At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The September Communication of Grand Lodge , although -unlikely to be very fully attended , will on this occasion prove to be a meeting of no slight importance in the annals of the Craft . An address of congratulation will then be voted to His Majesty the King , and a further list of distinguished

¦ Craftsmen to receive Masonic honours will be announced which may be expected to include the names of many Colonial members of our Order . Further , the M . W . Grand Master has expressed a desire that a contribution should be made by Grand Lodge to the King ' s Coronation Gift in aid of

the Hospitals , and in accordance with that desire the Deputy Grand Master will propose that a sum of 500 guineas be voted to the Lord Mayor ' s Fund now being raised .

«> © < s > The paragraph in the report of the Board of General Purposes , which will be submitted to Grand Lodge on the 3 rd proximo , dealing with the question of music in lodges , will be read with some regret by many who think that

the juducious introduction of suitable hymns in the ceremonies adds greatly to their charm and impressiveness . It it quite right that there should be some limitations in the direction indicated in the report , but we trust the prohibition will not be so strictly enforced as to prevent the use of a few

simple hymns , such as those sung at the opening and closing in many lodges , and which in no respect come under the category of those identified with an exclusive form of religious worship .

@> © « s > The recommendation of the Board with reference to the much debated question of the qualification of a Warden for the Master ' s chair will at least settle the point at issue if carried , although it will probably not succeed in satisfying

the large body of Masons who consider that the qualifying period should date from election and not from investiture . It is something , however , to have found a means of rescuing the question from the deadlock into which it had drifted after the decision of Grand Lodge on the Regent's Park

Lodge appeal , and we congratulate the Grand Registrar on the result of his manifestly painstaking consideration of the subject .

< 8 » < S > < S > It cannot but be regretted that Fremasonry is practically dormant at this time of the year in London . The many members of the Order at present in the metropolis from the provinces and abroad can have had few opportunities of

partaking of the hospitality of their London brethren or of witnessing the working of the lodges in the centre of Masonry . It is hardly necessary , however , to point out in this connection that many of the functions which had been planned for the entertainment of distinguished visitors had , in consequence of the altered date of the Coronation , to be altogether abandoned .

< " » <&¦ « 8 > The recent meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire was marked by a pleasing incident . To commemorate the accession of their Provincial Grand Master to the high rank of Third Grand Principal , it was

determined to make him a presentation , and a representative meeting being called , the lodges set to work to make the gift worthy of both donor and donee . A liberal response enabled the Committee to select three very handsome pieces of old plate . Two were silver-gilt salvers , one of the date of 173 c ; and the other 1741 , which has been made to match the former . The third was a beautifully chased and elegant

loving cup and cover of silver-gilt , made in the year 1761 . The total weight is about 322 ounces . These were presented to the Provincial Grand Master in Provincial Grand Lodge on 25 th July by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . F . Sumner Knyvett , who , from his long connection with the province and his close acquaintance with R . W . Bro . Halsey ,

was well able to voice the unanimous and deep feeling of respect and affection which the province feel for their long tried chief . This feeling was embodied in an illuminated address which accompanied the plate . ^ > $ > » $ >

Bro . Halsey , to whom the gift came as a surprise , in a few touching words , expressed his appreciation of the kind regard in which the province held him as testified by that gift , and the pleasure which the presentation afforded him . ¦ & « $ > < 5 > The announcement of the appointment of R . W . Bro .

the Earl of Stradbroke as Provincial Grand Master for Suffolk , in succession to the late Bro . Lord Henniker , cannot fail to be received with satisfaction by the province concerned . The new Provincial Grand Master is a distinguished Mason , having been appointed Senior Grand Warden in 189 c ; . He is a Vice-Aclniiral as well as Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Suffolk .

< s > < $ > « s > It has been for some time known that Bro . S . Wellcome has been desirous of presenting to Grand Lodge a portrait of George Washington in commemoration of the centenary of the death of that great man , and to exemplify alike to

Masons and non-Masons the strength of those ties which bind the two great English-speaking nations together . The generous offer was readily accepted by Grand Lodge , and on the 8 th of August , at the invitation of the Deputy Grand Master , the American Ambassador unveiled the picture in

the presence of a numerous gathering of Present and Past Grand Officers , as well as American brethren resident in England .

¦ Sf © « s The painting is the work of one of the most celebrated of America ' s portrait painters , Mr . R . Gordon Hardie , of Vermont , and represents Washington in the dress of the period with full Masonic regalia . In the corner is the arms of the Washington family , the origin of the national flagthe Stars and Stripes .

¦ © » 3 » © The Earl of Warwick , who occupied the chair , was particularly happy in introducing His Excellency the Ambassador . He said , on behalf of all the Masons there assembled—and he felt he could speak for them—he offered Mr . Choate a most hearty and cordial welcome . They

thanked him most warmly for coming amongst them that clay , in the midst of his many and important engagements , for the purpose of unveiling that picture , most generously presented to them by their American Brother Wellcome . Amongst all the representatives who had visited their shores

from the far distant country of America , able and distinguished as those representatives had been , he could safely say that not one had been more prominent than his friend , Mr . Choate , in endeavouring to cement the kindly feelings that ought to

exist between the two great nations of America and Great Britain . Not only had Mr . Choate been prominent in that respect , but everyone of them who had been present when he had been good enough to attend large meetings in this country had been impressed by the eloquence with which he had addressed them on those occasions . The knowledge he

had exhibited of everything connected with topics of the clay and past history had struck them most forcibly . There was very little worth knowing that Mr . Choate did not know . He said that with one reservation only , and that was that Mr . Choate was ignorant of the great secrets of the Masonic Craft .

But he felt sure that , if he could be so kindly disposed , they were perfectly ready to complete his education in that respect . He referred to the present ceremony , coining as it did in such close proximity to that other great ceremony , the