At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the perfect Ashlar

Since the Alarch Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , warrants have been granted for fifteen new lodges-. Amongst them we notice the London Hospital Lodge , No . 26 45 , which follows close after the Aliddlesex Hospital Lodge , No . 28 43 ; the Polytechnic Lodge , No . 28 47 , to meet

at the home of the Polytechnic Institute in Regent Street ; the Rosemary Lodge , No . 28 51 , formed from the members of the Artists' Corps of Volunteers ; and the Norfolk Lodge , No . 2852 , constituted for the convenience of Norfolk men in London . Cape Colony , we notice , is also responsible for a new lodge to be called "The Robertson Lodge , " and it is evident that no amount of distress can quell the enthusiasm of Alasons in that quarter .

It cannot have escaped the notice of those of our brethren who follow the proceedings at the Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge that the great majority of appeals and complaints emanate from districts abroad . Doubtless this arises mainly from the remoteness of the central authority ,

and of the necessity of delegating that authority to tribunals which , in the nature of things , cannot possess that knowledge and intimate acquaintance with Alasonic jurisprudence acquired by the governing body at home , but this does not wholly account for the fact . Is it due to the comparative absence of other interests and sources of pleasure which so

often has the effect of producing an exaggerated and morbid feeling of fancied wrong and injury , and which men in the busy whirl of English life have no time or inclination to dwell on , or has the climatic environments something to do with it ? We will leave any further speculations on the causes to those of our readers who have a turn for such investigations .

® .-3 > - ® We hear a good deal from time to time about sovereign rights of Grand Lodges and of the invasion of Alasonic territory by the establishment of lodges under foreign jurisdictions in countries where Grand Lodges already exist ,

but we may safely predict that no such question will arise ¦ should success attend our enterprising American brother , who is organising an Arctic expedition , and has , it is said , provided himself with a number of Alasonic banners to plant at different stages of his journey , reserving one for the North Pole itself .

* 2 ?) >& ® We are glad to note that at the first meeting of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge held after the death of its lamented Secretary , Bro . G . W . Speth , a movement was started to commemorate the great services Bro . Speth had rendered to

the lodge and Alasonry in general , by erecting a suitable monument over his grave . In order to carry out this purpose it is proposed to raise a fund which , it is suggested , might at the same time provide some mark of the friendl y feelings entertained for those he has left behind . Afembers of the

lodge and of the Correspondence Circle are invited to contribute to this fund , and if each subscribes a sum not exceeding half-a-guinea , a very substantial amount might easily be raised . * S > <® « £ <

The idea of a lodge formed of brethren who were either Masonic students , or who , being Alasons , had gained renown in other literary paths , was conceived by that little band of writers of whom Bros . Hughan , Gould , and Woodford were the leading spirits , who , some twenty or thirty years ago , did so much to dissipate the mists that had surrounded the history

of the Craft , and thus to place the study of its annals on a level with that of other organisations whose past is worthy of recording . But it was owing to Bro . Speth that the idea of universal brotherhood has been carried out to an extent never before realised . To quote the statement by the W . AI . and Wardens of the

lodge , which has just been issued— " For the first time in the history of the Craft there exists in the Quatuor Coronati a lodge in which Ahisons of all nationalities and living in all parts of the world have a common centre of union and interest . This unique position of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge is mainl y due to the untiring industry , the great power

of organisation , and the genial flow of courtesy of our late brother , and in his death all have lost a friend . " We cannot doubt that there will be a read y and liberal response to the appeal .

Bro . H . Carman , Past Grand Standard Bearer , whose portrait will be recognised by a large number of his fellow Craftsmen in the Aletropolis , was initiated in the Wellington Lodge , No . 54 8 in 1879 and became W . AI . in 1889 . He is also a member of St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 442 ; the Fellowship

Lodge , No . 2535 ; and the Thomas-a-Becket Lodge , No . 2754 , of which latter he was the founder . Before receiving Grand Office he was a Provincial Grand Officer of Norths and Hants ., viz ., P . G . Organist .

DUO . H . CARMAN , P . G . STANDARD HEARER .

Bro . Carman is a Royal Arch Alason , being a member of the Unity Chapter , No . 452 , and during the period from 1888 to 18 94 his active interest in the various Degrees outside that of the Craft and Arch was widened by joining the following Orders , viz . : —The Alark , of which he became

W . AI . in the Bon Accord Lodge in 1887 , Ark Mariners , Allied Degrees , Secret Alonitor , Royal and Select Alasters , Knights Templar , Knights of Alalta , Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ( 18 ° and 30 ° ) , and others . Bro . Carman is a Vice-Patron of all three Institutions , and has served thirty Stewardships for different Charities .

An interesting feature of the last meeting of Grand Lodge was the presence of both the Pro and Deputy Grand Alasters , AI . W . Bro . Earl Amherst and R . W . Bro . the Earl of

Warwick respectively . We believe that this is the first occasion that Grand Lodge has been so favoured since the respective appointments were made .