Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 299 Lodge of Benevolence 300 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 300 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 301 The Progress of Freemasonry 301

CoR _ ESI'UNl . E .. CEMetropolitan District Grand Lodge 302 The Lodge Al Mog _ . ri .-b Al Aksa 302 " Davis" 303 The Girls' School 1 ' estival—A Correction 2 , ° i The Assistant Secretary tothe Girls'School ^ Hiram ' s Tomb 303

Reviews 3 ° J Masonic Notes and Queries 303 Craft Masonry 304

REPIRIS OF MASONIC MEETINGSInstruction 305 Ro . val Arch 305 Mark Masonry 306 Cryptic Masonry 306

New Zealand 306 Knglish Lodges in Canada 306 New Brunswick 307 Home Service Club 307 The Theatres 30 S Music 30 S Science and Art 30 S

Masonic and General Tidings 30 a ; Lodge Meetings for Next Week 310

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A ttUESTiox has been raised openly , and in our columns , in respect of the formation of Metropolitan District Grand Lodges . So far the proposition appear to us very crude and hast }' , and not based on an } ' very careful study either of our English system , or even the provisions of the Book of Constitution . Like all proposals for change , those who make them ignore

difficulties , and overlook obstacles , which however mtiot be dealt with by the reasonable and the practical . In the first place , the idea of a District Grand I _« dge in England is bad ; worse than this , it is absurd . District Grand Lodges can only be formed in distant parts , whose separation from our English head quarters renders concessions and special privileges needful and

advisable . We could not weld into our English Provincial System , District Grand Lodges in any shape , and therefore any such proposal will be inevitably scouted and rejected . Neither does any one , in fact , seem to realize the financial loss which must accrue to our Benevolent Fund from any such proposal on the abstract . If all our Metropolitan brethren are to form part of

distinct bodies , like the provinces , the capitation payment for benevolence for London will all be reduced one half . A very sensible amount . These two small points , and many others , require grave consideration , and cannot be dismissed either in silence or understood in impetuous hurry . And at the same time we say this , we think that there is a certain amount of reality in the

proposal , which may fairly demand careful consideration by our rulers . We must , however , here beg to observe that such discussions can only be permitted as respectful suggestions . The GRAND MASTER is alone the fountain of Masonic honour , and can alone decide how many Provincial or District ( as in our Colonies and Dependencies ) representatives of himself he

thinks fit to appoint . No action can properly or legally arise from public discussion or abstract resolutions , as Grand Lodge itself could not , in our opinion , pass any such resolution favouring such ideas without invading the direct and distinct prerogative of the GRAND MASTER . Such a rearrangement and increase of provinces must come from thc " propio motur" of the

GRAND MASTER alone . Still there are advantages in the way of a friendly discussion , keeping these facts and points clearly in view . A slice of Middlesex , off Metropolitan Masonry , has already been taken off , and we confess we see no reason why H . R . H . the G . MASTER should not be advised to divide Middlesex into two more Provincial Grand Lodges . Our

esteemed Bro . Sir FRANCIS BURDETT would still be Senior Prov . G . M ., and his province might be enlarged ; while a Provincial Grand Lodge , including the City , and placed under a City magnate as Prov . G . M ., might commend itself to many minds . Whether there would be room for a third , to take in central and a portion of suburban Masonry , towards Bayswater

and Kensington , & c , is a matter which would require careful consultation and adjustment . But the idea of four District Grand Lodges has been capped by the proposalifor six , —and if six , why not any number ? We may recur to the subject shortly , in respect of its comparative advantage and disadvantage ; but we have said enough to day to evince our desire thoroughly

to ventilate the subject , and to express our sympathy with the proposal , on certain reasonable and definite grounds . We may add that the argument of a P . P . G . Officer in respect of Cambridge is not to the point at all . Cambridgeshire is a territorial arrangement , and whether the lodges are few

or many does not touch the question , unless , indeed , we are prepared to abolish territorial jurisdiction and local names , just as H . R . H . the G . M . humourously said on Saturday last , the fine regiment of Buckinghamshire militia was now termed the Third Oxfordshire . We think it but right to add in conclusion that those who wish for this great change hardly realize

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the revolution in Metropolitan Freemasonry it must occasion . If these Prov . Grand Lodges are formed , henceforth the GRAXD SECRETARY ' S office will be closed to the members of these Provinces by the Book of

Constitutions , as all points and questions relating to Provincial members and matters must be settled primarily by the Provincial authorities . Will our London brethren like this ?

THE voting at the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Election was very remarkable , and deserves attentive consideration . The highest male vote amounted to 2630 ; the lowest to SSo . The highest of the three deferred , though elected , candidates polled S 64 ; the lowest S 05 . There were

twentyeight male candidates elected , of whom twenty-five were immediate , three deferred . The highest female vote was 2096 . the lowest 407 . Of the three deferred elected candidates , the highest polled 1 403 ; the lowest 1 . 373 . It is noteworthy that the three highest unsuccessful candidates polled each

considerably over 1300 voles , and the next three over 1000 . Indeed , the polling has been abnormally high . The 111 candidates were divided into fortyeight men and sixty-three women , of whom twenty-eight were elected from among the male list , and only , we are sorry to remark , thirteen from among

the female candidates . This is a large margin , and a list which we should seek in some way , and by some extraordinary effort , as it appears to us , materially to reduce , otherwise next May we shall in all human probability have a still heavier one . Here conies in the use of a second election , and

it is just possible that tne income of the Institution might be largely increased by the purchase of votes . It is true that for the guinea the electors for the Boys' and Girls' Schools obtain their two votes , but so great is the popularity of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , that wc are

rather inclined to think the duplication of thc voting would bring in , as the saying is , much "grist to the mill . " As it is , twelve months is a long period of waiting for many old candidates , and many die , as our records tell us , before they can be elected . It is however fair to

observe and remember that there are two sides to every question , and such . change is a very startling innovation on , a serious alteration of , the laws of the Institution , and requires calm , anxious , and searching discussion . At the recent election the voters had practically to deal with 81 , 078 votes . Of

these 38 , 9 82 were male votes ; 37 66 carried forward , and 35 , 216 issued , making a total of male votes of 38 , 982 . Of female voles 11 , 413 were carried forward , and 30 , 683 were issued , making a total of 42 , 096 , and a grand total as we said above of 81 , 078 . These are figures to make us think a little .

* * THE sum of ^ 20 13 s . id . was handed over by Bro . Sir J MONCKTON for the Hervey Fund , to the Chairman , to be divided among the four unsuccessful candidates , male and female respectively . Thc two males are S . L . CAFI ' E and J . LEWIS , and the Widows were M . A . WATSON * and E . I . AITITEAU .

T-* * I . s there not a defect in our present charitable system of aid and relief , of annuity and education , which wants attending to , and calls for a change ? It seems to us that a system of intermediate relief might fairly be

inaugurated , by which those who had been accepted by our Charities and placed on the lists might receive help for their schooling , as regards the Boys' and Girl ' s Schools , and some slight assistance as regards the Annuity Fund , if in receipt of no other Masonic allowance . A remark made by a poor

cancandidate struck us the other day , " while the grass grows the horse starves , " an old proverbial saying , which has a good deal of homely worth and wisdom in it . We throw out this idea for abler heads than ours , and for the benefit and consideration of all whom it may concern .

* * THE financial statement of the Royal Masonic . Benevolent Institution isa most prosperous one , and reflects the highest credit on the officially of that excellently-managed Charity , a true Charity in every sense . Professor