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Ad00503
THE MASTER MASON'S HANDBOOK , by Bro . FRED . J . W . CROWE , with an Introduction by Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D ., & c . The Master Mason ' s Handbook is a compendium of all information necessary to a knowledge of English Masonry , comprising—An Historical Sketch of Freemasonry—The Grand Lodge : Its Origin and Constitution—Private Lodges , Metropolitan and Provincial—Visiting Private Lodges-Titles , their uses and abbreviations—The Great Masonic Institutions—The " Higher" or additional Degrees , and how to obtain them . PRICE ls . GEORBB K RNNINO , Ifi A 16 A . OT . QUERN BT .. * W . O
Ad00504
OPIERS AND pOND'S OTORES ( NO TICKETS REQUIRED ) . QUEEN VICTORIA STREET , E . C . Opposite St . Paul ' s Station ( L . C . and D . Ry . ) PRICE BOOK ( 1000 pages , illustrated ) , free on application . FREE DELIVE RY in Suburbs by our own Vans . LIBERAL TERMS FOR COUNTRY ORDERS For full details see Price Book .
Ar00505
iSiSsssi SATURDAY , DECEMBER 30 , 18 99 .
Masonic Notes.
Masonic Notes .
Thc year which is now virtually concluded , though on the whole it may be said to have been a prosperous one so far as Freemasonry is concerned , has , during its later months , been a period of grave anxiety as regards the relations of this country towards the Boer
Republics in South Africa . Since the early days of October a state of war has existed , and in the military operations which have resulted the generals commanding our forces have experienced more than one serious check , while our losses in killed , wounded , and prisoners have been on a greater scale than we
have known for many a year . But though these losses have caused an infinite amount of grief and suffering to families and individuals throughout the United Kingdom , the country has made up its mind to carry the war to a successful issue , and we are now looking forward to the New Year to bring us a full measure of that success which in the long run has
almost invariably attended us in the wars we have been called upon to wage . In all other respei . ts , too , we trust that the penultimate year of the igth century may be even more prosperous both socially and economically than its predecessors , so that the reign of our gracious Sovereign may be the most fortunate as well as the longest in the annals of our country ,
Masonic Notes.
It will be seen from the Report of the Council of Great Priory—which appeared in our columns last week—that the first step has been taken towards giving effect to the resolution adopted at the Templar Conference , held in Edinburgh in 1 S 98 , in favour of
the interchange of representatives among the governing bodies of the several Templar jurisdictions , and that the Earl of Euston , G . Master of the Great Priory of England , and the Marquis of Breadalbane , G . Master of the Chapter-General of Scotland , have been
appointed , the former as representative of the Templar Order in Scotland at the Great Priory of England , and the latter of the Templar Order in England at the Chapter-General of Scotland . We trust these appointments may prove beneficial to the interests of the Order in both kingdoms .
* From the reports we published last week of the recent annual meetings of the Prov . G . Mark Lodge of SurTey and of that of Berks and Oxon , it is evident that in both these Provinces the Mark Degree has
fared well during the past year . In the course of the proceedings at both meetings evidence was forthcoming of a substantial increase in the roll of subscribing members , while the financial condition of both Prov .
G . Lodges was reported as satisfactory . We know how great has been the progress made by Mark Masonry of late years , and it is gratifying to find that these two Provinces have had their share in the general prosperity .
« * It is to be regretted that the official report of the proceedings at the half-yearly convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire should have reached us so late , that what is intended for
news should appear , so to speak , as ancient history . There is , however , some compensation for this lateness of publication to be found in the condition of Royal Arch Masonry as disclosed by the said Report , and the picture presented is the more gratifying ,
from the fact that at more thin one previous convocation the Grand Superintendent has taken occasion to deplore the apathy which is exhibited towards the Royal Arch , and has urged on the companions the necessity for paying greater attention to this branch of our Masonic system .
» * As regards Royal Arch Masonry generally , there is , we fear , no room for doubt as to the justice of these reproachful observations of Comp . Jackson , but , as we have ourselves shown in former Notes , his Province of
West Yorkshire may reasonably claim exemption from this charge of neglect or inattention . From the statistics furnished on this occasion by Comp . Wilson , Prov . G . H . —who , in the unavoidable absence of his chief , presided as G . Superintendent—West
Yorkshire is well to the fore both as regards its roll of chapters and the number of its subscribing companions . It has 81 Craft lodges with 4142 members , while in the Royal Arch it can boast of 45 chapters , with an aggregate of 1559 subscribing companions .
In other Provinces the proportion of chapters and companions to Craft lodges and brethren is relatively far less favourable . West Lancashire , for instance , with 122 lodges and 8125 brethren , has only 46 chapters and 1446 companions ; while East
Lancashire , with 113 lodges and 4800 brethren , musters only 41 chapters and 1100 companions . Taking these figures for our guide , we do not think that West Yorkshire , by comparison with other Provinces , is open to the charge of neglecting the Royal Arch .
* * * The position of West Yorkshire will be found to be even more favourable still , if we note carefully the totals contained in the Grand Lodge Calendar . In
round figures there are under the English Constitution over 2300 Craft lodges and some 830 Royal Arch Chapters , or rather more than one chapter to every three lodges , while in West Yorkshire there is more than one chapter to every two Craft lodges .
We have received copy of the report of the proceedings at a regular communication jf the District Grand Lodge of South Africa ( Eastern Division ) , which was held at East London on the 13 th September last , under the presidency of R . W . Bro . Dr . Charles Egan ,
District Grand Master . Notwithstanding the political anxieties then prevailing throughout South Africa , there appears lo have been a fairly good attendance of
the brethren , while as many as 22 out of the 29 lodges were represented . What the state of the Craft in the district over which Bro . Dr . Egan has so long and so ably presided may be at the present moment it is
Masonic Notes.
impossible for us to say , but the returns furnished at this meeting showed that both in the matter of mem bership and funds the District Grand Lodge was then in a prosperous condition . On the 31 st March last the
number of members on the roll was 1374 , of whom 1244 were in good standing , while according to the Dist . G . Treasurer ' s statement of accounts the assets , taking the General , Reserve , and Benevolent Funds together , amounted to / 2114 ios .
* * * In addition , the District can boast of a Masonic Education Fund , the accounts for which for the year to the 31 st August last are eminently satisfactory . The number of children in receipt of the benefits
conferred by the Fund during the year was 31 , the amount expended on their behalf being £ 345 , while the expenses of management only slightly exceeded £ 25 , the receipts from all sources , including the subscriptions of the brethren and the Dist . Grand Lodge
being ^ 469 . In addition , there J is an Endowment Fund , amounting to not far short of . £ 900 ; but , in the course of his address , the Dist . Grand Master expressed his opinion that this Fund was of no great
service , and that it would be far better to expend the money thus accumulated in the purchase of permanent scholarships in some of the public schools . On the whole , the Eastern Division of South Africa would appear to have fared well during the year 1899 .
* * We have also been favoured with copies of the Reports of the Proceedings at the annual convocation of the District Grand Chapter and a regular communication of the District Grand Mark Lodge
respectively of South Africa ( E . D . ) , which were held at East London on the 14 th September . The closing balance on the District Grand Treasurer's statement of account of the District Grand Chapter for the year 1898-9 shows a slight increase as compared with that
for the previous year , but the only remark we have to make as to the items in the account is that the expenditure includes a donation of 15 guineas ( £ 15 'Ss . ) to the Jubilee Benevolent Fund . There is also an amount of £ 56 standing to the credit of the
District Grand Chapter with the African Banking Corporation , in addition to the balance in hand at the close of account . There are live chapters on the roll
and the Returns from four of them show an aggregate of 17 S subscribing members , the Port Elizabeth Chapter , No . 711 , and the Sinai Chapter , No . 1824 , East London , being both exceptionally strong .
* •* The District Grand Mark Lodge , with four lodges , is also very favourably circumstanced , there being a substantial increase in the closing as compared with the opening balance for the year , while the returns
give an aggregate membership of 135 , of whom all but six are returned as in good standing . At both this and the District Grand Chapter meeting the presiding
officer was Dr . C . J , Egan , who is head of Craft , Royal Arch , and Mark Masonry in the District , and very gratified must he be at finding the bodies he rules so wisely in such a healthy condition .
The next regular meeting of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , will be held at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of Bro . T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B ., W . M ., on Friday , the 5 th June , when , in the course of the proceedings , a paper will be read by
Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., on " The Grand Lodge at York and its Offshoots . " Accompanying the summons for this meeting is the Report of the Permanent and Audit Committee , from which we learn that the additions to the Correspondence Circle during the
past year reached 408 , raising the total number to 2836 . The losses by death have , however , been very numerous . The Inner Circle mustered 32 members at the close of the year , two of the most distinguished among the Past Masters of the Iodge—W . Bros .
Professor T . Hayter Lewis and William Simpson—having been removed by death during the last 12 months . As regards its financial condition , we are pleased to learn that even if there were no arrears outstanding and no stock in hand of the Lodge Transactions *; thc lodge would st . H be " absolutely solvent . "
••* We have also to acknowledge receipt of Volume XII ., Part 3 , of "Ars Quatuor Coronatorum , " being tho Transactions of the lodge during the past year , and
the St . John s Card , bearing date the 27 th December ( St . John ' s Day in winter ) , 1899 . We shall take an early opportunity ot reviewing the contents of these publications .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00503
THE MASTER MASON'S HANDBOOK , by Bro . FRED . J . W . CROWE , with an Introduction by Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D ., & c . The Master Mason ' s Handbook is a compendium of all information necessary to a knowledge of English Masonry , comprising—An Historical Sketch of Freemasonry—The Grand Lodge : Its Origin and Constitution—Private Lodges , Metropolitan and Provincial—Visiting Private Lodges-Titles , their uses and abbreviations—The Great Masonic Institutions—The " Higher" or additional Degrees , and how to obtain them . PRICE ls . GEORBB K RNNINO , Ifi A 16 A . OT . QUERN BT .. * W . O
Ad00504
OPIERS AND pOND'S OTORES ( NO TICKETS REQUIRED ) . QUEEN VICTORIA STREET , E . C . Opposite St . Paul ' s Station ( L . C . and D . Ry . ) PRICE BOOK ( 1000 pages , illustrated ) , free on application . FREE DELIVE RY in Suburbs by our own Vans . LIBERAL TERMS FOR COUNTRY ORDERS For full details see Price Book .
Ar00505
iSiSsssi SATURDAY , DECEMBER 30 , 18 99 .
Masonic Notes.
Masonic Notes .
Thc year which is now virtually concluded , though on the whole it may be said to have been a prosperous one so far as Freemasonry is concerned , has , during its later months , been a period of grave anxiety as regards the relations of this country towards the Boer
Republics in South Africa . Since the early days of October a state of war has existed , and in the military operations which have resulted the generals commanding our forces have experienced more than one serious check , while our losses in killed , wounded , and prisoners have been on a greater scale than we
have known for many a year . But though these losses have caused an infinite amount of grief and suffering to families and individuals throughout the United Kingdom , the country has made up its mind to carry the war to a successful issue , and we are now looking forward to the New Year to bring us a full measure of that success which in the long run has
almost invariably attended us in the wars we have been called upon to wage . In all other respei . ts , too , we trust that the penultimate year of the igth century may be even more prosperous both socially and economically than its predecessors , so that the reign of our gracious Sovereign may be the most fortunate as well as the longest in the annals of our country ,
Masonic Notes.
It will be seen from the Report of the Council of Great Priory—which appeared in our columns last week—that the first step has been taken towards giving effect to the resolution adopted at the Templar Conference , held in Edinburgh in 1 S 98 , in favour of
the interchange of representatives among the governing bodies of the several Templar jurisdictions , and that the Earl of Euston , G . Master of the Great Priory of England , and the Marquis of Breadalbane , G . Master of the Chapter-General of Scotland , have been
appointed , the former as representative of the Templar Order in Scotland at the Great Priory of England , and the latter of the Templar Order in England at the Chapter-General of Scotland . We trust these appointments may prove beneficial to the interests of the Order in both kingdoms .
* From the reports we published last week of the recent annual meetings of the Prov . G . Mark Lodge of SurTey and of that of Berks and Oxon , it is evident that in both these Provinces the Mark Degree has
fared well during the past year . In the course of the proceedings at both meetings evidence was forthcoming of a substantial increase in the roll of subscribing members , while the financial condition of both Prov .
G . Lodges was reported as satisfactory . We know how great has been the progress made by Mark Masonry of late years , and it is gratifying to find that these two Provinces have had their share in the general prosperity .
« * It is to be regretted that the official report of the proceedings at the half-yearly convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire should have reached us so late , that what is intended for
news should appear , so to speak , as ancient history . There is , however , some compensation for this lateness of publication to be found in the condition of Royal Arch Masonry as disclosed by the said Report , and the picture presented is the more gratifying ,
from the fact that at more thin one previous convocation the Grand Superintendent has taken occasion to deplore the apathy which is exhibited towards the Royal Arch , and has urged on the companions the necessity for paying greater attention to this branch of our Masonic system .
» * As regards Royal Arch Masonry generally , there is , we fear , no room for doubt as to the justice of these reproachful observations of Comp . Jackson , but , as we have ourselves shown in former Notes , his Province of
West Yorkshire may reasonably claim exemption from this charge of neglect or inattention . From the statistics furnished on this occasion by Comp . Wilson , Prov . G . H . —who , in the unavoidable absence of his chief , presided as G . Superintendent—West
Yorkshire is well to the fore both as regards its roll of chapters and the number of its subscribing companions . It has 81 Craft lodges with 4142 members , while in the Royal Arch it can boast of 45 chapters , with an aggregate of 1559 subscribing companions .
In other Provinces the proportion of chapters and companions to Craft lodges and brethren is relatively far less favourable . West Lancashire , for instance , with 122 lodges and 8125 brethren , has only 46 chapters and 1446 companions ; while East
Lancashire , with 113 lodges and 4800 brethren , musters only 41 chapters and 1100 companions . Taking these figures for our guide , we do not think that West Yorkshire , by comparison with other Provinces , is open to the charge of neglecting the Royal Arch .
* * * The position of West Yorkshire will be found to be even more favourable still , if we note carefully the totals contained in the Grand Lodge Calendar . In
round figures there are under the English Constitution over 2300 Craft lodges and some 830 Royal Arch Chapters , or rather more than one chapter to every three lodges , while in West Yorkshire there is more than one chapter to every two Craft lodges .
We have received copy of the report of the proceedings at a regular communication jf the District Grand Lodge of South Africa ( Eastern Division ) , which was held at East London on the 13 th September last , under the presidency of R . W . Bro . Dr . Charles Egan ,
District Grand Master . Notwithstanding the political anxieties then prevailing throughout South Africa , there appears lo have been a fairly good attendance of
the brethren , while as many as 22 out of the 29 lodges were represented . What the state of the Craft in the district over which Bro . Dr . Egan has so long and so ably presided may be at the present moment it is
Masonic Notes.
impossible for us to say , but the returns furnished at this meeting showed that both in the matter of mem bership and funds the District Grand Lodge was then in a prosperous condition . On the 31 st March last the
number of members on the roll was 1374 , of whom 1244 were in good standing , while according to the Dist . G . Treasurer ' s statement of accounts the assets , taking the General , Reserve , and Benevolent Funds together , amounted to / 2114 ios .
* * * In addition , the District can boast of a Masonic Education Fund , the accounts for which for the year to the 31 st August last are eminently satisfactory . The number of children in receipt of the benefits
conferred by the Fund during the year was 31 , the amount expended on their behalf being £ 345 , while the expenses of management only slightly exceeded £ 25 , the receipts from all sources , including the subscriptions of the brethren and the Dist . Grand Lodge
being ^ 469 . In addition , there J is an Endowment Fund , amounting to not far short of . £ 900 ; but , in the course of his address , the Dist . Grand Master expressed his opinion that this Fund was of no great
service , and that it would be far better to expend the money thus accumulated in the purchase of permanent scholarships in some of the public schools . On the whole , the Eastern Division of South Africa would appear to have fared well during the year 1899 .
* * We have also been favoured with copies of the Reports of the Proceedings at the annual convocation of the District Grand Chapter and a regular communication of the District Grand Mark Lodge
respectively of South Africa ( E . D . ) , which were held at East London on the 14 th September . The closing balance on the District Grand Treasurer's statement of account of the District Grand Chapter for the year 1898-9 shows a slight increase as compared with that
for the previous year , but the only remark we have to make as to the items in the account is that the expenditure includes a donation of 15 guineas ( £ 15 'Ss . ) to the Jubilee Benevolent Fund . There is also an amount of £ 56 standing to the credit of the
District Grand Chapter with the African Banking Corporation , in addition to the balance in hand at the close of account . There are live chapters on the roll
and the Returns from four of them show an aggregate of 17 S subscribing members , the Port Elizabeth Chapter , No . 711 , and the Sinai Chapter , No . 1824 , East London , being both exceptionally strong .
* •* The District Grand Mark Lodge , with four lodges , is also very favourably circumstanced , there being a substantial increase in the closing as compared with the opening balance for the year , while the returns
give an aggregate membership of 135 , of whom all but six are returned as in good standing . At both this and the District Grand Chapter meeting the presiding
officer was Dr . C . J , Egan , who is head of Craft , Royal Arch , and Mark Masonry in the District , and very gratified must he be at finding the bodies he rules so wisely in such a healthy condition .
The next regular meeting of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , will be held at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of Bro . T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B ., W . M ., on Friday , the 5 th June , when , in the course of the proceedings , a paper will be read by
Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., on " The Grand Lodge at York and its Offshoots . " Accompanying the summons for this meeting is the Report of the Permanent and Audit Committee , from which we learn that the additions to the Correspondence Circle during the
past year reached 408 , raising the total number to 2836 . The losses by death have , however , been very numerous . The Inner Circle mustered 32 members at the close of the year , two of the most distinguished among the Past Masters of the Iodge—W . Bros .
Professor T . Hayter Lewis and William Simpson—having been removed by death during the last 12 months . As regards its financial condition , we are pleased to learn that even if there were no arrears outstanding and no stock in hand of the Lodge Transactions *; thc lodge would st . H be " absolutely solvent . "
••* We have also to acknowledge receipt of Volume XII ., Part 3 , of "Ars Quatuor Coronatorum , " being tho Transactions of the lodge during the past year , and
the St . John s Card , bearing date the 27 th December ( St . John ' s Day in winter ) , 1899 . We shall take an early opportunity ot reviewing the contents of these publications .