Turkey.

TURKEY .

CONSTANTINOPLE MASONEY IN THE TusKisit CAPITAL . —The Craft under the Star and Crescent is in the ascendant . The fashionable , or West-end of the city has a " Bulwer " and " Oriental , " both temples in the full enjoyment of power , zeal , and energy . While the promising village of Buyukdcre , on the shores of the Bosphorushasin full blaze of lihtthe " Leinster " —a lodge

, , g , , notwithstanding its being fin- removed from the " city ' s din " and bustle , many worthy brethren , who do not begrudge the distance , visit their " mother" very regular . With all this , it was deemed expedient to open another lodge in the village of Haskien , on the shore of the Golden Horn . Many workmen iu the employ ofthe Government ; and private firms in this truly British quarter , anxious to have a temple within hail , met in October

last , and , after several meetings of an agreeable nature , petitioned the Grand Lodge of Scotland for a Charter of Erection under ' the banner of St . Andrew . Their prayer was acceded to , and , on the evening of Monday , June 7 tb , the Caledonian ( No . 4 S 9 ) , was consecrated in due form in the New Hall of the Mechanics ' Institute , by Bro . Charles W . Lilly , assisted by Bros . Laurie , Arnold , Warren , Reppen , Carleton , and Mountain ( all Masters

and P . M . ' s ) , and many brethren truly devoted to the Craft . After the consecration , which was indeed very imposing , the brethren adjourned to the lodge proper in the same building , W . Bro . Lilly , presiding . The installation of the elect officers of the Caledonian was proceeded with : Bros . W . Stock , W . M . ; W . S . Henderson , D . M . ; George Mears , S . M . ; W . Walker , S . W . ; James Warren , J . W . ; H . Bcnwell , Treas . ; W . Dyke , S . D . ; James SpenceJ . D . ; Hiram HagueI . G . ; J . BevanTyler ; and

, , , Daniel lYnzcr , See . The jewels , clothing , and general furnishings of the lodge are neat , appropriate , and very complete . The jewels and clothing were commissioned from Glasgow' and Edinburgh , and were the theme of general admiration . On the closing of the lodge the brethren met in the banquet-room , where an excollent supper was prepared 03 'Bro . . Ferguson . Bro . StockW . M . presided . The proceedings were prolonged until

, , far in the other day , Masonic toasts , songs , and sentiments of a fraternal kind being the order of the evening and the morning . This lodge , under the seal of the lion rampart , has opened under very favourable auspices , and , if continued in the spirit begun , cannot fail of success .

New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND .

WELLINGTON . PRESENTATION TO BRO . CAPT . BENSON , W . S . M . The Waterloo Lodge , No . 4 G 3 ( S . C . ) , Wellington , New Zealand , was the scene of a highly interesting ceremony on tho evening of Monday the 22 nd of March , when a very large number of Masons hailing from different lodges , and belonging to different Constitutionsassembled to witness the presentation

, of a farewell address and jewel to the Worshipful Substitute Master of the Lodge , Bro . Capt . Henry Baskerville Benson , late Colonial Manager of the Panama , New Zealand , and Australian Royal Mail Company . During his residence in Wellington , Bro . Benson proved himself an active , zealous Mason , and in addition to the office of Substitute Master of the Waterloo Lodge , he filled the high

office of a Prov . G . Steward in the Scottish Provincial Grand Lodge . Much as his departure is regretted by the general public of Wellington , his loss will he especially felt by the Masonic fraternity , who have been indebted to him for many acts of liborality and kindness . A short time ago he presented to the Waterloo and Pacific Ledges a magnificent harmonium , imported from England by himself , and , in beauty of appearance and richness of tone , equal to any instrument which we

have seen come from the celebrated workshops of its makers , Alexandre Pere et Pils , Paris . This valuable gift bears a silver plate suitably inscribed . The lodge was opened in due form by the R . W . Bro . E . T . Gillon , who said that a very pleasant duty devolved upon him . He had always esteemed it a high privilege to preside over a Masonic Lodge , to assist in extending the influence and benefits of Masonry , and to administer the ceremonies of the Order in he beautiful and appropriate language with which they were

New Zealand.

associated . Pleasant as those duties were , however , a Master of a lodge was sometimes culled on to perform others of even a more pleasant character , and he knew of none more pleasant than that of acting as the mouth-piece of his brethren in expressing their admiration of distinguished merit in ^ a brother of the Order ; of presenting to a brother such a token of their respect and esteem as would not only remind him of the past , but would prove to brethren in other parts of the world the estimation

in which he was held by those with whom he had been for years associated . Such was the duty which devolved upon him but the pleasure with which he should under ordinary circuinenmstances perform it was not on the present occasion an unalloyed one . He could not without deep regret remember that Bro . Bsnson was about to leave them , perhaps for ever ; that he occupied his accustomed seat probably for the hist timeand that

, they would no more meet him within the scored precints of a , lodge until they met him , as he hoped they all might do , in that Grand Lodge above , towards the attainments of which every good Mason's aspirations and eiforts should be directed . They had met that night for » twofold purpose : in the first place to ask Bro . Benson to accept an address expressive of their feelings towards him ; and iu the sscond place , as Craftsman , to bid

their brother farewell , and to wish him God speed on his voyage , and future life . Honour , Truth , and Mercy have been defined as the distinguishing characteristics of a good Mason , and during his residence among them Bro . Benson had amply proved to them , and to the world , his possession of those admirable virtues . To be a good Mason was to be a good man , and he ( the R . W . M . ) could say that if more Masons did as he believed Bro , Benson had done—carried their masonry and its principles into the transactions of daily life—the influence and usefulness of the order would be immediately increased .

It was needless tor him to dilate further on the qualities which had gained for Bro . Benson the respect and esteem of those with whom he had been associated . The large attendance that evening was a practical proof of the estimation in which their brother was held , and no words of his could do adequate justice to the subject , or better express the feelings of the brethren , than were expressed in the address . The R . W . M . then handed the address and jewel to Bro

. Benson , who in a brief but feeling and most appropriate speech acknowledged the gift , and the kind terms in which it had been made . The address was very handsomely engrossed and illuminated by Mr . H . E . Brandon , and the jewel was manufactured by Burton Brothers , of Dunedin , Provincial Grand Jewellers , S . C . It is a gold square attached to a red ribbon , with two gold clasps .

The face is neatly chased , and back bears the inscription" Presented to Bro . Benson , S . M ., by the members of the Waterloo Lodge , No . 4 G 3 , S . C , Wellington , Now Zealand , March 1869 . " Bro . Benson left AVellington for England in the steamship Rualdne 011 the 31 st of March ; but before be embarked , his Honour the Superintendent of the Province Dr . Featherston ,

( himself a Mason ) , on behalf of a numerous body of subscribers presented to him a purse of one hundered guineas for tho purchase of a , piece of plate in England . This presentation was accompanied by a suitable address and an inscription to bo placed on the plate . This ceremony took place on the wharf iu the presence of upwards of a thousand persons , and as Captain . Benson left the shore , accompanied by a large number of friends in the Government steamer St . Kilda , ho was loudly cheered .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

DEVONSHIRE . Exjrormr . —Sun Chapter ( No . 1 . 061 ) . —The regular convocation of this old and noted chapter was held on Monday , the 21 st ult ., at the Masonic Rooms , Beacon Hotel . The chapter was opened by Comps . Hodge , M . E . Z . ; Hame , If . ; Glanfield , J . The companions being admitted , and the minutes read and confirmedthe ballot was taken for two brethren who had been

, duly proposed , and been unanimously declared in their favour , they were introduced and exalted to this supreme degree , in a very effective and impressive manner . The ceremony was well performed by every officer who took part in it . A proposition for exaltation at the next meeting was received . Principals