Lodge Officers.

Second and Third Degrees are conferred upon him under dispensation aiid at emergent meetings , and then , with no further chance of learning anything save such as his natural aptitude for acquiring information may afford him , he becomes a landmark of the Order . In addition to his own special duties Brother Tyler

is expected to understand a good many of those appertaining to the Inner Guard . He is expected also to know all about the internal arrangements of the lodge room , e . g ., hc must see that the respective columns are in their proper places , whilst possibly he has not the slightest idea of the structural difference between

an Ionic . and a Corinthian column . Many brethren come to lodge decorated with many and strange jewels . In practice , the Ty ler has to know what jewels are appropriate and what are not . What his duties are , according to the ritual , the reader needs not to be told . The comfort of the brethren depends , therefore , in

a marked degree upon the brother without the portals . The legality of the proceedings may also often depend on him . Whilst the Master is the official custodian of the lodge warrant , it is not infrequently virtually left in charge of thc Tyler ; whilst the Inner Guard is supposed to see lhat candidates enter

thc lodge in fitting manner , he practically depends upon the Tyler to see that everything fitting has been done ; whilst Brother Secretary is nominally responsible for making a correct record of those attending the lodge , is it not Brother Tyler who is supposed to see that the attendance register is properly filled up in the ante-chamber ?

Few brethren think to what an extent Brother Tyler contributes to the reverent conduct of those proceedings in which he never takes a part . He has to take care that no interruption occurs during the performance of ceremonies . Brethren may come

late and grumble at the prospect of cooling their heels in the ante-chamber , and demand instant admission , but brother Tyler knows better , and keeps the impatient crowd to pay the penalty of their dilatoriness until such stage of the ceremony has been reached at which they can be admitted without causing serious

interruption . Does thc Tyler know what a cowan is ? He ought to if it is part of his duty to repel such . He is an eavesdropper , a person who surreptitiously tries to gain information to which he is not entitled , in other words , a secret intruder , as contrasted with

the open intruder who can be repelled with the drawn sword . Thc word has been derived from the Greek KVMV , and wilh more probability from chonan , a term used to describe a certain class

of rebel during the lirst empire . In addition to cowans and intruders , the ancient charges describe a third class of individual against whose approach the lodge is to be protected , this is the brother "in a state of inebriation . "

There is what used to be called the Tyler s obligation , administered to strange visiting brethren who were asked to swear lhat they had never been excluded from a lodge , nor suspended by competent authority from Masonic privileges , nor

laboured under any other Masonic disability . 'Ihis solemn obligation was not only taken by the visitor , but by the Tyler , who administered it , and all others present in the room , or who proposed lo be present at the esoteric examination to which it was a prelude .

Fliis recalls to the writer an incident in which a visitor

somewhat scored off a lodge which had the reputation of making things hard where strange visitors were concerned . He took the Tyler ' s obligation with readiness , but before submitting himself to any examination he requested to sec the lodge warrant , after which he demanded the Grand Lodge certificate

of the brother who proposed lo examine him . As that brother had not seen it himself for a considerable period , this was not practicable , and after strong protests against what he described as the irregularity of the proceedings , the visitor submitted himself for examination , lie was , however , not admitted to the fourth Degree subsequently worked .

The word Tyler is derived from the Latin Tegnla / or , and is , therefore , self-explanatory . The last structural act with regard to a building is the completion of the roof , and , therefore , in operative masonry the Tyler is the last operative mason engaged upon it .

The Ty ler s emoluments are in some cases considerable . In addition to his regular salary he very often receives fees in proportion to the number of candidates passing through his hands , lie is often caretaker , and lives on the premises rent free .

Sometimes he is the lodge caterer , and sells Masonic clothing to the brethren and draws commission from the sale of Masonic periodicals , and , as we have already pointed out , his position is virtually a freehold , as no lodge would ever dream of dispensing wilh the services of a irood Tyler so lontr as health and slren « ili

permit him to discharge the duties of the oflice . Having regard to the importance of lirst impressions , the Tyler ' s oflice is a very responsible one . He is the first lodge ollicer with whom a candidate comes into official contact , and

Lodge Officers.

an ineffaceable impression is often created by the manner in which the neophyte is received in the first instance . The Tyler shares with the Worshipful Master and the Most Worshipful Grand Master the dignity of being a landmark of the Order .

Other offices may be abolished or created by constitutional authority , but the three offices named go on for ever . Some writers even doubt whether the Worshipful Master is a landmark , but , in any case , the Tyler ' s post is one of the most honourable and important in the Craft .

The "Old Charges."

THE "OLD CHARGES . "

I here are several missinsf MSS . of the " Old Charsres I am still most anxious to trace , as well as to hear of any fresh discovery of any such documents ; and I shall be glad to correspond with any brother or person who may know of such scrolls , or references to such , either as a purchaser , transcriber , or possible identifier .

Since the publication of my " Old Charges of British Freemasons " ( London , George Kenning , 1 S 95 ) one of my List of Missing MSS . Xl . to Xu . has been discovered , viz ., The " Hcncry Hcadc MS ., " ( x . g ) , which I have numbered C 4 , is dated A . D . 1 ( 175 , and is in the Library of the Inner Temple , London .

I here have also been four other MSS . traced as follows : D 40 " Langdale MS ., " Transcribed for the Freemason of December 7 th , 18 95 , by that zealous Bro . F . F . Schnitger , with an Introduction b y me . Date apparently of late 17 th century . E 16 . " John T . Thorp MS . "—This valuable Roll is dated

A . l ) . 1629 , and has been transcribed and published in the "Ars " of the " Quatuor Coronati'' Lodge , No . 2076 , and also in the Transactions of thc "Lodge of Research , " Leicester ( 1899 ) , by thc present able Editor and owner , Bro . John T . Thorp , P . M . ¦ J 23 , P . Prov . S . G . W . Leicester .

E 17 " Lolins MS : —This roll was found and then lost sight of by the lamented Bro . Colonel John Mead , who wrote mc thereon , as explained in my " Old Charges . " It has since been traced and purchased by a gentleman , who lent it to me for examination and to settle as to its text . The MS .

somewhat resembles the "Alnwick" Branch , the chief of which , MS . E 10 , has been most exactly reproduced , the editor thereof being Bro . Schnitger , of Newcastle-on-Tyne ( Copies half a guinea each ) . F 5 " Macnab MS . "—This paper roll is happily in the West

Yorkshire Masonic Library , and has been published in thc Series of Reproductions , edited so carefully by Bro . William Watson , P . M ., & c , the Honorary Librarian ( London , George Kenning , 2 s . 6 d ., post free . ) It is a scroll of importance , having the New Articles and the Apprentice Charges , as pointed out by me in an Introduction to that most opportune issue .

Some of the missing MSS . may be really among those already traced , but not identified , such as X 9 , the " Newcastle Lodge , MS . " ; the " Wilson , MS ., " X 5 , seems , however , to be still undiscovered , so also , the ¦ '' York MS ., No . 3 , of A . D .

1630 , "the Masons' Company , MS ., " and others . lam in hopes one or more will soon be recognised , and I solicit the fraternal co-operation of all Masonic students to make search , or renewed search in all probable quarters . W . J . HUGHAN .

Masonic Disunion In New South Wales.

MASONIC DISUNION IN NEW SOUTH WALES .

• In iSSS , when the English and Scotch lodges , as well as those owing allegiance to the hitherto unrecognised Grand Lodge of New South Wales , formed themselves into a united and sovereign body in the mother colony of Australia , it was

universally imagined , at this end of the world , that Masonic unity was at last an accomplished fact , and that all the old conflicting interests and spirit of antagonism had been wiped out for ever . I do not believe there are a dozen Masons in

England at the present time who have ever supposed of anything to the contrary . Let it not , however , be assumed that I am referring to the Cambrian Lodge of Australia , No . 656 . the full status of which

as an English lodge has at length been conceded by our Board of General Purposes , after a light extending to more than n years . On the other hand , the above caption is intended to apply to thc present peculiar state of affairs prevailing in New South Wales in connection with the Mark and Royal Arch .

It would be almost unnecessary to observe that in Scottish Freemasonry the chapter degrees and grades have no connection whatever with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , whilst in England it is almost the opposite , Herein lies thc New South