Provincial Lodges.

committee of the province , for the ensuing year . The W . M . read to the brethren a circular he had received from Br . White , G . S ., requesting subscriptions to pay off the debt on the Asylum at Croydon , for Aged Freemasons and Widows . It was unanimously resolved that a donation of £ l be granted from tho funds of the Lodge , for this Masonic purpose , which sum the Treasurer , Br . G . Fearnley , M . D . P . M . and P . P . S . G . W . was requested to forward ; and , also , the annual subscription of the Lodge of £ 2 to the Girls' School , and of £ 1 to the Boys' School .

Knight Templars.

KNIGHT TEMPLARS .

LANCASHIRE . —WEST DIVISION . LIVERPOOL . —On the 16 th of March , an encampment of Jacques de Molay was held at the Adelphi Hotel , when the Sir Knights present proceeded to elect Sir Knt . H . S . Alpass as E . G . for the ensuing year . Two companions of the Royal Arch were then installed Sir Knts ., and the encampment closed . The members of the encampment afterwards dined at the Adelphi Hotel .

JERUSALEM ENCAMPMENT , MANCHESTER ( No . 9 ) . —On Friday , April 13 th , 1855 , the Provincial Grand Commander for Lancashire , the E . F . Matthew Dawes , installed Sir Knt , J . A . Hahnel , as E . G . of the above encampment for the ensuing year . The principal offices being distributed as follows : —Sir Knt . Richard Wood , Prelate ; Chas . Ellis , 1 st Capt . ; Stephen Smith , 2 nd Capt . ; Lyons Wright , Export ; Charles Clay , P . E . C . and Treasurer , Newton Bentley , Reg ., & c . Afterwards the Sir Knt . sat down to an excellent dinner , provided by Bro . Halsey , of the Waterloo Hotel , and with the usual loyal ancl Masonic toasts concluded a very pleasant evening . We may mention that the care which is manifested in the working of this encampment which is the oldest in the district , is highly creditable to the officers .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

BANFFSHIRE . Although it is far from our desire to enter into Masonic disputes , the more especially between the Grand Lodge of a country and subsidiary Lodges , yet we feel compelled to publish the following , in hopes that it may lead the way to the healing of a most unfortunate breach between the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Masons of Banff . A little concession , perhaps , on either side may be all that is required to

bring the one again into friendly connexion with the other . At the same time , we must admit that we are somewhat astonished to find a claim set up for a divided authority between the S . G . R . A . C . ancl the G . L . ; surely the former cannot acknowledge what the latter repudiates ? We shall be glad to receive an explanation upon this subject from some competent authority , and trust that we shall then never have cause again to allude to the subject , until we have the pleasure of announcing that all differences are adjusted , and that every Freemason in Scotland acknowledges one and

the same head . ' To the Editor of the Masonic Mirror . SIR . —With reference to the paragraph that appeared in your last number of the "Mirror , " regarding the position the St . Andrew's ancl St . John's Mason Lodges in this place , occupy with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , I would premise in regard to St . Andrew ' sthat that Lodhas been in existence for upwards of

, ge 150 years , and in reference to St . John ' s Operative , and St . John's R . A . Chapter , that they have existed over 91 years . I shall now state briefly how it happened that the St . John ' s Lodge is in the anamolous position , if such it can be called , in regard to the Grand Lodge . In the year 1830 , a faction rose up among