At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

into things of beauty . The commodious house has been evolved from a very quaint old farmhouse which had belonged to the family for generations , and is set in many acres of well-wooded ground . Ladv Dimsdale has no particular hobbies , and is happiest in interesting herself most keenly in those things in which her husband is interested .

There is so much cheery sympathy and kindliness in her manner that she is sure to make a model mistress of the Mansion House . (»> «« ««

A story has reached us of a candidate tor I * reemasonry who was seeking admission into a lodge in the far East . During the progress of the ceremony there was a shock of earthquake , and columns and other lodge furniture began to fall about the ears of the brethren in a most alarming manner . Fearing that worse might come , they departed in

disorderl y haste , not waiting to be passed out in a regular manner—in fact , the Worshipful Master himself headed the flight . After the lapse of some little time the more courageous returned , and found the candidate , displaying neither rashness on the one hand nor fear on the other , but standing undismayed amid the ruins . He explained afterwards he thought it all part of the ceremony .

•« ' " _?• « u ? The official visitation of a lodge for the purpose of looking into and making it see the errors of its ways is happily a somewhat rare occurrence . All the more reason therefore for having everything done regularly and in order , when such necessity arises , as otherwise unexpected results accrue , as

was the case we recently heard of in a Colonial lodge . The repute of the lodge in question had reached local headquarters , and there certainly was a sufficiently un-Masonic complexion about it to justify the District Grand Master in sending a District Grand Officer to look into things . The lodge heard of the proposed visit , and resolved to entertain

the coming visitor in fitting st yle , and , in particular , impress him with a sense of their strict adherance to Masonic law and order .

< 3 » « 8 > < S > Arrived at the lodge , where unfortunatel y no one knew him by sight , the official visitor arrayed himself in the purple with swelling importance , but he was asked at the outset who vouched for him . The Worshipful Master deferentiall y

• explained that recent edicts of Grand Lodge compelled him to be very careful about the admission of visitors . The ¦ situation was complicated also by the fact that no Grand Lodge certificate was forthcoming . The Worshipful Master looked grave at this , and expressed his surprise that a District

Grand Officer could so far have forgotten the Constitutions as to attempt to visit a lodge without that important document . In the absence of any one to vouch for him , the distinguished visitor , smothering his indignation , allowed himself to be led into an ante-room and put through his Masonic facings . But it was twenty years since his own

admission , and he had so seldom visited his lodge since passing the chair that he made a most lamentable exhibition of himself , and was forthwith bowed out , and the Worshipful Master directed the Secretary to write to head-quarters stating that gross personation and imposture had been attempted .

Sometimes , however , the visitor gets the best of things . A brother of independent spirit visiting a strange town found his way to the lodge and stated his wish to be present at the meeting . A brother was deputed to examine him , whilst the members , headed by the W . M ., were leisurel y filing their way into lodge . Hardly had the latter got to the

dais , when the examining brother rushed in with dismayed countenance to say that the brother without declined to reply to any question whatever till he had seen the lodge warrant . Every officer present who had a Book of the Constitutions , turned it up to seek advice , but this was a case as to which

no advice could be found , and finally the warrant was taken out and shown to the visitor , who then declared himself satisfied that a regular lodge was working ( here that evening .

But then the examining brother underwent a second collapse , for the visitor required to see his Grand Lodge certificate . Then a brother was found who happened to have his with him , and the examination was entrusted to him , and eventually the visitor found his way into lodge . The work of the evening was not conducted in that spirit of love and harmony which

ought to characterise Masons , and , worse still to relate , the visitor was not asked to take any part in the Fourth Degree , which was subsequently worked .

The study of lodge by-laws will often cause the student a certain amount of amusement . The difference between " shall" and " may" is often very imperfectly understood . What , for instance , can be more meaningless than the following regulation : — " At the close of each meeting members shall deposit their free-will offerings in a box provided for

the purpose . " Where does the free will come in ? Then again , only such laws should be inserted as there is some prospect or some possibility of being adhered to . Here , for instance , is one : — "All lodge monies over and above the sum of Xioo shall be invested in Consols in the name of the lodge . " A lodge , as such , cannot hold tiny Government

securities or landed property unless it has been incorporated , not even Grand Lodge . What is meant , of course , is that the Consols should be in the names of certain trustees . Then again , there is the useless by-law conferring partial Masonic disability on brethren in arrears . This " closure by

compartments , " as it has been wittily called by a contemporary , is unconstitutional . The way to deal with a defaulting brother is clearly laid down , and it does not consist in lopping off his Masonic privileges bit bv bit .

Bro . George Potter-Kirby , who was elected to the ancient office of Sheriff of the City of York on the 9 th November , is a prominent member of the Craft and well known in the Province of North and East Yorkshire . He is a Past Master of the York Lodge , No . 236 ; P . Z . and Treasurer of the Zetland Chapter , No . 23 6 ; * P . P . G . D . C . of Provincial Grand Lodge ; and Past Prov . G . Registrar of Provincial

JiJiO . GEOm'E I'OTTEH-KiliHV .

Grand Chapter of North and East Yorkshire . He is also Treasurer of the York Lodge , and was recently the recipient of a handsome Treasurer ' s jewel , subscribed for amongst the brethren as a mark of their affection and esteem . Bro . Geo . Potter-Kirby also fakes considerable interest in the various Charitable and other institutions in the district . We wish him a happy and prosperous ( enure of office .