Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
LEADXRS 631 Freemasonry in 1885 631 Occurrences of the Year 6 3 6 CORRESPONDENCEThe . Grand Treasurer 6 39 Notes and Queries 6 39 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 6 39
REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS ( Continued)—Instruction ° 4 * Royal Arch 6 4 ' Mark Masonry & 4 Obituary 6 4 ' Masonic and General Tidings < M 2 Lodge Meetings for Next Week ¦ " .
Ar00101
WE must not allow the opportunity to pass without pointing- out to our readers that the Special Christmas Number of the Freemason , which was published on Monday , the 21 st inst ., contains a valuable article from the pen of Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D ., on the subject of the " Engraved Lists of Lodges . " This is a branch of study which our -worthy brother has made
so peculiarly his own that it is hardly worth while suggesting that the article we are referring to deals most exhaustively and successfully with about everything thus far known or to be gathered from the lists which have been preserved to us , and that those who take an interest in tracing our earlier
lodges will derive much valuable assistance in prosecuting their researches from this latest essay of Bro . HUGHAN . In fact , no investigation in this most trying field of labour can be considered complete which does not include a careful study of this important paper .
* * * WE have heard it declared more than once that the "high degrees" ( as they are called ) are the means of causing large expenditures of money , which , but for them , would be given to the Masonic Charities . According to this idea , a certain sum of money is to be spent annually by each
brother , and therefore the more that is devoted to the obtaining and supporting of Masonic degrees , the less there is left for the sacred cause of Charity . Bui is it so ? Supposing for example there were no Knight
Templar Preceptpries and Rose Croix Chapters to join , would our able Secretaries , Bros ., HEDGES , BINCKES , and TERRY , have increased funds at their disposal ? Would these indefatigable brethren vote for the abolition of "high degrees , " in the interest of their Institutions ? Surely not .
* # * TURNING for a moment to the last " Red Book , " published by authoiily of the Supreme Council , 33 , we find that the charitable donations of that Body to the three Institutions , and special objects such as Famine and Relief Funds , within the last 30 years have amounted to
nearly £ 2500 , some of the gifts being continued annuully as " prizes , " ike . If to this total is added the donations of its numerous members and chapters , it will be seen that thousands of pounds have come into the coffers of the Central Masonic Charities , which would in all
probability never have otherwise been donated . At least , such is our opinion , and , though we have not the figures before us , the same might be stated as to the Masonic Knights Templars . Amongst the warmest and most generous subscribers to the Masonic Charities , as well as the most zealous of Freemasons , are to be found the adherents of these " High Degrees . "
* # * WHATEVER may be said as to the expediency of promoting Masonic Degrees beyond the Royal Arch , the fact remains that many brethren see in them what they fail to find in the Craft , and consequently their interest in Freemasonry is preserved through their support of these " High Degrees . "
Of course , brethren should love the Three Degrees solely for their own sakes , and doubtless a great many do so . Besides which , they are the basis of all Masonry , and of universal application and supreme importance , Masonically . Still , granting all this—and we do so emphatically—we are sure that even the universality of Freemasonry to some is not its chief value ,
and hence in what is known as Philosophical and Christian Masonic Degrees they find attractions and teachings additional to , and yet , so to speak , dependant upon , the Master Masons' Degree , which prove a never failing source of pleasure , and retain the membership of many even in the Craft , when practically they have ceased to attend ordinary lodge meetings .
* * * "CHRISTMAS comes but once a year , " and so Bro . STEPHEN BERRY , of Portland , Maine , does his best Masonically to commemorate the festive season by uniting , at twelve o ' clock ( Washington time , mid-day ) , with hundreds of the brotherhood in the " Old " and " New World , " in what he
appropriately terms the " Christmas Libation . " As the clock strikes , brethren pledge each other , as Freemasons , in whatever liquor they fancy , and the ever increasing number of participants , makes it an especially busy season for Bro . BERRY , who is the recognized centre of the movement , and has been of late constantly receiving most pleasant letters of acceptance from the Fraternity , whose delight it is , once a year , thus to join Masonicall y in completing the " chain of union" from sea to sea , and " pole to
Ar00102
pole . " From Shangai to Portland , covering some 244 degrees ( or over sixteen hours of the sun ' s journey ) , as the glorious luminary attains the meridian , so the glasses are " ready , " and the pledge is given ! There are several in England , Scotland , and Ireland who are enrolled in this unique band , and the names of others will be gladly received by Bro .
BERRY or Bro . HUGHAN for 1886 , so long as they are either Masonic authors or interested in Masonic literature . In this country about five p . m . answers to Washington at 12 noon . Our Australian brethren would be asked to join as representatives , as also those
in New Zealand and Japan , and thus complete the circle , but three or four in the morn is rather an awkward hour to think of the " Christmas Libation ! " Still some might join and thus unite the whole world , Masonically at least .
* # * WE are glad to note that our able confrere , the Editor of the " Keystone , " has again been re-elected Senior Grand Warden of Pennsylvania . The regular annual period of the election of the Grand Officers appears to have gone off very smoothly and pleasantly , Grand Master , M . W . Bro . E . C .
MITCHELL , and his excellent staff of officers being all re-elected . This old and vigorous Grand Lodge was never so prosperous as now , and the reports of its various . funds prove that its financial condition is in a most satisfactory condition . The attendance at the Grand Lodge was very large and influential , among the brethren present being Bro . J UDGE DONALDSON , of Pottsville , the oldest member of the Grand Lodge .
* * * THE time has once again come round when the agreeable duty devolves on us of wishing all our friends what are appropriately known as " the Compliments of the Season . " These compliments are , in fact , the heartiest possible good wishes for their happiness and success , and the duty , though
it recursannually , and is by some few , atall events , regarded as a formality , is one which we take an almost infinite degree of pleasure in fulfilling . There are , of course , deductions to be made from that pleasure . We are not all of us here now who 12 months since were preparing themselves for the enjoyment of our great winter festival . Some have gone from our
midst in the ' eourse of nature ; the } ' had lived their term of life , and have passed away . Others have left us prematurely , * many , indeed , in the very prime of their manhood , and with but a portion of the labours they had marked out for themselves completed . In short , the circle of our acquaintances and friendships has been narrowed ; but wc who remain—subject to
this inevitable limitation—are as heart } ' as ever in our friendly interchange of good wishes . It is right that we should be . We may have various shortcomings during the past year to grieve over ; we have lost many friends , whose memory , however , it is still possible to cherish most sacredly . But we are on the eve of entering upon a new year . We shall probably contract
new acquaintances , and it may be even some new friendships . Wc are all looking forward to carry out our duties fully and honourably , and it is undeniable that , in the fulfilment of our task , we shall derive most of our encouragement to face manfully such difficulties as come in our way from that kindly interchange of good wishes which is a characteristic of this
festive season of Christmas . There is , too , something about the principles of Masonry which renders the observance of this pleasant custom of the season more genuine in its heartiness , and , as a consequence , proportionately less conventional . Those principles enjoin upon us the duty of promoting , by every means in our power , the kindest and most friendly relations , and
this , too , at no particular season , but at all seasons alike amongst ourselves . Thus the compliments of this season fit in admirably with the kind of life which is marked out for us by the teachings of our Craft , and in proportion as we obey those teachings must we enter more carefully into the spirit of Christmas festivity . There may be those among us who do not include the
observance of the great Christian festival as part of their religious tenets ; but even these will have no difficulty in entering into the general enjoyment . Charity , in its largest sense , as in its narrowest , is a part of every religion , and when we wish one another the usual " Compliments of the Season , " we do not necessarily attach a religious sense to the expression . What we
do is to make it as clear as we can that our desire is to live on terms of the friendliest intercourse with our neighbours , both those whom we meet but casually and infrequently , and those into whose society we are constantly thrown . It is in this wise , and most sincerely , that we take leave to convey to all our friends , both present and absent , the kindly greetings of this festive season .
* * WE have much pleasure in laying before our readers in this present number a carefully-compiled summary of the principal events that have occurred during the year , together with a table , chronologically arranged , of the same
and other events which have happened during the same period . We are of opinion that the two taken together will be found of great assistance to brethren who , a few years hence , may be desirous of referring to some one or more of the occurrences of 188 s .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Contents.
CONTENTS .
LEADXRS 631 Freemasonry in 1885 631 Occurrences of the Year 6 3 6 CORRESPONDENCEThe . Grand Treasurer 6 39 Notes and Queries 6 39 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 6 39
REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS ( Continued)—Instruction ° 4 * Royal Arch 6 4 ' Mark Masonry & 4 Obituary 6 4 ' Masonic and General Tidings < M 2 Lodge Meetings for Next Week ¦ " .
Ar00101
WE must not allow the opportunity to pass without pointing- out to our readers that the Special Christmas Number of the Freemason , which was published on Monday , the 21 st inst ., contains a valuable article from the pen of Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . D ., on the subject of the " Engraved Lists of Lodges . " This is a branch of study which our -worthy brother has made
so peculiarly his own that it is hardly worth while suggesting that the article we are referring to deals most exhaustively and successfully with about everything thus far known or to be gathered from the lists which have been preserved to us , and that those who take an interest in tracing our earlier
lodges will derive much valuable assistance in prosecuting their researches from this latest essay of Bro . HUGHAN . In fact , no investigation in this most trying field of labour can be considered complete which does not include a careful study of this important paper .
* * * WE have heard it declared more than once that the "high degrees" ( as they are called ) are the means of causing large expenditures of money , which , but for them , would be given to the Masonic Charities . According to this idea , a certain sum of money is to be spent annually by each
brother , and therefore the more that is devoted to the obtaining and supporting of Masonic degrees , the less there is left for the sacred cause of Charity . Bui is it so ? Supposing for example there were no Knight
Templar Preceptpries and Rose Croix Chapters to join , would our able Secretaries , Bros ., HEDGES , BINCKES , and TERRY , have increased funds at their disposal ? Would these indefatigable brethren vote for the abolition of "high degrees , " in the interest of their Institutions ? Surely not .
* # * TURNING for a moment to the last " Red Book , " published by authoiily of the Supreme Council , 33 , we find that the charitable donations of that Body to the three Institutions , and special objects such as Famine and Relief Funds , within the last 30 years have amounted to
nearly £ 2500 , some of the gifts being continued annuully as " prizes , " ike . If to this total is added the donations of its numerous members and chapters , it will be seen that thousands of pounds have come into the coffers of the Central Masonic Charities , which would in all
probability never have otherwise been donated . At least , such is our opinion , and , though we have not the figures before us , the same might be stated as to the Masonic Knights Templars . Amongst the warmest and most generous subscribers to the Masonic Charities , as well as the most zealous of Freemasons , are to be found the adherents of these " High Degrees . "
* # * WHATEVER may be said as to the expediency of promoting Masonic Degrees beyond the Royal Arch , the fact remains that many brethren see in them what they fail to find in the Craft , and consequently their interest in Freemasonry is preserved through their support of these " High Degrees . "
Of course , brethren should love the Three Degrees solely for their own sakes , and doubtless a great many do so . Besides which , they are the basis of all Masonry , and of universal application and supreme importance , Masonically . Still , granting all this—and we do so emphatically—we are sure that even the universality of Freemasonry to some is not its chief value ,
and hence in what is known as Philosophical and Christian Masonic Degrees they find attractions and teachings additional to , and yet , so to speak , dependant upon , the Master Masons' Degree , which prove a never failing source of pleasure , and retain the membership of many even in the Craft , when practically they have ceased to attend ordinary lodge meetings .
* * * "CHRISTMAS comes but once a year , " and so Bro . STEPHEN BERRY , of Portland , Maine , does his best Masonically to commemorate the festive season by uniting , at twelve o ' clock ( Washington time , mid-day ) , with hundreds of the brotherhood in the " Old " and " New World , " in what he
appropriately terms the " Christmas Libation . " As the clock strikes , brethren pledge each other , as Freemasons , in whatever liquor they fancy , and the ever increasing number of participants , makes it an especially busy season for Bro . BERRY , who is the recognized centre of the movement , and has been of late constantly receiving most pleasant letters of acceptance from the Fraternity , whose delight it is , once a year , thus to join Masonicall y in completing the " chain of union" from sea to sea , and " pole to
Ar00102
pole . " From Shangai to Portland , covering some 244 degrees ( or over sixteen hours of the sun ' s journey ) , as the glorious luminary attains the meridian , so the glasses are " ready , " and the pledge is given ! There are several in England , Scotland , and Ireland who are enrolled in this unique band , and the names of others will be gladly received by Bro .
BERRY or Bro . HUGHAN for 1886 , so long as they are either Masonic authors or interested in Masonic literature . In this country about five p . m . answers to Washington at 12 noon . Our Australian brethren would be asked to join as representatives , as also those
in New Zealand and Japan , and thus complete the circle , but three or four in the morn is rather an awkward hour to think of the " Christmas Libation ! " Still some might join and thus unite the whole world , Masonically at least .
* # * WE are glad to note that our able confrere , the Editor of the " Keystone , " has again been re-elected Senior Grand Warden of Pennsylvania . The regular annual period of the election of the Grand Officers appears to have gone off very smoothly and pleasantly , Grand Master , M . W . Bro . E . C .
MITCHELL , and his excellent staff of officers being all re-elected . This old and vigorous Grand Lodge was never so prosperous as now , and the reports of its various . funds prove that its financial condition is in a most satisfactory condition . The attendance at the Grand Lodge was very large and influential , among the brethren present being Bro . J UDGE DONALDSON , of Pottsville , the oldest member of the Grand Lodge .
* * * THE time has once again come round when the agreeable duty devolves on us of wishing all our friends what are appropriately known as " the Compliments of the Season . " These compliments are , in fact , the heartiest possible good wishes for their happiness and success , and the duty , though
it recursannually , and is by some few , atall events , regarded as a formality , is one which we take an almost infinite degree of pleasure in fulfilling . There are , of course , deductions to be made from that pleasure . We are not all of us here now who 12 months since were preparing themselves for the enjoyment of our great winter festival . Some have gone from our
midst in the ' eourse of nature ; the } ' had lived their term of life , and have passed away . Others have left us prematurely , * many , indeed , in the very prime of their manhood , and with but a portion of the labours they had marked out for themselves completed . In short , the circle of our acquaintances and friendships has been narrowed ; but wc who remain—subject to
this inevitable limitation—are as heart } ' as ever in our friendly interchange of good wishes . It is right that we should be . We may have various shortcomings during the past year to grieve over ; we have lost many friends , whose memory , however , it is still possible to cherish most sacredly . But we are on the eve of entering upon a new year . We shall probably contract
new acquaintances , and it may be even some new friendships . Wc are all looking forward to carry out our duties fully and honourably , and it is undeniable that , in the fulfilment of our task , we shall derive most of our encouragement to face manfully such difficulties as come in our way from that kindly interchange of good wishes which is a characteristic of this
festive season of Christmas . There is , too , something about the principles of Masonry which renders the observance of this pleasant custom of the season more genuine in its heartiness , and , as a consequence , proportionately less conventional . Those principles enjoin upon us the duty of promoting , by every means in our power , the kindest and most friendly relations , and
this , too , at no particular season , but at all seasons alike amongst ourselves . Thus the compliments of this season fit in admirably with the kind of life which is marked out for us by the teachings of our Craft , and in proportion as we obey those teachings must we enter more carefully into the spirit of Christmas festivity . There may be those among us who do not include the
observance of the great Christian festival as part of their religious tenets ; but even these will have no difficulty in entering into the general enjoyment . Charity , in its largest sense , as in its narrowest , is a part of every religion , and when we wish one another the usual " Compliments of the Season , " we do not necessarily attach a religious sense to the expression . What we
do is to make it as clear as we can that our desire is to live on terms of the friendliest intercourse with our neighbours , both those whom we meet but casually and infrequently , and those into whose society we are constantly thrown . It is in this wise , and most sincerely , that we take leave to convey to all our friends , both present and absent , the kindly greetings of this festive season .
* * WE have much pleasure in laying before our readers in this present number a carefully-compiled summary of the principal events that have occurred during the year , together with a table , chronologically arranged , of the same
and other events which have happened during the same period . We are of opinion that the two taken together will be found of great assistance to brethren who , a few years hence , may be desirous of referring to some one or more of the occurrences of 188 s .