Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 491 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Lancashire 49 Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire 493 Provincial Grand Chapter of West Lancashire 493 Board of Benevolence 492 Some Ancient York Masons and their Early

Haunts 49 Consecration of La France Lodge , 2060 ... 493 Consecration of the Amity Chapter , No . 171 495 Annual Statement of Account , Supreme Council , 33 rd Degree 49 S An American Masonic Birthday 49 S Masonic Service and Harvest Festival of St . Simon and St . Jude ' s Church , Manchester 495

CORRESPONDENCEDr . Desaguliers 497 The Office of Grand Treasurer 497 A Masonic Charity Sunday 497 Prov . Grand Masters . —A Correction 495 Masonic Impostors 497 The Royal Arch 497 Notes and Queries 497

REPORTS OP MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 498 Instruction 499 Royal Arch Joo Knights Templar Joo Red Cross of Constantine 500 Allied Masonic Degrees 500 The Craft Abroad Joo Masonic and General Tidings 502 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iii .

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A VERY curious question has been recently raised in America , where a ballot was taken , and none of the members present voted , except two , in the affirmative . This ballot was objected to , and voted to be informal , because , as was stated , the law required that every member present must vote . Some . of us may remember that an almost similar question , if in a

different form , came before our Grand Lodge on appeal , some time back , when Bro . MCINTYRE , our then Grand Registrar , stated with his usual lucidity that there was no law in English Freemasonry compelling any one to vote . In the American case we read the following difference : " In the first place , section 55 of the statutes declares that * Every member of a

lodge present at any balloting therein , for initiation , advancement , or affiliation , must vote . ' There is therefore no power in the Master or the lodge to excuse any one from voting . " It would almost seem as if in America there is a rule , that on been advanced to the Second Degree , a fresh ballot may be demanded , as it was on a ballot for the Second Degree that this dilemma

arose . No doubt the " dictum " of our esteemed and able confrere , Bro . J . SIMONS , is good , according to Americanlaw , though we areslightly astonished that the right of private judgment and liberty of action is not upheld in the American lodges ; but we are glad to think that in England no such arbitrary law prevails , but that in all ballots members are free to vote or abstain from

voting , as it shall seem to them best . To compel every brother to vote on a ballot , whether he wishes it or not , is an element of Masonic despotism which we trust never to live to see introduced into our English lodges , as not only does such a provision make the ballot a mockery , but it is a deliberate invasion of the absolute right of free voting . The object of the

ballot is to prevent unfitting persons being introduced into Freemasonry , to enter if need be a solemn but marked protest against the possible tyranny of a majority or a minority , to put a stop to the pernicious influence of a cabal or clique , or in the euphonious vernacular of the day a " caucus" or a " ring . " It is in fact a defensive precaution against those

who would seek Freemasonry from unworthy motives , and would prostitute a noble Order to the more degrading aims of personal gain or social advantage . The ballot is the safeguard of our lodges , and is the " salt " which would purify us from the contagion of a " concatenation of atoms , " or the corruption of the tone and temper of contemporary society . It is

said that we all can learn something from others as we march on through life , and especially is this true in Freemasonry . Good as we deem our practice and outcome to be , well as we speak of ourselves often , there are others who are going on along with us , by parallel roads it is true , from whom we should not decline to obtain a " wrinkle , " with whom we should not be above interchanging thought , or taking counsel . We think this

position is remarkably true as regards American Freemasonry . We do not agree with all we read of the dicta and doings of that great Order in a great land . We think we see great weakness in their system , and open joints in their armour , The decisions of their GRAND MASTERS are contradictory , fragmentary , and to us apparently unsound and arbitrary , as

founded on no known principle of Masonic law and precedent . Indeed , until our American brethren make up their minds to have a Supreme Court of Masonic Judical Appeal , this must be so inevitably . The GRAND MASTER of New York will not agree with the GRAND MASTER of Pennsylvania , nor the G RAND M ASTER of Pennsylvania with the GRAND MASTERS of Ohio

and Missouri . But so far any attempts to have a Grand Lodge for America have signally failed , and we doubt the feasibility of the idea . But a Supreme Court of all the Grand Masters , meeting

annually or biennially , and settling oy an absolute majority or twothirds all disputed decisions on appeal , would give prestige and dignity to American Freemasonry , would strengthen its present position , and control for good its future course .

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WE call attention elsewhere to a short account of "An American Masonic Birthday . There is in it a tone of homeliness and honesty of purpose which will gratify our readers , while the thoroughly fraternal spirit evinced , and the kindly sentiments educed from this most genial act of brotherly good will , reflects not only the greatest credit on all concerned , but illustrates one of the many good and sterling qualities of American Freemasonry .

* # * THE question of Masonic mendicancy is before us , and has latterly assumed a very serious form of unpleasantness and actuality . Thanks to several worthy brethren , impostors have been " posted , " and imposition rendered more difficult . But still Masonic mendicants exist . and it is truly hard that the

charity of the generous should be abused or misused , the humble measure of fraternal relief , given in a thorough good spirit , spent at the neighbouring public house . Can nothing be done to put a stop to this trickery of mendicants , this game of the profligate , the manoeuvres of those who live on , trade on , and habitually deceive Freemasons ? We shall be pleased

to publish Bro . J AMES STEVENS ' S " panacea" for this great and growing evil , and would even venture to throw out this further hint . Can nothing be devised whether under official recognition or not , by which all such applicants should be referred to a central office , where , as in Lancashire and

elsewhere , their claims can be considered and their credentials scanned ? Might not even a voluntary association be formed out of the Metropolitan lodges , where temporary relief might be given to the truly deserving , and where the vagabond , the impostor , the tramp , might be civilly but resolutely dismissed , his cunning baffled , and his roguery unachieved ?

• • • OUR lodges are beginning to open again , and brethren to reassemble from all quarters of the globe . Though it is true that we shall miss many old friends , and many a genial presence , and some good lodge will mourn some ancient and valued confrere , whose memory conjures up many long years of

happy work and unchanging friendship , when we do meet , such is the warm-hearted tendency of English Freemasonry , we shall most gladly hail long tried comrades and younger associates . There is something homely , and yet sentimental , in the constitution and normal life of our English lodges and chapters . It is a most happy ingredient of our English

Freemasonry that we all know each other well , and are not favourable to overgrown lodges . The charm of our Masonic sociality consists in its intimacy , and nothing should be so much deprecated as any attempt sometimes made to render our social circles open to chance visitors and unknown brethren . We rightly demand a voucher for all who claim admission to our lodges ,

and a personal introduction above all to our private social assemblies , otherwise our gatherings would be unbearable and unendurable , and soon forfeit altogether their thorough claim for Masonic sympathy with , and Masonic interest in , each other . Hospitality is a great virtue and duty , and the hospitality of our English lodges is alike remarkable and hearty . But as

there is a tendency to abuse all good things here , so that very hospitality should not be too easy or too profuse , and thus abused . If our social gatherings cease to be the reality of perfect confidence and intimate friend ship , if for any cause whatever we were to relax our very wise precautions of voucher and personal recommendation , we should soon find that even

open-hearted and open-handed hospitality may have its " seamy side , " and our pleasant meetings would lose their meaning , their effect , and their perfection . We shall all recall with a sigh many a pleasant summons in days of old to mingle with kind faces no more amongst us , to listen to the

pleasant voice of the effective orator , " the mellifluous and marvellous teacher , some Doctor in our Masonic Israel , the intensity of frendship , and the full flow of affectionate interest . The words of many of us to-day will be still " adveniant utinam sic mihi soepc dies . "

# THE consecration of the new lodge La France took place last Monday with the wonted ceremonial and with great effect . Our esteemed Bro . AMBROSE HALL , P . G . C . ' S , oration was well received , and the speeches of Bro . PHILBRICK and the GRAND SECRETARY were , as usual , very effective .

* # * WE beg to inform our readers that the subscription list towards the " HUGHAN Testimonial Fund" will be closed at some date to be announced later during the month of December , and that arrangements are in progress for the presentation of the testimonial to Bro . HUGHAN in London in the

same month . We most gladly announce further that the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire has voted the sum of _ £ io 10 s . to the Fund , and we trust that between now and the close of the list the aggregate will be raised to such an amount as will be worthy alike of the distinguished recipient and the Craft he has laboured so earnestly to assist .