West Lancashire.

Companion Eobert Wyhe , of Liverpool , presided over a large ttendance . being supported by Comp . W . Goodacre P . G . St . B . p G . S . B-, and many other Provincial Officers . According to a recent alteration , Prov . G . Chapter is now „„ orat-fld from Prov . G . Lodge meetings , and conformably with

this change , the gathering to which we refer was the first of its kind an honour which in the future may justly be claimed for the district , where the meeting was held under the auspices of <• »< -. Prince Edward Chapter , No . 2109 , which Chapter was

, especially well represented , conspicuous among those present being Companions S . I . Thompson , J . W . Berra , T . T . Shann , J . P . fwho hold the chief offices in the Chapter ) , E . Broadbent , N . W . kvnnlds . W . Webster , J . H . Wells , & c .

The business of the meeting included the appointment of Provincial Officers for the ensuing year , and the following were invested :

Comp . W . Simpson n . Col . Baldwin - - - - J . W . Goodacre - Scribe E . Rev . J . Leslie .... Scribe N . H . Nail .... Treasurer

J . H . Wells .... Registrar J . M . Ashurst .... Deputy Registrar J . Hatch .... Principal Sojourner « 7 wnvf „ onn ' " " " ! Assistant Sojourners

Major Little - Sword Bearer R . H . Williams ' .... Deputy Sword Bearet H . G . Small - - - - | J . Brindle - - - - f Standard Bearers

J . S . Patten - - - - ' J . M . Smythe .... Dh \ of Ceremonies J . Crompton - - - - -. W . Roberts - - - - j . Asst . Dirs . of Cers . R . Townley - - - - J G . H . Whitaker .... Organist J . Chadderton .... Assistant Scribe E

Comps . H . W . Johnson , J . Piatt , J . T . Callow , J . J . Lambert , and J . Fletcher were appointed Auditors for the ensuing year . Fifty guineas was voted to the West Lancashire Alpass

Institution for Widows , and the Prov . Grand Chapter was closed in due form . Subsequently the Companions gathered in the Assembly Hall of the Club , doing full justice to a splendid collation provided by Mr . W . H . Mortimer , of Heaton Moor .

The customary toasts were duly honoured , and both the local and Provincial Chapters are to be congratulated upon the eminent success of the function .

A Masonic Curiosity.

A MASONIC CURIOSITY .

( From the " Eoyalist . " ) IN view of the reference to Masonry in the December number , and having special regard to the quotation from J . H . Mac Carthy relative to a supposed foundation of a Lodge at Arras by Charles III ., the following may possess some interest . M . Leo Taxil , in his excellent work entitled " Les

Froispomts , " quotes the following document , at present in the archives of the Grand Orient of France , as one of the principal means of enticing Prinses and their supporters into the Order . It is a" Bull" establishing a Chapter of Eosicrucians at Arras ! M . Taxil refers to the document as " un vieux parchemin . fabrique pour les besoins de la cause . "

" Nous , Charles Edouard Stuart , Roi d'Angleterre , d'Ecosse et d'Irlande , et , en cette qualite , substitut Grand-Maitre du Supreme Conseil d'Heredom connu sous le titre de Chevalier de l'Aigle et du Pelican , et , depuis Nos malheurs et Nos infortunes , sous celui de Rose-Croix ; "Voulant temoignor aux Maoons artesiens combien Nous sommes

reconnaissant envers eux des preuves de bienfaisance qu'ils Nous ont P tf ° P ' *\ insi f l " e lcs officiers de la garrison de la ville d'Arras , et de leur attachement a Notre personne , pendant le sejour de six mois que Nous avons fait en cette ville ; " Nous avons , en leur favour , cree et eriee , creons et erigeons . nar la

presente Bulle , en la dite ville d'Arras , un Sublime-Chapitre Primordial de itose-Croix , sous le titre distinctif : l'Ecosse Jacobite , qui sera regi et gouverne par les Chevaliers Lagneau et de Robespierre , tous deux avocats , Hazard et ses deux fils , tous trois medecine , J .-B . Lucet , tapissier , et Jerome Cellier ,

. Auxquels ci-dessus nommes Nous permettons et donnons non uiement pouvoir de faire , tant par eux que par leurs successeurs , des nevaiiers Rose-Croix , mais m & me pouvoir de creer un Chapitre dans toutds ceni « ° U ils croironti devoir le faire , lorsqu'ils en seroct requis , sans pendant , par eux ni par leurs successeurs , pouvoir creer deux Chapitres uana ; une meme ville , quelque peuplee qu ' elle puisse 6 tre ; , ;_ . ¦* - *• P ? iue foi soit ajoutee a Notre presente Bulle . Nous 1 'avons

com a e ma * ' et il ' celle fait 0 PP oser le sceau secret de Not "mmandements , et fait contresigner par le Secretaire de Notre Cabinet . Voit ii J " * ' qu-nzieme jour du deuxieme mois l ' an de l'lncarnation 1747 , » auee d Arras . " ( Signe ) CIUBLES-EDOUARD STUART . " De par le Roi :

( Signe ) Lord de Berkeley , Secretaire . " ¦ vr *' to be hoped that the danger of trusting to Mr . Huntly coarth y ' s nlst * ° * 7 is now apparent . I will not insult the

A Masonic Curiosity.

intelligence of my readers by saying who was King of England in 1747 . But if Charles III . were King at that date , would he not have given his title in full ? The omission of France from the Eoyal Dominions is delightful , it points to such a pretty

contest between the desire to make the forgery vraisemblable and Gallic hatred of " la perfide Albion "—the latter gaining the day . As it stands , the precious " Bulle" it about the clumsiest attempt at imposure on record .

The Eite of Heredom , to which the Prince is said to have belonged , claims to be the oldest Eite in existence . It is certainly older than that of York . It is true that Eome was slow to condemn the Order , but it must be remembered that Eome is proverbially slow , and never issues a condemnation

without having incontestable proofs of its necessity , which , in the case of a secret Society , were naturally difficult to obtain . Many Kings have belonged to the body , but those who allege this fact as a proof of the harmlessness of Masonry forget that

the membership of Eoyal Personages is of the highest advantage to the Society , and is cheaply bought at the cost of a few antimonarchial ceremonies . James I . was not only a Mason , but is said to have invented the fourteenth degree ( Scottish Eite ) , which still bears his name . In it the candidate receives the

explanation of the words " Schem-Hamm-Phorasch , " engraved on the " Cubic stone . " They are the concluding words of the evocations of the devil , as found in old books of black magic , in which , according to Freemasonry , James I . was deeply versed ; indeed , they do not scruple to say that he practised those arts

with much success . If Masonry is for once telling the truth ( a luxury in which it does not often indulge ) , the British Solomon must have been a champion hypocrite . Stronger things I could say of Freemasonry , but my present object is accomplished in exploding the myth of the " Chapter at Arras . " E . J . D .

Scotch Masonry.

SCOTCH MASONRY .

EXIGENCIES of space necessitated the cutting short of our report last week of the proceedings at Brechin , on the 17 th ult ., when the Provincial Grand Lodge of Forfarshire assembled there . Before the Lodge closed the Provincial Grand Master

returned thanks to Sir Charles Dalrymple for his visit thaievening . He was sure he echoed the sentiments of every Brother present when he said that they were all pleased that the links between the Dalhousie family and Forfarshire Masons had been

cemented by the appointment of Bro . Eamsay as Substitute Provincial Grand Master . Concluding , he thanked the Brethren for their presence that evening , and the Lodge was then closed .

Later in the evening the St . James Lodge entertained Sir Charles Dalrymple and the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge to supper in the City Hall . The function was presided over by Bro . W . J . Cameron E . W . M . of St . James Lodge , whilo the duties of Croupier were discharged by Brother G . Wallace E . W . S . M . of the St . James Lodge .

After the Loyal and Patriotic toasts had been honoured , the chairman gave the toast , of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Sir Charles Dalrymple said he rejoiced to think that the benefits of the annuity and benevolent funds of the Grand Lodge were finding their way into the homes of poor Masons . By taking care of

these funds they might go a long way to relieve distress amougst their members * . Having remarked that the Province of Forfarshire was in a satisfactory position , Sir Charles concluded by mentioning that while the Dalhousie family had for 150 years been connected with the Grand Lodge , it was curious to note

that in . 1756 the Provincial Grand Master of Forfar and Angus was one David Dalrymple , advocate . Considering that his forbears were limbs of the law , it was likely that this gentleman was a forbear of his . — " Duadee Courier . "

We are pleased to hear that Bro . John Chapman , of Torquay , has been elected a Fellow of the Eoyal Meteorological Society . In recording this latest distinction for our esteemed Brother the " Devon County Standard" says : " This recognition of his

indefatigable efforts in behalf of general scientific subjects is uot the first he has received , for he was only a short time since elected a member of the Society for the encouragement of Arts , Manufactures , and Commerce . "

At a recent meeting of the iEsculapius Lodge it was decided to entertain all medical Masons who may attend the meeting of the British Medical Association in London , in August next , and an appropriation was unanimously voted for that purpose , says the " Medical Eecord . " ' '