At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

hold the Provincial Grand Lodge for 1904 under the banner of True and Faithful Lodge , No . 318 , Helston . The actual date has not been fixed , but will possibly be the latter part of October . © © © Lord Lamington , accompanied by Captain Crawford ,

commanding the Governor ' s Body-Guard , paid a visit to Lodge Orion in the West on the 28 th June . He was met on arrival by Sir Archibald Hunter , commanding the Forces , Bombay , Major Mackenzie , and others . There was a very large gathering of Military Masons to meet his Excellency ,

who was heartily welcomed by Captain Curtis , the Master , on behalf of the lodge . Before leaving the hall , Lord Lamington thanked all the brethren most heartily for the kind welcome they had given him . He was pleased to learn that Lodge Orion was not only the oldest lodge in that

Presidency , but numerically the strongest in India . He felt it was fulfilling a very useful part in that large' military garrison of Poona .

© © © The following sound advice of Dr . Oliver might well be brought prominently and continuously before the members of a lodge , either in the form of a placard in the ante-room or on the lodge summons : — " Be very cautious whom you

recommend as a candidate for initiation ; one false step on this point may be fatal . If you introduce a disputatious person , confusion will be produced , which may end in the dissolution of the lodge . If you have a good lodge , keep it select ; great numbers are not always beneficial . "

© 0 © In the French Chamber recently M . Prache interpellated the Government on the subject of Freemasonry , complaining that the Fiscal Laws , the Laws of the Associations , and the Press Laws , were not applied to Freemasons '

lodges . M . Laserre declared that Freemasonry respected absolutely all the laws of the country , and refuted M . Prache ' s criticisms . The debate was finally adjourned .

© © © A party of members of the Cambridge Masonic Club spent a pleasant day at Great Yarmouth recently , starting from Cambridge at 7 . 35 a . m ., and arriving at the seaside at ten o ' clock upon a warm but pleasant journey .

Proceeding to the Crown and Anchor Hotel , the host , Bro . C . F . Waters , was ready to greet them with hearty good wishes . Some of the members journeyed to Lowestoft , while others enjoyed the varied pleasures of Yarmouth . Luncheon was served at the Crown and Anchor , and at the

close of a most pleasant afternoon , dinner was also partaken of , when the brethren were joined by Bros . A . H . King , C . F . Waters , and Beebee . The president of the club , Bro . W . H . Berridge , P . M ., occupied the chair , and the usual Masonic toasts were brietiy honoured . The party returned

to Cambridge by the 9 . 5 p . m . train , arriving home at midnight . The success of the excursion was largely due to the arrangements made by the energetic secretary , Bro . E . Bowman .

© © © After an honourable and useful career extending over a period of thirty-seven years , our valued contemporary , The Keystone , the oldest weekly Masonic journal in the world , appears in an improved form , fully illustrated and wholly

devoted to Masonic matters . The veteran editor , Bro . W . A . McCalla , retires from that position , and introduces as his successors two eminent brethren—John C . Yareton , 32 ° , and W . Mill Butler , 32 , who have long been favourably known , the one as a publisher of five editions of books , and the

other as a journalist , who unitedly promise that " The Keystone will continue to advocate in the future , as it has in the past , the principles of Freemasonry in all their purity . It will uphold all duly constituted Masonic authority , and continue , as it always has been , a staunch supporter of the right , without fear or favour , ' with malice toward none and charity

for all . ' While recognizing in its fullest sense the sufficiency of the three ancient and fundamental degrees to entitle him who has received them to stand the equal of kings or any other dignitaries , we shall , at the same time , continue toadvocate the attainment of the higher degrees of Masonry

as a thing worthy of any man ' s ambition in life . " © ® © A new departure is foreshadowed in the further announcement that while they declare their " warm and

enthusiastic feeling also for what may be termed the concordant orders of Freemasonry , among which none has shed more lustre upon the great Craft to which all its members belong than the Ancient Arabic Order , Nobles of the Mystic Shrine . This superb organization will receive generous

recognition in our columns , as the present issue will be found to testify . " © © © As English Masons , the latter part of the programme does not strongly appeal to us , but is no doubt demanded by the

exigences of American Masonic journalism . We wish long life and increased prosperity to our venerable contemporary under its new sponsors .

The same journal narrates the following interesting incident : — " From early school days , up through a period of some twenty-eight years , two warmly-attached friendsone residing in Canada , the other in the United States—had kept up their pleasant correspondence , sharing each other's

hopes and aspirations and sympathizing with each other in life ' s occasional sorrows . Both had married , and the family visits were events always looked forward to with mutual pleasure .

© © © " In course of time the American had applied for admission into our great fraternity , but the Canadian , for certain reasons , had foreborne , and remained outside of the portals . Many times his friend had wished secretly in his heart that

both might meet upon the level in the hallowed precincts of the lodge , but , remembering that the dignity of the Order required that Masonic honours should be sought , not urged or thrust upon anyone , he had restrained himself from uttering what was frequently upon the tip of his tongue .

© © © " Finally , a few months ago , something happened . A letter arrived stating that a son , grown to manhood , had taken it into his head to become a Mason . His determination , duly carried out , had broken down all the barriers

standing in the way , and in Strict Observers' Lodge , at Hamilton , Ont ., that son had the pleasure of introducing his father to the brethren assembled , as a candidate for initiation .

© © © " A few weeks ago , at Niagara Falls , the two friends of boyhood , as well as later years , met and greeted each other once more , this time as brothers in a new sense . There are cramped and cynical natures which scoff at the idea of

Masonry binding closer the hearts of men , but here was a test case . The two had for many years regarded each other with a friendship that was apparently perfect . They were ever mindful of each other's happiness . Not an unkind word or thought , not a cloud had ever dimmed the harmony of

their regard , respect , and esteem for each other ; and yet , when the two met on the verge of the great cataract and clasped hands , and looked into each other ' s eyes , there was an indefinable something which they appreciated for the first time , and which almost started the salt water to their eyes .

© © © " Looking out upon that vast expanse of falling watersthe emblem of resistless eternity—they felt that a fate still stronger than the elements had been the opposite of cruel