Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
L EADERS i > ° The Schools Elections So The l ' oetry of Freemasonry 180 Uoval Masonic Institution for Boys ... iSr nm-al Masonic Benevolent Institution ... 1 S 1 FUst Ladies' Festival of the Waldeck Lodge , No . i 960 lSl Crvptic Masonry 'St Allied Masonic Degrees iSr The Craft Abroad " > i C ORRESPONDENCEThe Principle of the Ballot 183 Cowan ... ' 'S 3 Politics in Freemasonry 1 S 3 The Right of Visiting > S . j Old Books ami MSS 18 4
CORRESPONDENCE ( Continued ) Lodges of Instruction v . Instruction Meetings 18 4 The Abuse of the Ballot 18 4 French Freemasonry r » 4 Roval Alpha Lodge 184 "A ' himan Rezon " 1 S 4 Reviews ¦ l 8 4 Notes and Queries i 8 J REPORTS OF MASONIC M EETINGS— ' Craft Masonry iSj Instruction 18 G Royal Arch 186 Mark Masonry 1 S 6 The Theatres 180 Masonic and General Tidings 1 S 7 Lodce Meetings for Next Week 1 S 8
Ar00100
THE elections of the Girls' and Boys' Schools take place on the nth and rth inst ., too late for notice until our issue of the iSth inst . We hear that the voting at the Boys ' election will be very high , while the Girls' will be comparatively easy . We regret to learn that the system , which can not be too much deprecated of affixing an arbitrary value to one class and kind of voting papers has been revived this year . We had hoped that we had
heard the last of it , as we feel sure that for many reasons it is most injurious in practice , and unless checked will one day be productive of serious evils to our Charities . We are much struck with the fact of the persistent abstenlion of so many voters . What is the cause of this ? Does it proceed from
anything more than that unfortunate indifference and apathy which mark our good brethren so often in so many particulars ? No doubt so many are printed circulars and charitable voting papers just now , that too many throw them on one side and forget them , but as the evil , is instead of lessening , rather on the increase amongst us , we think it right to call attention to a
grave error , for which the remedy is very easily found . • * DAME RUMOUR is not always a reliable personage , and , like Mrs . GRUNDY , cannot be depended upon for many asseverations . On dit , that among the likely recip ients of Grand Office this year will be found Bro . General
Sir BRUCE SETON , Bro . GOLDNEY , and Bro . Dr . MEADOWS , all brethren , in our humble opinion , well deserving of the Purple . Of course it is impossible to satisfy all demands , and p lease all comers . The patronage of the GRAND MASTER is very limited , and the applicants are very many . In all similar arrangements we have to contend with the complaints of the
dissatisfied , and the eagerness of self-valuation . No more serious task exists in a Fraternity like ours than the apportionment of Grand Lodge honours , giving honour to whom honour is due , and allowing neither personal preferences nor idiosyncratic partialities to overweigh the legitimate claims of Masonic service and Masonic work . We must all , we think , be
sensible to-day of the anxiety displayed year by year by our GRAND MASTER and his counsellors to select those whom the fair voice of the public opinion of the Craft commends heartily as worthy of special service . It is impossible to lay down any " canons " of promotion or preference which
are unfailing and applicable to all cases equally . Many things have to be taken into account in striking the balance as to this or that brother's claim , this ° r that brother's expectations . There is no rule without an exception , and therefore we must always believe that for some good and sufficient reason Bro . "What's-his-name" has been selected from out of the " crowd of
applicants" for the much-coveted Purple . In all human organizations weak and strong men are to be found , and the prominent and second-rate arc jumbled together in great profusion . To the square individuals too often are allotted the round holes , and to the round the square , and l ' princi ple of selection is always weighted with this inevitable
drawback , —that , say what you will , decide as you may , you never can d 'vest the disappointed one of the suspicion , however unfair or unjust , lh at personal preference lies to a great extent at the root of the matter after * " Still , let us offer the aspirations of hope even to those who are dejected v repeated disappointments . " If not to-day , to-morrow , " is a saying
Ver > ' applicable to eager seekers after office and promotion . If worthy , your time will probably come , so calmly " take the goods the gods provide J ° u , and await in patience that more fortunate and auspicious hour when your GRAND MASTER calls you , with words of approbation , to take your seat aiT > 'd the serried rows of the fortunate Purple ,
* * # ¦ s curious to note how the canon of developement has marked the official P ° gress of the Grand Lodge of England . It once was governed by a Grand
Ar00101
Master , a Deputy , and two Grand Wardens , and certainStewards . Then came the Secretary , then the Swordbearer , then the Treasurer , then the Grand Chaplain , and , we believe , towards the close of the eighteenth century , a Grand Portrait Painter . It was not until after 1 S 13 thai our present complement of officers was reached , and that has received several accretions as
the years have rolled on . The Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , and Grand Wardens seem to have been the only Grand Officers up to 1723 , when 12 Stewards were appointed , six having acted in 1772 , and the Grand Secretary was also appointed from 1723 . The Grand Sword Bearer was appointed in 1731 , and the Grand Treasurer in 1741 , though Bro .
BLACKERBY , P . D . G . M ., had acted in 1732 as Treasurer , and until 1738 , when there seems to have been an in interval . The Grand Chaplain is said to be revived many years later , though Dr . DODD seems to have been the first . We find also at the end of the century a Grand Architect , ;\ Grand Portrait Painter , at any rate before 1 S 13 .
* # * WE understand some needful changes are going on in the " personnel " of the administration of the Girls' School , which we think merit notice , and may be well alluded to " for information . " The venerated Matron , Miss J ARWOOD , is now in , it is to be feared , apparently permanent ill-health , and
an Acting Matron , Miss BUCK , now Mistress of the Junior School , has been appointed . We think that a wise move , and one in the right direction . It is seldom in these days that one hears of 60 years good and faithful service , yet the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls have to be congratulated on this in the person of our hi ghly esteemed friend , Miss
JARWOOD , Matron and Head of the School , who has been compelled from increasing age and inability to move about to ask the Mouse Committee to relieve her from the responsibilities of her position ; this they have done in a manner that we are sure will meet with the hearty approval of the supporters of the Institution . Miss J ARWOOD expressed a hope that whatever
arrangements were made that she might not be separated from the " dear children , " as she always loves to call them . The House Committee accordingly asked her to retain the position of Head of the School , and stated that they would ask for power [ to appoint someone to take the active duties who would be responsible to the Committee—this proposal gave * great satisfaction to Miss
J ARWOOD . The Committee , having obtained the necessary powers , have appointed Miss BUCK , formerly Head Governess of the Junior School , to the position of acting and responsible Matron . This arrangement will not affect the other offices of the Institution , excepting that it creates a vacancy in the Junior School , which Miss DAVIS will have no difficulty in filling to
her satisfaction . We must congratulate the Committee on the action they have taken ; we feel sure they have considered the best interests of the Institution , and have not forgotten they are dealing with an old and faithful servant . For some time Miss J ARWOOD ' health has not been in a
satisfactory state , but this act of retaining her in her position as Head of the School and relieving her from all responsibility , has , we are glad to hear , greatly assisted her recovery , as she herself puts it , " A load has been taken off my mind . " May she be spared for years to come to assist with her advice in this excellently-managed Institution .
* * * WE regret to notice in some foreign jurisdictions the constant mixing up of Freemasons and politics . It was only the other day , in discussing a ministerial crisis in a foreign country , one of our English correspondents declared that a certain Statesman was a great Freemason , and a leading
member of a national jurisdiction . Such statements cannot be sufficiently deplored , and the harm they do to Freemasonry is very great indeed . Freemasonry proper has nothing whatever to do with political parties and sectarian controversies , and whenever or wherever this great and leading principle of all true Freemasonry everywhere , and under all
circumstances , is forgotten or ignored , then assuredly sooner or later Freemasonry is discredited , and its utility is impaired . It has long been the pride and distinction of English Freemasonry that it has been enabled carefully through long years to maintain this distinct and well-defined position , and has never allowed any temptation , the heated utterances of incautious
orators , or the childish maunderings of excitable minds to obscure this great and leading dogma , to undermine this important concrete development of Masonic first principles . Freemasonry , as we have it , has formed a rallying point for many of very different views , and even differing creeds .
Within our lodges , while a pitiless storm of politics and polemics may be heard without , —all is calm and peace . VVe need not take up the strains of animated enthusiasts , or mistaken fanatics . Freemasonry is not a religion to man , neither can [ it be put before us as | an absorbing and all including philosophy , before which all
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
L EADERS i > ° The Schools Elections So The l ' oetry of Freemasonry 180 Uoval Masonic Institution for Boys ... iSr nm-al Masonic Benevolent Institution ... 1 S 1 FUst Ladies' Festival of the Waldeck Lodge , No . i 960 lSl Crvptic Masonry 'St Allied Masonic Degrees iSr The Craft Abroad " > i C ORRESPONDENCEThe Principle of the Ballot 183 Cowan ... ' 'S 3 Politics in Freemasonry 1 S 3 The Right of Visiting > S . j Old Books ami MSS 18 4
CORRESPONDENCE ( Continued ) Lodges of Instruction v . Instruction Meetings 18 4 The Abuse of the Ballot 18 4 French Freemasonry r » 4 Roval Alpha Lodge 184 "A ' himan Rezon " 1 S 4 Reviews ¦ l 8 4 Notes and Queries i 8 J REPORTS OF MASONIC M EETINGS— ' Craft Masonry iSj Instruction 18 G Royal Arch 186 Mark Masonry 1 S 6 The Theatres 180 Masonic and General Tidings 1 S 7 Lodce Meetings for Next Week 1 S 8
Ar00100
THE elections of the Girls' and Boys' Schools take place on the nth and rth inst ., too late for notice until our issue of the iSth inst . We hear that the voting at the Boys ' election will be very high , while the Girls' will be comparatively easy . We regret to learn that the system , which can not be too much deprecated of affixing an arbitrary value to one class and kind of voting papers has been revived this year . We had hoped that we had
heard the last of it , as we feel sure that for many reasons it is most injurious in practice , and unless checked will one day be productive of serious evils to our Charities . We are much struck with the fact of the persistent abstenlion of so many voters . What is the cause of this ? Does it proceed from
anything more than that unfortunate indifference and apathy which mark our good brethren so often in so many particulars ? No doubt so many are printed circulars and charitable voting papers just now , that too many throw them on one side and forget them , but as the evil , is instead of lessening , rather on the increase amongst us , we think it right to call attention to a
grave error , for which the remedy is very easily found . • * DAME RUMOUR is not always a reliable personage , and , like Mrs . GRUNDY , cannot be depended upon for many asseverations . On dit , that among the likely recip ients of Grand Office this year will be found Bro . General
Sir BRUCE SETON , Bro . GOLDNEY , and Bro . Dr . MEADOWS , all brethren , in our humble opinion , well deserving of the Purple . Of course it is impossible to satisfy all demands , and p lease all comers . The patronage of the GRAND MASTER is very limited , and the applicants are very many . In all similar arrangements we have to contend with the complaints of the
dissatisfied , and the eagerness of self-valuation . No more serious task exists in a Fraternity like ours than the apportionment of Grand Lodge honours , giving honour to whom honour is due , and allowing neither personal preferences nor idiosyncratic partialities to overweigh the legitimate claims of Masonic service and Masonic work . We must all , we think , be
sensible to-day of the anxiety displayed year by year by our GRAND MASTER and his counsellors to select those whom the fair voice of the public opinion of the Craft commends heartily as worthy of special service . It is impossible to lay down any " canons " of promotion or preference which
are unfailing and applicable to all cases equally . Many things have to be taken into account in striking the balance as to this or that brother's claim , this ° r that brother's expectations . There is no rule without an exception , and therefore we must always believe that for some good and sufficient reason Bro . "What's-his-name" has been selected from out of the " crowd of
applicants" for the much-coveted Purple . In all human organizations weak and strong men are to be found , and the prominent and second-rate arc jumbled together in great profusion . To the square individuals too often are allotted the round holes , and to the round the square , and l ' princi ple of selection is always weighted with this inevitable
drawback , —that , say what you will , decide as you may , you never can d 'vest the disappointed one of the suspicion , however unfair or unjust , lh at personal preference lies to a great extent at the root of the matter after * " Still , let us offer the aspirations of hope even to those who are dejected v repeated disappointments . " If not to-day , to-morrow , " is a saying
Ver > ' applicable to eager seekers after office and promotion . If worthy , your time will probably come , so calmly " take the goods the gods provide J ° u , and await in patience that more fortunate and auspicious hour when your GRAND MASTER calls you , with words of approbation , to take your seat aiT > 'd the serried rows of the fortunate Purple ,
* * # ¦ s curious to note how the canon of developement has marked the official P ° gress of the Grand Lodge of England . It once was governed by a Grand
Ar00101
Master , a Deputy , and two Grand Wardens , and certainStewards . Then came the Secretary , then the Swordbearer , then the Treasurer , then the Grand Chaplain , and , we believe , towards the close of the eighteenth century , a Grand Portrait Painter . It was not until after 1 S 13 thai our present complement of officers was reached , and that has received several accretions as
the years have rolled on . The Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , and Grand Wardens seem to have been the only Grand Officers up to 1723 , when 12 Stewards were appointed , six having acted in 1772 , and the Grand Secretary was also appointed from 1723 . The Grand Sword Bearer was appointed in 1731 , and the Grand Treasurer in 1741 , though Bro .
BLACKERBY , P . D . G . M ., had acted in 1732 as Treasurer , and until 1738 , when there seems to have been an in interval . The Grand Chaplain is said to be revived many years later , though Dr . DODD seems to have been the first . We find also at the end of the century a Grand Architect , ;\ Grand Portrait Painter , at any rate before 1 S 13 .
* # * WE understand some needful changes are going on in the " personnel " of the administration of the Girls' School , which we think merit notice , and may be well alluded to " for information . " The venerated Matron , Miss J ARWOOD , is now in , it is to be feared , apparently permanent ill-health , and
an Acting Matron , Miss BUCK , now Mistress of the Junior School , has been appointed . We think that a wise move , and one in the right direction . It is seldom in these days that one hears of 60 years good and faithful service , yet the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls have to be congratulated on this in the person of our hi ghly esteemed friend , Miss
JARWOOD , Matron and Head of the School , who has been compelled from increasing age and inability to move about to ask the Mouse Committee to relieve her from the responsibilities of her position ; this they have done in a manner that we are sure will meet with the hearty approval of the supporters of the Institution . Miss J ARWOOD expressed a hope that whatever
arrangements were made that she might not be separated from the " dear children , " as she always loves to call them . The House Committee accordingly asked her to retain the position of Head of the School , and stated that they would ask for power [ to appoint someone to take the active duties who would be responsible to the Committee—this proposal gave * great satisfaction to Miss
J ARWOOD . The Committee , having obtained the necessary powers , have appointed Miss BUCK , formerly Head Governess of the Junior School , to the position of acting and responsible Matron . This arrangement will not affect the other offices of the Institution , excepting that it creates a vacancy in the Junior School , which Miss DAVIS will have no difficulty in filling to
her satisfaction . We must congratulate the Committee on the action they have taken ; we feel sure they have considered the best interests of the Institution , and have not forgotten they are dealing with an old and faithful servant . For some time Miss J ARWOOD ' health has not been in a
satisfactory state , but this act of retaining her in her position as Head of the School and relieving her from all responsibility , has , we are glad to hear , greatly assisted her recovery , as she herself puts it , " A load has been taken off my mind . " May she be spared for years to come to assist with her advice in this excellently-managed Institution .
* * * WE regret to notice in some foreign jurisdictions the constant mixing up of Freemasons and politics . It was only the other day , in discussing a ministerial crisis in a foreign country , one of our English correspondents declared that a certain Statesman was a great Freemason , and a leading
member of a national jurisdiction . Such statements cannot be sufficiently deplored , and the harm they do to Freemasonry is very great indeed . Freemasonry proper has nothing whatever to do with political parties and sectarian controversies , and whenever or wherever this great and leading principle of all true Freemasonry everywhere , and under all
circumstances , is forgotten or ignored , then assuredly sooner or later Freemasonry is discredited , and its utility is impaired . It has long been the pride and distinction of English Freemasonry that it has been enabled carefully through long years to maintain this distinct and well-defined position , and has never allowed any temptation , the heated utterances of incautious
orators , or the childish maunderings of excitable minds to obscure this great and leading dogma , to undermine this important concrete development of Masonic first principles . Freemasonry , as we have it , has formed a rallying point for many of very different views , and even differing creeds .
Within our lodges , while a pitiless storm of politics and polemics may be heard without , —all is calm and peace . VVe need not take up the strains of animated enthusiasts , or mistaken fanatics . Freemasonry is not a religion to man , neither can [ it be put before us as | an absorbing and all including philosophy , before which all