At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar.

The brethren of the Willing Lodge ( 28 93 ) met at the rivoli Restaurant , on the 1 st tilt ., to do honour to Bro . Willing , jun ., the founder and lirst W . M . of the lodge . After the banquet , and when the usual toasts had been duly honoured , the W . M ., Bro . Thomas Vansittart Bowater , C . C ., presented Bro . J . Willing , jun ., the I . P . M ., with a magnificent

set of silver bowls subscribed for by the brethren of the lodge as a mark of the regard and great esteem that the brethren had for him , and also as a recognition of his services as the founder and lirst Master of the lodge . In making the presentation the W . M . extolled the many excellent qualities

of Bro . Willing , and spoke of the great pleasure it gave the brethren in having the opportunity of subscribing , to which Bro . Willing made a most suitable reply and thanks .

4 ? < s » «& The following was the inscription on the bowls : — " Presented to Bro . James Willing , Jun ., by the Brethren of the Willing Lodge , 28 93 , as a mark of regard and esteem , and in commemoration of his being lirst Worshipful Master of the lodge . October 1 st , 1903 . T . V . BOWATER , W . M . " © t & ' « 3 »

At the Quarterly Court of Governors of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , held on Thursday , October 8 th , action was taken in reference to the bequest of the late Bro . Richard Eve of 1000 guineas to the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for a Perpetual Presentation to the School . There were some legal technicalities in the matter , and it was

recently agreed that the money should be invested , and that after fifteen years—when , at compound interest , it will have accumulated to a little over . £ 1550 , the price of a Perpetual Presentation—the province should present . However , a question arose as to whether the Charity Commissioners

might not have a look in , and it was therefore further agreed , with the Provincial Grand Master , Sir Augustus Webster , Bro . Edward Goble , D . P . G . M ., and Commander Hubert Giles , R . N ., P . G . Sec , on behalf of the province , that in such an event happening the province would take the money back

again . In the Boys' School and the Benevolent Institution , to which 1000 guineas each went also by the Richard Eve will , the acceptance was unconditional , and to bring the Girls' School into line with these it was necessary that the addendum referred to in the minutes should be taken out to

give effect to the agreement . This was carried , and a well deserved tribute of thanks was paid to Bro . Stanley J Attenborough and Bro . Frank Richardson—both solicitorsfor their professional services in establishing these gifts on ; legal basis .

< 5 > »¦ « 3 > The Mallei , whose Masonic contributions to the Glasgow Evening Xcws are well known , is responsible for the following : —An absent-minded beggar has been found in the ranks of W . Master in Texas , U . S . He had been elected Worthy Patron of an Eastern Star Chapter , and while presiding he

was informed that some of the lady members sought admission . Absent-mindedly he gave permission to permit " if properly clothed . " Life is now a burden to that unintentionally offending brother , and in the meantime the harmony of the Chapter destroyed . 0 «&

A contributor to the pages of The Masonic Observer , published in Minnesota , U . S . A ., has discovered that there are more Masonic lodges in London than thereare in the four States of Washington , Idaho , Oregon , and California altogether . "S" * t > ^

It has not hitherto been obligatory in the United States on the part of visitors from other jurisdictions to produce their Grand Lodge certificates when seeking admission to lodges , indeed many of the Grand Lodges do not issue such documents , but at the last session of the Grand Lodge of

New York , an amendment to the Constitutions was adopted requiring visitors when presenting themselves for examination to exhibit their certificates . * < s » «•¦ A writer in the Indian Daily Xcws contributes to that journal a lengthy article on the position and influence of

Freemasonry in France , and the glimpse he gives is amply suflicient to prove that the Order in that country is so widely divergent in its objects and organisation as to render any comparison with Freemasonry , as exemplified and practised by those Grand Lodges which have held fast to the Ancient Landmarks , impossible . The titles of some of the subjects

discussed at ordinary meetings of lodges are calculated to strike dismay into the tin-Masonic heart as well as into that of the orthodox Mason . " Esoterism , or the secret doctrine of the ancient priests , " is sufficiently formidable , but even this pales its ineffectual fires : " The correlative evolution of

patriotism and the consciousness of human rights . " The advantages of a universal language , the administration ol justice in the army , and the possibility of a general disarmament , were among the lighter subjects spread before some of the Paris lodges last winter . If there were any

antivaccinationist or conscientious objectors in France , they would surely be found in the Masonic ranks . Dislike of the Roman Catholic Church is general , the idea being that the priest is just as much an emblem of despotism as the soldier and the monarch , and French Masons will not have a despot

at any price , unless he happens to be an anti-clerical one . Seeing that its aims and objects are therefore almost entirely political , its influence can only be estimated in this connection , but it is by no means easy to form an opinion in regard to this . < 2 > < 5 > < 2 )

Numerically , the Order in France is not very formidable . About a year ago the Secretary of the Grand Orient , or French Rite , estimated its numbers at twenty-two thousand . The Scottish Rite , including the Grand Lodge of France , is about three thousand strong , so that if these , the best available figures , are correct , the total number of active

Freemasons in France is only twenty-live thousand . Financially , there is still less to boast of . The Grand Orient owns its headquarters in the Rue Cadet , but few lodges have any reserve fund or any appreciable balance in hand at the end of the year . As for the Grand Lodge its expenditure for the whole year does not reach £ 900 .

< S > < S >

of Grand Master was abolished as undemocratic some years ago ) , is a retired Protestant pastor , and lives very quietly on his salary as a senator . His principal lieutenants are deputies , who also depend largely on their parliamentary pay . M . Bonnardot , the head of the Grand Lodge of France , is

generally to be found at work in a small office in the Passage St . Marc , where he carries on the profession of an accountant . His most cherished project is the reform of the debt-collecting system , and he has distinguished himself by oringing up a family of thirteen children . His two Deputy Grand Masters are barristers .

The generals , officers , and soldiers of the Masonic army are almost exclusively drawn from the lower middle classes . At present it contains comparatively few artisans or workmen , but there is a strong tendency to cut down fees to the lowest

possible point , ignore ritual , and virtually throw Freemasonry open to all comers , with ( he object of eventually bringing every class of the democracy into the Order , -and French Freemasonry will therefore become a social and political league entirely divorced from the ancient principles of the Craft .

> £ » <*> J © The interesting series of articles on the Emulation Lodge of Improvement having been brought to a conclusion in our last number , arrangements are now in progress with Bro . Sadler to publish the whole ( including the illustrations ) in one

handy volume at a moderate price . We hope to give full particulars of publication in our next issue .