America.

incorporate so much as they deemed expedient with the regular Masonic degrees , over which they also claimed supreme control . A lengthy correspondence ensued with the regular and legitimate Grand Orient and Supremo Council , which was published in a periodical at Cartagena , and , from the statements of the respective parties , it is evident that the Grand body organised at Bogota by Mosquero and his associates is spurious ancl clandestine , and as such they havo been declaredand Mosquero

, and others expelled from all the rights and privileges of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite hy the Grand Orient and Supreme Council at Cartagena , and I recommend that their action relative to the said decision and expulsion be approved . by this Supreme Council .

EQUADOE . Masonry was introduced into this republic about 1 S 57 , the "Supreme Council of Peru granting tho charter for a symbolic -lodge , Ancient and Accepted Rite , at Guayaquil . I was informed , while sojourning at that place , that the lodge was . dedicated with imposing public ceromonie = and procession , in ¦ ¦ consequence of which much opposition was at once made to

. the Order by the powerful influence of the Jesuits , and with the convulsions of civil war , anarchy , and despotism which has ¦ alternatel y ruled for years in that country , it was not possible for the lodge to prosper ; and , after a lingering existence of about two years , closed its labours , and surrendered its charter . Since then no effort has been made to establish regular Masonic " bodies in that sparsely settled country , whose native inhabitants are far from being sufficiently advanced in civilisation ¦ to comprehend and appreciate the sublime principles of our teachings .

PERU . My stay of three months at Lima enabled me to form intimate social relations with many of the illustrious brethren at that capital , for whom I will ever cherish the most pleasing recollections and fraternal regard for the many courtesies extended to me during my sojourn iu that land of the once powerful Incas .

The history of Masonry in Peru has truly been most chequered , and ofttimes discouraging to those whose commendable patience continued for years struggling against innumerable obstacles , in their efforts to establish and propagate the sublime truths , and peaceful mission of the fraternal bond , and teachings of goodwill to man . There is no authentic history of the existence of the Order in that country prior to 1821 . It is asserted that its first

¦ introduction dates from the time when the Spanish army entered Peru to oppose the war of independence . In several of the regiments were said to be travelling lodges , hut those having the work under their control were very cautious in taking every means to prevent the spread of liberal ideas and the prin ° ciples of Masonry , admitting none , especially Peruvians , without . undoubted proof that they were loyal to Spain . Other

impediments to the advance of the Order was further caused by the hatred and religious despotism of the Viceroy , who at that time viewed very Mason as a monster , aud fit only for the severest punishment , and , when discovered among the Peruvians , the least punishment was transportation to Spain , divested for life of all position , and on their arrival were banished to tho penal colonies . After the independence of Chilethe ports of Peru were opened

, with more liberality to foreign commerce , ancl lodges organised "b y foreigners are said to have graduall y propagated the principles of Masonry , and receiving into their midst distinguished Peruvians , who used their influence to encourage the permanent establishment of the Order . Such are the statements credited to the early efforts of the pioneer brethren , and , whether true or not in every particularthe facts of its persecutionsand

, , slow but sure progress under such powerful opposition , makes a most interesting record , and fully illustrates its triumph for the advancement of those liberal arts and sciences which are such powerful auxiliaries to the advancement of a nation , and without which the people of the fatherland of the Peruvians are still held in the most abject bondage . In 1825 a General Valero arrived in Limawith lenary

, p Masonic powers from a body claiming to be the Supreme Council of New Granada , and from whom provincial charters were obtained , and afterwards exchanged for regular warrants from the said Supreme Council of New Granada . The lodges in . Peru . continued to work under that authority till 1830 .

On the 2 nd day of November , 1830 , V .- . E . \ , ten illustrious brethren claiming to have the 33 rd degree , aud representing the various lodges and chapters in Peru assembled , constituted and formed the Sov .-. Gr .-. Ins .-. Gen . . 33 rd .-. of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , for the Republic of Peru , locating their Orient at Lima . In regard to the legality of the Supreme Council in New Granada at the time they gave the warrants to the lodges in

Peru , or whether those who formed the Supreme Council of Peru had received the 33 rd degree in a lawful Masonic manner , aro questions to which I failed after much investigation to obtain any reliable or satisfactory evidence , and from the peculiar and varied position of political events at that date in those countries , and their being comparatively isolated from frequent communication with the Fraternity in Europe and this country , it is probable that there were then many

irregularities , caused more from unavoidable circumstances than design , ancl passed unnoticed , that would not be admitted by foreign bodies at the present time ; and these remarks apply more or loss to the rise and progress of the Order in nearly every country where it is now an established institution . Soon after the formation of the Supreme Council the symbolic lodges then working obtained new warrants from it , and other lodges wore gradually established in the large towns in the

country . A consistory ancl chapter of Rose Croix and Council of Princes , &_ ., were also constituted . This Supreme Council , recognised as the governing power of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , continued to exercise its functions till the close of the year 1831 , when , owing to the political revolutions so prevalent in Peru and throughout South America , their meetings were suspended till the 20 th of February 1849 . During these nineteen years of suspension of

, their Masonic labours , the minutes and records of many of the lodges were destroyed , and by this misfortune many important historical facts relating to the Order have been for ever lost . The long period in which the Order remained dormant was almost equivalent to its extinction , and new incentives were required to resuscitate and again bring it into active existence ; and at the meeting of the Council in January , 1849 , persons of ability , position , and energy were elected to fill the principal

offices , but it was not till several years after that the Order gave evidence of again being in active operation . At the session of the Supreme Council in June , 1857 , four additional provisional articles were decreed to form an integral part of tbe General Statutes of the Order in Peru , until the now Statutes thon being prepared were adopted . These articles were intended to prohibit serious abuses which had been introduced into the various bodies under its jurisdiction . These

additional articles were obnoxious to many of the lodges , and serious difficulties at once arose ; insubordination ensued , the most bitter feelings engendered , reason gave way to passion , sacred obligations violated , and resulting in a withdrawal of the majority of the lodges from their allegiance to the Supreme Council , and on the 9 th of September , 1857 , they formed the Grand Lodge of Peru , at Callao , the officers being installed by a Grand Inspector Generalwhoit is assertedreceived the

, , , degree in a spurious Supreme Council , said to have been in existence in New York about that time . This Grand Lodge and all the lodges recognising its authority were by decree of the Supreme Council of December 9 th , 1857 , declared to be spurious and clandestine . These spurious bodies were called the Dissidenters : and as the spirit of opposition , so natural to human nature , continued to predominate in violation of Masonic law , they for a few

months were very active , and worked with an energy that was worthy of a better cause , and during the first year had control of the majority of the lodges throughout the country , but at the close of the second year they had nearly ceased to exist , when the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council , unfortunately for the interests of the Craft , gave offence in an official communication to the remaining lodges under his jurisdiction , including those of the higher degrees , which

resulted in another separation in the latter part of 1859 , and these seceding bodies uniting with the remnant of the first Dissidenters resuscitated their Grand Body , thus giving them control of nearly all the lodges in the country , among the members of which were included several influential members holding high positions in the Government , who for political purposes attempted to make use of the Order to further their special interest . In January , 1860 , they constituted a Supreme Council , 33 rd degree . The original Supreme Council then