English Freemasons In The Holy Land.

wall to subterranean Jerusalem , or the Quarries of King Solomon . The Lodge assembled , as stated above , on Thursday afternoon , 3 rd February , in that part of the Eoyal Quarries which opens out into the road near the Damascus Gate , but which for strictly Masonic purposes is again and again guarded against intruders . Sad to relate , the approach to this venerated spot is through the heaps of town rubbish which are deposited here as the common

dumping ground of the modern city . The Officers and Brethren of the E . S . M . Lodge present were : —William Henry Kayat W . M ., George Harram , British Pro Consul , S . W ., Demetrius N . Dernian J . W ., Joshua Lyons I . P . M ., Khalil Saadeh Secretary , David Jamal S . D ., Adolph Datze J . D ., Constantine N . Yadros M . C ., Is . Gregory D'Arbela M . D ., William H . Dunn , A . Howard , Chas . A . Hornstein I . G ., Edwin S . Wallace ( United States Consul ) , G . Krikoriene , K . G . Palmer .

The afternoon was beautifully fine , the air was warm and invigorating , and the arrival of the Masons at the Quarries was watched with lively interest by Greeks and Mohammedans in their picturesque costumes . The name of each Brother was called at the entrance to the Quarries—a low doorway cut in the rock which was carefully guarded by the Tyler , whose costume was very striking .

Bro . E . E . G . Palmer P . M . of the Eoyal Solomon Mother Lodge handed me the following interesting note : —

Our Lodge would have a far greater interest for English Masons if it was working under the English Constitution , instead of the Grand Lodge of Canada . There is a scheme in hand to get up a Royal Arch Chapter in Jerusalem , and it is not using extravagant language to say that such a Chapter once founded will become a great force in the Masonic world . It would be a great pity if this Chapter were founded under any other but the English Constitution , and it behoves English Craftsmen to seize the opportunity of being first in the field .

The Lodge was opened in the first and second degrees , without going through the necessary steps . Bro . Kayat W . M . of the Mother Lodge then read a paper , in the course of which he said : — If your name , Brethren of Royal Solomon Mother Lodge , I address myself to our honoured and welcome visitors here present , and say : Brethren

from the West , who have travelled eastwardto this ancient centre and cradle of Masonic science and light , accept our hearty felicitations on the most praiseworthy zeal which has brought you hither . In order to assist you in your researches for light during the short stay you must necessarily make with us , I would take the liberty of calling your attention to some of the most interesting points for your study . We are now assembled within the

very Quarry where the ancient Craftsmen of King Solomon ' s days laboured each in his little corner , illuminated only by a little oil lamp , the resting place and soot of which has remained to this day , in order to hew silently and unobserved ( for good work is silent and unobtrusive ) the great stones for that great edifice , which was one of the wonders of the world , the chief centre of true spiritual and intellectual light , and which , though now in ruins , is one day ( I trust not far distant ) to be rebuilt by the exertions of the Brethren

of the Craft . The old Masters have left the Quarries , but you may still see the maTks they left behind them , not only here , but in almost every nook and corner of the sacred city ; and there , underground indeed , but none the less intact and well-preserved , you see the ancient gates of the ancient Temple ; whilst deep underground , buried from 80 to 110 feet below the present surface , lie the ancient and massive blocks , which silently , without the sound of " metal" being heard , our Brethren piled up as an enduring monument of their knowledge and industry .

After the reading of the paper in the Quarries Bro . C . J . Martyn Past Grand Chaplain of England and Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk returned thanks to the W . M . of the King Solomon Mother Lodge , for his kindness in inviting the Masons of various Lodges assembled to that intensely interesting gathering . The Lodge was unique—standing there , as they did ,

in the glorious Temple so full of hallowed associations . Having referred to the different nationalities represented , Bro . Martyn promised a hearty welcome in England for any Eastern Brother who came across to the British Isles . They would carry away with them to their different Lodges pleasant Masonic recollections of their stay in Jerusalem .

Bro . the Ven . Arehdecon Stevens referred in interesting terms to the labour which had been carried on in those Quarries . He also spoke of the pillars of the Temple which had been hewn there . He was glad to be privileged to witness these scenes , and he hoped to go back a better Christian and also a better Mason . Bro . Charles Cowen said that he considered the spot on which they stood as the greatest Masonic Temple .

Bro . E . S . Wallace responded on behalf of the members of the E . S . M . L ., and subsequently Bro . Lieutenant-Colonel E . Newton Acting Prov . G . M . for Notts , speaking as a Mason of forty years standing , said he had considered the voyage a duty , and was sure the visit would create universal interest .

At the close of the Lodge the Masons were all photographed outside the Quarries . During the process of photography groups of the curious stood around , and one of the interested spectators , who spoke a few words of English , said he was a " member of the Greek Orthodox Church , " and wanted to know if those " peoples "

—pointing at the Masons who were posingin their bright coloured regalia—were high priests ? The " native" mixed crowd which waited around whiled away the time occupied by the Brethren inside the Lodge by fighting fiercely among themselves , stones being freely used to emphasise a protest or an argument .

English Freemasons In The Holy Land.

The photographer having well and truly performed his task , Bro . Chevalier Alexander Howard , of Howards'Hotel , invited the Brethren to dinner at his hotel , and a pleasant evening was spent : In Egypt the Brethren visited the Lodges at Cairo , and were most cordially received , in one instance £ 200 being voted and collected for their entertainment . —" Yorkshire Post . "

There is a very good picture in last week ' s " Illustrated London News" of the Brethren who attended this special meeting in' the Quarries of King Solomon , from a photograph taken after the assembly , and supplied to our contemporary by the British Consulate at Jerusalem .

A Eeuter ' s telegram , dated Athens , . 1 st March , states that " a hundred and fifty British subjects , passengers on board the ' Midnight Sun , ' now lying at the Pirasus , have submitted an address to King George , congratulating his Majesty on his escape on Saturday . "

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — DERBYSHIRE . riIHE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of JL Mark Master Masons was held at the Masonic Hall , Derby , and was numerously attended . The Provincial Grand Master Brother A . Woodiwiss presided , and various reports of a very satisfactory character were presented .

Bro . W . Cooper was re-elected Treasurer , and the Prov . Grand Master appointed Bro . J . H . Lawson , of Buxton , as Deputy P . G . M . for the ensuing three years . . .. The other Officers were appointed , and invested as follow :

Bro . William Henry M ^ rsden - •- - Senior Warden Rev . Samuel Curling Hayward - - Junior Warden - Gilbert Wilkinson - - - - Master Overseer Chas . Daniel Hart - Senior Overseer T . Stacey , J . P . - - - - Junior Overseer Rev . Chas . Westley Groves - ¦ ) m ¦ , . Eev . Thomas Orrell - - j Chaplains William Cooper ¦ - Treasurer William Whitaker . ¦ - - - •Registrar Percy Wallis - - - - Secretary James Roe Eastwood - - - Senior Deacon Robert Lane - Junior Deacon

Sir Thomas Roe - Inspector of Worka Frank Iliffe - - - - Director of Ceremonies N . W . Need - - - - Assist . Dir . of Cers . W . Holliwell - - - - Sword Bearer Jno . Payne Hall - - - - Standard Bearer William Hart - - - - Assistant Secretary

Isaac Newton Woodiwiss ... Inner Guard Henry Edwards ) Jno . Robert Mellor - - ( „ , , George Preston - - - - f Stewards .. Arthur Brown - .... . 1

Before the Lodge closed the Provincial Grand Master expressed gratification at the steady progress the Order was making in Derbyshire , and mentioned that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales had , as Most Worshipful Grand Mark Master , signified his pleasure that he ( Bro . Woodiwiss ) should preside

over the Province of Derbyshire for another term of three years . He would have been glad to have made way to any other Brother , but in deference to His Royal Highness ' s wish he had accepted the office again . Subsequently the Brethren dined together .

COUNTY PALATINE LODGE , No . 156 . THE annual meeting was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Cooper Street , Manchester , on Monday , 14 th ult ., Bro . Nathan Heywood Prov . G . Reg . W . M ., there being a good attendance . The principal business of the evening was that of Installing Bro . Thomas Plumpton P . G . S ., the ceremony being performed by Bro . J . D . Murray P . G . O . England Prov . S . G . W . Lancashire . Bro . Murray also invested the variouB Officers . At the festive board which followed , the usual Loyal and Mark toasts were honoured , a pleasant evening being spent .

A Peculiarity Of Mark Masonry.

A PECULIARITY OF MARK MASONRY .

THE "Masonic Journal" for February has the following interesting sketch and report : —It will , no doubt , seem curious that in addition to the Grand Mark Lodge of England , over which H . R . H . the Prince of Wales presides as M . W . Grand

Master , there should be another body working in Lancashire and Cheshire under the title of " The Honourable United Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of the Ashton-under-Lyne District , " an account of whose proceedings appears below . The