Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
West Indies.
" purity and truth ; " its intentions , " peace on earth ; " and its dis position , "good will towards men ;"—such are thc important principles of Freemasonry , and are tho ground work of our noble institution . It behoves us to adhere strictly to its rules and regulations , and bv so doing wc may assuredly rely that the blessing of the Great Architect of the universe ivill support and guide us in all our undertakings , and when our laboius here bcloiv are ended , AA ' C may confidently hope , that our memories will be celebrated by love , on the durable monuments of eternity , and our reward in the silent calm joy of heaven , secure from thc hand of God , the Grand Alaster of us all
Turkey.
TURKEY .
CONSTANTINOPLE . OliltiXTAl , LonuE ( No . 988 ) . —The festival of St . John was held on Tuesday , the 27 th December , at Baltzer ' s Hotel , Pera . The brethren met at four o ' clock , p . m ., the business of the el-cuing being thc installation of Bro . G . Laurie as AVAL for the succeeding year , and the initiation of tAvo members . The ceremony of installation having taken place , the AV . AI ., Bro . G . Laurie , proceeded to choose his Officers and AA'ardens as follows
, viz ., Bros . W . AV . Evans , S . AV . ; H . Pulman , J . AV . ; Juuor , S . D . ; J . Tomkins , J . D . ; E . C . Silley , P . AL , Treasurer ; H . AI . "Wills , Secretary ; R . A . Allan , LG . ; A . Mountain , Steward ; and Bro . T . Cipriotti , Tyler . The initiations having been gone through in a most forcible ancl lucid manner by the worthy AVorshipful Alaster , the Lodge closed in perfect harmony , and adjourned to the banquet table . Amongst the brethren present were his excellency Sir Henry Bulwer , K . C . B . ; J . P . Brown , Esq ., American ConsulAlah Oloo Afirza Khan
, it Kheni , Persian Secretary ( a newly initiated brother ); four brethren of the French Lodge L'Etoilc du Busphorc , and about forty brethren of the Oriental Lodge . After the usual loyal toasts hacl been drunk and duly responded to , the AVoiisiiii ' - 1 'UI . AIASTBH rose and said , "Brethren , I rise to propose the health of a brother whose illustrious name is well known to all of us , and of whom Ave feel an honour to have associated among us : I need not say—for I already knoiv b looks anticipate words — worth
y your you my our y Bro . Sir Henry Bulwer . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , I iieed not repeat to yon , for you well knoiv his kindness of heart to us all , and to every one who calls himself au Englishman ; but Ave , as Alasons , ought , and I am firmly convinced do , feel honoured when we say Sir H . Bulwer is our brother . ( Cheers ) . Perhaps I may be permitted to repeat a portion of a conversation his excellency and myself had together some short time since . To be brief and not to detain you , it was this : — AVe have often felt the want of a Alasonic temple of our own' ( Loud cheering ) His excellency
. . , our brother , favoured me with his vioivs , ancl said he should like to see us assemble in a temple of our OAVU , for he had Alasonry at heart , and all that he could do—and brethren , we know what his excellency can dohe should bo most happy . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , I trust the time is not far distant Avhen we shall have a temple of our own , and our illustrious brother the Provincial Grand Master . ( Cheers ) . Not to detain you longer , I beg you to drink ' To the continued health and long life to our
illustrious Bro . Sir Henry Buhver . ' " The toast was drunk with truly Alasonic honours , folloAved by the song — " Our Noble Craft . " His excellency , Sir HENRY BULWEI ; , on rising , said— " Gentlemen and brothers , you can scarcely imagine my feelings standing before you as her Britannic Majesty ' s representative , and your brother , when listening to the tokens of regard and brotherly feeling evinced towards me , as exemplified by the speech of our AA ' orshipful Alaster , and so cordially responded to by yourselves . Gentlemen , I wish I could say that I was far advanced in
as Alasonry as yourselves , but what with my diplomatic duties and other calls , I find that I cannot devote that time that I should wish . AVith regard to what our AA ' orshipful Alaster has just told you , I may here repeat that I have the greatest wish to see erected in this eastern clime a temple of our own . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , you arc fully aware ofthe fact , as I am , that wo do not feel so well pleased in entering a confectioner ' s shop on our way to our Lodge as wc should in entering a temple of our own ( cheers ) consequentlI if ive onlraise
, y say , can y a Alasonic temple in Turkey , ive shall not only be doing a duty to ourselves , but to the Craft of Alasonry in general . Gentlemen , I am willing to do all I can ; if you will help yourselves I will help you . ( Cheers ) . AVith regard to the high honour our worthy AVorshipful Alaster expresses a wish I should fulfil ( Ai-hich I suppose meets ivith your approval ) , I can only say I shall be most happy to assist in any ivay you may think proper to call on me . ( Cheers ) . Gentlemen , at all times let me impress this whether brothers brothers
upon you , or non- , you will find that I am ever ready to listen to your wants ; and , before I sit down , alloiv mo to propose a toast , which is The health of my respected friend ancl brother , J . P . BroAvn , who I . am happy to say I have known for many years . Alay the stars and stripes and thc Hag of old England ever lie united . '" His excellency resumed his seat amidst great cheering . Bro . J , P . BROWN , onrisiug , said— "Ifeelcxtreiiiclygratefiilfortlicflatteriiiginanncr iu ivhich my health has been proposedand for the evidence ofthe kindl
, y feeling with ivhich it was spoken of by his excellency Sir Henry Buhver , aud responded to by thc brethren present . I cannot too warmly express the pleasure and satisfaction which I derive from being one of the Alasonic Order which has brought together , to-night , representatives from so many parts of the works of thc Great Architect ofthe universe . If I sought for sources of recommendation for the mystic tie , to which Ave all have taken vows of fidelity , I certainly could ' find them in tho
varied nationalities surrounding me . Alasonry has hero brought together ( and united in one band of fraternity ) thc Ottoman aud thc Persian ; thc Briton and the American ; the Frenchman and the Italian ; thc German and the Sivccle . The native of the east—the land where the sun risesmeets as a brother the native of the west , where the sun sets ; and I . might be allowed to say that the two poles—the tivo frigid zones—are here joined in one baud of warm fraternity . So must it ever be where the true princiles of Alasonry are carried out and Alasousmect together
p as brothers national , so the prejudices are forgotten , and Alasons meet as the children of one common parent—the Great Architect of the universe . I have the impression that , many years ago , there was a French Lodge in Pera , or Galata , which , from causes unknown to me , have long ceased to exist . The present Oriental Lodge , warranted by the Grand Lodge of England , only dates back some three years , ancl yet already contains some seventy members . There is also a French Lodge in Pera , recently established , warranted by the Grand Orient of France , called the L'Etoilc
du , Bosphorc , represented here this evening by some worthy brethren , and contains about fifty members ; and a German Lodge is in contemplation . It is believed that the fraternity in Smyrna , numbering , I am told , several hundreds , will be favoured with a warrant from thc Grand Lodge of England ; and beyond these I am not aware that there exists any other Alasonic association in Turkey . "Freemason" is used as a word of reproach here , on account , of course , of a total ignorance amongst Alussuhnen , of its real signification . I remember some years ago , when
in Trebizond , having been told that the worst epithets ivhich the people , there gave to foreigners , were , Protestant , AIoscov , Freemason , ancl Consolds . I believe I have named them conformably with their several degrees of iniquity , and I firmly think that the same is even now in vogue in the vocabulary of many of the inhabitants of this capital . It would be very desirable that the real objects and principles of Freemasonry were better known in this country . Their liberality towards all those who are not pagans ; their lionexclusivenes towards all sects
, Christians and Alussuluien , and the fraternal goodwill ancl friendship which they inculcate , could not but impress Alahomedims with a favourable conviction . Masonry is being introduced into Persia under tho very favourable auspices of H . E . Ferukh Khan , and others of great distinction , and I regard the Lodges in this capital of the Mussulman world as a strong means of allaying those religious prejudices which so
unfortunately separate the east from the west , ancl as a means of spreading that Masonic light of love aud goodwill among them ivhich shone forth equally from the east . In common ¦ with several others of the brethren present , I have indulged in the impression that Alasonry existed amongst the Mussulmen , especially in Constantinople , and have made diligent research for some trace of it , but , I regret to add , without any success . I even have heard that there were Lodges in Staniboul , Scutari , Salomon , and Adrianoplc , and that even the Grand Lodge existed
in Seant , in the lake of Siberia , where it hacl been taken during some of tho disasters which befel the holy city of David , and tho destruction of the temple of Solomon . There are , it is true , a few Alasons amongst thc employes ofthe Ottoman government , some of them high iu rank ; but they have all become such in Europe . If I am not detaining you too long , I would add that I have been led to make a particular study of thc principles of some of the various Dervish sects existing in thc cast , in the hope of finding an affinity to Freemasonry . These differ but little
from each other , except iu the forms of their worship ; and I have not found any trace whatever of that benevolence ancl charity to others ivhich characterizes and ornaments our fraternal Order . I believe , from all 1 have learned , that all the Dervish sects are strictly Alussuliiicn , with no other object in vieAV than the observance of some particular form of worship , uuder the direction of a Sheiclc , or Alaster ; and that their principles are in all cases Islam , cither chei / ec or sun nee ( mostly thc former ); and thatas I have just saidbenevolence to others forms no
, , part of their creed . One , perhaps the purest of their sect , is the Humsavecs , named from its founder ; and if their principles are not of a benevolent and charitable character , they certainly teach a pure , correct , and upright conduct , ivhich will command the respect of any Alasonic body . Let us , brethren , ever be animated by that characteristic feeling of - the most antient Order of Freemasonry—charity towards each other ' s faults ancl weaknesses ; benevolence towards the unhappy , the poor , thc miserableand the wretched—without asking or caring to knoiv thc
, cause of their sorrows , or whether they be Protestant or Catholic , Alahoiimicdan or Greek , Armenian or Israelite , but simply because they are all the children of one common parent , the G . A . O . T . U . " ( Cheers ) . After several other toasts had been given and cordially responded to , the brethren , after having spent a very intellectual evening , separated at a late hour iu the morning , with the toast , " Happy have Ave met , happy have AVC been , and happy meet again . "
AA c have the pleasure to notice that a receut meeting of the Lodge , a handsome gold snuffbox was presented to Bro . AA' . AV . Evans , J . AV ., as a mark of approbation iu the manner in which he had discharged the duties of the office of Secretary . Bro . AZNAVOUR , the then AV . AI ' ., in presenting thc testimonial , said— " Bro . Evans , it affords me a great pleasure to be the means of expressing to you the extreme satisfaction the brother members of the Oriental Lodge felt in your
indefatigable services rendered to the Oriental Lodge from the very first day of its origin , iu assisting V . P . AL Si I by , who AA . IS the first Afastcr and the father of this Lodge , in his honourably acquitted services ; I beg , therefore , to present you , on behalf of my brethren , this mark of their
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
West Indies.
" purity and truth ; " its intentions , " peace on earth ; " and its dis position , "good will towards men ;"—such are thc important principles of Freemasonry , and are tho ground work of our noble institution . It behoves us to adhere strictly to its rules and regulations , and bv so doing wc may assuredly rely that the blessing of the Great Architect of the universe ivill support and guide us in all our undertakings , and when our laboius here bcloiv are ended , AA ' C may confidently hope , that our memories will be celebrated by love , on the durable monuments of eternity , and our reward in the silent calm joy of heaven , secure from thc hand of God , the Grand Alaster of us all
Turkey.
TURKEY .
CONSTANTINOPLE . OliltiXTAl , LonuE ( No . 988 ) . —The festival of St . John was held on Tuesday , the 27 th December , at Baltzer ' s Hotel , Pera . The brethren met at four o ' clock , p . m ., the business of the el-cuing being thc installation of Bro . G . Laurie as AVAL for the succeeding year , and the initiation of tAvo members . The ceremony of installation having taken place , the AV . AI ., Bro . G . Laurie , proceeded to choose his Officers and AA'ardens as follows
, viz ., Bros . W . AV . Evans , S . AV . ; H . Pulman , J . AV . ; Juuor , S . D . ; J . Tomkins , J . D . ; E . C . Silley , P . AL , Treasurer ; H . AI . "Wills , Secretary ; R . A . Allan , LG . ; A . Mountain , Steward ; and Bro . T . Cipriotti , Tyler . The initiations having been gone through in a most forcible ancl lucid manner by the worthy AVorshipful Alaster , the Lodge closed in perfect harmony , and adjourned to the banquet table . Amongst the brethren present were his excellency Sir Henry Bulwer , K . C . B . ; J . P . Brown , Esq ., American ConsulAlah Oloo Afirza Khan
, it Kheni , Persian Secretary ( a newly initiated brother ); four brethren of the French Lodge L'Etoilc du Busphorc , and about forty brethren of the Oriental Lodge . After the usual loyal toasts hacl been drunk and duly responded to , the AVoiisiiii ' - 1 'UI . AIASTBH rose and said , "Brethren , I rise to propose the health of a brother whose illustrious name is well known to all of us , and of whom Ave feel an honour to have associated among us : I need not say—for I already knoiv b looks anticipate words — worth
y your you my our y Bro . Sir Henry Bulwer . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , I iieed not repeat to yon , for you well knoiv his kindness of heart to us all , and to every one who calls himself au Englishman ; but Ave , as Alasons , ought , and I am firmly convinced do , feel honoured when we say Sir H . Bulwer is our brother . ( Cheers ) . Perhaps I may be permitted to repeat a portion of a conversation his excellency and myself had together some short time since . To be brief and not to detain you , it was this : — AVe have often felt the want of a Alasonic temple of our own' ( Loud cheering ) His excellency
. . , our brother , favoured me with his vioivs , ancl said he should like to see us assemble in a temple of our OAVU , for he had Alasonry at heart , and all that he could do—and brethren , we know what his excellency can dohe should bo most happy . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , I trust the time is not far distant Avhen we shall have a temple of our own , and our illustrious brother the Provincial Grand Master . ( Cheers ) . Not to detain you longer , I beg you to drink ' To the continued health and long life to our
illustrious Bro . Sir Henry Buhver . ' " The toast was drunk with truly Alasonic honours , folloAved by the song — " Our Noble Craft . " His excellency , Sir HENRY BULWEI ; , on rising , said— " Gentlemen and brothers , you can scarcely imagine my feelings standing before you as her Britannic Majesty ' s representative , and your brother , when listening to the tokens of regard and brotherly feeling evinced towards me , as exemplified by the speech of our AA ' orshipful Alaster , and so cordially responded to by yourselves . Gentlemen , I wish I could say that I was far advanced in
as Alasonry as yourselves , but what with my diplomatic duties and other calls , I find that I cannot devote that time that I should wish . AVith regard to what our AA ' orshipful Alaster has just told you , I may here repeat that I have the greatest wish to see erected in this eastern clime a temple of our own . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , you arc fully aware ofthe fact , as I am , that wo do not feel so well pleased in entering a confectioner ' s shop on our way to our Lodge as wc should in entering a temple of our own ( cheers ) consequentlI if ive onlraise
, y say , can y a Alasonic temple in Turkey , ive shall not only be doing a duty to ourselves , but to the Craft of Alasonry in general . Gentlemen , I am willing to do all I can ; if you will help yourselves I will help you . ( Cheers ) . AVith regard to the high honour our worthy AVorshipful Alaster expresses a wish I should fulfil ( Ai-hich I suppose meets ivith your approval ) , I can only say I shall be most happy to assist in any ivay you may think proper to call on me . ( Cheers ) . Gentlemen , at all times let me impress this whether brothers brothers
upon you , or non- , you will find that I am ever ready to listen to your wants ; and , before I sit down , alloiv mo to propose a toast , which is The health of my respected friend ancl brother , J . P . BroAvn , who I . am happy to say I have known for many years . Alay the stars and stripes and thc Hag of old England ever lie united . '" His excellency resumed his seat amidst great cheering . Bro . J , P . BROWN , onrisiug , said— "Ifeelcxtreiiiclygratefiilfortlicflatteriiiginanncr iu ivhich my health has been proposedand for the evidence ofthe kindl
, y feeling with ivhich it was spoken of by his excellency Sir Henry Buhver , aud responded to by thc brethren present . I cannot too warmly express the pleasure and satisfaction which I derive from being one of the Alasonic Order which has brought together , to-night , representatives from so many parts of the works of thc Great Architect ofthe universe . If I sought for sources of recommendation for the mystic tie , to which Ave all have taken vows of fidelity , I certainly could ' find them in tho
varied nationalities surrounding me . Alasonry has hero brought together ( and united in one band of fraternity ) thc Ottoman aud thc Persian ; thc Briton and the American ; the Frenchman and the Italian ; thc German and the Sivccle . The native of the east—the land where the sun risesmeets as a brother the native of the west , where the sun sets ; and I . might be allowed to say that the two poles—the tivo frigid zones—are here joined in one baud of warm fraternity . So must it ever be where the true princiles of Alasonry are carried out and Alasousmect together
p as brothers national , so the prejudices are forgotten , and Alasons meet as the children of one common parent—the Great Architect of the universe . I have the impression that , many years ago , there was a French Lodge in Pera , or Galata , which , from causes unknown to me , have long ceased to exist . The present Oriental Lodge , warranted by the Grand Lodge of England , only dates back some three years , ancl yet already contains some seventy members . There is also a French Lodge in Pera , recently established , warranted by the Grand Orient of France , called the L'Etoilc
du , Bosphorc , represented here this evening by some worthy brethren , and contains about fifty members ; and a German Lodge is in contemplation . It is believed that the fraternity in Smyrna , numbering , I am told , several hundreds , will be favoured with a warrant from thc Grand Lodge of England ; and beyond these I am not aware that there exists any other Alasonic association in Turkey . "Freemason" is used as a word of reproach here , on account , of course , of a total ignorance amongst Alussuhnen , of its real signification . I remember some years ago , when
in Trebizond , having been told that the worst epithets ivhich the people , there gave to foreigners , were , Protestant , AIoscov , Freemason , ancl Consolds . I believe I have named them conformably with their several degrees of iniquity , and I firmly think that the same is even now in vogue in the vocabulary of many of the inhabitants of this capital . It would be very desirable that the real objects and principles of Freemasonry were better known in this country . Their liberality towards all those who are not pagans ; their lionexclusivenes towards all sects
, Christians and Alussuluien , and the fraternal goodwill ancl friendship which they inculcate , could not but impress Alahomedims with a favourable conviction . Masonry is being introduced into Persia under tho very favourable auspices of H . E . Ferukh Khan , and others of great distinction , and I regard the Lodges in this capital of the Mussulman world as a strong means of allaying those religious prejudices which so
unfortunately separate the east from the west , ancl as a means of spreading that Masonic light of love aud goodwill among them ivhich shone forth equally from the east . In common ¦ with several others of the brethren present , I have indulged in the impression that Alasonry existed amongst the Mussulmen , especially in Constantinople , and have made diligent research for some trace of it , but , I regret to add , without any success . I even have heard that there were Lodges in Staniboul , Scutari , Salomon , and Adrianoplc , and that even the Grand Lodge existed
in Seant , in the lake of Siberia , where it hacl been taken during some of tho disasters which befel the holy city of David , and tho destruction of the temple of Solomon . There are , it is true , a few Alasons amongst thc employes ofthe Ottoman government , some of them high iu rank ; but they have all become such in Europe . If I am not detaining you too long , I would add that I have been led to make a particular study of thc principles of some of the various Dervish sects existing in thc cast , in the hope of finding an affinity to Freemasonry . These differ but little
from each other , except iu the forms of their worship ; and I have not found any trace whatever of that benevolence ancl charity to others ivhich characterizes and ornaments our fraternal Order . I believe , from all 1 have learned , that all the Dervish sects are strictly Alussuliiicn , with no other object in vieAV than the observance of some particular form of worship , uuder the direction of a Sheiclc , or Alaster ; and that their principles are in all cases Islam , cither chei / ec or sun nee ( mostly thc former ); and thatas I have just saidbenevolence to others forms no
, , part of their creed . One , perhaps the purest of their sect , is the Humsavecs , named from its founder ; and if their principles are not of a benevolent and charitable character , they certainly teach a pure , correct , and upright conduct , ivhich will command the respect of any Alasonic body . Let us , brethren , ever be animated by that characteristic feeling of - the most antient Order of Freemasonry—charity towards each other ' s faults ancl weaknesses ; benevolence towards the unhappy , the poor , thc miserableand the wretched—without asking or caring to knoiv thc
, cause of their sorrows , or whether they be Protestant or Catholic , Alahoiimicdan or Greek , Armenian or Israelite , but simply because they are all the children of one common parent , the G . A . O . T . U . " ( Cheers ) . After several other toasts had been given and cordially responded to , the brethren , after having spent a very intellectual evening , separated at a late hour iu the morning , with the toast , " Happy have Ave met , happy have AVC been , and happy meet again . "
AA c have the pleasure to notice that a receut meeting of the Lodge , a handsome gold snuffbox was presented to Bro . AA' . AV . Evans , J . AV ., as a mark of approbation iu the manner in which he had discharged the duties of the office of Secretary . Bro . AZNAVOUR , the then AV . AI ' ., in presenting thc testimonial , said— " Bro . Evans , it affords me a great pleasure to be the means of expressing to you the extreme satisfaction the brother members of the Oriental Lodge felt in your
indefatigable services rendered to the Oriental Lodge from the very first day of its origin , iu assisting V . P . AL Si I by , who AA . IS the first Afastcr and the father of this Lodge , in his honourably acquitted services ; I beg , therefore , to present you , on behalf of my brethren , this mark of their