tion of the offense, with the injunction, "Go, and sin no more," and a deliverance to the effect that no subordinate Lodge of the jurisdiction could waive their rights in favor of a foreign Lodge, and disapproving the subletting of Masonic halls to a Lodge of another jurisdiction. The report of the Grand Secretary is brief, concise, clear, covering all necessary details. The "returns" show eight hundred and twenty-eight members-a net gain of eighty-eight. The Grand Treasury contained a balance of $1,376.04 in General Fund, and of $2,490.50 in Widows' and Orphans' Fund. Grand Orator Charles D. Belden apparently has eloquence "on tap." He again discoursed-wisely and entertainingly-on "The Ultimate of Freemasonry." On the matter of "Negro Masonry," the same brother, for the Committee on Correspondence, submitted a lengthy report, which concluded with these resolutions: "Resolved, That it is, at the present time, inadvisable that this Grand Lodge take any official notice of the late acts of our sister Grand Lodge of Washington concerning the subject of Negro Masonry. "Resolved, also, That we accept their statement in the ninth declaration of 1899 as their adoption of the American doctrine of exclusive territorial jurisdiction, and that so long as they adhere strictly to that principle we see no sufficient cause for further action on the part of the Grand Lodge of Arizona. "We believe this to be an appropriate occasion for the Grand Lodge of Arizona to affirm her loyalty to the American doctrine, and, therefore, submit the following resolution: “Resolved, That this Grand Lodge adopts and incorporates the American doctrine as one of its fundamental tenets; that is to say, a Grand Lodge first organized in a State or Territory has the supreme control over symbolic Masonry within its territorial limits." The Grand Lodge concurred. The Grand Lodge of Western Australia was recognized. There is no report on Correspondence, though there is an able committee. Most Worshipful George Montague, Nogales, Grand Master. Right Worshipful George J. Ruskruge, Tucson, Grand Secretary. Next Annual Communication, Prescott, November 12th, 1901. W ARKANSAS. E OPEN to the portrait of Grand Master Robert M. Smith, who, with his wife and four children, perished in the Galveston storm of September 8th, 1900, all trace of their existence being as completely wiped out as though they had never been. An emergent communication of the Grand Lodge was held in Hot Springs, October 7th, 1900, Deputy Grand Master Harry H. Myers presiding, for the purpose of eulogy and regret over their sad loss. Addresses were delivered on the occasion by Acting Grand Master Myers, Grand Secretary Fay Hempstead, Rev. Brother Julius C. Brown, Past Grand Master George Thornburgh, Past Grand Commander, Knights Templar, George G. Latta, Past Grand Master Richard H. Taylor, Rabbi F. L. Rosenthal, Brother George B. Cook, of Hot Springs Lodge, and Sir J. H. Avery, of Hot Springs Commandery, to both of which bodies Brother Smith belonged. The exercises were solemn, tender, and must have been of intense interest to all present; the eulogies were of a high order. Portraits of Deputy Grand Master Myers and of Grand Secretary Hempstead are given in the record of the Emergent Communication. The Sixtieth Annual was held at Little Rock, November 20th and 21st, 1900. Nine Past Grand Masters were enrolled, and the representatives of three hundred and sixty-one Lodges out of the four hundred and forty-six on the register. The address of Acting Grand Master Myers opens with a tender reminiscence of their parting at the close of their Fifty-ninth Annual, and of the sadness which overspread the jurisdiction with the news of the sudden and awful calamity at Galveston, which snatched away their Grand Master. An appeal for aid for the Galveston sufferers brought $915 in voluntary contributions. Four other brethren who had graced the Grand East had been summoned to the beyond during the year-Samuel W. Williams, J. H. Van Hoose, John J. Sumpter, and W. H. Gee. He reported two decisions as having been made by Grand Master Smith, and three Lodges organized under dispensation. Two corner-stones were laid, and one Lodge instituted under dispensation, by the Deputy Grand Master; $5,000 had been paid on the bonded indebtedness of the temple. The report of the Grand Secretary is a purely business document, clean-cut and complete in detail. A telegram expressing sympathy with him in his ill-health was 'sent to Past Grand Master George A. Donnelly, and an offering of $53.10 was taken up and sent to him. The bonded indebtedness on the temple has been reduced from the original $50,000 to $35,000, which (unfortunately for the Grand Lodge) bears interest at 7 per cent. The amount could now be secured at 5 per cent, but all attempts to secure the release of the bonds for the purpose of rebonding failed. The holder of the bonds evidently regards that 2 per cent as valuable to him as it would be to the Grand Lodge. Grand Orator W. R. Chestnut delivered an address, which finds place in the Proceedings, upon the Cardinal Virtues of Masonry. The memorial service in honor of the deceased Past Grand Mas ters was appropriate and impressive. As a "fly in the ointment," we note that the first three lines of poetical quotation with which Brother Thornburgh concluded his memorial paper are not a quotation proper-neither Longfellow nor McCreary being accurately represented thereby; and that the remaining three quotations, printed as though forming a part with the first in continuous quotation, have no relation thereto, being from an ode found in many collections of hymns, commonly ascribed to Bathhurst, but really from some (as yet) unknown author. For the poem, "There is No Death," we refer our brother to our report on Correspondence made to the Grand Commandery of Iowa in 1899. The author was an Iowa man. The Grand Lodge had invitations to visit the State School for the Blind and the State Penitentiary, and accepted both; brethren could take their choice "without money and without price." The Grand Lodge of Porto Rico was recognized, as was that of Western Australia. A recommendation for the repeal of the edict of non-intercourse with the Grand Lodge of Washington was laid over for a year, until "the true intent and meaning of the modifying resolution adopted by them" could be ascertained. On the recommendation of the Committee on Masonic Usage, the following edicts were adopted: 1. That no man who is engaged in the sale of intoxicating liquors shall be made a Mason by any of the Lodges in this Grand Jurisdiction. "2.-That all subordinate Lodges within this Grand Jurisdiction be required to drop from their rolls every member who is in any way engaged in the sale of intoxicating liquors. "Provided, That whenever such persons shall discontinue such business they may, upon application to the Lodge from whose rolls they were dropped, be restored by a two-thirds vote to all such rights and privileges. "4. That by the term 'intoxicating liquors' is meant all vinous, malt, spirituous liquors, or any compound thereof, commonly called tonics or bitters, and shall include native wines." It is now in order for "ye ancients" to howl over the narrowness, the bigotry, the adoption of new tests of qualification, etc., which are freely indulged in whenever the "personal liberty" of drunkard makers is interfered with. All honor to the sterling integrity of the craft in Arkansas which makes such legislation possible—and actual. There is no report on Correspondence. Most Worshipful Harry H. Myers, Little Rock, Grand Master. Right Worshipful Fay Hempstead, Little Rock, Grand Secretary. Next Annual Communication, Little Rock, November 18th, 1902. ΤΗ BRITISH COLUMBIA. HE TWENTY-NINTH Annual Communication was held in Vancouver, June 21st to 23d, 1900, Most Worshipful R. Eden Walker in the East. Twenty-six Lodges were represented. The Grand Master's address of seventeen pages is interesting and instructive. He mourned the passing of one of their Past Grand Masters, Brother Fred Williams, whose call came November 30th, 1899. Their foreign relations he reported amicable. This is his word upon "The African in the woodpile," as found in Washington: "The question is one which interests us in British Columbia in theory rather than in practice, but I cannot help feeling that the 'color line' has so far warped the better judgment of members of the Fraternity in some of the Grand Jurisdictions of the neighboring Republic as to make them unable, under any circumstances or condition, to view any man of African descent as a 'brother.'" The Most Worshipful made seventeen official visits; rendered eight decisions; granted fourteen special dispensations; constituted (by proxy) three Lodges; and gracefully surrendered his position in due season to his successor. The report of Grand Secretary Quinlan informs us that they had one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine members on the rolls of all Lodges; that the total funds and property of all Lodges amounted to $47,728.82; and that there was expended for relief $607.50. From the Grand Treasurer we learn that they had $800 on hand in the Charity Fund when Grand Lodge met, and $3,472.98 in current account. Most Worshipful Brother Gen. John Corson Smith, of Illinois, being present, was invited to address the Grand Lodge, and gave some account of Masonry as practiced in Egypt and other Oriental lands which he had visited. A Committee on Constitution reported, and this record appears: "Resolved, That the report of the committee be adopted. Tabled, and placed on the summons for the next annual communication for final action." Did that word “adopted” slip in erroneously for "accepted?" In parliamentary law on this side of the line, the adoption of a report is final action. In the evening of the first day the Grand Lodge attended divine service at Christ Church, the Grand Chaplain, Rev. E. P. Flewelling, delivering “an impressive sermon." Following this was a banquet at Hotel Vancouver, at which the Masons of Vancouver "excelled themselves" as hosts, and the visitors, we presume, did well their part as guests. Gen. J. C. Smith made the "gem" speech of the evening. The Correspondence report of two hundred and eighteen pages is submitted "for the committee" by Brother W. A. De Wolf Smith, chairman. We presume that the committee permitted him to do the work, which is well done. He writes his report, quoting but sparingly, save in the matter of decisions. He gives to Iowa (1899) five pages of fraternal notice. "We consider it no slight compliment to say that this volume is quite the equal of any of Most Worshipful Brother Parvin's previous efforts." Of the Grand Secretary's reports, he says that "both are interesting." The report on Negro Masonry he considers "a courteous, but firm and emphatic, denial of the Masonic legitimacy of the Negroes, and of the right of the Grand Lodge of Washington to take the action it did." We are credited with "an exceedingly fine report," and our views on the Negro question are quoted with emphatic approval. He thoroughly endorses our views on Mexican Masonry, and cautions all to "go slow" in the recognition of the Gran Dieta. Most Worshipful Harry H. Watson, Vancouver, Grand Master. Very Worshipful W. J. Quinlan, Nelson, Grand Secretary. Next Annual Communication, Nelson, June 20th, 1901. T CALIFORNIA. HE GOLDEN STATE does nothing at the halves. This massive volume of six hundred and forty pages is an index of her highness of ideal and of achievement. For a frontispiece it has a picture of the Masonic Home at Decoto. The grounds, we apprehend, are ornamented with trees and shrubbery which are yet to be, but there is enough in esse to warrant the largest suggestions of what is in posse. The Fifty-first Annual Communication was held in the Masonic Temple, San Francisco, October 9th to 13th, 1900, Grand Master Charles L. Patton presiding. Ten Past Grand Masters were in attendance, and the representatives of two hundred and sixteen chartered Lodges. In the list of Grand Representatives present this record appears: "Iowa-Most Worshipful William A. Davies." This persistence in holding on to a shadow is worthy of a better cause. Has Brother Davies never been advised of the revocation of his commission? The Most Worshipful required but seventeen pages for his address. They were called to mourn the departure of the second Grand Master of California, John Ashby Tuft, who died May 15th, 1900, at the ripe age of 85. He responded to the Galveston call for relief by telegraphing a donation of $1,000, which action the Grand Lodge endorsed. He reported peace and prosperity, their net gain in membership being over eleven hundred. Four Lodges were constituted, and two dispensations issued for new Lodges. The Grand |