At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

We all know what a keen interest the King takes in Freemasonry , but probably few persons are aware that one of his predecessors was a member of the Unity of Oddfellows , whose annual meetings have recently been held . This body was first established for convivial purposes , and one evening the initiation ceremony was being performed

at a branch held in a Chelsea public-house when two roysterers burst into the room . They would have been summarily kicked out had not a member recognised in one of the intruders the Prince of Wales , afterwards George IV . Thereupon it was proposed that he should become a member . He consented , and for the rest of the evening acted as chairman . The chair in which he sat is still preserved , and bears the Prince of Wales' feather as a memorial of the

occasion . © <_ . o > The Saturday Review , in the course of an article on that prince of impostors , Cagliostro , thus refers to his connection with Freemasonry : He was known throughout Europe as a wonder worker , a transmuter of metals into gold , a creator

of elixirs of life and of perpetual youth , but especially as the most amazing figure in the societies of Freemasons on the Continent . His was the master mind that devised the Egyptian rite which seemed at one time as if it were about to absorb all the other mysterious rites and liturgies of the amazing number of sects of Freemasons flourishing in France and Germany in the eighteenth century .

© © © To this reputation of the wizard and miracle worker and initiator of the Egyptian rite was now added that of the asserter of liberty against the tyranny of the French monarchy . His name resounded throughout Europe in the

literature scattered broadcast by those who used his case as material for an attack on the secret and arbitrary processes of the French Government . Cagliostro was in fact a piece in the game of revolution then being played ; and he was cast aside when he had served the purposes for which the revolutionaries used him . Again Cagliostro came to England ; and here he met the crisis of his fate in which he was

destined to come to the end of his marvellous career . © < 2 » < S > It was England that had given him the opportunity of becoming initiated in a lodge of Freemasons : and had thus enabled him to secure admittance into the ranks of French

Freemasonry which introduced him to such wonderful adventures . Cagliostro came to England after his discharge from the Bastille with the intention of asserting himself as the great figure in Freemasonry that he had been in France . English Freemasonry was saved from a discreditable

association by the account of all the impostures and villainies , of which Cagliostro had been the hero , presented by the " Courier de l'Europe " to the readers of all the capitals of the Continent . That was the counter move of the French Government in revenge for the role Cagliostro had played

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

as the victim of tyranny . It had made use of the editor of the " Courier , " Theveneau de Morande , who was a more thorough villain than his victim ; and , as M . d'Almeras puts it , when the " coquin" was exposed by the " coquin et demi" he found himself overwhelmed irretrievably . © © ©

When Cagliostro appeared at the Lodge of Antiquity , instead of the unfortunate "Grand Kophte "—his title as head of his sect of the Freemasons—being received with ovations , he was derisively treated to a burlesque parade . "One of the brethren , Bro . Mash , who was an optician ,

played before him the part of a quack doctor , inventor of a balsam which cured all diseases . " An engraving was made in England to recall this comedy : and there were inscribed on it some thirty lines of verse the last four of which

were" Au frere Mash il etait reserve Que par ses soins Londres fut preserve . De la lecon que ce frere lui donne Profitez tous , Macons , car elle est bonne . " And thus Cagliostro was driven from England and English

Freemasonry was saved the humiliation of having treated his pretensions seriously .

THE BRITISH HOMES ASSURANCE CORPORATION , LIMITED . —We must congratulate the Corporation on the excellent results obtained in 1903 . On going through the annual report we find that the new proposals received during the past year amount to £ 1 , 806 , 02 7 , being the largest

ever recorded . Another very satisfactory feature in connection with the development of the Corporation ' s business , is that the funds , exclusive of the paid-up capital , have increased in five years £ 132 , 865 , while the premium income has increased £ 61977 . The total income for the year was

, £ 106 , 87 8 , being an advance over 1902 of . £ 17 , 138 . The policy offered by the Corporation combining life assurance and house purchase is rapidly growing in public favour . The claims which arose in the various departments during the year , amounted in the aggregate to the sum of

£ 13 , 010 9 s . 5 d ., divided as follows : —Life Department , £ 23 80 15 s . 7 d . ; Endowment Certificates , including claims by death and Matured Certificates , £ 4231 17 s . ; Endowment Certificate Premium Creditors in reduction of mortgage loans in accordance with the regulations of the Corporation ,

£ 639 6 16 s . rod . The dividend declared was at the rate of 5 per cent , per annum . We feel sure that Mr . M . Gregory , the Managing Director , and all concerned in the operations of the Corporation , will be more than satisfied to find their efforts have been crowned with such success . At the annual

meeting of shareholders , held under the presidency of Mr . N . W . Hubbard , J . P ., L . C . C ., the report and accounts were unanimously adopted and the declaration of a 10 per cent . Reversidiary Bonus to the participating policy and certificate holders was also unanimously agreed to .

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