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Contents . — PAGS F BEEHASOUS' MAGAZINE : — Provincial Grand Lodge Returns 521 War 521 Notes on American Freemasonry 522 Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution 523

Masonic Jottings—No . 50 524 Masonic Notes and Queries 524 Coming into Existence of Speculative Masonry 524 Masonic Sayings and Doings Abroad 525 M ASONIC MIRROR : — Masonic Mems 526 CEAET LODGE MEETINGS : —

Metropolitan , 526 Provincial 528 Scotland 529 Correspondence 531 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 532

Provincial Grand Lodge Returns.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE RETURNS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 31 , 1870 ,

As too much care cannot be exercised by-Private Lodges in complying with the requirements of the Grand Lodge of England in filling in the details of the returns supplied by them to their respective Provincial Grand Lodge , we

deem it right to draw attention to a mosb serious omission in this respect , which would appear to obtain on the part of the Lodges in one of the largest and most important of our Masonic Provinces . We refer to the failure on the part of

daughter lodges to return to the Provincial Grand Secretary the result of the election of the Worshipful Master .

The omission seemed to us such a serious one that we should have doubted any mere report to that effect , but we have the words before us from the Grand Secretary of one of the Lancashire provinces , viz ., " The names of the W . M . and

the W . M . Elect are never sent me . ' We are pleased to know from our own experience that this looseness on such an important point is not the rule by auy means in other Masonic provinces , and we hasten , on the first intimation of this grave omission , which has just come to our notice , to draw the attention of our readers to the

subject , in order that the brethren of lodges generally may ascertain and satisfy themselves that , as far as their respective lodges are concerned , they do not fail to act in a strictly constitutional manner towards Grand Lodge , which

clearly demies in the Book of Constitutions the duties to be fulfilled by daughter lodges to their respective Provincial Grand Lodges , and by the latter to Grand Lodges .

War.

WAR .

By DR . DA CUNHA BELLEM . Translated from the " Boletim Official do Grande Oriente Lusitano TJnido . " War ! How tbis horrible svord strikes to the

heart of every Mason in the Avorld . The war cries and the triumphant songs of the victors cannot drown the cries of the Avonnderl , the dying , the widows and the orphans . The sound is heard of firearms , vomiting death , alarm , and misery .

The fruitful vineyards , the flourishing' groves of olives , the waving cornfields , Avliere the sun ' s rays were wont to ripen the produce of the soil , are now converted into vast cemeteries , over which are scattered the bodies of the slain , the debris of arms ,

broken helmets , and the bodies of horses . The vulture and the carrion crow make their disgusting repast , -where once was heard the song of the nightingale , the amouTous cooing of the turtledove , and , the piercing strains of the lark . Although war

is the only topic of conversation at the present time , and , although statesmen are solely occupied Avith devising more efficient means for the destruction of human life , Masonic societies , never forgetful of their mission , have redoubled their efforts

for the relief of the sick , the wounded , and the widows and orphans of those Avho have , in the prosecution of their duty , fallen on the field of battle .

The " Grand Orient des Loges Confedcrcs au Soliel al'Orieut , at Beyreuth , in Bavaria , has issued a circular asking our assistance in establishing a hospital for the wounded of both armies at Manheinn ; the Grand Orient of France makes a similar

request ; while the Grand Orient of Italy has issued an address imploring Masons all over the world to plead for peaca , or as least to endeavour to render war more humane if possible , and also to limit the meaos of destruction .

The United Grand Orient of Lnsiiania , the Supreme Council of Portuguese Masonry has not forgotten its duty in these unforamrde circumstances , and besides forwarding its circular to those powers now engaged in the war , has resolved that

a subscription should be made in all the lodges under the jurisdiction , and that the Grand Treasurer be instructed to remit the amount in equal portions for the benefit of the wounded in the French and German Armies .