Grand Lodge And The Grand Master.

suggestion as to how this is to be altered . There is , however ) to be one attempt , and it will not be unprofitable to see what is involved in the proposed legislation regarding the Grand Treasurer ' s office . Whilst the landmarks give the Grand Master powers which would seem to be without limit , these are all held in check by the fact that they do not give him

any control of the contributions of the brethren . Now , it is well known that in practice the Grand Treasurer has as little control of the finances as the Grand Master , and there were those who wished to hand over the appointment of the Treasurer to the Grand Master . In so doing Grand Loclge

would have parted with its most important prerogative , and we venture to doubt whether , even if Grand Loclge had decided by a majority to act in this manner , the wisdom of the Grand Master would have allowed him to accede to it . But the

control of the cash , ultimately , means the control of everything , and this afforded an opportunity of giving every lodge on the register an effective voice in the management of the Craft . It will probably never be of any practical value , but like our vast naval armanent , which we earnestly hope may never be used , it is there . Grand Loclge is not incorporated

, and cannot , therefore , hold any property except through trustees , and the legislation we have been referring to will give the whole of the 33 , 000 members of Grand Loclge a voice in the appointment . And it will be an actual voice , not a nominal one .

Whereas , from 1717 to 1813 , no less than thirty-nine Grand Masters presided over the destinies of the Craft in this country , during the last century there have been but five . During the former of these periods less than 400 lodges were warranted , but during the latter not less than 2 , 600 . These figures are very eloquent . We have got the highest

courts of Freemasonry outside the reach of any disturbing influences and under wise and unobtrusive guidance , and , imbued with perfect confidence in those to whom the destinies of the Craft have been entrusted , the Order has been free to expand on its merits .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

R . W . Bro . Brigade-Surgeon J . Balfour Cockburn , whose portrait appears on our front page , although himself a veteran in the Craft , is the ruler of the youngest of our Provincial Grand Lodges , that of Guernsey and Alderney . So long ago as 1753 there existed a Provincial Grand Loclge of the

Channel Islands , which was presided over in succession by Bro . T . Dobree , Gen . Sir John Doyle ( whose name was given to Doyle Lodge of Fellowship ) , and Bro . J . J . Hammond , but in 18 4 S the province ceased to exist , and the lodges both in Jersey and Guernsey remained unattached

until the year 1869 , when the Province of Jersey was formed with Col . E . C . Malet le Carteret at its head and happily still its ruler . < S > > g"

Guernsey took any steps towards the formation of a similar local autlurity , but in that year the M . W . Grand Master , in response to the wishes of the brethren in the island , issued a patent creating the lodges in Guernsey and Alderney into a Province and appointing R . W . Bro . J . Balfour Cockburn its

Provincial Grand Master . His installation took place in August , 18 94 , and the Province comprised live lodges . Since then two lodges have been added to the roll , raising the number to that of the senior province of Jersey . © © ^>

Bro . Balfour Cockburn is to be congratulated on the success that has attended his zealous efforts to promote the interests of Freemasonry in that lovely and fruitful island ,

and we trust that there are still many years before him of strenuous and useful work in connection with our beloved Order . # © # Westmorland Freemasons were recently honoured with a

visit from the Grand Mark Lodge of England , Bro . Richard Rigg , who is Senior Grand Warden of Mark Alasons for this province , and recently filled the office of President of the Board of Stewards at the annual Benevolent Festival in Londonbeing responsible for this most interesting event .

, The Grand Lodge officers ( consisting of Bros . C . F . Matier , Grand Secretary , A . J . Thomas , Grand Director of Ceremonies , and the Rev . W . Russell Finlay , Grand Chaplain ) , arrived at Kendal from London and attended the Kentclale Mark Lodge , of which Bro . Richard Rigg is the present

Worshipful Master . The ceremonies were impressively performed by the various officers , and subsequently the Grand Secretary expressed his satisfaction at the admirable way in which the work had been done .

BRO . RICHARD RIGG . On the following clay there was a meeting of the Red Cross of Constantino at Windermere , under the presidency of Bro . Corder Fox , Millom . The Grand Officers again attended , and there was a large and representative gathering

from all parts of the North of England . Bro . James Wilkie , Ulverston , was placed in the Sovereign ' s chair , and Bro . Richard Rigg had conferred on him the rank of Past Sovereign , in recognition of his distinguished services to Freemasonry . The ceremony of consecration of the new

Cryptic Council was subsequently proceeded with . It is called the Applegarth Council as a compliment to Bro . Richard Rigg , the first Master . The consecration ceremonywas performed in a most impressive manner by Bro . C . F . Matierwhoin an interesting address , made mention of the

, , fact that this was the thirtieth Council of the Cryptic Degree consecrated in the whole of the British Empire ( exclusive of Canada ) , and that the degree was of great importance in the United States , ranking next to the Order of the Temple . The numerous guests subsequently dined under the

presidency of Bro . Richard Rigg . < s > < s » o At the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , held at Edinburgh on the 3 rd August , the differences that have unfortunately arisen between them and the

Grand Lodge of New South Wales were fully discussed , with the result that the recommendations of the Foreign and Colonial ' Committee were adopted . From the minutes of the Committee