Maek Masonry.

MAEK MASONRY .

DEVON

THE Mark Provincial Grand Lodge is to assemble at the Freemasons' Hall , Plymouth , on Wednesday , the 14 th inst ., at 4 * 30 p . m . Sir Stafford Northcote Provincial Grand Master will preside , and the usual business will be transacted . Brother

Henry Stocker has had printed and forwarded with circulars the account of the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Newton Abbot last year , by which it will be seen that there are twenty Lodges in the Province , with fully 500 members .

ROYAL NAVAL LODGE , No . 239 . THE September meeting was held on Monday , 21 st ult ., at Mark Masons ' HaU , Great Queen Street , tbe W . M . Bro . Charles H . Bestow W . M .-elect Craft No . 2374 S . N . No . 2374 Chapter presiding ; with Bros . Percy Trickett S . W ., W . H . Aston S . D . acting J . W ., Walter C . Tyler M . O ., M . J . Bleick J . O ., James Speller I . P . M . and Sec , A . D . Aves J . D ., J . Bawles Tyler , and Brethren .

The Master opened the Lodge with the full Mark ceremonies , and the minutes were confirmed . All necessary comments having concluded , Bro . A . D . Aves received sanction as a joining member , and subscribed to the B . of M . The business to he transacted related to matters in which the Lodge mainly was concerned , and this having received due attention and subsequent approval , the Lodge was closed . The banquet was served at the Holborn Restaurant , the W . M . presiding .

After the Loyal toasts , the I . P . M . Bro . James Speller , in a neatly eloquent and appreciative speech , proposed the Worshipful Master , who , as all present were aware , would shortly attain the high position of Worshipful Master of the Shurmur ( Craft ) Lodge , an acknowledged important one in the Province of Essex . It was the hope and thought of all , that like other undertakings to which the Master had put his hand , the Boyal Naval Mark Lodge would prosper under his reign .

The Master , in reply , said he hoped that the words of the I . P . M . would come true ; at all events there would be endeavour on his part to bring about the realisation , and he was the more encouraged by the fact of having Officers always ready for work . The Master then submitted a proposal , our joining member , remarking that both in the Craft Lodge and Boyal Arch Chapter , Bro . Aves had proved himself so efficient and such a worthy student , that he was doubly welcome as a member among them .

Bro . Aves having briefly replied , the Master gave the I . P . M ., speaking in words of deserved appreciation of the zealous efficiency that always distinguished all he had done . It was more than ordinarily fortunate that they had been able to add the office of Secretary to his other office , and they might well congratulate themselves on that .

The I . P . M . and Sec . Bro . James Speller said he had held many offices in Craft Lodges , Chapters , and Mark Lodges , but the office of Secretary was a new experience . Speaking as a P . M . he thought the Lodge should for its future look more to the energies of the younger members than the P . Ms ., as probably they would take keener enjoyment in helping to build up their own prosperity .

Bro . B . M . H . Griffith having replied for the Visitors , the Master proposed the Lodge Officers , addressing words of thanks to each , and also thanking Bro . Walter Tyler for his efficiency in the duties of M . O . He joined Brother Speller in the hope that the Mark Charities would prosper , and with him believed that being well administered they were doing great good .

Bro . Percy Trickett said that he was obliged to the Master for his encomiums ; for some years he had always been an Officer just below Bro . Bestow , but he had no envy , but gratification for his success , knowing that when the proper opportunity came , the same kind of honours would come to him as well . Bro . Walter C . Tyler was glad to have the Master ' s thanks . It was his

duty and his pleasure to be as useful and as efficient as possible . He desired to help in making the success of the Boyal Naval Mark Lodge , and he rejoiced that the spirit was among them all , whether in Mark , Craft , or Boyal Arch , or in any sphere , to increase the value of the Institutions and to make them the grand results of Masonic Brotherhood and the accomplishment of Masonic desire .

Bro . Bleick also , in response , spoke in favour of individual help , agreeing with Brother Griffith that as all communities were made up by the multiplication of ones , each one should try to do his best . Bro . Aston agreed that to each one a part in good regulation was assigned . They each had capacity to which , if willingness were added , there never could be any doubts about a success ; he should be glad to help . Other toasts followed and the proceedings closed in the way known by tradition , says the " Clerkenwell Chronicle . "

ST . EILIAN LODGE , No . 360 . THE annual installation took place on Monday , 28 th ult ., at tho Lodge Boom , Eleth Inn , Amlwch , when Bro . John Hughes ( Prondeg ) was installed by Bro . T . Jervis ( Bethesda ) P . M . P . P . G . S . B . After the Lodge was closed banquet was partaken of , when tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured .

The Cornish Lodge , No . 2369 , is summoned for to-day ( Saturday ) , at 4-30 p . m ., at Mark Mason ' s Hall , London . Dr . John Curnow the Master-elect will then be installed , and the new Officers appointed . The annual banquet will be served at 630 . There are over sixty subscribing members , including the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe Prov . Grand Master of Cornwall , who is first on the roll , followed by Sir Charles B . Graves-Sawle , Bart .

The Anti-Masonic Congress.

THE ANTI-MASONIC CONGRESS .

WE must certainly join in the expressions of disappointment uttered in different quarters as to the results of this much talked of affair . We expected something outside of the common and absurd abuse we have been so long accustomed to hear from the fanatics of the Eomish Church , but instead of anything of a conclusive character the delegates to the Congress have made themselves ridiculous in the eyes of the world by the

discussion of tales and superstitions that are an insult to the common sense of the age . To such an extent has this been the case that many of the delegates themselves have declined to endorse the views set forth , even going so far as to regard some of them as actual blasphemy . We extract the following comments from the press of the country :

Trent is crowded on account of its Anti-Masonic Congress . The place of assembly is the Church of the Diocesan Seminary . Above its great altar is a canopy of velvet , below which are hangings in the Papal colours , falling behind and on either side of a large crucifix . On one side of these decorations is a bust of

Leo XIII ., and on the other a bust of the Emperor Francis Joseph . On the morning of Saturday , 26 th September , the priests taking part in the Congress said Mass in the Cathedral , and the Prince Bishop of Trent gave Holy Communion to the lay members of tbe Congress . The first sitting lasted from ten

a . m . to one p . m . Mgr . Casali del Drago , Patriarch of Constantinople , presided , assisted by Count Loevenstien and Gomm . Alliata . Ten Bishops who were present were on entering greeted with the Hymn of Catholic Youth . Twenty-four Bishops were represented , numerous associations , and 20 journals . The proceedings were opened by the Prince Bishop intoning the

Veni Creator , and his inaugural discourse was followed by prolonged cries of " Viva Maria ! " Gomm . Alliata spoke , and called for acclamation to the Pope and Emperor ; Count Loevenstien , who was elected Acting President , delivered thanks . Their various adhesions were read , from Cardinals , Bishops and journals . Comm . P . Paeelli announced the adhesion of the Duke of Madrid and the Count of Caserta

( Bourbon of Naples ) . Mgr . Schneider , who represented the Archbishop of Naples , spoke next . The President then announced the adhesion of Count Zichy , and read two telegrams , one to be directed to his Holiness , and another to his Imperial Majesty . Mgr . Smocezynski spoke of the Pope and

Freemasonry ; Mgr . Molo , titular Bishop of Callipohs and administrator of the Ticino Canton on Masonic activity . The " Times" correspondent , whose report we now quote , admits that while Freemasonry was unhesitatingly condemned , no word hostile to individuals was spoken : " We must hate error , "

said Bishop Valussi , ' but we must love the erring . " A Polish prelate who indulged in certain strictures on the governments of Eussian Poland was interrupted by the chairman and not allowed to continue . It has been resolved , beside other things , that wherever the Freemasons have founded charitable

institutions their example should be followed by the Catholics . The anouneeinent that the Spanish Government has appointed a special commission to inquire whether Freemasonry should not be prohibited in Spain , and all Freemasons in Government service dismissed was received with enthusiastic applause . In

Austria Freemasonry is forbidden as being a secret society . Every official when he enters the Government service is obliged to declare that he belongs to no such society . In Hungary Freemasonry is tolerated , and consequently the Austrian Lodges have their seat at Pressburg and other frontier towns of

Hungary . The sections or committees of the Congress at Trent are sitting with closed doors . In the fourth section the now famous book of that mysterious personage Miss Diana Vaughan has been the object of lively discussion . The mythical Miss Vaughan .... affirms that in American Lodges ,

principally at Charleston , she has had repeated interviews with Lucifer . Her interviews extended to other members of the demon tribe . She informs her readers that one particular follower of his Satantic Majesty named Bitru announced at a Masonic sitting ab Eome , 13 years after the taking of the

Eternal City by the Italians , that on 29 th September 1896 , a woman residing in Paris would give birth to a relative of the Evil One himself . The book gives facsimiles of the signature of Bitru and of several other minor demons . Dr . Kratzfeld , the delegate of the Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne , protested

against any serious discussion of such a blasphemous and fantastic work , which he stigmatised as a fraud , probably the speculation of some unscrupulous bookseller . The Germans and most of the Italians present warmly applauded the speaker ,

but several French priests declared that Miss Diana Vaughan really existed , and that Mgr . Fava , Bishop of Grenoble , in France , knew her and could vouch for her character . They even added that Cardinal Parocchi had congratulated her on her conversion and on her book . The debate at this point was