At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

We make no apology to our readers for reverting to the subject of our recent article dealing with the question of providing adequate space for the attendance of the brethren at the Quarterly Communications and other meetings of Grand Lodge . During the short time that has elapsed since the question was brought into prominence by the resolution of the

Board of General Purposes to recommend the exclusion from Grand Lodge of Wardens of lodges much interest has been evinced , and the proposal has been discussed by large numbers of the brethren who had until then taken little or no interest in the matter , with the result that , as far as we have been able to

gather , the trend of Masonic opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of enlarging the boundaries rather than endeavouring to solve the problem by restricting existing privileges . Freemasonry affords no exception to the general law that a community or organization that does not provide for natural

growth and does not attempt to meet such a difficulty as now presents itself , has already entered on the path of retrogression and decay . To our mind nothing could be more futile or weak than the resolution to which we refer , and unless we have greatly misunderstood the spirit and tendency of Masonic

opinion , no such action as that recommended will receive indorsement at the hands of Grand Lodge when it assembles at the Quarterly Communication in March .

© ® © The desire of the brethren of the Province of Durham to do honour to and to recognise the great services of Bro . Robert Hudson , who for the past twenty years has so efficiently filled the position of Provincial Grand Secretary , has taken the form of a presentation portrait , and the

committee , of which Lord Barnard is chairman , appointed at Durham in October last , to which this matter was referred , has now commissioned the well-known portrait painter , Bro . Ralph Hedley , of Nevvcastle-on-Tyne , to paint a picture of Bro . Hudson .

o © © The committee further decided to invite every lodge in the province to contribute from its lodge funds towards the cost of this , and the sum of two guineas was suggested as the amount which would probably , in the case of most lodges ,

be suitable . The committee also considered that , in addition to the contributions made by their lodges , many brethren , especially Past Provincial Grand Officers and others who have been associated with Bro . Hudson in Masonic work , might wish to subscribe individually to this object , the amount

not to exceed in each case ( say ) half-a-guinea . It is hoped that the total amount subscribed will be sufficient to enable the committee to have the picture reproduced by some such process as photogravure and a copy supplied to every lodge , and to every individual contributor of not less than ( say ) half-a-guinea .

© © © That very successful lodge " The Commercial Traveller ' s , No . 2795 , " met on Saturday , 16 th January , 1904 , at the Hotel Cecil , and installed its fifth Master , Bro . Charles Willie Bailey . There was a very large attendance , and Bro . Bailey followed up the excellent working of his predecessors when

investing his officers , as follows : —Bros . J . Irwin , S . W . ; Chas . Hall Simmons , J . W . ; J . M . Maynard , S . D . ; F . Coyst , J . D . ; W . W . Gittings , I . G . ; W . Bros . Tidman , Treasurer ; Budd , Secretary ; Kench , I . P . M . ; Bros . Rev . W . H . Maynard , Chaplain ; Thomas , Organist ; Hanson Coopman and

, Peckover , VV S . ' s ; T . Williams , Tyler . The brethren dined later , after which the daughter of the newly installed Master took part in a musical entertainment and rendered some charming songs .

It will be a surprise and probably somewhat of a shock to man }* of the old lodges , when they learn that a staid , respectable , and venerable old lodge like the " Grenadiers , " No . 66 , has , after an existence of 159 years , thrown aside its conservatism and followed the lines of the more modern lodges , by giving an entertainment to the wives , sweethearts , and friends of its members , which took place on Thursday , January 14 th , at Freemasons' Tavern , London .

In the unavoidable absence of the Wor . Master , J . C . S . Peatson , the Treasurer , Wor . Bro . Nettlelield , P . M ., assisted by Bro . H . M . Sternberg , J . W ., presided . A very large number of brethren and ladies were present , evidently bent upon enjoyment , although upon the faces of some of the older members could be observed an expression of doubt ,

but which happily later in the evening was entirely dispelled . A very recherche programme was presented by the masked serenaders , with the addition of a masked sketch by Mr . T . G . Clare , and two songs by Miss Hetty Hills . In the interval of twenty minutes , the chairman made a few remarks ,

which caused much amusement . He informed the company that without betraying any confidences , he would give them two or three little extracts from their old minute book , which dated from 1739 . The first item of interest to the ladies would be in 1741 , when the lodge met

at the " Heart and Horse" in Piccadilly , then a country house ; it was to the effect that a brother , whose name he would not mention , not being certain whether his descendents might not have ground for a libel action , was fined the sum of 6 d . for kissing Lucy on the stairs , and four years later another brother was fined 2 s . 6 d . for having his arms round Annie Brown ' s waist .

< S > ®> <© After the performance of the second part of the programme , the J . W ., Bro . H . M . Sternberg , made a few remarks respecting the departure the lodge had made in giving an entertainment to the ladies , and regretted that their Wor .

Master had not been there to witness the success of the experiment . Having once departed from their custom , and having been so ably supported as they had been that night , he hoped that this would not be the last of such gatherings . He had been asked to convey the thanks of the brethren and

ladies to Bro . Nettlelield for the prominent part he had taken , and it gave him great pleasure to do so . A most enjoyable evening was concluded by the hearty singing of "Auld Lang Syne . "

© © © At the last monthly meeting of Panmure Lodge , 723 , held at the Masonic Hall , Aldershot , on the 12 th inst ., the Secretary , W . Bro . John Yond , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . Hants and Isle of Wight , was presented by the W . M ., officers and

brethren , with a handsome piece of plate and an illuminated framed address in recognition of his untiring services to the lodge during the period he had been discharging the duties of Secretary , extending over 17 years . W . Bro . Yond is a Mason of 40 years standing , and is widely and deeply respected throughout the provinces of Hampshire , Berkshire and Surrey .

«_"¦« _> © The Royal Arch authorities of the Province of Cheshire are evidently of opinion that the Craft Mason is not so fully alive to his privileges in regard to the advantages of becoming a Royal Arch Freemason as he should be . In the report

presented by the Committee of General Purposes at the last Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter , an opinion is expressed that there are various reasons which might account in some measure for this . First , the fact that the education of a Master Mason is not completed until he has been exalted as

a Royal Arch Mason is seldom , if ever , mentioned in the Craft Lodge of which he has become a member , or brought to his knowledge . Secondly , the fee for exaltations fixed by the Royal Arch Regulations is calculated to prevent many Craft brethren from becoming members of the Royal Arch Degree , and when to that fee is added the expense of the