International Freemasonry.

opened up on eacli occasion are of an importance that would suggest any legislation being permissive rather than coercive . Nearly all the colonies are Masonically self-governing . Notable exceptions are India and South Africa . Doubtless

in each case it will come , but is not urgent . Indian interests are as well looked after in Grand Lodge as they could possibly be by any local authority , owing to the fact that so many Indian brethren come back here to enjoy their pensions , and have plenty of leisure to attend to the

Order . And as to the Cape ? Who knows but what it may be reserved for Freemasons to accomplish all that diplomacy and the sword have failed to accomplish in reconciling all conflicting issues in that country . It may be a far cry , but it is not inconceivable .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The quarterly court of subscribers of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was held on October 13 th at Freemasons ' Tavern , Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson presiding . Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth moved , and Bro . Sir Homewood Crawford seconded , a vote of sympathy with Mrs . Hunt , the widow of the late Bro . Henry Arthur Hunt , the Hon . Architect

of the Institution ; and the court , on the motion of Bro . Frank Richardson , conferred on her the rank and privileges of an Hon . Patron as a slight recognition of her husband's services in the erection of the new Junior School .

© « s >> <©• In view of the approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , at which the Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire , Bro . Lord Stanley , M . P ., will preside , a gathering of the Charity representatives

of the Manchester and Salford lodges took place on the 19 th October at a meeting of the Integrity Lodge , No . 16 3 , at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester . Bro . Lord Stanley was present and was accompanied by a number of officers of Grand Lodge , including Bro . Captain C . R . X .

Beswicke-Royds , Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and Bro . P . Colville Smith , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

« B > <» < 2 ' Bro . Colville Smith gave a history of the Institution , stating that it had now over 31 , 000 subscribers , and was paying out of its funds annuities to nearly 600 old Freemasons and widows of Freemasons , thus benefiting almost as many

individuals as the Boys' and the Girls' Schools of the Order put together . Its outgoings amounted to pj . ooo a year . and as its income from invested funds was only about . £ 5000 annually , the committee had to rely on the great generosity of the Craft to meet the yearly increasing calls

upon the Institution . There was a special claim on the East Lancashire Province for support because Bro . Lord Stanley had consented to fake the chair at the next Festival of the Institution , which was to be held on February 27 th .

< 2 > < ff > « £ ?> Bro . C . D . Cheetham , P . G . D ., said that East Lancashire held the record for having raised the largest amount of any province for any single Charity . That was raised for their own . They had been beaten twice in their special efforts

for any one of the central Masonic Charities , namely , by their neighbouring Provinces of West Lancashire and West Yorkshire . It was , however , the simplest thing in the world to wipe out their defeats .

Bro . James Newton , the Provincial Grand Secretary , said that during the past ten years the province had received from the Benevolent Institution in grants to annuitants ^ " 6866 , or , in round ligures , £ 4000 more than the province had during the same period contributed to its funds . Last year they sent X 192 to the support of the Institution , and £ ^ 60 was received therefrom by annuitants in this

province . © © ^> The Provincial Grand Master said the work of the Institution was of so noble a character that any diminution in the amount of the subscriptions , and therefore in the amount of relief given , would be a great calamity . It was

with a feeling of shame that they had heard the tigures quoted as affecting the position of East Lancashire towards the Institution . It would be a source of great satisfaction to him if in the year of his Chairmanship of the Festival they could turn the balance the right way . He would like to be

supported on the occasion beyond his personal deserts , as the representative of a rich province which was trying to put itself in a proper position .

% j > •& « u » The 125 th Anniversary of the Pilgrim Lodge , No . 23 S , was celebrated with much enthusiasm at Freemasons' Hall on the 15 th October . This ancient lodge is the only one under the Grand Lodge of England working in the German

language . It is proud , and justly so , of its antiquity and adherence to its unique traditions and customs , and on this occasion a special effort was made to render the meeting notable and interesting . Alany representatives from the Grand Lodge of Berlin attended as delegates , and the

Grand Lodge of England was fitly represented by Bros . Sir E . Letchworth , Grand Secretary ; R . Horton Smith , K . C ., P . G . Registrar ; Major Woodall , P . G . Treas . ; and many others . © & < 2 >

The delegates from Germany and the Grand Officers were specially introduced , and the Master addressed the lodge first in English and then in German on ihe event of the clay , and the happy circumstances in which the lodge had met . The German delegates , who were accorded a

most hearty welcome , made a very warm acknowledgment of their greeting , and congratulated the Pilgrim Lodge on its success , and Bros . Major Woodall and Sir E . Letchworth replied for the Grand Lodge of England . Bro . Dr . C . Harrer , the S . W ., then delivered an oration on the evolution

of the lodge and its general history , and portraits of the Past Masters for the last twenty-live years were presented to the company , with a little book in German tracing the lodge ' s career . During the meeting a German gentleman was initiated in Freemasonry , and Bro . Dr . R . Baelz , the Junior

Warden , subsequently gave an address on the connecting link formed by Masonry and the Pilgrim Lodge between England and Germany . At Freemasons' Tavern , when the formalities were closed , an exceedingly pleasant evening terminated with a banquet .

o ® ® The formation of the so-called Grand Lodge of Queensland bids fair to introduce some disturbing elements , not only into that hitherto peaceful and loyal Masonic jurisdiction , but into the relations of other bodies hitherto working in

amity . The composition of the new body is of such a nature as to preclude any possibility of its being considered as representing the Masonic community in that colony , and it is , therefore , with much regret we learn that the Grand Lodge of New South Wales has accorded it recognition as

a sovereign Grand Lodge . The New South Wales authorities can , of course , point to the fact that the Grand Lodge of Ireland had already conceded recognition , but we cannot but think that this was the result of a hasty consideration of the facts , and perhaps to a not altogether

unreasonable desire to comply with the wishes of its own countrymen , who practically form the personnel of the new body .