable services they had rendered to the institution in connection with their respective offices . Bro . STEVENSON , in acknowledging the compliment , expressed a hope that they svould soon , as the result of the rrenerosity of the brethren , be enabled to extend the

benefits of the Institution , in imitation of the scheme followed by the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution . The sum of thirty-tsvo guineas svas voted in aid of the education of four additional children of the deceased Freemasons , and the renesval of grants to those already on the Institution svere subsequently sanctioned . The proceedings closed svith a vote of thanks to Bro . Simm for presiding .

The Royal Sea-Bathing Infirmary For Scrofula At Margate.

THE ROYAL SEA-BATHING INFIRMARY FOR SCROFULA AT MARGATE .

On the nth of July , 1791 , Dr . Lettsom , a physician , Mr . Deputy Nichols , and other Londoners , met at the London Coffee-house , and resolved to establish at Margate , as a place of extreme salubrity , " a receptacle for the relief of the poor svhose diseases required sea-bathing . " With the aid of Dr . Anderson , of Margate , Mr . Charles

Le Bas , Master of the ceremonies there , and others , they bought a piece of land on the cliff about a mile to the west of the tosvn of Margate , which then ended at the Hi g hstreet ( as appears by an interesting plan in the hrst minute book ) . The Prince of Wales became patron , and the hospital , after some delays , svas erected and opened in 1796 . There is a note , dated December iS , in that year , which mentions the singular belief experienced by the

patients . " Most had laboured under long-continued maladies , and svere restored to health by one course of bathing , and , on intermediate days , drinking the sea water . " Early in this century a sving svas added , and it is recorded in iSi 6 that " of the numerous ills that flesh is heir to " none can be named that has been cured in more remarkable instances than scrofulous affections by the renovating

properties of the sea . From this period the hospital became exclusively devoted to the cure of scrofula . ln 1 S 53 the Rev . John Hodgson , vicar of St . Peter ' s , Thanet , honorary secretary to the hospital , made a grand effort to increase the funds , and obtained the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Bishops of London and

Winchester , the Lord Mayor of London , and the Presidents of the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons . Under his active management , svhich continued till , his death , additional svings were built , making up the number of beds to 250 , and the hospital svas kept open during the svhole year , having previously been open only in the

summer . A few years ago Sir Erasmus Wilson , passing a short vacation at his bungalosv in the neighbouring hamlet of Westgate-on-Sea , became a director , and soon evinced a desire to introduce all modern scientific improvements into the hospital . But the rooms of the old building were not capable of conversion into the airy , lofty , non-infectionbearing svards found in modern hospitals . So he erected

new buildings , comprising four new svards and a bath-room , svith terraces above them and day rooms connected by corridors svith the old hospital . He also built a beautiful chapel for the use of the patients , thc services having been previously held in the dining room . At his instance her Royal highness the Princess of Wales graciously consented to the svards being named after herself and daughters . The keys of the new erections , which are reputed to have cost

some £ 30 , 000 , svere handed by Sir Erasmus to the directors at the last annual visitation . They have been able from time to time to buy adjoining land and thus to keep other buildings at a distance , and to give the patients the full benefit of the sea air . They are nosv engaged in building a svall to prevent the inroads of thc sea . The stations of the London , Chatham , and Dover and

South-Eastern Railway Companies are near the hospital , and bring patients from all parts , but principally from London . The patients do not nosv " drink sea svatcr on intermediate days , " according to thc early record ; but b y the skill and care of the honorary doctors and two resident surgeons , svith the aid of the soa air and bathing , and good diet , wonderful cures are wrought . " Scrofula , " says a

little pamphlet , svntten by the honorary secretary some years since , " is a terrible disease , svhich haunts our country from John O'Groat ' s House to the Land's End , but is principally developed in the dirty courts and pestiferous alleys of great towns . It is said that there is scarcely a parish in England where some traces of it are not to be found ; but it is among the poor that it assumes its most terrible forms . The Sea-Bathing Infirmary collects thc

svorst cases . A visit must bring immediate conviction as to the character of the disease , and the necessity of a special institution for treating it . " He records a conversation with one of thc London surgeons , nosv an active director , at an annual visitation some years since . There is no such institution in the country , said this learned man , with something like enthusiasm . Dr . Chambers , once Mayor of Margate , was svont , at

the annual visitation , to say there svas no such air in the svorld as at Margate—it came straight and fresh from the North Pole . •' We have omitted to mention the Medical Board in London , consisting of the first surgeons and physicians , who see that no patient is admitted for any other disease than scrofula , and Col . Creaton , the Treasurer , svho is just now unhappy because the funds are very losv . —Times .

The Prince of VVales visited the Olympic T heatre on Saturday afternoon last , for the purpose of witnessing the performance of " A Great Catch , " by Mr . Hamilton Aide , in aid of thc funds of the School of Dramatic Art .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft jmasonru . VITRUVIAN LODGE ( No . 87 . —The monthly meeting of this lodge was held at the White Hart Hotel Lambeth , on the 14 th inst . Bro . W . M . Robinson , W . M ., occupied the chair , and there were present , Bros . Janneway , W . M . elect ; Knight , S . W . ; Hale , ] . W . ; Davies , S . D . ; Minstrel ] , J . D . j Watson , I . G . ; Skirving , P . M . ; Hall , Thurkle , P . M ., Treas . ; Bond , P . M . ; Ross , P . M . ; Clegg , P . M . ; Whiting , P . M . ; Dickey , Z . Huntley ,

BarnettCham-, bers , Carrington , Cottebrune , S . Lloyd , C . J . J . Chambers , James Carter , H . Wright , E . Wood , Stuart , P . M ., Sec . ; and a large number of other members of the lodge . The report of the Audit Committee , shosving a balance in favour of the lodge was received , and on the motion of Bro . Minstrell svho stated that the committee unanimously recommended an honorarium to Bro . Stuart , P . M .,

fortheadmiraableand careful manner in which the lodge accounts had been kept . He could call attention to considerable arrears on the part of some members and suggested that it was a matter svhich the lodge svould do well to take seriously into their consideration with the view of instructing their Secretary to write to the members in question asking them if they desired to continue members of the lodge , and if they

did to comply svith bye-law n , svhich provided that members of the lodge must not allow their subscriptions to fall twelve months in arrears . Bro . Skirving , P . M ., moved the adoption of the report , svhich svas passed nem . con . The installation of Bro . Janneway as Worshipful Master was then proceeded with , his predecessor in the chair , Bro . Robinson , P . M ., assisted by Bro . Stuart , P . M ., performing

the ceremony . The follosving officers were appointed : Bros . Knight , S . W . ; Bale , J . W . j Davies , S . D . j Minstrell , J . D . ; Birch , I . G . ; Watson , Dir . of Cers . ; and Lampton and Chamberlain , Wine Stesvards . A valuable gold jewel ss-as presented to Bro . Robinson , P . M ., for his services in the chair during the past year . The Audit Committee recommended that the names of the members of the lodge should be printed once every year in the

notices calling the lodge meeting , and that the name of no member svho was twelve months in arrears should be included in the list . Bro . Huntly gave notice that he should move the adoption of this recommendation at the next meeting . The lodge was then closed in due form , and the brethren and their visitors sat down to the installation banquet , which svas served in excellent style by the worthy host , Bro . Carrington .

CITY OF LONDON LODGE ( No . 901 ) . —On Monday evening the members of this old and proverbially excellent lodge assembled at thc Guildhall Tavern , Gresham-street , svhen there svas a large attendance , under the presidency of Bro . John Hughes , W . M ., svho svas supported by ' Bros . G . A . Cundy , I . P . M . ; D . Hughes , S . W . 1 H . McClelland , J . W . ; H . Darcy , P . M ., Treas . ; C .

Beaumont , P . M ., Sec ; E . Harris , S . D . ; H . Harbord , J . D . ; David Hughes , I . G . ; E . C . T . Hand , Org . ; R . Pittan-Stevens , R ... Giffard , and . R . F . Whur , Stewards : W . Lewis , P . M . ; A . Griffith , P . M . j Alfred Ginger , P . M . ; J . Hoddinott . W . R . Haylock , J . Eade , C . Bisley , L . Lasvlcy , S . Roberts , L . Lasvton , G . Smith , H . Barwell , 1 . E . Fintstpr . C . Hnfpr . Cl PLivorc 17 \/» nnA - SA / .. L .,..

Venner , j . Vale , R . Fletcher , W . B . Smith , R . Torry , W . C . Packman , S . E . Green , T . W . Cundy , J . Hardwicke , D . Walker , W . H . Easey , G . Rubardt , W . Plater , H . W . Chamberlain , W . Alder , P . Raynor , A . U . Prince , R . Gillard , J . Woodstock , Tyler j and others . Among the visitors svere Bros . W . E . Haycock , 1196 , P . M . 901 ; T . J . 209 Dent

Poupard , j C . H . , 765 ,- C . J . Bennett , 1305 ; H . Price . 177 J W . C . Hall , W . M . 749 J E . Gill , 101 7 ; W . Thomas , 1853 ; J . C . Lawrence , 1356 ; J . Francom , 1623 j C . N . Cross , 1791 ; and H . Taylor , 1642 . Lodge having been opened in accordance with the usual formalities , the ballot svas opened for Mr . H . W . Chamberlain , svho had been nominated by Bro . Bisley , and seconded by Bro . Easey . The voting svas unanimously in favour .

and Mr . Chamberlain svas duly initiated into the mysteries and privileges of the Order b y the W . M ., assisted by his officers , who acquitted themselves admirably . Lodge svas then advanced , when Bro . Fletcher having satisfactorily anssvered the interrogations svas raised to the Sublime Degree , thc ceremony being most impressively performed , the musical portion of the rite being effectively played by Bro .

Hand . Considerable time was occupied in the consideration of the bye-laws , and at the conclusion of business thc brethren and visitors partook ofa sumptuous banquet , svhen the usual loyal and Masonic toasts svere honoured . ln the course of thc proceedings the Worshipful Master announced his intention of going up as Steward at the festival of the Boys' Institution , and he annealed svarmlv

for the support of the brethren . He svas confident of taking up a more substantial list in behalf of that charity than had ever yet emanated from the City of London Lodge , and he thanked the brethren for svhat they had already done , and for what he yet expected at their hands . It was his earnest desire that honour should be reflected en the City of London Lodge by the svarmth with svhich they

encouraged and supported the deserving institutions . Bro . Chamberlain suitably responded for "The Initiate , " Bros . Haycock and 'Taylor for " The Visitors , " and Bros . Lesvis , Griffith , Darcy , and Ginger for " The Past Masters . "

"The Healths of the Officers of the Lodge" svas also proposed in felicitous terms and duly acknowledged , and a very agreeable evening svas closed with the T y ler's toast . Some excellent songs and recitations varied the proceedings , svhich svere throughout of a most happy , and enjoyable description .

FRIARS LODGE ( No . 1349 ) . —The annual election meeting of the above flourishing lodge svas held at the London Tavern , Fenchurch-street , on Wednesday , the 14 th inst . Lodge svas opened by Bro . A . Peterken , W . M ., svho svas supported by Bros . IL S . Godolphin , S . W . ; E . J . Friedeberg , J . W . ; W . Musto , P . M ., Treas . ; W . Hogg , P . M ., Sec , A . Budd , J . D . ; R . S . Sadd , I . G . ; R . Durell , I . P . M . ; H . R . Hallam , P . M . 5 H