Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS jji Supreme Grand Chapter 4 gi Annual Festival cf the Mark Benevolent Fund 452 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Cumberland and VVestmorland 4 ^ 4

The First Grand Stewards and their Lodges . —II 4 JS Bro . Samuel Pope , Q . C 45 $ Freemasonry in Bengal , 1740-1 S 13 , Sec . ... 450 The Masonic Exhibition at Shanklin , Isle of Wight 4 S 7 Alasonic Picnic of ( he Everton Lodge , No . 823 4 S 7

Scarhorough Freemasons' Picnic 4 * **) VVest Indies 453 CORRESPONDENCEMasonic Titles 459 A Curious Paragraph 455 Reviews 455

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 459 Instruction 462 Royal Arch 462 Mark Masonry 4 62 Ancient and Accepted Rite 4 62 Masonic and General Tidings 463 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 4 6 4

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THE Mark Benevolent Festival on Wednesday , like others of our greater Festivals this year , may have been somewhat disappointing in its general result . It was only natural to expect that a more numerous Board of Stewards than has ever been previously organised should have produced a larger total . But , for ourselves , we are inclined to regard the decrease of

about ^ 200 from last year ' s return as one of those fluctuations in the wrong direction to which all anniversary gatherings of this description are occasionally liable . It means , in fact , just this and nothing more—that the presiding spirit of Charity was confronted on this occasion with a less favourable conjunction of circumstances than in iS 8 v There was a lower total

because there were smaller means from which to obtain subscriptions and donations . But except in this one particular of a lesser amount having been yielded than we had had reason to expect , we consider the gathering in the Holborn Restaurant on Wednesday a most satisfactory one and lose no time in offering our hearty congratulations to the

Chairman , Bro . A . F . GODSON , M . P ., the Board of Stewards which so cordially supported him , and the Mark brethren and their friends who contributed what after all is the very handsome total of . £ 1524 . The Mark Benevolent Fund deserves a liberal measure of support , because it is both well and economically administered , and does a large amount of

good in the more limited sphere in which it conducts its operations . The Mark organisation is eminently and justly popular , and whatever affects its members beneficially must be the subject of general rejoicing among the Brotherhood of Masons . And it is for these reasons vve are pleased on the whole with the result of Wednesday ' s gathering . Of course , we should

have been better pleased had there been a bigger total ; but the reduced figures are of comparatively little moment , if we realise the fact , that the anniversary celebrations of the Mark Benevolent Fund have now assumed a position of importance , which is in all respects worthy of the increased

dignity achieved by the Mark Grand Lodge . Such a position , when it has been once secured , vvill remain always , or for so long , at least , as the Mark organisation shall continue in its present honourable career . The ample details vve give elsewhere of the Festival will fully bear out these views .

« AMONG the toasts to vvhich exceptional honours were accorded at the banquet given at the New Falcon Hotel , Gravesend , on the 13 th inst ., by Bro . Major LAMBERT , P . G . S . B ., to celebrate his election for the fifth time to the Mastership of the Percy Lodge , No . 108 , was that to "The Health of

Bro . EDWARDS , " a distinguished member of the Scottish Fraternity , and in proposing it Bro . Major LAMBERT not only paid some well-deserved compliments to that brother personally , but took the opportunity ol pointing out that our Scotch brethren were actuated by precisely " the same feeling and spirit" as ourselves , their main object being , as with us , to do

" all the good in their power . " Bro . EDWARDS , in his reply , to a certain extent , endorsed this view , but he was fain to admit that this will to do any good , though it had always existed among thebrethren north of the Tweed , had , unfortunately , not been so capably directed as in England . He trusted however , that in time , and with the valuable information vvhich Bro . TERRY

had placed at his disposal , the efforts that were being made to place the Scottish Fund of Benevolence on a firm and enduring basis would in the end prove successful . We trust to , too , and we have no doubt that , if our Scottish brethren will bring their native powers of organisation to bear on the subject , as we have

done in England , the result will be eminently satisfactory . What is needed in establishing funds of this kind is that the efforts of the promoters should be conducted systematically , vigorously , and continuously . A number of disjointed efforts mostly result in failure . If we remember rightly , a grand attempt was made some years since in Scotland , under the auspices of Bro .

Captain Harriott , Prov . G . Master of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire , to set up a Fund of Benevolence such as we have in connection with our United Grand Lodge of England , but in those days the affairs of the Grand Lodge of Scotland were themselves somewhat disorganised . Of late , however , under a succession of able Grand Masters , and with the executive ability of Bro . MURRAY LYON , Grand

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Secrectry , to assist them , the Grand Lodge of Scotland has been able to set its house in order , and a scheme for organising a Fund of Benevolence , with a fixed capital of £ 10 , 000 , has been progressing slowly , but in the main , satisfactorily , and we must now hope that Bro . EDWARDS , with the increased knowledge he has taken back with him to Scotland , as to how such plans are worked out in this country , vvill be able to ensure its

success at an early period . We shall probably find something further to say on the subject in a future article . At present it is enough for us to be in a position to confirm the remarks of Bro . Major LAMBERT at the banquet referred to , that English and Scotch Masons are " imbued vvith the same feeling and spirit , " and alike have in view the laudable ambition of " doing all the good in their power . " * * *

WE vvere agreeably surprised on opening the " Freemasons' Repository " ( Rhode Island ) for June to find an excellent article on " The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . " By whom it is not said ; but the author is not only conversant with his subject , but evidently warmly and rightly appreciates

the good feeling and hearty co-operation of the brethren which resulted in the building being reared in which now some 250 lads are domiciled , and vvhich annually provides so many thousands of pounds for their education and support . The history of the School is briefly traced on the lines laid down in these pages quite recently , and the writer declares that the

Institution is excellent as respects its educational status , and its home culture and ministries are of the best character . " Its usefulness vvas never more pronounced than now . Well does such an Institution deserve the fostering care and generous support that has been accorded to it . We rejoice , vvith

all the Craft , on its growth and prosperity . " The Editor presents " a view of the commodious and well-appointed building lhat constitutes the home of the Boys' School , a cut of the same having been specially engraved for our use . " The engraving is certainly a most pleasing one , and does justice to the architectural features of the building .

* * WE have been favoured with an early copy of the " Allocution , " as it is termed , of the veteran Mason and Templar , Col . W . J . B . MACLEOD MOORE , G . C . T . As Grand Master of the Canadian Knights Templars , Bro . MOORE has annually unfolded his views on Masonic Knighthood in relation to the Craft , and has ably defended his particular theories on the

subject , when they have been called in question by other students . He is , without doubt , one of the ablest writers on Knight Templary , and is such an enthusiast in the study that , though now far advanced in years , he is as eager and competent as ever to prepare and deliver his annual addresses to the fratres , who are proud to acknowledge his rule and delight to receive his fraternal instruction .

# 3 # COL . MOORK agrees vvith many in this country when he declares that had a little more time been taken for consideration of the New Brunswick Knight Templar difficulty , and less eagerness shovrn to precipitate matters , much of the present trouble might have been avoided . So we say . Of the

rituals of the Knights Templars he observes that they vvere " framed on the traditional belief in the connection of Templary and Freemasonry , without any research into historical facts , plainly showing that they were but the fabrication of Masonic enthusiasts of the last century , who had given but little thought to the assertions that they made . " He objects to the prefix

Masonic in relation to the Knights Templars , as it creates a false impression . We do not take this view ourselves , as the justification for its existence as an Order appears to us to depend upon its connection vvith the Freemasons , though , of course , it must be conceded that its Christian basis at once debars the Knight Templars from direct union with our cosmopolitan Fraternity .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The following is the business to be transacted on Wednesday next : — The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation to be read for confirmation . THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE or GENERAL PURPOSES . To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 21 st April to the 20 th July , 1886 , bath

inclusive , which they find to be as follows * . — To Balance , Grand Chapter ... £ 220 10 o By Disbursements during the „ „ Unappropriated Quarter £ 466 5 4 Account ... 19 S 3 10 ,, Balance 109 S 11 „ Subsequent Receipts ... 34 S 39 ,, „ Unappropriated Account ... 191 3 4

£ 7 66 17 7 £ 7 66 1 7 7 Which balances are in the Bank of England , Western Branch ,