The Craft Abroad.

Spry , G . C . T ., G . Chan . ; David McLellan , G . Treas . ; Rev . Frederick Bates , G . Chap . ; Wm . R . Howse , G . Constable ; J . Parker Thomas , G . Marshal ; Robert A . Douglas , G . Vice-Chan . ; H . W . Chisholm , G . Sub-Marshal ; David Taylor , G . Almoner ; John Elliott , G .

ist Std . Br . ; Joseph Martin , G . 2 nd Std . Br . ; W . Waddington , G . M . ' s Banner Br . ; John Hetherington , G . C . of G . ; Thos . V . Cooke , G . Swd . Br . ; John Dumbrille , G . Org . ; Wilson Drewe , G . Purs . ; and John Simpson , G . G .

GRAND LODGE OF O REGON . At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Oregon , held at Masonic Temple , in Portland , on the 15 th June last , the following were elected and appointed Grand Officers for the ensuing year , and subsequently installed and proclaimed as such Bros . Andrew Nasburg , G . M . ; Brenham Van Dusen , D . G . M . ; lames F . Robinson , S . G . W . ; Herman E .

Harris , J . G . W . ; Daniel C . McKercher , G . Treas . ; Frelon J . Babcock , G . Sec ; Rev . John R . N . Bell , G . Chap . ; Thomas H . Tongue , G . Orator ; James A . Richardson , G . Marshal ; Jay Tuttle , S . G . D . ; Wm . P . Connoway , J . G . D . ; Virgil Conn , G . Std . Br . ; D . L . Moomaw , G . Swd . Br . ; R . E . Bryan , and J . T . Cooper , G . Stwds . ; L . W . Wallace , G . Org . ; and Gustaf Wilson , G . Tyler .

Dedication Of A Masonic Hall At Toowoomba, Queensland.

DEDICATION OF A MASONIC HALL AT TOOWOOMBA , QUEENSLAND .

On Monday , the 27 th June last , the hall of the brethren of the Southern Cross Lodge was formally dedicated with all the imposing and solemn ceremonies of the Craft . Among the members of the District Grand Lodge who were present were Bros . Hon . A . C . Gregory , D . G . M . ; Aland , as D . P . G . M .: Hon . F . T . Gregory , D . S . G . W . ; Joseph

Dean , jun ., G . W . ; Rev . J . Wheatley , as D . G . Chap . ; Joseph Roberts , D . G . Sec ; W . Finucane , John Fenwick , D . G . D . of C ; T . Trevethan , W . Gartside , D . G . Deacons ; C . Campbell , J . S . Michael , D . G . Stewards ; and J . T . Brigg , D . G . Pursuivant . Before the brethren entered the hall the accasion was appropriately commemorated by a photograph , taken by Bro . Piatt , and which no doubt will be highly valued by the Craft .

The Southern Cross Lodge having been opened , the District Grand Master and officers entered in procession , the brethren giving the customary Masonic honours , and the organ playing a Grand March . The Right Worshipful the District Grand Master then took the chair , and the District Grand Officers having assumed their positions in the lodge , the District Grand Lodge was opened in due form , and the ceremony ot

dedication earned out in a manner which reflected credit on

the G . M . and Officers of the District Grand Lodge . The following being the address , which , at the invitation of the D . G . M ., Bro . John Fenwick , the D . G . Secretary delivered—An address in connection with our present ceremony , and upon the principles of Freemasonry is now of such usual occurrence , that I must crave your indulgence if I have to

repeat what you may already know , or what you may have already heard . The practice of dedicating buildings to particular purposes has obtained from a very early period of Ihe world ' s history . Even by those known as Pagans , it was a universal custom to dedicate their temples to some particular deity , or some particular worship . In sacred history , too , we find many instances of the dedicating or

setting apart of religious and other edifices , and always with much solemnity and ceremony . The most notable of these ceremonies , however , is that of the temple of Jerusalem by King Solomon , full details of which aie to be found m the Book of Kings , and our present ceremony seems to have been based principally upon this record . The Book of Chronicles affords us a similar detail of the same

ceremonial , only that in the latter the word consecration is substituted for dedication . There is , however , no reason to suppose that this record possesses any superior authority to that first referred to , which more appropriately fulfils our idea of "devoting" or " setting apart" our buildings to a particular purpose , rather than that of hallowing them or making them sacred , which

the word "consecrating" clearly implies . There can be no doubt but that the principles of dedication prevailed amongst our antient brethren from very early times ( though , of course , subsequent to that period , when , as we are informed , they used to hold their lodges in the open air , selecting as their localities the "highest hills and the deepest valleys " ) , but we find no record of any specific

event of the kind , until that of the dedication of the present Freemasons' Hall in London , in the year 17715 , a function which was conducted with unusual pomp and ceremony , and as Preston informs us "in the presence of a brilliant assembly of the brethren . " A new ode had been written and set to music for the occasion , and was Performed

before a number of ladies who honoured the society with their company on that day , besides which , as our historian quaintly puts it , "an Exordium on Masonry not less elegant than instructive , was given by the Grand Secretary . The admission of ladies on that celebrated occasion would seem to imply that our brethren of a cen-™ ago had more gallantry than the Masons of to-rlav .

' tor one doubt that . This privilege to the ladies a ! , ? ovvevei " . more apparent than real ; for we find had "tey had to retire immediately after the architect I , beei } presented , and consequently before the Sinr i er , ous portion of the ceremony had commenced . riVd- i- event » our records show that the practice of " . eating our buildings to the ouroose nFFr » mn « nr «

s been invariable . Having now satisfied ourselves as to obL > rf r 0 prie J ty of our ceremony > let ° s briefly refer to its to « - . / i and to our Principles . We dedicate our buildings W » 5 * . "Virtue , " and to « Universal BenevotheirV , btrLct ' y speaking , the two latter are included in aDnr » nl . , ? ler ' , the very foundation of Masonry , as every sociauJ ? ? , , Y "tbe practice of every moral and and W 1 * 1 S the unltl "g ln one bond of sympathy everv t ? affection men of every creed , and men of handmaM el ' .- freemasonry has been said to be the ¦ * mmaid of Religion , fnr a * English M »» n , ..- „ , _ :

„ We 0 f- „„ ° ,. to acknowledge a Supreme Being , whom verse » A & ' Y ° " The Great Architect of the Uni-Precen - * t " -j i ? re also supposed to believe in the P's laid down for our guidance in the Volume of the

Dedication Of A Masonic Hall At Toowoomba, Queensland.

Sacred Law , one of which strongly inculcated amongst us is always to do to others as we would wish them to do to us , if we were in their place . And in all other countries , not necessarily distinguished as " Christian , " Freemasons are bound by the same essential principlesnamely , the belief in a Supreme Being , " Jehovah , Jove , or Lord , " and the practice of morality and virtue .

Holding these principles in common , we are are thus , as Masons , able to meet and associate in terms of perfectly mutual toleration for each others private opinions , and of perfect sympathy , in carrying out the grand tenets of your Order , which are briefly defined as " Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . " In like manner we admit men of every shade of politics ; because , as Masons , we are not

politicians . Loyal , in its very highest sense , we are , and Charity , in its broadest and most extended meaning , is our great landmark . But for all that , Masonry must not be considered in any sense as a benefit society , notwithstanding that some of the most extensive benevolent and educational establishments in the world are supported by our Order . We deprecate the reception amongst us of men ,

no matter how exalted , nor how inferior , their social position , who desire to become Masons for the purpose of making use of it , or seeing what they can get out of it ; and ive should equally reprehend any attempt to influence or to induce any one to join us . No ! "Masonry is free . " Candidates must come to us voluntarily , unsought and unasked . Yet we Masons all know , but too well , that

there are some black sheep amongst us , and these , if not admitted through the confiding good nature of some otherwise worthy brother , are men who , emblemished at their initiation , would have deteriorated in any other society , or under any other circumstances . Sometimes these erring ones bring the Order into discredit , and tend ( though only slightly , 1 admit ) to injure an

institution , at once the most ancient , and , in spite of every drawback , the most honourable Society in the world . For , brethren , we hold it to be not only a privilege , but a high distinction , for a man to be accepted as a Freemason . There may be some amongst us who will ask—But how is this privilege , this distinction realised ? To this I reply by another question . Brethren , what is that mysterious

bond of sympathy that so pervades us that we often feel the presence of a brother even before he gives us any outward proof of it—why is it that if we go to a strange land , where everything and every face we meet are strange to us—and then perhaps when our hearts sink with the loneliness—we meet a brother , we make the mystic sign—it is recognised—we are taken by the hand , and receive a warm

and fraternal welcome ? 1 again ask—Why is this ? Brethren , I cannot tell you , for it is still a Masonic secret . District Grand Lodge was then closed in due form . The D . G . Master having handed the gavel to Bro . Gripp , and retired with his officers , the Southern Cross Lodge was resumed and closed . Later in the day there followed a grand banquet at which

88 brethren were present . Bro . Gripp , as W . M ., took the chair , supported on the right bythe R . W . D . G . M ., Bro . Hon . A . C . Gregory , C . M . G ., & c . ; Bro . Aland , D . D . G . M . ; Bro . Dean , D . J . G . W . ; and Bro . Gartside , D . G . Purst . ; and on the left by Bro . Hon . F . T . Gregory , D . S . G . W . ; Bro . John Fenwick , D . G . Sec ; Bro . Finucane , D . G . Treas . ; and Bro . Michael , D . G . S . After dinner the

Chairman proposed first "The Health of the Queen , " and then that of " The Most Worshipful the Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " which were both drunk with enthusiasm and musical honours . The CHAIRMAN then proposed "The Healthof the D . G . Master , Bro . Hon . A . C . Gregory , " who responded in fitting terms .

Bro , ALAND in his usual felicitous manner proposed " The Health of the District Grand Officers" to which Bro . J . FENWICK , and Bro . FINUCANE responded , the latter stating that the District Grand Lodge was in very prosperous circumstances , and was accumulating a fund that no doubt would in the future , be devoted to some charitable purpose , worthy of the Order .

Bro . P . M . STEPHENS proposed "Ihe Healthof the Worshipful Master , Bro . Gripp , " who in responding deplored his unavoidable absence from Toowoomba . Bro . ALAND gave " The Founders of the Southern Cross Lodge , " briefly shetching the history of the lodge . This toast was responded to by Bros , the Hon . F . T . GREGORY and J . T . SMITH .

Bro . BOYS , b . W ., proposed the toast of "The Past Masters of the Lodge , " coupled with the names of Bros . Aland , Campbell , and Stephens , the last of whom had been indefatigable in beautifying the grounds . The three duly acknowledged the honour , after which

Bro . DUTTON , J . W ., D . G . O ., proposed "The Health of the Absent Brethren , " the list being brought to a close with the Tyler ' s toast , proposed b y Bro . CARSELDINE . Bro . Dutton conducted the musical portion of the whole ceremony in his usual able and effective manner . A ball concluded the day ' s duties and festivities .

Bro . E . T . Schultz , who for some time past has been engaged in writing a " History of Freemasonry in Maryland , has been making very rapid progress , the latest section issued bringing the work as far as the year 1847 .

From the Templar returns issued by Bro . Berry it seems that the strongest organisation in the United States is the G . Commandery of Pennsylvania , which has 61 commanderies , with a total membership of 7770 , while New York has 55 commanderies , and 7755 members . Illinois has 5 6 commanderies , but only 6854 members , and Massachusetts and Rhode Island , which together constitute

a'jurisdiction with only 40 commanderies , has 6 S 13 members , Ohio , with 41 commanderies , having 553 S members . The 5 smallest commanderies are those of West Virginia —8 commanderies , 331 members ; Louisiana—4 commanderies , 307 members ; Mississippi—12 commanderies , 278 members ; Alabama—6 commanderies , 195 members ; and North Carolina—7 commanderies , 175 members .

HOLLOWAY s PILLS . —Though good health is preferable to high honour , how regardless people often are of the former—how covetous of the latter ! Many suffer their strength to drain away ere maturity is reached , through ignorance of the facility afforded by these incomparable Pills of checking the first untoward symptoms of derangement , and reinstating order without interfering in the

least with their pleasure or pursuits . To the young especially it is important to maintain the highest digestive' efficiency , without which the growth is stunted , the muscles become lax , the frame feeble , and the mind slothful . The removal of indigestion by these Pills is so easy that none save the most thoughtless would permit it to sap the spring of life . —ADVT .

Masonis And General Tidings

MASONIS AND GENERAL TIDINGS

It may be as well to remind our readers that the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will not hold their usual monthly meeting on Saturday next , the 3 rd September prox ., being the first Saturday in the month . The Committee have very wisely considered that a rest from their labours will be beneficial to themselves and in no way detrimental to the interests of the Charity .

H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught started from Brindisi on his return to Bombay on Monday . Bro . Earl and Countess of Cowper left Panshanfer Park for town on Monday , and left by the mail for Gotland the same evening . Bro . the Earl of Limerick is acting as the Government Whip in the House of Lords during the absence of Bro . the Earl of Kintore in Canada .

Bros . Vice-Admiral Sir W . Hewett , K . C . B ., V . C ., and Lieutenant-General Sir George Willis had the honour of dining with the Queen at Osborne , on Saturday last . Bro . Earl Granville , Lady Victoria Leveson Gower , and Miss Glynn , who have been cruising in the channel , on Bro . Lord Wolverton ' s yacht Palatine , landed at Weymouth on Monday .

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of Bro . W . Wynn Westcott's work on the " Isiac Tablet of Cardinal Bembo—Its History and Occult Significance . " We shall take an early opportunity of reviewing it . The latest Masonic returns for the State of New York show that on the 7 th June last there were 72 , 113 Masons ; on the ist February last there were 15 , 257 Royal Arch Masons ; and on the 12 th October , 18 S 6 " , 7755 Knight Templar Masons .

It is understood that early in September the Prince of Wales will present new colours to the ist Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment , which will leave England on a round of foreign service next year . The Freemasons' Journal of New York announces that a lady of Brooklyn has presented to it a

very rare Irish certificate , bearing date the year 1726 . It seems the plate was lost for 70 years , and when it was recovered , a few copies were struck off , of which this presented to our contemporary is one . If this is genuine , it must be about the oldest Masonic certificate in existence , the date of the plate being a few years antecedent to the constitution of the Grand Lodge of Ireland .

The Emperor William of Germany has so far recovered from his recent indisposition that'he was able to take a drive at Babelsberg on Tuesday , and the day following was present at the so-called eagle shooting , the annual shooting competition of the ist Regiment of Guards .

The Queen , accompanied by Prince and Princess Henry ot Battenberg and two of her grandchildren , left Osborne for Balmoral on Wednesday evening , and was expected to reach her destination about 3 p . m . on Thursday . Her son-in-law , Bro . the Crown Prince , went out deer-stalking in Balmoral Forest on Wednesday .

The Adelaide Observer of April 23 rd , offers the following remarks on the consecration of a New South Australia Lodge—the United Service , No . 37 : "One of the most important and imposing of the celebrations with which the Grand Lodge of South Australia—fo r South Australia has a Grand Lodge which is admittedly a credit to the Craft and a model for the imitation of all British

colonies—has had to do was successfully carried through on Thursday night . The occasion was the consecration of the United Service Lodge , No . 37 , and the installation as Worshipful Master thereof of Brigadier-General Bro . j . F . Owen , R . A ., a Mason who has attained to the illustrious distinction of the 31 st Degree . The whole performance was worthy of the Grand Lodge and of the traditions of

Masonry in South Australia . Criticism of the ceremony indeed is dumb in presence of the evidence afforded of the brilliant and in every respect satisfactory manner in which the proceedings were conducted . It is of the newlyaffiliated lodge itself that we wish to speak . It is , it appears to embrace within its charmed circle officers of the mi 7 i ' tary and naval forces in South Australia—not all officers , be ft

understood , for there are some who are not Masons , and possibly some who could not become Masons if ' they wished , for that honour is one to which all cannot attain . The establishment of the lodge , we learn , has not been achieved without pretty strong opposition , and it would be interesting to know from what quarter this opposition has come . We say this because there is reall y a little to be

said in the way of objection to such an organisation . On the face of it , it introduces something like a class distinction among officers . We do not believe for a moment that the Worshipful Master , or the other members of the lodo-e who may happen to hold high positions in the Force will consciously make any difference between officers who belong to the lodge and officers who do not ; we might even

go farther and say that probably most of them would not consciously make a distinction between them ; but none the less the fact that some officers belong to the Iodo- and some do not may create a suspicion of favouritism which ought not to exist . It will , of course , be said that such lodges are to be found in the old country , but the circumstances are obviously not altogether parallel . There officers

in the permanent forces do more or less to constitute a class apart to a degree unknown in the Colony , where the Military Force consists only of Malitia and Volunteers We do not wish to make more of the matter than is warranted by the facts , and we are sure that the Brigadier-General and other officers will do their best to avoid all

occasions for complaint ; but none the less an objection exists , and we cannot help thinking it would have been better had the new lodge not been constituted . In saying this we are , of course , regarding the question only in its public aspect , and not venturing to pass criticism upon a matter peculiar to Masonry . "