Freemasonry In 1893.

personal superintendence of the Duke of Sussex , who was an accomplished Hebrew and Biblical scholar , as well as a recognised expert in Masonic work , that any disturbance of it , or an } ' serious dislocation of its several parts might prove disastrous , and that as it had been found to work well for so many years , it would be better to leave well alone . But the most important act in the year ' s record of Royal Arch Masonry is undoubtedly the adoption

by Grand Chapter , at its Quarterly Convocation in November , of a recommendation by its Committee of General Purposes for the reduction of the interval that should elapse between the raising of a brother to the Degree of M . M . and his exaltation to the Royal Arch from 12 calendar months to four weeks . The Committee , in recommending the adoption of their proposal , were careful to point out that the maintenance of the longer interval was

likely to prove detrimental to the interests of the Royal Arch , and was , in fact , in opposition to the Book of Constitutions , which declared that " the Order of the Holy Royal Arch " was a part of pure Antient Masonry as defined in the Articles of Union . It would tend to perpetuate the impression which had already been created in the minds of many brethren that the Craft and Arch , instead of being constituent parts of the same

system of Masonry , were two separate and distinct systems , whereas the adoption of the same interval between thc conferring of the M . M . and R . A . Degrees as was required to elapse between the First and Second and the Second and Third Degrees would sooner or later have the effect of removing such impressions , while at the same time it might be expected to very materially increase the number of candidates for exaltation . Supreme G .

Chapter recognised the force of this contention , and very wisely passed the resolution proposed by its Committee of General Purposes , and we may now anticipate a general strengthening of the Royal Arch chapters throughout the whole English jurisdiction . What remains to be told may be stated briefly . At home , the office of Grand Superintendent of Lincolnshire has changed hands , Comp . Major Smyth , who had held it since 1875 , having

retired , his last official act being to install Comp . W . H . Sissons , J . P ., whom H . R . H . the Grand Z . had seen fit to appoint as his successor . There have also been two changes of a like character in Districts abroad , Comp . Donald Grant Macleod having taken the place of Comp . the Rev . James Fairclough as Grand Superintendent of Burma , and Comp . Rear-Admiral

Markham that of the late Comp . Col . Marmaduke Ramsay as Grand Superintendent of Malta . Lastly , the following chapters , having proved to the satisfaction of the authorities , that their working for the last 100 years has been continuous , have received centenary warrants , namely , the Jerusalem Chapter , No . 32 , Liverpool , and thc Domatic Chapter , No . 177 , London .

MARK MASONRY . The prosperity which has been latterly so conspicuous afeature in the proceedings of Mark Masonry has been well maintained during the past year . The numberof registered Mark Master Masons has been augmented , many newlodgeshavebeen constituted , while successful measures have been adopted with a view to strengthening and extending the organisation of the Order .

Above all , thc Benevolent Fund in connection with Mark Grand Lodge has received a larger measure of support than was accorded to it during the two or three years immediately preceding . The Degree of Royal Ark Mariner , too , has not been without its share in the favours which Fortune has so kindly bestowed upon Mark Masonry , the number of new Royal Ark Mariner Lodges which have been warranted and of certificates Issued to

new members being fully up to the average of recent years . The new Mark lodges which , taking as our guide the Returns contained in the Reports presented to Grand Lodge by the General Board , have been added to the roll arc 18 in number , of which three arc in London , 10 in thc Provinces , and five in foreign parts . Thc London three arc thc Tuscan , No . 454 ; the Prince Frederick William , No . 458 ; and thc La France , No . 459 . The

additions to the Provinces are as follow , viz ., the Crystal Palace ,-No . 450 , Upper Norwood , and the Bolingbroke , No . 451 , Battcrsea-rise , in the Province of Surrey ; the Bective , No . 452 , Keswick , and the Inglcwood , No . 463 , Penrith , in that of Cumberland and Westmorland ; the West Sussex , No . 453 , Bognor , in Sussex ; the Lcgiolium , No . 457 , Castleford , in West Yorkshire ; the George Graveley , No . 461 , in East

Anglia ; thc Gosforth , No . 463 , Gosforth ; thc Prince of Wales , No . 4 6 ( 1 , St . Helens , Lancashire ; and the West Ham , No . 467 , Stratford . The five in foreign parts for which warrants have been granted arc those of St . Paul , No . 455 , Cyprus ; St . George , No . 456 , Bermuda ; thc Avondale , No . 460 , Antigua ; the St . George of Colombo , No . 464 , Ceylon , included in the District of Bombay ; and the Beluchistan , No . 465 , Ouetta . It is also

necessary to be recorded that the Albany Lodge , which was in working at Newport , Isle of Wight , before the establishment of the Mark Grand Lodge , has at length decided to cast in its lot with the general body of Maik Master Masons , and that the oath of allegiance having been administered to the W . M . by Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Past G . M ., and Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight , it will henceforth take its place on the roll among

the time immemorial lodges . The new Royal Ark Mariner Lodges are five in number , viz ., thc Excelsior attached to Mark Lodge , No . 359 , the Bedford Charity to No . 115 , the Mount Moriah to No . 251 , the Martyn to No . 317 , and the Bolingbroke to No . 451 . The number of Mark Master Masons ' certificates issued during the year is 16 30 , and of Royal Ark Mariners 299 . The new appointments include those of Bro . thc Earl of Euston as Pro

G . Master , in succession to Bro . the Marquis of Heriford ; of Bro . Viscount Dungarvan as Dep . G . Master , in succession to Bro . the Earl of Kuston ; of Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., as Prov . G . Master of Cheshire , vice Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton , resigned ; and of Bro . Rear-Admiral Markham , Dist . G . Master of thc Mediterranean , in place of the late Bro . Col . Marmaduke Ramsay . The patents of the following officers

have been continued in force for a further term ol three years , viz ., of llro . the Rev . Canon Tristram , as P . G . M . of Northumberland and Durham ; of Bro . W . A . F . Powell , P . G . M . of Bristol ; of Bro . thc Hon . Sir II . Stafford Northcote , M . P ., as P . G . M . of Devonshire ; of Bro . C . Hunter , as P . G . M . of North Wales ; and Bro . Justice Parsons , as P . G . M . of Bombay . It is further gratifying to mention that Mark Grand Lodge has been the recipient

of two portraits to be hung in the hall of Grand Lodge , one being of the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . M ., presented by the General Board ; and the second of Bro . thc Earl of Euston , now Pro G . Master , presented by the Graflon Craft and Mark Lodges , a cordial vote of thanks being passed in acknowledgment of the gift in each case . Nor must we omit to menlion

lhat an address of congratulation to the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . M ., was passed b y Grand Lodge at its Quarterly Communication in September , on the marriage of his son the Duke of York , and that at the December meeting a gracious reply thereto was read from his Royal Highness . Be it added that after consultation with thc representatives of thc

Freemasonry In 1893.

bodies immediately interested , it has been decided that the moneys and votes of the late Province of Middlesex and Surrey should be equally divided between the new and separate Provinces ' of Middlesex and Surrey . As the arrangement was adopted unanimously by the Committee to which the adjustment was referred , there is no likelihood of any misgiving arising hereafter as to the propriety of the course resolved upon .

One other event , which , indeed , has come to be regarded as being the chief annual event in Mark Masonry , has yet to lie chronicled . We refer to the Anniversary Festival in behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund , which was held at Freemasons' Tavern on the 26 th July under thc presidency of Bro . Col . G . Noel Money , C . B ., Prov . G . Mastcr of Surrey . This is invariably one of the pleasantest gatherings of our Masonic year , the number of

guests , among whom are several ladies , being seldom in excess of 150 . On this occasion they fell slightly short of that number , the most prominent supporters of the chair being Bros , thc Earl of Euston , Pro G . Master ; the Earl of Yarborough , Prov . Grand Master of Lincolnshire ; R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L . ; Major C . W . Carrell , Dr . J . Balfour Cockburn , and C . F . Matier , G . Sec . The Board of Stewards , which included a dozen ladies , was 150 strong , and the total announced in the course of the evening as

donations and subscriptions was within a fraction of ^ 2167—a sum which has been only exceeded at two previous anniversaries . It is almost needless to say , after such a response as this to the efforts of the Chairman and the Stewards , that the position of the Fund is a substantial one , and that of the applicants for the benefits of one or other of its three branches all have been satisfied , those for the Educational and Annuity Funds having been elected without ballot . May the records of future years continue to be as satisfactory !

CHIVALRIC AND HIGH GRADE MASONRY . It is no mere figure of speech to say that thc several offshoots from thc Masonic tree , or which have been engrafted thereon from time to time , have shared generally in thc good fortune which has been the lot of Freemasonry in 1893 . I" connection with thc Ancient and Accepted Rite , wc have to record the consecration , by Bro . R . I . Finnemore , 33 , Inspector General , of

the Durban Chapter , No . 129 , Rose Croix , in the Colony of Natal , but though the year has been marked by the occurrence of fewer events than usual , the affairs of the Supreme Council are as flourishing as ever . In thc Order of the Temple there has been manifested a far greater degree of activity than wc have known for some years , this being no doubt due in great measure to thc zeal of Sir Knight the Earl of Euston as Great Sub-Prior , and of the

new Vice-Chanccllor , Sir Knight Major-Gen . J . Crossland Hay , C . B . The annual meetings of Great Priory were held as usual in May , when the new Grand Officers were appointed , and in December , when thc throne was occupied by the Great Prior , Sir Knight the Earl of Lathom , and a number of members of the Order , by command of thc Prince of Wales , M . E . and Supreme Grand Mastcr , had the honour of being invested as Knights Grand

Cross and Knights Commander , among the former being the Earl of Euston , Captain Beswicke-Royds , Col . G . Noel Money , C . B ., and Viscount Dungarvan ; and among thc latter Major J . Woodall Woodall , Col . Somerville Burney , Major-Gen . J . C . Hay , C . B ., Sir George D . Harris , and R . Loveland Loveland . There have also been the usual meetings of Provincial Priories , the installation of two Provincial Priors , and the

consecration of one new preceptory . Of these latter—and speaking from an experience extending over several years—the most important is undoubtedly the installation of H . R . H . thc Duke of Connaught as Piov . Prior of Sussex . The ceremony took place at the Hotel Metropole , Brighton , on the 25 th of November , the Installing Officer being Sir Knt . thc Earl of Euston , Great Sub-Prior , his Royal Highness having been previous ! v entertained at

luncheon by Sir Knt . Richard Clowes , on whom he bestowed the office ol Sub-Prior . The other installation , which was likewise performed by the Great Sub-Prior , took place at Newcastlc-on-Tyne on the 27 th July , when Sir Knt . the Rev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., was installed Prov . Prior of Northumberland and Durham . The new Preceptory—the Peveril , No . 159 , Derby—was consecrated , with Sir Knt . A . Woodiwiss as first E . P ., in

October , and here again thc ceremony was performed by the Great Sub-Prior . In the Order of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine , of which the Marl of Euston is G . Sovereign , there have been similar evidences of activity , the Doyle Conclave , No . 7 , Guernsey , having been resuscitated in May , and the Royal Kent Conclave consecrated at Newcastle-on-Tyne in Jul ) -, advantage being at the same time taken of thc presence of the noble

Earl to instal Sir Knt . J . J . Wilkes as Intendant-General of Northumberland and Durham . There was also consecrated about the same date , and in the same city , the Royal Kent Council of Royal and Select Masters , of which the noble Earl is also the presiding Grand Master . It is thus evident that our connection of Lord Euston's zeal for Masonry , and the greater degree of sctivity which has latterly been observable in these offshoots of the Order , as cause and effect , rests upon a tolerably substantial basis .

OUR INSTITUTIONS . We shall now turn our attention from the branches of Freemasonry to the Institutions which have been established in conncxtion with our Society , and , in doing so , we shall observe the practice we have followed in these Reviews of treating them nol in their order of seniority , but in the order in which their Annual Festivals are held . Before , however , we deal with thtm

separately , we consider we are justified in stating that though the sums raised in their behalf have been unequally distributed amongst them , the total is by no means so much below the average of ordinary years as might have been expected , considering how great and how successful were the efforts employed to mark the Jubilee Festival of lhe R . M . Benevolent Inslitution as one of the greatest events in the annals of our Central Charities .

Moreover , it will be found that they have been one and all rendering a greater amount of service in their respective spheres of duty than in any previous year of lheir existence . With lliese few observations we pass on to review the proceedings of lhe youngest of thc three Institutions , the R . M . Benevolent Institution , which celebrated its 51 st Anniversary on the 22 nd February , under thc presidency of Bro . Charles li . Keyser , ( . P ., one of the Junior

Grand Deacons of the year , who , when every effort to obtain the services of a Prov . Grand Mastcr or other dignitary of equal or similar rank had failed , was invited , as President of the Board ot Stewards , to accept the position , and very kindly accepted il . The Board of Stewards was a comparatively small one , consisting as it did of no more than 226 ladies and

brethren , while thc total of the lists they raised was announced as reaching ^ ' 8305 , but on subsequent augmentations was ultimately increased lo ^ , " 8855 . This , in ordinary circumstances , would have been a poor return , but , after thc enormous sum contributed at the Jubilee Festival in ihc preceding year , it must bc regarded as a success , in every way creditable to thc Chairman and