OUR FUTURE GRAND MASTER. Noticed and Adversely Criticised , Whenever They Are Introduced
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would meet with rebuff , but as we said at the outset, it is PROPOSITION OF CANDIDATES. marvellous how actions wholly opposed to the rules of tho Craft " y /|/ E often wonder how it is that some actions wholly become popular, as we argue this particular innovation is daily < » opposed to the Book of Constitutions arc regarded as becoming in our midst. correct, and are even enforced by Masons of experience, frequently with so much persistency as to really become popular in our midst ; while other innovations are immediately OUR FUTURE GRAND MASTER. noticed and adversely criticised , whenever they are introduced. rriHB M.W. the Pro Grand Master the Earl of Lathom, in the There are few Lodges, we imagine, that do not number among -*- course of his travels, called at Trinidad . An emergent their members a Brother—and in some cases the plural may meeting of Lodge Prince of Wales, No. 867, was convened the be used—who seems to make it his business to point out any day after his arrival to receive the illustrious visitor. Lord departure from orthodox procedure, and these Brethren as Lathom made some very interesting remarks, and referred to the frequently err on one side as do the members they correct on fact that the present was only the second occasion on which, a the other, although it seldom happens any other Brother colonial Lodge had been visited by a Brother holding the same among those present has the courage to challenge their rank as himself. He strongly advised the Trinidad Brethren to ruling, it not always being possible to quote the particular try to secure the formation of a District Grand Lodge. He law bearing on the question, or to produce the Book of concluded his speech by a very significant reference to the future, Constitutions while the subject is really under discussion— says a contemporary,—When it may happen that H.R.H. the even if such open opposition were regarded as politic or Prince of Wales 9hall be called upon to occupy a higher sphere, desirable. the office of Most Worshipful Grand Master will most probably An innovation—and an erroneous one, be it said—that become vacant. His eldest son the Duke of York is not a has frequently struck us occurs in regard to the Proposition Freemason. Lord Lathom's suggestion therefore was that the of Candidates, in regard to which it is becoming more and Duke of Connaught, who at present, contrary to all precedent, more the custom for the " knowing ones " in our Lodges to rules over two Provinces, Sussex and Bombay, might be looked stop a Brother seconding the nomination, the course they upon as the next ruler of the Craft. require being for the proposer to hand in particulars of the candidate to the Secretary, in writing, for insertion in the next Summons of the Lodge, when the name will be regularly CONSECBATION. brought forward, seconded, and put to the ballot. This is —: o:— not in accordance with Eule 184 of the Book of Constitutions, which requires that every Candidate shall be proposed and WEST ESSEX LODGE. seconded at one regular Lodge, and balloted for at the next, Wednesday, 24th ult., the Earl of Warwick Provincial ON the tale of and one can but be surprised its practice has become so frequent Grand Master of Essex .added yet another to Lodges in his Province by the consecration of the West Essex as is the case. Lodge, No. 2561. The name of tho new Lodge sufficientl y There are many proposals submitted to our Lodges where indicates the district from which it is intended to draw its such a course is justifiable and perfectly legal, besides better members. The immediate object of the founders has been the formation suiting the requirements of the case, but in this particular— of a Lodge which should be constituted of members of the hunt , where the proposition of candidates is concerned—it is distinctly or if not that entirely, of . members of the hunt and their illegal and opposed to the strict letter of the law, whish requires personal friends. Perhaps, too, it may be considered some- thing of a protest against estimating the value and usefulness of that Candidates shall be proposed and seconded in open Lodge a Lodge, permanentl y to further the great principles of the Craft, before being eligible for the ballot at an ensuing meeting. simply by the number of its members. The necessity of paying We have long had it in view to draw attention to this due regard to the suitability of candidates for Masonry before their admission is a charge so frequentl y enjoined in Essex , both innovation and direct contravention of the law, and are by the Provincial Grand Master and his Deputy, that it behoves specially reminded to do so now by a reference to the same all Lodges in the Province to give it due consideration , and from subject in our Australian contemporary " Masonry ," wherein this point of view the protest, if ic be intended as one, may be the beneficial. subject is boldly challenged, and the error of the procedure The Lodge owes its foundation to Bro. the Eev. T. Lloyd , demonstrated , our contemporary contending that " handing the who claims the honour of having started one of the most name of a candidate to Brother Secretary is not a nomination," prosperous Lodges in the county, the Easterford , for which Bro. built the beautiful Masonic Temple whose especially, Sir Wm. Abdy, Bart., we may add, if this is followed by the seconding of consecration we recorded a few months ago. the nomination also in writing, without actual notification in The meetings of the West Essex Lodge are to be held in the open Lodge. Masonic Hall and rooms attached to the Eoebuck Hotel , , It may be no part of one's duty when visiting Lodges to Buckhurst Hill, no suitable rooms being available in West Essex and the consecration took place there. The list of founders and challenge the action of Brethren of rank and distinction on such first officers of the Lodge are given below. The imposing questions as these, and more often than not anv interruption ceremony of consecration was ably performed by the Provincial Grand Master, who was accompanied by his Deputy Bro . F. A. joinings last year, whilst the losses had been thirty-four by Philbrick, Q.C., Grand Registrar of England, and by Viscount resignation , nineteen by death , and nine by exclusion , a»ainst Dungarvan Provincial Grand Master of Somerset. The other resignations thirty-six , deaths twenty-two, and exclusions twenty- Grand Officers present were Bros. T. J. Ealling Provincial Grand two last year, resulting in a gain of sixteen members, brin»in» Secretary, A. Lucking P.G.D.C., R. Clowes and C. J. R. Tijou. the numbers in the Province Co 1,001, as against 985 in the last A large proportion of the fifty-two Brethren in Lodge were report. Provincial Grand Officers. The musical arrangements were in The financial state was apparentl y not so favourable, as the hands of Bro. J. G. Wingrove P.G.Organist. after providing for the liabilities , which were rather heavier this Lodge being opened and the earlier formalities accomplished , year, there remained a balance of £83, as against £87. But as the Provincial Grand Master called upon the P.G.Chaplain of the fees of honour of this year had not been taken into account the year, Bro. the Eev. F. Haslock , chaplain of the training ship and as they amounted to about £21, the result was really more " Exraouth," to deliver an oration on the nature and principles favourable. The report was adopted. of Freemasonry. The conception of Freemasonry, he said, The Suffolk Masonic Charity Association 's report stated that implied , like the Christian Church, universal Brotherhood. It for the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution, held in February had emphasised, as no other system in the world had ever done, there were nine Stewards, whose lists amounted to £655 17s ; for the great Christian virtue of Brotherly love and kindness, uniting the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls, held in May, the lists of men of different ranks and opposite views in mutual love, three Stewards amounted to £125 9s 6d; and for the Royal esteem, and respect , and none who joined its ranks could fail to Masonic Institution for Boys, held in June, the lists of two be impressed for good. Stewards amounted to £59 17s, making a total to the three Proceeding with the ceremonial Earl Warwick dedicated Institutions during the year of £841 3s 6d. The report was and constituted the Lodge, the P.G.Chaplain closing this part of adopted. the ceremony with the patriarchial benediction. The Brethren afterward s marched in procession to the church The new Lodge being thus constituted , the Provincial Grand of S.S. Peter and Paul, where Divine service was conducted , the Master relegated the chair to his Deputy, who proceeded to Eev. H. S. Hume preaching a brief but eloquent sermon , based instal Brother the Eev. T. Lloyd as the first Worshipful Master, upon Charity, the Rev. J. Manners Smith reading the lessons. performing the ceremony with, if possible, even more than his Brother T. Palmer, Mus. Bac, P.Prov.G.O. presided at the usual fluency and ease. The W.M. afterwards appointed and organ. invested the following Brethren as his Officers :—W. E. Dring Upon the resumption of the Lord , the Provincial Grand acting I.P.M., Col. Lockwood, M.P., S.W., E.