Freemasonry Abroad.

its roll , with an aggregate membership of some 2000 brethren , whereas comparatively a few years ago it was a weakl y organisation in both these respects . As regards Quebec , it is said that one of the three English lodges in Montreal is about to

p lace itself on the Register of that Grand Lodge . We know not if the statement is authoritative or not , but we trust it will prove true , and that the other two lodges will follow its example . We do not wish to drive lodges from our jurisdiction which have

remained under our banner since their formation , but wc realise the fact that it is for the good of thc Craft that where there is a Grand Lodge established in a British Colony , it should be sovereign over all lodges within the limits of its jurisdiction , if

so desirable a consummation can be attained . In Australia all is going on splendidly . Thc Grand Lodges of South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , Tasmania , New Zealand , and Western Australia are , each and everyone of them , fulfilling their duties

admirably , each successive year , as it passes , showing increased strength and usefulness and improved organisation . May it be our pleasant task to speak of them in similar terms in future years !

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Middlesex

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF MIDDLESEX

CONSECRATION OF THE LONDON STONE CHAPTER , No . 2536 . The Grand Superintendent of Middlesex , the Right Hon . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., attended by a large number of Prov . Grand Officers , visited Staines en Saturday , the 14 th instant , for the double purpose of consecrating a new chapter , and holding a meeting ; of the Prov . G . Chapter of Middlesex .

The interesting proceedings took place at the Town Hall , which will be the future Home of the London Stone Chapter , No . 2536 . This chapter is in connection with the Staines Lodge , which , during its short career , has made its mark in the province by the excellence of its work and its liberal contributions to the Charities .

The Grand Superintendent was assisted in thc consecration ceremony by Comps . J . Beresford Ryley , P . P . G . J ., as H . ; Rev . S . T . H . Saunders . P . P . G . J ., as J . ; William W . Lee , Asst . Prov . G . S . E ., as S . E . ; H . E . Herman , Prov . G . Treas ., as S . N . ; and C . O . Burgess , P . P . A . G . S ,, as D . C .

The chapter was duly opened , and after the usual solemn for malities , which included an impressive oration delivered by Comp . Rev . S . T . II . Saunders , the new chapter was dedicated and constituted . The three Principals then inducted into their respective chairs were Comps . R . Fox Warner , P . Z ., M . E . Z . ; Rev . S . T . Wood , P . Z ., H . ; and W . H . S .

Cutler , P . Z ., J . The other oflicers invested were : Comps . Chatham Ellis , P . Z ., acting I . P . Z . j A . Carpenter , S . E . ; Lt .-Col . J . Austin Carpenter , S . N . ; Louis E . Harfield , Treas . ; G . J . Perkins , P . S . ; M . W . Mossop , ist A . S . ; J . R . McGill , 2 nd A . S . ; C . Smith , D . C ; Dr . J . Startin , Org . ; and J . Brooker , Janitor .

The M . E . Z . said that his first act in the chair would be to ask the G . Superintendent to accept a founders' jewel which bore a facsimile of the London stone which had been so eloquently alluded to in the oration .

The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT accepted most gratefully the handsome jewel with which they had been kind enough to present him , and which he should always value in recollection ol the pleasant task he had performed that day . He felt confident the new chapter would be a credit to Royal Arch Masonry .

The Consecrating Officers were elected honorary members , a Committee was selected to frame by-laws , and a goodly list of candidates for exaltation and joining was announced . Prov . Grand Chapter was opened , and the minutes were read . The Audit report , showing a balance in handof £ \ 16 , was adopted , and a hearty vote of thanks accorded to Comp . H , K . Herman , Prov . G . Treas ., for his services during the past three years .

On the proposition of Comp . G . R . LANGLEY , Comp . CO . Burgess , P . Z ., was unanimously elected Prov . G . Treasurer , and acknowledged the compliment . ' Comps . Gen . Astley Terry , W . G . Kentish , and Burnett Brown were nominated by the G . Superintendent as members of the Audit Committee , and Comps . H . E . Herman , W . A . Scurrah , and W . Fisher were duly elected members .

The GRAND SvreRiNTENmtNT announced the appointment of Comp . Admiral W . St . Claims Prov . G . H ., and then obligated and invested Comp . A . Burnett Brown as Prov . G . J . The following Prov . Grand Officers were also appointed :

Comp . Gen . Astley Terry , 1 ( 191 ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, C . O . Burgess , 1 ;! , ?(> ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ . B . J . Jacob , 1295 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ J . W . Drysdale , 1191 ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ \ V . Dawson , ? o . | S ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ F . K . Foulger , 1 . ( 2 3 ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S .

„ T . Wallace Ingram , 9 . ( 6 .., ... l ' rov . G . S . B . „ C . J . Veal , 15 . 10 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ H . G . Coaul , 12 . 37 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C „ S . J . Larcombe , 1 795 ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ W . W . Lee , I 5 " 5 ... ... ... Prov . Asst . G . S . E . „ H . Wharton Wells , < j _| G ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, John Gilbert ... ... ... Prov . G . janitor .

This being the first meeting of Prov . Grand Chapter since the lamented death of Comp . Raymond H . Thrupp , Prov . G . H ., a resolution was passed expressing sincere regret at his decease and appreciation of his valuable services . The roll of chapters was cal . 'ei , and all were represented , and Prov . G . Chapter was formall y closed ,

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Middlesex

A large number of the companions present subsequently dined together at the Pack Horse Hotel , under the genial presidency of the newly-installed M . E . Z ., Comp . R . Fox Warner , when the usual toasts were honoured . Comp . W . G . KENTISH , P . G . Std . Br ., replied for "The Grand Officers , " and said that in the presence of the Grand Superintendent he approached the toast with temerity . All present knew what the Grand

Ollieers were prepared to do in support of the promotion of the Craft or Royal Arch Masonry , and they had had a striking example in the brilliant meeting at the Albert Hall when Karl Amherst presided . Coming closer home , they had had aii object lesson that day how a Grand Officer of the Grand Chapter came forward and performed the duty incumbent upon him

in the most agreeable and brilliant manner . Personally , it had given him ( Comp . Kentish ) great pleasure to be present at the installation of the M . E . Z ., who had frequently invited him to the lodge and whom he congratulated on the happy auspices under which the chapter had been formed and started .

Comp . R . Fox WARNER , M . E . Z ., then said it was his pleasing duty to propose "The Health of the M . E . Grand Superintendent , " and however imperfectly he proposed that toast he was perfectly sure it would be received cordially—for of that they had already given him an earnest . On behalf of the founders , he thanked the Grand Superintendent for attending to consecrate the chapter , Knowing his numerous engagements were such

that he could not be as olten amongst Freemasons as his heart might induce him to be , and also that his duties at the present time were as arduous as when Parliament was sitting , they were half afraid he would be unable to come to them . They , therefore , offered the Grand Superintendent a hearty welcome to Staines , which was not a mushroom town , but possessed many landmarks of antiquity , including the place where King John slept

the night before he signed the Magna Charter . No landmark , however , was more interesting than the London Stone , which marked the jurisdiction of the City of London and of the Thames Conservancy . ' They remembered the kindness of the Grand Superintendent in personally consecrating the lodge seven years ago , and also remembered with pride the address he then delivered asking them to be particularly careful as to the class of men

they admitted as members . They had done so , and had declined to take in several gentlemen of position , feeling that it would not be quite compatible with the unanimity existing in the lodge . To some extent this accounted for t . ie smallness of the Staines Lodge , which only numbered 32 members . During the short existence of the lodge , the W . M . had always represented

it at one of the Charities , and by this means £ 600 had been contributed . They intended the chapter to follow that example , to be careful in the selection of members , and to maintain the excellence of working for which they had a reputation . He was sure it would be pleasing to the Grand Superintendent lo know that they would endeavour to carry out the intentions he had stated and make it a credit to the province .

The G . StTERiNTENDENT thanked the M . E . Z . most cordially for the manner in which he was good enough to speak of his efforts , and the companions for the manner in which they had been pleased to receive his remarks . Part of the M . E . Z . ' s speech impressed upon him to a greater extent than any remarks he had ever listened to—the state of his antiquity as an individual . The M . E . Z . told him what were the local sights to be

seen in Staines , but for 17 years of his natural life hc ( the G . Superintendent ) had been Parliamentary representative of Staines . That representation , however , was so lar back in the dim distance that the M . E . Z ., with kindly feelings towards him , had forgotten that fact . There was one principle to which the M . E . Z . alluded to which he gave his entire acquiescence—the manner in which they had tried to give effect to the policy which had

animated those who governed Royal Arch Masonry in Middlesex . He followed in the steps of his predecessors , and the conclusion they came to was that they ought not to sanction the consecration of any chapters or lodges connected with Freemasonry which were not associated with real local demands . London was so progressive and so aggressive that one was obliged to keep a little eye and a little check upon those tendencies so far as Middlesex was concerned . Middlesex was a small narrow area outside

London , and any lodge or any chapter for which a petition was presented would havo to give fitting evidence that it supplied local wants , and was not for London brethren to come down to and obtain honours and distinctions which they would not otherwise get . The M . E . Z . and the various officers of this new chapter—who were already well decorated for Masonic services —were those intimately connected with the locality , and , therefore , it

supplied a local want . With regard to the Prov . G . Chapter , he little thought when he was appointed to office that for six years he should be engaged with as heavy administrative work as could fall to the lot of any man . He had the good fortune to be connected in the province with two as able advocates as could be produced—Comps . Raymond Thrupp and Room . He frankly said he should never have undertaken the duties if he could have

known that he should have been so soon deprived of their services . They had had many difficulties , and the list read out that night showed how heavy the death roll had been in the past three years . He appointed a most competent Secretary and Scribe E . —Comp . Small—who , " through bad health , was , unfortunately , unable to perform his duties , and he was sorry to say that Comp . Bing , through private business , had been compelled to

vacate the post . This had given a check to the development of the proper working of the province . It was not until that day , when he had had some conversation with the leading companions , that he fully realised the fact that he had been so busily engaged had been a little impediment to R . A . Masonry in the province . He would be frank with them . On two occasions he found it impossible to be present at the annual meetings , and

as there was no one ready lo lake his place , those meetings were postponed . I le did not think at thc time any check would be given , but he now saw that the result of not holding the annual meeting was that the number of distinctions was diminished . That fact having been brought home to him , he would take care that there was for the future an annual gathering of Prov . G . Chapter , because he did not think

it fair that companions who were entitled to distinctions should suiter . There was one thing that made him pleased to take any part in Freemasonry . They were an undemonstrative race , and at the present time not a popular race , but he had studied other races , and there was a greater fund of real charity , kindness , and forbearance in thc Anglo-Saxon race than in

any other , One of the great merits of Freemasonry was that it extracted from the Anglo-Saxon race the best of those attributes , and the amount of good done and charity shown was absolutely untold . As the companions did him the honour to acquiesce in his appointment , he felt it was incumbent upon him to do everything in his power to try to show he was worthy of the hig h duties and high functions p laced upon him . He frankly