Organisation In Freemasonry.

portion of his life to measures involving arduous labour . Nevertheless , something will have to be done by organization Avithin Grand Lodge and organizations Avithout , so as to give more vigour and vitality

to Freemasonry as an institution . Grand Lodge itself may prove to need reorganization , so as to obtain a more efficient administration , and the lodges in our provinces must be assisted by an energetic organization , so as to be able to

accomplish their mission . A young member enters the Order active and zealous , but he soon finds he has no means of accomplishing any useful mission , because , from want of organization , he is unsupported . If the effort be for any Masonic

purpose—a Masonic Hall , for instance—although temporary aid alone is wanted , to accomplish a large object , not even a thousand pounds can be obtained from the funds of Grand Lodge or by any systematic exertion of Grand Lodge . If it is

a charitable object he will find no help from the general administration , but he may possibly encounter resistance . What we want therefore

throughout is such organization as shall give the effect for each member , and for the Craft at large , of a true co-operation . We invite the consideration of our correspondents and readers to suggest the requisite measures for accomplishing this .

Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR .

By J . A . H . THE CONFLICT OF JURISDICTION . A glance at European Freemasonry shows that ihe Craft has numerous varieties of organisation and ritual . In England Ave have : —

1 st . The Grand Chapter and Grand Lodge . 2 nd . The Grand Lodge of Mark Masters . 3 rd . The Ancient and Accepted Rite . 4 th . The Knights Templar and Malta . 5 th . The Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and

Constantine . A foreigner is often puzzled to know what all these various bodies mean , and Avithout disparaging the higher orders , it is nevertheless a fact that the Grand Lodge is par excellence accepted as the

representative of English Masonry in the minds of Craftsmen abroad . The degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Rite are known in France , Belgium , Italy and America , but a German despises their honours and refuses to acknowledge their validity albeit they date from Frederick the Great and

flourish under the Royal Arms of Russia . The Knights of the Temple and the Red Cross are principally confined to the United Kingdom and America , and are practically unknown on the Continent though a French catholic priest once

told us that in France the phrase to " swear like a trooper , " is translated into to " swear like a Templar . " There is however considerable resemblance between the temple degree and that of the 30 th or K . H . in the Ancient and Accepted Rite ,

and consequently it has been a subject of debate as to whether an English Templar was not rightfully entitled to attend meetings of the 30 th degree in France . We have not found any traces of the Mark degree on the Continent , though we

are told that it does exist someAvhere . There is a growing feeling that this degree ought to be included in those which are given under the sanction ofthe Grand Lodge . Meanwhile matters are in a very unsatisfactory state . The Grand Chapter

of Scotland is issuing charters for Mark lodges in England , while in addition to the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters there is a numerous and influential United Mark Lodge , the head-quarters of

which are at Ashton-under-Lyne in Lancashire , and which has recently chartered a new Mark Lodge in Liverpool . The members of these several Mark Lodges are agreed in considering each other spurious ; but we are at a loss to

understand what the word can express beyond unmeaning reproach for they are nearly alike as to working . In Scotland there exists the following Masonic bodies : — 1 st . The Royal Order of Scotland .

2 nd . The Ancient and Accepted Rite . 3 rd . The Order of the Temple . 4 th . The Grand Chapter and Grand Lodge . The Grand Lodge and the Grand Chapter are rather more distinct in their " autonary " than in

England . The Mark Degree is sometimes given in Lodges as well as in chapters in Scotland . The Royal Order is in the opinion of Bro . W . J . Hughan and other well-informed brethren , undoubtedly the most ancient Order of Masonic

knighthood in existence . Its peculiarity of uniting the sword and the trowel goes far—if its antiquity is admitted—to prove that the legendary connection of knightly orders with Freemasonry is no mere myth .

The Irish system it unique—else would it be Irish ?—for there the one Great Masonic organisation professed to give the 33 degrees of the