At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

On Thursday , April 6 th , the usual fortnightly meeting of the Elliot Lodge of Instruction , No . 1567 , was held at the Railway Hotel , Feltham . After the reading of the minutes , the W . M ., Bro . W . C . Tyler , said he had a very pleasant duty to perform , which was to present to Bro . H . Gale , the Preceptor , a testimonial from the brethren of the Elliot

Lodge of Instruction , which consisted of a handsome Preceptor's jewel , and bore the inscription , — " Presented by the brethren as a mark of great esteem for very efficient services as Preceptor to W . Bro . Harry Gale , P . M ., April 6 th , 1905 . " Having presented the jewel to Bro . Gale , Bro . Tyler in the course of a few very encouraging remarks , impressed upon the brethren the great necessity for attending

Vfarriijglo / j . IIRO . HARRY GALK . the Lodge of Instruction , especially where there was such a painstaking and energetic Preceptor as Bro . Gale , and

he and the brethren most sincerely hoped that Bro . Gale would continue their Preceptor for many years , as he had filled that office to the satisfaction of them all , and he wished him the best of health and every happiness . Bro . Gale , in reply , expressed his heartfelt thanks to the brethren for the

handsome present , and assured them that the welfare of the Lodge of Instruction should always be his particular care , ; u . d he thanked the Worshipful Master for his very kind words in making the presentation . The brethren afterwards partook of supper , and an agreeable evening was spent under the chairmanship of Bro . Tyler .

© <& © A banquet , which had for its object the increase of the voting strength of the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the election of candidates for the three great Masonic Charities , the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and the Royal

Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons , was held at the South Western Hotel , Southampton , on Wednesday , Sth April , and was attended by about one hundred brethren . The chair was taken by the Earl of Malmesbury , Senior Grand Warden of England . * «¦ «>

L ' enlente Cordiale has been further strengthened by Lord Brassey , K . C . B ., P . G . W . of England , becoming the first President of the Society of the Friends of France . This society , which is strictly non-political , has for its main object the cementing of the good feeling between our French neighbours and ourselves .

OOO There has just been presented to the Edina Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star , a very quaint mallet for the

use of the President . It is the gift of Bro . William Law-son , Past Master of Lodge St . David , and was made with his own hands from wood from buildings or other structures of historic interest . The head of the mallet is of black oak from Loch Leven Castle , the ends are five-sided in form and are carved towards the centre in a Y shape . There are

inlayings of lighter oak—a sword from wood which was part of the cargo of " The Fram " on her voyage furthest north , a sheaf of corn of oak from the old Scottish Mint , South Gray's Close , a sceptre and crown of oak from Holyrood Palace , a market cross of oak from the old City Chambers ,

and a cup made from oak from Mr . Thomas Nelson ' s old shop at the West Bow . The handle , also of oak , is in form like the shaft of an old cross .

< s . © © The New York correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazelle furnishes that journal with the following communication respecting the association of politics with Freemasonry in the United States , which is something in the light of a revelation

to the orthodox English Craftsmen who has adopted as a canon of Masonic faith a firm belief in the isolation of Masonry from all political and religious controversy .

<© <_• ffi The writer says , " As one of the accessory helps towards electioneering success , the value of Freemasonry is not likely to be lost sight of by candidates for the next Presidential election . Putting Mr . Roosevelt aside , by his own abnegation , there is a

clear held for at least seven aspirants for the White House in 1908—namely , Mr . Cortelyou , the organiser of last year ' s victory , now Postmaster-General ; Mr . Taft , Secretary for War ; Senater Foraker , Mr . Fairbanks , the Yice-President ; Governors La Follette and Folkidols of the West , and

, General Leslie Shaw , Secretary of the Treasury . It is looking a long way ahead , but political partisans will not leave a stone unturned if they can advance their favourites ' chances . "

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