Ireland.

Marshall , and M'CIelland , of 79 Donoughmore ; Davidson , of 80 Batbfriland ; Robert Cochrane , C . 2 .., P . M ., of 124 Banbridge ; Hanna , P . M ., of 143 Castlewellan ; Anderson , of 367 Downpatrick , & c . Lodges 23 , 46 , 70 , 77 , 144 , 155 , 372 , and 697 were also represented . An application was made by the lodges iu tbe neighbourhood of Newtownards to have one of tho quarterly meetings of the Prov . G . L . hold in tbat town , for the

convenience of the brethren in tbat part of tbe province . It was resolved to make the necessary arrangements to hold an additional meeting in Newtownards . Proposed , seconded , and carried unanimously , that Bro . AVilliam Johnson , W . M . of 86 Downpatrick , he elected Prov . G . S . AV . in the room of Bro . Leslie , resigned . The lodge proceeded with the consideration of the conduct and discipline of the private lodges of tho province ; afterwards the lodge was closed in ancient form .

India.

INDIA .

BENGAL . DISTRICT GEASD LODGE OI . BEXGAX . A Quarterly Communication of tbe District Grand Lodge of Bengal was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Calcutta , on Saturday , the 20 th March , 1869 . Tbe R . W . Bro . Hugh D . Sandemaii , D . G . M ., took the chair supported by the following officers : —IV . Bros . Dr . F . PowellDSGAVj . MackintoshD . J . G . W ; J .

, .... ; , Pitt Kennedy , D . G . Reg . ; H . H . Locke , D . G . S . ; W . B . Fan-, D . S . G . D . ; 0 . B . Andrews , D . G . Sup . of Works ; J . Bennett , P . D . G . S . D . ; J . Conway , D . G . Dir . of Cor . ; W . G . Amos , Assist . D . G . Dir . of Cer ; P . E . Claque , as D . G . SB . ; A . Zolmnn , as D . G . Org . G . M . Goodricle , as D . G . Purst . ; W . B . Mactavish , J . Lindley , AV . Nicholls , H . B . Lewis , and T . McKelvey , D . G . Stewards ; D . J . DanielD . G . Tler .

, y The following lodges were represented : —Star in the East , No . 67 ; Industry and Perseverance , No . 109 ; True Friendship , No . 218 ; Humiitiy with Fortitude , No . 229 ; Marine , No . 232 ; Anchor and Hope , No . 234 ; Courage with Humanity , No . 392 ; St . John , No . 486 ; Excelsior , No . 825 ; Temperance and Benevolence , No . 1160 . The D . G . Lodge having been opened in due form , apologies

from brethren were recorded . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 28 th Demcember , 1868 , having been printed and circulated , were taken as read , put to tbe vote , and confirmed . The R . W . the D . G . M . addressed tbe District Grand Lodge as follows : — "Worshipful Brethren , —Before offering any remarks , as I usually do at the opening of my address , upon the reports which will be submitted to yon during the evening , I wish to acquaint

you that bis excellency tbe Earl of Mayo has been pleased to accept your invitation to be the Lord Patron of our Order . His lordship has been pleased to waive the ceremony of receiving any public address , and an intimation to this effect has been already conveyed , by circular , to Masters of Lodges . I do not ¦ doubt but that this gratifying intelligence of his excellency's assent to the wishes of tbe Masonic brotherhood will be gladly received hy every Mason , and that bis intimate connection

with tbe Order will bo productive of much good to the Craft . "Referring to the report of the Finance Committee , which is entered on the agenda paper , I observe that five members only attended , while the D . G . Treas . was again absent . The abstract of tho funds of the D . G . L . for the quarter appears to be satisfactory . "At our last quarterly communication , I noticed a scheme which had been set on foot bthe brethren of lodge Excelsior

y to assist the Masonic Charities in England by means of lotteries ; and I ventured to suggest the practicability of starting some association in this country for tbe assistance of ouv poorer brethren , who find daily increasing difficulty in providing for their children in India , by offering to them an education which mig ht he useful to them in after life . Since then I have invited a few brethren , whom I felt to be interested in the matter , to a consultation on the subjectand the result has been the

; issue of a prospectus for an association , which , I have every confidence , will be warmly responded to throughout India . The object of the association is to provide , as far as means will permit , for tbe education of tbe children of indigent Freemasons , who will be brought upon its funds by election under certain rules and conditions , which it is unnecessary now to detail ; and if , as is proposed , tbe capital is all invested in Government

Securities , we may hope to see established a fund of a permanent nature , which cannot fail , under God ' s providence , to be productive of much good . The prospectus has , as yet , been in private circulation only , but it has been generously responded to by promised donations amounting to Rs . 9 , 350 , while the annual subscription list amounts to Rs . 352 . I am happy to inform you that among the donors I am able to mention the names both of bis excellency the Alceroy and thc

Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal ; and I propose , as soon as the promised donations amount to P . s . 10 , 000 , calling in the amounts and convening a meeting of subscribers to make bye-laws and fairly launch the association . I may mention that it is not proposed to connect the association in any way with the District Grand Lodge , but to place its funds under the management of specially appointed trustees , and its general c induct under the

management of tbe A / ice-Presiclents and Life Governors . " I desire to make a few a remarks upon the circulation of the proceedings of District Grand Lodge , which I bold to be privileged in their nature , and which are printed , after each quarterly communication , for the private information of certain members of tbe Craft . I am induced to do this from the circumstances of a brother having threatened me with an action for libel in the law courts for words uttered by mo regarding

him in my capacity as D . G . Master in this place . I need not now enter into the history of this case , which must be fresh iu your memory , further than to say that having afterwards ascertained that a portion of my remarks was not fully justified by the evidence , I took the earliest opportunity of retracting that portion in Grand Lodge , as publicly as I had made the original remarks . I expressed , at tbe same time , my conviction that the

brother would , ' as a Mason , accept the explanation in the spirit in which it was made , hut in this I have been disappointed , and tbe brother has as yet shown no signs of abandoning his determination to proceed against me . Now , I feel fully certain that nothing which is said , or reported privately and confidentially from an authorized secret society like a Masonic Lodge , can be legally termed a libel , for nothing is a libel until it is published , and our reports , although printed , are furnished only , as I have said , for tbe private information of certain members of the Craft ; but if our reports are permitted to go beyond the limits of this

private circulation , a publication is effected , and then an action for libel may possibly lie . Thus , if , for instance , a Masonic magazine takes upon itself to publish to the world the confidential proceedings of a Masonic meeting , that magazine may-possibly render itself liable for what it publishes , although the Lodge remains harmless . In like manner , if a Mason choose to communicate to others what has been given to him in confidence , as a member of this District Grand Lod and whatif

pubge , , lished , might be deemed to be a libel , tbat Mason may possibly be held to be liable for the publication , although the District Grand Lodge itself is not liable . Our proceedings are printed and circulated for private information to officers and membeis of of the D . G . L ., to certain Masonic bodies which are in confidential communication with ns , and of course to the G . L . of England from which we hold our power to act ; but wherever the

information is sent , it is on the condition of secrecy and confidence , and in order to keep this condition always in sight I have instructed the D . G . See . for the future to mark our printed proceedings with the words 'for private information only' at the head of the first page . The practice which prevails in many lodges of circulating District Grand Lodge proceedings among all members is , to my mind objectionable ; tbe papers are invariably circulated in open covers , and in ease of their contents

becoming publicly known , it would be extremely difficult to determine when or where tbe publication actually commenced . I think it would be far preferable if Masters on receipt of such proceedings , would either lay them on the table in open lodge , or cause to he read ont any portions which they think it desirable to make known to the brethren under their command . " In making the above remarks , I do not wish it to be thought

that I regard the privileged nature of Masonic communications to be any excuse for the infliction of an injury upon an individual . In our Masonic lodges we have sometimes tbe unpleasant duty of reproof and of correction , and it is very necessary tbat such Masonic awards should he made generally known to the Craft , but we should at the same time be most careful how we wield this power , so as not to hurt tbe feelings of a brother without a cause ; and I feci fully confident that you will bear me out when I say that , as a rule , I have been most careful in this respect ; while in the case under notice , I have done all in