At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

The Darlington magistrates were waited upon by a deputation of Freemasons to inquire whether they need register the local lodges as clubs under the new Licensing Act . The magistrates gave it as their opinion that there was no need for registration , such registration not being contemplated by the Act .

On the 6 th February an application was made at the Licensing Sessions at Newington for an ordinary licence for the Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell New Road . It was stated that the hall was the resort of most of the Masonic lodges in the district , and was the home of the South London Choral Association . The new Licensing Act made it

compulsory for Masonic lodges either to meet on licensed premises or to be registered as clubs . The lodges were not inclined to adopt the latter course , and therefore if the licence was not granted they would lind headquarters at licensed premises , which would probably not be nearly so desirable .

© © © The application was supported by the vicar of Camberwell , the vicar of St . James ' s , and a number of other clergymen , including the Rev . H . B . Chapman , the vicar of St . Luke ' s , who wrote : " I quite recognize how this has been forced upon you by the new Act as to the registration of clubs ,

and 1 should much regret to see the Masonic lodges driven away to other resorts where drinking facilities would be distinctly increased . " Opposition was offered by a neighbouring licensed victualler , who , it was stated , would lose . £ 500 or , £ 600 if the licence was granted , and the Bench decided to refuse the application .

A meeting of the Grand Lodge of Scotland was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Edinburgh , on the 5 th February , Bro . the Hon . C . M . Ramsay , Depute Grand Master , presiding over a large attendance of the brethren . Before entering on the business of the meeting , the Grand Master referred to the

loss which Freemasonry had sustained by the death of Bro . Murray Lyon , the former Grand Secretary , and moved that they minute an expression of their sense of the value of his services to the Craft , and of condolence with his family . It was intimated that Lord Blythswood had , on account of

ill-health , resigned the Provincial Grand Mastership of Renfrewshire East , and Grand Committee resolved to record their appreciation of the services he had rendered to Scottish Freemasonry during the past thirty-six years , not only as Provincial Grand Master of Renfrewshire East , but also

as Grand Master Mason of Scotland . Bro . Major F . W . Allan , of Glasgow , was unanimously appointed Lord Blythswood ' s successor . © © ©

The report of the auditor on the accounts for the year to the 27 th November last showed that the funds and estate belonging to the Grand Lodge amounted to X ' 50 , 412 2 s . 8 d . ; the fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence to . £ 8374 ns . ; and the Annuity Fund to . £ 33 , 274 3 s . 7 c ! ., of which . £ 30 , 075 6 s . 2 d .

was capital and the remainder income . A tabular statement , submitted by the Grand Secretary , showed that the total number of entrants recorded in the books of the Grand Lodge from the year 1800 to 1902 , was 295 , 333 , being an average annual registration of 286 7 in the 103 years

embraced in the return . In the first year of last century 1906 brethren were enrolled , while last year the number was 11 , 495 , an increase of nearly 2000 on the previous year . During the quarter grants amounting to ^ " 237 13 s . 6 d . were made from the Benevolent Fund , and the Annuity Board report showed that the number of annuitants was 155 , and the value of the annuities ; £ i 6 oo .

© © © The promotion of Bro . Alfred Spencer to be Deputy Provincial Grand Master , rendered the office of Provincial Grand Secretary vacant , and Earl Amherst has appointed Bro . Samuel Robert Macartney , whose legal education and experience eminently fit him for it . Although only initiated in the Lodge of Freedom , No . 77 , in 18 94 , he has made rapid progress in Freemasonry .

He joined Erasmus Wilson Lodge , No . 146 4 , in 18 97 , was J . W . of the lodge in the same year , and served the office of Master in 18 9 8 . He undertook the duties of Secretary in 1 9 , an office which he still holds , and in the following year Earl Amherst gave him a Steward ' s collar in the province . At the request of his Lordship he became Editor of the

1 IRO . S . II . . MACARTXEY . Kent Manual in 1902 , and in the same year was appointed Provincial Senior Grand Deacon . He was exalted in High Cross Royal Arch Chapter , No . 829 , in 18 9 8 , and is now Scribe N . He is a member of the Gordon Mark Lodge , No .

3 64 , and has been proposed as a candidate in the Rose Croix and Knight Templary Degrees . He is a Life Governor of the three Institutions .

Since our last issue the death has taken place of Bro . David Murray Lyon , who for nearly a quarter of a century filled the office of Grand Secretary of Scottish Freemasons . Bro . Murray Lyon , who had reached the advanced age of

eighty-three years , had for long been in weak health , and his death from general debility was not unexpected . He joined the Masonic Craft forty-seven years ago , having been initiated in Ayr St . Paul Lodge in 1856 . About seven years later he became a member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , with

which he retained his connection until his death . He had been for long a recognised authority on all matters connected with Freemasonry , and in 1877 he was elected , by a large majority of votes , to the office of Grand Secretary , from which he retired about two years ago , on account of failing health , and , in recognition of his services , was granted a retiring allowance of his full salary of . £ 600 a year .

© < £ > © Under Bro . Murray Lyon ' s management , the affairs of the Grand Lodge prospered greatly . When he was appointed Secretary , these were in great disorder , and there was a debt resting upon the Grand Lodge of £ 20 , 000 , which , largely

through his exertions and business capacity , had been converted at the time of his resignation into a credit balance of £ 80 , 000 . The year before his appointment the number of members initiated was 3578 , and in his last year of office 7 608 were admitted .

Bro . Murray Lyon did considerable literary work , not only in connection with Freemasonry , but also dealing with the antiquities of Ayrshire , and , for his labours in the latter field , he was elected a corresponding member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland . It was as a Masonic author ,