Freemasonry In 1890.

FREEMASONRY IN 1890 .

The emblems of mourning which have been worn during the last six months by the lodges and brethren under the English Constitution are the outward and visible sign that during the year which is now so rapidly approaching its conclusion , the Craft in this country has sustained a serious loss—a loss which , if it cannot be described as irreparable , is nevertheless one which time alone can repair . But if for the moment we exclude this one calamity from our consideration , we

shall undoubtedly find that in all material points Freemasonry in the United Kingdom and the British colonies and possessions abroad has made very substantial progress . In England , particularly , of which we are able to speak with a more certain knowledge , so far as new lodges may be taken as indicating increased strength , we are able to point to a very appreciable addition to the roll of our Grand Lodge . Our Institutions , though they have not succeeded in recovering the

position they occupied before 1888 , have certainly fared better than they did in 1889 ; while in all that concerns the organisation of our provinces and districts , and the performance of their appointed duties by private lodges and chapters , we are persuaded that we stand better now than we did a twelvemonth since . Scotland and Ireland have also added to their respective rolls of lodges , and while the latter has been exerting itself more and more successfully in behalf of its

Masonic Orphan Schools in Dublin , the former has accomplished—indeed , it has considerably more than accomplished—its purpose in raising a capital for its Fund of Benevolence . In the British colonies and possessions abroad Freemasonry has for the most part experienced a similar measure of good fortune , there being only one of our important colonies in which the Order has become , for the present at

all events , somewhat seriously disorganised . In short , taking the Craft of Masonry throughout the British Empire , we are satisfied that , in spite of its one great loss and the disorganisation in one colony , to which we have referred , it has made substantial progress during the year , and in this expression of opinion we believe we shall be cordially supported by all who read the following classified details of the proceedings of our Society and its several branches .

CRAFT MASONRY . The number of lodges added to the roll since the return made at the last Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge in 1889 is 52 , while on the other hand there have been many withdrawals from the list in New Zealand , where a Grand Lodge has been established which the Grand Lodge has declined to recognise , and in Tasmania where the English , Irish , and Scotch lodges already existing have

constituted themselves into an independent Grand Lodge , whose Masonic supremacy over the colony has been gladly acknowledged by us . Of the newly constituted lodges seven are located in London , namely : the Duke of Fife , No . 2345 ; the Warrant Officers' Lodge , No . 2346 ; the Grafton , No . 2347 ; the Lombardian , No . 2348 ; the Bloomsbury Rifles Lodge , No . 2362 ; the Cornish Lodge , No . 2369 ; and the Mitcham Lodge , No . 2384 . The new Provincial lodges are 29 in

number , as against 21 last year , and 22 in 1888 , West Lancashire again heading the list with six , namely , the Cycling and Athletic Lodge , No . 2335 , Wavertree ; the West Lancashire Century Lodge , No . 2349 , Blackpool ; the Corinthian , No . 2350 , Hindley ; the Doric , No . 2359 , Didsbury ; the Victoria , No . 2360 , Southport ; and the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 237 6 , Layland . Essex has increased by three lodges , namely : the Mistley . No . 2339 , Manningtree ; the Easterford , No .

2342 , Kelvedon ; and the William Shurmur , No . 2374 . Chingford . The Alan Lodge , No . 2368 , and the Hildre Lodge , No . 2375 , Hoyiake , have been added to the roll of Cheshire ; the Chantrey , No . 2355 , Dore , and the Hardwick , No . 2373 , Chesterfield , to that of Derbyshire ; the Broxbourne , No . 2353 , Broxbourne , and the James Terry Lodge , No . 2372 , to that of Hertfordshire ; the Lodge of Clemency , No . 2341 , Oldham , and the Minnehaha Minstrel , No . 236 3 , Manchester ,

to that of Lancashire , E . D . ; the Cricklewood , No . 2361 , Cricklewood , and the Bushey Park , No . 2381 , Hampton Court , to that of Middlesex ; and the Barry , No . 2357 , Cadoxton , and the Loyal Hay , No . 2382 , Hay , to that of the Eastern Division of South Wales . The Sir William Harpur , No . 2343 , Bedford ; the Universities , Lodge , No . 2352 , Durham ; the Ermine Lodge , No . 2351 , Lincoln ; the Beneventa , No . 2380 , Daventry , Northants and Hunts ; the Jersey , No . 2334 ,

Bicester , Oxon ; the Felix Lodge , No . 2371 , Felixstowe , Suffolk ; the Godson , No . 2384 , Oldbury , Worcestershire ; and the Mona Lodge , No . 2358 , Castletown , Isle of Man , complete the list of new lodges warranted in the Provinces . Of the remaining 16 lodges , Queensland is able to claim no less than six—the Aramac , No . 2338 , located at the town of the same name ; the Albert , No . 2344 , Southport ; the Thomas Barnet Feltham Lodge , No . 2365 , Winhow ; the Etheridge , No . 2366 ,

George Town ; the Ravenswood , No . 2367 , Ravenswood ; and the Fenwick , No . 237 8 , Woolloongabba , East Brisbane . Four lodges have been warranted in the Districts of Bengal , Madras , Bombay , and the Punjab ; that is to say , the Ganges , No . 2340 , Cawnpore , Bengal ; the Pandyan , No . 2356 , Madras ; the Royal Connaught , No . 2377 , Ahmednagar , Bombay ; and the Albert Victor , No . 2370 , Lahore , Punjab . The Eastern Archipelago has gained two lodges , namely , the Shadvvell Clerke ,

No . 233 6 , Penang , and the Read , No . 2377 , Selangor . The Twillingate , No . 2364 , Twillingate , has been placed on the roll of the District Gran . l Lodge of Newfoundland , while the remaining three are located in South Africa—the Heidelberg , No . 2354 , in the town of the same ' name in the South African Republic ; the Woodstock , No . 2379 , in the Western Division of South Africa ; and the Henry B . Loch , No . 238 3 , Beaconsfield , Griqualand' West . None of these 16

lodges will have to be deducted , as was the case with sundry of the additions in 188 9 in estimating the total number on the roll of our Grand Lodge , on the ground that the districts in which they are established has set up Grand Lodges of their own . They , therefore , represent a clear addition , and , together with the London and Provincial lodges , will about suffice to make good the reductions caused by the withdrawal of lodges in New Zealand and Tasmania .

The proceedings in Grand Lodge have been less attractive of any special interest than usual . At the March Communication Bro . Augustus Harris , P . M . of the Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 , and now one of the Sheriffs of London , being the onl y brother nominated for the office of Grand Treasurer , was elected ,

Freemasonry In 1890.

as a matter of course . At the same meeting Bro . Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , announced that Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W ., who had preceded him in office , was desirous of presenting to Grand Lodge the portrait ir , oils which had been painted and presented to him ( Sir J . B . Monckton ) some years previously by the Buckingham and Chandos Lodge , No . 1159 , and it is almost needless to say that the gift was at once accepted , and ordered to be hung

in the Board Room . At the June meeting , which was honoured b y the presence of Bro . R . Walkem , M . W . G . M . of Canada , a sum of ^ 500 was unanimousl y voted for the purpose of placing a stained-glass window in the Centenary Hall of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , as a memorial of the very successful Centenary Festival held in the Royal Albert Hall , South Kensington , in June , 1888 , under the presidency of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , M . W . G .

Master , who was supported on the occasion by his Majesty the King of Sweden and upwards of 1200 other brethren as Stewards , as well as by a numerous gathering of Stewards and brethren , and many ladies , who were present in the galleries as spectators . At the September Communication , when no less than three distinguished American brethren were present , and were received with a most cordialy welcome , namely Bro . Clifford P . McCalla ,

M . W . G . M . of Pennsylvania ; Bro . J . Ross Robertson , M . W . G . M . of Canada ; and Bro . Horner , P . G . M . of Louisiana , the sad duty devolved on Grand Lodge of passing a resolution of regret at the severe loss sustained b y the Craft in consequence of the death of the Right Honourable and Most Worshi pful the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master of England and Prov . Grand Master of Somersetshire , to whose virtues as a Mason , and whose rare abilities as a Statesman and

man of letters , the most eloquent testimony was borne by those who took part in proposing and supporting the motion . The resolution , which was brought forward by the acting Grand Master in the name and on behalf of his Royal Hi ghness the Grand Master , was passed nem . con ., and ordered to be entered on Grand Lodge minutes , as well as forwarded to the widowed Countess , on whom the loss had fallen with the greatest severity ; and an acknowledgment of this act of sympathy

and courtesy was read at the Grand Lodge immediately following . It was also at the September Communication that the applications of certain bodies styling themselves the Grand Lodges of Tasmania and New Zealand respectively to be recognised by our Grand Lodge as such were submitted , that of the Grand Lodge of Tasmania being at once and most cordially granted , while that of New Zealand was refused on the very proper ground that the Craft in that colony were very far

from being unanimous in their desire for independence of the Grand Lodges in the United Kingdom . At the meeting held in the early days of this current month of December , two recommendations from his Royal Highness the Grand Master were agreed to unanimously . In accordance with the first of these Grand Lodge conferred the rank of Past Grand Master on the Duke of Connaught , Prov . Grand Master of Sussex and District Grand Master of Bombay , on returning to England

on the completion of his tour of military duty in India , and resolved on presenting his Grand Lodge insignia to his Royal Highness ; while , in accordance with the other , the sum of ^ 105 was unanimously voted towards the fund which is being raised on behalf of the sufferers by the terrible wreck of . H . M . S . Serpent . As regards the nominations which are made at this meeting for the offices of Grand Master and Grand Treasurer , they passed off without the slightest appearance of

excitement , this being the second consecutive occasion on which only one brother has been nominated for the latter office , the fortunate brother in question being Bro . George Everett , who stood as candidate for the office in 1888 . One other matter remains to be noticed , namely , that several of the friends of Bro . Thomas Fenn having had a portrait of that distinguished brother painted , and being desirous of

offering it as a gift to Grand Lodge , a resolution to that effect was brought forward by Bro . T . Hastings Miller , Vice-President of the Board of General Purposes , and accepted unanimously by Grand Lodge , so that henceforth the counterfeit presentment of the present President of this Board will adorn the Board Room walls side b y side with that of his immediate and distinguished predecessor in that responsible office .

Among the events which have happened outside the walls of Grand Lodge , undoubtedly the most important is that which occurred in the Town Hall , Reading , on the 15 th current , when the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., was graciously pleased to instal his son , the Duke of Clarence , Past S . G . W ., in office as Grand Master of the newly-formed Province of Berkshire . On this occasion the Grand Master was accompanied by his brother , the Duke of Connaught , wearing the insignia of

his new rank as a Past Grand Master of England , and attended b y his Grand Wardens , Bros . Lord Alcester and Lord A . Churchill , and a majority of his Grand Officers and Past Grand Officers , together with Bro . Gen . Laurie , Past G . M . of Nova Scotia , while there were present in the body of the hall a large gathering of Provincial Grand Officers and members ex officio of the new Provincial Grand Lodge . The ceremony passed off with complete success , and the arrangements

in the Town Hall , as well as at the luncheon which followed , and at which the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , Prov . G . M ., presided , evoked expressions of unstinted satisfaction from the Grand Master . Among other events of importance may be mentioned the laying the foundation-stone of a new Masonic Hall at Ashburton by Bro . the Hon . R . M . W . Dawson , a founder and first W . M . of the Ashburton Lodge , No . 2189 , in January , and its dedication to the purposes of

Freemasonry a few months later by Bro . Viscount Ebrington , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Devonshire ; the dedication in January by Bro . the Hon . W . T . Orde Powlett Past G . W . of England , D . P . G . M . of North and East Yorkshire , of the Hall of the Wilberforce Lodge , No . 2134 , Hull ; the laying the foundation-stone of a new Day and Sunday School at Heaton Moor , East Lancashire , by Bro . J . W . Maclure , M . P . ; the consecration in September by Bro . the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M . of Northants and Hunts , of a new Masonic Hall at Northampton ; the

reopening of the Masonic Hall at Bath , and the dedication of a new Hall at Henleyon-Thames ; the laying of the foundation-stone of the Approach Tower , Douglas Isle of Man , by Bro . the Earl of Lathom ; and the dedication b y Bro . W . G . Rogers , Deputy P . G . M . Devonshire , of a new Hall at Teignmouth . Nor must we omit to speak of the installation of the . Lord Mayor of London , Bro . Alderman Sir H . A . Isaacs , as W . M . of the Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 , on the nth February , when by special dispensation from the Grand Master the ceremony was held in the Mansion House .