"Ars Quatuor Coronatorum,"

explained that by " both circles " is meant : —1 st , The regular members of tbo Lodge itself , restricted to forty in number , which comprise the Inner Circle , and , 2 ml , The brethren who , not being absolutely members of the Lodge , are sharers in its literary work and recipients of the

advantages we have endeavoured , but feebly , to set forth , and these are known as the Outer Circle . Amongst these latter we note , in the list of members , some sixty Masonic Lodges and Chapters , the numbers and names of which we would , if our space permitted , announce in this present

writing as examples which should he followed by every Lodge and Chapter attached to the English Constitution ; for , if it be not already so , it soon will be recognized that Membership of the Correspondence , or Outer Circle , will be esteemed a " hall mark " of masonic distinction .

\\ e could greatly extend our remarks as to the work of the lodge during the past two years by detailed information in respect of its financial position , and show that

notwithstanding a large outlay in the production of its printed works , and in something beyond the ordinary expenditure of even the most expensive of our lodges , good balances are found in favour of the several accounts . This results from

the devotion of masonic subscriptions and fees to masonic working purposes only , and not to the pleasures of the table on all occasions of meeting . In fact it does not appear that one single penny of lodge funds has been spent in the

latter direction , but that on all occasions the brethren have dined together at their individual cost , and with much to be commended moderation . This is as it should be , and the practice of Lodge Quatuor Coronati in this respect might be followed with considerable advantage to

Freemasonry . With the report has also been forwarded to us a copy of the " St . John ' s Card " of the Lodge , bearing the date " St . John ' s Day in Winter , 1888 " ( Dec . 27 th ) , and which is a Christmas Card , in excehis , to the members of the

lodge and Correspondence Circle from W . Bro . William Simpson , the present W . M . This book contains very interesting addresses from both Master and Secretary , lists of Lodge Members , and of the lodges and brethren who are members of the outer circle , and other interesting matter ,

including a full page illuminated allegorical design by Bro . Simpson who is an ardent student of symbolism , and the interpretation of which is left by him to the ingenuity and judgment of each individual brother . One portion of this design is expressive of the " Hearty good wishes " of the W . M . and his officers to those with Avhom thev are more

nearly connected in relation to the Lodge Quatuoi Coronati , and we feel assured such wishes will be appre ciated by all to whom thev are addressed .

Masonic Benevolence For The Year 1888.

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE FOR THE YEAR 1888 .

During the year which closed on Monday last , Masonic benevolence produced an amount for the three English Masonic Charitable Institutions combined far surjjassing that of any previous twelvemonth , and exceeding the largest annual sum hitherto collected for them by £ 21 , 855 . The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , the oldest of the three

institutions , which celebrated the completion of its first hundred years of existence on June 7 th , shows a total receipt of £ 49 , 259 ¦ Is . 4 d . ; the youngest of the institutions , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons . and Widows of Freemasons a sum of £ 21 . 361 15 s . Id . ; and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which was ninety years old last year , the amount of £ 12 . 293

2 s . 5 d ., a less sum than either of these institutions has received in any one of the previous seven years . The largest amounts in former years obtained by these institutions were £ 25 , 96 ' 8 Is . Id . in 1887 by the Benevolent Institution , and £ 25 , 010 17 s . Id . in 1883 by the Boys' School , but both these institutions were most seriously affected in 1888 by the special

effort made to celebrate the centenary of the Girls' School last year by an extraordinary subscription , which realised , under the chairmanship of the Prince of "Wales , at the festival at the Albert Hall . £ 41 , 600 lis . lid . * The Boys'School and the Benevolent Institution will not have such an adverse circumstance to contend against this year , and the totals of the three will probably resume their normal amounts .

Apart from these institutions , another body which is doing a great work in relieving distress is the Board of Benevolence , which meets once a month , and dispenses the Fund of Benevolence , to which every English Freemason , by the very fact of his becoming a Mason and subscribing to a lodge , contributes . During the yoar 1888 the Board of Benevolence made grants to cases of distress to the amount of £ 11 ,-168 .

[ "In reference to the foregoing , which hes appeared in most of the daily papers , we may state that this is . to our knowledge incorrect , the total of contributions having been £ 51 . 500 . not all yet paid over , but in course of collection . —ED . Jl . S . l

The Ritual.

THE RITUAL .

CONTINUATION OF CHAP . V . OF BRO . II . . 1 . WHYJIPER ' " RELIGION OF FIIKEMASONIIY . "—( rtee page . 272 . ) [|| Hf || T is called ; i The Triad , " and presents us with no less than | H Ws 78 Triads selected from our Ritual . The collection is still 'H HI obviously incomplete , and the author states that motives of jlg & nlsl prudence caused him to omit some . Surely only the partial blindness of familiarity can prevent us seeing the significance of this pregnant fact !

We are not here raising any theory as to Hiram being a type of Christ . If any other than the English Constitution can receive Hiram as typifying some one else , well and good , it is nothing to us . If another Constitution can differently apply all the symbols which , when introduced into our system , were intended to have a Christian significance , so be it : but any applicability which may be discovered concerns us not . If it reallv be the case that when

our Society was formulated , by some happy chance , all its esoteric teaching regarding matters relating to religion Avas available by all religions , then Freemasonry must have a right to lay claim to higher consideration than any Mason , in his very wildest dreams , has ever as yet vaguely imagined . Nothing short of the inspiration of Omniscience could aforethought produce such a miraculous

result . The manner in which the high degrees in Masonry , which are admittedly Christian , came into existence , we think somewhat bears out our views . We believe that as the genuine principles of Masonry began to suffer by the ideas of Universality , the system was seen to have no linalitv . or that it would have none with the

removal of the Christian element . It could then only be unsatisfying and incomplete . There was immediately a reason for high degrees —to complete the structure—which did not previously exist . The high degrees are said to have " crept in " at a time of Masonit degeneracy . They could not have crept in unless there was some room for them . Now we are told that the reason why the Craft

does not recognise the high degrees is because the latter are Christian . We are of opinion that this theory could be fully supported by argument , for the present we will merely draw attention to the strong grounds there arc for surmising that the Royal Arch degree was originally part of the Master Mason ' s degree .

A reference to Bro . Hughan ' s " Origin of the English Rite of Freemasonry , " p . 52 , will be instructive . He there quotes from Bro . Whitehead ( of York ) , Dr . Mackey , Dr . Oliver , and the late lamented Bro . Woodford , none of them mean authorities , and some of the very first rank , and all agree in the opinion , for which they give their reasons , that the Roval Arch degree is a shred torn from the

cliak of the Master Masons . Then we have the fact that m a Ritual of 1730 the third degree contains an allusion to the word ir which was once lost and is now found . " * We are bound to confess that that excellent authority , Bro . Hughan , does not himself hold these views , although he goes some short way with us . He says . f " We favour the theory that a word was placed in the

' Royal Arch' prominently , which was previously given m the Seetions [ i . e ., lectures ] of the third degree , and known ' as the ancient word of a Master Mason . ' We understand that it is still so communicated in some Master Masons' Lodges on the Continent , and we know that it is to be found on old tracing boards of early last century . " Bro . Hughan therefore admits that some part of the

present Royal Arch degree formed a part of the Master Mason s , and considering the importance attached by Masons to words under certain circumstances , our Brother ' s admission is of some consequence to us . But whether the Royal Arch degree ever was or was not identical with , it is in reality now part of the Master Mason ' s degree , the

complement thereof , and can hardly possess Masonic significance apart from it . We will as briefly as possible enumerate the Christian references in it . In the course of the ceremony a Redeemer is specially mentioned . J Portions of the Scriptures are read at various stages . The Lord God of Israel is referred to , thus excluding all but Jews ,

Mahommedans , or Christians . At one time allusion was made to the prediction that the sceptre should not depart from Judah , nor a lawgiver from beneath his feet until Shiloh come . This is now usually omitted . In a Ritual before us of the first half of the century , occurs the opening verse of the gospel according to St . John— " In the

beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the word was God . " Whatever may be the present meaning attributed to the Word , there can be very little doubt , after this , what it used to be . The Uoynl Arch degree is the capestone of Craft Masonry . The discovery of the long lost word or knowledge of God is its subject , and its relation to its predecessors is briefly as

follows—Throughout the ritual of the preceding degrees , one idea is ever brought prominently forward , which is , that by a course of study , by earnest and arduous search , by a pure and moral life , a fit temple can be prepared for the reception of the knowledge or word of God . The ultimate discovery and acquirement of this word is the subject of the Royal Arch degree and the crowning or completion of the ideal Masonic edifice .

The actual characters which are feigned to be discovered , and which are supposed to form an ineffable name , are , like all else in Masonry , symbolical . The characters and the name they form are in themselves of no value whatever , but symbolically they are of

the greatest importance . The meaning of the name itself is of doubtful authenticity . One acknowledged authority writes— " The name of God must be taken in Freemasonry as symbolical of truth , and then the search for it will be nothing else but the search after truth . "S