Masonry In America.

the champion of the cause gained ( ably seconded by Bros . Mackey , Eamsey , Shroeder , & c ) , and was elected by an overwhelming majority . His address to the Grand Lodge is a well written document . Like the Kentucky representatives , the Grand Lodge now pays them twelve shillings a day , while in attendance , and fivepence a mile travelling expenses hy thc nearest route . Bro . Mackey's report on foreign correspondence , is au able document . is

He particularly severe on a Lodge allowing its room being used for any other than Masonic purposes . The principle is good , but I think not always practicable , especially in small country villages where money is not over plentiful : he is , he says , opposed to thc amalgamation of Masonry with thc other imitative societies , which arc springing up like mushrooms around thc trunk of some venerable oak . He holds that no apron should be admitted into the room but a Mason ' s no gavel be heard but a Master ' s gavel .

apron ; Thc Lod ge , at its previous session , recommended each Lodge to raise a subscription among its members to aid in the purchase of Mount Vernon , the home of Washington ; the result was flattering , being two hundred and ei g hty pounds sterling . Bro . Mackey also very justly observes , that if the Masonic institution ever suffer shipwreck , it will be from the terrible increase in the quantity of initiations without any reference to their quality . Thc entire report is well worthy of careful study , I will endeavour to send yon

? ° ' ' The proceedings of Louisiana fill a very large book , containing three hundred and _ sixty pages ; from it I shall send you some extracts . By a , circular issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland , it appears that any one " excluded , suspended , or restored to the rights of Masonry , " by any one of the bodies entering into the compact , shall , " on the case being officially communicated to the others , be by them severally excluded ,

suspended , or restored , as the case may be , without any further inquiry or investigation . " This is , to American Masons , a strange proceeding ; with us , any one " excluded or suspended " from a Blue Lodge is of course debarred the privileges of the other branches of the Order ; but any one expelled from a higher body is not necessarily so dealt with in the lower body without trial ( as in the higher body ) . We have members of our Encampment of Knights Templar , who are debarred the privileges of that sublime branch

of the Order , but are still active members of thc Blue Lodge . A few words about home matters , and I shall close this letter . Bro . Hob Morris , G . M ., will , on thc 2 nd of May , open a school of instruction for the benefit of the Craft , wheresoever dispersed . The lectures taught are of the old Webb or Prcstonian school . A great many brethren , from various parts of the State , are expected to be in attendance ; and Bro . Morris ' s idea is , to concentrate the members of Lodges at some one point , and there demonstrate to them that there is iiothhm' like an uniform mode

of work ; this he has zealously endeavoured to do since his election , and although his efforts have not been crowned with complete success , still it is gratifying to know that they have not been entirely in vain ; some of the trees he has planted will bear ripe and golden fruit , long after he shall have solved the mystery of eternity . Bro . Morris ' s assistant . Bro . B . D . Cooke , starts in a few days for the Old World . He , of course , will call upon you ; he will also cross over into the Emerald Isle . Yv e shall hear of his kind

reception by his brethren in those countries . Bro . Cooke has most indefatigable perseverance , and when he has made up his mind to get information , he knows no such word as fail : he was the subject of a series of resolutions at the School of Instruction on the 6 th inst . I enclose you an extract from a recent address of one of our most distinguished brethren : — " Thc past year , my brethren , has been one full of pleasure and happiness to