At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar.

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar .

At the invitation of His Royal Highness Prince Frederick Leopold of Prussia , the Protector of the Grand Lodges of Freemasons in Berlin , a deputation of English Freemasons left London on Thursday night for the purpose of assisting at an important Masonic function in connection with " the

Grand Countries Lodge" at Berlin . The deputation consists of the Earl of Warwick , Deputy Grand Master ; the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P . ; Colonel Sir Terence O'Brien , K . C . M . G ., a former Governor of Heligoland ; and Colonels { . Davis and W . Campbell , R . M . A ., Aide-de-Camps to the

Queen . We hope to give full particulars of this important gathering , together with portraits of those who are taking a prominent part in it in our next issue .

Our Indian correspondent informs us that the Great Prior of Knight Templars has appointed Sir Knight ] . Copley Moyle ( Sub-Prior ) , to be Provincial Great Prior for Burma . He is already District Grand Master of Burma ( Craft and Mark ) and Grand Superintendent of

Royal Arch Masonry for Burma , and was one of the founders of the flourishing Preceptory and Priory at Moulmein . Since the death ( two-and-a-half years ago ) of the last Provincial Prior ( Sir Knight MacLeod ) Sir Knight Moyle has been in charge of the province as Sub-Prior of the Order , and we are infdrmed that his appointment has given the greatest satisfaction to the knights of the Order in the province .

# - ' © * S » The advantages to be derived from attending lodges of instruction should be too apparent to need any argument or persuasion on the part of those who desire our beautiful ritual and ceremonial observances to be maintained at their

highest standard . Bro . J . A . Hoffman , the Hon . Secretary of the West Smithlield Lodge of Instruction , which meets weekly at 27 , Knightrider Street , City , sends us a communication in which he appeals to all true Freemasons to make themselves conversant with the ritual and tenets of the

Craft , a knowledge only to be acquired by regular attendance at lodges of instruction . Such knowledge and acquirements should form the essential recommendation and qualification of an incoming Master , who would thus be enabled sincerely and fearlessly to give the required pledge that he was well able to undertake the duties and fulfil the obligations appertaining to the Master ' s chair .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall was held at Camborne on the 17 th October , Bro . the Far ! of Mount Edgcumbe presiding , supported by the Deputy Prov . G . M ., W . Bro . P . Colville Smith , P . G . D . A feature of personal interest on the occasion was the present- 'tion to the

Provincial Grand Secretary of the clothing of his rank in Grand Lodge , which drew from the recipient thanks for the gift as well as an assurance that as long as he lived he would do what he could for the benefit of the province . Those who are acquainted with the work

which Bro . Edvvean has performed for some years as Charity representative of Cornwall at the elections in London , and latterly as Provincial Grand Secretary , will have no difficulty in accepting this assurance . The routine business usually transacted at the annual

meeting was satisfactorily disposed of and the officers for the year appointed . In investing Bro . the Rev . H . K . Southwell , of Bodmin , as Chaplain , the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe mentioned that Bro . Southwell had recentl y

returned from South Africa , where he had been serving as a volunteer chaplain on the march from Bloemfontein to Pretoria . When Bro . Lee came up for the collar of Senior Deacon , his Lordship said he had , on behalf of the brethren of the Camborne Lodge , to present Bro . Lee with a gold

watch and chain and also a Past Master's jewel in token of the esteem in which he was held for his valued services as Secretary of Mount Edgcumbe Lodge for eight years , and for services in connection with the building of the new premises . The Camborne brethren improved the

occasion by arranging for the dedication at this meeting of their new Masonic Hall just completed , thus adding another to the numerous list of lodges now holding their meetings in buildings either entirely or principally devoted to Masonic purposes .

The question of life membership appears 10 be exercising the minds of our brethren across the Tweed . Life membership was never , as far as we are aware , sanctioned by the authorities of the Grand Lodge of England . Nevertheless , the practice , until recently , of commuting annual

subscriptions by payment of a fixed sum was not unknown in English lodges . It needs but a slight acquaintance with the Book of Constitutions to realise the impossibility of reconciling life membership with the rules laid down for the government of the Order . To say nothing of the difficulty of excluding

such members for any cause , should such a course become advisable or necessary , the custom , we consider , is a most objectionable and un-Masonic one from many points of \ iew . We have pleasure in giving a portrait of M . W . Bro . J . Ross Robertson , Past Grand Master of Canada , of whom some account appeared in our last number .

M . \\\ Hun . . ! . HOSS HOHKHTSOX , l ' . C . M . CANADA .

The many Masonic friends of Bro . Will E . Chapman—be they "Savages , " " Eccentrics , " or " Old Drury " brethrenwill be pleased to learn from the Diamond Fields Advertiser that he has been appointed a Justice of the Peace for the District of Kimberley . His services as Captain of the Town

Guard during the memorable siege , deserve special recognition , and it is pleasant to know that having done his full share in repelling Her Majesty ' s enemies , Bro . Chapman is now commissioned to preserve the peace of the district , he helped so successfully to defend .