CONTENTS. the collar is the ensign of office, not of rank. We submit, with all deference to our learned brother, that, if this be so Ltxoins , 699 R ETORTS OF M ASONIC M EETINGS (Continued)— , then as the Provincial Grand Lodge o£ Wiltshire 500 Grand Lodge and Provincial Honours ... 50S Masters and Wardens of lodges, when attending Grand Lodge, wear Chapter of West Yorkshire 700 Provincial Grand An Appeal 70$ their collars as the insignia of the offices they severall hold Grand Lodge of Scotland 7or Notes and Queries 705 y , the Past Bro. Lane's " Masonic Records " 702 Masters who also wear their collars in Grand Lod in Norfolk 502 Reviews 705 ge must do so on the same Freemasonry R EPORTS OP M ASONIC M EETINGS— Royal Masonic Institution lor Boys 503 ground. But it has been held, throughout the discussion of this question , Roval Masonic Benevolent Institution 703 Craft Masonry 706 Second Annual Dinner of the Ubi que Lodge Instruction : 70s that Past Masters are not officers , but only enjoy certain privileges by rea- of Instruction , No. 1789 {03 Royal Arch 708 son of their status or rank as Installed Masters ; and, consequentl y, either Bro. J. H.Scott, P.G.D., D.P.G.M.Sussex 703 Instruction 709 Ireland- 7°3 Mark Masonry 709 Bro. POPE 'S argument fails as a general proposition , or .the generally re- Royal Order of Scotland 503 Red Cross of Rome and Constantlne ... 709 ceived op CORRESPONDENCE — Cryptic Masonry 709 inion that Past Masters have rank without office becomes unten- The Queen's Jubilee log Obituary 709 able. There is this also to be said in opposition to Bro . POPE 'S view. Set- Was the Ettrick Shepherd a Freemason ? 705 Masonic and General Tidings 709 Admission into Lodges of Instruction ... 705 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 710 ting aside the case of a Master, Past Master, or officer of a lodge visiting a sister lod ge unofficially, when of course he is present only in his individual O UR anticipations as to the success of the Third Jubilee of the capacity of a brother Mason, is it not, beyond all doubt, that when the ot Grand Lodge of Scotland have been more than realised. Master and Wardens of a lod ge are invited to attend, as such, the meeting of a sister lodge—say on the occasion of a new W.M. Scotland . Numerically, the meeting- was the strongest ever held in a being installed in office—they attend officiall y, and are therefore in duty bound to wear the Masonic Hall in Scotland, while as to its influential character, we have but insignia of office as fully and conspicuously as they do when present at the to glance over the list of the brethren present in order to certify ourselves of meetings of their own or Grand Lodge? Such instances as this are of fre- the fact that, if not unequalled in this respect, it certainly could not have quent occurrence in the provinces, and if the present state of the law is been surpassed. There were some 1400 Masons present, with Grand Master retained , then the Master and Wardens so invited must either decline the invitation , or make a Sir ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, of BIythswood, Bart., M.P., in the chair, sup- composition with thecircumstances byattending merely as individual brethren , with nothing about them to show ported b Past Grand Master the Earl of MAR and KELLIE , the Earls of they are the official y Simon Pures who were invited. These and other points that might be men, HADDINGTON and K INTORE , Grand Master Depute and Grand Master tioned are well worthy of further careful consideration. Substitute respectively, the Grand Wardens and other Grand Officers , *» * several of the Provincial Grand Masters and Officers, and the repre- A DIFFERENCE of opinion as to the real object and scope of the sentatives of a considerable number of the private lodges. The proceedings— Confir mation of proposition "to confirm the minutes," still exists, and it would both in Grand Lodge and at the subsequent banquet—were of the usual Minutes. we,j tQ ave matler setl]ecj authoritativel if character ; but the utmost enthusiasm was everywhere apparent , and the ^ ^ ^ y possible. The question is this. What is involved by the confirmation of lause with which the severa l speeches were greeted furnished ample tes- minutes ? app Can a resolution carried at one meeting be negatived at the following timony as to the loyalty and fervour of our Scottisli brethren. And regular meeting by the particular minute being negatived ? We answer many of the speeches contained matter that justified almost un- yes, de- cidedly. Some brethren, however, maintain that so long as the minutes bounded applause. The position of the Craft north of the are a correct account of the proceedings of the previous meeting, Tweed is reputable in the highest degree, while the manage- they can- not be objected to, unless the Constitutions or the by-laws require the ment of its affairs, especially when contrasted with what it confir- mation of any particular portion , prior to their taking effect, in which case was some few years since, reflects the greatest credit on the executive that part of the record may be negatived, if so desired. For instance officers of Grand Lodge. " Ordo ab Chao," though not the legitimate device , Law 130 provides that the election of Master must be confirmed before installa- of the Scottish Craft, is clearly one which they have taken to heart seriously tion. If all minutes which are subject to confirmation , may be negatived and acted upon successfully. Quite recently the Society was in debt ; now or approved , they ask why should the election of Master be thus specified? it is a wealthy body, and laying up for, itself year by year fresh treasure to Does it not suggest that so long as the rules of the Grand Lodge, be employed for the needs of Masonry and its votaries as occasion may or the by-laws declare certain matters as subject to confirmation or reconsidera- requ ire. The number of lodges, especial ly in the British Colonies and pos- tion, that all the other propositions, if correctly recorded , should be sessions abroad, has increased amazingly, while the yearly average of initiates passed ? Brethren desiring an answer to these queries should examine the Freemason or " intrants," as th ey are designated in Scotland , is not far short for February, 1880, and especially consult a letter therein from Bro. THOMAS of 5000. Of course, as we have again and again remarked in reference FENN, President Board of General Purposes (then P.G.D.) Bro. FENN to Masonry in England and elsewhere, mere numbers is by no means to be , who is so familiar with all the clauses of the Constitutions and their regarded as a never-failing criterion of strength . But in the case of the applica- tion and intention in relation to lodges, says emphatically " the princi ple Grand Lodge of Scotland , numerical increase has gone hand in hand with of confirmation which includes the power of rejection or non-confirmation increase in wealth and influence, and therefore we accept it unreservedly as has been recognised in every act of Grand Lodge. It has always been the a substantial part of the evidence which was adduced on this occasion by practice to confirm or reject at one meeting resolutions that have been passed the GRAND M ASTER and other speakers in support of the progress made of at the preceding meeting." Some 25 instances are cited when " the minutes late years by Scottish Freemasonry. In fact, there was noticeable through- were either not confirmed or where motions were made for non-confirmation out the after-dinner proceedings a very natural feeling of pride at the pre- without objection on the point of order." According, therefore, to this sent position and future prospects of the Order in Scotland, but there was view of the matter, which we think the correct one, all minutes should be read capable of sub- about this feeling no exaggeration. What was stated was either for approval or rejection , whether they be those of the Grand r,od"-e, stantiation in the teeth of the most severe criticism. It was, and is, " the Provincial Lodges, or Lodges. a truth, the whole truth , and nothing but the truth ," that Freemasonry in # # # Scotland is in a very prosperous condition, and we trust it may continue so for many years. THE death, at the comparatively early age of 57, of Bro 6°" ' * # * %°COV P"G.D. J- H ENDERSON SCOTT , P.G.D. of England, and D.P.G.M. IT is probable, after the very close division in Grand Lodge on of Sussex, will be generally regretted throughout the Craft, P a ' but nowhere more deeply and sincerely than by the brethren " cMm" the 1st inst., that we shall hear more about the question of Past of the Province Masters' Collars and when they may be worn. Indeed, it seems with which he had been so long and honourabl y associated. Bro. SCOTT very desirable it should be again discussed , if only that some brethren may have had done splendid service to Freemasonry during the many years he had the opportunity of refuting certain of the arguments employed in opposition been a member. As the son and grandson of conspicuous Masons, he may be said to have imbibed in his earl to Bro. N I'CHOLL 'S proposition, as] amended by Bro. PORTAL , "That the y youth those princi ples of our of which in after years he was to Master, Past Masters, and the Officers of a lodge shall beat liberty to wear Society, prove himself so capable an ex- their collars and jewels upon all Masonic occasions." For instance, Bro.