Consecration Of The Sir Charles Bright Chapter, No. 1793.

The ceremony having been fully carried out , the installation of the Three Principals followed . The following elections then took place : Comps . Austin , S . E . ; Sapsworth , S . N . ; Hopwood , Treas . ; Simmonds , Principal

Soj- ; Marjason , ist . Asst . Soj . ; and Covell , 2 nd Asst . Soj . Votes of thanks were passed to Comps . Sir Francis Burdett , R . H . Thrupp , and the Rev . S . T . H . Saunders , and they were elected honorary members .

Votes of thanks were also passed to Comps . Walls and Lee . Several names having been handed in for exaltation at the next meeting , the chapter was closed , and the companions and their visitors adjourned to the banquet . Among the latter were Comps . Gould , P . A . G . S . ; Elsam , P . P . G . J . Surrey , Filler , P . G . S . B . ; Poupart , Dare , J . T . Briggs , P . P . G . P . S ., and many others . The usual toasts were duly honoured .

An excellent programme of music was furnished by Comp . C Stevens , Collick , Poupart , Bros . E . and J . Hall , and Mr . Harry Middleton The proceedings terminated at an early hour .

Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.

SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND .

A quarterly communication of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter was held on the 6 th inst ., in the Freemasons' Hall , George-street , Edinburgh . The following were elected Grand office-bearers for the ensuing year : Comp . Col . Sir A . C . Campbell , Bart ., of Blythswood ist G . Principal .

„ Sir Michael R . Shaw-Stewart , Bart . ... Past ist G . Prin . ,, William Mann , S . S . C . ... ... ... Depute G . Prin . ,, Frederick E . Villiers of Closeburn ... ... 2 nd G . Principal . ,, The Right Hon . Lord Saltoun of Abernethy ... 3 rd G . Principal . „ R . S . Brown ... ... ... ... Grand Scribe E . „ Dr . George Dickson ... ... ... Grand Scribe N . .,, William Officer , S . S . C ... ... ... Grand Treas . ,, James Webster ... ... ... Grand Recorder . ,, James Dalrymple Duncan ... ... Grand Chancellor „ George Christie , of Southfield ... ... ist G . Soj . „ Col . John Campbell ... ... ... 2 nd G . Soj . „ the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Haddington ... 3 rd G . Soj . „ James Crichton ... ... ... Grand Swd . Br . „ William Black , C . E . ... ... ... Grand S . of W . „ Col . P . Stirling of Kipoendavie ... ... ist G . Std . Br . „ H . J . Coventry , W . S . " ... ... ... 2 nd G . Std . Br . ,, John Taylor ... ... ... ... Grand Janitor .

A charter was granted to a new chapter at Colac , Victoria , to be named the Mackersy . Reports were received from Provincial Grand Chapters in Lanarkshire and Forfarshire , giving satisfactory accounts of the progress of the Order in these districts . The following vvere elected members of the Supreme Committee in room of those who retire by rotation : Comps . W . Adamson , J . 56 ; Charles Baxter , W . S ., Z . 40 ; Dr . John Falconer , H . 129 ; James Melville , Z . 118 ; and James Simpson , Z . 64 .

District Grand Lodge Of Canterbury (N.Z.).

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF CANTERBURY ( N . Z . ) .

The regular Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury , New Zealand , was held at the St . Augustine Masonic Hall , Christchurch , on Thursday , the 17 th January . Bro . Henry Thompson , Dist . G . M ., presided , and among the Grand Officers and other brethren present were Bros . Dr . Deamer , D . D . G . M . ; H . Sawtell , D . S . G . W . ; W . B . Allwright , as D . J . GAV . ; R . C . Bishop , D . G . Treas . ; F . J . Smith

D . G . Reg . ; W . R . Mitchell , D . G . Sec ; VV . T . C . Mills , D . S . G . D . ; J . C Revell , D . J . G . D . ; J . G . L . Scott , D . G . S . of W . ; George Buckham ,

D . G . D . C ; H . F . Arnold , D . G . S . B . ; A . G- Raphael , as D . G . Org . ; F . M . Warren , D . A . G . Sec . ; E . U . Just , D . A . G . D . C . ; T . Forrest , D . G . P . ; H . A . Davis , Trev . Burns , and A . D . Fraser , D . G . Stewards ; R . Stevens , D . G . Tyler ; C . A . C . Hardy , C . P . Hulbert , S . Desbridge , Jubal Fleming , and Marcus Sandstien , Past D . G . Wardens , and others ; and sundry

visitors . District Grand Lodge having been opened , and the minutes of the Quarterly Communication on i 8 th October last read and confirmed , apologies for non-attendance from several brethren were announced . The District Grand Treasurer ' s statement , showing a balance of over £ 683 , and assets amounting to £ 865 , was submitted and adopted .

fhe roll of lodges was called , and the Report of the Benevolence Fund , lowing close on £ 311 to the credit of the Fund , was received , and the U , G . MASTER complimented the members of the Board on the successful work done during the past year .

fhe Report of the Standing Committee was submitted ; and a notice of m ° tion by Bro . E . J that an amendment by the D . G . Registrar was ul tra i ) ireS i ail £ j should be expunged from the minutes , was defeated by a Majority of nearly 2 to 1 .

" ro R . C . Bishop was unanimously re-elected District Grand Treasurer , n J » the following District Grand Officers for the en suing year were appointed

Br ° - W . T . C . Mills ... ... ... D . S . G . Warden . " J-C Revell ... ... ... ... D . J . G . Warden . " R . C . Bishop ( elected ) ... ... ... D . G . Treasurer . " f- J . Smith ... ... ... ... D . G . Registrar . " W . R . Mitchell ... ,,. ... D . G . Secretary ,

District Grand Lodge Of Canterbury (N.Z.).

„ J . G . L . Scott ... ... ... ... D . S . G . Deacon . „ George Buckham ... ... ... D . J . G . Deacon . „ E . U . Just ... ... ... ... D . G . S . of W . „ H . F . Arnold ... ... ... ... D . G . D . C . „ F . W . East ... ... ... ... D . A . G . D . C . „ George Davies ... ... ... D . G . S . B . „ Thos . Forrest ... ... ... ... D . G . Std . Br . „ R . T . Searell ... ... ... ... D . G . Organist . „ F . M . Warren ... ... ... ... D . Asst . G . Sec . ,, T . S . Foster ... ... ... ... D . G . Pursuivant . „ C . E . Curtis ... ... ... ... D . A . G . Purst . „ Acquilla Ivory ... ... ... ... ^ ,, John Dobson ... ... ... „ . ' , , ,. H . A . Davis c D . G . Stewards . „ W . H . Baker ... ... ... ...

„ Richard Stevens ... ... ... D . G . Tyler . The members of the Standing Committee having been in part nominated by the D . G . M ., and in part elected by D . G . Lodge , District G . Lodge vvas closed and adjourned .

Masonic Fictions.

MASONIC FICTIONS .

The much mooted question as to whether the Knight Templars compose a legitimate branch in Freemasonry is again disturbing the minds of some of our contemporaries , apparently unaware that this pretension is but the result of the Abbe Robin ' s advancement of a theory as to Freemasonry having ' been a prolongation of chivalry as instituted in the Middle Ages . The Abbe , in 1779 , published a book , advocating his views , which undoubtedly

was seized upon by some branch enthusiasts as a pretext for re-organisation of Templarism in that country as an independent system in knighthood , to which was subsequently added other fictions relating their descent from the martyr De Molay . The Abbe ' s views were ingenious and plausible , but vvere evidently raised to controvert the theory of Bro . Enoch , whose True Freemason was published in 1773 , and produced much excitement among the Fraternity as giving the remote origin of the Order . Bro . Enoch

claimed that the first lodge of Freemasons was held among the children of Seth , immediately after Cain's fratricide , and was presided over by the Archangel St . Michael . Bro . Enoch , however , was not as venturesome as his contemporary , the Abbe Le Tranc , who , in his Veil Uplifted , assumes Freemasonry to have originated with Adam in the Garden of Eden . The traditions resulting from these vagaries have descended to us to be retailed by modern orators as the veritable history as to the remote antiquity of the Masonic institution . —MasOnic Chronicle .

Perfect Ritualism.

PERFECT RITUALISM .

When Grand Master Walkem visited St . George ' s Lodge , Toronto , he expressed the opinion that it would be wise for lodge officers to give more of their attention to the teachings of the Order , because a knowledge of the ritual was not all that was required , as there was something else in

Freemasonry besides words and forms . The Craftsman has held that perfect ritualism is not the mainstay of Freemasonry , while it may be a very good feature in its way , believing that there are grander lessons to be learned from the teachings and traditions of the Craft than from the rehearsal , in a poll parrot style , of our ritual .

Comp . J . H . Brown , Grand Recorder of the Grand Chapter of Kansas , in his report on Foreign Correspondence , thus refers to what we may justly term " machine ritualism , " as much of our work is imparted in such a slovenly and meaningless manner as not to make the slightest impression on a listener— " One thing is certain—parrot work will no longer satisfy

companions , otherwise intelligent . Lecturers must be prepared to give reasons founded in truth , and clearly enunciated , for every doctrine inculcated . The why , the wherefore , must be made plain to each and every inquirer , else he will go away with the feeling that something has been wilfully withheld or that there is sham in the work , and give up the attempt to make further inquiry or attainment . "

Grand Master Elliott , of Wisconsin , in his address to Grand Lodge , recently said— "The impression is too generally entertained that a ' bright Mason' is he who with glib tongue can rattle off the ritual , while the brilliancy of his brightness is too often measured by the length of his memory . That officers and members should be learned in our ritual is essential to the

interests of our work , but , it should not be forgotten that the ritual is of modern date , while the principles it is used to illustrate are beyond the memory of man . To these principles that appeal not less to the hearts than to the heads of mankind , Masonry owes its wonderful tenacity of life . "Canadian Craftsman .

ENTICK , J , REV ., was an English clergyman of the Church of England , of whom not much is known , except that he was a Freemason and edited two editions of Anderson ' s Constitutions , 1756 , 1767 , and Mackey says also that of 1769 . One octavo edition of 176 9 has no mention of Entick , and we do not think , " pace " Mackey , that he had anything to do with the 176 9 edition ; Oliver only credits him with those in quarto of

1756 and 1767 . He preached several Masonic sermons , some of which were published ; and delivered a lecture , " A Free Representation of Free , masonry , " at the King ' s Head Lodge , Poultry , London , 1751 . Printed in . Cole ' s " Antient Constitutions , " etc ., 1751 . Oliver says , in the "Revela tions of a Square , " that his "habits were grave and sober , " that he was " good master and a fair disciplinarian , popular among the Craft , an ex "

positor of Masonry in many printed works , and at the same time he preserved his status in the Grand Lodge . " He " preached many sermons on Freemasonry , " the Doctor concludes , " which ought to have been preserved , as they did honour both to his head and his heart . " He also , as is known , published more than one dictionary , and few of us who have used either his Latin or English dictionary will perhaps have remembered that it was the work of our sound old Masonic teacher . —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .

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