Contents.

CONTENTS .

E DITORIAL : BOARDS or INSTALLED MASTERS !) . "> MASONIC "P OET ' S CORNER" !)(» LODGE MEETINGS % OUK TRESTLE BOARD 97 CORRESPONDENCE 1 ) 3

OBITUARY its PROVINCIAL NOTES iij ) POINT—LEFT—RIGHT—By The Druid 5 ) 9 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTIONS ]( i ()

NOTIFICATIONS 100 COLONIAL CLIPPINGS 100 METROPOLITAN LODGES AND CHAPTERS 100 ADVERTISEMENTS Front cover , 93 , 94 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104

Boards Of Installed Masters.

Boards of Installed Masters .

K are compelled to give prominence to this subject once more by the nature of the many communications from brethren beyond those Ave have published . They all express

a great interest in the question , the majority , especially from the provinces , maintaining the propriety of the

ancient practice of opening and closing of a Board or Lodge in the Installed Master ' s degree in due order and perfect form as Lodges in other degrees are opened and

closed , and none objecting thereto if it is not irregular or against duly constituted authority . It is evident that , to those Avho know the " proper method , " the present careless

and perfunctory manner in Avhich " constitution" is effected jars most strongly upon their notions of Avhat is proper in Masonic Avorldng . To others Avho are ignorant

of the practice and procedure connected with fins portion of llitual , uncertainty of Avhat is or is not permitted , and

the absence of . any direct intervention from Avhomsoever may be tlie actual and determinate authority , is most irksome .

It is said that this subject is one the discussion of Avhich in public masonic journals is not adA'isable ; but those who say so can adduce no stronger argument against such

discussion than can be put forward for tlie same purpose , as against Avhat has been ior years , ar . d will continue to be , discussed in -relation to other portions of our ritual .

Why not say at once that the difference LetAveen the brethren desirous for the retention of the old custom and tlie beautiful teaching it conveys , and those Avhose apathy and

indifference would delete it altogether from the work of our predecessors , ought not to be subject of debate at all ? For where else can the divergent opinions be expressed

and considered Avith any prospect of a settlement ? In Grand Lodge ? No ! And AVC need not enlarge on the reasons for they are knoAvn to all Avho have ever of late years attempted to promote reform in masonic work , or to

Boards Of Installed Masters.

set wrong right . In the Board of General Purposes' ? Again No ! for tlie business of that Board does not apparently extend to the governance of the Lodges in

aught else but the performance of official duties , the maintenance of order , and the adjustment of differences Avhen such unfortunately arise and particulars thereof are

brought to their notice by aggrieved or presumably aggrieved brethren . Any question of ritual raised in that section of the governing powers in English Freemasonry

would soon be set to the right about , and the intrusiA'c questioner be speedily met Avith an ' unmistakeable rebuff . What other authority is there then to Avhom the ruler of

a masonic province Avho may charge as an irregularity that Avhich Las been the custom during many decades before power was giA-en him , and the doyen of Freemasonry

in the district which he governs can prove has been of immemorial usage , and will not surrender Avhilst he can loyally retain Avithout disloyalty , can refer for a satisfactory

settlement of so vexed a question ? We knoAV of none , and it is this very want of a qualified arbitrator , Avhose ruling shall be binding , and AA'hose dictum should be enforced

that the craft IIOAV suffers so much disturbance , not only on this point of procedure , but in many others of equal importance

It must be that in 181 : » , not more than 7 ( 1 years ago , and therefore , most probably , Avithin easy reach of proof , there Avas or Avas not a MS . form of ritual and ceremonial

relating to a board of Installed Masters , to which , at that period , direct reference Avas made in other portions of masonic work . It is certain that there are IIOAV extant

several Avritten and some printed copies of that formula , and these latter Avere neA'er challenged as being otherwise than faithful re-productions of the former , nor Avas the

performance of ceremonial in accordance therewith ever prohibited . Now , if in lSKj the trainers of craft ritual prepared such form of ceremony , Avhere is the MS . ? It

does not seem to be at all out of place to say some one must knoAV , and that such knoAvledge should be readily communicated , Avithout necessity arising for continued

questioning . On the other hand , there may have been no such formula . If that is the case , how came it that the performance of the ceremonial was ever permitted—nay

eA en encouraged—and made an integral part of the work of some of our oldest and best provincial lodges ? Was there no authority then to rule its practice an irregularity ?

Can Ave suppose that if there had been it Avould not have been exercised and the practice discontinued ? We need not IIOAV argue the point that if the board of

Installed Masters Avas never more than a name the reference thereto in our installation ceremony is ridiculous and inconsequential . It Avould not help the objects our