At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The death of that greatest of latter day Englishmen , Bro . Cecil Rhodes , has called forth such a volume of appreciation and sympathetic utterance from the world ' s Press , as well as from rulers and statesmen of every nation , that there is little left for the Masonic writer , except to add that he was filiated into Masonry in the Apollo University Lodge , at Oxford ,

¦ during his college days , but engaged as he was in his vast ¦ designs of Empire building , it was hardly to be expected that he could find time or opportunity for much Masonic work . His sympathies were , however , always in unison with the work of the Order , and we have reason to know that the

lodge which bears his name , and which was consecrated in Bulawayo in 18 99 , was much indebted to him for material and moral help and encouragement .

TII . K I . ATK DKO . CKC 1 L RHODES . A curious sidelight is thrown on the visionary character of much of the great statesman ' s schemes by an article in the Review of Reviewsin which the writer states that Mr . Rhodes

, aspired to be the creator of one of those vast semi-religious ) quasi-political associations which , like the Society of Jesus , have played so large a part in the history of the world . A secret society , of English-speaking peoples , gradually absorbing' the wealth of the world to be devoted to the

amelioration of mankind and to securing the peace of the world for all eternity was the means by which he thought the end could be achieved . This is indeed Freemasonry " writ large . " © «» » The doings of His Majesty the King are naturally so

much before the public eye that it would hardly seem necessary to refer to them in these columns , but his visit to Cowes recently , where he was in part the guest of the popular Provincial Grand Master for Dorsetshire , R . W . Bro . Montague Guest , will have a special interest for the Craft .

Our esteemed Bro . Guest has before entertained His Majesty while Prince of Wales and M . W . Grand Master . I ( $ > •';• •¦ ' yy Bro . Marmaduke Tennant is to be the recipient of a presentation by the brethren of the Eastern Division of

South Wales to commemorate his twenty-fifth year in the capacity of Deputy Provincial ( hand Master . Recently an inlluenlial gathering of representatives from all the lodges in

the province met at the Masonic Temple , Cardiff , under the presidency of Lord Llangattock , Provincial Grand Master , in furtherance of the object . The quarter of a century occupancy of the office of Deputy Provincial Grand Master must , we think , be a record .

Not the least interesting among the lodges for which warrants have recently been granted is the Pen and Brush Lodge , which , as its name implies , has been formed for writers and painters . Many brethren well known in the literary and artistic world are amongst the promoters of the lodge , and there can be little doubt that a prosperous future awaits it .

The lodge recently constituted at Seaford , called the Seaford Lodge , numbers amongst its founders R . W . Bro . the Right Hon . William Court Gully , K . C , the Speaker of the House of Commons . The lodge is to meet at the Bar Hotel , Seaford .

Bulawayo bids fair to take the lead in providing a suitable home for the user of the Craft in South Africa ; indeed , there are few Masonic temples in connection with English Freemasonry which can compare with the structure , the foundation stone of which was laid on the 12 th February . It is the first building of the kind in Matabeleland , and the ceremony was

witnessed by about 2 CO Freemasons and over 2000 of the general public . The procession was half a mile long , and the building when completed will cost over 7 L" 6 coo .

Notwithstanding the still unsettled condition of the country , the lodges in South Africa with a few exceptions appear to be as active and prosperous as ever . Lodge Good Hope , No . 86 3 , recently held its installation meeting at the Masonic Hall , Port Elizabeth , some 200 brethren being present , many of whom were visitors from sister lodges .

The newly-installed W . M ., Bro . R . McAdam , was initiated so recently as 18 97 , and his progress in the Craft has therefore been very rapid . The Wardens appointed were Bro . Roger Ascham and Bro . H . B . Wakeham . At the close of the ceremony , the customary banquet was held .

It is stated that Freemasons of Bangalore will present a peal of bells to St . Mark ' s Church as their Coronation memorial to his Majesty , to be rung on all occasions of public rejoicings in the Mysore city . ft «> *

The date of the presentation of Lady Lucy Hicks-Beach's portrait to the Chancellor of the Exchequer , in recognition of his twenty-one years' Grand Mastership of the Province of Gloucestershire , has been altered from Whit week to Tuesday , September 20 th , in order to meet the Parliamentary convenience of the Right Hon . Baronet . The function takes place at Cheltenham .

M . W . Bro . J . W . Hackett , Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia , was entertained on the 24 th February at Perth , previous to his departure for Europe . About 300 brethren were present , and all parts of the State were represented . Bishop Riley , Pro Grand Master , who is also visiting England , was a guest at the same gathering .

* 'ft -ft The following item , which was received from the New York correspondent of a morning contemporary , furnishes , we think , not the least remarkable of recent instances of the influence of Freemasonry under strange circumstances : — " Mr . Frank Conger , who died last week , bequeathed a life

interest in his estate of ^ ' 1 , 200 , 000 to his wife . On her death his fortune goes to Oressa Stewart Conger . Twelve years ago Oressa ' s parents , the Rev . and Mrs . Stewart , of Rochester , were killed in a railway collision . Mr . Conger found the baby clasped in the arms of her dead mother . He learned that the father , like himself , was a Mason , and having no children he adopted the waif . "