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CONTENTS. large, we deem it well to say what we really think about all such matters, in all good feelings to others, and not the least to Bro. J AMES STEVENS. AS L EADERS G6e Reviews 671 United Grand Lod ge 666 Masonic Notes and Queries 671 we have often said, our opinions only are put forward " quantum valent."' Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 667 Opening of the Zetland Masonic Club, Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire 667 •salford 672 Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire South Africa 672 and Rutland .' 667 R EPORTS OF M ASONIC M EETINGS— Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland 668 Craft Masonry 675 BY one of those singular little mishaps and mistakes, for which no one is to Annual Festival of tlie Emulation Lodge of Instrnction 67*6 blame, we are made in our first " leaderette " last week to i Improvement 6G0 Royal Arch 677 gnore the pre- Opening of a New Organ in the Masonic Mark Masonry 677 sence of our esteemed M.E. Comp. W. J. H UGHAN at the Bath Royal Arch Hall, Notting ham 669 Ancient and Accepted Rite 677 CORRESPONDENCE — The Theatres 678 Centenary Festival. We are very sorry for the omission, which was on'v Old Royal Arch Charters 671 Music 678 realized too late to remedy in our last issue. As we are all aware Neptune Lodge, No. 1264— Benevolent Science and Art 678 , no one lias l*'und 671 Masonic and General Tidings 670 rendered higher services to Royal Arch Masonry than Comp. H UGHAN, no Provinciai Preferment 671 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 680 An Impostor 671 Historical Calendar 681 one is more a Master of its recondite lore ; while his knowledge ot the his- tory of its chapters is only equalled by his remarkable acquaintance with the T HE agenda paper is before us, and there is a good deal to do and talk over. past existence and fortunes of our lodges. So we feel quite sure he will put We have the nomination of a G RAND M ASTER , about which there is no doubt. down the unintentional omission of his respected name to a purely accidental We are very fortunate in having the Prince of WALES as our head, and having oversight. two of his Royal brothers rulers amongst us. Long may it so continue. In all probability Bro. J OSHUA N UNN will be re-appointed President of the IT will be noticed with fraternal pleasure that H.R.H. the Duke of ALBANY Board of Benevolence, whose routine of business he understands so well, attended the last meeting of that distinguished body the Jerusalem Lodge, and over which he presides so efficiently. Our old friend , Bro. J AMES BRETT, presided over most ably, as is his wont, by \V. Bro. E. LETCHWORTH . His it is certain must be Senior Vice-President, and there are nominated for Royal Highness was warmly received by the brethren present. Bro. I RVING, Junior Vice-President four well-known brethren , Bros. CHAS. ATKINS the well-known reviver and personifier of S HAKESPEARE 'S great characters, H ENRY GARROD , GEORGE P. BRITTEN, and COTTEBRUNE . Without at all was passed in the presence of our Royal brother to the Second Degree. affecting to anticipate the decision of Grand Lodge, we think that Bro. CHAS. ATKINS, for various reasons, seems to claim a large amount of sup- port. Bro. B RITTEN will , we think, be much more useful in his position as W E congratulate the W.M. and brethren of St. Mary Abbotts Lodge on an independent member of the Board. Bros. GARROD and COTTERUNE their happy emergence from many difficulties and trials. It is now, humanly are most regular attendants, and have many friends. There are speaking, on the high road to prosperit}*. That lodge has an energetic fourteen Past Masters nominated, of whom twelve will have to be W.M., well up in his work ; zealous and attentive officers , young members of elected. Wc recommend our readers to scan the names. Some recent much zeal and promise ; its roll is continuously increased by good material ; grants of the Lodge of Benevolence will have to be confirmed. "The Board and we venture to believe that it has in it all the elements of vitality, of General Purposes very properl y calls attention to the proceedings of a harmony, and success. nameless Provincial Grand Lodge, which has been guilty of most irregular and unconstitutional conduct on the strength of a private bye-law. We * * almost wonder that the Board was not not more severe in its expressions. S OME very remarkable statistics were recently announced by Bro. DUCHERY, The financial report is very satisfactory. On the report of the Colonial to which Bro. D ICK R ADCLYFFE justly takes exception in our last, and Board, four Egyptian lodges are to be struck off the roll of Grand for which we are not aware that there is the slightest available authority. Lodge, unless mitigating circumstances can be produced. There With all due deference to Bro. DUCHERY , we do not profess to guess, are three appeals from the colonies, which will be duly adjudi- much less to understand, whence he has drawn his fi gures, or on what cated upon. Bro. CLABON renews his motion ; but we venture to express "tables " he bases them. If any such exist , they arc altogether unknown a hope that our distinguished brother will withdraw his resolution, to us. We have paid much attention to the subject, and closely scan all inasmuch as we apprehend the feeling of the Craft is diametrically possible sources of information , but have not ourselves the slightest notion opposed to it. It seems to us an unseasonable motion in Grand that any such results are true or proveable. We think it a great pity, in Lodge, moreover now, inasmuch as the matter can be fully gone into even an after-dinner speech, (for which allowances may be fairl y made), to at the revision of the Book of Constitutions in February. Bro. SUDDEN 'S announce exaggerated estimates of Masonic income and influence, inas- motion will no doubt receive full consideration by Grand Lodge, and will we much as such statements only increase the animosity of our opponents, and feel certain be ably recommended by him. There are however, we do not are no encouragement to our friends. Any assertion which has not truth conceal from him, several considerations, especially Masonical ones, which for its foundation , positive abstract truth , sooner or later " comes to grief," *"*¦ require close attention, and concerning which we apprehend there exists great and does more harm than good by the process of reaction." We appre- difference of opinion in the Craft. But the fact that the proposal comes hend that Bro. D UCHERY is entirely wrong both as to the number of lodges before us in support of a movement which has the special sanction of and their financial returns. And for this reason, he assumes as his H.R.H. the G RAND M ASTER, will secure for it respectful attention and " factor " apparently, that all lodges, under all jurisdiction s, are organized lish system. But he forgets one main friendly sympathy. Bro. J. STEVENS'S new motion concludes the according to our Eng point. A great part agenda paper. We allude to it in a special leaderette. of the lodges in existence have no distinct annual subscription , as with us. They pay entrance and joining fees, registration fees, and _ _. , in some instances capitation fees, but nothing more ; and if there is one fact more patent than Bro. J AMES STEVENS, wise by experience, has avoided the patent another, it is the want of charitable efforts, distinctly year by year, in constitutional "Scylla and Charybdis " of his previous motions. a large proportion of extern jurisdictions. We shall be curious to see His new proposal, though much, no doubt, may be said for it, still is open how Bro. D UCHERY supports his position , very ably assailed by Bro. D ICK lo serious constitutional objections, when we consider it calmly and R ADCLYFFE in our last. ¦r thoughtfully, i. It is quite clear that the " motive " power of all Provincial , * Grand Lodge Districts is the G RAND MASTER t himself. He it is who has WE deem it well to call attention, as we do elsewhere, to the seasonable inherent power alone to form, reform , enlarge, diminish, the various Masonic appearance of the " Freemason's Calendar and Pocket Book " and the districts, and we are aware of no precedent for any such question ever " Cosmopolitan Calendar and Pocket Book ." To all who need information 2. In the next place, has Bro. STEVENS coming before Grand Lodge. J. as to Craft and Chilvalric Massnry, these two Grand Masters handbooks are alike valuable the authority or approval of the Provincial for Middlesex, and indispensable. Herts, Essex, Kent, and Surrey for his proposal ? Because, if not so, he is again impinging on the undoubted prerogatives of the five Provincial Grand Masters named. They, too, have prerogatives, just as their Provincial THE little controversy about " Lewis " in our Notes and Queries columns Bodies have a right to expect to be taken into council, because these enlarge- shows how much of the curious and archaic has to be dealt with in Masonic ments, by vote of Grand Lodge, may seriously affect the districts alloted by investigation. Such matters are, happily, removed from the arena of the G RAND M ASTER " pleno jure," and some of long-standing, and con- controversy and the struggles of personality, and demand, as they will, we tinuous with Parliamentary boundaries, more or less.

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