Secession.

seems to be jealous of a large section of its subordinates , who have , in the ordinary course of events , proclaimed their independence , and are now firmly established on their own account .

How can we preach Brotherly Love to the world when we have such a glaring illustration of the direct opposite being practised by the governing body of English Freemasonry ?

South Wales.

SOUTH WALES .

THE new Masonic temple at the corner of Guildford Crescent , Cardiff , is rapidly approaching completion , the work of converting the building to the purposes of the Craft having been most satisfactorily carried out by Mr . Evans , Cathays . The Brethren will shortly be in possession of what will undoubtedly be one of the finest Masonic Temples out of London ,

says the " South Wales Daily News . " The alterations necessary in adapting the building to its new uses have met with the entire approval of the local Lodges , while the furniture and appointments

will be of the most sumptuous character , the whole of the former being of the best old English oak . Perfect harmnny in the matter of colour and arrangement has been studied , and the interior will be in every respect luxurious in the extreme .

It is understood that the Right Hon . Lord Llangattock has fixed the 26 th September as the date for the performance oi the inaugural ceremony , on which occasion it is expected that there will be a large gathering of prominent Masons from all parts of South Wales . The Provincial Grand Lodge will hold

its meeting on the same day , upon which also it is intended to consecrate the new Duke of York Lodge . Bro . C . E . Dovey Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden is to be the first W . M ., and several of the Past Masters of the Bute Lodge are co-operating with him to make the event one memorable for its success in the

annals of local Masonry . All the Lodges of Cardiff will hold their meetings in the new Temple when it comes into regular use , it pos & essing ample ante-room and general accommodation . Everything , in short , is being done to promote the comfort of the

Masonic Fraternity conducting their gatherings there . Extensive preparations are being made for the event on the 26 th September , when an unusually influential assemblage of Craftsmen is looked forward to .

West Lancashire.

WEST LANCASHIRE .

THE Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom Pro G . M . Prov . Grand Master has summoned a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire , for the transaction of the annual business , to be held at the Town Hall , Bootle , on Friday , the

20 th September . Included amongst the ordinary business of the meeting , says the " Liverpool Mercury , " will be several proposals to grant substantial sums in aid of the funds of the three Masonic charities of the Province , the Educational , Hamer , and Allpass .

Worcestershire.

WORCESTERSHIRE .

THE Installation of Bro . A . F . Godson , M . A ., M . P ., P . G . D . England and Provincial Grand Master Designate will take place in the Shirehall , Worcester , on Thurday , 12 th proximo , the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Lathom Pro Grand Master being the Installing Officer .

Provincial Grand Lodge will be opened at 1 * 30 p . m . and the Pro G . M . and other Officers of Grand Lodge will enter at 1-45 . A banquet will be subsequently held in the Guildhall , at

4-30 p . m . We tender our heartiest congratulations to the new chief of the Province , and hope his reign will be both a prosperous and a lengthy one .

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

THE death is announced of Bro . John Winkley W . M . of the Lodge of Peace , No . 322 , Stockport , who expired on Wednesday of last week , and was interred in the Borough

Cemetery of that town on Saturday last , a special meeting of his Lodge being summoned by Bro . John Fields S . W ., to meet just prior to the interment , so as to afford the members an opportunity of paying a last sad tribute of respect to their deceased Master .

THE Brethren of Fowey Lodge , No . 977 , met in their Lodge Room on Monday , to attend the funeral of the late respected Brother W . B . Graham , age 86 . There were present several Past Masters and other Brethren . The Rev . H . N . Purcell read the burial service , after which Bro . W . Tonkin P . P . G . S . of W . gave , in an impressive manner , the Masonic funeral service .

The Blue Blanket.

THE BLUE BLANKET .

AS promised in my noies of last week , I now present the reader with another account of this remarkable banner . According to the particulars which have been forwarded to me , it appears that a number of Scotch mechanics followed Allan , Lord Steward of Scotland to the holy wars in Palestine , taking with them a banner on which the following words were inscribed , taken

from the 51 st Psalm : — "In bona voluntate tua edificenter muri Jerusalem . " Fighting under this banner these gallant Scotsmen were present at the capture of Jerusalem and other towns in the Holy Land , and , on their return to their own country , they deposited the banner , which they styled " The Banner of the

Holy Ghost , " at the altar of St . Eloi—the patron saint of the Edinburgh tradesmen—in the Church of Saint Giles . It was occasionally unfurled or worn as a mantle by the representative of the trades in the courtly and religious pageants that in former times were of frequent occurrence in the Scottish capital . In

1482 , James III ., in consequence of the assistance which he had received from the craftsmen of Edinburgh in delivering him from the Castle , in which he was kept a prisoner , and paying a debt of 6 , 000 rnerks , which he had contracted in making preparation

for the marriage of his son , the Duke of Rothsay , to Cecil , daughter of Edward IV . of England , conferred on the good town several valuable privileges , and renewed to the Craftsmen their favourite banner of " The Blue Blanket . "

James ' s Queen , Margaret of Denmark , to show her gratitude and respect to the Crafts , painted on the banner with her own hands a St . Andrew ' s Cross , a crown , a thistle , and a hammer , with the following inscription , viz ., " Fear God dnd honour the King with a long life and prosperous reign , and we ( that is , the

trades ) shall ever pray to be faithful for the defence of his sacred Majesty ' s royal person till death . " The King decreed that in all time coming this flag should be " the standard of the Crafts within burgh , " and that it should be unfurled in defence of their own rights and in protection of their sovereign . The incorporated

Crafts were therefore ever ready to hoist this banner when any of their privileges were assailed ; and hence James VI . in his work entitled "Basilicon Doron , " which he addressed to his son

Henry , Prince of Wales , says : — " The Craftsmen think we should be content with their work , how bad soever it should be ; and if in anything they be controlled , up goes the Blue Blanket . "

The Crafts nevertheless showed no less alertness in bringing it forth to uphold the honour and independence of their country , and to protect the life and liberty of their sovereigns . It is said to have flaunted amid a thousand streamers of all shapes , devices , and hues on the borough muir when the

Craftsmen rallied under the Earl of Angus , the Lord Provost , to accompany James IV . to the disastrous field of Flodden . It was displayed to assemble the incorporated trades to protect Queen Mary , when she was insulted and her life placed in jeopardy by the

incensed populace , after her surrender to the confederated nobles at Carberry Hill ; and it went up to rescue James VI . himself from a rabble that assailed him in the Old Talbooth , for refusing to listen to a petition presented by the Presbyterian ministers complaining of his undue leaning in favour of the Popish party .

The last time it was publicly exhibited was on the visit of George IV . to Scotland in 1822 . The privilege of displaying it at the Masonic procession was granted to the journeymen in consequence of their original connection with the Masons of Mary ' s Chapel , one of the incorporated trades of the city . It

was delivered to the assembled journeymen on the morning of the procession by Convener Tibbetts ( who was the custodier of it during his term of office ) , in presence of several of the deacons of the trades , and a large concourse of the citizens . In

performing the ceremony , the Convener referred to the historical character of the banner , and the important occasions on which it had floated above the heads of the citizens , and he expressed a hope that while it was in the hands of the journeymen it would be protected with scrupulous care .

Mr . William Hunter , master of the journeymen , in reply , said that the whole journeymen felt honoured in being entrusted with so precious a civic relic on that auspicious occasion ; that it

would be guarded by two of the Brethren armed with ponderous Lochaber axes , and that every journeyman would feel his honour at stake in returning it safe and sound to the keeping of the Convener .

The " Blue Blanket " was long in a very tattered condition , but was repaired by lining one of its sides with blue silk , so that it can now be exposed without subjecting it to much injury . It was inspected by the Duke of Athole , Lord Panmure , and other notables taking part in the procession , who expressed their gratification at seeing a relic so famous in the annals of the city . STREBO .

A new volume of " Chums " was commenced with thc number published , on the 28 th inst .