Lodge Victoria In Burmah.

Master , but he cannot exercise any of tho privileges of that position . Just as a person who has been irregularly initiated is called upon to undergo tho ceremony again , in order that lie may be freed from the taint of irregular initiation , so in the case of Bro . Marks it seems to us that in order to enjoy

the privileges as well as the rank of Past Master he must first qualify for the chair of his Lodge by serving the office of Warden for a full year , aud then , having occupied the chair for the prescribed term , ho will , to employ the distinction mentioned in Oliver ' s Jurisprudence , be an

actual , instead of as now only a virtual P . M . But the work that he did in the chair of his Lodge cannot be undone any moro than he can be deprived of the further knowledge and experience he has acquired of Freemasonry . As regards Bro . Baxendale , supposing him to havo

qualified , and to have been duly elected , we do not see what impeachment there could be of his position as Master . At all events , the very worst that could happen to him would be that ho might , perhaps , bo called upon to undergo the cei-emony of installation a second time . This ,

indeed , is a point wo should like to see discussed . Supposing Bro . Baxendale to have been installed by his predecessor in the chair , Rev . Bro . Marks , whose election and installation have since been declared invalid , tho question arises , Ought a Master to be installed a second time in order to free his first installation from the taint of irregularity ? There should be some close argument over a matter of such delicacy .

A Joke At Our Expense.

A JOKE AT OUR EXPENSE .

IN commenting on a former article of ours , in which we pointed out the real nature of the objections which English Freemasons raise to the alteration in the first paragraph of tho Constitutions of the French Grand Orient , Le Monde Maronniaue is pleased to be funny . We said that

English Masons admit men of all religious , but exclude those which have no religion whatever ; that is to say , remarks our worthy French contemporary , English Masons excommunicate and treat as pariahs those who worship not a god of some kind or other—ce dieu fut-il un elephant llanc

ou un manilou quclcmique—be it a white elephant or . Well , we frankly admit that " un manitou quclconquc " is beyond our powers of translation , and we can only suggest that it moans " A Manitto , " which , as readers of Fennimore Cooper ' s novels— " The Last of the Mohicans , " for

example—will remember , is the name given to the god of the North American Indians . We dismiss the elephantine worship at once , as being far too unwieldy for a plain unsophisticated English Deist to appreciate ; butif our suggestion as to " un Manitou rfiielconquc" is right , then say wo ,

there is no objection whatever to recognising the worship of Manitto as a legitimate form of Deism . The North-American Indian , in his rude , uncultured fashion , believes in a Great Being , to whom he is indebted for the blessings

of life . He also has some idea of a future state , if Ave are to trust Cooper and other Avriters , Avho represent him as looking forward to the enjoyment of the pleasures of the chase in the happy hunting grounds he will A'isit after death . " 1 We are iuclined to think this

is a very respectable land of religion for what AVC are Avont to call an " untutored savage . " There is something of the spiritual in it , something far different from the fetish worship of the negro , or the adoration of a Avhite elephant , or a block of wood . We infinitely prefer it to the belief

Avhich regards man as a superior kind of monkey , Avhose instinct has developed into an intelligence ; or that Avhich imagines wc are groAvn much in the same way as cabbages , and for no higher purpose ; or Avhich places the creation

of the Universe and die erection of a block of houses on about the same level . We have , Ave repeat , no objection to the Manitto religion if our idea of " Manitou " is right , but Ave dismiss the elephant and the other materialist notions of a God .

Royal Arch Masonry In Virginia.

ROYAL ARCH MASONRY IN VIRGINIA .

THE Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Virginia was held at St . Albans Hall , Richmond , on the 13 th and 14 th December 1877 . M . E . Comp . Wm . ' II .

Royal Arch Masonry In Virginia.

Lambert G . H . P . presided , and among the G . Officers present Avero Comps . A . S . Lee G . K ., Sam H . Bowman G . S ., 0 . if . Marshall G . Treasurer , ancl W . B . Isaacs G . Secretary . The G . H . P . delivered his annual address , in the course of Avhich reference Avas made to the loss R . A .

Masonry in the State had sustained by the death of Comp . John Dove , Grand Secretary . He also referred to the General Grand Chapter of the United States , and explained tho grounds on Avhich the G . Chapter of Virginia had held aloof from that body , and Avhy it did not see fit

at this time to depart from the policy of abstention . Allusion Avas then made to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales , Avhich had forwarded to tho Gr . Chapter a complete bnt concise history of its formation , and asked for recognition on the part of

the Grand Chapter . Comp . Lambert , Avithont entering into the causes which had led to the erection of our Mark Grand Lodge , expressed his belief that , as it has been recognised by the Grand Chapters of Ireland , Canada , Pennsylvania and Iowa , and likewise by tho General

Grand Chapter of tho United States , there Avas no reason Avhy the Grand Chapter Virginia should not in like manner extend the right hand of fellowship towards our Mark Grand Lodge , and ho recommended it should be done accordingly . Ho further announced that official

notification of tho establishment of a Grand Chapter , Quebec , had been made , and he recommended that it should be recognised . The address Avas referred to a Committee , ancl other business having been transacted , the Convocation Avas closed , and met again on the following day ,

under the same presidency . The Grand Officers for the ensuing year were electee ! . The Reports of the several Committees were submitted , the only noteworthy matter

in these being the recommendation of tho Committee on the G . II . P . ' s address , that tho recognition of the Mark Grand Lodge of England and Wales should be postponed till the next Grand Annual Convocation . The following

are the principal Officers for the ensuing year , namely , Comps . A . Stith Lee G . H . P ., S . M . Bowman G . K ., P . S . Coles G . S ., 0 . M . Marshall G . Treasurer , ancl W . B . Isaacs G . Secretary .

District Grand Lodge Of British Burmah.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BRITISH BURMAH .

A T a Quarterly Communication , bolden afc the Masonic Temple , -ii- Rangoon , on Thursday , the 27 th of December 1877 , being the Festival of St . John the Evangelist . Present—V .. W . Bros . H . Krauss D . G . M ., J . Dawson D . D . G . M ., A . M . Buchanan P . D . G . S . W . as D . G . S . W ., C . J . Brown P . D . D . G . M . as D . G . J . W .,. B . Samuel D . G . Treas ., Capt . G . 0 . Smith as D . G . Reg ., W . II . Porter D . G . Sec , E . H . Stone as D . C . S . D ., Capt , F . E . Barrow as D . G . J . D ., W . Stenhouso as D . G . S . of W ., P . Boncmy as D . G . D . of C , Capt . J . Cuthberfc as

D . G . S . B ., W . II . Wootton as D . G . O ., W . G . Jackson as D . G . Purs ., S . J . Seth D . G . Steward , J . II . Clarkson D . G . Tyler ; together with representatives of Lodges : Social Friendship , No . 497 ; Star of Burmah , No . Gil , Rangoon ; Victoria in Bnrniab , No . 832 , Rangoon ; Greenlaw , No . 1095 , Tonngoo ; Rangoon , No . 12 G 8 , Rangoon ; and Bros . P . Bcneiny , T . T . Thompson , E . Moore , C . Preston , of No . G 14 , visitors .

The District Grand Lodgo having been opened in ample form at G . 15 p . m ., the summons convening the Communication was read . W . Bro . J . Dawson then proposed , and W . Bro . A . M . Buchanan seconded , " That tho minutes of the Quarterl y Communication of tho 11 th September 1877 , having been printed and circulated , be taken as read . " Carried unanimously . R . W . Bro . II . Kranss proposed , and

W . Bro . C . J . Brown seconded , " That the minutes of tho proceedings of the Quarterly Communication of tho 11 th September 1877 bo confirmed . " Carried unanimously . The D . G . Sec . reported receipt of apologies for their unavoidable absence from several brethren , and read the report of the proceedings of a meeting of the District Grand Lodge Committee , which comprised , among other matters , the D . G .

Treasurer ' s accounts , sinco the date of last audit j these had been examined and found correct , and showed a balance in favour of the District Grand Lodge Fund of Rs . 88 12 8 , and District Grand Lodge Fnnd of Benevolence of Rs . GG 10 0 . Announcement that Quarterly Returns and dncs had been received from Lodges : —Greenlaw , No . 1095 , Victoria in Burmah , No . 832 , Star of Burmah , No . 614 .

Astrma , No . 137 G , Philanthropy , No . 542 . Report from D . G . Sec . thafc the Worshipful Master of Lodge Greenlaw , No . 1095 , Tonngoo , had returned the Provisional Warrant which had been issued to that Lodge on the 21 st March last , in lieu of tho Grand Lodge Warrant which had been bnrnt , tho said Lodgo having since applied for and obtained a Warrant of Confirmation from tho Grand Lodge ot

England . The Provisional Warrant was therefore cancelled . Also that Lodgo Greenlaw , No . 1095 , Tonngoo , had submitted a case where a Tyler of that Lodge , who had been admitted a serving brother in the said Lodge , bnt had not , iu consequence of removal from the station , served the period of four years as required by tho Book of Constifcutions , page 87 , though he had paid his dues to tho Grand Lodge Fnnd of Benevolence , and enquiring whether he conld be relieved in case