Higher And Side Degrees.

HIGHER AND SIDE DEGREES .

THERE is no phase of Freemasonry which is more confusing to the neophyte , and more productive of anxious thought to the advanced Masonic thinker , than the notable development of bodies which , whilst generally

speaking Masonic m then * inception and government , ai-e deviations from , or additions to , tho ori ginal plan of pure and anciont Masonry , as consisting of three degrees , or probably at first , of only one . The beginner in the Craft finds it most difficult to understand how it is that a man

can hold a thirtieth or a thirty-third degree , and yet be only small beer in the hierarchy of the Craft as it appears to view in his own Lodge , and the Masonio student is often seriously perplexed as to how far he ought to go in admitting the claims to MasoDi ' c recognition of bodies

which are pressing themselves almost dail y upon his attention in a stream which apparently knows no ending . Officially the English or Scottish Mason is almost without guidance . The former finds that his Grand Lodge actually and de jure recognises only the three Craft degrees and the

Boyal Arch , and the latter that his parent body only adds to these the Mark and Cryptic Degrees , which however are given a position entirely subordinate to the R . A . And yet Masons of both Constitutions know perfectly well that other bodies exist side by side with those officially

recognised , so intimately linked with them that a de facto connection is to all intents and purposes established . Then the Dutch Mason finds still another system placed

before him , and the Scottish Kite degrees recognised by and exercising almost a dominant influence over those of the Craft , whilst some degrees very commonly taken by his British brother are to him unknown . Dutch

Freemasonry constitutes really one official system -with -no bodies holding roving commissions outside it , and the same thing is true of tho Masonry of the Continent in general . More or less of the Ancient and Accepted Rite is practically welded with the Craft , tho supremo power of

government being exercised sometimes by one , sometimes by the other , and in other cases both working concurrentl y after tho fashion of the political and religions administrations of a country . But whatever may bo the distribution of power , whether the Ineffable Degrees govern the

Symbolic , or vice versa , no degrees exist except those officially recognised , and nobody is in doubt as to what is Masonic , and what is not . And again , in tho United States wo have a further arrangement of Rites . The Craft Lodges , the Cryptic Degrees , tho Royal Arch

( including the Mark ) , and the Knight Templar , although under four separate governing bodies , are definitely considered as portions of one regular system , known as the American Rite , or sometimes bnt incorrectly , called the " York Rite . " Alongside this " Rite " wo have the system

of the " Scottish Rite , " which occupies a similar position in relationship to the conglomeration of bodies just named to that held by it in England towards the Grand Lodge . Outside these two systems we have an almost endless variety of bodies calling themselves Masonic , all of them

quite modern , and many very shadowy creations indeed . They all sail entirely in their own boats , and to our mind their perpetual multiplication is fraught with much danger to the Craft , and unfortunately it is a danger with which we may at any time be confronted , as they are graduall y

being imported to the Eastern Hemisphere , where confusion worse confounded seems bound to be the result . And it is pretty evident that in order to put an end to this wholesale importation of new " Orders , " whose main Masonic historical connection seem to be with the cargoes

of apes and peacocks which our Grand Master King Solomon brought into Israel from afar , some definite official enumeration is wanted of the degrees Which are to oe considered Masonic . The Craft Grand Lodge should ,

desp ite any outcry about variation from time honoured preoe ( jent , exercise its inherent right of defining what are legitim ate ornamentations on its own workmanship , and what ar e only knobs and excrescences . —The Smith African Freemason .

HOILOW AT ' Puts . —The Great Need . —Tho blood is the life , and on ita purity our health as well as onr existence depends . Those Pills thoroughly cleanse the vital fluid from all contaminations , and by that moans strengthen and invigorate the whole system , healthily stimulate sluggish organs , repress over-excited action , and establish tho circulation and secretions throughout

every part of tho body . Tho balsamic nature of Holloway ' s Pills exercises marvellous power in giving tone to debilitated and nervous constitutions . Those Pills remove all obstructions , both in tho bowels and elsewhere , and are , on that account , ranch sought after for promoting regularity of action in young females and delicate persons who are naturally weak , or havo from some cause become so .

Ar00401

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

•LODGE OF UNION , No . 88 .

'pHE installation meeting was held on the 5 th inst . The retiring - * - W . M . Bro . Inkpen presided at the opening of the proceedings . Subsequently the ceremony of installing the W . M . elect Bro . Doman was performed by Bro . J . St . Clair P . P . J . G . W ., and tho first act of the newly installed W . M . was to present a P . M . 's jewel to his predecessor , whioh had been voted by the brethren to Bro . Inkpen , in

recognition of his services in the chair during the year . The W . M . appointed and invested the following as his Officers for the year : — Bros . Inkpen I . P . M ., Charge S . W ., Fielden J . W ., Rev . H . M . Davey Chaplain , Wyatt P . M . Treos ., Hawes P . M . Sec , Gower S . D ., Moore J . D ., Smith D . C ., Lambert Organist , G . Fielder jun . I . G ., Howard

and Malby Stewards , Beatson Tyler . At the conclusion of tho businesB in Lodge , the brethren repaired to the Assembly ROOEQB . Here an interesting collection of Masonio relics , some the property of the Lodge , and others lent by various brethren , had been arranged ronnd the walls . A banquet was served in tho same room , by Mr . Hardham , East Street , whioh gave every satisfaction .

LONDON LODGE . No . 108

ON Saturday , the 14 th inst ., this old Lodge met at the Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall Street , under the Mastership of Bro . Tritton , when Bro . Girling was passed . Bro . Greeu then installed Bro . Baker as Master for the year . After the Officers had been appointed Bro . Baker initiated Mr . P . J . Horniman ( who is a candidate for the shrievalty of London , and for the parliamentary representation of

Shrewsbury ) , Mr . T . J . Vincent , and Mr . Gnstavus Landsberger into Freemasonry . Bros . Sir J . E . Somers Vine Grand Deacon , and Major J . Sampson Peirce Past Grand Deacon , were among the guests . The

newly-made brethren , in speaking after the banquet , said that they should heartily support the three Charitable Institutions , and Brother Horniman assured the brethren that he should immediately become a Lifo Governor of each .

VIRTUE LODGE . No . 152

THE installation of Bro . T . Gillibrand took place , and the St . John ' s Festival was celebrated on tho 20 th inst ., in the Freemasons' Hal ) , Cooper Street , Manchester . Bros . J . Daniel W . M ., T . Gillibraud S . W ., Rov . John Watson P . P . G . C . Chaplain , A . A . Mil . lington Secretary , John Cantrill S . D ., John Campbell J . D ., Geo . C . Williams P . M . Dir . of Cors ., James Herbert Yates Organist , John Davies I . G ., Past Musters David Conway , N . Damville , Wm . Jeffrey

P . P . G . 3 . D ., G . V . Blackie , and John Pritchard ; Bros . Crompton , Wragge , Hobbs , Ingram , Ireland , Morton , Kinder , Norton and Constantino . Visitors—Bros . Evau Williams P . M . 325 , E . Colling , wood P . M . 298 , S . J . Lmvis W . M . 1161 , Robert Beresford P . M . 1993 , Jas . Robinson J . W . 1219 , Samuel Locke I . P . M . 1387 , Arthur Frost S 02 , and 11 . It . Lisenden P . M . 317 ( FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) .

Tho Lodgo was opened at 3 ' 30 , and after confirming the minutes of last meeting , Bro . E . G . Constantine was passed to the second degree . The installation ceremony was noxt proceeded with , Bro . J . I . Daniel performing tho duties of Installing Master . Bro . T . Gillibrand having been duly presented was , after the usual preliminaries , inducted into the chair of K . S . with all due rite and ceremony .

The following brethren wero invested as Officers for the year , and addressed by Bro . Wm . JafFiey P . M . P . P . G . J . W .: —Bros . Batt S . W ., Cantrill J . W ., Rov . J . Watson Chaplain , Erwin Treasurer , Crompton Secretary , Millington S . D ., Campbell J . D ., Williams Dir . of Cers ., Davies I . G ., Yates Organist , Norton and Froggart Stewards . Bro . Conway addressed the W . M ., and Bro . Williams the Wardens

and Brethren . The ceremony throughout was well performed , an additioual charm connected therewith being the choral and instrumental musical service , composed by Bro . N . Damville P . M ., who generously presented a number of copies to the Lodge , A cordial vote of thanks was awarded Bro . Damville for his kindness . There being no further business , hearty good wishes were expressed

by the visiting brethren , and the Lodge was closed in peace and harmony at 6 ' 45 . The brethren subsequently celebrated the Festival of St . John with a banquet , after which the usual Loyal and Masonio toasts were honoured . The Rev . John Watson Chaplain proposed the health of the W . M ., which was heartily drank , and Bro . Crompton sang , " Here ' s to his health in a song , " after whioh the W . M . replied

in appropriate language . Bro . David Conway , in complimentary terms proposed the health of the I . P . M . Bro . J . Daniel , and presented him , in the name of the Lodge , with a handsome 15 carat gold P . M . ' s jewel . Bro . Millington proposed the newly passed Bro . Constaotine , who replied . The health of the Visitors was proposed by Bro . Jaffrey , and responded to by Bros . Williams , Locke ,

and Lisenden . Other toasts , including the P . M . s , Officers , Banquet Stewards , Masonio Charities , & c , were proposed and responded to , a thoroughly enjoyable evening being brought to a close at 11 o ' clock . During the evening a capital musical programme was completed by Bro . Yates , who played a most artistic performance on the piano .

Bro . J . Robinson sang , Twas sad when I and Dolly parted , " from the " Sultan of Mocha , " and afterwards the duet , " Love and War , " with Bro . Crompton . Bro . Lisenden recited " Kissing Cup ' s Race , " and " Over the hills from the Poor House , " and Bros . Locke nnd Ireland contributed some good songs .

HARMONY LODGE , No . 288

THE members held a festival at the Masonio Hall , Todmorden , on the 11 th inst ., when there was a large attendance . Bro . S . E . Sbaokleton S . W ., of Cornholme , was installed W . M . by Bro . William