Freemasonry In 1897.

numerous friends and especially of the founders . The remaining lodges , the Victoria , No . 26 99 Bradford , and the Calcaria , No . 26 77 , Tadcaster , are located in West Yorkshire , and will , we are persuaded , prove an additional source of strength to that important Province . Of the 19 new lodges abroad one-third are

located in Western Australia , the Beaconsficld , No . 26 35 , and the Loyal Westralia , No . 26 5 S , meeting in F * romantic ; thc Military , No . 26 3 6 in Perth , and the Norseman , No . 26 37 , the Esperance , No . 26 3 8 , and the Menzies , No . 2639 , in the towns which bear respectively these names . My these additions the

roll of lodges in the District has been augmented from 16 lo 22 . Queensland has a new lodge in the Sandgate , No . 2670 , meeiing at Ihe place of the same name , and there are two new lodges in the East Indies , of which the Yeatman-Biggs—so-called after Bro . Brigadier Yeatman-Biggs , Dist . G . Master—No . 2672 ,

is placed in Calcutta ( District of Bengal ) , and the other in the District of Burma—the Palm , No . 26 45 , Massein—while a third , known as Adam ' s Peak , No . 2656 , meets at I Ialton , in the island of Ceylon . The Northern Star of China , No . ' 26 73 , has been constitutedat Newchang , in the District of Northern China , and the

Ituni , No . 2642 , at New Amsterdam in British Guiana . 1 he remaining half-dozen lodges are located in Africa , the District of thc Transvaal , which had 15 lodges at the close of 1 S 9 6 , now mustering 19 , the four that have been added to the register being the Star of the North , No . 2640 , Pietersburg ; the

St . George ' s , No . 2643 , Krugersdorp , thc Coalfields Lodge , No . 2653 , at a place called Springs , and the Coni'ordia , No . 2685 , Ermels . The Stellenbosch Lodge , No . 2 d _| 6 , has been constituted at the town of the same name in Cape Colony , and a St . John's Lodge , No . 2 ( 1 ( 18 , at Lagos , while Rhodesia rejoices in an

additional Lodge in the shape of the Manica , No . 26 7 S , whicli meets at Umtali . The general result is that Masonry has been strengthened by the creation of seven new lodges in Australasia , seven in Africa , four in India and China , and one in South America . On turning to llie proceedings of United Grand Lodge we

find much to interest us , and still more that has tended to strengthen our position in the public favour . At the . March Communication , on the recommendation of his Royal Highness the- M . W . G . Master , a grant of , ( , 1050 was made from llie funds of Grand . Lodge , and liro . Alderman W . Vaughan Morsran unanimously elected G . Treasurer lor the ensuin <>

year . A series of resolutions was then submitted , the first , which required that a brother on joining an Eaiglish lodge from one under another Constitution should make a declaration in open lodge of allegiance lo the ( irand Master and ol his readiness to obey the laws and regulations ol Grand Lodge , being

adopted without a dissentient voice . I he other resolutions , which contained certain additions lo and amendments of articles in the Book of Constitutions concerning the Craft in the Colonies

were discussed at length ; the G . Registrar , who moved them , and other speakers being in their favour , while liro . Richard Eve , Past G . Treasurer , . spoke in opposition , and moved that the resolulions be referred lor further consideration fo llie Board of

General Purposes . This amendment was lost by 118 lo 1 ^ 8 votes , but another , suggested by Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , Past G . Chaplain , to llie effect that the whole question should be referred to a Special Committee composed of Bros . Philbrick , General Laurie , Thomas Fenn , Richard Eve , and the Colonial

Committee of the Board of General Purposes to report al the next Quarterly Communication , was unanimously adopted . () n the 28 th April Grand Ivslival was celebrated , the Pro G . Master occupying the chair both in ( irand Lodge and at the banquet whicli followed , the principal business being , of course , thc

appointment and investiture of the Grand Olficers for the ensuing year , among the brethren thus honoured being Bro . the Flail of Portarlington and Lord Stanley , M . P ., who were chosen to fill the Wardens' chairs , and Bro . the Dean of Rochester and the Rev . C . W . Child *; , who were invested as Grand Chaplains . In

June the Special Committee referred to above as having been appointed to consider certain additions to and changes in the Book of Constitutions affecting lodges and brethren in the Colonies , reported and recommended that the proposals should be adopted , and after a lengthy discussion this was agreed to ,

the effect being that under certain provisions as laid down in the new Articles , it is now permitted to the members of lodges in a District or Districts in which it is proposed lo found a new Grand Lodge lo discuss the question in open lodge , while Article 219 , by which the rights of minorities wen- safeguarded ,

has been amended in such a manner that whi'e these rights are still protected , it now rests with the M . W . G . Master whether the minority of five--inslead of three as heretoforeshall be permitted or not to carry on the lodge . On

this occasion also , on the motion of Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . M ., seconded by Mro . Richard Eve , Past G . Treasurer , it was resolved by acclamation that in commemoration of llie auspicious event of the Diamond Jubilee on completion of 6 c

Masonic Benevolent Institution . In September an attempt was made by a young and inexperienced Mason in the person of Bro . Thomson Lyon to have non-con firmed that portion of the minutes of tin * June Communication in which ( he additions and amendments introduced into the Book of Constitutions were

years of her Most Gracious Majesty ' s glorious reign , the following grants should be made from the funds of Grand Lodge namely , £ 2000 to the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund ; £ 2000 to to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ; £ 2000 to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ; and £ 2000 to the Royal

embodied , but Grand Lodge does not appear to have gathered from the speech of that brother that any good would result from the adoption of his proposal and it was rejected , the minutes being confirmed en hloc . Votes of thanks were then passed b y acclamation to Bros . Sir Albert W . Woods , P . G . W ., G . D . C ., and

1 homas F " enn , P . G . W ., forthe very valuable services they had rendered in connection with the great meeting held in the Royal Albert Hall in June in commemoration of the completion of the 60 th year of her Majesty ' s reign . Subsequently , on the suggestion of his Royal Highness the M . W . G . Master , it was agreed that

Article 8 7 of the Book of Constitutions should be suspended with a view to enabling Provincial and District G . Masters to confer Past Provincial and District rank upon distinguished Masons in their respective Provinces and Districts—in the proportion of one for every 12 lodges with one for a fraction of 12 in

excess of six in Provinces and Districts in which the number on the roll does not exceed 30 lodges ; and in the case of those in which the number exceeds 30 , of one for every eight lodges with one additional for any fraction in excess of four . In December the usual nominations were made for the offices of G . Master

and G . I reasurer lor the ensuing year , Bro . Lt .-Col . Clifford Probyn being the only nominee lor the latter . A vote of condolence with the liarl of Lathom , Pro G . M ., on thc tragic death of the Countess of Lathom , was passed item con ; and the stipend of the G . Secretary increased to £ 1250 at once , and thence by £ 50 a year to £ 1500 .

Of the great Masonic functions of the year three stand out prominently above the rest by reason of his Royal llio-hness the M . W . G . Grand Master having taken , on each occasion , the leading part in the proceedings , the lirst in importance , though not in the order of their occurrence , being , of necesity ,

the Grand Assembly of the brethren in the Royal Albert Hall on Monday , Ihe 14 th of June , under the presidency of the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . Master , for the purpose of voting an address of congratulation lo the Oueen on the completion of the ( ioth yearof her Most Gracious Majesty ' s reign . At this

memorable gathering there were present some 7000 members of the Order , among the most distinguished being H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , K . G ., Past G . Master ; ihe Earl of Lathom , G . C . B , Pro G . Master ; Earl Amherst , Dep . G . Master ; the Duke of Abercorn , M . W . G . Master of Ireland—who , in 1 S 75

, when Marquis of Hamilton , was appointed S . G . Warden of England—Lord Saltoun , M . W . G . Master of Scotland ; Lord SuflicTd ( Norfolk ) , the Earl of Warwick ( Essex ) , ( he Marquis of Zetland ( N . and K . Yorkshire ) , Sir lledworlh Williamson ( Durham ) and other Provincial G . Masters , Earl Carrington , P . Prov . G . Master

Buckinghamshire ; Lord Amherst of Hackney , Past G . Warden ; the Right Hon . Chief Justice Way , M . W . G . " Master , South Australia , and the Rajah of Kapurthala . When the Grand Master had explained briefly the purpose of ( he meeting , the address , after having been read by the Grand Secretary , was moved by

the Duke ol Connaught , Past G . Master , seconded b y Earl Amherst , Dep . fi . Master , adopted amid the heartiest demonstrations of enthusiasm , and finally signed by his Royal Highness in his capacity of G . Master , 'l'he National Anthem having been sung , the Prince of Wales conferred Past ( irand Rank lirst upon

H . R . H . the Crown Prince of Denmark , Grand Master of the ( Jrand Lodge of Denmark , as Past ( irand Master : his Highness the Rajah of Kapurthala and the Right Hon . Chief Justice Way , M . W . G . Master of South Australia , as Past G . Wardens ; and the Bishop of Bath and Wells as Past ( i .

Chaplain ; and then upon 60 brethren selected for the services they had rendered to the Craft , there being 25 of them chosen from the Metropolitan district , 25 from the Provinces and 10 from the Colonies ; among them being Mr . Justice Kennedy o the Supreme Court of Judicature , and Maj .-Gen . Sir II . H . Kitchener ,

Sirdar of the Egyptian Army , each of whom was made a Past ( i . Warden ; and the Bishop of Perth ( Western Australia ) , who received the rank of Past G . Chaplain . The M . W . G . Master then announced lhat he had given his sanction for a special jewel to be worn b y all who should be subscribing

members of an English lodge or lodges on the 20 th June , 1 S 97 , a bar to be attached in ( he case of ( hose present at the meeting that day ; and that the sum received as fees of admission amounted to upwards of £ 7000 , of which one-half would be presented to his Royal Highness ' s Hospital Fund and the other