Knights Of The Red Cross Of Constantine.

Senior General . The Order is also honoured by haviug on ita roll of members the name of the distinguished Masonio historian William J . Hnghan . Lard Saltoun is the present Grand Soveroit-u of the Graud Imperial Conclave of Scotland , and among the Past Grand Officers are Lord Inverurie , the Earl of Kintore , and the Marquis of Breadalbano . In the year 1869 , the Earl of Bective ( at that time Lord Kenlis ) ,

Grand Sovereign of the Grand Imperial Conclave of England , appointed Col . W . J . B . MacLeod Moore ( Grand Prior of Knights Templar of Canada ) the Chief Inspector-General of the Order of Red Cross of Constantino for tho Dominion of Canada ; and in the following year Col . Moore was authorized to introduce the Order into the United States . Tho Grand Council of Pennsylvania was organized at Reading , 14 th June 187 * 2 . Subsequently Grand Conneils of the Order were established in other States .

In June 187 o , the Sovereign Grand Council of the United States was organised at the City of New York . As already shown , a connection existed between the English Order of Masonic Knights Templar and the "Order of Red Cross of Constantine , " and it ia not unlikely that tho latter Order was brought to this country with the former during the last century . I am

inclined to the opinion that the " Red Cross of Constantine " is the "Red Cross" Degree conferred in Charleston , S . O , aa early as 1783 , according to a diploma emanating in that year from St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 1 , of that city . ( Proceedings Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States , 1883 , p 59 . ) There is no evidence of the identity of the "Red Cross" Degree of St . Andrew ' s

Lodge , of Charleston , S . C , with the so-called " Red Cross " Degree now conferred in the Commanderies of Knights Templar in this country , and which , it has been said , " was manufactured by Webb ( Thomas Smith Webb ) and his associates from the Kuight of the East or Sword and Knighfc of the East and West degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite . " ( Proceedings Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Pennsylvania , June 1866 , p 25 , and September 1867 , p 15 . ) ( To be continued . )

Dorset Masonic Charity.

DORSET MASONIC CHARITY .

THE Provincial Grand Master , R . W . Bro . Montague Guest , in sanctioning the issue of the Charity Committee ' s report , fraternally solicits the Worshi pful Master of each Lodge to co-operate with the Lodge Committee , and the Lodge Collector , to secure as far as possible every brother on the Lodge roll as an annual subscriber of 5 s , and to persevere until this general support is obtained . He nrges that if the 600 brethren on the roll of the Province can be

induced by proper application to add their names to the list of subscribers , a sufficient revenue will be secured—with the yearly interest on stock—to meet all the claims and demands for relief , and educational assistance . Bro . Guest also fervently hopes that each Lodge Committee will consider it a duty to direct aud continue its efforts till every member on its Lodge Roll is enrolled a subscribing member

of his own Provincial Charity . The Committee reports that the result of the pait year's working shews continued—though slight—improvement . The donors number 17 and tho subscribers 258 , as against 16 aud 251 in 1883 . The total receipts amount to £ 203 12 s for the year , as against £ 195 13 s 9 d for 1888 , a result which speaks well for the continued activity of the

various local correspondents , whose services demand the warmest thanks of the Province . Eight petitioners have I eeu relieved during the year , at a total cost of £ 130 . A grant of £ 20 made at the midwinter meeting will appear in the 1890 accounts . The abstract of the accounts shows the exact state of the finances on the 31 st Dec . The special thanks of the Committee are again due to Bros . Lord

Stalbridge and E . A . Hambro , for their annnal subscriptions of £ 5 each , and to the R . W . Provincial Grand Master for a further donation of £ 10 . The Committee regret to announce that the Right Hon . tho Earl of Eldon , Vice-Patron , and one of the original Trustees of the Charity , has resigned the office of Trustee , and to express their great gratitude for his Lordship ' s "past services , as well as fir a further

generous donation of £ 25 , wbich he has most kindly given this year . At the reeular meeting of the General Committee next following , held on 31 st July last , Bro . W . E . Brymer D . P . G . M . was unanimously elected to fill the vacant office , and has kindly consented to act . Whilst noting with satisfaction that more has been received for donations this year than in 1888 , the Committee cannot but regret that

the subscriptions have not increased as was hopad , bnt , on the contrary , have slightly diminished . Thoy trust , however , that the tabular statement will be carefully compared with tho statement in last year's report , and if only the brethren in each Lodge who are subscribers will exert themselves to master the figures and bring them home to the members of their owo Lodge , there will not ntxt

year be so great a difference in the per centages of subscribers . There shonld be no difficulty in getting all new members to subscribe during their first year , nor , when they have once subscribed , iu getting them to continue ; aud tbe Committeo venture to hope that each local correspondent will endeavour to secure , at all eventH , nil 'toe members . With regard to the current year , fewer interim lists had come to tbe Htm . Sec . ' s hands on the . 'iUih June than last year ,

but at that date the dotu . tiorm for 1890 amounted to £ 27 16 .- * , snbsciptiotis to £ 31 3 s , and dividends and interest to £ 19 IOJ od , against whioh grants amounting to £ 50 wore made at the midsummer meeting . It is hoped that when the lists aro presented at Provincial Grand Lod ^ e , it will bo found that the efforts of the various local correspondents have been crowned with success , aud that the Charity ha- made good progress .

Ad01003

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , in London and Country , by Bro . G . A . HUTTON , 17 Newcastle Stroet , Strand , W . C . Monuments orected . Valuations made .

Opening A Masonic Hall At Longford.

OPENING A MASONIC HALL AT LONGFORD .

ON Wednesday , the 10 th inst ., a most interesting ceremony , from a Masonic point of view , was performed in this town , whoa the County Longford King-Oar-nan Memorial Masonic Hall waa opened by the Marquis of Headlbrt , who is Right Worshipful Grand Master of tho Province of Meath , in whioh Lodges of tho Connty Longford are iucorporated . The function formed a most notable event in the history of Freemasonry iu this country , and there was a

very large attendance of Masons from all parts of the country , who were anxious to do honour to their late Provincial Grand Master , Colonel King . Barman , D . L ., M . P ., to whose memory the now hall is dedicated . A word as to the Hall . It is a nicely constructed build , ing with a red brick front , npon whioh are displayed various Masonic emblems , with a carved slab above the door , setting out the name of the hall and the reason of its erection . Such a hall has been

long needed in Longford , for hitherto the Freemasons of the district had to meet in a room above tho courthouse . For obvious reasons this was objectionable , and it was really a happy thought whioh induced some one to stir upthelmembers of Lodges 65 , 303 , and 76 , belonging to Gtanard , Ballymahon , and Longford , respectively , to form one great house wherein all tho brethren from all parts of the county

could meet . The interior of the Hall is everything that could be desired , although the exterior of the buildings would suggest that there would be little space within , the visitor upon entering would be amazed at the accommodation which it afforded . The regular Lodge Room is a commodious apartment , capable of accommodating very nearly one hundred and fifty persons , whilst overhead ia another fine

room , for the use of the members of the higher orders of Masonry . Thia latter room may also be used as a dining-room or for the purposes of any social gathering , and with this regard the architect , Bro . J . O . Moynan , did his utmost , and succeeded excellently in meeting all requirements that are ever likely to occur afc the Hall , which is really creditable to the town of Longford ( so far as

architecture goes , a matter for which the inhabitants have to thank Bro . Moynan ) , and to tho Freemasons of the county . The Lodge Room is most beautifully furnished , and it may be mentioned that all the furniture is the gift of members of the Lodges of the County Longford , the centrepiece or altar being given by Bro . Ambrose Bole , J . P ., in memory of his son Bro . William Ledwith Bole ,

who was a prominent member of the Longford Lodge , aud who died about a year ago . At the consecration of the Lodge , the Marquis of Headfort presided , as Provincial Grand Master . As the Provincial Grand Master ' s procession entered tbe Hall and marched around ifc , the first nine verses of the 122 nd Psalm were chanted by the brethren assembled , and the Chair having been taken , the Grand Lodge was opened in fche onatomary form . Prayer having

been offered by the Provincial Grand Chaplain ( Rev . Bro . Sidley ) , the Keys aud the Compass and Squares were presented to fche Prov . Grand Master by the Secretaries of the building , Bro . Lyndon and the Architect , Bro . Moynan , respectively . After the regular formality of opening , or , rather , declaring opsn the Hall , the procession was reformed , and another march made around the Hall , verses from the 104 th Psalm beius chanted meanwhile . The Provincial Grand

Master , having returned to hia chair , declared tbe HaU to be duly dedicated to Freemasonry , aud the declaration was repeated at all four points of the compass by the Grand Director of Ceremonies . Prior to closing the Lodge the Provincial Grand Master expressed the pleasure it gavo hitn to help upon the occasion , and to thank the brethren for all the kindness they had shown to him . The Provincial

Grand Secretary ( Bro . Lyndon ) read a letter of apology from Lieuteuaut-G'olonel Kiug-Harman , who expressed deep regret at beinif unable to attend at the ceremony of opening the hall erected in his father ' s memory . Bro . Lyndon added that the subscriptions wbich tbey had received , inclusive of bank interest , had amounted to £ 582 2 s , and they had expended or contracted to expend a sum of

£ 879 , leaving a deficit of £ 296 18 s . Thoy ha I also received promises of subscriptions to the amount of £ 40 , and he might mention that Lord Longford had given them tho land upon which their htill stood rent free for ever . Mr . Darcy Deputy Provincial Grand Master moved a vote of thanks to Lotd Longford for his gift of the laud . Bro . G . H . Miller seconded the resolution , which was passed

unanimously . On the motion of Bro . Moynan , a vote of thanks was passed to Bro . Ambrose Bole for his gift of tbe altar . Votes of thanks were also passed to the Secretary ( Bro . Lyndon ) , the architect ( Bro . Moynan ) , aud the Building Committee , and the Lodge waa closed . The banquet was held in the Longford Arms Hotel . An excellent dinner was supplied , and to it about 120 brethren safe

down . The usual loyal toasts cf tbe Queen , the Prince of Wales , and tho rest of tho Royul Family , were drunk with great enthusiasm . The toast of the Gn » nd Masters of Eng laud , Scotland , and Ireland waa then proposed by the Provincial Grand Master , and duiy honoured . Bro . Norman Darcy Depnty Provincial

Graud Master gave the health of the Provincial Grand Master , which was drunk with ringing cheers and the usual Masonic salute . Lord Headfort in responding expressed the gratification which it gave him to open thoir new Hall , whioh he trusted would long be appreciated bv them and honoured us a memorial to ( heir lute Provincial Grand

Master . Contiuuitg , Lord Headfi . rt said he had a toast to move which waa a most painful one to him , but he felt ifc would not bo right ' or him to let tho evening pass without making some reference to their late lamented friend Col . King-JLirman , and he ouly hopud that ho ( Lord Headfort ) would prove himself as good a Prov . Gi » ud Master as Cd . Kiog-lJarmaii was . He wi . nld aek thorn to honour tho memory of the late Provincial Grand Master with reversed

glasses . The toast was honoured in accordance with UM . The toast of tho Visitors was next given , and wis responded to by Bro . Hairicou ( Garrick-on-Shaiiiicii ) , Bro . Parse ( father of Surgeon Park-- , ot Stanley expedition ) , and Bro . Webb . Bro . Miller proposed tho he- > tb of the architect of the now Liall ( Bro . Moynan ) aud the secretary of tho binding ( Brr . Lyndon ) , to ih'i latr . i-r of whom , ha said , via ' due tho 1 ' u . ul . that thoy uud opouod tho Hall with do little debt aguiuati