At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

It will be remembered that in the statement made on the subject by the Grand Registrar in the September Communication of Grand Lodge , it was asserted that out of 152 lodges in the colony only 39 had given their adhesion to the scheme ( of which 25 were Irish loclges and 15 Scottish ) , while not a single English lodge of the 62 existing is

concerned in the movement . To claim for this small body the lights and privileges of a supreme and sovereign jurisdiction is an abuse of terms which cannot but lead to complications and misunderstandings that may have a farreaching effect .

* 9 * 2 > At the annual ' meeting of the North Wales Provincial Grand Lodge , held at Barmouth , there was a strong muster , when the Deputy P . G . M . in charge moved a resolution expressing profound grief in the great loss which the

province had sustained by the sudden and lamented death of Sir W . Grenville Williams , the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Province , and offering sympathy to the family and relations in their grievous loss . The resolution was seconded by the Acting Deputy P . G . M ., \ V . Bro . J . E .

Greaves , and carried . The following , amongst other brethren , were invested Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . J . Parry Jones , P . S . G . W . ; the Rev . W . L . Nicholas and the Rev . W . David Roberts , P . G . Chaplains . In the course of the further proceedings Bro . John Davies

next handed over to the Wor . Bro . Edmond Roberts an illuminated address and a massive silver tray subscribed by the members of the lodges in the province to mark their appreciation of his services for 13 years as Provincial Grand Secretary .

« $ < k ©> The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Monmouthshire was held at the Masonic Hall , Tredegar , on Thursday , October 6 th , under the banner of St . George's Lodge , No . J 098 : The Right Wor . Bro . H .

Martyn Kennard presided , Bro . Fred Phillips being the Deputy Provincial Grand Master . The annual report showed an increase of membership . A satisfactory report upon the Charity fund was submitted , and it was decided to support this year the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Officers

for the ensuing year were elected and installed . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master presented for the use of St . George ' s Lodge a handsome gavel suitably inscribed . Amongst those who attended were Bro . P . C . Colville Smith , P . G . D ., Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The annual banquet was held at the Castle Hotel .

© < 3 > < 3 > At the invitation of his Masonic friends , Bro . J . B . Nickolls , who was on the point of leaving the island , attended at the Guernsey Masonic Temple , on the iolh October , to receive at the hands of the brethren a mark of their esteem

on his departure from Guernsey forthwith , and as a consequence relinquishing the post of Provincial Grand Secretary in the early future . There was a strong muster , which include d the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Brigade-Surgeon J . Balfour Cockburn , M . D ., who was supported by the

Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . E . C . Ozanne , King ' s Procureur ; Bro . Dr . E . K . Corbin , the Worshipful Master of Doyle ' s ; and other Provincial Grand Officers .

O « 3 > < S > Bro . Dr . Corbin addressed the brethren and told them how he and others had heard with regret of the intended departure of the Provincial Grand Secretary from the island , an event which could not be allowed to take place unless he

carried with him some substantial token of the esteem in which he had always been held by his brethren . Consequently a committee had been formed and a subscription list opened , the maximum and minimum of each contribution being particularly noted . Thus the brethren knew exactly how to respond , and respond they did as becometh

Freemasons . Bro . Dr . Corbin concluded by asking the Provincial Grand Master to make the presentation , which consisted of a gold watch and chain with suitable inscription .

1 ! H 0 . . ! . H . MOKOI . T . S . The presentation was made by the Provincial Grand Master . The task he had to perform was , he said , highly congenial to him , notwithstanding that it could only be performed with sadnessseeing that it involved the departure

, of a friend and the loss of a devoted officer of the Provincial Grand Lodge . In presenting the tribute of regard , he expressed the hope that the Great Architect would grant long life to the recipient , and that every time he had occasion to refer to his watch he would be reminded of the Province of

Guernsey and Alderney , and of the love and esteem in which he was held by its members . In thanking the brethren , Bro . Nickolls could only say that he would cherish the souvenir as long as he lived , and thanked the brethren from his heart ' s core .

® <© «» A writer in the American Tvler is of opinion "that the ignorance or neglect of Masonic duties 011 the part of many brethren is largely our own fault . Our loclges are so anxious to make a membership record , and so eager to gather in

the shekels that we do not scrutinize the character of petitioners with sufficient care . We assume that every man will make a Mason if he is whole of body , has never been in the penitentiary and has the requisite number of dollars . No wonder we get some material that is worse than useless .

And then when the candidate is admitted in some lodge there seems to be no other thought but for accurate rendition of the work . There appears to be a careful repression of every generous and warm-hearted impulse or expression lest it should interfere with the phonographic program . I am not

surprised at the sterility of Masonic teachings when the mental temperature of our lodge rooms is kept continually below the germinating point . "

< s > < s » < s » The use of the word " profane" as applied to the un-Masonic world , is much more common among oin-Transatlantic brethren than ourselves , but it is not altogether unfamiliar to English ears . We cannot say that it is a word which seems altogether fitting to describe the vastly greater

proportion of the world's inhabitants , and to our minds it has a little savour of Masonic arrogance . A correspondent of the Masonic Chronicler insists that " profane" is not a proper word to apply to the un-Masonic world . He finds that Webster and other lexicographers define it as denoting irreverence to God and to sacred things , and argues that