Contents.

CONTENTS .

Summary for 1881 601 The Templar History of the State of New York 603 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 603

CORRESPONDENCEPreservation to the Crew of the Freemasons ' Lifeboat , ••Albert Ed-va d , " at Uactonon--ca CoG REP RTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry oofi

The Ritual Question 604 Masonic Law 604 The Prov . Grand 1 hapter for Devonshre 604 Reviews 604 The Late Grand Secretary of New York ... 605 Red Cross of Constantine 605

Instruction 608 Royal Arch 60 S Ancient and Accepted Rite 608 Amusements- 608 Masonic and Genera' Tidings 609 Lodge Meetings for Next \\ eek 610

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WITH the closing year of 1881 it is our duty . no less than our pleasure , our privilege , no less than our happiness , to tender to aft our many warm friends and patrons . in all lands our grateful thanks for unchanged kindness and sympathetic support . It is always gratify ing to realize and'remembcr that we leave an old year with more friends than we commenced it *_ and the

Freemason rejoices to think , that , at the close of another period of twelve months , it has not only not lost but gained alike the marked approval of the public , and the steady and sterling encouragement of a large and increasing circle of honest and devoted subscribers . In the future , as in the past , it trusts that it will continue to merit the confidence of all who peruse week by

week its carefully arranged columns of Masonic information , archaeology , reviews , lodge life , and the social gatherings of the Craft ; and that as it never degenerates into the organ of a party , or panders to personality , each succeeding year may see it grow in the esteem of its contemporaries , the approval of its fi lends , and the loyal adhesion of its Order , as a

trustworthy chronicle ot passing events , and a faithful depository of Masonic sentiments . To all efforts which tend to advance the cause of our great Charities , or further the study of Masonic archaeology , it will ever give its humble

•¦¦¦ . ipport , so lhat in thc new year , as in the old year and the years that are gone , it may well reflect in its hedbomadal utterances , the thoroughly tolerant , gentlemanly , enlightened , beneficent principles of English nay , and of Cosmopolitan Freemasonry .

* * THE "hearty good wishes" for the new year of Publisher and Editor are offered to their large and continually increasing clientelle . As 1881 is crumbling beneath our feet , amid scenes of storm and shipwreck , and gloom and anxiety , national troubles and dreadful crimes , it seems to

be their bounden duty to offer to all who are interested in the progress and welfare of the Freemason , their most sincere acknowledgments for past kindnesses , their most earnest aspirations for their health and happiness and welfare in 1882 . With the closing number of a dying year , they beg

therefore , to repeat to all for whom they write and publish the Freemason , in each succeeding week of the yearly Calendar of Time , their heartfelt solicitude that all their good friends and warm supporters everywhere at home and abroad , wherever they are , and-wherever they roam , may enjoy " A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR , AND LIVE TO HAVE MANY RETURNS OF THE SAME . "

* ' * NOTHING perhaps is so remarkable in this sublunary life of ours , strange . and contradictory as it often seems to us , as the onward passage of Timt . All else changes , all else yields to other influences , tumultuous interference , or silent decay , but Time never actually changes ; Time never dies . It passes

on hourly , gaining new life even from each departing twelve months ; and until its " record- " is accomplished , in the good providence of T . G . A . O . T . U ., it will ever be the same to man , — a marvel and a mystery , a temptation and a trial , a puzzle and a paradox . We are led into such thoughts by the close

of another twelve months and the needful work of another customary " summary . " 1881 is passing away , and when these lines meet the eyes of our readers a new year will soon dawn upon them and theirs . What it will bring them or us , who can say , or even venture to seek to predict ? In the laughing mood of the happy poet , we are led almost perforce to say , —

" Will it find us grown thinner or fatter ? Or fonder of wrong or of right ? Or married ? Or buried ? No matter ! Good night to the Old Vear , Good Night !" * * *

THE year 1881 has , indeed , been an eventful time to the world in which we live . It has witnessed much of turmoil and trouble , wars and rumours of wars in distant parts . Europe has , however , been happily free from that " dire scourge . " From the busy scene of public life many great personages and regrettable public characters have passed away , leaving large voids and

touching regrets . Crimes and disasters of various kind * have shocked and saddened the minds of us all , and , perhaps , no one year has closed , in our memories , amid more of mourning , more of sorrow , more of untold and

abnormal lamentations . Indeed , many of us must look forward to 1882 in a spirit of hope and trust for " be'ter days" and a happier outcome . Masonically speaking , 1881 has not been productive of any one event of a startling importance to the Craft at large . Our great Order has , rather ,

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moved on calmly , quietly , majestically , loyally , at any rate in Great Britain and English speaking lands , upholding its unchanging principles , developing its true mission , —as will be seen by our subjoined chronicle of its yearlv march and consistent progress .

* * * J ANUARY opened most appropriately with the New Year ' s Entertainment of the inmates at the Asylum at Croydon . That most excellent Institution , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , deserves the hearty support of all

members of the Craft , and we hope its Anniversary •Festival in February next , under the presidency of Bro . Colonel Lloyd , will be a great success . Freemasonry is never better employed than in aiding or solacing the aged and infirm Mason , and causing the " widow's heart to singfor joy . " Several testimonials ' were presented in January to worthy Masons . Among them we

may note one of singular appropriateness and heartiness , and most wellmerited , to our old and valued and faithful Bro . John Fawcett , so long Prov . G . M . of Durham , on his retirement from an office he had held so long with honour to himself and credit to the Craft . Few brethren have done more good and true work for Freemasonry . We can also record another , a

public one , to our esteemed and worthy Bro . Magnus Ohren ; and a third to Bro . M . C . Peck , after fourteen years' faithful service as Prov . G . S . for North and East Yorkshire . The Testimonial Fund to our lamented friend , the-late Grand Secretary , Bro . John Hervey , was started in January ; and Bro . the Marquess of Hamilton was installed Prov . G . M . of Londonderry

ancl Donegal . Thc annual ball , at Liverpool , on behalf of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution , took place also in this month , and was most successful . The consecration of the Lord Wentworth Lodge , No . 1879 , took place at Alnwick ; and . that of the St . Ambrose Lodge , No . 1891 , was carried out in London . This distinguished lodge is , we believe , intended

to reflect the name of a certain distinguished Grand Officer among us . All we can say is , may its prosperity go on increasing , and may his shadow never grow less . The consecration of the Earl of Carnarvon Chapter , No . 1642 , was effected at Notting-hill . It is in connection with a young lodge ,

but distinguished by its good Masonic work and zeal for the Charities . The consecraction of the Mark lodge , No . 268 , at Southport , called the Lathom Lodge , also took place . In this month the Board of Benevolence voted £ 520 . - *

FEBRUARY . The Supreme Grand Chapter met for business , and four new chapters were granted . The annual banquet of the Metropolitan Lodge of Instruction , No . 1507 , took place . Lord Sufiield , Prov . G . M . for Norfolk , Francis Knollys , Private Secretary to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and the Rev . A . F . A .

Woodford , were admitted into tbe Order of Rose Croix , 18 , at Goldensquare . The Masonic Festival of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Glasgow , in aid of . the Prov . Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund , was celebrated . The anniversary festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution came off , Bro . Sir H . Edwards , Bart ., P . G . M . for W . Yorkshire in the chair , and with

an unprecedentedly large number of Stewards , when Bro . Terry ' s exertions were rewarded by the noble amount of over £ 14 , 000 . The consecration of the United Service Lodge , No . 1873 , at Kingston , Jamaica , and of St . Hilda ' s Lodge , No . 1887 , at Wellingford , took place ; The Lodge of Benevolence voted £ 815 .

MARCH witnessed pie Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , which " possessed no feature of paramount importance , —merely nominal business was transacted . Our Royal Grand Master was unanimously re-elected amid marked signs of loyal applause , and Bro . Lieut .-Col . Creaton was unanimousl y

re-elected Grand Treasurer amid universal applause . The warrants for eleven new lodges were announced . Several lodges were consecrated this month , notably the Lechmere Lodge , No . 1874 , at Kidderminster ; Chine Lodge , No . 1884 , at Shanklin ; and the Wallington Lodge , No . 1892 , at Carshalton . We also observe that the Humphrey Cheetham Chapter , No .

645 , was consecrated this month , as well as the St . Austell Mark Lodge , No . 275 , at St . Austell . The consecration of a Masonic Hall at Mary Hill , N . B ., by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow , also took place . Bro . Bevan was installed D . G . M . of Westland , New Ze ? Iand . The Board of Benevolence voted £ 1435 .

APRIL , saw a good deal of Masonic work achieved under different forms ; Bro . Major Tudor Trevor was installed as Prov . Grand Master for Staffordshire , and the foundation-stone cf the Industry . Masonic Hall , at Gateshead , was laid by Bro . R . B . Reed , P . M . Lodge of Industry , No . 48 . The

consecration of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Surrey , together with the installation of Sir W ., W . Burrell , Bart ., M . P ., as Grand Superintendent , also took place . The annual soiree of the Great City Lodge came round with much eclat . The Quarterly Courts of the Girls' and Boys' School were held , when , in the former , fifteen girls were elected out of a list of