At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

written before the declaration of peace . Now that this happy consummation has arrived , we trust our good brethren of the district will not only gather up their tangled threads , but will start on a new era of happiness and prosperity , both in Alasonic and civil life .

One of the most striking arches on the line of route of the Coronation Procession is the Alasonic arch , erected b y South London members of the Craft . It stands at the Borough end of Borough Road , and will face the procession as it sweeps round from Borough High Street towards St . George ' s Circus . The arch rests on three handsome

columns , the central one , forty feet high and surmounted by a globe , standing in the middle of the road , and the others , thirty feet high , on either pavement . Alasonic emblems form the decoration .

The appointment of a District Grand Alaster for Alaltaa portion of British territory , by the way , which has for some time been occupying public attention outside the Craft—in the person of Bro . Col . Henry J . Hughes Hallett , Assistant Adjutant-General of the Forces tnere , will , we believe , merit the general approval of the Grand Alaster ' s choice , and give no little satisfaction to the district concerned .

Bro . F . Price , in The Square and Compass , asserts that " it is beyond dispute that Alasons are poor readers of Alasonic literature . Upon the principle that the shoemaker goes barefooted , the hatter hatless , and the tailor without clothes , as it were , so also does the average Mason think he mastered his trade when he was ' raised , '

therefore it is presumptuous to attempt to enli ghten him . His spattering of ritual and limited knowledge of the esoterics is entirely sufficient for him to pose as a bri ght Mason . This seems to satisf y his ambition , and , by a glib use thereof , he succeeds in impressing the non-reading

contingent with his importance , and through their credulity rides the average members of the Craft with whip and spur . When we say ' average Mason , ' we mean no disrespect ; we simply mean the brother who does not read and stud y for himself .

«» ( E « < S » " We are led to these remarks by one of the Craft , who declares himself thus : — ' I don ' t claim to be a reading Mason ; I don ' t want to be a student , but I do claim to be a ritualist , and upon my reputation as such I will stand 'and thereby pose as a bright Mason , we presume . It seems

to us that ambition alone would cause him to read , in order that he might at least be consistent in his ritual b y being enabled to present his work historically correct , especially so when he has occasion to present it in the presence of those who are as ' bright' as the actor . "

they would discover it . If you profess religion and join a church , and are honest in your intentions , your first desire is to subscribe to some church paper and read the standard works on the history of the church of your choice , so that you may be enabled to discuss the matter intelligibly . If you are a

farmer , and are honest in your profession , you , of course , post yourself by reading agricultural journals , in addition to the practical knowledge you receive by personal contact with the hoe . If you are a politician , daily do you devour everything pertaining to your party that you find in the

secular press , thereby enabling you to successfully parry the darts of your adversary . If you are a minister , your constant stud y is the Bible , so that you may be enabled to put to flight ' the ignorance of foolish men' in their arguments . And so might we continue through every trade ,

profession , and calling , and show that this progressive world has published literature to meet all conditions and classes of men ; and further , that all progressive men , especially those

who rise to eminence and distinction , do so through the reading of literature pertaining to their especial case . "Tin ' s being so , we are at a loss to know why it is that Alasons don ' t read and study more than thev do . Surely it is not lor want of literature . There are more books

published on Alasonry than on all other secret societies combined . " The writer of the New York Letter in The American Tvler has something to say in a recent issue about presentations . " I have often wondered , " he remarks , " how it is that the

taste of our District Deputy Grand Alasters should run to diamond rings and scarf pins , gold watches , silver loving cups and the like . I know that such is their own particular taste , because in fixing up a presentation we generally try to get whatever is likely to afford the most pleasure to the recipient . Freemasonry is a philosophical system , and I am

not aware that diamond scarf pins and silver loving cups play any part in its work . Being a man of liberal mind , I do not find fault with this , still I cannot help wondering how it is that these Deputies , who I presume are selected for their high honours on account of their pre-eminence as Craftsmen , do not get a gift of a set of books or something of that sort

instead of a bit of jewellery . I am sure a set of Sir Walter Scott ' s works , or of some standard encyclopaedia , or a bookcase with a set of Gould's history , Morris ' s "Poems , " Preston ' s " Illustrations , " Hughan ' s writings , and the like , would be more fitting and more in keeping with the aims and

purposes of our Institution . A Alasonic badge or medal , or something of that sort , is invariabl y in order , and should always be a work of art , no matter what its cost ; but outside of such emblems it seems to me that our gifts should be of a more intellectual stamp than diamond rings .

'V >* •!>¦ " The expense don ' t bother us nowadays . I remember when we used to give an honoured brother a silk umbrella , and to a particularly popular Craftsman we might go so far as to bestow on him a gold-headed cane , and I am sure the recipients of these useful articles were as proud of them as

their modern representatives are of the more expensive articles now in fashion ; at least , they said so , and they were truthful men .

c > <&> , £ , > " I write all this , not in a spirit of carping criticism , but because I believe some change in our form of gift making would be quite agreeable to many of the recipients . I fancy an intellectual man would take as much deli ght in handling a magnificent set of Shakespeare , for instance ,

the gift of his lodge , as in gazing on what our modern jewellers describe as loving cups . Then for a brother who likes to read at all , what gift could be more welcome , more valuable , more thoughtful , more really beneficent , and at the same time less extravagant , than a receipt for , say , ten years' subscription to The American Tvler . "

We entirely agree with cur contemporary , but would in all modesty venture to suggest that in the event of the hint in the last paragraph being acted on by the Fraternity in this country , " THE MASONIC ILU- STRATED " should take the place of our esteemed contemporary .

< 3 ' On Friday last , " La Alarguerite " accomplished a most successful trial trip preparatory to commencing her regular summer sailings , which she will resume on ist July , after having taken part in the Naval Review at Spithead . A thorough overhaul has been made during the winter months

, to ensure the vessel maintaining her reputation for speed and comfort . Steaming down the river towards the sea , her engines worked with the greatest ease ; on reaching deep water the telegraph was put full speed ahead , the engines responding without an effort , working the vessel up to the

high speed of 21 knots per hour ; after adjusting compasses at the Nore , a short run was made at full speed , proving that everything will be read y for her speedy runs across channel to Calais , Boulogne and Ostend , to the delight of the tripper .