Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS £ 77 United Grand Lodge 578 Consecration of the Empire Lodge , No . 210 S $ 78 Consecration of the Onslow Mark Lodge , No . 3 61 i 79 Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire 580

The Revised Royal Arch Regulations 580 West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution . . Sr Masonic Presentation to the Mavor of Bradford 581 Annual Banquet of the United Military Lodge of Instruction , No . 1536 JSr The Craft Abroad ; 8 r

CORRESPONDENCEAthol Lodges , J 85 Politics in Lodges 584 Notes and Queries 584 The Freemason Exchange 584 REPORTS itt MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 3 S 4

Instruction 587 Royal Arch 587 Mark Masonry 588 Ancient and Accepted Rite 588 Rosicrucian Society 588 Allied Masonic Degrees 588 Obituary 588 Masonic and General Tidings 589 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 500

Ar00101

TH first busin ess of the Grand Lodge on Wednesday next will be to consider a most gracious communication from the M . W . GRAND MASTER respecting the investiture of the Representatives of England at foreign Grand Lodges with a special badge , or jewel , to mark their position . Hitherto distinguished Craftsmen havebeen appointed representatives at sister Grand Lodges

by our Royal G . MASTER and his predecessors ; but no distinguishing badge has ever been presented them to wear ; now , however , his Royal Highness has been pleased " to approve the accompanying design , and recommends that a jewel , made in accordance therewith , be conferred on each of the brethren in question , to be held and worn by them while actually officiating as Representatives of the Grand Lodge of England . "

* # As respects such a decoration , the Representatives of the Grand Lodge of England ( the oldest and richest in the world ) have been singular in their wearing nothing whatever distinctive of their exalted position , though it has been the custom for many Grand Lodges for years past to provide both

clothing and jewels for their Rapresentatives . Under the Grand Lodge of Scotland more than two pages of the " Constitution and Laws " are devoted to the subject , and a "Transcript Commission" is printed in that work . Representatives from sister Grand Lodges take rank in Scotland according to that recited in their Commissions ; those at Grand Lodge having "

conferred on them such rank as may be apptopnate . The latter also wear clothing ( viz ., apron , cordon , and ribbon , with badge ) similar to the clothing of Grand Officers , such regalia remaining the property of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ( when so furnished ) , and "handed over to each new

Representative in a foreign Grand Lodge when appointed . " In Ireland Grand Representatives rank immediately before Past Prov . Grand Masters , and provision is made in the " Laws and Constitutions " for their wearing distinctive clothing .

* * * STILL the warrantsare increasing , the last chartered lodge being distinguished with the number 2129 . The increase and vitality of the lodges under the Grand Lodge of England are extraordinary , and certainly most remarkable . Doubtless the starting of what may fairly be termed class lodges in part

accounts for the continuous increase ; but , though a factor in the causes which have led to such a result , it is by no means the chief , for out of the 18 warrants which have been granted by the M . W . GRAND MASTER since September 2 nd , only two can be referred to such influences , viz ., No . 2127 , the Drury Lane Lodge , London , and No . 2128 , the United . 'Northern

Counties Lodge , also of London . The 16 others are evidently due to the continued interest taken in the Fraternity in our numerous provinces and districts , and because wherever the English language is spoken , and the dominion of our beloved Sovereign extends , there Freemasonry is respected , and its members desire warrants from the premier Grand Lodge . No less

than six of these new charters have been sent to Victoria , which is clearly indicative of the preference felt by brethren in that colony for our Grand Lodge , two also being for New South Wales , which is also a favourable

sign . The remaining ten are distributed as follows : One each at East Griqualand , Otago ( New Zealand ) , York ( Western Austral ia ) , Queensland , and the Punjab ; and one each at Liverpool ( Lancashire , West Division ) , Chertsey ( Surrey ) , and Bakewell ( Derbyshire ) .

# THE New England Freemason has a very sensible article on the " Grand Lodge of England v . Grand Lodge of New South Wales , " ( September 15 th , 1885 ) and one that deserves careful study by all concerned . The editor speaks emphatically on the question , and does not hesitate to point

out the exact facts in relation to the matter . The friendly support thus accorded our Grand Lodge is all the more valuable because the organ of the New Zealand Craft is not confined to the English Constitution , but is also warmly supported , as it deserves to be , by the numerous lodges hailing from the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland . Neither is it a new Magazine just started , without any experience of the Craft , for it is in its

Ar00102

seventh volume , and , if anything , more vigorous than ever . The editor declares that " the brethren forming the Grand Lodge of New South Wales were in the minority when they seceded , and are so still . " At present , the writer states , there are no less than 60 lodges under the English Constitution and 44 lodges under the Scottish Constitution successfully working in

that Colony , and then asks , Can it be wondered at that the Grand Lodge of England has refused to grant the request made for recognition ? " The Grand Lodge of New South Wales was , unquestionably , erected on a bad foundation , and , although credit must be given to that body for having done most excellent charitable work , " the Editor wisely maintains that the

assumption of control of Masonic affairs by the minority is out of the question ; and as wisely draws the distinction between that so-called Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of South Australia , for there is no parallel between the action of the latter and the former , South Australia being virtually the unanimous action of a united jurisdiction .

* * * IT is inconceivable that even a firmly-established Grand Lodge , much less one whose authority has no assured basis to rest upon , should go out of its way to worry our authorities , who only desire the goodwill of other Masonic bodies , and to carry out their work quietly , unostentatiously .

and without molestation by others . As far as we can make out from Dr . TARRANT ' address , as published in the Sydney Evening News of nth September last , a telegram from some unknown source appeared about that date in the Australian press to the effect that "The Grand Lodge of Freemasons has refused the application of the Grand

Lodge of New South Wales to be recognised by the English Grand Lodge . " This appears to have had the same effect on Grand Master TARRANT as a red rag is supposed to have on a bull . At all events , he waxed wroth , began saying all kinds of uncomplimentary things about our Grand Lodge , and finished up his outburst bv declaring it to be

his intention to issue , " within the next few days , a manifesto denouncing all lodges not authorised to work by his pseuJo-Grand Lodge , and proclaiming those initiated in them , " clandestine Masons . " VVe are not much frightened at this . In fact , but for the trouble it may give our Grand Secretary and his staff , we are pleased that Dr . TARRANT has been at

the trouble of delivering his address . Had he kept silence we might have given him credit for possessing some knowledge of Freemasonry , whereas now he has betrayed his ignorance and shown how unfitted he is to preside over any body of Masons , whether clandestine or regular . We do not expect a Grand Master to be well posted in the various intricate problems

connected with the rise and progress of our Order . We do , however , look to him for an A B C knowledge of our history . But what will Bros . GOULD , HUGHAN , and others who have made this their special study say when we tell them Dr . TARRANT declares our Grand Lodge of 1717 was established in contravention of every known principle of Masonic

jurisprudence . These are his very words : " According to Masonic jurisprudence , a Grand Lodge can be established in any territory where no Grand Lodge exists ; but the Grand Lodge of England , as first established in London , violated this law , as its Grand Lodge was formed by four London lodges that seceded from the Grand Lodge of York , which was established in the

year 926 , having under its jurisdiction thirty-two lodges . Notwithstanding that there was a Grand Lodge of England , we find the Masonic body in London , then numbering only four lodges , formed themselves into a Grand Lodge so recently as the year 1717 , and from it was instituted the present United Grand Lodge of England . And this , forsooth , is the body which

refuses to recognise a Grand Lodge originally formed by thirteen lodges , which now has on its roll forty-four subordinate lodges , containing some 3000 Masons , and recognised by thirty-eight Grand Lodges , " & c , Sec . We will not destroy the effect of this novel reading of the circumstances

attending the establishment of our 1717 Grand Lodge by any comments now . It is enough that our readers can judge for themselves of the socalled Grand Lodge of New South Wales from the teaching it receives from its Grand Master . * __ *

OF the special lodges that have been constituted during the past few years there is hardly one which can be said to have started on its career under more auspicious circumstances than the Empire Lodge , No . 2108 , which the G RAND SECRETARY had the honour of consecrating on Tuesday . It has an experienced Past Master for its first Master ; two good Wardens ,

whose distinctions , achieved in other spheres of work , justify the conclusion that they will display as much zeal and devotion in the new positions they have been invited to fill ; and a most able and indefatigable Secretary in the person of Bro . LENNOX BROWNE , to whom belongs the chief share of the merit attaching to its foundation . But there is still more than this