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( Continued from page 313 ) . public act after the Bombay plague , was to lay , on the 5 th of this month , the foundation-stone of a new Masonic Hall in Bombay for the joint use of the Scottish and the English Constitutions , which will have a benelicial effect on the prosperity of the Craft in that corner of the Empire . Freemasonry , sir , in England , apart from the moral

and social virtues which it inculcates , may be roughly described as being a huge Charitable organisation ; but in India , without in any way departing from its moral , social , and charitable ends , I venture to say that Freemasonry has another very important duty to perforin in bringing together more closely the various classes , races , and creeds which go to make up that wonderful empire . The condition of

things in the ordinary work-a-day world in India , with all these classes , races , and creeds , each with its own ideas , prejudices , and customs , can hardly be better described than by the words which Shakespeare put into the mouth of Shylock when he said to Bassanio— " I will buy with you , sell with you , talk with you , walk with you , " and so following ; " but 1 will not eat with you , drink with you , nor pray with you . " I think it is a great thing to be

able to say that under the banner of Freemasonry , Christian , Jew , Hindoo , Parsee , and Mahommedan ; not only all meet together in that lodge , which is at once our church , our temple , our mosque , and together raise their voices to invoke the assistance of the one Supreme Being we all recognise , the Great Architect of the Universe ; but when work is over they sit together at the common board for refreshment and pleasant social intercourse .

I venture to say , sir , that in thus bringing together European , Hindoo , Parsee , Mahommedan , Jew , Freemasonry is doing a considerable political service , and is materially assisting in the good government of the country , and , sir , it cannot fail to be of very great assistance , for all these classes and creeds do thus meet together and we thereby obtain acquaintance with the good qualities one to the other , while each of our brethren is a centre from

which irradiates those feelings of tbe mutual friendship , mutual regard , charity in every sense of the word which our Craft teaches us so well . Your distinguished lodge , sir , has taken the lead in this country in the same way , and the interesting announcement that we had in lodge this evening of two noble rajputs to be proposed for initiation in the Empire Lodge , is evidence of the spirit in which you work . This great gathering—this

representative gathering — is another , and it has put into my mind a definition of Freemasonry , which I think we might all of us offer to any enquiring persons in the uninstruoted or popular world outside who may ask us what is Freemasonry—I have often been asked the question , you have often been asked the question , all , frequently ; it is a difficult question—what I am about to give you as a definition

explains a very important phase of the Craft ; I would say Freemasonry is a noble striving after the universal brotherhood of man . Whether born in the purple or risen from the soil , or whether our complexions are the fair ones of northern latitudes or the darker ones of eastern climes , whether a prince or Hindoo , whether he worship God or Bratnah , or like the poor Indian with untutored mind sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind , under

the banner of Freemasonry we are all brothers , and , in my opinion , in the wider spread of our Craft lies one of the surest guarantees of peace and good will among the very varied items which go to make up this British Empire . This is a memorable month , and the great gathering this afternoon , followed b y this most distinguished and representative gathering this evening are not the least memorable events of this memorable month . It

was a wonderful and never-to-be-forgotten sight to sse that great mass of Masons this afternoon in the Albert Hall rise as one man and in perfect unison raise their voices in the National Anthem—that noble hymn always brings up a lump in my throat , and a moisture into my eyes j but I thought this afternoon representatives of every quarter of the globe where the British flag flies , whsn they joined under one roof made it doubly

impressive . Also this evening , this is no ordinary banquet , and it will be a thing long to be remembered to have sat at the same board with such a distinguished and representative gathering of the Empire , and I am proud indeed , sir , to have had the honour of your invitation . I fear I have trespassed too long on your time already , and on your patience , so I will merely , sir , repeat that the kind way in which the toast of " The Indian and

Colonial Guests" has been proposed and responded to is very highly appreciated by your Indian guests , and personally I may say that the District Grand Lodge of Bombay will feel itself very highly honoured indeed in that its representative was permitted to speak to the toast . ( Loud cheers . ) An Indian brother likewise responded , but was very indistinctly heard . Earl AMHERST proposed " The Sister Grand Lodges , " and said , he

thought they might congratulate the Empire Lodge that night in assisting the efforts of our statesmen in bringing people together . One half of the Cabinet were or had been Grand Officers , three of our Field-Marshals held the purple , and we thought that would show of what stuff Grand Lodge of England was composed . This meeting welcomes the representatives of the Sister Grand Lodges , the Duke ol Abercorn , Grand Master of Ireland , which had been a distressful country , Lord Saltoun , Grand Master of Scotland , and Sir Edward Braddon , Premier of Tasmania .

The Duke of AUKRCORN in reply , said , the kindly manner in which the brethren had received the toast of " The Sister Grand Lodges , " proved to him that the English Masons were not forgetful of those Irish Masons who lived over the silver streak of 62 miles , and also those Scottish Masons who lived over the border . As representing Irish Masons , he fully acknowledged the hospitality of the Empire Lodge , lie had not forgotten that this lodge

would be the means 01 welcoming to-night others who had come not 62 miles , Lut thousands of miles from all parts of the Empire to celebrate one of the most singular and greatest occasions connected with this Great Kmpire . The Worshipful Deputy Grand Master had stated that Ireland had been a distressful country . The brethren would be happy to hear that they had upwards of 20 , 000 distressful Masons—distressful only in imagination , not

in reality . The Grand Master stated in the Albert 1 Ia . ll that there was no more loyal body of men in the Empire than that composing the Masonic body ; his Koyal Highness stated that truly and correctly , but he ( the Duke of Abercorn ) might add to that , that among them there was no niore loyal body than the Irish Masons , who through weal and through woe had always remained staunch to the integrity of this Kmpire . Although they

were few in number , and not over blessed with the riches of this world , yet he thought the brethren would find the Masonic body in Ireland were as well conducted as any in the Empire . The first and great object was that of Charity . Every Irishman as a rule was liberal-minded and liberal in his purse , and he thought they had endeavoured successfully to establish and emulate those two most excellent Charities known

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in England — the Girls' and the Boys' Schools . They were not able to boast the large fund which the English Masons were able to give for the assistance of those Charities in this country , but they did their best and he had only to say to the distinguished Colonists present if they were able to go over to the sister country they would find the Masonic bodies there would give them a fraternal and hearty welcome . He would

wish to say that a large number of loyal people had come over to this country to celebrate the event which was unique in the history of the land , more had come from all parts of the Colonies and from India , and we welcomed them . We had heard of their political powers , of their oratorical powers , and their connection with Masonry , but now we were able to meet them face

to face and to have a reciprocity and association with them which was so conducive to equal knowledge . As the meeting of Masonry was harmony united with Charity , that would be the personal association of all those men who had come to this country to unite in closer bonds that friendship which had always distinguished the Masonic connection of the English Colonies with their English brethren .

Lord SALTOUN , G . M . of Scotland , said he had in the first place to tender their Scottish best thanks to his Royal Highness , for the honour which he did them in inviting them to take part in that extraordinary and splendid ceremony of that day , and he was sure that those who were with him from the north would remember it all their lives and tell it to their children . He would also like to say that following in the footsteps which the

Pro Grand Master had pointed out as to the increase in the Masonic world of England , & c ., Scotland had in its small way done the same . He had the honour the other day of presiding at a meeting to present a humble address to her Majesty on her long reign , when it appeared that the difference in the Benevolent Fund which was given in the year 1837 was about ^ 150 , in 189 6 it was something like j 5 . o ° oo . Again , it had always been and it would always

be his object to bring into closer union the Masonry of Scotland and of England . He was proud to tell them that he had the honour of appointing Lord Sandhurst as representative of Grand Lodge of Scotland in Grand Lodge of Bombay . He believed that was the second occasion on which the Fame nobleman had represented the English Grand Lodge and the Scottish Grand Lodge . He would also like to endorse the remarks which fell

from the Deputy District Grand Master of Bombay . It might be not known to the brethren that he ( Lord Saltoun ) was a member of the Lodge of Perseverance in Bombay . When he was in India and visited some lodges as a Scottish Mason they did him the honour to make him a member , and the most striking thing was to see Englishmen , Parsees , and Hindoos and

all classes attending Grand Lodge , and then sitting down in harmony together . If any of the brethren went over there and saw the same thing , it would strike them as one of the most extraordinary incidents in the Masonic world that could possibly occur . After again thanking the W . M . for giving him the opportunity to be present , Lord Saltoun promised the brethren if they went North they would be most hospitably entertained .

Bro . Sir EDAVARD BRADDON , Premier of Tasmania , said he had met with unbounded hospitality since he had come to England ; he had had three banquets a day besides many other functions . He arrived in the city at two o'clock on Sunday . He hoped that his hon . colleague the Premier of Natal would have spoken for the Premiers , because he ( Sir E . Braddon ) was one of the few Doliticians who held that , whilst speech was silvern ,

silence was golden , and he believed in the trite old saying—the least said the sooner mended . In the confusion to which he was thrown by the great hospitality of the evening , he was not quite clear that he was not a member of this Empire Lodge , He was , he believed , when he left the country and left his apron here . He was very proud he did belong to it , and still prouder if he still bdonged to

it , and it would not in the slightest degree militate against his proud feelings in this matter if he did not recover his apron . Masonry appeared to him to be the highest form of federation to which we had yet attained . They were all stirred to their hearts throughout Australia by the question of Australian federation . He believed in a higher order oi federation—Imperial federation . There were some also—and he was one of them , who desired to see the

most complete form of federation—the federation of the whole Englishspeaking people ; and in the unity of people and races which was brought about by Masonry , they had an exemplar of that great federation . At present he was as a humble member of the body which was a guide to a higher order of union to which most of them desired to attain .. As a humble officer , and

as premier . of one of the Australian Colonies , he was there that night not to represent his own personal feelings of loyalty , but the loyalty of the Colonies . The loyalty of the Colony he represented was unquestioned . Bro . Lord AMI-THILL proposed "The Worshipful Master , " to which toast Bro . A . DAVUOSON KEMP , W . M ., responded , and the brethren shortly after . yards separated .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible tor the opinions expressed by our correspondents lint we wish , in a spirit " ot fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

MASONIC AUTOGRAPHS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , My unofficial Masonic correspondence for t ' . ie past 30 years his supplied me with some 300 spare specimens . These include a limited number of the late Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , and other deceased brethren

of high Masonic rank ; the rest are of the various Grand Secretaries , Prov . Grand Masters , and literary notables of the period from 186 7 to 1897 . The latter include many American , German , French , and other foreign Masonic celebritiesliving and dead . I have cut these from the various letters ( therefore , it must be understood they are all slips—not the letters also ) for the purpose , and if any of each welcome

your readers care to have them to the extent of five they are very to such gift . The limit is , of course , merely fixed now , as applications may be many or few , and I have no niians of accurately judging ; should there be only a few to hand within a week , the number of specimens allowed to each applicant will be increased to the extent / he lot will go . licant shall enclose i

The only condition 1 desire to impose is that every app stamped addressed envelope { not , however , after the jtii / i ) , so that I may be spared expense and unnecessary time and trouble in the matter . I may mention that I am not a collector of autographs in the sense usually understood , but in arranging signatures , for reference purposes only , I have gathered together such a series that I have never yet come across a notabl .