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The lodge , Glasgow Kihvinning , No . 4 , yvas one of the lodges represented at the formation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 173 6 , and it has not only had a long , but an honourable career under the Scottish Constitution . At the lodge meeting for the installation of office bearers recentlythe lodge room in the Anderston District of Glasgow

, yvas croyvded by brethren from many parts of Scotland , including a deputation from the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , No . 2 , Edinburgh , from yvhich No . 4 originally hailed . In the course of the proceedings Bro . W . Brownlie , the Right Worshipful Master , in the name of the members ,

presented Bro . Andrew Fergus , the Immediate Past Master , with a Past Master ' s gold jewel , and set with a large diamond in the centre , and , at the same time , yvith a gold

BltO . ANllliKW FKRGUS .

watch and chain for his good lady . The gifts yvere the spontaneous offer of the brethren as a token of their goodyvill and high estimation of the recipients . Bro . Fergus joined Freemasonry in the year 18 94 , and has since been constant and active in his devotion to the Craft . He is a Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in the Glasgoyv Province ;

he has served the Grand Lodge as Director of Ceremonies , and at present fills the office of Grand Bible Bearer . He is a Proxy Master in Grand Lodge for the Maybole Lodge , No . 11 , and Grand Representative in Scotland of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas . Bro . Fergus is also a Royal Arch Mason

and has filled the office of Benevolent Fund Treasurer in the St . Andreyv Chapter , No . 6 9 , and is a founder , and at present a Principal of the Maryhill Royal Arch Chapter , No . 296 , S . C .

* « »& Our veteran Bro . General John Carson Smith , Past Grand Master of Illinois , yvhose figure is not unknown in English Masonic circles , has contributed the folloyving sketch to an American Masonic contemporary . Its references are entirely to American Masonry , but are not wholly inapplicable to the

English Craft . As an argument in favour of limiting the members of a private lodge to a reasonable number it carries weight , and is deserving of serious consideration by those yvho desire to retain the family character , so to speak , of the Masonic home : — " The city brother , accustomed to visiting lodges

large in number of members and surrounded yvith all the evidences of luxury which a well-filled treasury can supply , the lodge in yvhich the officers appear in evening dress yvith the dainty boutonniere in left lapel of coat and dead letter perfect ritualism , enjoys a literary- feast or dramatic entertainment yvhich is pleasing , but becomes tiresome when repealed nightly to the exclusion of all social enjoyment . We yvould

not countenance an indifferent ritual nor yet a carelessness in dress , but yve yvould like to see less pressure to confer more Degrees than a previous Master , and more consideration given to an evening yvith friends . « s > $ >

" Speeches by distinguished brothers do not necessarily constitute a social evening , but rather to thrust one's legs under a pine table upon yvhich is a bit of plain fare and converse without restraint yvith the brethren around and about you . To hear one brother tell a story or sing a song and another

speak of those yvith whom he used to meet in his younger days , of the good Masonic yvork they had done , their unstinted offerings to the needy , and cheerful aid to the unfortunate . Hoyv , yvhen the city was but an overgrown village , before the days of the ' L' roads , ' trolleys , ' or , even

the old one-horse bob-car , they had to yvalk miles to reach the lodge and yvhen there the enjoyable time they had with friends . Then the brethren became acquainted yvith each other and friendships yvere formed yvhich lasted through life and yvere only terminated in death . Youth is the time in yvhich friendships are formed , in middle age yve make acquaintance .

«> «!> @ " Go noyv to a large lodge yvhere they are ' making Masons at sight , ' no matter hoyv perfect the ritualism , croyvding through ten or fifteen Degrees at one sitting of the lodge , and you make no friends and but feyv acquaintances . Go an half-hour early so as to meet the members and most likely

you will have to await the coming of the Tyler to open up . Sitting in a lodge one evening in the city of Chicago , when there yvere full 300 of the members present , the yvorthy Master informed me that he did not knoyv twenty-live of them . In such lodges the only attraction is that of a drama

yvhich , no matter hoyv yvell set or hoyv perfect the acting , becomes monotonous because of its repetition . Keep up your ' dead perfect' yvork , brethren , but do try to throyv in an occasional meeting in yvhich you can become acquainted yvith your oyvn members and take a feyv minutes to introduce

visitors . s 5 > 0 « S > "The writer has sat in lodges small in membership , scant in furniture , uncarpeted floor and unadorned stations , but large in a hearty brotherhood , and yvhere"They ' adn't good regalia , An' their lodge yvas old an' bare , Hut they knew the Ancient Landmarks , An' thev kep' ' em to a hair . "

© < 5 » O For some time past a French assurance company—not a very large nor important concern—has been advertising in the Libre Parole and other anti-Semite and religious journals It heads its advertisements as folloyvs : — " NKITHKK J I-AVS XOK

FKKKMASOXS . " and goes on to state that it only issues policies to Frenchmen , and refuses both Jeyvs and Freemasons . This remarkable company , which is known as " La Co-operation , " is apparently in a perpetual state of issue ; it advertises its capital as folloyvs : — "Capital " 44 000 , yvith poyver to increase

^ , to _ £ 8 o , ooo , " and is continually making issues of its oyvn stock to the French public . This Company ' s circular is a perfect gem . Peter the Hermit preaching the Crusade yvas not so full of burning eloquence as is the " Co-operation " appealing for fresh capital . The opening paragraph runs as folloyvs : —

" When scoundrels are in difficulties they do not hesitate to liquidate their affairs even at the cost of a lire . " Three hundred lines folloyv in the same style , interlarded yvith virulent abuse of the unfortunate Israelite and trenchant remarks anent the unholy Freemasons . The " Co-operation "

is not lacking in audacity , for it offers its £ 4 shares to the public for £ 5 each . It is a comparatively neyv concern ; there is no market for its shares ; it has never paid a centime in dividend ; and its future is certainly of a problematic nature . Under the circumstances , to ask the public to pay 25 per

cent , premium for its scrip is scarcely in keeping yvith the language of its prospectus ; indeed , it smacks a great deal more of that " usury" yvhich it accuses the entire Jewish race of practising .