Masonic Records.

there ought to bo placed in his custody . Perhaps the late Secretary Avas a nominal official , seldom at his post , Avhose duties Avere vicariously performed h y the Master or the first comer . The Secretary may be a stranger to the toAvn , knoAving nothing- of its history , and if he has some old books given to him not troubling himself about their contents , but leaving - the books to be knocked about with the furniture

till tho Avorm-eaten eoA'ers come oftj and some reformer reforms tlie ragged books altogether . Each Lodge should periodically look into its records , and each . Provincial Grand Lodge should institute a periodical examination of the Lodge records ; always prOAuded the Provincial Grand Lod ge meets oftenor than once in five years , or eA en more frequently than

once a year . Such an examination Avill reveal a very melancholy , and indeed disgraceful state of affairs , and if ever made , Avill lead to a reform . It is eAudcnt one part of this reform will consist in having buildings belonging to tho Craft , in Avhich the books can be kept Avithout inconvenience to tho officials , and in safety . If books are taken into private custody they are ahvays in dangerand therefore it

, is essential they should he kept , like civil records , in efficient custody . Each Lodge should have its muniment box , and the ' minute book should not Avauder from it . The state of affairs is such that a remedy should be applied . The records of Grand Lodge contain much valuable matter in the shape of

returns from individual Lodges , which , if put in order , Avouid go far to supply the deficiency ; hut it is impossible for the officers iu the Grand Secretary ' s office to cany out this work . There must be a special , organization , and it can be readily accomplished . Let an officer of Grand Lodge be appointed to the superintendence of this department of our affairs , under the name of the Grand Archivist .

The Grand Registrar is our chief legal functionary , and has enough to do in his department , which is not to keep the old records ; tho Grand Secretary ' s business is to make records for the record keeper to preserve . The Grand Secretary ' s duty is Avith the present , that of the Grand Archivist AVOUICI be with the pasfc . The Grand Secretary must keep up to tho business of the current daythe Grand

, Archivist should bring doAvn the records from the earliest date . Tho Grand Archivist would be au honorary officer . He should be a man of zeal , energy , and literary ability , capable of keeping together and applying the historical materials of the Order . He should haA r e ; \ paid officer under him as assistant Archivist , a man competent for the discharge of such duties , such as one of tlie officials of the Record

Office . For the advantage to be gained by such labours , we think many of tho Lodges Avould subscribe , and any remaining expenses could be provided from the Fund for General Purposes . The assistant Archivist should receive say £ 200 a year , and lie would want the assistance of some common copying clerks . The labours of tho Grand Archivist Avould comprise the following heads : — . u 2