Ad00704

Price Ss . HISTORY OF THE APOLLO LODGE , YORK , in relation to Craft and Royal Arch Masonry ; with Brief Sketches of its Local Predecessors and Contemporaries ; the "Grand Lodge of All Eng land" ( York Masons ); the Provincial Grand Lodge ; and various Lodges from 1705 to 1805 . By WILLIAM TAMES H UGHAN , Author of " Origin of the English Rite of Freemasonry , " & c . With valuable Appendices . London : GEORGE KENNING , 16 , Great Queen-st ., W . C .

Ad00706

FREEMASON'S HYMN . —THE MYSTIC TIE . Words and Music composed by p . J . S TEIN . Price is . 6 d . nett . London : GEORGE KENNING , 16 & I 6 A , Gt . Queen-st .

Ad00705

ADVERTISEMENT SCALE OF "THE FREEMASON . " Per Insertion . S INGLE COLUMN per inch £ 050 O NE P AGE 10 0 o O NE C OLUMN 3 10 0 P UBLIC COMPANIES' & PARAGRAPH ADVERTISEMENTS , IS . PER LINE . W ANTS , & C , FOUR LINES , 2 s . 6 d ., and 6 d . PER LINE additional .

To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

The following communications unavoidably stand over : C RAFTRoyal Alfred Lodge , No . 857 . Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1380 . Selwyn Lodge , No . igoi . St . David ' s Lodge , No . 2226 ROYAL ARCHGeorge Price Chapter , No . 2096 . MARKFlorence Nightingale Lodge , No . 44 .

Ar00707

taM j ^ MjU MgSS ^ AA * *¦ * A 4 ^ 4 4 ^ H ^ l ^ l ^ fil THB ^^^^ Sr ^^ nlsL /\ IPjtrjIJl ^ ' ^ SZBEELGSJZS S' * ^ ^^ ^ VKH . SATURDAY , APRIL 25 , 1891 +

Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

Last week we were enabled to report satisfactorily as to the progress of the arrangements for the approaching Festival [ of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . Since then , however , we hear that recruiting for the Board of Stewards has been at a standstill , and that

absolutely no fresh names have been added to the list of those who have volunteered their services in this capacity on the 12 th prox . This is much to be regretted . The three or four weeks which precede one of these celebrations are always a very critical period .

They afford the opportunity for strengthening a Board that is weak and making still stronger one that is only fairl y strong . It is , therefore , with very great concern that we report the news which has reached us to the effect that no further progress has been made since our last week ' s issue .

I here are 237 Stewards at this moment , and on comparing notes with last year ' s figures we find there is a sli ght increase in number over the 1890 Board . Unfortunatel y this trifling advantage is more than neutralised b y the greater proportion this year of

Unattached to representative Stewards . The latter compile lists to the best of their ability , but the former as a rule do little else than contribute their own personal ^ nations . When , therefore , the Unattached are exceptionall y strong , we must expect to see an exceptionall y low average per list .

nut as we remarked in one of our last week ' s notes , t 's on a hi gh list average that we shall have to depend chiefl y for such a total as will enable the authorises of the School to meet the current year ' s

expendi-Ure ; and we sincerely trust that such an additional number of brethren will , between now and the day wed for the celebration , enrol themselves as Stewards , hat the donations and subscriptions may approxitete as nearl y as possible to the year ' s outlay .

* * * e have much pleasure in announcing that the ° ges and chapters to which Bro . George Everett ° £ s have resolved on presenting him with a comset ° f Grand Treasurer ' sliht 11 —UW 11 dS d

L , s clothing as a g .... CWUICL S ^ iULUUIg . SUgUL fin of the respect and esteem in which he is held by 7 thM emberS ' The P resentation wil 1 be made on the Rest ay' ^ dinner which wil 1 be held at the Criterion aurant , Piccadill y , and any brethren who may be . -1 - '" . auiiiy , anu any ureinren wno may oe 0

^ 1 " oi attending this very pleasant re-union will ^ , the opportunit y of gratifying their wishes if they •the r ^ ° ' Harry Price ' the Honorary Secretary of Cl-,, L ° mmittee in charge of the arrangements , at n , vla Pham-road , S . W . '

Masonic Notes.

We have been favoured with sundry letters of complaint against the method of electing the Board of Management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . The idea which the writers mostly favour is that voting papers should be sent to the members of

the Council—lately the General Committee—just as are the voting papers for the election of boys . They raise no objection to the Board of Management which was elected at the recent Quarterly Court ; on the contrary , they consider it is composed of good men who

will exert themselves conscientiously and to the best of their ability to promote the interests of the Institution which they will have the chief hand in governing . They are , however , of opinion that the election should be as open as possible .

For ourselves , we are not seriously concerned about this matter . We think the law as it stands is a good one , and that the election of the Board may very safely be left in the hands of those who attend the Quarterly Courts , and who may reasonably be expected to know

more about the qualifications of the brethren who offer themselves as candidates than those who do not even trouble to ascertain what are the Rules and Regulations . As it is admitted that a good Board has been elected under the existing law , we suggest that the present rule

should remain in force for some time longer , but we repeat the matter is one which does not materially concern us . The chief difficulty will be to ascertain the opinion of a body of electors which numbers about 9000 brethren and ladies .

* * v It will have been seen from our advertisement columns last week that it has been arranged for the Boys' School Festival to be held at the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , where it has already been held three times

—under the late Marquis of Londonderry , in 1881 , and under Bros . Sir J . Whittaker Ellis , Bart ., and Lord Suffield—and we have no doubt the Stewards and their friends will enjoy themselves and that the Festival will prove a very brilliant success . The majority in favour of this decision was a large one .

By the way , an evening contemporary , whose suggestion that the Festival should be held at Liverpool , we once described as insane , is desirous of knowing if we consider the selection of Brighton is also an act of insanity . The best answer we can give to this question

is to refer that journal to our preceding note . Brighton can be reached in a little over an hour , that is , in not much longer time than is occupied in travelling to the Crystal Palace , whereas the journey to Liverpool

occupies between four and five hours . In short , it takes nine hours to Liverpool and back ; two hours and a half to London-super-Mare and back . The comparison speaks for itself .

We are also in a position to announce that the following distinguished brethren have been elected as principal officers of the Board of Stewards for the same Festival , namely , Bros , the Ri ght Hon . the Lord Mayor of London and T . W . Tew , J . P ., Prov . G . M .

West Yorkshire , to be Honorary Presidents ; Bro Richard Eve , Past G . Treasurer , to be Acting Presi dent ; and Bro . Thomas Fenn , Pres . Board of Gen

Purps ., to be Hon . Treasurer . Our readers will agree with us that a better or more influential selection could not have been made . We will add that the Secretary of the Institution will be Hon . Secretary of the Board .

It has also been arranged that the cost of the journey ( first class ) to Brig hton and back shall be defrayed out of the usual Steward ' s fee , so that brethren acting in

that capacity will incur no extra expense on that score , and that the ladies shall dine with the brethren . We understand , further , that the return tickets will be available by any train on the day following the Festival .

T !> TP */ F We have much pleasure in announcing that Bro . J . H . Matthews has been advanced to the 33 in the

Ancient and Accepted Rite , and has been appointed Inspector-General South-Eastern District , in place of Bro . Col . Money , who has accepted a seat on the Supreme Council , 33 .

We are authorised to state that Lord Carrington , the Provincial Grand Master designate of Buckinghamshire , will be installed by Lord Suffield , the Provincial Grand Master of Norfolk , at a Provincial Grand Lodge to be

held at the Guildhall , Aylesbury , on Whit-Tuesday , May 19 th . The Provincial Grand Lodge will be opened at 1 . 30 punctually , and will be followed by a banquet at the Corn Exchange at 2 . 30 .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I hear with great regret of the selection of Brighton as the rendezvous of the Boys' Festival . It is a great inconvenience for many of the Stewards to give up the whole day—in the case of country brethren

at least two days—to attend a Festival held away from the great Metropolis . Personally , I must withdraw my name , as it is quite impossible for me to attend . Can nothing be done before too late to select a more convenient place ' } Thanking you in anticipation . —Yours faithfully , PADDY . April 16 th .

HONORARY MEMBERS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I take the liberty of asking you if you will kindly favour me with an answer in the Freemason , at your earliest convenience , as . the question may lead to a discussion at our next regular meeting . It is this : At

our last lodge meeting it was proposed to make an old P . M . an honorary member of the lodge for services rendered . The brother in question agreed to it , but he stated that he wished to pay his Grand Lodge dues , also his Prov . Grand Lodge dues . I suppose it was to retain his membership in Grand Lodge , also in Prov . Grand Lodge .

Now has that brother a right to vote on any question in the lodge , considering that he pays nothing at all towards the funds of the lodge ? Nor is he responsible for anything which may happen at any time to the lodge . —Yours fraternally , P . M . and P . Z .

[ The only membership the Grand Lodge of England recognises is solely obtained by the payment annually of the stipulated subscription fixed by the by-laws . Honorary membership is simply a compliment paid to brethren for special or general services to the Craft , and gives no right to vote in the lodge which conferred the honour . —ED . F . M . ' ]

"THE OLDEST FREEMASON" AGAIN . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I was no little amused to-day in looking over a copy of the Auckland ' Times of March 7 th , 1889 , to read that at that date Bro . G . J . Wilson , who had been recently appointed Prov . Grand Third Principal for

Durham , was stated to be " the oldest Freemason of England , if not in the world . " The editor must have been joking , or else you do not have any very aged Masons in England . I have photographs and autograph letters of some old Masons " in the world " in our collection , from which I transcribe a few items :

John B . Hollenbeck , of Burlington , Vermont , for very many years Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Vermont , was born February 11 , 1792 , aged now 99 years ; initiated May 5 th , 1814—a Mason 77 years . Bonum Nye , of North Brookfield , Mass ., born January 29 th , 179 1 , aged 100 years ; initiated October ist , 1816—a Mason 75 years . Both of these venerable brothers were made Masons

before I was born . Nathan Whitney Franklin Grove , 111 ., born January 22 nd , 179 1 , aged 100 years ; initiated August 21 st , 1817—a Mason 74 years . I am here in Iowa called an old Mason , and sometimes an old man , but I am only a boy in the presence of these venerable men and brothers . I was born

January 15 th , 1817 ; initiated March 14 th , 1838 . Nor are these instances either the oldest men who are Masons or the oldest Masons in the United States of America . There are several who outrank them , but I have selected these three from the fact that I have the data from themselves in our autograph collection . Two of them are quite feeble , but one ( Bro . Nye ) is hale and

hearty , an officer of the bank in his town , and daily attends to the duties as other but younger officers . On the 15 th of February last I helped ( delivering the historical address ) celebrate the 50 th anniversary of my lodge—Iowa , No . 2 , Muscatine—in which I have all these years held membership , and am the sole survivor of the two charter members . —Fraternally yours , T . S . PARVIN . Cedar Rapids , Iowa , April 7 th .

COLONIAL GRAND LODGES AND THE GRAND REGISTRAR'S RULING . To the Editor of the "Freemason . ' ' Dear Sir and Brother , Out here , in Victoria , we have recently been slightly agitated through the publication of the now

famous ruling of the Grand Registrar of England , in the matter of the application or otherwise of Clause 219 , Book of Constitutions , to a minority of members of a lodge who may decide not to retire from their mother Grand Lodge . The especial case in point is