Colonial And Foreign.

The annual celebration of St . John the Baptist ' s Day was held with its usual magnificence among the American brethren , at Louisville , on June 24 . All the Courts and public institutions were closed for the day , and the whole district turned out to aid the Masons in providing a good round sum on behalf of the widows and orphans' home at Kentucky .

* * # The colored Masons of Boston , with several representatives from Lynn and Worcester , celebrated St . John's Day by an excursion to Highland Lake . The celebration was under the auspices of Rising Sun Lodge ( 3 ) , and they had as special guests Lewis Haydcn commandcry of Bostcn . After an hour or two had been spent in social pleasures , an address was delivered in the

hall by Edwin G . Walker . Bro . Walker outlined the peculiar significance of St . John's Day . The original Masons , he said , had for their central thought benevolence . "But when we look at the Order as we see it in America , or wenced not go outside of our own commonwealth , we find two Grand Lodges , one colored and the other white , the latter refusing to acknowledge their colored brethren . Our white brothers fall far short of what was intended by

the founders of the Order . But how has it been with the colored Masons since 1775 , "'hen Prince Hall and his associates were passedand raised and , formed into a regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons ? Can any one show us wherein they , or those who have followed them , have refused to recognise and treat with due regard any who have come with the proper evidence that they were members of the fraternity ? Or can it

be shown that in any instance , whatever , a colored member of the Order was less considerate of the life , liberty , and fair opportunities for his brother man simply because he was of . 1 complexion not like his own ? I think not ; and , thinking so , I feel safe in saying that the black American Mason is the true Mason , and shou'd be recognised by Masons in every other part of the world . " The speaker then referred to the great and good work done by the colored Masons in lhe suppression of slavery , and in closing

said : — " I have recalled to your minds the achievements of colored Masons in this State in the past , and I did so because I believe there is much that can be accomplished for good in the future . We can never cease to sustain this organisation of ours as long as there is a body of men in this Republic who claim that we are not genuine Masons . We know the strength of the society the world over , and that our action in the past has been covered by the eye of

Christendom , and that everywhere , save at home , there goes out for us the same kindly feeling that did when we were struggling to throw the shackles from off our limbs . So we must continue our love for an activeness in Masonry until we bring all of the brethren to the acknowledgment of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man . "

* * * The Freemasons of Tasmania have decided on a very important change in their constitution . At a large gathering , representative of both the North and South of the Colony , the members of the fraternity took into consideration once more the question of the desirableness of establishing a Grand Lodge of Freemasonry for Tasmania . P . M . Bro . C . E . Davies occupied the chair , and a resolution in favour of a United Grand Lodge was carried by a large majority . # # #

The organisation of Masonic bodies in Norway and Sweden differs materially from that of any other country . The Degrees of Masonry are conferred by various bodies : First—The Lodge of St . John , which has control of the first three Degrees . Second—The Lodges of St . Andrew , which pass the brethren of St . John Lodges through the fourth , fifth , and six Degrees , of the Scottish Masonry . Third—The Provincial Lodges , which confer the

seventh , eighth , and ninth Degrees . Fourth —The Swedish National Grand Lodge , which not only confers the seventh , eighth , ninth , and tenth Degrees , but also the dignity of Knight and Komthures of Rose Croix , who are entitled to wear the insignia of the Order of Charles XIII . The head of the National Grand Lodge is the Grand Master , and all the Knights and Komthures of Rose Croix- arc members of this body , which , in addition , is composed of the

extraordinary and ordinary officials of the eighth , ninth , and tenth Degrees . The business of the Grand Lodge is conducted through three Directories : First—The Directory of Finance , which has charge of the finances of the Order in general , and authority over the works of charity . Second—The Directory of the Lodges , which superintends the Lodges , and sees that the statutes and rituals are properly observed . Third—The Directory of

Orphanages , which controls the many orphan asylums . Masonry was introduced into Sweden from England in 1736 , and was from the first under Government protection . After the coronation of the Duke of Sundermannland as Charles XIII ., in 1780 , he was elected Grand Master , ai : d retained the office until 1 S 11 , when he was succeeded by the Crown Prince , Charles John . The " Order of Charles XIII . " was instituted in iSnas an Order of Knighthood ,

and has become the highest Degree of Masonry in Sweden , and as the King is the Master of that Order , he is consequently the Grand Master of Masons in the kingdom . The present membership of the Lodges is reported as over 10 , 000 . * * - > :-The Penctaiiguislicne Herald says : — " Captain Hoar , of the Royal Navy of England , in many respects one of the most remarkable characters of his day ,

Colonial And Foreign.

and long known in the history of Pcnctanguishcnc , breathed his last recently at the age of seventy-nine years . Captain Hoar was born in Devonshire , and at an early age enlisted in the British Navy , and in this capacity visited all the naval stations on the globe , and took part in some of the memorable naval battles of the early part of the nineteenth century . He received an honorable discharge , and with his wife went to Canada in 1845 , > d to Pcnctanguishcnc ,

where , at the earnest solicitation of the authorities , he rejoined the service , and was afterwards appointed keeper at the Christian Island Light , which position he held till superseded by his son . He was a Mason , and gave directions that his apron be laid upon his coffin and carried to the grave . Fie erected a private Lodge room at the back of his dwelling , on either side of which a grave had been prepared for him and his aged wife , and in one of

which his remains were deposited . These tombs are of walled masonry , and prepared under his direction last year . His casket was of white oak , manufactured under his personal supervision , and kept in his private room during the last fifteen years . Sailor-like , he was methodical and stern in his habits to the last . * # #

His Excellency the Earl of Kintorc is about to assume the Grand Mastership of South Australia . He has paid a high tribute to the personal qualities of Bro . Chief Justice Way .

Gathered Chips.

Gathered Chips .

IT is quite proper that , when special Masonic organisations are being daily formed in connection with special professions , there should be found room for some specially connected with the science of music . I do not think ( if kept within proper limits ) that this increasing number of what I may , perhaps , call class Lodges and Chapters is undesirable . Every human institution will do well to adapt itself , so far as it can do so without sacrifice of principle , to the

peculiar wants of the day . Now , whilst on the one hand we must stoutly maintain that in our Craft we are not seeking any increase of mere numerical strength , we must with equal strength insist that we cannot afford to be without any man whose moral and social position in the world makes him worth having in our Order . I have often regretted that men who would have done credit to us , and to whom our Order would have proved a benefit in the

highest sense , have never joined us ; and I have also often noticed that this loss has been in consequence of the want of an accessible Lodge congenial to the tastes and habits of the candidate . Remember that if we are rightly careful in the selection of candidates suitable to our Lodge , so also ought the candidate to be careful in lhe selection of a Lodge congenial and suitable to himself . Remember that , though our Craft embraces in a common

Brotherhood men of wide difference in tastes and social position , it is not practical or desirable that the particular Lodge or Chapter should be equally comprehensive . I rejoice , therefore , in the multiplication ( I repeat , within limits ) of class Lodges , which , without in any way endangering the landmarks of our Order , will open it out by providing Lodges and Chapters which will attract into our ranks those whom otherwise we should lose . And surely no art may more fairly claim a recognised place in our class Lodges than music .

It is , like our Order , a true system of morality when exercised in its real and highest sphere . Men may degrade it , as they have degraded everything else ; but in the hands of moral and high-minded exponents there has been no art which has influenced men mere for good than music . If a composer is a good man his work will have a good and lasting influence . I do not , of course , pretend that a man who does not reach the highest standard of honour may not

sometimes reach some mechanical proficiency in music ; but I do contend that all the men who have come to the front in this or any other like profession have been men of honour and high principle . Many who might have excelled have been dragged down to a second-rate position simply because they have lacked those true principles which would have elevated their natural talent to the place God meant it to occupy , but for want of which it became mediocre and

commonplace . No happier illustration of this truth can be found than in the career of the distinguished composer from whom your Chapter takes its name . A hard and honest worker , from the day when at eight years old he entered the choir of King ' s College , Cambridge , it was by steady high-principled efforts that he raised himself to the chair of music at the same University . A man of "most kindly nature , and exceeding modest and unassuming in manner and

character , " he was beloved by all , and " in his whole career he never condescended to write a single note for popular effect , nor can a bar of his music be quoted which in style and aim does not belong to what is highest in musical art . " I am quoting the words of Sir George Grove , words which I think will commend themselves to every member of the Chapter as expressing those virtues which our Craft is ever striving to teach . —Rev . J . Studholme Rrownrigg .

* * * I CAME across a publication in book-form of the year 1 S 09 , purporting to be an " authentic key to the door of Freemasonry . " The writer is what is known in Masonic circles as a " Cowan , " but the work itself is entirely flattering to the Order . Although an eavesdropper , his fii ding on what he saw and heard