District Grand Lodge Of New South Wales.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF NEW SOUTH WALES .

BY reason of the conduct of certain brethren in attempting , for nn wise purposes of their own , to set up an independent Grand Lodge , the District of New South Wales has acquired , during the last year or two , a certain amount of unenviable notoriety . The majority of the

brethren—English , Irish , and Scotch , are loyal to the backbone to their respective Grand Lodges . But human nature is human nature , and there are always heaps of people who never know when they are sufficiently well off . The discontents—we should be sorry if we had

written , as we originally intended , the word " malcontents "—cannot possibly fare better under an organisation of their own than they fare now in their connection with the Grand Lodges to which they are indebted for their existence . In our opinion , indeed , they would be in

a worse position . To be connected with the oldest Grand Lodges in the world is an honour not lightly to be regarded , and an honour against which absolute , in place of comparative , independence weighs nothing . For these reasons it is that we welcome , all the more heartily , the

appearance in New South "Wales , of a legitimate organ of Masonic opinion in tbe shape of the Sydney Freemason ' s Chronicle ' , while all . the greater is the pleasure we experience , not only in bearing testimony verbally to its merits as such , but likewise in giving all the publicity in

our power to its notice of the meeting of District Grand Lodge , held on Monday , the 15 th Kay . R . W . Bro . J . Williams , J P ., D . G . M ., presided , and was supported by Bros . H . Westcott D . D . G . M ., F . A . Whyte Moore D . G . S . Warden , Rev . W . M . Whyte Moore D . G . J . Warden , and a

strong mnster of D . G . Officers , present and past , and other brethren . The minutes of the previous Communication having been read and confirmed , the reports of the Board of General Purposes and Board of Benevolence were submitted and adopted , after which the District

Grand Master addressed the brethren present in the following terms : — " Worshipful Brethren , we have- every reason to congratulate ourselves on the great progress and extension of English Freemasonry in this colony

durin g the past year ; indeed , I can -unhesitatingly say that it is unparalleled in the history of Masonry in New South , Wales . No less than five new Lodges have been formed , and of a class of brethren that will do honour and

credit to the Order . The names of the Lodges are as follow . —St . George , Paramatta ; Glebe , Glebe ; Cobar Cobar ; Prince of Wales , Muswellbrook ; and Lodge of Peace , Uralla . I need not say how gratifying it must be t ° you , brethren , aa well as to me . t , n rrmrlr ihn stpnrlv

ad vancemen t of our Constitution , notwithstanding the subtle efforts that have been made from time to time to break the bonds of unity that bind together the Lodges here under the Grand Lodge of England . One act has been effected by this District Grand Lodge , of vital importance to the welfare of English Masonryviz . the laws

, , passed for the relief of indigent Freemasons and their widows ( which laws will be forwarded to the Grand Lodge 0 J - "s approval ) and this has been done without any xtraneous aid from either Lodges or brethren , our own

bef ?* funds being ample to meet any case that comes worTr ? m Committe e- Our financial position , as our nh y Treasurer ' s balance sheets show , is most pros-

District Grand Lodge Of New South Wales.

perous . The amount expended in benevolence has been £ 21 . 5 10 s 6 d . We have issued during the past year 383 certificates , and would hare issued upwards of 400 if we

had had blank certificates to meet the demands of the Lodges . These are the proofs , brethren , of our progress during tho past year , and for them we have reason to thank the Great Architect of the Universe . " The

R . W . D . G . M . having explained how , on learning the dastardly attempt on the life of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , he had taken upon himself to cable immediately to the M . W . G . M . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales the sympathy of the Craft E . C , and had received within twenty-four

hours a reply from H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , thanking them for their loyalty and Masonic feeling , the proposal to hold the annual D . G . L . Festival was discussed . Some were in favour of a ball , others of a banquet . Bro . Whyte Moore D . G . J . W ., LL . D . thought a banquet was most

suitable . He did not propose this because his sacred calling prohibited his visiting a ball ; yet , at a banquet , worthy brethren could give expression to their feelings , and many Masonic honours might be accorded which , at a gathering composed of ladies and strangers , wonld have to be omitted .

Wor . Bro . w Q . Hodge said his experience was that when a banquet was given D . G . Stewards had to put their hands in their pockets to make good the deficiency in the expenses , whereas last year the ball left a surplus of £ 37 . The R . W . D . G . M . reminded D G L . that the ball last year

was an exceptional case , as the anticipated presence of the Royal Princes tended to make it the success it proved to be . The R . W . D . G . M . then spoke of the honour it was considered in England to hold the position of a Grand Steward , and gave a very lucid and interesting account of

their orig in . In conclusion , he remarked tbat he was at a loss to know why one of the greatest Masonic events of the year , viz ., St . John ' s Day , was no longer celebrated in New South Wales , as formerly . Application has been made for

dispensation under the English Constitution for three new Lodges , viz .,: —Royal Albert Lodge , Esk Bank ; Ballina Lodge , Richmond River ; Moorabin Lodge , Wilcannia ; making in all fifty Lodges . After some routine Masonic business District Grand Lodge was closed .

Is Masonry Really Flourishing?

IS MASONRY REALLY FLOURISHING ?

THIS is a question we are continually being asked , and taking all the facta , we scarcely feel ourselves in a position to answer so satisfactorily as could be desired . Tbat the Order has made huge advances , especially within the last eight or ten years , is an undoubted fact , and were

numbers of themselves any recommendation , we might be able to congratulate the Craft upon the progress it has made . But , unlike the friendly benefit societies , numerical strength in Freemasonry is not an unmixed good . With those the accession of " financial members" is a great

point to be gained , for therein lies the secret of their sucsess and the stability of their existence ; whereas , in Masonry unwieldy Lodges are a source not only of anxiety , but a positive disadvantage in every sense . To

this cause may in no small measure be attributed the unsatisfactory condition of many Lodges , both in the metropolis and the provinces ; for in their desire to see the numbers increase , some brethren , in their excess of zeal ,