Supreme Grand Chapter.

4 th . From Comps . Barnes Edmeston , as Z . ; Fred . W . Hugh Hunt , as H . ; Illtyd Moline Prichard , as J . ; and nine others for a chapter to be attached to the Canterbury Lodge . No . 1635 , London , to be called the Canterbury Chapter , and to meet at 33 , Golden-square , London . 5 th . From Comps . Arthur Trayler , as Z . ; Nathan John , as H . Richard Thomas , as J . ; and 10 others for a chapter to be attached to the Loyal Welsh

Lodge , No . 378 , Pembroke Dock , to be called the Loyal Welsh Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Pembroke Dock , Sjuth Wales ( Western Division ) . 6 th . From Comps . David Williams , as Z . ; John Thomas Hogg , as H . ; Frederick Joseph Ferris Bailey , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Tennant Lodge , No . 1992 , Cardiff , to be called the Marmaduke Tennant Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Cardiff , South Wales ( Eastern Division ) .

7 th . brom Comps . William Shurmur , as Z . ; Henry Edward Joyce , as H . ; Sidney Charles Kaufman , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to thc St . Leonard ' s Lodge , No . 1766 , London , to be called the St . Leonard ' s Chapter , and to meet at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool-street , London . The foregoing petitions , being in all respects regular , the Committee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectively granted .

The Committee have likewise received a petition from Comps . Alfred Emanuel Fridlander , as Z . ; Edward Lynes , M . D ., as H . ; William Ranby Goate , as J . ; and nine others for a chapter to be attached to the Trinit y Lodge , No . 254 , Coventry , to be called the Trinity Chapter , and to meet at the Craven Arms Hotel , Coventry , Warwickshire , but inasmuch as a chapter which

was attached to that lodge was , at the request of its members and the lodge , detached at the last convocation ot Grand Chapter and attached to another lodge , the Committee deferred the consideration of this petition for further information . The Committee have also received memorials with extracts of minutes , for permission to remove the following chapters :

The Euclid Chapter , No . S 59 , from the Red Lion Hotel , Petty Curry , to the Isaac Newton University Masonic Hall , Corn Exchange-street , Cambridge . The James Terry Chapter , No . 2372 , from the Cheshunt Hall , Cheshunt , to the Four Swans Hotel , Waltham Cross , Hertfordshire . The Committee being satisfied of the reasonableness of the above requests , recommend that the removal of these chapters be sanctioned .

The Committee have also received applications for permission to alter the names of the undermentioned chapters :

No . 1099 , Devonshire , to change the name from the Huyshe Chapter to the Elms-Huyshe Chapter . No . 1118 , London , to change the name from the University Chapter to the Oxford and Cambridge University Chapter . The Committee being satisfied with respect to the reasons for the changes ,

have given consent to the alterations . The members of the Harmony Chapter , No . 220 , Garston , having begged that the fine of one guinea inflicted for breach of Rule 73 , Book of Royal Arch Regu-1 ations , may not be enforced , as the other chapter was not fined , the Committee informed them that each case is taken on its own merits and they , therefore , declined to alter their decision .

The Chapter of Economy , No . 76 , Winchester , having exalted two candidates before the expiration of 12 months from the date of raising , previously to the alteration of the law , the Committee ordered the companions to be re-obligated , and the chapter to be admonished . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . ( Signed ) ROUERT GREY ,

18 th April , 1894 . President . After the ordinary business had been disposed of , the following resolution was passed : " That the cordial thanks of the members of the Committee be tendered to Comp . Robert Grey , their President , for the very able and courteous manner in which he has presided over the meetings of the Committee during the past year . "

( Si gned ) GEORGE DAVID HARRIS . Election of the Committee of General Purposes for the ensuing 12 months .

Bro. Howell's Great Work.

BRO . HOWELL'S GREAT WORK .

The title of this massive volume is " History of the Phcenix Lodge , No . - ' 57 i 17 SO to 18 93 ; Chapter of Friendship , No . 257 ( originally No . 3 ) , 1769 to 1 863 , and Royal Naval Preceptory of Kni ghts Templar , No . 2 , 1791 to 18 93 , Compiled from the Books in the possession of the Lodge and other purees . By Alexander Howell , P . M . Privately printed at Portsmouth , MDCCCXCIV ., " and , though a long one , the description is accurate , and il the promises abundantl y fulfilled in the great work , For size and

generally , there has been nothing like it ever issued before in this country , and it is not likel y that such a venture will be repeated , for although published at one guinea per copy in thc quarto size , and three guineas for the large paper edition , the subscription price will nothing like cover thc enormous cost of outlay . There are only 150 of the former and 25 of thc alter published . Some idea of the size of the volume of the smaller edition Uto ) may be obtained from the fact that it will weigh over 4 lbs . when hound .

It is to be hoped that brethren and lodges in this country will not apply loo late for copies ; for assuredly they ' will soon be snatched up by Ciaflsmen abroad directly the character , value , and importance of the work arc apparent . It will then be too late to wish for these magnificent volumes , t seems extraordinary for so few lo be published , when Hants is such a large Province , and the lodge itself numbers a goodly array of biethren , but "us is one of the mysteries of such publications .

The lodge , chapter , and preceptory have all centenary jewel warrants , the only trio , it is presumed , of the kind , so the Frontispiece is devoted to mese three artistic decorations , which would have looked still more striking had they been in appropriate colours . The work is dedicated to the Prov . Grand Master ( R . W . Bro . W . \ V . B . Beach ) , who has for a quarter of a i : entury " Ruled oyer the destines oi the Craft in that Province with indefa-Ugable zeal and signal success , " and whose portrait is given further on .

Bro . Howell tells us that the " Phcenix " " was the 21 st lodge to meet in he district known as the Province of Hants and Isle of Wight , five out of thc previous 20 still existing , and , in order to present such particulars in correct form , Bro . John Lane ' s "Monumental Work—Masonic Records , '/ t / —1886 , " has been utilised by permission , the whole of the lodges being "oted from 1736 to 18 93 , which met in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth .

the warrant of the " Plmmix " is dated 20 th May , 1786 , and the lodge "st assembled at the " George Inn , " or Tavern , about which and the other averns , interesting particulars are supplied . The first Master was Samuel aimer , who approved of the couplet 'Tis good in every case , you know , To have two strings unto your bow .

Bro. Howell's Great Work.

for he belonged to an " Ancient " lodge warranted in 175 S , and a " Modern one of the year 1762 , but dropped the former very quickly . He corresponded a good deal with that Masonic luminary , Thomas Dunckerley , who was Prov . G . M . in 176 7 ( the Iirst ) and again in 17 S 6 , and an excellent portrait of whom b y Beach has been reproduced for this work in a most perfect manner . Kventually the lodge was started , having Thomas Telford , thc celebrated engineer , as one of the founders .

Bro . Howell has been fortunate in having placed at his disposal an immense amount of information respecting this period , and a very judicious use he has made thereof , lully explaining all points that are not particularly clear . There are several editions of the by-laws printed , beginning with the first in 1786 , which are quite elaborate in character .

When extra meetings were held each was termed the " Particular day , " corresponding with " Emergency" usage , and it was quite a common occurrence in the early days of the lodge for the initiation and passing lo take place the same evening , but sometimes all three were thus worked . Thc records arc of considerable value generally , and as they are carefully detailed

by Bro . Howell , the work is more than ordinarily interesting . They arc however , too numerous to particularise , but ihey arc worth a diligent perusal , especially by members of the province . We are not aware of any olher lodge history that devotes so much space to the records and lists of members , as also completed tables of the officers , & c .

A remarkable account is given of the Lmion between the Ancient and Modern Grand Lodges of England , believed to be uniq ic in the history of private lodges , and actuilly a duplicate of the official ceremony . Valuable information is appended respecting the sevetal Provincial Grand Masters from 17 S 6 , adding much to the usefulness of the work , and practically being a History of the Province as well as the Lodge .

Part II . will prove the most attractive portion of this extraordinary volume , as it is devoted to the History of thc Royal Arch Chapter from 1769 ( then No . 3 ) , to now , as No . 257 , wilh an introduction 011 " Early Mark and Royal Arch Masonry " by Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D . of England . Altogether this is a most valuable and interesting division , especially as il proves for the first time that Dunckerley was connected with the Mark

Degree , and gives the cypher in which all the first volume of minutes is written . Marks were generally used by the members , and as the Mark is , herein traced back to 1769 , earlier than ever before , we do not wonder at Bro . Hughan being so impressed with the great importance of such Records . Bro . Hughan ' s able introduction , and Bro . Howell ' s excellent history leave nothing to be desired , and the plates of Marks , and the cypher , are

welcome additions to this exceptional History . The Royal Arch has been worked at Portsmouth from 1 754 , but from 1769 under the G . C . of the " Moderns . " It is difficult to describe the character of these old Records from 1769 , suffice it to say that they have no equal in the world of their kind , and are simply invaluable . The rise and progress of the Chapter is traced by a Master hand , and then follows in Part 3 , the History of No . 2 Preceptory from 1791 , an excellent reproduction of the original warrant , signed

by Dunckerley , being appended . A choice souvenir of the period , and the only one we have ever seen of that year . Portraits of other distinguished members arc also given , and so much else of an attractive , entertaining , and important character , that we fail , in spite of our intention otherwise , to describe their chief features . We can , and do however , most heartily congratulate the author of this the finest English Masonic Lodge History ever published . Indeed , it has no equal anywhere .

The Origin Of Masonic Veteran Associations In America.

THE ORIGIN OF MASONIC VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS IN AMERICA .

Bro . Robert C . Naramore , formerly ol Connecticut , now of Sing-Sing , N . Y ., under date of July 21 st , 1893 , writes : " I am proud to say that I am the author and founder of the first Veteran Ma-ionic Association , not only iu this country , but as far as I know , in the world , " In the proceedings of thc eighth annual re-union of the Connecticut Veterans , Brother Naramore places upon record the incident that led to thc organisation of the first

Veteran Association : " In the autumn of 1870 , the speaker , wno was al that time Master of King Hiram Lodge , No , 12 , of Birmingham , was requested to administer the last sad rites of Masonic burial to a deceased brother . The circumstances attending the request were of such a nature that I was in doubt as to my duty in the matter . The deceased was not a member of mv own Iodge , and thc friends all resided in an adjoining

jurisdiction , and it was not until one hour before the lime appointed for the funeral that I received information that left me without any doubt as lo my duties in the premises . Hastily lepairing to the lodge room , I obtained the necessary furniture and , summoning three brethren to my assistance , I repaired at once to the house of mourning , The place of interment was eight miles distant , at Southlord , in the town

of Southbury . On reaching thc cemetery , and while plucking some evergreen sprigs thai grew by lhe wayside , three aged men approached and asked permission lo unite with us in the solemn service , They said : " Wc are very rusty ; some of us have nol been inside of a lodge in 30 years , yel we arc Masons , though we cannot prove ourselves such . ' I said to them : ' Brethren , you are welcome ; il matters not how rusty you may be ,

final the grave of a deceased brother wc have no privacy . ' 'I'he half hour in thai quiet cemetery was lo mc a time of great sadness . While reading our solemn and impressive burial service my thoughts were divided between the living and the dead . For tlie dead , I dropped the tear of heartfelt pity and . sorrow ; for the living , aged , veteran Mtsons before me , some of whom had not been inside of a lodge in 30 ye . - . rs , I ilicd the tear of penitential sorrow , and I resolved then and there that these venerable

brethren scattered all over our State , unhonourcd and unknown , should bc neglected no lunger . Ou that beautiful autumnal day iu that quiet churchyard nestling among thc hills iu that peaceful valley iu Soullii ' ord , amid a stillness almost painful , surrounded on all sides by the narrow houses of lhc dead , lhe Connecticut Veteran Association was born . The purpose then and there formed and duly inaugurated on the 17 th of June , 1 S 71 , at which time our first re-union was held under tlu ; auspices of King Hiram Lodge , No . 11 , of Birmingham .

Al this re-union a large number of very aged veterans appeared , lhc combined ages ol the seven oldest amounted tu 583 years , an aver . ig , ; ol over 83 years . It is worthy of record that Bro . Stephen Trowbridge of Ansanlawae Lodge , No . 89 , aged 92 years , wore on lh . it occasion a Masonic apron purchased b y him in Bordeaux , France , in 1 S 13 , 5 6 years previously . Twenty-five years' standing as Master Masons is still required for eligibility to membership . American Tyler .