United Grand Lodge.

done , and the clothing and insignia were duly forwarded to his Majesty King Oscar as soon as practicable . He was sure it would be pleasant for the brethren to hear the letter which the M . W . G . M . wrote in forwarding this clothing to his Majesty , and , with the permission of the Grand Master in tho chair , ho would now read it . It was as follows : —

Marlborough House , 23 rd July 18 S 8 . To His Majesty Oscar II ., King of Sweden and Norway , K . G ., Sec , & o . SIR AND MOST WORSHII ' I-UL BROTHER , —On the 6 th Juno last , the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England unanimously resolved to

invite your Majesty to accept tho rank and position of a Past Grand Master of their body , which you were graciously pleased to accept , and your Majesty was good enough to be present on the next day nt one of our Masonic Charitable Meetings , in the Koyal Albert Hall ,

wearing the insignia of that office . The Grand Lodge of England are very desirous of marking in some manner their warm appreciation of the great honour your Majesty has thus conferred upon them ; they have therefore requested me , as

their Grand Master , to solicit your Majesty ' s acceptance of the com . plete set of the clothing and badge of a Past Grand Master of their jurisdiction , which accompanies this letter , in recollection of the day

whioh yonr Majesty mado an auspicious one for tho Freemasons of England by your gracious presence at the Centenary Festival of the daughters of thoir distressed brethren .

With tho expression of my own personal thanks for tho interest your Majesty has thus taken in the Grand Lodge over which I preside ,

I have the honour to remain , Your Majesty ' s faithful Brother , ALBERT EDWARD , [ S EAL ] Grand Master Graud Lodge of England .

He might point ont that his Majesty King Oscar , since the forwarding of that clothing , had been absent from his own kingdom , and , therefore , it had been impracticable for his Majesty to acknowledge the gift , which he was

sure he would do at the earliest occasion . The acting Grand Master said he knew the brethren would agree to the proposition he was about to make— " Thafc this letter also be entered on the minutes of fche day ' s proceedings . "

He begged to propose it . Brother Sandeman seconded . The motion was carried . The recommendations of the Board of Benevolence , as they appeared in our last issue

were confirmed , ancl the report of the Board of General Purposes was unanimously adopted . This completing the business , United Grand Lodge was closed .

How To Promote Happiness.

HOW TO PROMOTE HAPPINESS .

" rTHHE fewer our wants the more we resemble the gods , " JL was one of the proverbs of a renowned Grecian philosopher . One of our modern writers , in speaking of life , states that while we remain in this life we are subject to

innumerable temptations , which if listened to will make us deviate from reason and goodness , the only things wherein we can imitate the Supreme Being . In the next life we meet with nothing to excite our inclinations that does not deserve

them . He , therefore , offered this maxim , which has especial reference to the subject under discussion : " Our happiness in this world proceeds from the suppression of our desires , but in the next world from the gratification of them . "

Freemasonry , as wo understand it , seems to be fashioned somewhat after the above-mentioned maxim , and while the lesson is not definitely expressed , yet far in the background we see it . Freemasonry does promote happiness

in many ways , but it is to be achieved somewhat after the expression of the renowned Grecian already referred to . If we examine closely the principles of our Order , we will discover thafc Masonry teaches the very lessons of the

proverb in question . For example , the sheaf of wheat and the waterfall ; the offering of the first degree ; meeting on the level ; bringing nothing offensive or defensive into the Lodge , and many other similar illustrations . These

references have the one intent in mind , viz ., to make its followers better . The man that is not improved by his intercourse with Masonry had better withdraw quickly .

If the lessons do not improve his manner of living , then it is to be regretted thafc he ever crossed the portals of the Lodge room , and entered upon the mystic journey , for this very journey is a symbol of human life .

From one of the old works there is an account of all the Roman emperors with Alexander the Great as pa-sing in review before the gods , and striving for superiority . The author dropped them all except Alexander , Julius

How To Promote Happiness.

Crcsar , Augustus Ccosar , Trajan , Marcus Aurelius and Constantine . Each of these great heroes of antiquity la £ , in his claim for tho upper place , and , in order to it , sets forth his actions after the most advantageous manner .

Bufc the gods , instead of being dazzled with the lustre of their actions , inquired , by Mercury , into the proper motive and governing principles that influenced them throughout tho whole series of their lives and exploits . Alexander

tells them that his aim was to conquer ; Julius Crosar , that his was to gain tho highest post in his country ; Augustus , to govern well ; Trajan was the same as Alexander . Tho qnestion was at length put to Marcus Aurelius , who replied ,

with great modesty , thafc ifc had always been Irs care to imitate the gods . This conduct seems to have gained him the most votes and best place of the whole assembly . Marcos Aurelius , being afterwards asked to explain himself ,

declared that , by imitating the goth , lio endeavoured to imitate them iu the use of his understandings and of all other faculties ; and , in particular , that it was always his study to have as few wants as possible in himself , and to do all the good he could to other . ) .

This explanation of Marcus Aurelius points oufc the way of true happiness , which is the direct mission of Freemasonry . Our readers may think that these illustrations

are somewhat foreign to our Order as ifc stands to-day , but we still claim that this institntion had its origin in the most remote ages , and that the maxims of those ancient nations have direct reference to our Craft . Their lessons are as applicable now as at any previous time . —Freemason ' s Journal .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcester will be held at the Balsall Heath Institute , Moseley , on Wednesday next , the 12 th instant . Provincial Grand Lodge will le opened at 12 o ' clock .

The installation of Comp . the Rev . Charles W . Spencer-Stanhope , M . A ., who has been appointed by His Royal Highness the Grand Z . to be Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Masons for Cheshire , has been arranged to take place at a Provincial Grand Chapter which will be

held at the Crewe Arms Hotel , Crewe , on Thursday , the 27 fch inst .

Arrangements are being made for the establishment of a new Lodge at Litfclehampton , tbe necessity for one having long been felt by several Craftsmen who reside in the district .

Tbe annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire is arranged to be held at Knutsford on the 17 th September . We understand that the brethren will have an opportunity afforded them of visiting the Provincial Grand Master ( Lord Egerton ) , afc his seat ; ab Tatton Park , in the evening .

We have received , as they bave been issued , from our good friend Bro . James Stevens , the first three numbers of " The Masonic Star , a Weekly Journal and Record of Freemasonry at Home and Abroad . " We confess on

looking over the first number we felt disappointed ; we had heard great things were to be attempted in this new venture , and that " old lines " were to be avoided . However , the second number showed a decided improvement

on the first , and tbe current week's issue pleases us still more . We do not wish to discourage the promoters , but we fear they will not receive sufficient support from their Masonic brethren to justify them in continuing to supply

so excellent a quality of paper as has been nsed for the three issues under notice . It is nofc wise to prophesy unless we know , consequently we must wait till the bantling has got a little older before we venture to say what its career will eventuate in .

A CAED . —AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY is announced in the ' Pans Figaro , " of a valuable remedy for nervous debility , physical exhaustion , and kindred complaints . Thia discovery was made by a missionary in Old Mexico ; it saved him from a mis-erable existence ,

and premature decay . The Eev . Joseph Holmes , Bloomsbury Mansions , Bloomsbury Square , Loudon , W . G ., will send the prescription , free of charge , on receipt of a aelf-addresBed stamped envelope . Mention this paper .