Royal Arch Masonry: Its Distribution And Progress.

Murree , 1439 Palamporc , and 1413 Rawnl Pindee . Singapore and Kandy , iu the Island of Ceylon , have each a Royal Arch Chapter , but they do not belong to any of the above District organisations . In South Africa , which is not constituted into a district

or districts , their are eight Chapters , four of which meet m Cape of Good Hope , and ono each at Durban , King William ' s Town , Kimberley , aud Pietermaritzburg . These last four are new , while No . 365 of the Cape has dropped from the roll . There are also two Chapters—one , No . 488 ,

a new one—meeting in St . Helena ; but considering there aro some fifty Lodges in South Africa , we might have looked for more than ten Chapters . In Jamaica there are five Chapters , No . 914 , meeting at Port Royal , being of recent creation . These constitute the District Grand

Chapter , but the vacancy caused by the death of Comp . Dr . Hamilton has not been filled up as yet . There aro besides these , nine other Chapters scattered about tho West Indies , while in 1874 there were eight , the new creation being Chapter No . 867 , Trinidad . In North America there

are three Chapters , two constituting the District Grand Chapter of Montreal or Canada East , and one meeting at St . John ' s , Newfoundland . In 1874 there was also a New Brunswick Chapter , No . 518 , St . Andrew's . In South America there are two Chapters , No . 227 , Demerara , and

No . 617 , Beunos Ayres , the latter having been lately warranted . The progress of the degree in Australasia is very far from being commensurate with that made in Craft Masonry . There are considerably over 200 Lodges , yet there appear to be only some twenty-seven Chapters all

told distributed among these Colonies . New South Wales , for instance , has about five or six and forty Lodges , yet only three of the number have Chapters attached to them , two meeting in Sydney , and one at Maitland . Now Sydney alone has ten Lodges , so that wo might justly have

looked for greater strength in Royal Arch Masonry in this District , especially as it is fortunate enough to have a District Grand Chapter . Victoria , to its seventy Lodges has nine Chapters , four of them being attached to as many Melbourne Lodges , which is thus

better off than Sydney . Here , too , there is a District G . Chapter . In Queensland , South Australia , and Tasmania , there are but four Chapters , two in Queensland , and one in each of the other two . In 1874 South Australia had two Chapters , and consequently the gain of one in Victoria

is neutralised by the loss of one m this Colony . Western Australia has not a single Chapter . In New Zealand there is some improvement . In 1874 there are four Chapters to thirty Lodges ; now there are ten Chapters , but at the same time we must point out there are a round seventy

Lodges . Canterbury , South Island , has two Chapters , one newly constituted ; Ofcago and Southland three Chapters , two being newly warranted , and Westland three , of which two are recent . Wellington , North Island , has two Chapters , both established since 1874 , but Auckland has

no Chapter , though it can boast some dozen Lodges . However , many of the Lodges are not yet entitled to have Chapters , so that we may look for more progress in accordance with the recognised strength of Craft Masonry in the course of the next few years . If we add that of the

six Lodges in Military Corps , one half have Chapters , we shall have completed our survey of English Royal Arch Masonry , and noted all that our readers can wish to know respecting its progress and distribution in the Metropolis , the Provinces , and Abroad .

Our Banquet.

OUR BANQUET .

BY AN OLD STAGER .

THAT there is " pretty much of a muchness " about the festivities attendant on the Fourth Degree , and that our banquets—at least so far as the post prandial speeches are concerned—are as nearly as possible alike as "two peas , " few of my readers , I imagine , will be inclined to

dispute . There may be variety as to the extent of luxury of these reunions , such as when Grand Lodge or Festival gatherings bring out the eloquence of the great orators of

the Craft ; but , taking our ordinary Lodge banquets into account , who can say that they present any striking contrasts , or that he who has attended one has not witnessed a sample of all the rest ?

Our Banquet.

Take , for example , an installation meeting , and draw a picture of what one may reasonably expect . We have left our office or shop , as the case may be , an hour or two earlier than on the usual Lodge nights ; for the ceremony , besides being more important , often spreads

over a longer time than the accustomed hours of labour . We will pass over the hearty and fraternal greetings which precede the opening of business , when brethren

meet , after the month ' s interval , with a larger number of visitors than ordinarily , and renew those sentiments of good fellowship which are nowhere more profuse than among the brethren of the mystic tie .

We need not here inquire , either as to how the core , monies have been worked , or who are the Officers that have been adorned with the coveted collars for the year . All this has been done in regular order and with due

decorum ; the jewels have been put away and the secrets of the Order laid up " in the safe and sacred repository , " as the brethren file out into the convenient room , prior to reassembling for refreshment .

At the banquet table the Worshipful Master is , of course , supported on his left by the Immediate Past Master , who has just blushingly escaped from the congratulatory hand-shakes of friends who compliment him upon his perfect rendering of the Installation ceremony .

Beyond him are the Past Masters , in all the glitter of their well-earned jewels , aud each looking wise and full of paternal pride upon the rising star who has just blossomed into the firmament of Masonic ambition . On bis right are the Grand Officers , amidst all the pomp and

circumstance of their exalted positions , and each expecting to bo called upon to respond to the leading toast with some serious and weigbty observations . There are the initiates

and visitors , relegated to their allotted seats of eminence , while the rank and file seek out congenial places at the festive board , as conveniently near their bosom friends as possible .

Whilst the courses of the menu are proceeded with , there are the customary genial g lances over the generous wine , as invitations to exchange friendly salutations are accepted " with the greatest pleasure , Brother . " Then the Master

takes wine with the brethren on the right and left alternately , and afterwards " all together ; " and a running fire of congratulation continues until the sound of the gavel is heard as a signal for the more serious business of the

evening . All eyes are turned upon the newly-fledged Worshipful Master , as if in anticipation that he may be able to vary the " customary Loyal toasts" with some new flash of brilliancy , or some newly-rounded sentence illustrative of

the loyalty which pervades all good and true members of the Craft towards the gracious Sovereign whose name is indissolubly associated with the opening toast . But do we not all know what he is about to say ? He informs us , in language quite original and startling , that tbe first toast in

all assemblies of Enghsnmen is that of the illustrious Lady who is the exemplification of all the virtues of her sex , as a wife , a mother , and a Queen ( cheers ); and may she long continue to reign over a prosperous , contented , and happy people . As the Patroness of the Craft , she is doubly dear

to all its members , who are as unswerving in their loyalty to her as to the beneficent Institution of which they form a part . At which sentiment the brethren rise , go

through the points and honours , some worthy Brother taking up the solo of the national hymn , the chorus of which is sung by the entire company , with all the requisite loyalty .

Then comes , of course , the health of the Most Worship ful Grand Master , since whose accession to the throne of English Masonry the Institution has made such giant strides , and increased both in numbers and popularity amongst all classes of his future subjects . When he

succeeds his august mother to the Throne of Britain—which the G . A . O . T . U . grant may be far distant ( So mote it be ) , he will add lustre to the dignity of the realm , as he has done to that of the Craft . ( Cheers , followed by a verse of the stanza " God Bless the Prince of Wales , " ) while all await the succeeding toast

of" Our Rulers , " who are enumerated in stereotyped order , with the mention in detail of their rank , and of the p laces they respectively fill in the Grand Lodge of England .

Though probably the Worshipful Master has never seen one of them ( and equally probable he never will ) he is perfectly convinced that they one and all discharge the duties of their exalted spheres with the most perfect