Masonry In India.

all pride in themselves as a body , and become divided into cliques , all of which herald an approaching dissolution . A timely warning of their possible fate , together with a short admonition from tho Prov . Grand Master , would in most cases recall these erring brethren to a proper frame of mind , and dispose their hearts to profit by his advice ; but without

local supervision , in the event of such gloomy feeling prevailing , what must be the inevitable result 1 One Lodge the less on the roll of England . A sudden outbreak , a simultaneous change of station , causing a partial dispersion of working brethren , would in many parts of India be fatal to the prospects of a Lodge ;

the Worshipful Master , Past Masters , and Wardens , might all bo removed from the scene of their labours , and the remnant be of too recent initiation to act prudently at such a crisis . A . Prov . Grand Master or Deputy could in the majority of cases readjust matters upon a firm and satisfactory basiseither by actual attendance or by the selection of an .

, efficient brother to preside over the deserted flock ; in fact it is scarcely possible for a contingency to arise , that will prevent a really good Prov . Grand Master from continuing every Lodge under his jurisdiction in active existence . It may be necessary to remark that Prov . Grand Masters should be selected as far as possible from amongst professional men

or persons in permanent civil or military employ ; for if such office be held by brethren liable to removal , Indian Masons would gain but little by the more plentiful establishment of Masonic provinces . Thus far have we written on data with which we have

been kindly furnished by correspondents in India ; but there is also an English side to the picture , which , beiug within our knowledge , we should not be acting fairly were we to -withhold it from the brethren . The subject of a re-distribution of districts and the addition of three Provincial Grand Masters for India ,, has for many months past occupied the

attention of the authorities at home , and a scheme was prepared for dividing India into five districts ( there are at present only two , Bengal and Madras ) viz ,, Bombay , Madras , Bengal and Burmah , the North West Provinces , ancl the Punjaub . This scheme , which we have heard met with the approval of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , was by his

lordship ' s desire submitted to a considerable number of influential Masons iu India , including the past and present Grand Masters and others , and with , we believe , one exception declared to be impracticable , and likely to prove injurious to Masonry in India ; it- being urged that it would be very difficult to find brethren to fill the office of Grand Master , stationary at one district , of sufficient standing to make Masonry respected ; ancl that owing to tho constant moving of the members of Lodges from , place to place , it would

very shortly render it impossible to hold a Grand Lodgeat till . Wc believe that our foregoing observations have proved these statements to bo to a considerable extent at least , fallacious ; but , under the circumstances , we do not well see how the Grand Master could act iu the face of these opinions excepting by abandoning the scheme . It

now , however , remains for the brethren in India themselves to consider tho matter . If they wish , as wc are assured they do , for a re-distribution of the districts , and the appointment of a greater number of resident Provincial Grand Masters , they have only to memorialize the Grand Master upon the subject ; and should the majority of the Lodges concur in

opinion , we feel no doubt , from his lordship ' s repeated declarations in Grand Lodge , that he will readily fall in with their wishes , and appoint such brethren to rule over them as may appear best fitted to promote the interests of the Order , maintain its dignity , and receive the support of the Craft in the districts which they may have intrusted to their superintendence

; and no persons will be better enabled to judge ot tins than the members of the Lodges whom they may bo called upon to preside over , if they can mutually agree on

Masonry In India.

one or two names to submit to the Most Worshipful Grand Master , care being taken that nothing like local jealousies shall be allowed to interfere with their choice ,

Music And The Masonic Ritual.

MUSIC AND THE MASONIC RITUAL .

BY BRO . MATTHEW COOKE . " [ OWING to tho change of form iu The Freemasons' Magazine , many persons who clicl not subscribe to the last series would only become partially acquainted , witli tho present subject , unless they felt sufficient interest iu it to procure the previous numbers . Tho author has , therefore , prefixed a resume , of the two preceding papers on " Music and the Masonic llitualwhich have already appeared .

, Fully recognizing the revival that has taken plaoo iu Masonry through the instrumentality of the papers in tho Freemasons' Magazine , known as " Our Architectural Chapter , '" wo put in a plea for a revival o ? the musical element in our body , founding our pretensions ou the increased interest that has been manifested by the outer world , as well as in the Craftin reliiousartisticancl architectural subjects ; and wo

, g , , further based our claim on the recognition of music as one of the seven liberal sciences recommended to the especial study of every Craftsman . In the first paper ( p . 537 , "Vol . vi . ) , wo Opened with , some remarks on music , both as tin art ancl science , and we combated the erroneous impression that few people aro gifted with tho voice to produce music , showing that every individual that has the powers of speech must , of

necessity , be able to sing , although that gift should be of tho most limited extent . "Wo then passed on to remark \ that music was given us , among other perceptions of the beautiful , by the Gr . A . O . T . U . himself , for our espcoial delight and amusement ; that the most noble use to which wo could , devote it was to hymn his praise as the Giver of all good gifts ; and that licentious ideas could not arise from music itself , but only when used to heighten the expressions of loose and profane words ; finishing with a curious extract on the value aud uses of a good

. In the second paper ( p . 6 S 8 , Yol . vi . ) , wc entered upon tho inquiry of tho wonderful effects of our art recorded in the writings of tho ancient pagans , and its medicinal virtues . "We also gave general definitions of . melody , harmony , ancl rhythm ; and , returning to our starting point , discoursed of the kinds of music adopted by the ancients iu their mysteriesaud tho instruments in use them . We traced the

, among Pythagorean system of sounds to its formation ; the rites of the Druids , so far as thoy were illustrated by music , and sonio general remarks upon the Phallic or soiig-clanoe of tho ancients ; concluding this portion of the subject by the various references to Holy "Writ in which music and tho dance are commemorated . ] IK the previous papersabove referred toit will have been

, , particularly noticed by such of our readers who have perused them , that we havo avoided the subject of the music of the Egyptians , while alluding to the rites of initiation of the principal mysteries of antiquity . This we have done advisedly , because the Egyptian and Hebrew music arc so closely allied ,

that we can hardly consider the former without trenching on the latter . However , we hope in the present paper to dispose of the Egyptian , music before entering upon the great inquiry of the art , as recognized in tho Jewish and Christian : churches . And as we know of no better authority than Sir Gardner Wilkinson' ) - on . all that appertains to Egyp tian

antiquities , we shall make considerable use of his labours to elucidate our meaning-, and transfer from the work referred to such portions as we find suitable to the subject matter in . hand . With these remarks we continue our investi gation , and find that in E gypt it was not thought unbecoming the gravity ancl dignity of a priest to admit musicians into

his house , or to take p leasure in witnessing the dance ; and , seated with their wives and family , iu the midst of their friends , the highest functionaries of the sacerdotal order enjoyed tho lively scene . In the same manner , at a Greek entertainment , diversions of all kinds were introduced ; ancl Xenophon ancl Plato inform us that Socratesthe wisest of

, men , amused his friends with music , jugglers , mimics , buf-* Honorary Music Master to the Eoyal Freemasons' School for Female Children , t " Manners aud Customs of tho Ancient Egyptians . "