At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The agenda for the last meeting of Grand Lodge—of which a report appears in another column—Avas a lengthy one , and moreover provided some material for a more than usually animated debate . It is very rare indeed that the opinion of the Grand Registrar and a decision of the Board

of General Purposes are reversed by Grand Lodge , as was the case in the appeal of the Regent ' s Park Lodge , and this fact alone is a tolerably conclusive evidence that the rule bearing on the question is so indefinitely worded as to allow of an entirely opposite interpretation by two presumably competent

authorities . Whatever the general opinion may be as to the real meaning and intention of the rule , it is quite obvious that the next step must be an amendment of its terms , so that a clear indication of its intention may be placed beyond doubt .

© « $ > « s > It is important to point out that the decision arrived at is only decisive as to the one case of appeal submitted to Grand Lodge , and does not affect the future action of the authorities in giving effect to what they believe to be its true meaning in dealing with other cases that may arise , and therefore the greater reason exists for a prompt and speedy settlement of the matter in dispute .

«»! & 0 , For ourselves Ave think that a common sense way out of the difficulty would be to assimilate the practice which obtains in the Royal Arch Degree with that of the Craft , and to reckon " clue service " of a Warden from the date of his appointment rather than from his investiture . The obvious

intention of the rule is to ensure the proper training and the acquiring of the necessary experience by a brother for the exercise of his more important duties as Master of the Lodge , and , according to the present rule , a Warden may be present to be invested but he may fail to attend a single other meeting during the year and yet be qualifed for election as

Master ; while , on the other hand , he may from some unavoidable cause be unable to present himself for investiture , and although he may attend every subsequent meeting and -assiduously discharge his duties as Warden ,, he is bebarred from deserved promotion by a technicality . We commend this view of the matter to the earnest consideration of the authorities as Avell as to the Craft generally .

< Q > l » E Qt There is one feature of the question which appears to have been insufficiently considered by those who voted in the majority in favour of the appeal , and that is the confushn which must ensue if the records of lodges have to be consulted , as of necessity they must be in many cases , for

evidence of the qualification of Wardens for the Master ' s chair . If six months as junior Warden and a similar period as Senior Warden qualify , there appears to be no reason why any tAVO or more broken periods making up a full year , at whatever intervals of time , should not also qualify . These

considerations , with others before-mentioned , point to the absolute necessity of a revision of the present rules , and Ave trust the procedure , which has been found to work Avell in the Royal Arch Degree , will be fully investigated , and , if found practicable , . adopted as a simple and ready way out of the difficult } -.

Among the most noticeable of the new lodges for which warrants have been granted since the September meeting of Grand Lodge , other than those to which Ave have alread y referred , are the Incorporated Society of Musicians Lodge , Xo . 2881 , composed largely of Past Grand Organists ; the Westminster City Council Lodge , No . 2882 , formed in

connection with the Borough Council of Westminster , Bro . the Hon . A . de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., being its Worshipful Master designate ; the Deo Dante Dedi Lodge , Xo . 2885 , founded for Old Carthusians ; and the Borough of Stepney Lodge , No . 2884 , Avhich is now the third lodge to represent the newly-formed Borough Councils .

We are pleased to be able to announce that the vacancy caused by the lamented death of R . W . Bro . Colonel Lvne . Provincial Grand Master for Monmouthshire , has been filled by the appointment of Bro . H . Martyn Kennard , whose

qualifications for the office are of no mean order . A Justice of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenant for the-county , Bro . Kennard Avas already Senior Provincial ( band Warden of Monmouthshire , and it will be hoped that the province may long prosper under his rule . Bro . Charles Penny , AVIIO for many years has been an

active member of the Fraternity in the Province of Middlesex , enjoys the somewhat rare distinction of occupying the chair simultaneously of two lodges , namely , Clapham , No . a' 818 , and the King Solomon , No . 2029 , the latter lodge being composed , Ave believe , entirely of total abstainers from alcoholic drinks . This naturally indicates that the subject of our notice is a temperance man , and possesses the courage of his convictions in endeavouring to carry his crusade

MHO . ClIAlil . KS I'K . N'XV .

against drink into Freemasonry . He is also a Past Master of the Unity Lodge , Xo . 16 37 , meeting at Harrow-on-the-Hill and at the last Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex he received the collar of Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works . Bro . Penny has taken an active interest in parish

and municipal affairs as Councillor and Vice-Chairman of both the District Council , Board of Guardians , and Overseers . He has also been a member of the School Board . Bro . Sir Squire Bancroft , P . G . Deacon , who is one of the

most regular attendants at the quarterly meetings of Grand Lodge , has been giving in a weekly contemporary some of his early experiences of the stage . His first engagement , he relates , was obtained at the Theatre Royal , Birmingham , at a salary of a guinea a week , on which he lived , playing

during his apprenticeship of four and a-half years , some 34 6 different characters . His reminiscences do not omit to conclude with a characteristic tribute lo Lad y Bancroft , to whom , he says , he owed " bright gleams of genius—which in every art are priceless . "