Freemasonry At The Cape.

When we remember that the priests ( whether among the Israelites or the heathen nations ) were the sole depositories not only of all the religious knowledge but of all the sciences of Jtheir day , including , of course , that of architecture , we may safely assert that the history of Freemasonry , both operative and speculative , up to a very recent date , is co-extensive with that of reli gion itself , and that we . may be permitted to style whatever rites may have been practised by the ancient master-builders who were not of the Hebrew faith as those of spurious Freemasonry .

" The genuine Freemasonry of antiquity , on the other hand , dates from the time of King Solomon , who , when he built the glorious Temple of J erusalem , was compelled ( owing to the lack of adequate skill in working stone and in the decorative arts on the part of his own subjects for such an important undertaking ) to invoke the aid of those of Hiram , King of Tyre . These , as researches tend to show , were Dionysiac artificers , whose allegory was the murder of the god Dionysus by the Titans . The constant

association for so many years with their Hebrew fellow-workmen could have had only one effect , that of giving them a better knowledge of the true God , and our H . . c legend is supposed to be the result of their exchanging an allegory to which they were devoted for an analogous one intimately connected with the worship of Jehovah . The same intercourse must in turn have re-acted on the Hebrews themselves in causing their building societies to be bound together with secret rites , from which , however , all taint of

heathendom was excluded . Of such were the Essenes , a Jewish sect , who acted up to the motto , Laborare ct orare , and professed to be the descendants of the Temple builders , as do the Druses of our own day . In Anno Domini 390 the Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great promulgated an ed ' ct ( which was rigidly enforced ) shutting up the heathen temples and prohibiting , under severe penalties , the further celebration of all their mysteries . Thus ended the spurious Freemasonry of antiquity . We might , did time permit , endeavour to trace the history of the Craft step by step—through an analogy

here and a tradition there—from the union of the Solomonic and Dionysiac artificers to the Jewish Essenes , thence to the Collegia Fabrorum of the Romans ( after their peculiar rites had been Christianised during the first few centuries of our era ) , thence later on to the medi . uval trade-guilds and associations of cathedral-builders , until we reach the solid ground of authentic charters and constitutions , and so on down to the beginning of the 1 Sth century , when the genuine operative Freemasonry ended as it had begun long ago in the days of the wisest king , with the building of a place of worship dedicated to the service of the true God .

" Not many years after the completion of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the Grand Lodge of England was established , and speculative Freemasonry , as such , began its march through the world . " In conclusion , brethren , it is hardly necessary to remind you that the Order to which we are proud to belong , though avowedly not a church or a form of religion , is to the philosophic Freemason , a very important witness to God in the history of the world , and as such alone—if for no other reason

—deserves to exist as an institution retaining its own immemorial distinctive features . This aspect of the Craft has been recognised by the leading clergy and ministers of all denominations ( some of whom are among our brightest ornaments ) . In South Africa the foundation stones of churches are often laid by us , and occasionally we are invited to attend Masonic services held in churches . In England , among many other instances , one of the meetings of the Grand Lodge was held in the Chapter house of

Canterbury , which was followed by a Masonic service in the venerable cathedral itself , but the most notable and glorious illustration was afforded a few months ago when St . Paul ' s was the scene of a gigantic representative gathering of the Fraternity from all parts of the United Kingdom to worship Jehovah under Wren ' s aspiring dome . ( The brethren may be interested

to know that owing to the kind offices of V . W . Bro . G . W . Speth , our newly-installed Worshi pful Master , Bro . G . T . Amphlett , was enabled to be present at the said service ) . We may not unreasonably suppose that on that memorable occasion , as the eye of many a brother rested on ths noble mosaic-covered vaultings and awful proportions of the said edifi : e , he wis reminded of the poet ' s words :

They dreamt not of a perishable home . Who thus could build ? or again as the teachings of the lodge flitted across his memory : The cloud-capped towers , the gorgeous palaces , The solemn temples , the great ghbe itself , Yea , all which it inherit , shall dissolve . Leaving no rack behind . To these sad reflections succeed , however , the jubilant strains of another

singer , which fully bear out the tenets of the Craft : The soul , secured in her existence , smiles At the drawn dagger , and defies its point . The stars shall fade away , the sun himself Grow dim with age , and nature sink in years ; But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth , Unhurt amidst the wars of elements , The wreck of matter , and the crush of worlds .

HER MAJESTY has been graciously pleased to become a patron of the baziar to be held in Glasgow in November , in aid of the funds of the Argyllshire Nurs ing Association for providing Queen ' s nurses for lhat county . This association has been founded as a memorial of the Co years' reign ol the Queen , and is affiliated to the Queen's Jubilee Nurses'Institute for Scotland . The Argyllshire Nursing Association has been promoted by the Duchess cf Argyll .

Minutes Of Supreme Grand Chapter.

MINUTES OF SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

In the notice of Grand Chapter held 3 rd August the Freemason says , p . 366 , " Grand Chapter having been opened in due form , the minutes of the last con . vocation read by G . S . E ., having heen declared correctly recorded , Comp , Sir G , D . Harris moved , " & c , & c .

Is this to pass muster ? Apparently the minutes were not put for confirma . tion ; whether the convocation with Comp . Beach , 3 rd G . Principal , in the chair , was " in due form " or " in form " only . C . H . W .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The regular meeting of the Committee of Management was held at Free , mason ' s Hall , on Wednesday . Bro . J . A . Farnfield , P . A . G . D . C , Patron and Treasurer of the Institution , presided , and there were present Bros . C . J . R . Tijou , Past Asst . G . P . ; S . Vallentine , P . G . P . ; George Graveley , G . Purst . ; Chas . Sheppard , W . Fisher , F . A . White , Leonard Potts , Charles Kempton , F . G . Newton , J . G . Twinn , W . Gladding , A . H . Shepherd , C . H . Webb , John Read , G . Std . Br . ; John R . Reed , William Vincent , P . G . Std . Br . ; W . H . Hubbert , R , Colsell , and John Mason , P . G . Std . Br . ( acting Secretary ) .

The minutes of the previous Committee having been read and verified , the acting SECRETARY reported the deaths of two nmle and two widow annuitants , The Warden's report for the past month having been read , the transference of Stock was reported and a vote of thanks unanimously passed to Messrs . Capel , Care , and Terry for having carried the transfer through without miking any charge for commission .

Application from the widow of a recently-deceased annuitant for half her late husband's annuity was granted , and three petitions , one male and two widows , were accepted and the names directed to be entered on the list for the election in May , 18 99 . The proceedings terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman ,

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

St . George's Lodge , No . 242 . A meeting of this lodge was held at the lodge rooms . Nether Hall-road , Doncaster , on the 5 th instant . Present : Bros . George Smith , W . M . ; F . H . Buckland , I . P . M . ; T . W . Turner , S . W . ; F . Duff , I . W . ; J . W . Hainsworth , Sec . ; C . Reasbeck , J . D . j A . VV . Fretwell , D . C .,- J . W . Chapman , Stwd . C . Porritt , J . F . Hanson , J . Hirst , and T . Fretwell . Visitors : Bros . G . Milner , 151 i ; J . A , Fletcher , 1 S 02 ; A . Smith , 1 S 02 ; and J . Constable , 2259 .

Bro . Fretwell was duly passed to the Degree of F . C , the work being performed by the VV . M ., assisted by his S . VV ., J . VV ., and I . P . M . Bro . Fretwell will be duly raised on September 2 nd , previous to his return to his home in Queensland . He is a younger brother of the D . C . Light refreshment was served in the ante room after lodge , followed by an enjoyable hour of music , recitation , S-c .

Mark Masonry.

Mark Masonry .

Cumberland Lodge , No . 60 . A meeting of the above lodge was held on Tuesday , the 2 nd instant , at the Mason c Hall , Fish-street , Carlisle . Present : Bros . VV . Mathews , P . J . G . D ., W . M . ; D . VVhite . P . G . T ., as S . W . ; W . Pogson , as J . W . ; J . Henderson , Sec ; H . Webster , and others . . The lodge was opened and the minutes of the last quarterly meeting- read and

confirmed . A ballot was taken , and proved unanimous in favour of Bros . David Peat , 310 , James Elsdon Dowie , P . M . 327 , and John Wilson , 1532 , as candidates for advancement . Bros . David Peat and ] . E . Dowie , being in attendance , were duly advanced to the Degree of M . M . by Bro . J . Gardiner , P . M . 151 , Prov . G . Sec , ably assisted by Bro . Thos . Atkinson , P . M . 229 , P . J . G . W ., as S . D . After transacting some other business , the lodge was closed .

Derwent Lodge , No . 282 . The installation meeting of the above lodge was held at the Masonic Rooms , Portland-street , Workington , on Wednesday , the 3 rd inst ., when the VV . M . Bro . G . A . L . S . Perry , P . P . G . R . of M ., presided . There were also present Bros . John Bouch , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D . ; J . J . Little , P . M ., P . P . J . G . O . ; ] . Fletcher , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; C . Fothergill ; j . Wood , J . W ., P . A . G . D . C . ; F . Neil , S . W ., P . G . S . B . ; J . Purser , P . M ., P . P . J . G . O ., and others . The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . Bro . S . Perry pre

scnted Bro . F . Neill , W . M . elect , to Bro . J . Gardiner , P . G . Sec , to receive from him the benefit of installation , which ceremony was most ably performed . The new W . M . invested bis officers for the ensuing year as follows : Bros . G . A . L . S . Perry , I . P . M . ; I . Wood , S . VV . ; J . Purser , I . W . ; J . J . Purser . J . W . ; J . J . Little , Treas . ; J . Bouch , Sec . ; W . Fowler , M . O . ; N . Bell , S . O . ; C . Fothergill , J . O . ; W . Richardson , S . D . ; J . Burford , J . D . ; J . Cooper , Org . j J . Itnkinson , I . G . ; and W . Whitehead , Tyler . The addresses were most ably rendered by Bros . T . Atkinson , P . M . 22 J , P . J . G . W . The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned for refreshment .

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COUNTY^=^—~ ~~~ «_ . __ - FOUNDED 1807 . SOREGENTST,,W,&FIR.B~ ^=,-J4jORNHILL,E.G.,LONDON.OFFICE. TheDistinguishingFeatureofthisOfficeisTHERETURNSYSTEM. On Ordinary Insurances , under which Pol icy holders who have beon insured for Seven Yours and wlio continue insured—whetlir ' under an Animal ov Septennial Policy—become entitled to a RETURN OF 25 PER CENT , oft he Premiums fchey have paid dnring « * ' " Seven Years , provided no loss lias arisen under Iheir Policies in that Period . Insurances on Farming Stocks and on oilier than Ordinary Risks do not participate in thc Returns , nor are the Returns g iven on amounts which , being in excess of its own holding , are not retained by the Ollicc . Policies may be eilectcd or transferred without any extra expenses . Q # \ y , STEVENS . ) T - ± a t * t ., ip » B , E . RATUFFE , J J < wrf ^^