The Landmarks Of The Order.

cannot grant a dispensation to enable a lodge to confer a superior Degree on a candidate at a less interval than twentyeight clays from that of the former , neither has he the power to permit a regular meeting of a lodge to be anticipated or postponed for a longer period than seven days , indeed , it may be said the Grand Master ' s prerogative is so strictly

limited that lie retains no power of dispensation unless in cases specifically provided for in the Constitutions . Seeing that Freemasonry existed long before Constitutions were ever thought of , it follows that no Mason can be deprived by any Constitutional enactment of what he possessed

before , and hence possibly the necessity of describing with particularity the Grand Master ' s extra-Constitutional powers . This last consideration accounts for the procedure in our ritual for the admission of a candidate for initiation . He is

enjoined to abide by the antient customs and usages of the Order at the very outset , and he hears nothing of Constitutions or By-laws till it is all over , and he is ready to take his seat in the lodge . A very interesting landmark is that referring to the Tyler . A professional Tyler is now a universal practice , but it was not

always , and in an old number of the Freemason's Magazine it is described how in an Indian lodge some half century ago , during the whole of the proceedings of an installation ceremony , the lodge was tyled by an E . A . who had been only admitted at the previous meeting . The same account goes

on to say that although the Provincial Grand Lodge was officially present , it did not occur to any one to ask them to stay to dinner , and , consequently , they went away hungry , which may account for the severity of the censure with which they visited the offending lodge .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The business paper for Grand Lodge on the 2 nd March is a heavy one . In addition to the election of a Grand Master , which , as it is certain to be carried by acclamation , will only take a few minutes , there is the election of Grand Treasurer , and the probable attendance of over

3000 brethren . Under no circumstances could seating accommodation be provided for such an exceptionally large number , nevertheless it cannot fail to again raise the vexed question of the capacity of the hall , even for the normal requirements of Grand Lodges . The report of the Board of

General Purposes deals with many matters of interest , out of which some discussion may arise , notably , that of the withdrawal of the recommendation made to Grand Lodge at its meeting in December , that Wardens of Lodges should be excluded from the Quarterly Communications .

. §¦ ¦& -s > The next meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire , of which the Deputy Grand Master , the Rt . Hon . T . F . Halsey , M . P ., is the Provincial Grand Master ,

will be held at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , by permission of the Grand Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . This will , we believe , create a precedent , the holding of such a meeting at the head quarters of English Freemasonry not having hitherto occurred . We see no

reason to question the expediency of the action taken by the authorities seeing that so many of the brethren comprising the Provincial Grand Lodge are resident within the Metropolitan area or in close proximity .

At the Freemasons' Hall , Cooper Street , Manchester , on the 5 th February , the annual meeting was held of the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution . Bro . C . D . Cheetham , chairman of the Institution , presided . The report stated that there was this year an increase of ^ 55 over the amounts contributed by Masonic

bodies and by individuals in the province in 1902 , that the payments for relief , education , and annuities were £ , IJ 8 , and that the total sum now invested had reached ^ 30 , 000 . After the report had been passed a resolution was adopted by which the funds , work , and obligations of the Institution

were transferred to a newly incorporated Institution , and the trustees were directed to transfer to the new organisation all investments and property held by them . The first meeting of the incorporated Institution was afterwards held . Bro . Cheetham presided . Bro . J . B . Goulbourn , the vice-chairman ,

explained that the decision to incorporate the Institution had been arrived at largely in consequence of the trouble and expense that were entailed upon the death or resignation of a trustee . The fact that they possessed ^ 30 , 000 of invested funds was of itself sufficient warrant for the step that had

been taken . The Institution had clone and was doing beneficent work . It was now- placed under proper control , and was registered by the Board of Trade . He moved a formal resolution transferring the work and obligations of the Institution to the new body . Bro . Nicholas A . Earle seconded the motion , which was passed . A general committee and officers were elected .

<© < 3 > © The establishment in the metropolis of class lodges , representing almost all interests and professions , goes on merrily , and promises to become a unique and distinctive feature of London Masonry . The latest addition is the

Lyric Lodge , the name of which sufficiently indicates its character , which , on the nth February , was consecrated at the Empire Restaurant , Regent Street . The consecrating officers were Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , G . S ., assisted by Bro . Edward Terry , P . G . Treasurer ; Bro . E . E . Cooper ,

J . G . D . ; Bro . the Rev . Canon Brownrigg , P . G . C . ; Bro .. James Henry Matthews , Pres . Bd . of Ben . ; and Bro . William Lake , Assistant G . S . Bro . W . S . Penley , G . T ., after the lodge had been formally dedicated , was installed by the Grand Secretary as the first Master , and Bro . Alfred Lambert , P . M .,

P . P . G . S . W . Surrey , was chosen to act as the I . P . M . The officers appointed were Bro . J . Harrison , P . M ., P . G . S . ; Bro . James Bassett ( Charles Bertram ) , Bro . R . B . Hopkins , P . M . 1381 ; Bro . W . S . Whitaker , P . M ., P . A . G . P . ; Bro . Philip Yorke , Bro . G . W . Beaman ( George Robins ) , Bro . George

Pragnell , Bro . George Harlow , P . P . G . S . B . Kent ; Bro . P . A . Ransom , W . M . 1556 ; Bro . Tom G . Clare , Bro . Wilson James Lakeman , Bro . Duncan Tooley , Bro . Thomas F . Noakes , W . M . 861 ; and Bro . S . T . Hill , P . M . A banquet followed , and the usual toasts were honoured ; a concert , under the direction of Bro . T . F . Noakes , accompaii 5 'ing the festivities of the evening .

© < 3 > © A meeting of the General Committee , who have in hand the furtherance of a scheme for erecting a Masonic memorial to the late Earl of Lathom , Pro G . M . of England , R . W . P . G . M . of West Lancashire , in the form of a chapter-house to bear his

name in connection with the Liverpool Cathedral , was recently held at the Church-house . The Earl of Lathom , R . W . Prov . G . M ., presided , and the hon . secretary , W . Bro . Goodacre , intimated that the Cathedral Committee had received the offer of a chapter-house from the Masons with the most

sincere pleasure , and that it was accepted with gratitude . It was stated that the contributions towards the fund of ; £ 10 , 000 , the estimated cost of the memorial , were very satisfactory , ranging from 50 to 300 guineas .

© ® ^ j > The Earl of Lathom , speaking as Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire , is considered to have struck the happy mean as regards Masonic ceremony in connection with