Royal Masonic Rite.

controlling all degrees above tho 3 rd , heretofore known as Egyptian Masonry—viz ., 4 th to tho 83 rd , 4 th to 00 th , and 4 th to 90 th . A constitution was unanimously ad ipfeil am" Officers elected . . Nearly all the Officers are Knights Templar , and a large majority nvo members of the A . and A . or

Scottish Rite . Ot the entire membership ( over 16 , 000 ) nearly all ; ire Knights Templar . Our Sovereign Sanctuary is now not only recognised by every regular Sovereign Sanctuary of the wo : id , hir , < i ! s : > by tho Imperial Confederation of Rites of the world . The Royal Masonic Rite

has no fight with any other Rito of Masonry . It , door , no ! in any way interfere with or confer tho degrees of any othet Rito of Masonry , but udhet'cs strictly to its

motto" Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you , do ye eveD so to them "—and , so far as is known , there is now no opposition to this Rite from any respectable source . — Mason-ie World .

Private Business Does Not Excuse.

PRIVATE BUSINESS DOES NOT EXCUSE .

A GREAT mistake is made , now and then , by some Masonic Graud Officer , in supposing that private business affairs excuse him from the non-performance of bis official duties and obligations . This is especially objectionable when a Grand Mastor , or Grand High Priest ,

or Grand Commander , makes it a reason for neglecting official visitation of constituent bodies , and for declining other duties of his exalted station . When a Mason accepts such a station , it is his duty to make all private business

matters secondary to tho work of his office , and if ho does not he fails to fulfil his official obligation , and also exerts a pernicious influonce on tho Craft , the force of example being very effective for evil as well as good . The first

officer of the body in the jurisdiction , acting as if his duties wore of slight importance and to be readily neglected , thereby toaches that constituent officers and brethren may lightly esteem their duties , and perform or neglect them

just as mere convenience may permit ; aye , more , teaches that the Institution itself may bo lightly regarded , and neglected at will by all its officers aud other members .

This being true , let us have no more private business excuses for neglect of official Masonic duties . —Voice oj Masonry .

Tho Prince of Wales has granted a warrant for tho formation of a new Lodge at Chester for the new northwestern military district . Tho consecration , wo understand , will tako place towards tho end of January . The brethren requested tho Deputy Provincial Grand Master ,

Sir Horatio Lloyd ' , to name the now Lodge , and he , in deference to their wishes , named it " Tho Clarence , " intimating that ho considered that name would be specially appropriate , as his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence would probably be the future Earl of Chester , and possibly

at some period Grand Master of tho Order . Many of the Military Brethren being already members of the Lodge of Independence , No . 721 , Chester , have requested tho retiring W . M . of that Lodge , Rro . H . Finchett , to be the first Master of tho Clarence Lodge , and ho has signified his

assent . We understand the other Lodges in Chester havo very favourably received the announcement of tho new Lodge , and are doing all in their power to further its ) interest , being fully convinced that there is great need for it , especially for the accommodation of Military Brethren ,

of whom there are a considerable number . We behove Bros . Salmon , Matthews , Jones and Knowles will act as Past Masters , and Bros . Litherland , Captain Cooper , Sergeant-Majors McKay and Goodwin , will probably first fill tho principal offices . We can only add that wo heartily

"Wish the young offspring success . The mattsr had been on the tapis for some years , but thanks to the manner in which Bro . I . M . Jones introduced the subject at a meeting of the Independence Lodge a couple of months ago , and tho

spirit iu which his remarks were taken up , objections which had been considered insuperable have been overcome , find the new Lodge will scon be a fait accompli . Tho Clarence will , we understand , hold their meetings at the Masonic Hall , Foregate-street ,

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

iIITE nuiioimccmvut that LOUL" ^ St . . Toh-i or Melrose . & - has resolved by an overwhelming majimy to relinquish if . 'i itidenendor-ce and beeomo obedient fa Grand Lndgo will bo hailed with acclammation by tho Crate under dio Scottish Constitution . Mulroso St . John will , in

consideration of ( loonnn ' . t iry evident ? of its antiquity , take pi ' . " .. •. de ' . ' . ce on tin : vol ! of Grand Lodge immediately aftor tho Liidge o ? Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , No . 1 , with the No . l !; , in terms of tho conditions agreed upon by both parties . The Melro-e records date hi almost , unbroken

sequence from 2 ti ? h December 1074 . Mother Kilwinning resigned its independence in 1808 . Glasgow St . John No . 3 ! ,- joined tho Grand Lodge in 1850 . Thero aro now no independent Lxlpes existing in Scotland . The union uf Graud Lodge ami the Melrose Lodge will bo formally

ratified in tho first work of February . The negotiations which havo been so successful wore , on tho part of Grand Lndgp , conducted b y Dr . Middleton , Stow ; Mr . Elliot of Wolfeloe , General J . J . Bosucil , and Mr . D . Murray Lyon , Grand Secretary .

St. Stephen's Lodge, No. 224 (S.C.)

ST . STEPHEN'S LODGE , No . 224 ( S . C . )

, 4 T the fortnightly meeting of tho above Lodge , held on tho 17 th ¦ £ "¦» - nit ., p . tCnlien , tho following brethren wero Appointed officebearf i-3 for tho ensuing vear : —Bro ? . Smith K . W . M ., Young P . M ., Clark D . M ., Gillan S . M ., M . Cfildor S . W ., Ucsaell J . W ., Reid 3 . T ) ., Duncan J . D ., Cruicksh . nlc I . G ., Itina O . G ., Thow Chtipluin , C-ilder Secretary , ArConuaeliie Treasurer , Fairweathor Or ^ uniat ,

Wallace ) Bible Benror , Strufcbdeo Standard Bortror , Sutherland , Webster , Guthrie , Rosy , Angn » , and J . Craickshnidc Stownrds . Tim Lodge continues to be ai popular aa evor . A great many have bonn initiated thin session . The annual torch-light procession and entertainment vtan to bo held this ? , as in former years , on St . Stephen ' s night .

The following information has been issued by tho Grand Secretary of tho Giand Lodge of Scotland : —Tho half of the f ; eo incomo of G . L . for year ending 2 Sth Novombor last amounts to about £ 1300 , of which sum JCGSO will bo ft disposal of tho board for payment of annuities in the yeiw 1891 . A similar sum fulls to bo capitnli-od . OF

tho £ 1129 at tho disposal of the Hoard for tho year 1800 , tho twin of £ 580 was paid in nunnitie ? . Tho salaries and working expenseR for the year amounted to £ 51 . Balance , £ 198 . Probable amount availhble in 1891 for the payment of existing annuities and the granting of others , £ 1148 .

It has been enacted that , " with the exception of the offices of Grand Scribe E . and Grand Janitor , each holder of Grand ofh ' eo in Supremo Grand Chapter ( Scotland ) shall vacate his oflico after n tenure of two yearn , but ho shall bo eligiblo for immediate election to any other Grand office , or for election to the sanio Grand office after

tho expiry of one year from the date of conferring same , iu which caso tho teuuio of office shall bo for two ycare . " In a law to tho wimo purpose , Grand Lodge exempts the office of Grand Master from tho rule , but in Supreme Chapter tho First Grand Principal is pnt on the sarno footing as other Officers , and must now vacato offico ufc ' tho end of tho two years . —Glasgoiu Evening Neivs .

It may be within tho recollection of some of our readers that Mr . F . Wootton Isaacson , M . P ., during tho last Session of Parliament , asked the Homo Secretary whether at tho meetings of Masonic Lodges and of Friendly Societies , on

licensed premises , when only members of the societies are present , piano playing and singing are forbidden . Mr . Matthews was hardly in a position to give a satisfactory answer , but said that tho police do not in practice interfere

unless there is proof of actual disorderly conduct . Wo aro now informed that it is tho intention of Mr . Isaacson to bring in a abort Bill " to amend tho law relating to meetings of Masonic and other Friendly Societies in licensed houses , " which the Government have promised to support .

On the evo ling of Friday , the 19 th ult ., Bro . James Stevens P . M . P . Z . delivered his lecture before a largo audieuco at tho Masonic Hall , Derby .

HOUOWIT ' OIXTMEXT A . KB PIM . 8 will lie found the best friend to persors afTIirted with ulcerations , bad letcs , sores , abscesses , ilnuilas and other painful and complicated complaint * . Printed nr / l very plain iVnretions f . ir th ¦ . * Application of the Ointment ; tro wrapped round c ch pot . Ilollowuy ' s alterative Pills should bo t ; iki .-n throwsliout the- progress of the cure , to maintain the

blood in si fitate of reW ' ect pivity , and to pi-over . t the health of tho whole body being jeopardised by the local ailments ; bad legs , old ago ' s grievances , aro thus ' roFirtily cured , without confining the patient in bed , or withdrawing from him or her tho nutritious diet and generous support so imperatively demanded , when weakening diseases attack advanced year .- * or constitutions evincing premature decrepitude .