At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

A matter of considerable importance is dealt with in the report of the Board of General Purposes which appears in the business paper for Grand Lodge on the 4 th December . There can be no doubt that those sections of the new Licensing Act , which provide for the registration of clubs , will in numerous cases affect the members of lodges and

chapters meeting in unlicensed premises , and it appears that the Grand Registrar has presented to the Board an exhaustive report on the subject . As these sections come into operation 011 the 1 st January next , and registration of all clubs must take place within that month , the Board has taken steps to

issue at once to all Present and Past Grand Officers , to all Provincial Grand Secretaries , and to all Masters of lodges and First Principals of chapters in England , copies of the Grand Registrar's report , in order that those affected by the sections may know what is required of them . In so important a

matter it is highly necessary that the instructions given be thoroughly studied and closely followed . From these it may be gathered that while a lodge of itself does not require registration , inasmuch as no intoxicating liquor can properly be supplied within it for any purpose whatever , the members

who take part in what is sometimes spoken of as " refreshment after labour , " will in many cases constitute a club , within the meaning of the Act , necessitating registration . What those cases are the report points out .

© <» * s » At the half-yearly meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of West Yorkshire Royal Arch Masons , recently held at Sheffield , there was a large attendance of the companions . In the absence of Lord Allerton , the Grand Superintendent , Comp . R . Wilson , Provincial Grand H ., presided . Comp .

Wilson suggested they should place on the minutes an expression of their gratification that their Grand Superintendent ( Lord Allerton ) had been elevated to the peerage . In dealing with the history of Royal Arch Masonry in Sheffield , he pointed out that the earliest known reference

was to a lodge numbered 85 , which was constituted in 1761 . He regarded the preservation of the register in which the minute was recorded as a fortunate circumstance , and suggested the unearthing of other old records , which would serve to throw" light on the past history of Masonry in West Yorkshire . Since the last meeting a new chapter ( the

Connaught ) had been consecrated at Bradford , bringing the roll of chapters up to forty-seven . A grant of one hundred guineas was made from the chapter in support of Lord Allerton's chairmanship of the Girls' School Festival , and it was urged upon < he brethren the desirability of the province maintaining its position as the premier province of England with respect

to the support of the Charities . A resolution was passed congratulating the Grand Secretary , Sir E . Letchworth , on the knighthood which had just been conferred upon him .

. < - . . ' »»; . » V At the recent meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall , which was presided over by the Provincial Grand Master , the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , the rank of Past Provincial Grand Warden was , under the authority of Grand Lodge , conferred on Bro . Joseph G . Osborn , P . M ., in

acknowledgment of his attention to the studious side of Masonry , he having given much time to the collection of evidence concerning the earl y history of Freemasonry in the province , and having published recently a book on the subject . The work is dedicated to the Provincial Grand Master .

< S »» < $ » " 'J " One of the first six messages sent over the new Pacific cable conveyed Masonic greetings , by M . W . Bro . John E . Harding , Grand Master , on behalf of the Grand Lodge

of Canada . Fraternal greetings with the brethren in Victoria were thus exchanged on the 3 rd and 4 th of November . The Canadian Grand Master sent the following message : — "Toronto , November 3 rd , 1902 . — The Grand Lodge of Canada , representing 25 , 000 Craftsmen and British subjects , sends greetings over the new cable to the Freemasons of

Australia , to whom we arc joined in the bonds of fraternal love and British citizenship . —HAKDIXC , Grand Master . " « - & The Austi-alian Grand Master replied : — "The Grand Lodge of Victoria accepts with great pleasure the greetings

of the Grand Lodge of Canada sent over new cable , and welcomes the closer union of Masons and subjects of the British Empire , and grasps the fraternal hand of Canadian brethren in love and unity . —PEACOCK , Grand Master . " » £ " * « l »

Almost coincident with the above , M . W . Bro . J . Ross Robertson , Past Grand Master and Historian of the Grand Lodge of Canada , who is proprietor of The Evening Telegram , secured the privileges of the cable to send and receive the first press messages to cross the all-British line between Canada and the Antipodes . The first was as follows : —

" The Argus , Melbourne , Australia . We rejoice with the Australian Press that the ends of an all-British Empire are joined by an all-British cable . —J . Ross ROHKRTSOX , Toronto Evening Telegram . " « 5 > < S > And the first press message from Australia to Canada

came in the following prompt response from the proprietor of the Melbourne Argus : — " Evening Telegram , Toronto , Canada . Heartily reciprocate your good wishes . Congratulations to the Canadian Press generally on completion of Pacific cable . " © <§> < j »

It is with regret that we record the sudden death of Bro . Thomas Francis Peacock , F . S . A ., which took place at his residence at Sidcup on the nth November . Bro . Peacock was a well-known and highly-respected solicitor of Gray ' s Inn and had an extensive practice in connection with

IIUO . THOMAS KIJANl . 'lS l'KAl' < > I'K . building societies , and at one period of his professional career he acted as adviser to no less than forty-live . He

was a member of the Council of the British Archaeological Association , and often contributed papers to its transactions . He was initiated in the Emulation Lodge , No . 21 , in 1872 , became Worshipful Master in 188 3 , and was afterwards for several years its Treasurer . He joined the Berkhampstead